The Carer Digital - Issue #7

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

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The Carer Digital

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THECARERUK

Issue 7

COVID Testing Chaos Set to Continue for Social Care

The testing arrangements for the social care sector remain chaotic, with no reliable timescale for getting the test results and not enough tests prioritised for social care says industry body the National Care Forum (NCF).

The announcement yesterday (May 19), that everyone aged over five in the UK with symptoms can now be tested for coronavirus, will only make this testing chaos worse.

The National Care Forum (NCF) is calling for more tests to be made available to the care sector as a matter of priority and guarantees that the systems in place will be focussed on prioritising care workers and those receiving care to help manage and prevent COVID across care settings. We need 200,000 routine and regular tests per day across the care sector to get on top of this health pandemic.

In a second survey to NCF members to find out how the existing testing arrangements are working on the ground and the length of time taken to receive test results, our findings show that the testing process is chaotic. Despite the myriad of different testing routes available – at least 6 for staff and at least 5 for residents – many differ on a local level depending on how local teams interpret government guidance and their own local capacity for testing.

The survey represents the perspectives of a wide range of organisations who between them employ 43,152 staff and support 16,240 residents in care homes.

Of these 3,466 staff and 4,619 residents have been tested between 23 April and 14 May.

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PAGE 2 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7

EDITOR'S VIEWPOINT Welcome to the seventh edition of The Carer Digital “The simple act of caring is heroic.”

EDWARD ALBERT

Although we are still somewhat in the eye of the storm, it is heartening news that the death rate in care homes has fallen.

According to statistics released this week there were 1,940 care home deaths linked to coronavirus in the week ending 8 May – a fall in the number of deaths from 2,800 the previous week. This comes on top of a report by European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), which reveals that England has reported the lowest level of deaths in nursing homes as a share of total COVID-19 fatalities compared to other European nations.

Having observed much debate these past few days I am Editor confident that soon we will be moving towards “a day of reckoning”, and I sincerely hope it is conducted in a more dignified and reasoned way then the crisis itself has been conducted.

Those in the front-line in the care sector found themselves having to deal with an absolutely unprecedented crisis. A crisis which brought to the forefront the chronic underfunding the sector has endured for years - staffing issues brought about by low pay and immigration issues, and the realisation that the country was wholly unprepared with a chronic lack of personal protection equipment.

Despite all of that, the sector went above and beyond its normal call of duty. We have been delighted to have been part of that in a small way - liaising with industry professionals and spokespersons, sharing the celebrations and initiatives care homes and staff have undertaken to make life of the residents that little bit easier during lockdown and lift spirits.

Contrast that with the mainstream media reporting, as stated before, using the crisis as a political football.

Now I see the beginnings of “the blame game”. As I have been observing media reporting this week, anyone and everyone is in the firing line. I do accept that it is human nature to lash out, particularly when under pressure, but if we don’t have reasoned and rational debate, inevitably leading to a full and independent enquiry, then we will conduct of the next crisis exactly the same way as we have conducted this one.

There have been some colossal errors, but in all fairness, I don’t think anyone can lay the blame at one particular door. The care sector was overwhelmed to poor decisionmaking. Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but when you have structured layers of organisation, involving various organisations and governmental departments, then it is difficult to believe that people were released from hospital into care environment without any “risk assessments” whatsoever. Care homes and the wider adult social care system play a crucial role in caring for the most vulnerable people. Outbreaks of infectious disease can be especially challenging to manage in care homes. Residents will most likely have serious underlying health issues that make isolating them particularly challenging, and infection control outside a hospital setting is difficult. So how exactly did it happen?

Expressing opinions is one thing, but at this stage apportioning blame and responsibility will create more problems than they will resolve, and have a detrimental effect on public confidence.

So, I suspect that a Public Inquiry is not only inevitable, but essential. However, it must

Peter Adams

be one that is planned open and transparent.

Were early warnings missed? How did the virus enter the UK and what were the drivers? What was the UK’s preparedness for the virus – hospitals, care homes, the economy, work places, supply chains, equipment (from ventilators to masks to toilet paper); why were borders not closed earlier; how did we miss the European offer of PPE? What advice was the Government receiving and how was it reflected in policy? How effective was the UK policy, compared to other countries, in preventing deaths? – this is likely to be the most politically and factually contentious question. How effective was the Treasury in protecting the economy? (while providing support to those most in need) and what harm has been done to the economy? How efficient was testing?

We have been liaising with many industry professionals and residential and nursing care homes, and we would very much welcome your views on what should happen post Covid-19 and would welcome your comments, which we will ensure will be seen and heard!

Once again I would draw your attention to our Unsung Hero award this issue please see page 17. 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:

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7 | PAGE 3

COVID Testing Chaos Set to Continue for Social Care (...CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER) NCF members have said: “There have been numerous changes to the staff testing process over the past 6 weeks which has made it very difficult to co-ordinate. Even though it has now been announced that all care staff can be tested, regardless of whether they are symptomatic, some organisations have still told us that we can only test staff who have symptoms.”

“It has been frustrating and confusing with different information through the Gov.uk networks to find out who is doing what and shifting responsibilities between different agencies, along with delays in results.”

The speed at which test results are returned varies widely. For the majority of testing routes for staff and residents, this is between 24 hours and 6 days. Results from home testing kits were much faster than other testing routes for both staff and residents, ranging between 24 hours and 4 days. However, a large number of test results are returning ‘void’ or ‘inconclusive’ owing to delays in obtaining results or faulty tests.

“In one of our care homes, 17 resident tests came back ‘void’ because of a faulty machine at the lab. This meant that all of those residents had to be re-tested, which was concerning. We have also received test results from other care homes (not in our group), and have received results for an individual with the correct surname but incorrect forename.

This is very concerning as it makes us question the validity of the results we are receiving.”

Vic Rayner, Executive Director of the National Care Forum says: “There are currently 30,000 tests available to care homes, which equates to 300 care home per day receiving tests. This is in no way near enough of the amount of tests required for the care sector. We need to see at least 200,000 routine and regular tests each day in the care sector alone. The speed and quality of the testing process is currently a postcode lottery and doesn’t appear to be based on need. Some of our mem-

bers are being told they won’t be tested until 6 June which is much too late.

“We are asking for more tests to be made available for care providers to make sure that the government holds to its promise to keep the most vulnerable and those who care for them safe during this pandemic. Now is not the time to lose that focus and drive. We need to focus on testing for social care, making sure that the tests are processed quickly, the results are accurate and they come back promptly.

“Along with the increase in the number of tests for social care, it is clear that we need to see an improvement in the quality and accuracy of the testing process and analysis so we can make proper use of the results.”

NCF are calling for: 200,000 routine and regular tests per day for social care to ensure they have a strategic and targeted prioritisation of all their employees and residents, and for speed and quality in test results to ensure accuracy and to give carers and residents confidence that we are doing all we can to keep them safe.”

Professor Martin Green, of Care England, also strongly criticised the government's handling of the coronavirus outbreak saying that people who were most at risk of dying of Covid-19 should have been prioritised from the beginning.

Addressing MPs he said there were still problems with testing and PPE in care homes.

Giving evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee, Prof Green said pandemic planning had been wholly inadequate and the government had concentrated on the NHS while discharging infected patients into care homes.

He told MPs that despite promises from ministers, there were still huge issues with testing, with results lost and staff waiting eight to 10 days to find out if they have coronavirus.

However, in response to an urgent question in the House of Commons, Health Secretary Matt Hancock maintained that people were sent to care homes when community transmission rates were low.

Guarded Welcome for Care Home Support Care providers have given a guarded welcome to the promise of extra help for care and nursing homes in the battle against coronavirus (Covid19).

The Independent Care Group (ICG) has welcomed Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s promised support announced at this week’s coronavirus briefing.

But it has warned that such promises have been made before and not delivered.

Mr Hancock outlined three steps to support care and nursing homes during the pandemic, promising to “do everything possible to protect them as long as they are threatened by this

virus”.

The three measures were: • Every resident and member of staff to be tested for Covid-19 by early

June whether they have symptoms or not • A named clinical lead in every care and nursing home in England • Liaison with local authorities and sharing of data on coronavirus cases.

Care homes are also to be asked to restrict permanent and agency staff to working in only one care home wherever possible.

The promises came as ONS figures showed that between March 2 and May 1, 12,526 care and nursing home residents died after catching the virus.

ICG Chair Mike Padgham said: “We welcome today’s promises by the Government and its resolve to do everything possible to help care and nursing homes.

“However, we have had big promises made before and they have not materialised on the front line. We must wait to see if the Government delivers this time – our patience is running out and providers are struggling.

“It is gratifying that the Government is now waking up to what we have been saying for many years, that NHS and social care need to come together now and in the future.

“What we need most of all is to ensure that we can get the testing done, that we can get access to PPE and that we get some financial support to care and nursing homes who are struggling to survive whilst

battling Covid-19.

“Reduced income from admissions combined with spiralling staffing and PPE costs is pushing many towards the edge of survival. Many were already running on very tight margins during the ongoing social care funding crisis. It is vital that they get financial support now to avoid the very real risk of providers going under at this critical time.

“Whilst today’s measures are welcome, a lot more needs to be done and we need support for all social care providers – including care and nursing homes, those providing care in people’s own homes through homecare, day care and supported living – to be stepped up.

“We need to ensure all vulnerable people are protected.”

Elsewhere, the ICG today welcomed a promise from a local authority that 100% of its share of extra funding to support care and nursing homes would go to the front line.

North Yorkshire County Council has promised that its share of the £600m extra money pledged to support social care will get to providers.

Mr Padgham added: “We are very grateful to North Yorkshire County Council for promising that all the extra money they get from this £600m will get to care and nursing homes in North Yorkshire. We hope that other local authorities will follow suit with a similar pledge.”

PAGE 4 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7

Why Communication Is So Important During A Crisis

By Hannah Haffield, managing director of PR agency Make More Noise (www.makemorenoise.co.uk) The coronavirus pandemic has sparked uncertainty in almost every sector, not least the care industry which has sadly taken precedence in the headlines over the startling number of cases and deaths it has suffered.

This, coupled with criticism of how the virus outbreak has been managed in care homes, has highlighted the need for clear messaging during these unprecedented times. Now more than ever, it is crucial for those in the sector to recognise the importance of communication during a crisis.

WHAT IS CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS? Crisis communications, or ‘crisis management’, is a communications plan followed by an organisation to ensure it is prepared to respond to an emergency or unexpected event and can communicate with its stakeholders clearly. For nursing and residential care providers, having a robust plan in place will make sure information reaches employees, partners, media, the public and any other valuable stakeholders, and that messaging is consistent across all company platforms.

Whilst the best approach to crisis communications will be slightly different for each care provider, there are several best practices that can be followed to help establish an effective plan.

HOW TO GET IT RIGHT In an ideal situation, companies would spend time putting a plan in place before an issue arises to make sure they are fully prepared to deal with crisis situations. However unfortunately, as the current pandemic has proven, crises are usually unforeseen events and catch us off guard, meaning many companies in the care sector will be frantically trying to devise a response.

They should start by identifying one spokesperson that knows what to say and can communicate a clear and consistent message. Working with this individual, companies should put together a list of ‘key messages’ not only to ensure important points are not forgotten, but to keep control of the dialogue and avoid misinformation and speculation.

The communications plan should consider employees and other internal stakeholders, not just the media and general public. They could be worrying about how the current pandemic could impact their jobs, or how they will be individually perceived based on how events are being reported externally. Companies also need to be prepared to address any speculation and false information going around and should make it clear in any statements what the real situation is.

With the growth of social media, care homes with an online presence also need to keep their social accounts and websites in mind. Conversation spreads more freely via social media than other channels, making it important to keep an ear to the ground to stay aware of what is being said online, so companies are prepared to quickly manage any speculation or concerns directed at them.

IF IN DOUBT For care providers unsure how to approach the current crisis or wanting to develop a plan to be prepared for future events, crisis communications experts can provide the necessary tools and advice to allow them to react effectively in an emergency.

PR experts are often called in when it becomes clear that a reputation threat is unavoidable, but to maximise the effectiveness of their crisis response, it is important that companies are proactive and take advantage of professional counsel before it occurs.

Strong communication will be critical in the coming weeks and months. By constructing a plan that guarantees communication is timely, clear and transparent, and seeking professional advice as needed, care homes can be ready to act and emerge from the pandemic with their reputations intact.

ACAS Launches New Guidance on Mental Health During Coronavirus

Workplace expert Acas has published new guidance to help staff manage their mental health at work during coronavirus.

A new Acas-commissioned YouGov survey conducted during coronavirus has found that nearly two out of five employees working from home felt stressed, anxious or experienced mental health difficulties due to their working situation.

The poll also found that: • One in two people working from home felt isolated; and • Seven out of ten felt that they were missing social interactions with others at work.

Acas Chief Executive, Susan Clews, said:

“Many employees are working from home for the first time during this pandemic and it is clear from our poll that it is a very stressful or anxious experience for many people.

“The Coronavirus lockdown has created lots of extra challenges such as a lack of social contact with work colleagues, feeling alone, trapped or struggling with childcare responsibilities. There’s also a real anxiety around the impact of the virus itself, job security concerns whilst on furlough and genuine worries around whether it is safe to physically return back to their workplace.

“Our new coronavirus mental health advice covers all of these different workplace situations and offers practical advice on how workers, managers and bosses can support their colleagues during this difficult time.”

During the coronavirus pandemic, many people may be working from home, leaving home to go to work or on temporary leave (‘furloughed’).

Acas’ new advice is clear that in any of these situations, we all need to look after our mental wellbeing and offers some practical steps to take: • stay in contact with people – talk to colleagues or friends about how you’re feeling

• have a routine – so you plan in advance what you’ll be doing each day • keep active and exercise • make time for activities you enjoy People working from home may feel isolated. Acas’ top suggestions on how to help include: • talking to your manager about hours and when to take breaks • discussing what kind of contact you’d like, possibly more video or phone calls • mix up work so that it involves calls with other staff • plan coffee breaks into your routine with other staff to keep in touch There has been some initial easing of lockdown measures which has prompted some staff anxiety around safety and a physical return to work. Employers have a ‘duty of care’ towards their staff. This means they must do all they reasonably can to support employees’ health, safety and wellbeing. This includes: • making sure the working environment is safe • protecting staff from discrimination • carrying out risk assessments Acas’ full advice includes practical steps for employees, managers and employers to help everyone’s mental health during this difficult time. Please see: www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus-mental-health.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7 | PAGE 5

Caution Urged As Care Home Death Figures Fall Essential for Care providers have given a cautious welcome to the news that care home deaths from coronavirus continue to fall.

But the Independent Care Group (ICG) remains fearful of a second spike in cases and is calling on the Government to provide better support for all care providers.

New figures from the Office for National Statistics show that 1,666 people died in care and nursing homes from Covid-19 in the week up to 8 May. That is down from 2,423 the previous week and 2,800 the week before that.

ICG chair, Mike Padgham said: “Today’s figures, allied to those of the previous weeks, do give us some cautious optimism that we are getting past the worst of coronavirus.

“However, we are still fearful that the relaxation of some of the lockdown measures might send figures up again and create a second spike.”

The ICG says providers are still facing issues with getting personal protective equipment (PPE) and proper testing.

“The Government still has questions to answer because PPE and testing is still a serious issue for many providers as they cope with Covid-19,” Mr Padgham added.

“Crucially, financial support is still not getting through to social care providers on the front line and serious questions need to be asked as to why not. Once the dust settles on all this I think there should be a public inquiry.”

The ICG has previously warned that care providers were 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 pledged for local authorities to help them support social care is not reaching care and nursing homes and homecare providers.

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.

70 Million Face Masks for NHS and Care Workers Through New Industry Deal More than 70 million face masks will be manufactured in the UK and delivered to frontline health and care workers following an agreement with a global technology company, the UK government has announced.

FFP2 and FFP3 masks will be produced over an 18-month period at Honeywell’s site in Newhouse, Scotland, with production set to begin as early as July. Each month will see up to 4.5 million masks roll off the production line, ready for distribution to frontline NHS and social care workers.

It marks a significant moment in the Government’s ‘make’ programme, headed up

by Lord Deighton, which seeks to unleash the potential of UK industry to scale up domestic PPE manufacturing.

The move supports the government’s continued efforts to ensure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) reaches those fighting the virus on the frontline, with over 1.25 billion items of PPE delivered to health and social care workers since the outbreak began.

Additionally, the new production line will create approximately 450 new jobs at the Scotland site.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: “These 70 million masks are the result of our challenge to UK industry to scale-up domestic PPE manufacturing.

“This deal is brilliant news for the whole United Kingdom which will not only deliver the masks we need but create around 450 jobs in Newhouse, Scotland.

“I’m delighted to team up with Honeywell to open up another avenue to get millions of masks to the frontline and strengthen our ongoing response to the outbreak.

Lord Paul Deighton, advisor to the Secretary of State on PPE said: ““As countries around the world face unprecedented demand for PPE, British industry is stepping forward to make sure vital pieces of equipment reach our workers on the front line.

“My role is to increase our homegrown PPE supplies, both now and in the future, by

investing in the potential of UK manufacturing. This fantastic deal announced with Honeywell today marks a significant step along the way.”

The government has ordered 70 million of the locally produced FFP2 and FFP3 Honeywell SuperOne disposable respirator masks. These are certified to the highest international PPE standards, compliant with EU Regulations, and must meet UK quality and safety standards before being delivered to healthcare settings via the NHS Supply Chain from July.

Will Lange, President of Honeywell’s PPE business, said: “As a global leader of high quality personal protective equipment, Honeywell is committed to getting safety gear to those who need it most, including workers on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19.

“Our Newhouse facility has both the physical capacity and technical capabilities to launch a large-scale respirator production line in such a short timeframe, and we are proud of our teams who are bringing new manufacturing capabilities to the United Kingdom as quickly as possible to support the country’s response to the pandemic.”

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “As well as creating 450 new jobs and boosting the local economy it is great a company with manufacturing facilities in Scotland can help ensure our heroic frontline workers have the PPE they need to carry out their lifesaving work.

“Our UK-wide strategy is continuing to manage and supply protective equipment to the people that need it in all four nations.”

The agreement announced today is the latest in a number of steps the government is taking to ramp up PPE production and distribution. New collaborations between the government and organisations including Amazon, the Royal Mint and Jaguar Land Rover, will see increased production and delivery across all PPE products. A PPE distribution network with the NHS, industry and armed forces, and a 24 hour NHS-run helpline that’s received around 35,000 calls since it was set up, have also been established as part of the government’s national PPE plan.

NHS and Care Staff to Access Tests They Need

The Government has announced detail this week about its plans for expanding testing eligibility to everyone aged five and over with symptoms. The health secretary also said 21,000 contact tracers had now been recruited.

Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across the healthcare sector, said: “Making tests available to everyone over five with symptoms is ambitious. We will need to make sure eligibility is matched by access.

“This is the moment when testing will be more vital than ever as a key component of test, track and trace. We need to understand how the disease is spreading and to follow up every outbreak and for that reason we welcome the recruitment of 21,000 contact tracers.

“The new much trumpeted app will be important, but it is no substitute for local contact tracing which needs to be led by local public and environmental health professionals. If we have learnt anything from this pandemic, it is that trying to control everything from the centre is futile and often counterproductive.

“And of course as part of this it will go on being essential for NHS and care staff to be able to access the tests that they need.”

PAGE 6 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7

16-Year-Old Student Gets School Children Writing To Lonely Care Home Residents

To combat loneliness amongst care home residents, a 16-year old student has set up Community Senior Letters, an initiative to help over 35 primary schools write letters to elderly residents in their area during the COVID-19 crisis.

The mastermind behind this innovative project is Nina Andersen, a 16-year-old student from London. She has previously set up Community Senior Music, where semi-professional musicians performed concerts at various care homes. Due to COVID-19, she has had to switch from musical entertainment to handwritten letters to keep the elderly connected during these unprecedented times.

Community Senior Letters aims to match primary schools to care homes in the same borough to provide human connection during lockdown. This allows hope and happiness to be brought to the elderly residents at care homes, and for them to form wonderful friendships. Likewise, students are able to form friendships by unleashing their inner creativity as they send letters and drawings to the care homes.

Speaking of the latest initiative: Nina Andersen, Founder of Community Senior Letters said: “I believe that letters and drawings have the power to affect empathy and connection between two people from different generations, contexts, and walks of life. Sending and receiving these letters helps to uplift spirits, ease stress and relax the mind. Not only does it provide elderly people with some form of human connection during isolation, but it also helps to alleviate any boredom the pupils may be feeling.�

Juggling this project with her studies, Nina also said: “I am currently working on this project alongside my schoolwork, and find it challenging at times to manage the workload, but it makes my day when I receive pictures of handwritten letters from primary school children, or emails from care homes expressing their gratitude and appreciation for this project.�

Also speaking of the initiative, Lynde House Care Home, a care home signed up to the project said: “We are loving the letters and they have cheered everyone up. Please keep them coming, they are so appreciated!�

Community Senior Letters would love for more schools and care homes to get involved. To do so please email communityseniorletters@gmail.com

Coronavirus and Landlord Insolvency

By Adam Pike, Senior Associate Solicitor at Ansons

After the initial shock of the government-imposed lockdown, it is important to analyse aspects of the support offered to help get the UK economy back on its feet.

For landlords and their tenants, the most high-profile measure introduced by the government was contained in the Coronavirus Act 2020.

This Act introduced a moratorium on forfeiture of commercial leases due to non-payment of rent, in a bid to deal with the issue of commercial rent arrears. The moratorium is currently in place until 30th June, although there is evidence to suggest the measures in question will be extended beyond that date.

The move has been widely welcomed by commercial tenants, for whom it offers breathing space during which they can take stock and attempt to come to terms with the massive change in circumstances.

However, the measures were not as extensive as some tenants will have hoped for. Rent is still payable during this period of moratorium, and the landlord can still rely on other enforcement measures to recover payment of rent.

UNEXPECTED CONSEQUENCES In the rush to protect tenants, landlords have been placed in an equally difficult position which they could never have prepared for. For many, a large part of their rental income has vanished in the space of a month, and measures like the Coronavirus Act 2020 has limited their remedies.

Commercial landlords, at time of writing, have not been granted the kind of loan repayment holiday offered to other sectors of the business world. There is a significant chance that large numbers of landlords could face insolvency in the next few months and beyond.

The questions to consider are what insolvency means for the landlord, and what it means for any of their tenants, who thus far have managed to keep their business operating.

THE EFFECT OF LANDLORD INSOLVENCY In the first instance most landlords will probably opt for a

Creditor’s Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) rather than full scale liquidation. This will take the form of an agreement between the landlord and any creditors and can be entered into as long as 75% of those creditors agree.

Any tenant of a landlord taking this course of action will not be involved in the process itself (being a debtor rather than creditor) and will only discover it has happened after the event.

The impact a landlord CVA might have on a tenant is difficult to predict, but under the supervision of an insolvency practitioner, it is likely that the attitude of the landlord toward their tenant will harden somewhat in respect to lease obligations being met in full and on time.

As such, the kind of flexibility needed for the negotiations between a landlord and tenant in the current climate are likely to be absent once a CVA is in place.

If a landlord goes down the route of administration, the impact on a landlord and tenant is likely to be reduced. As the administration will be attempting to rescue the landlord company, the administrator will work closely with existing management, which should ensure that existing lines of communication continue to operate as before.

Administration will usually cover the whole of the landlord’s business and all properties let. There are more complex circumstances which can arise from a landlord holding a mix of profitable and unprofitable properties. Loss making properties risk pulling the otherwise profitable business into insolvency, a fact which is intensified in the current COVID-19 crisis.

The solution is often pre-pack administration, which sees the profitable element of the business sold off to form a new company, and the loss-making aspects becoming part of a CVA.

COMMUNICATION IS KEY No matter which scenario unfolds, for both tenants and landlords alike, the emphasis should be placed on keeping the lines of communication as open and transparent as possible.

Beyond the crisis we currently face, it is to nobody’s advantage if either landlords or tenants find themselves being forced out of business rather than being able to weather this storm.

If you have any concerns relating to insolvency, or a landlord and tenant dispute, it’s important to consult an experienced team of lawyers, who can help you achieve the best possible outcome.

About the author Adam Pike is a Senior Associate Solicitor and member of the Ansons dispute resolution team. He works with businesses of all seizes across all sectors, helping them address challenges in a number of areas, including: Property disputes, Debt recovery & enforcement, Contractual disputes and Insolvency.

About the firm: Ansons is a leading firm of solicitors with offices in Cannock, Lichfield, Halesowen and Sutton Coldfield, providing a complete range of legal services to businesses and individuals.

Services range from advising on commercial property and corporate matters to family law and wills, probate & tax planning.

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7 | PAGE 7

Social Care Leader Calls for Urgent National Action Plan to Save Care Homes From Closure

A social care leader believes the true number of care home deaths from coronavirus is far higher than the official number of fatalities and highlights the need for a new national action plan to combat the crisis.

Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, was speaking after Care Inspectorate Wales revealed that just over 500 people had died of suspected or confirmed Covid-19.

But that did not tell the whole story because a total of 2,165 people had died in Welsh care homes since March 1.

That was 98 per cent higher than the number for the same period last

year.

Mr Kreft believes that many of those will also have fallen victim to the virus – and in many cases it was imported into care homes after they admitted hospital patients.

Although they were not showing symptoms when they were admitted, the virus had spread like wildfire claiming more lives.

Back in February Care Forum Wales launched a campaign to Shield Social Care and Save Lives. Among the main policies they called for were the early lockdown of care homes, a rigorous testing regime, an adequate supply of PPE and proper financial support to safeguard them from a double whammy of soaring costs and falling occupancy levels.

Mr Kreft said: “The figures we’ve seen from Care Inspectorate Wales are very sobering and a stark warning that we need a national action plan.

“I also suspect the statistics mask the true number of fatalities from Covid-19 which in reality are likely to be far higher. They are almost certainly an underestimate.

“Equally, the Office of National Statistics figure of 2,400 people dying in care home in England and Wales last week was reported as a good news story.

“That shows the measure of misplaced policy that’s been adopted which has meant that care homes have not been protected and that the residents and staff have been treated like collateral damage. There is no silver bullet to overcoming this crisis but we have stressed all along that a proper testing regime was an essential element and, despite promises to the contrary, that regime is still not properly in place.

“Even when we were informed that residents with suspected Covid19 were not going to be admitted to hospital, care homes were still not issued with proper PPE and people discharged from hospitals into care homes were not tested.

“Quite frankly, it was a disaster waiting to happen and we’re not being wise after the event because we have been saying this all along.

“Looking the future, we have also been stressing the need to ensure the sustainability of the social care sector in the long term.

“In the words of the First Minister, the sector was already fragile going into this crisis and without an urgent national action plan we are going to have mass care home closures across Wales which would also have a catastrophic impact on the NHS. “We are witnessing a huge occupancy issue. For a care home to be economically viable you need around 90 per cent of the beds occupied.

“What we’re seeing is that occupancy levels are plummeting as low as 20 per cent in some cases.

“Providers are legally obliged to ensure that care homes are economically viable to pay the bills and the wages and to meet the needs of the residents – something that’s going to be impossible for many of them without an effective rescue plan.

“The sector has been the victim of chronic underfunding as a result of public policy over 25 years, driven by local authorities and health authorities.

“It is inconceivable that these 29 different organisations will be able to step up to the plate and resolve the existential problems facing the sector which is why we need a national action plan as a matter of urgency.”

95-Year-Old Resident Raises Over £3,000 For NHS With 10 Mile Walk Donald Baird is a 95-year-old resident at Sunrise of Hale Barns, where he has lived for two years.

When the UK Government announced a nationwide lockdown, Donald was unable to go into the local village for his walk as he normally would. He began instead doing laps of the gardens at the care home to stay active.

As Donald was remaining incredibly active, the Sunrise team suggested he does his daily walk to raise money for the NHS. He was delighted with this idea, and set himself a target to walk 10 miles in just five days, Monday-Friday.

Donald was wearing a fitness watch that tracked his steps, he worked out how many he would need to do to complete one mile.

Upon calculation, he figured out he would need to do 20 laps per day to reach his 10-mile target.

Donald has so far raised over £3,000, as a result of completing 10

laps each morning and 10 each evening over the five days. Donald said: Donald said: “I was very overwhelmed by all the support I received and was most surprised that I raised that amount of money. I felt a sense of achievement after I had done it but I think I will go back to doing just a few laps a day for now.”

Sharon Parkes, Director of Community Relations at Sunrise of Hale Barns, said: “I decided to see if Donald would like to embark on this challenge because we as a community wanted to give something back to the NHS and I also felt it would give Donald a focus during lockdown.

“I put the benchmark at just £300 on ‘Just Giving’ so was overwhelmed with the final amount. We would like to thank everyone who donated and supported Donald, it gave him an immense sense of pride and achievement.”

PAGE 8 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7

Leading The Care: How To Take Charge During Covid-19

By Simon Marshall, Founder at TBD Marketing Ltd (www.2bd.me) You don’t need me to tell you that the care sector is under tremendous strain at the moment trying to deal with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. It seems that nursing homes are only just reaching peak – if you believe the daily government and weekly ONS figures. Hopefully you are able, even in the midst of the crisis, to see how appreciated you are through the fundraising, donating, volunteering and others events that the public is putting on.

Until now, we have had a blend of exceptional management and world-class leadership. Managers who manage the “things”: budgets, assets, time and leaders there to provide us with a vision of where we need to be and leading us there. This is what has brought us so far, so quickly. Add in the challenge of absorbing hundreds of thousands of volunteers who have rallied round and it’s clear that the way the sector has risen to the challenge has been nothing short of heroic.

Thank you for all you are doing for our families and loved ones.

Now for phase two. This point of inflexion is the next major challenge as the care sector needs to balance care levels with the increased calls

for opening up our schools and places of work and the related R rate issues that that poses. For the care sector to succeed at this point in time, it is vital that we tackle and address the extra burdens that volunteering puts on managers and leaders at a time when resources are already stretched to the max. At the heart of successfully navigating the next few weeks is great leadership.

The most successful leaders share several stand-out qualities that are worth reflecting on right now: adaptability, integrity, communication skills, and the ability to process and compartmentalise. Adaptability Leaders adapt to the circumstances of the day – they accept those changes as they happen and do not dwell on what they cannot affect or change. They are the ones who keep calm, take in new facts, assess and make the best decisions in the circumstances they find themselves.

They lead others as the environment changes, knowledge of the issues at hand deepens, and the ability to treat new contaminees improves.

This ability to pivot is not to be underestimated, particularly not in light of the demands being place on them right now.

INTEGRITY AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS World-class leaders are able to balance their personal expertise with enough self-doubt to keep them honest.

Rudyard Kipling famously said: “trust yourself when all men doubt you but make allowance for their doubting too.” This adage resonates so much with leaders as it reflects the perfect balance of excellence, lis-

tening and communication.

They also understand that a huge part of leadership is communication. Once you have adapted to the circumstances and are sure it’s the right path, then communicating that vision is essential to have your team follow you.

The path ahead is full of traps. The political nature of the response to Covid19 means that it is more important than ever to speak knowledge to power. It won’t be easy, but in these times genuine leaders rely on their integrity and ability to talk straight in order to continue leading.

COMPARTMENTALISATION/PROCESSING We’ve come such a long way in such a short space of time. And yet care sector workers are being asked to give more. All leaders need to be able to take a break and process, to take time to be human, to grieve.

A leader’s ability to press the reset button is what enables them to go again and to give their all. Dealing with Covid19 is clearly going to require a marathon effort but right now, we are possibly just finishing the first 5k, having sprinted all the way. Somehow, somewhere, it is essential that you as a leader make time to reset and process, and reflect on what’s going to be required from you in the next phase in order to be able to continue to perform at the top level over coming months.

Thank you for giving your all so far: it has made the difference between life and death for so many us and our families. I hope that you get to take a breath and reflect before you go again. You’ve got this.

Sheffield Care Home Image Inspires Duchess of Cambridge “Hold Still” Exhibition A photograph taken at a Sheffield care home was one of those that “inspired” the Duchess of Cambridge to launch a new exhibition to capture the ‘resilience, bravery and kindness’ of the nation during the coronavirus pandemic.

The image, taken at Newfield Nursing Home, features 79-year-old Jack Dodsley dancing with carer Kayleigh Jupp. Jack had previously tested positive for Covid-19, but had since recovered.

The Duchess saw the photograph in the media and it inspired her to launch “Hold Still” an ambitious community photography project, in collaboration with the National Portrait Gallery, to capture the spirit, the mood, the hopes, the fears and the feelings of the nation as we continue to deal with the Coronavirus outbreak.

On the launch of Hold Still, The Duchess said: “We’ve all been struck by some of the incredible images we’ve seen which have given us an insight into the experiences and stories of people across the country. Some desperately sad images showing the human tragedy of this pandemic and other uplifting pictures showing people coming together to support those more vulnerable. Hold Still aims to capture a portrait of the nation, the spirit of the nation, what everyone is going through at this time. Photographs reflecting resilience, bravery, kindness – all those things that people are experiencing.”

Newfield is one of three care homes in Sheffield operated by Palms Row Health Care (PRHC), which has around 200 beds and provides nursing and intermediate care.

Nicola Richards, Director of PRHC said: “It’s wonderful to hear that the image of Jack and Kayleigh has inspired the Duchess of Cambridge just as it inspired us.

“We’ve had a very difficult few weeks but throughout it all the staff at our care homes, and care homes throughout the country, have been working tirelessly to care for some of the most vulnerable people in our society.

“The image of Jack and Kayleigh is powerful because it really captures the spirit of hope and tenderness that continues in our homes despite the huge challenges they’re facing. We’ll certainly be entering more images of our wonderful staff and residents into the exhibition.”

The photographer, Tom Maddick, was able to capture the image from outside the home and at a safe distance from staff and residents.

Tom added: “I’m delighted for Jack and the team at Newfield Nursing Home and it’s brilliant that this image was one of those that has inspired the Duchess of Cambridge to launch Hold Still. It was a privilege to have the chance to capture their work and experiences during these exceptional times.

Documenting COVID-19 has and continues to be very important and it was great to share a glimpse into the daily care and love given by staff.”

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7 | PAGE 9

Hard Road Ahead for Both NHS and Care NHS England and NHS Improvement has issued an operating framework for urgent and planned services within hospitals, which sets out a series of measures to help local hospitals plan to increase routine operations and treatment.

In response, Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across healthcare, said: “There is a hard road ahead for both the NHS and the whole care system. We do need to get the message out that the NHS is there for patients and those who rely on social care and that every service will do everything it can to keep them safe.

“In return, it is right that we should ask patients to play their part

by self-isolating ahead of routine hospital procedures. We are heading into a ‘new normal’ – and that means maintaining distance when attending emergency departments and any other ‘walk in’ service.

“Everyone in health and care wants to reduce transmission and only by doing that will we be able to tackle the growing waiting lists and other hidden demand that have built up over the last several weeks.

“Lockdown is working, but it is not without cost and the NHS will not be able to solve any of this overnight – it will take time and we will continue to need the patience of the public as we grapple with this unprecedented challenge."

Fundraiser to Run Equivalent Of 19.4 Marathons for Brunelcare In Just Five Months Kath Embling, 30, is running a massive 510 miles for Brunelcare in just 20 weeks, 40 miles more than running from London to Scotland.

The number, 510, represents the amount of tenants and residents across the charity’s Care Homes and Extra Care Housing Sites, and Kath wants to run a mile for each of them!

Kath starts her challenge today, and will be running 3.3 miles around her local area, St Werburghs in Bristol. She’ll continue to run 23 miles – almost a marathon each week – with no rest days, until the 154 day challenge has been completed on October 14th. Kath believes the challenge will take her, in total, an average of 103 hours, a total of eight days running!

Kath’s original target was to raise £500 for the charity to buy wellbeing supplies for Brunelcare’s five Care Homes and three Extra Care Housing Sites. However, much to her surprise, Kath, the Digital Marketing Coordinator at Brunelcare, managed to smash her target before she even started the challenge. Kath is now hoping to double her donations to raise £1,000 for the charity.

Kath said: “I wanted to do something special for Brunelcare,

Supporting NHS Heroes Mental Wellbeing During Covid-19 with Launch of Bidfood’s √Self Guide

something that meant a lot to our tenants and residents and something they could get involved in. The money I raise will fund wellbeing activities within our care homes and will go towards future day trips for our residents to look forward to once we’re out of lockdown. I’ve never taken part in a challenge like this before, but I can’t wait to get my trainers on later and complete my first run!”

Kath, previously an avid runner, used to regularly take part in races all over the UK, until she sustained a foot injury six years ago.

Her injury was so bad that she believed it was unlikely she could run again and some days even struggled to walk without pain.

After years of intensive physiotherapy to heal her injury, Kath has only started running again recently.

Kath will document her daily run using Strava that can also be accessed via her Just Giving page for our tenants and residents to keep an eye on.

To sponsor Kath’s 510 mile run for Brunelcare visit her Just Giving page here: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/kaths500milechallenge

With more than half of frontline NHS workers unable to cope with stress brought on by coronavirus , one of the UK’s leading wholesalers, Bidfood, supplying NHS sites up and down the country, has designed ‘The Square Root of Self’, to support key workers during this unprecedented crisis.

The mental wellness guide aims to delve deep into the heart of the issue by engaging with hospitals and care homes across the UK to support those critical keyworkers mental wellbeing at such a challenging and worrying time.

Named to reflect getting to the root of mental wellbeing in the NHS, the premise of the guide is to bring to life the importance of food and the vital part it plays in our overall mental wellness. The bespoke guide provides expert insight, mouthwatering wellness recipes created by their chef development team, as well as top tips on how to stay energised during a long shift.

To ensure the recipes meet the needs of this campaign, Bidfood has partnered with Christine Bailey, an award winning nutritional therapist and chef. Recognising that what we eat and drink can really have an intense effect on our emotions, consistently affecting how we feel, think and behave on a daily basis, there is advice from Christine that covers three key areas of nutritional support for boosting mental wellbeing and keeping energy levels up; healthy fats, protein and ditching sugar and processed food.

Tasty dish ideas include vibrant and healthy lunches such as Spanish tortilla or a griddled chipotle chicken and kale salad, as well as a variety of tempting breakfast options packed full of goodness, such as a berry yoghurt pot, or if you’re on the go, why not try a green smoothie.

David King, Sector Marketing Manager for Hospitals said: “These are such unprecedented times and the wellbeing of the nation, in particular our key workers including doctors, nurses and care workers, has never been so important.

“We wanted to offer a guide that can support them with their mental wellness, offer hints and tips to stay energised, well fed and hydrated in a time where they need it most. We hope that they find this helpful and insightful and want to thank them for their continued service during this difficult time.”

Commenting on the campaign, Philip Shelley, Chair of NHS Food Review said: “The √Self guide for the NHS is superb. Not only does this offer suitable support on areas of pressure and how to overcome them, but the advice and recipes from Christine Bailey are really going to captivate colleagues.

“Understanding your own wellbeing is vital in maximising good health and performance. Having the capability as leaders to support others through physical and mental health challenges must not be compromised if we are truly to be the NHS that gives us so much pride.”

PAGE 10 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7

Isolation Inspiration: Managing Mental Health in a Pandemic Disabled Artists Teach People Of All Ages How To Paint

By Philippa Shirtcliffe, Head of Care Quality at QCS.

Those in care homes looking for fun, free and creative boredom busters during isolation, be inspired and learn to paint with the Mouth and Foot Painting Artists - an association of artists who paint only with their mouth and feet due to physical disability.

Follow along as the artists teach how to create artistic designs with their mouth and feet, in easy to follow, step-by-step tutorials.

Get hands-on (or feet-on!) with a beautiful ‘Spring Daffodil' design from mouth painter Bazza West, inspired by the flower blooming abundantly in his garden.

For an even simpler tutorial, try a cute and colourful ‘Rainbow Hedgehog’ design from mouth painter Rosie Moriarty Simmonds, OBE - sure to banish any ‘prickly’ boredom during lockdown with artistic fun.

Both artists have created a simple outline which can be found on the website along with the video tutorials, to help those of all abilities paint along.

The tutorials are part of a new ‘Learn To Paint' series from the Mouth & Foot Painting Artists, which hopes to inspire people to get creative during lockdown. The next tutorial will be published on Saturday 23 May 2020 on the MFPA website: https://www.mfpa.uk/

Nobody reading this article needs to be reminded of the heavy death toll exacted by the Coronavirus in care homes.

According to the BBC, “a quarter of known COVID-19 deaths in Britain have occurred in care homes. But what is much harder to gauge is the mental and psychological trauma of the people left behind.

Take frontline care staff, for example, who have watched this invisible and insidious virus claim the lives of people they have cared for and known well. How have their experiences impacted on their mental health and wellbeing? Statistics are hard to come by. However, research conducted by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), reveals that one in two front care workers “feel that their mental health has declined in the last eight weeks”. The IPPR also found that 42 percent of those interviewed said that “the government had not done enough to support their mental health”, while 60 percent “felt that rectifying this is a key priority moving forward”.

The company I work for, Quality Compliance Systems (QCS), which provides bespoke policies, procedures and management toolkits to 86,000 customers in the care sector, shares the IPPR’s concerns.

THE CORONAVIRUS WILL HAVE A LONG TERM IMPACT ON MENTAL HEALTH We know from conversations with Registered Managers that they’re worried about the long term impact on the mental health and wellbeing of staff. We also know that unlike frontline ICU staff, care workers in this hugely underrated and undervalued sector, which some have nicknamed ‘the Cinderella Service’, do not have access to the same resources as their NHS counterparts. For example, psychological and psychotherapeutical services are often out of reach, as are ‘wellbeing guardians’, and ‘wobble rooms. In the future my great hope is that these brave carers who look after our mothers, fathers, uncles and aunts, will be supported in exactly the same way as their NHS colleagues.

But I don’t wish to use this column to look towards the long term future. Many front line care staff are experiencing stress, anxiety and trauma right now as a direct result of what they have seen and experienced in the last eight weeks. They can't afford to wait for profound to arrive.

MANAGING MENTAL HEALTH IN A CRISIS So how can Managers help their care staff manage their mental health? While there’s no fixed template to follow, QCS has referenced evidence-based best practice and guidance from several organisations and produced a helpful factsheet sheet for Registered Managers.

Please see the link at the end of the article.

In actively promoting wellbeing, the best managers are visible and accessible in their leadership. They create a safe culture in the service where it isn’t seen as a sign of weakness for their staff to show their emotions.

Outstanding Managers address mental health issues at an early stage. They don't wait. In doing so, they're constantly monitoring staff mental health, and are attuned to spotting subtle changes in behaviour and appearance that might indicate a wellbeing issue.

Experienced Managers persevere. They know that not all of their staff will want to talk straight away. The best ones adopt a patient approach and win the trust of their staff through a series of relaxed, informal chats. They listen, comfort their staff, and most importantly never judge them.

Managers are aware too that while they might have the tools to manage mental health issues, they are equally susceptible to experiencing anxiety, trauma and burnout. Therefore, it’s not enough to ‘talk the talk’. They need to actually ‘walk the walk’. If they don’t, it becomes almost impossible to tend to the mental health of their frontline carers.

TECHNOLOGY CAN AID WELLBEING The best Managers are innovators and embrace technology. In Domiciliary Care, where offices might be shut during the crisis, they are using video conferencing tools to reach out to their staff who might feel isolated and disconnected due to a lack of face-to-face contact.

Finally, it may seem an obvious point to make, but it's easy to forget that physical and mental health are closely entwined. The best Managers understand the relationship between physical and mental wellbeing. They check – albeit it in a friendly way - that their staff are getting adequate rest, eating correctly and have an opportunity to exercise (should they wish to).

Always keeping this balance in perspective can give staff the clarity and sharpness they need to provide outstanding person-centred care in the fog of the Pandemic.

QCS would like to thank TRICRES, Age UK, The National Care Forum, the British Psychological Society and the Social Care Institute of Excellence.

USEFUL RESOURCES Mental health awareness factsheet: https://tinyurl.com/ydglxeam QCS coronavirus hub: https://www.qcs.co.uk/coronavirus-updates/ CQC coronavirus information: https://tinyurl.com/yaseslp2

REFERENCES : https://www.qcs.co.uk/coron

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7 | PAGE 11

Adult Social Care Campaigner’s Hopes to Get Social Care Funding on The Chancellor’s Agenda John Woodward OBE, one of the driving forces behind the introduction of childcare vouchers in 2005, is campaigning to get a similar scheme back on track post Covid-19 to help end the adult social care crisis.

The coronavirus has seen almost all countries around the world shut down in order to contain the outbreak, and the draconian measures with which we have all had to adopt have placed massive restrictions on the daily lives and livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people.

In what has been an unprecedented response to an intensifying global health crisis, many weeks in and we are all now wondering exactly when things might revert back to ‘normal’ or a new normal that will allow for other matters to gain the share of voice that’s deserved and long overdue.

John Woodward, OBE, pioneer of the Childcare Voucher Scheme, used by more than 600,000 people, will soon begin to call on MPs to continue to pressure the government into finally making clear its proposals on adult social care reform.

“In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, there’s no denying that the ripple effect across sectors will be a huge challenge to overcome,” comments John.

“The adult social care funding crisis was in dire straits before Covid-19

reached our shores and because of the on-going public health crisis, it is still well and truly with us – and the subject has understandably stalled.”

Today there is a £2.5 bn gap in social care funding. This should come as no surprise as it was predicted many years ago and stated in a report by the County Councils Network in 2018. The Health Foundation has warned that by 2023/24, that gap will increase to £4.4 bn.

As coronavirus restrictions begin to be relaxed from the Summer and Autumn, Mr Woodward will once again step up his campaign again to get the social care funding crisis back on the agenda.

“I want MPs and the opposition to wield the same power they had over the Government’s Brexit deal towards social care.

“Whilst it seems a long time ago, the only item on the government’s list this year was Brexit, because MPs made their voices heard on this issue. Just as Brexit led to MPs collaborating on a cross-party basis to force the government to bring forward meaningful votes and economic projections, MPs have the power to do the same and force the government to bring forward desperately needed proposals on social care.”

Mr Woodward’s proposals, backed by Care England, (the representative body for independent providers of adult social care) and a major high-street bank, would deliver more money for the social care system without requiring excessive tax rises. Based on the innovative Childcare Voucher Scheme, first introduced by Busy Bees in the late 1990s, Adult Social Care vouchers would offer a tried and tested way of delivering more money for the system that can be supported by MPs across the political spectrum.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, said:

Where Has All the Money Gone?

Care England, the largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care, has expressed concern that money allocated to the front line to combat the COVID-19 crisis has not arrived with the providers and is indeed not enough anyway. Care England has maintained a watching brief of those Local Authorities which have failed to provide any offers to those care services which support some of society’s most vulnerable.

Professor Martin Green, CEO of Care England, has been called to give oral evidence to the Health & Social Care Select Committee this morning and will be highlighting the disconnect in national and local delivery.

Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, says: “Financial aid from Government is not only welcome, but in fact essential; however allocating it via Local Authorities hasn’t been successful. It is essential that the latest £600m for infection control must not also face the same fate. The quantum is not enough for the sector and we must search urgently for ways to get funding direct to providers.”

Many Local Authorities have not even contacted all their care providers let alone sought to reimburse COVID costs. The Government has granted £3.2 billion to Local Authorities to ‘increase support for the adult social care workforce and for services helping the most vulnerable’. Sadly most of that probably won’t be

“Social care needs and deserves the attention of Parliament. For too long it has been the poor relation to the NHS which is very short sighted.

Health and social care need to be integrated properly and funding solutions put into place. A salary sacrifice scheme, as proposed by Busy Bees, is an innovative solution that if implemented could have many benefits as well as embracing intergenerational care” The scheme should form part of a mixed policy response and does not aim to provide a one size fits all solution to the social care crisis.

Adult social care vouchers would instead allow eligible taxpayers to sacrifice a portion of their salary to fund either their own or a dependant adult’s care, giving families freedom and flexibility, while reducing the burden on the taxpayer.

John concludes: “It has taken just twelve weeks for the coronavirus to bring the world to a complete standstill and to put our lives and our societies on lockdown. No doubt, it will be a long time before everything returns to normal again and the devastating impact on health and its insidious undermining of our society is here to stay until we have a vaccine.

I echo Andy Burnham’s proposal for a new intergenerated service that taps the wealth of the older generations by 15% contributions on retirement to go some ways towards funding a decent care service for all with well paid staff and will watch the developments on this, with interest.

“My hope is that when NHS intensive care wards do begin to show signs of a major slow down, we can begin to repair the social care funding crisis by shining a spotlight on the subject once again. Certainly, coronavirus has exposed the gaping holes in social care, but it is also a chance for great change”

directed to adult social care and what is will not be sufficient and is not reaching providers quickly enough.

The need for such funds to get through to the front line is increased by providers being rendered unable to operate with some closures, as a result of the financial consequences of COVID-19. This in turn has a very human impact upon existing residents, their families, staff and the communities which they reside within.

CCGs also need to take their responsibilities seriously to support people in our services funded through continuing care to ensure the extra costs they are facing are also met.

As a starting point, Care England calls for the following to be put in place: • A 10% uplift to be made across the board to care providers to deal with COVID-19 costs. This is something which would overcome the inefficient and highly varied nature of those fees currently being offered to social care providers.

• An end to the unacceptable conditions presently being imposed upon social care providers, which in some cases actually create costs more that the support offered.

• More central government guidance to ensure that the support being offered by local authorities to care providers is less varied in nature.

• Ensuring local government and CCGs receive the required levels of funding to meet the increasing costs being incurred by frontline services as a result of COVID-19.

• Government to audit its public announcements to ensure that they are followed through.

Martin Green continues: “It has become clear that in such a crisis we need further direction from Central Government. There is a huge disconnect between policy announcements from the centre and delivery on the ground”.

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7 | PAGE 13

COVID Testing Chaos Set To Continue For Social Care Despite the government’s efforts to develop a testing programme for social care, the testing arrangements remain chaotic, there is no reliable timescale for getting the test results and there are simply not enough tests prioritised for social care. The announcement yesterday, that everyone aged over five in the UK with symptoms can now be tested for coronavirus, will only make this testing chaos worse.

The National Care Forum (NCF) is calling for more tests to be made available to the care sector as a matter of priority and guarantees that the systems in place will be focussed on prioritising care workers and those receiving care to help manage and prevent COVID across care settings. We need 200,000 routine and regular tests per day across the care sector to get on top of this health pandemic.

In a second survey to NCF members to find out how the existing testing arrangements are working on the ground and the length of time taken to receive test results, our findings show that the testing process is chaotic.

Despite the myriad of different testing routes available - at least 6 for staff and at least 5 for residents – many differ on a local level depending on how local teams interpret government guidance and their own local capacity for testing.

The survey represents the perspectives of a wide range of organisations who between them employ 43,152 staff and support 16,240 residents in care homes. Of these 3,466 staff and 4,619 residents have been tested between 23 April and 14 May.

In the words of our members: “There have been numerous changes to the staff testing process over the past 6 weeks which has made it very difficult to co-ordinate. Even though it has now been announced that all care staff can be tested, regardless of whether they are symptomatic, some organisations have still told us that we can only test staff who have symptoms.”

“It has been frustrating and confusing with different information through the Gov.uk networks to find out who is doing what and shifting responsibilities between different agencies, along with delays in results.”

The speed at which test results are returned varies widely. For the majority of testing routes for staff and residents, this is between 24 hours and 6 days. Results from home testing kits were much faster than other testing routes for both staff and residents, ranging between 24 hours and 4 days. However, a large number of test results are returning ‘void’ or ‘inconclusive’ owing to delays in obtaining results or faulty tests.

“In one of our care homes, 17 resident tests came back ‘void’ because of a faulty machine at the lab. This meant that all of those residents had to be re-tested, which was concerning. We have also received test results from other care homes (not in our group), and have received results for an individual with the correct surname but incorrect forename. This is very concerning as it makes us question the validity of the results we are receiving.”

Vic Rayner, Executive Director of the National Care Forum says: “There are currently 30,000 tests available to care homes, which equates to 300

Fire Safety During COVID-19

By Jason Sugden. Benfield Fire Safety (www.benfieldfire.co.uk)

You should start by reviewing your fire risk assessment and emergency planning and do this continually as the coronavirus situation changes.

Make sure your plans are suitable and achievable during lockdown, you may need a contingency plan, and seek expert advice from a qualified and reputable fire risk assessor.

It’s necessary to reasonably balance the risk of cross infection of COVID-19 with ineffective fire protection measures. If a specific risk assessment needs to be carried out or fire safety equipment serviced or repaired, make sure the work is fully completed under strict hygiene and social distancing measures.

Here are some further points to help you maintain your fire safety during COVID-19:

ONLINE FIRE SAFETY TRAINING

Residential care homes are particularly complex environments for fire safety, and this is now heightened under lockdown. The pandemic of COVID-19 has caused huge disruption to normal working practice and it may reduce staffing levels.

During this challenging time, your care home must maintain its statutory compliance with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Care Home Regulations Act 2001.

All existing, new or temporary staff must receive robust fire safety awareness training, ideally tailored to the care home environment, and this can be fulfilled online.

Staff must be made aware of potential hazards and risks, particularly if staffing levels are reduced. They need to show extra vigilance to prevent accidental fires during this difficult time.

During the pandemic, I’ve been delivering online fire safety awareness training to support residential care homes to help keep them compliant and focused. This comprehensive training includes learning about the common causes of fire in care homes, how to spot hazards, understanding fire classification and how to select the right type of fire extinguisher for a given situation. The session also covers what you should do when you discover a fire, with a video demonstration of how to use a fire extinguisher.

care home per day receiving tests. This is in no way near enough of the amount of tests required for the care sector. We need to see at least 200,000 routine and regular tests each day in the care sector alone. The speed and quality of the testing process is currently a postcode lottery and doesn’t appear to be based on need. Some of our members are being told they won’t be tested until 6 June which is much too late.

“We are asking for more tests to be made available for care providers to make sure that the government holds to its promise to keep the most vulnerable and those who care for them safe during this pandemic. Now is not the time to lose that focus and drive. We need to focus on testing for social care, making sure that the tests are processed quickly, the results are accurate and they come back promptly.

“Along with the increase in the number of tests for social care, it is clear that we need to see an improvement in the quality and accuracy of the testing process and analysis so we can make proper use of the results.”

We are calling for: 200,000 routine and regular tests per day for social care to ensure they have a strategic and targeted prioritisation of all their employees and residents, and for speed and quality in test results to ensure accuracy and to give carers and residents confidence that we are doing all we can to keep them safe.”

Finding a partner to deliver online fire safety training during COVID-19 enables you to fulfil your statutory requirements during lockdown and ensure your staff know how to prevent fires and handle an emergency, when it happens.

STAFFING LEVELS

Staffing levels in care homes must be maintained, where possible, to ensure emergency plans can be effectively managed and staff should constantly monitor the situation in your premises. If your staffing level is affected by COVID-19, you should review your fire risk assessment and emergency plan. Make sure you include the night shift in your evaluation.

If you have insufficient staffing to support your evacuation strategy, you must seek advice from a qualified and reputable afire risk assessor.

MORE FIRE SAFETY TIPS DURING LOCKDOWN • Ensure fire alarm systems and emergency exits are still accessible and that the alarm can be raised in the event of an emergency.

• Continue with testing and maintenance of all fire safety measures.

• Avoid propping open fire doors to minimise contact and spread of the virus. Keep fire doors closed, unless provided with a suitable approved hold open device that operates on activation of the fire alarm system.

• Carry out regular checks to ensure accidental fires are prevented, such as separating ignition sources from combustible items and take necessary precautions for residents who smoke.

• Stock piling essentials increases fire loading, ensure it does not come into contact with ignition sources and compromise the means of escape.

About the author: Jason Sugden is an ex-aviation fire officer with more than 25 years’ experience of managing fire safety procedures, equipment and training. He runs Benfield Fire Safety, based in Hampshire, delivering BAFE-accredited fire risk assessments, fire safety training and expert consultancy to residential care homes and other organisations throughout the UK.

PAGE 14 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7

Coronavirus and the Business Interruption Insurance Debate

By Susan Hopcraft, partner at Wright Hassall (www.wrighthassall.co.uk)

Some policies have extensions that might apply to coronavirus losses, for which additional premium will have been paid. There are two main likely clauses:

BUSINESS INTERRUPTION (SPECIFIC ILLNESSES) Most extensions cover specific diseases, listed in the cover. These are diseases that are well known and understood. Covid-19 will not be named though, and this is likely to lead insurers to deny claims.

Businesses will feel aggrieved by that when they bought cover for this type of circumstance. The argument will be that the clause was intended to cover disease closure and the clause could not have named a disease that did not exist.

Some disease extensions are more general and do not specify certain diseases. In these cases, business interruption cover for Covid-19 is more likely to apply.

Usually Covid-19 must have been present at the premises or within a short radius. This is because business interruption is supposed to cover the short period while premises are shut down for a deep clean.

Organisations of every size have borne the brunt of the Government lockdown, imposed to reduce the risk of spreading Coronavirus, with many losing their entire business revenue overnight.

Planning for such eventualities included adding business interruption (BI) cover to already expensive business insurance, safe in the knowledge that when trade is disrupted through no fault of their own, the policy would pay out and cover the inevitable losses.

However, the growing number of refused claims is leading to calls for Government intervention, as even those businesses that included cover for forced business closure have had claims dismissed out of hand.

WHAT ARE BI POLICIES? Standard business interruption covers a business for loss of income during periods when they cannot carry out business as usual due to physical damage: typically damage to the premises caused by a storm, fire or flooding.

The insurance might compensate the business for any increased running costs and/or shortfall in profits for a set period and financial limit.

BUSINESS INTERRUPTION (NON-DAMAGE DENIAL OF ACCESS) Another relevant extension is cover for losses because of people not being able to access the premises due to specific circumstances such as the police cordoning off an area due to an event such as terrorism.

The clause might cover inability to trade due to a government restriction, which is what has happened with schools and bars/restaurants directed by the government to close prior to a full lockdown.

Another issue arising out of businesses being temporarily closed is the need to let your insurer know if the insured premises are unoccupied.

There may be a clause in your property insurance that requires the premises to be occupied. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has suggested that insurers will be more flexible over the requirements around these types of clause under current circumstances, but you should consult your broker/insurer if you are in any doubt.

THE CURRENT SITUATION For some businesses, the business interruption extension might be

Moment To Agree To Reform Social Care Is Now Responding to the latest Government press briefing, in which it was confirmed that every care home worker and resident will be tested by early June and that from today, every care home has a named clinical lead on infection control, Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said: “To be frank, we should have been testing all care home staff and residents before now, but this is an advance. Giving every care home its own infection control advisor is welcome and builds on the support primary care networks are already providing.

“The death toll in care homes is sobering, and we hear there are still problems in these services accessing the testing and protective equipment they need. They deserve better and we must see these national

worded to enable recovery of losses due to coronavirus closure. For others, particularly where Covid-19 is not included in a specific list, cover may well be denied.

Insurers will say they do not cover pandemics and do not charge premiums commensurate with that exposure. They might also say that it is for government to bail out businesses, for example, by the furlough scheme because this pandemic is so widespread and unexpected that it falls outside what private insurance ought to cover.

Insureds will say that they were paying extra premium to extend cover to deal with precisely this sort of risk. Just because the disease was not known, that should not exclude them from cover.

PROTECTING YOUR BUSINESS Understandably, a lot of businesses will feel cheated by the decision to deny pay-outs, especially as they feel they have taken steps to protect themselves from such a scenario.

The future of many businesses currently hangs in the balance and receiving the money for a claim could be the only way of coming through this difficult period.

If your business closes or is otherwise disrupted by coronavirus, you might have business interruption insurance to make up the deficit, but if you have tried that and the insurer has declined your claim, then contact a team of experienced lawyers for advice.

About the author: Susan Hopcraft is a partner in the Dispute Resolution team at Wright Hassall. She deals with contract claims, including service agreements and restrictive covenants, insurance policies and issues relating to guarantees, warranties and breach of confidence. Susan also advises on professional negligence claims against valuers, surveyors, solicitors, brokers and accountants, fraud issues and recoveries for lenders.

About the firm: Wright Hassall is a top-ranked firm of solicitors based in Warwickshire, providing legal services including: corporate law; commercial law; litigation and dispute resolution; employment law and property law.

The firm also advises on contentious probate, business immigration, debt recovery, employee incentives, information governance, professional negligence and private client matters.

promises are kept.

“The pandemic has also revealed the very best of humanity, with people and services working together to achieve a common goal like never before. We can see this with health leaders and clinical staff including GPs working with each other and with social care, to support each other and join up services.

“The road ahead is daunting, but everyone in the service is clear that we cannot return to the way things were. We need to use this tragedy to tackle bureaucracy, funding and staffing concerns, and silo working.

This is the moment for NHS Reset.

“Our plea goes out to ministers and to the political class more generally. If there were ever a moment to agree to reform social care and end the disgrace of its treatment as a second class service, it is now. It was always going to be difficult to protect the most vulnerable – but we could have done better, and we must do better now.”

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7 | PAGE 15

PAGE 16 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7

What Steps can Care Homes in Financial Difficulty Take?

Despite receiving very little guidance from social care regulators and the government, care homes have been doing the best they can to protect their vulnerable patients from an unprecedented global pandemic. But behind the headlines, many care homes are facing another struggle.

Care homes that were debt-ridden before the crisis are now teetering on the edge of collapse. With occupancy rates falling, staffing costs going through the roof and the cost of personal protective equipment (PPE) to contend with, what can care homes do to survive?

Claim for wage costs through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme at www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-for-wage-costs-through-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme

WHAT GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE? 1. Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

3. Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme

The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme is of limited use to a sector where more workers are needed, not less. The cost of paying for the extra staff required to cover self-isolating workers is one of the factors that’s pushing many care homes into deep financial hardship. However, the scheme, that sees the government pay 80 percent of the salaries of employees on temporary leave up to a cap of £2,500 a month, can be of some use for non-essential workers. The scheme has recently been extended until October 2020.

To use the scheme, you have to designate employees as furloughed workers and continue to make wage payments as normal and wait to be reimbursed by HMRC.

2. Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme If your care home needs short-term cash-flow support to stay afloat, the Coronavirus Business Loan Scheme can provide loan facilities up to £5 million available on repayment terms of up to six years. The cost of interest and fees will be covered by the government for the first 12 months. Under the scheme, the lender cannot ask for a personal guarantee on any loan under £250,000.

As well as term loans, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme can give you access to: • Overdrafts • Asset finance facilities • Invoice finance facilities (only available on business-to-business invoices) Check the British Business Bank criteria to see if you’re eligible at www.british-business-bank.co.uk/ourpartners/coronavirus-businessinterruption-loan-scheme-cbils/for-businesses-and-advisors/ The scheme, which launches on 26 May, will allow care homes with fewer than 250 employees to recover the Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) payments they have made for coronavirus-related sick leave. Care homes that pay more than the current rate of SSP to current and former employees can only claim the rate amount for periods of coronavirusrelated sickness starting on or after 13 March.

Check if you’re eligible at www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-back-statutory-sick-pay-paid-to-employees-due-to-coronavirus-covid-19

time when occupancy rates are falling. You do not need to tell HMRC that you’re deferring your VAT payment. Payment must be made on or before 31 March 2021.

Find out how to defer your VAT payment at www.gov.uk/guidance/deferral-of-vat-payments-due-to-coronaviruscovid-19

WHAT ELSE CAN YOU DO? Negotiate with landlords, mortgage providers and suppliers If you’re struggling to make commercial rental or mortgage repayments, you should talk to your lender or landlord immediately. Doing so before payments are missed or penalties are applied will give you the greatest chance of negotiating a grace period.

Ask for more time to pay tax debts If you’re struggling to pay your tax bill, HMRC may be willing to give you more time to make VAT, PAYE and Corporation Tax payments.

Arrangements are made on a case-by-case basis, but HMRC will typically allow you to pay outstanding debts in instalments over a period of up to 12 months. Call HMRC’s dedicated Time to Pay team on 0800 024 1222.

Consider alternative funding options If your care home is not eligible for the government’s Coronavirus Business Loan Interruption Scheme or the facility does not provide the type of financial assistance you need, there may be alternatives. Assetbased lending can provide urgent funding in some circumstances and free up the cash needed to run your care home from day-to-day.

Author:

4. VAT Payment Deferral All VAT-registered UK businesses that have a VAT payment due between 20 March and 20 June 2020 can choose to defer the payment to a later date. This can be an effective way to protect cash-flow at a

Mike Smith is a director of Company Debt (www.companydebt.com), a firm that provides debt advice and rescue services for small and mediumsized businesses.

Blairgowrie Care Home Gets Green Fingers During Lockdown A Blairgowrie care home has transformed its garden during the UK’s lockdown with help from the residents and a kind donation from a member of the local community.

Muirton House, on Essendy Road, has progressed its ongoing garden project during a period of restricted visiting to the home. Residents have been helping the home’s gardener, Mick McKay, to design a space they all love and can enjoy throughout the warmer months.

Tracie Dick, a friend of Muirton House, donated £80 to the project, which enabled the home to purchase some sleepers to make raised planters. The money was raised by Tracie making crochet rainbows and selling them to the local community.

The garden design inspiration is centred around encouraging the residents to enjoy the space and motivating them to go out and exercise.

Throughout the restricted visiting and when usual activities have had to be adapted, the new and improved outdoor area has allowed residents to get

involved with planting and gardening.

One of the residents, Archie Buttar, has enjoyed photographing the new garden with his drone and Marjorie Scott, has taken great pleasure in being back in the garden.

Marjorie said: “When I moved to Muirton House, I brought lots of plants with me from my own garden, as I wanted to be able to keep up my love for gardening. I’ve really liked going back outside and making our garden look nice and pretty for everyone to enjoy. Hopefully, when the weather is much better, we can all sit outside together and enjoy each other’s company!”

Catherine Russell, home manager at Muirton House, said: “The residents have loved watching the progression of our garden plans and they all appreciate the new outside space.

“Some of our residents have also painted some personalised stones to place around the garden which gives a nice touch of everyone’s individuality in the space we all love and share.”

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!)

Say hello to some previous ers!

A two night luxury break for winn

Care Home urst of Cloverfield Marion Brockleh

Debbie Day of Cedars Care Home

two people in a choice of over 300 UK-wide hotels is the prize! £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

stop the spread of Covid-19

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OneSpray incorporates Zoono technology a mono-molecular layer of antimicrobial, silane based polymers that form a barrier of positively charged microscopic ‘pins’ on the surface. These positively charged ‘pins’ attract and pierce the negatively charged pathogens.

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7 | PAGE 19

Protecting Older People From Covid-19 "Must Not Be at Expense of Their Health and Wellbeing" The British Geriatrics Society has warned that the lockdown and social distancing measures, meant to protect vulnerable older people from COVID-19, have led to dangerously low levels of physical activity1.

If not addressed as a matter of urgency this will prove to be detrimental to their physical and mental health. For many older people, reduced levels of fitness will likely result in a loss of independence and an increased need for medical treatment in future.

Older people, and those with long-term conditions, have been advised by the Government to ‘shield’ themselves during the pandemic and not leave their homes for any reason. While these measures have been beneficial in protecting older people from the virus, many have found it difficult to keep active2. This is a growing problem, both for those who are recovering from COVID-19 and those who are shielding at home.

Research has shown that lower levels of physical activity in the older population can lead to a number of health complications including an increased risk of falls and fractures3, a faster resting heart rate, a loss of muscle mass and a tendency to develop blood clots.

Developing serious health problems has a negative impact on all areas of an older person’s life including mental health4 and day-to-day functioning, as well as limiting freedom and quality of life. For older people, reduced levels of fitness will increase their health and care needs, putting further pressure on already-stretched public services.

While younger people are happy to turn to apps, YouTube or other online sources to motivate them to keep fit, older people, who may not have access to digital technology or be comfortable using it, have largely been forgotten. The British Geriatrics Society is calling for the Government to recognise the importance of this issue and encourage

Knowing How To Deal With Grief in a Crisis

By St Barnabas's Head of Wellbeing

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic and its persistent stranglehold on the world continues, but what can we do to meet the accompanying wave of grief that comes with the loss associated with it?

Mandy Irons, Head of Wellbeing at St Barnabas Hospice, looks into what we need to consider right now when it comes to patients, families and fellow colleagues and grief.

If the coronavirus pandemic has taught us anything it’s that humans at their very core are resilient. Conditions across the world have been hard to deal with, but for those at the front line and victims of this terrible virus, they have been a seismic wave. What is important to understand from the start is that grief is complex and in normal circumstances, is a hard enough situation to adapt and acclimatise to.

Since March, our team of staff and our army of volunteer counsellors have been incredible under testing circumstances. One thing that has been a sea change in terms of how we deal with aftercare and grief counselling is the fact we cannot safely deliver these services face to face. Much of our services have therefore transferred online or are being processed online.

We have set up our own bereavement helpline, where counsellors are on hand to help those struck not only by COVID-19 deaths but any form of bereavement, be that following long-term palliative care or something as sudden as a road traffic accident.

The effects of grief, of course, remain the same. Having to get used to a ‘new normal’, the stages of grief that can include anger, guilt, relief and anxiety, all of which remain valid for such a life-changing event such as death.

We often call what we do ‘normalisation’, which is precisely what it sounds like, getting the affected individual or families used to what is happening. This can be as simple as making them aware that they may themselves suffer from physical symptoms as well as challenges to their mental health, or could be giving advice on what to do with a deceased loved ones’ possessions.

What is different during this time is the isolation that accompanies grief and bereavement. A lack of support in terms of a family being able to be close and the luxury of comfort from physical closeness is gone. Even practical elements such as funerals and memorials are being affected. Where normally services are packed out with family and well-wishers, many are having to shoulder the burden of grief with a less than respectful way of saying goodbye.

What may well present itself to both families and those that work on the front line is a delayed reaction to bereavement as things start to turn back to normal. After the initial period of loss and sadness may come an increased need to revisit that grief, which is where problems

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everyone to keep active, particularly those vulnerable groups whose circumstances make it harder for them to take exercise. The BGS is therefore recommending that a nation-wide regular exercise programme is broadcast on terrestrial daytime television and on the radio. It is vital that older people are encouraged to exercise safely in their homes and enjoy the benefits this brings to their health and well-being.

Dr Celia Gregson of the British Geriatrics Society, commented: “As a geriatrician and an epidemiologist, I am increasingly concerned about our older population, isolated in their homes, becoming increasingly ‘deconditioned’ from inactivity. Deconditioning is more than just becoming ‘out of shape’, it puts people at risk of serious accidents and illnesses and is often associated with a deterioration in mental health. At this time of massive behaviour change, now is the time to help older people ‘stay home and keep active’ to improve their physical and mental wellbeing”. may start to arise.

Those who are sadly facing the deaths of colleagues from COVID-19 are a different challenge altogether. For much of our helping with bereavement, we deal with those who have had a long-anticipated bereavement and it is understood if you enter palliative care or a hospice, you are preparing for what we term a ‘good’ death, one where preparations are made and comfort is the key. Where colleagues treating those in care homes and across the health service differ is their deaths are likely to be unexpected, sudden and often distressing thanks to the respiratory problems that this terrible condition wreaks on its victims. In this instance, it is important that measures are taken to protect the fellow workers and families of those affected and counselling or steps are there to follow to prevent too much anguish or fear.

In hospice care, we are used to seeing death regularly, but the wider health service community may not be used to this scale or speed of untimely deaths.

We are facing a real challenge, but it's not without its heroes. The Good Grief Trust, for example, is leading cross-party talks with the Government and all political parties to combat any gaps in the grieving and bereavement process. Thousands of nurses, doctors and clerical staff are also doing their best.

The real challenge once we’ve surmounted this crisis must be to remain vigilant and caring towards those who care for us and our loved ones. Thankfully, we seem to all be on the same page.

St Barnabas Hospice is an independent charity which supports more than 10,500 people across Lincolnshire every year affected by a lifelimiting or terminal condition. We deliver free, high quality, compassionate end-of-life care and support to patients, their families and carers. We aim to enable them to live as fully as they are able for however many days, weeks, or months they have left.

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7 | PAGE 21

Dementia Under Lockdown: The Moving Accounts of Those Striving To Be Heard The online archive - http://blogs.brad.ac.uk/dementia/ – part of the University of Bradford’s Centre for Applied Dementia Studies – was viewed thousands of times in April alone.

For some, the ability to blog has become a lifeline. For others, the outpourings offer hope and comfort and the catharsis which comes through shared experience.

Wendy Mitchell’s emotive blog Which Me Am I Today? sums up the emptiness felt by many living with dementia during lockdown.

“Before we entered this strange world we find ourselves in, I was used to travelling about, meeting new people in new environments, chatting to people all day long,” she says. “It was my sudoku, keeping dementia at bay, giving me something to fight it with but now that social interaction has disappeared.

“Talking to others is now a luxury. No longer am I starting off my day chatting to my taxi driver, chatting to fellow commuters, chatting to people at events and then all the way home in reverse.

Sadly, this isn’t working in my favour as I’ve found myself having to concentrate so much when I do talk; have more problems word finding; find myself stuttering and grappling with words, my speech slowing down… a strange unexpected consequence I’d never considered.”

Wendy, who holds an honorary doctorate from the university and is an ‘Expert by Experience’, continues: “I suppose it can be compared to when I gave up typing for two weeks one Christmas and when I next opened my iPad I couldn’t remember what to do. I’ve never stopped typing since. Now I just find creeping signs of the same thing happening with talking.”

Mother-of-two Wendy, 58, was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s in July 2014 and was at the time working in the NHS. She adds: “I’m hoping I can convey that, although we’ve been diagnosed, people like me still have a substantial contribution to make. We still have a sense of humour. We still have feelings. I’m hoping to show the reality of trying to cope on a day to day basis with the ever-changing environment that dementia throws at those diagnosed with the condition. What I want is not sympathy. What I want is simply to raise awareness.”

Another who well understands those frustrations is former long-distance lorry driver Michael Andrews, 60, who was diagnosed with posterior cortical atrophy (a rare form of dementia which affects his eyesight, visual perception and memory) in 2017.

Michael works closely with the University of Bradford as an ‘Expert by Experience’. A former soldier in the British Army, his life is now dominated by routines, but lockdown has changed everything.

Read his blog at http://blogs.brad.ac.uk/dementia/how-coronavirus-isaffecting-my-life-a-personal-account/

“A big part of my life was going out of the house,” he explains.

“When I was first diagnosed, some things would confuse me and then what I call ‘the fog’ would descend. It means you can’t remember where you are or what you’re doing. Having routines helps to combat that.

When I was in the Army, they used to say there’s no obstacle you can’t overcome. So, I’d go see people, have appointments, go for coffee and so on. But coronavirus has brought all that to an end.”

Thankfully, he is finding new activities to combat ‘the fog’. “I’m cooking a lot more, playing the flute and accordion and I’ve just started learning the alto saxophone, I also play chess. The lockdown has been confusing for everyone but for anyone with dementia, it’s even more difficult.”

Asked about his work with the university, he said: “The University has been a great help and I’m happy to be involved in the research. You can read all the books you like but you cannot ask a book question, so sometimes it’s better to hear it from a person.”

The University of Bradford recently partnered with Exeter University to publish a leaflet offering advice for people living with dementia during lockdown. It also launched a study to highlight the need to reopen dementia services as quickly as possible after lockdown ends.

Dementia care trainer in the Faculty of Health Studies Clare Mason, says the blogs help bring people together. “It’s another way of reaching people, a way of sharing experiences and that can help in terms of improving people’s wellbeing and other people’s understanding of dementia.”

Dr Ana Barbosa, interim programme leader on the MSc Advanced Dementia Studies Programme, says: “The blogs have been going for four years, usually with one every month but since Covid we have made a point of trying to do two a week. It’s a way to share what we do at the Centre. Bradford is well known around the world for its work on dementia.

“Since the outbreak people are more active on social media, so blogs are more important than ever. It’s a way to reach a lot of people and get immediate feedback.”

The University of Bradford’s Centre for Applied Dementia Studies is world renowned, thanks in part to the pioneering work done by the late Prof Thomas Kitwood (1937-1998), who developed the ‘person centred’ approach to care and ‘dementia care mapping’, which are recognised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and are widely used across in the UK.

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Terry Medley is the Resident Ambassador at Gracewell of Bookham. He acts as a voice for residents, representing their views and offering feedback and advice to the team.

Terry was born in 1930 in South London, he spent the wartime years in North Devon. His father was an army officer and his mother was a civil servant. Terry spent his years in education in Effingham and Brixton, he was then a Senior Marine Economist for a large part of his career.

For a year and a half, Terry served in the Royal Navy as part of his National Service. He had a wonderful marriage to his late wife Barbara for almost 60 years.

Terry has been a resident at Gracewell of Bookham since December 2017 and soon after he move in, he became the Resident Ambassador. Terry said: “I am often asked to meet with potential new residents and their families to talk about what it’s like to call Gracewell home and give insight on daily life here. I also assist the team with interviewing new members of staff.

“I feel my opinion is valued and the voice of us as residents is really taken into account when making decisions.”

Gracewell of Bookham Resident, Tricia Gardner, said: “Having Terry as an Ambassador provides a link for residents, management and careers to have good communication and the opportunity to share ideas and thoughts” Harry Garston, General Manager at Gracewell of Bookham, added: “Terry is a key personality in our home and takes his role of officially representing the views of the residents very seriously. He is quick to offer feedback and advice which makes him invaluable in developing our service.”

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7 | PAGE 23

Nominations Open for The NACC Awards 2020

The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) has launched the NACC Awards 2020.

The prestigious awards welcome nominations from across the care catering sector to recognise and celebrate teams and individuals that go above and beyond in their field – from care homes to community servic-

es, such as Meals on Wheels and Lunch Clubs.

The deadline for entries is Friday 3 July 2020 and the judges will be looking for examples of innovation, excellence and dedication that create tangible benefits for residents, clients and colleagues in the following categories: • Care Establishment of the Year Award, sponsored by Hobart • Meals on Wheels Award, sponsored by apetito • Catering Team of the Year Award, sponsored by Brakes • Catering Manager of the Year Award, sponsored by Unilever Food Solutions • Our Care Catering Hero Award, sponsored by Premier Foods The winners will be honoured later in the year* at a gala awards dinner where the recipients of the Pam Rhodes Outstanding Achievement Award, sponsored by Robot-Coupe and the National Chairman’s Award will also be revealed, as well as the hotly-contested NACC Region of the Year Award, sponsored by Meiko.

The NACC Awards 2020 nomination brochure with full category details and entry requirements can be downloaded here.

Sue Cawthray, National Chair of the NACC, comments: “Recognising excellence, innovation and dedication within care catering has always been very important to the NACC, but in times of adversity and extraor-

dinary challenges, such as we find ourselves in now, it’s all the more pertinent.

“For a long time, the social care sector – be that in care homes or in the community – has been one of society’s unsung heroes. The Covid-19 crisis has highlighted the vital role of the sector and the incredible, selfless work of everyone within it, including care caterers. Up and down the country, care caterers go above and beyond to ensure those they care for receive the right nutrition and hydration in an appropriate and enjoyable way that generates a positive impact on both physical and mental wellbeing. Never has this been so important for the welfare of residents and peace of mind of their loved ones.

“We very much look forward to coming together with members, colleagues and friends later in the year to celebrate the exceptional achievements within our sector and the teams and individuals that encapsulate the very best of the best. We know these are challenging times for our members, but we urge them to enter the NACC Awards 2020 and ensure the hard work and brilliance of their team members do not go unrecognised.”

Entry to the NACC Awards is open to members of the NACC. For more information about how to become a member visit www.thenacc.co.uk.

Care Providers Across the Country Get Free Access Mental Health Apps

All staff and volunteers within adult social care providers can now access free apps to cope with insomnia and anxiety as part of a nationwide effort to help ‘care for our carers’ and support the mental health of the social care workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health technology specialists Big Health and the Care Provider Alliance, the voice of England’s care providers, have today [19 May] announced a partnership to provide all 1.6 million members of the alliance and volunteers with evidence-based digital programmes to protect and support their mental health during the COVID-19 crisis. The digital programmes are designed to help maintain healthy and restorative sleep, reduce anxiety and worry, and to help them learn evidence-based techniques to address mental health issues when they arise.

The NHS-accredited apps Daylight – designed to help with worry and anxiety – and Sleepio – a digital

sleep improvement programme, both featuring Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques – have been developed by digital therapeutics company Big Health. This partnership builds on a recent announcement by NHS England to provide free access to Daylight and Sleepio to all NHS staff.

Following the recent news that a third of all coronavirus deaths in England are now happening in care homes, staff across the social care sector are being placed under enormous pressure to limit the spread of the virus, arrange intensive care for residents and cope with the loss of more occupants than usual, all whilst continuing to carry out their care responsibilities.

Big Health co-founder and Professor of Sleep Medicine at the University of Oxford, Professor Colin Espie, has praised the Care Provider Alliance for its commitment to protecting the mental health of care staff and volunteers during the pandemic.

Commenting on Big Health’s partnership with the Care Provider Alliance, Professor Espie said: “I’m honoured that Big Health is able to partner with the Care Provider Alliance to support our colleagues and volunteers in the social care sector to help protect their mental health during these most challenging of times. With the whole care sector being so valuable to the frontlines of the fight

against COVID-19 across the country, we recognise these staff are under enormous pressure whilst also experiencing significant changes to their lives at home as a result of COVID-19. We built Sleepio and Daylight to help people effectively manage their mental health whether the challenges occur during the night, or day, round the clock.”

Lisa Lenton, Care Provider Alliance Chair, added: “We are delighted to partner with Big Health to help support the mental health of our key workers.

Facing challenges such as a lack of PPE and concerns about their own personal health, care staff are under extraordinary pressure to deliver their services and keep people safe in these times. At the same time our colleagues are also managing their own personal lives, so it is vital they have the right support and resources to keep them mentally healthy.

The evidence-based techniques Sleepio and Daylight offer will give our key workers instant

access to the vital support they need so they can continue to deliver their high quality care services as well as manage any stress they may be experiencing in their personal lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Nicholas Kelly, Co-founder and CEO of Axela Innovations – a service provider member of one of the Care Provider Alliance’s 10 national bodies – said: “Sleepio and Daylight are tools put together by experts that offer a variety of techniques to help people get to grips with poor sleep, negative thinking and worry. We feel that these programmes will provide a tangible benefit for our staff, to make them feel heard, that we understand their fears and that we’re giving them mechanisms to help them cope with their worries and issues around sleep patterns.

We genuinely expect this to make a big difference to morale.”

Sleepio and Daylight are available at no cost to all members and volunteers of the Care Provider Alliance to support their mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. These solutions aim to support staff to maintain healthy and restorative sleep, reduce anxiety and worry, and to help them learn evidence-based techniques to address mental health issues when they arise.

PAGE 24 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7

Government Announces £600m Infection Control Funding for Care Homes

Prime Minister Boris Johnson promised a £600 million package for coronavirus infection control in care homes in England as he admitted that the number of deaths among residents has been “too high”.

The Prime Minister insisted the number of outbreaks and fatalities in care homes is now “well down”, as he sought to defend his handling of the crisis, after being challenged by Labour leader Keir Starmer that the government had been “too slow to protect people in care homes”.

Boris Johnson said: “A huge exercise in testing is going on. A further £600m I can announce today for infection control in care homes. The number of outbreaks is down and the number of fatalities in care homes is now well down. We are making progress”.

Figures released on Tuesday suggested that care home deaths accounted for some 40% of coronavirus-related fatalities registered in England and Wales in the week ending May 1.

During PMQs, Keir asked: “Does the prime minister accept that the government was too slow to protect people in care homes?”

In response, Mr Johnson said it “wasn’t true that the advice said that”.

He added: “And actually we brought the lockdown in care homes ahead of the general lockdown and what we’ve seen is a concerted action plan to tackle what is unquestionably been an appalling epidemic in care homes.”

Refuting the Prime Ministers Sir Keir wrote a letter to Mr Johnson after PMQs challenging him to return to the House of Commons to “correct the record”.

The letter said: “At this time of national crisis, it is more important than ever that government ministers are accurate in the information they give.

“Given this, I expect you to come to the House of Commons at the earliest opportunity to correct the record and to recognise that this was official government guidance regarding care homes.”

Responding to the £600 million of funding, Niall Dickson, chief exec-

utive of the NHS Confederation, which represents organisations across the healthcare sector, said: “Care homes are where the major battle with COVID-19 is now raging and we have neglected it for too long. More money for infection control and the extra support from the NHS should alleviate some of the incredible pressure facing care homes now.

“But distribution has been a major problem throughout this crisis, so let’s make sure the money goes where it is most needed, with local leaders involved.

“Again, we had more promises to make sure care workers have access to testing and proper PPE. It is getting better, but we need all staff to be confident that they have the right equipment and the right training to use it, when they need it.

“All of this just shows yet again that we need fundamental reform, which, as well as proper funding, will make care homes and home care part of one system with the NHS. “When this is over, it will be time to tackle our collective failure to address social care, which is nothing short of a national disgrace.”

Cllr David Williams, chairman of the County Councils Network, said: “Every death from coronavirus is a personal tragedy, and the number of those passing away from catching the virus in care settings is uncomfortably high. Therefore, we welcome today’s announcement over infection control, and we await further details on how the £600m funding should be used and distributed between councils.”

Keeping Engaged During Lockdown: Care Homes & At Home

By Gillian Hesketh MA - MD Happy Days Dementia Workshop, Activities & Design

We all know good mental health is as important as eating a healthy diet and exercising our bodies according to our capabilities. That’s why, especially during lockdown, we have to ensure people living in residential or dementia care homes, and people at home who need care and companionship are encouraged to engage and continue to be as socially active as possible.

With care and dementia homes closed to visitors and residents missing family members, the roles for care teams may have taken on different formats, adding shifts and multitasking to ensure residents are fully cared for. We’ve seen the wonderful work care teams are adding into their daily routines by regularly creating musical occasions for the people they care for. Some care teams have been able to help residents engage with family via social media which is ideal yet may only take up a small part of the day for a person who is living in residential care or alone at home.

Activity coordinators are busier than usual with days out cancelled, visiting entertainers, fitness instructors, hairdressers, unique visitors with

hens, chicks, reptiles or pets to pat, all unavailable. For activity coordinators and life style facilitators, activities may need to be provided more often and with new options. Constantly inventing new activities can become daunting and time consuming.

So here’s a few more ideas to help care teams continue to enrich social care during these difficult times: Create a Library Trolley - Add picture books and musical bird books.

Ask around to locate original magazines from the sixties and seventies: Woman’s Own, Classic Car, Railway Magazines, Cook Books, Gardening Books … Wheel out your trolley daily - Observe resident choices for new and meaningful conversations now and in the future.

Provide each resident with a triangular plain card or thick paper.

Everyone can draw or colour - Create bunting for the corridors to cheer everyone up - Chat about celebrations.

Knitting - Put together a basket of wool, knitting needles and patterns It’s amazing to see how many people can knit and will take you up on the offer of colourful wool. Some may just enjoy looking at the knitting patterns.

Prompt stories about Make Do & Mend.

Postcards - Ask relatives to send in postcards. Create a collection for people to enjoy. Ideal for prompting conversations around holidays and family events. Some residents may enjoy writing postcards to send to their families - or write the postcards with their words.

Tool Boxes - At Happy Days, we know the gents like to remember their days at work or at home repairing, decorating and creating; being in their

shed or garden. We’ve put together ‘Fix It’ Boxes with imitation tools, sanding blocks, switches, gadgets and everyday reminders to help prompt conversations and stimulate activity.

Encourage conversations around past interests and hobbies, sports teams, clubs joined, music choices, television programmes, books, films, celebrities, holiday destinations, family interests, friends and celebrations.

Just chatting is an activity many people enjoy.

Conversation Prompt Cards can often help prompt conversations and as everyone is busy caring, we have a range of chat and engagement packs available to despatch same day.

Corridor Bingo - Each resident sits at their room’s doorway so they can see other people but remain socially distanced. Bingo callers are bound to become super-fit, calling the numbers up and down the corridors. See Happy Days Picture Bingo with large display images and large wipe-clean bingo cards.

For Home Care - Create a Bag full of washable or wipe-clean nostalgic items to help engage and reminisce with the people you care for.

Encourage board games, diaries, colouring, picture books, sorting, stacking, tidying drawers and cupboards. Maintain daily skills - share dusting, preparing food and repairs to boxes and everyday items.

We understand the need to stay safe - most of Happy Days Dementia Workshop & Activity items are washable or wipe clean for infection control.

For social activities and nostalgic games, chat prompts and themed displays - shop online at www.dementiaworkshop.co.uk

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THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7 | PAGE 27

Helping A Loved One With Dementia During Lockdown

By Stuart Wright, Brunelcare's Dementia Lead ing with dementia a sense of freedom during these difficult times.

2. ENABLE A POSITIVE STATE OF MIND During this time it’s easy to feel bombarded by information telling us what we can’t do, it’s important for you, and your loved one, to adopt a positive state of mind.

Stuart says: “Although it can be challenging, maintaining a positive state of mind at this time is important. Watching the news or using social media too frequently can contribute to feeling anxious, especially if a person is living with dementia or if you’re caring for someone with a dementia. So try to do this in moderation and focus your energy on the things that are in your control. Try not to speculate about what the future holds and instead take time to share positive moments with your loved one, all while maintaining a social distance.”

3. GO OUTSIDE IF YOU CAN

Recognising that people need educating about dementia care, especially during these unprecedented times, Stuart Wright, Brunelcare’s Dementia Lead, shares advice to help friends and family who may be caring for, or helping a vulnerable loved one living with a dementia during lock down.

1. HELP EMPOWER THE PERSON As people are encouraged to follow Government advice to ‘stay alert’ taken, it’s a good idea to help the person living with a dementia feel in control, even if we are living in a time where ‘control’ is limited. Creating a calendar, almost like a to do list, with all the things they do routinely, will enable them to remain independent and keep busy for longer.

Plotting things on the calendar such as taking the bins out, hoovering, watering the garden, or putting the washing on etc, can give people liv-

If your loved one is able to go outside for gentle exercise, then encourage this, but only if it’s safe to do so. If they are able, encourage walking or sitting in the garden, getting out and about in nature has a calming effect and is really good for our wellbeing. Gardens are a great place to do gentle stretches or relax and gardening can be therapeutic, plus it can be a lovely pastime to enjoy together.

4. GET CREATIVE INSIDE If getting out is difficult, or you are shielding, do remember it’s ok to stay indoors and there’s still plenty you can do with your loved one.

Stuart says: “Creating photo albums is a great indoor activity and will trigger happy memories for not just your loved one, but you as well.

Another suggestion is hand massages - gentle hand massages with scented oils and creams can stimulate the senses and have a calming effect for your loved one. Another, the BBC’s reminiscence archive is a wonderful resource for people living with Dementia. Designed to trigger memories, simply select a theme or a decade of interest, the archive

will then show images, videos or play audio around the subject. And finally, Singing for the Brain is now online, which means people who regularly take part don’t have to miss out and for people who are yet to try it, now could be just the time!”

5. TECHNOLOGY FRIEND OR FOE? Stuart says: “At this time we have seen that technology can be our friend, allowing people with capacity to maintain a connection, whether this is talking to a loved one via a video call, sending and receiving text messages or daily phone calls. However, there is a thin line between technology being our friend and our foe during these uncertain times.

Technology and lack of understanding and/or capacity could cause more distress and concern than it does good. Someone living with a dementia, for example, could find it extremely difficult to understand why their loved one isn't visiting, or why their loved one is on a small screen in front of them. The majority of older people struggle to grasp new technology as it is, let alone living with dementia. Do consider if tech will cause more harm than good before implementing it.”

6 HELPFUL RESOURCES If you need additional support at this time, here are some useful contacts.

Dementia UK helpline: 0800 888 6678 (Free advice and support for carers between 9am and 9pm, provided by Admiral Nurses).

Alzheimers Society support advice line: 0333 1503 456 Dementia Navigators, signposting to local services adapted service 01179045151 Stuart Wright has worked in the health and social care industry for more than 30 years, starting his journey working with people with learning disabilities and behavioural issues before specialising in dementia care. Stuart is currently implementing and developing a human rights framework and standard for people living with dementia.

Helping Care Home Residents to Stay Connected from a Distance Adherence to social distancing, getting used to a new routine, and other disruptions associated with lockdown present a unique set of challenges for those living in care homes. Maintaining strong social relationships with friends and family has never been more important. Seeing a loved one’s face as well as hearing their voice can help an older person to feel connected from a distance.

As part of their commitment to helping the wider community, AYMES International (a market-leading manufacturer of delicious and cost-effective oral nutrition supplements) are delighted to announce they have a number of Facebook Portals to give to Care Homes in the UK. A Facebook Portal is a simple video-calling device that sits on a desk or table with a camera that follows as you walk around. It allows people to talk to others completely hands-free while doing other things. It’s an ideal way for older people to stay in touch with others and feel loved, supported and connected.

If you work in a Care Home and have residents who would benefit from a Facebook Portal, please email: marketing@aymes.com to claim one of 30 Facebook Portals. The first 30 to be drawn by 07.07.20 who have told us why their care home would like one, will each receive a Facebook Portal.

For more information on AYMES International, please visit: https://aymes.com/ Terms and Conditions There are 30 Facebook Portals to be claimed. 2. All applications must be received by the closing date 30.06.20. 3. No Purchase Necessary 4. Facebook Portals can be claimed by any member of staff working in a UK Carehome. 5. A maximum of one Facebook Portal will be available to be claimed per care home. 6. Facebook Portals will only be made available to Care Home staff requesting them for resident use. 7. A full list of Care Homes who have received the Facebook Portals will be available by emailing AYMES after (one week the closing date) 8.

Promoter - AYMES International Office Ff10, Brooklands House 58 Marlborough Road, Lancing Business Park, Lancing, West Sussex, England, BN15 8AF

PAGE 28 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7

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 7 | PAGE 27

PAGE 30 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7

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 7 | PAGE 31

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

The importance of humidity control maintaining Relative Humidity at 40-60%....

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Service & Maintenance

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7 | PAGE 33

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

Please mention THE CARER when responding to advertising.

PAGE 34 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES New Guides To Supercharge Your Care Home Management Calibre Audio - Unleash the Power of Your Imagination Is continued customer satisfaction important to you? Could your communications with residents and their loved ones be improved? Does your care home's website need to be brought into the 2020's? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you will be pleased to learn about a series of free expert guides for care home managers and owners.

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

for care homes written by and for those working in the care homes sector.

UK consumer law is among the best in the world, but this also means that it can be complicated and in-depth. Care home regulations are no exception, and you may be overwhelmed by it all. These guides make it simple and straightforward so that you can avoid the regulatory pitfalls and improve your business for the good of you and your residents.

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

Download your free guides at: www.businesscompanion.info/focus

CareZips Dignity Trousers ™

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

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.

The Oxford Up from Joerns Healthcare 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. Highgrade castors offer outstanding manoeuvrability across a range of

floor surfaces and 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

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

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

To receive a free copy of the ‘Skincare management in incontinence’ leaflet, please email: zeroderma@thorntonross.com, email: 01484 842217 or www.zeroderma.co.uk

Ultimate Comfort For Extra-Wide Swollen Feet 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

Calibre Audio is a free national charity that lends audiobooks to everyone who has a print disability.

A print disability is most commonly a sight problem, dyslexia or a condition that makes it hard to hold or understand printed. Audiobooks offer a way to overcome difficulties such as these, so that you can consume books the same as others, just in a different way – audio.

Calibre Audio has thousands of audiobooks in its collection, with so many categories catering for all ages and tastes. No one needs to miss out on the pleasure of a good book. Calibre Audio’s collection There are well over 11,000 unabridged audiobooks on

Calibre’s shelves. Titles cover all fiction and non-fiction genres, including bestsellers, classic novels, modern fiction and popular non-fiction.

Calibre’s audiobooks can be streamed online, downloaded to your device or delivered straight to your door on CD and memory stick by our free postal service. Which means whether you’re listening from your favourite armchair or in your garden, unleash the power of your imagination.

‘Being a member of Calibre has given me a chance to read and enjoy books that I wouldn't have otherwise had a chance to read.’

Join and get listening! It is free

Lotus Care Technology 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

for everyone with a print disability to join Calibre Audio.

Go online at www.calibreaudio.org.uk or call membership services on 01296 432 339 for more information.

See the advert on page 16 for details.

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.

COVID-19 Game Raising Awareness To Promote Safe Behaviour Because COVID-19 is causing confusion and anxiety Focus Games has developed a simple online COVID-19 Game that offers the facts and challenges myths (from UK government and NHS). It's free-to-play and works on any device through a web browser. It only takes couple of minutes and there is no registration required.

The game is intended for anyone and everyone: https://games.focusgames.co.uk/coronavirus/game/ The game is being played by adults and older children and here is feedback from a teacher in Egypt: “I teach grade 8 students (14 years). My students are in COVID-19 isolation and their response to eLearning was disappointing. I needed to attract their attention. We were exploring diseases in populations and I sent them the COVID-19 Game. It was like magic!

Within 2 hours they were sending selfies of their scores, encouraging others to play and sharing information. The students were engaged, they learned and were entertained. Thank you.” Haidy Wael, Science Teacher, Egypt.

The game is based on similar health education games: Flu Bee Game and

Dementia Awareness Game. Both games were investigated by Queen’s University Belfast and within the NHS and they concluded that the games can and do change perceptions and behaviour.

So, it is hoped that the COVID-19 Game will have a positive effect on some members of the public. Here is a comment regarding the Dementia Awareness Game from Dr Gillian Carter, School of Nursing and Midwifery at Queen's University Belfast: “The dementia awareness game has been played over 1,000 times and research conducted by Queen's University Belfast on its impact shows that after playing the game, a person's attitudes to people living with dementia improve! This statistically significant information is being prepared for an international journal” For further information, please contact: Andy Yeoman – Director, Focus Games Ltd andy@focusgames.com +44 (0)141 554 5476 games.focusgames.co.uk/coron-

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

Mattress Maintenance Services In order to bring a mattress back into service after use, it needs to be completely cleaned and decontaminated to approved standards that guarantee bacterium and viruses such as C.Diff and MRSA are killed, and no cross contamination occurs.

A challenge with mattress cleaning is not only that it requires large commercial washing machines but that different mattress types also require different treatment.

The right rental and maintenance service will not only provide you with an appropriate mattress when you need it, but offer fast cleaning, repairs, and replacements, ensuring mattresses are up to the required standards. This undoubtedly saves you money in the long term, provides the best possible levels of care to your patients and residents, and reassures all stakeholders that hygiene is a top priority; a must in the current climate.

WHAT SHOULD YOU LOOK FOR? So what should you look for in a rental service – apart from a wide range of special purpose mattresses? Here are a few key pointers: • Rapid breakdown response

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

Visit www.spearheadhealthcare.com or see the advert on page 4.

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7 | PAGE 35

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE How Tech is Supporting the Recruitment and Retention of Carers During COVID-19

By Stephen Pattrick, CEO and Co-founder, Newcross Healthcare (www.newcrosshealthcare.com) Newcross Healthcare is a provider of care and nursing resource to care homes, hospitals and service users in their own homes.

We are not a healthcare staff recruitment agency. We operate differently to our competitors -all staff are employed with permanent contracts and guaranteed minimum hours. So, we have a vested interest in the skills and development of each and every carer.

Their skills are vital to ensure we continue providing an excellent standard of care to our clients and service users. To support with this, in addition to our existing learning and development offering, we have recently launched a series of free clinical training webinars to help them upskill.

The ability to recruit and retain good people is critical to the service we provide, never more so than now.

With the COVID-19 pandemic putting pressure on the care industry like never before, we have had to consider how we recruit, induct, train and retain our people – safely and efficiently to meet demand.

At Newcross, we very much embrace technology to improve services.

Over the years we have invested in our own tech development team which means we can develop our own tools and roll them out across the organisation. Also, we can prioritise and accelerate development where we need it most. This has been true of a number of applications we are using now.

ACCELERATING RECRUITMENT

We are currently recruiting more healthcare staff and at a faster rate than prior to the Covid-19 pandemic. This is to ensure we can meet the increased demand for our services.

When speeding up our recruitment process, our main priority was that it remained as rigorous as before. We wanted to make it more streamlined,

but not compromise on employing the most competent people.

By digitalising the process, we have succeeded in fast-tracking recruitment so that candidates can go from initial application to being on-shift in as little as 48 hours.

The six-stage operation is now entirely virtual. Applicants can now progress through each stage at a much faster rate than before with our HR teams all working remotely from home.

From an online application form, where candidates submit details like their work experience, references and uniform size, the central recruitment team will call back and screen suitable applicants within three hours. The next stage is the DBS/CVG checks and contacting referees.

Applicants are then interviewed via video link and those that are successful are invited to take part in the ‘Virtual Shift’, our scenario-based test which places candidates in a virtual care setting to assess their knowledge and decision-making skills.

Those who are offered a position then complete a virtual induction and, if required, complete a ‘moving and handling’ certificate via e-learning.

Finally, before commencing work with us, staff will receive their ID badge and uniform couriered by next day delivery, as an automated process, directly from our supplier.

TRAINING ROLL-OUT

As part of our digitalisation process for training, we have formed a partnership with Docebo, a leading AI-Powered learning platform. This means we have been able to equip our entire workforce with specialist training required to keep our teams, clients and service users safe during the outbreak.

All members of Newcross office and healthcare staff, over 9,000 people, can access a suite of COVID-19-specific training materials. This includes guidance on what the virus is, how it spreads and what specific control measures should be in place to mitigate the risks of its spread. An optional module is also available to healthcare staff, which provides specialist training in oxygen therapy, basic observations, taking nasal and throat swabs and donning and doffing personal protective equipment. Scenario-based

Lifelong Antimicrobial Product Protection Guaranteed With Pinpoint According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Quality Standard (QS61), an estimated 300,000 patients a year in England acquire a healthcare-associated infection (HCAI) after spending time being looked after in the NHS. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reports that HCAIs are estimated to cost the NHS approximately £1 billion a year1. These monetary values do not even include the physical and mental health cost to patients and healthcare workers.

HCAIs include a large number of infections, such as the well-known infections caused by meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), meticillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), Clostridium difficile (C.diff) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Guidelines published by organisations like NICE and Public Health England, give detailed instructions on the prevention of these infections in all parts of the health service.

While we have become very familiar with some of the measures that can be taken to reduce the spread of infections like hand washing and

wearing appropriate PPE, there are additional technologies that can be used to complement these practices One of these is the introduction of Antimicrobial technology. This technology inhibits the growth of a range of microorganism on the surface of the product.

Bacteria and other microbes can be spread by touching contaminated surfaces, objects or people. As with all infections, breaking the chain of transmission is vital to controlling the spread. This may sound easy enough – just wash your hands or change gloves and other PPE between touching different people. What about the microbes on the surface of more permanent pieces of equipment that get touched a lot? Do light switches, control panels, alarm buttons and personal attack alarms, for example, really get cleaned and disinfected thoroughly multiple times during each shift?

That is where antimicrobial technology can make a significant difference. Pinpoint Ltd is working with Addmaster, manufacturer of antimicrobial technology Biomaster, to add an extra product protection to its staff

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

advice, specific to the environments in which we work, such as care homes, prisons and schools, helps to prepare frontline staff in the best possible way.

SHIFT ALLOCATION

Over the last six weeks, we have really embraced our in-house app HealthForceGo® - for communicating with our employees. The app was originally designed to give staff full control of their schedules, allowing them to opt-in to be automatically assigned shifts that they are eligible for and which matches their availability.

Among other features, staff who are self-isolating can now immediately notify us via our app. This will automatically suspend their availability for the isolation period. They can become ‘active’ again, once they have completed the return to work protocol.

STREAMLINED ACCESS TO OUR HEALTHCARE STAFF WITH AUTOMATED BOOKINGS

Our clients – care homes, hospitals and private individuals – are now using our automated booking process in the majority of cases. We fasttracked the launch of our Automated Instant Verification feature, enabling clients to make bookings via the client portal and with instant fulfilment.

This means we can help clients when they need staff critically, at short notice.

Thanks to our VoIP calling technology, the lines of communication have remained uninterrupted. Clients can still contact us 24/7 and speak to their local branch team or our advisers, who were previously based in an office setting, but are now working from home.

Tech has so much to offer in the current environment. For us, it has meant we can accelerate some of our recruitment and training processes, while ensuring the skills of our central recruitment team are used where they are of most benefit. This ensures that we continue to employ the most competent and best carers in the market.

Above all else, the ability for us to interview, induct and train new employees remotely means we are minimising the risk of infection to our branch staff and applicants alike. safety systems.

Biomaster is based on silver ion technology and can be added to polymers, textiles, paper, paints and coatings. The antimicrobial features of silver have been known for centuries. Apparently, even Hippocrates discussed the use of silver in wound care in his writings.2 The silver ions in Biomaster work in 3 ways, disrupting the bacteria cell wall, interfereing with the production of enzymes , therefore stopping energy production and. preventing DNA replication Pinpoint incorporates Biomaster Antimicronial Technology into the product of its staff security system including Personal Infrared Transmitters (PITs), call buttons and display units etcThe technology starts to work straight away and is effective 24 hours a day, 7 days a week., and if effective for the life of the product.. It is built-in, doesn’t wash or wear off or leach out. Tested to ISO standard, Biomaster is safe to use can be recycled as normal.

Although this antimicrobial technology makes Pinpoint devices more hygienic by reducing the ability of microbes to grow on the surface, it does not replace standard hygiene protocols.

Visit www.pinpointlimited.com for further details.

PAGE 36 | THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7

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 7 | PAGE 37

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

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

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7 | PAGE 39

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 7 | PAGE 41

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

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

AR NUTILIS CLE K RECIPE BOO

URABLE SAFE, PLEAS US FOOD IT AND NUTR IO LIVING FOR PEOPLE GIA A WITH DYSPH

THE CARER DIGITAL | ISSUE 7 | PAGE 43

CATERING FOR CARE Are You In Need Of Dysphagia Training*?

*This training is intended for healthcare professionals only.

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.

Caternet 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.

Reference: 1. O’Loughlin G, Shanley C. Swallowing problems in the nursing home: a novel training response.

Dysphagia 1998; 13, 172-183.( https://www.rcslt.org/speech-and-languagetherapy/clinical-information/dysphagia)

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 removing dietary concerns around can build trust with families,

religious and cultural backgrounds. This saves time spent manual change.

ly updating meal plans as menus 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

Simply Puree

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

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

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

utes 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 social care staff caring for people living with dysphagia. It takes 60 min-

Launched in 2019, Simply Puree is a range of IDDSI compliant, nutritionally balanced, texture modified meals from levels 3-6, catering for people with dysphagia. . All made to the highest safety standards with a wide selection of choices, this range ensures you can prepare each meal safely giving you total reassurance, every time.

Each dish also has consistency in nutritional content, allowing you to easily control calorie intake. All meals come frozen and ready to serve, providing quick and convenient meals that simply need to be placed in the microwave or oven. But that’s not all, made to home-cooked standards these authentic

and tasty meals are packed full of flavour, making them perfect for any meal occa

sion throughout all day parts!

We work closely with a number of speech and language therapists so that we can ensure that we can adapt and innovate to the changing wants and needs of patients or residents with dysphagia.

Clare Park MSc MRCSLT HCPC, Speech and Language Therapist says: “As a in swallowing, I have been using the Simply Puree range clinician specialising for many years. I would definitely recommend this texture modified meal but also for the appearance,

quality and texture. I range not only for the taste that this range has made a huge difference lives, find

to my clients’

they now enjoy their meals and I have found that many now look forward to meal times meals are quick and easy to regenerate and they maintain appear again. The and through. ance, texture

taste once cooked

“So, if you have clients who have to be on a texture modified diet following a

swallowing assessment by a speech and language therapist, due to perhaps a stroke, Dementia, Parkinson’s disease etc then I would highly recommend the Simply Puree range for them.

“The range has now been extended to include reduced portion sized meals for those with small appetites, as well as snack pots for those clients needing to up their nutritional daily intake. All options are of the same high quality and are fully IDDSI compliant – who wouldn’t enjoy an afternoon snack of level 4 tea, with a chocolate bourbon biscuit!”

Not only are we continually expanding our adult range, we’ve listened to our customers and have now launched our Simply Puree Junior range which also fully complies with paediatric IDDSI guidelines so now we can provide for all age groups.

For more information go to bidfood.co.uk/simplypuree

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www.caternet.co.uk www.caternet.c o.uk Copyright Copyright © 2020 Zupa Tech Tech Ltd. C Company ompany R Registration egistration Number: 0316584

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