The Carer Digital - Issue #121

Welcome to the latest edition of The Carer Digital!

Once again our

page

And once again it comes as no surprise to any body We are in a state of political turmoil at the moment Our new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been in office one day following the tumultuous 44 day reign of his predecessor Liz Truss

The Prime Minister is facing numerous chal lenges and once again the elephant in the room is adult social care

The CQC report states there is gridlock in the health and social care system In simple terms this means that people are left waiting or are getting stuck in the system and accessing the right health and care services is becoming even more of a struggle

The report highlights that the sector has 165,000 vacancies, and there are cur rently half a million people waiting for an adult social care assessment, for care or a direct payment to begin or for a review of their care

I highlighted last week how former Health Secretary and now Chancellor Jeremy Hunt who was chair of a health committee urged the government to inject £7 bil lion into the social care sector However as sector spokes people often point out adult social care urgently needs £13 billion of additional funding to address long and short term challenges

Mr Hunt now seems to be recanting on that call for additional funding!

Researchers from health think tank the Nuffield Trust recently said the health and care crisis was years in the making Before the pandemic (which is being blamed for the current crisis) researchers estimated around 5 million people would still be waiting for non urgent procedures like cataract surgery and hip replacements

So, the Prime Minister certainly has his work cut out and I sincerely hope he doesn’t intend to kick the can down the road (much like his predecessors), but I really do fear that he may believe that the country cannot afford inject any more money to social care

I will be watching with interest tomorrow the debate regarding the creation of new legal right to make sure that people continue contact with their families in adult health and social care settings particularly throughout emergencies

A backbench business debate will take place tomorrow Thursday 27 October in the House of Commons

I have long held the belief that residential care was caught between between a rock and a hard place at the height of the pandemic when the sector was forced to take infected patients released from hospitals carrying the coronavirus into environ ments housing society s most vulnerable people

The tragic stories of families being deprived access to the loved ones, isolation and mental health issues were truly heartbreaking but, as I have said before, I have sat in on many seminars and spoken to many operators who felt at the time that this was best way to pre vent further infection and minimise illness and fatalities, and many operators still feel the same way

Earlier this year (April) a High Court ruled that care homes were “thrown to the wolves” and that releasing untested patients into care environments was illegal and irrational

In a highly critical report a committee of MPs cited various examples of how the (care) sector had not been treated well such as the “appalling error” committed when 25 000 patients were discharged from hospitals into care homes earlier this year without ensuring that they were all firstly tested for covid 19

We do of course now have much information available and are far better pre pared but I do understand the reluctance of care environments to lift restrictions completely

This is something we hope to discuss in the coming week, so please do look out for some in depth articles on the topic!

Again, we have received some wonderful and uplifting stories from care homes around the country, awards, birthday celebrations, fundraising, sports events, singing and dancing you name it we are receiving them at the moment! All feel good stories which highlight the dedication commitment and devotion staff display every day in improving the well being of the residents so well done and please do keep them coming!

I can always be contacted at editor@thecareruk com

Editor Peter Adams

Care System “In Crisis” and “Gridlocked” - CQC Report Warns

(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)

40% of those waiting for a care needs assessment said that their ability to carry out day to day activities was now worse than when the assessment was required while 15% said it was better

• There is unequal access to health and care services for ethnic minori ties and people with learning disabilities and autistic people

While most people are still receiving good care when they can access it too often people are not able to access the care they need the report says, and capacity in adult social care has reduced and unmet need has increased

Only 2 in 5 people are able to leave hospital when they are ready to do so contributing to record breaking waits in emergency departments following a decision to admit, and dangerous ambulance handover delays

As part of work that included a series of coordinated inspections across the urgent and emergency care pathway in 10 Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) CQC convened a group of 250 health and care leaders they described the system they work in as ‘in crisis and shared their fears that the risk of people coming to harm represents a worrying new status quo

The report goes onto highlight growing public and staff dissatisfac tion with health and care services, citing the record numbers of people leaving the sector all whilst providers continue to find recruitment more and more difficult

The CQC say that without urgent action staff retention will continue to decline across healthcare, which will only increase pressure across the board and lead to worse health outcomes for the population

To solve this whilst emphasising the need for long term planning and investment to understand and ultimately solve the problems at hand the CQC are urging local leaders to bring data and information together in order to come up with agreeable solutions that focus on the overall patient experience

GRIDLOCKED AND UNABLE TO OPERATE EFFECTIVELY

Ian Trenholm Chief Executive of CQC said: “The health and care sys tem is gridlocked and unable to operate effectively This means that people are stuck stuck in hospital because there isn’t the social care support in place for them to leave stuck in emergency departments waiting for a hospital bed to get the treatment they need and stuck waiting for ambulances that don t arrive because those same ambu lances are stuck outside hospitals waiting to transfer patients

There s lots of great care out there from the GP practice in Manchester carrying out ward rounds in care homes, to the new initia tives introduced by a hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne which have improved people’s access to and experience of cancer treatments, to the ICS in Cornwall using inclusive technology to help give people more control of the services they use

However the fact is that it s hard for health and care staff to deliver

good care in a gridlocked system There are no quick fixes, but there are steps to be taken now on planning investment and workforce that will help to avoid continuing deterioration in people s access to and experience of care By working together to address the issues that lie behind the gridlock we can create conditions that mean that next year more people can access good safe health and social care delivered by a better supported workforce who have more reason to be opti mistic about the future

GIVE SOCIAL CARE THE REFORM IT NEEDS

Responding to the report Mike Padgham said: “Yes social care is gridlocked but the solution is clear and obvious give it the reform it needs and we ll open up new lanes and get the traffic moving again otherwise we will all end up broken down on the hard shoulder or worse!

Capacity is shrinking but we can t increase it because we don t have enough staff To recruit staff we have to be able to pay them properly and at the moment there isn t the funding in the sector to do that and get rid of the gridlock ”

Mr Padgham Chair of the care provider organisation The Independent Care Group (ICG) welcomed s report The state of health care and adult social care in England’, by the inspection body, the Care Quality Commission (CQC)

It labels the system gridlocked and says too often people cannot access the care they need, capacity is falling and staff are leaving the sector It blames historical underinvestment and a lack of reward for the social care workforce It warns that unless action is taken pressure in the system will lead to “worse outcomes” for people

Mr Padgham said The report is not a surprise but is a damning indictment of the way the country continues to treat the care of our most vulnerable our mothers fathers aunts uncles brothers and sis ters

“It has got worse over the past 12 months which shows that the Government isn t listening and any measures they have taken haven t worked

He said care providers had the solutions but the Government had to listen and respond It could begin by including care providers on the new Integrated Care Boards

The ICG says more than 30 years of neglect and under funding has left social care in crisis with Covid 19 chronic staff shortages and the cost of living crisis turning the situation critical Care and nursing homes are closing and homecare providers are handing back undeliv erable contracts At least 1 6m people are living without the care they need and there are 165 000 job vacancies in the sector

It has written to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt calling upon him to give social care the extra £7bn a year he has acknowledged it needs

If we are in gridlock it is down to government after government of all political colour failing to grasp the nettle and tackle social care Mr

Padgham added

“Mr Hunt recognised when he was Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee that social care needed an extra £7bn a year just to stand still He said then that the £7bn would be a starting point for a wider series of reforms

“Now Mr Hunt has his hands on the purse strings and we call upon him to give social care that investment he knows it needs, right now ” THE GOVERNMENT MUST ACT NOW

National Care Forum (NCF) has continued its call for urgent govern ment intervention to tackle the deepening adult social care workforce crisis, and a commitment to previous pledges and funding

Professor Vic Rayner OBE CEO of the National Care Forum said “This report like so many others highlights starkly the real impact on people when social care is underfunded and under resourced Recognition of the heroic efforts dedication and hard work of the care workforce to continue to support people in very difficult circumstances despite all the pressures is welcome However, despite the backdrop of the cur rent political turmoil the government cannot continue to ignore the very real human impact on the millions of people who need care and support and the people working relentlessly every day to provide it

The possibility that the Chancellor is planning to delay social care reform and impose spending cuts is disastrous especially given cur rent pressure on the NHS and the looming winter pressures This will impact on the already ‘gridlocked system’ CQC identified Equally fail ing to increase public spending on social care in line with rising costs and ignoring the urgent need to inject funding into the workforce is unthinkable

“Good quality and well resourced social care is essential if local health and care systems want to unlock the current gridlock we are facing across hospitals, and the ambulance service and across commu nities health and care services As Healthwatch say people are losing confidence that the health and care system will be there to support them when they need it most

“Even more importantly good quality and well resourced social care is also preventative in nature, supporting people to retain their inde pendence for longer and reducing demand on the wider health system

“It is imperative that any new PM guarantees the reforms contained within People at the Heart of Care as well as bring forward the neces sary funding

The CQC report also outlines the role Integrated Care Systems (ICS) have in dealing with the gridlock in the system We call on the CQC and government to ensure that the voices of adult social care providers, and those accessing their services are given a role on the Integrated Care Boards and Integrated Care Partnerships to avoid everything being seen through a clinical lens and shift the focus to prevention and what people actually want from their health and care system

Nutrition Education Should Be ‘On The

Menu’ of All Healthcare Professionals’ Education - New Research

All healthcare professionals should study a curriculum of nutrition educa tion during their studies in order to help better support public health new paper suggests

Nutritional researchers from Aston University with colleagues from other universities and leading nutritional groups worked with the Association of Nutrition (AfN) to help develop a cur riculum that can be rolled out amongst all undergraduate medical school stu dents with potential for modules to be taught to other healthcare pro fessional courses

The paper jointly published in the British Journal for Nutrition and BMJ Nutrition Prevention and Health examined the development of a new curriculum aimed at undergraduate medical students and made recommendations on its roll out nationally, with a view to it subse quently being implemented into other healthcare courses

The AfN Undergraduate Curriculum in Nutrition for medical doctors has been designed to be presented to medical students as an integral part of their general undergraduate training making it clear how nutri tion interrelates with the study of other systems and contributes to an inclusive understanding of health and disease

Dr Duane Mellor clinical dietitian and senior lecturer at Aston

Medical School at Aston University and co author on the paper said:

“At present lifestyle related health problems from living with obesi ty through to high blood pressure type 2 diabetes heart disease and several cancers can all be linked to diet across our communities Whereas in hospitals around a third of patients coming in can be undernourished

“Nutrition and food play a key role to both keeping us healthy and helping to manage disease which is why it is imperative we educate our future doctors and other health professionals about the role of nutrition in patient care

The paper sets out not only the need for nutrition education and the gaps but how it can be included as part of what is already a very busy and content heavy curriculum It builds on areas of the curriculum where nutrition could even be used to help teach concepts such as epidemiology

It highlights how historically medical education along with the edu cation of many health professionals not specialising in nutrition often have only a few hours of teaching on the subject

Dr Glenys Jones deputy chief executive at the Association for Nutrition who led the curriculum development project and is co author on the recent paper said

Nutrition is a key and modifiable determinant of health and wellbe ing therefore it is essential our future medical and healthcare profes sionals are equipped to be able to identify when nutrition could be involved in a patient s condition in order for this to form part of their

care

“The curriculum is not designed to turn our doctors into nutritionists or dietitians but to give them the knowledge and skills to be able to think about whether nutrition could be playing a role and having the confidence and knowledge of who when and how to refer on to suit able nutrition professionals when this is needed

Aston University is a pioneer in the key area of nutrition education of the future healthcare workforce As one of few UK universities with a dietitian or nutritionist as part of the teaching team within its medical school these skills are now being developed to benefit the training of other health professionals

Dr Mellor added As one of a few dietitians and nutritionists embed ded into the teaching team at Aston Medical School, we have been able to integrate nutrition across our curriculum

“It is great to be able to highlight how nutrition links to the basic sci ence areas such as biochemistry through to how you can encourage a patient to think about changing their diet in clinical skills"

Aston University has also started to explore with the Association for Nutrition the potential need for nutrition education in other professions From this an outline of a core curriculum for nutrition for a range of health professionals is in development

Dr Mellor also plans to work with colleagues to further develop nutrition teaching at Aston University thus helping students across subjects such as optometry and pharmacy to gain a better understand ing of nutrition and how it impacts on their areas of expertise

Care Home Resident Jim Marries Lynne, his

Sweetheart of 42 Years at OSJCT Grevill House

Giving page to help raise funds for the wedding

The team at OSJCT Grevill House was excited to host the wedding and went to every effort to make it a special occasion The wedding cake and refreshments were made by the catering team and other team members organised the decora tions and drinks for the toast

Hawkins formalised their relationship today after 42 years as part ners, at the Cheltenham care home which Jim moved into this summer The couple had a small ceremony with two registrars and witnesses followed by a celebration party hosted by the home

The new Mr & Mrs Hawkins met when they lived in the same road in Bourton on the Water Their first date took place in the local pub and they went on to live in Fairview Cheltenham where they brought up their only son James Jim 81 years old moved into OSJCT Grevill House as his care needs due to living with dementia increased Lynne 64 years old has also suffered health issues and is currently undergoing treatment for cancer Despite these challenges the couple were determined to get married and employees at the care home launched a Just

Early on in their relationship, Lynne proposed to Jim but had been refused This time Jim agreed to get married He said: “I’m ready, and I’m getting on a bit!”

Lynne said: It means the world to us both to finally be married for our remain ing time together Speaking about the secret of their long relationship Lynne said “Friendship and love through thick and thin and we have been through thick and thin!”

Su Heller Home Manager said: “It has been an absolute privilege to support Lynne and Jim with the plans for their wedding day Everyone here at OSJCT Grevill House is thrilled to see this declaration of their love and affection for each other Even in the later stage in life love and romance can thrive ”

Lakeland Dairies Festive Cocktail Competition Open For Entries

Following the success of last year s inaugural Lakeland Dairies Festive Tipples cocktail competition, the contest has returned for 2022 and is now open

Jean Cattanach marketing controller Lakeland Dairies comments: We had a truly fantastic response to last year s competition We were so delighted to see care homes enjoying a fun and entertaining

activity using our deliciously versatile Millac Gold

2021

that we have bought it back for a second

Russell Churcher Court care home first place for their beautiful drink collages and exceptional creativity and we can t wait to see

ideas this year’s competition

THE CHALLENGE

Lakeland Dairies have teamed up with wellbeing specialists NAPA, to provide an engaging festive cocktail competition for care home resi dents Together they are challenging care homes to host a cocktail party whilst at the same time encouraging residents to participate through designing their own cocktail WIN

The winning entry will receive a Lakeland Dairies activity pack, including a cocktail shaker Relish Aqua Paint set and a case of deli cious Millac Gold Double Every entry will also receive a helpful roll of

Simply ask residents to draw

Email: competitions@lakelanddairies com

terms and conditions https://bit ly/3xW0ttL

To support care caterers even further Lakeland Dairies have also released a fortified recipe and activity resource Fortified Focus: Festive Tipples The resource demonstrates how to deliver fortified food and drink in a delicious, appetising, and engaging way

It is packed with delicious alcoholic and non alcoholic cocktail recipes The drinks are fortified with Lakeland Dairies 100% Dairy Skimmed Milk Powder which is full of the goodness of milk and rec ommended by dietitians for fortification because it has the ideal combi nation of protein and calories

FORTIFIED COCKTAIL RECIPES

Each recipe has been carefully created by Lakeland Dairies a regis tered dietitian and a specialist

Together they have

successfully overcome some of the enormous challenges faced by care caterers when fortifying drinks namely that of how to devise

which are high in protein and still delicious to consume

& CALORIES

Dietitian Rachael Masters who worked on the project comments: “As dietitians we promote 100% dairy skimmed milk powder for fortification because of the protein content An ideal milk powder for fortifying would have at least 50 calories and 5g protein per heaped tablespoon (15g)”

Lakeland Dairies 100% Dairy Skimmed Milk Powder exceeds dietit ian s ideal requirement from a milk powder for fortification as it has 55kcal and 5 5 g of protein in a single heaped tablespoon

Lakeland Dairies creates professional dairy products for chefs which have been carefully crafted and treated to have great taste, and to pro vide a longer life for added convenience in busy kitchens With a proud heritage in dairy farming Lakeland Dairies is a 100% farmer owned and managed dairy co operative whose products are made from high quality milk from the lush green pastures of its 3 200 family farms

Claim the free fortified recipe and activity resource here https://bit ly/3xW0ttL

Every entrant who requests the guide will receive a free roll of Millac piping bags

Sweethearts of 42 years Jim and Lynne marry at Cheltenham care home OSJCT Grevill House

CCN Responds to Reports that Social Care Charging Reforms

Will be Delayed

Spokesperson for Adult Social Care said:

The County Councils Network has led calls for the proposed reforms in adult social care to be delayed by a year and we welcome reports that the government is actively considering this

“With local authorities facing severe workforce and inflation fuelled financial pressures they would be impossible to implement in the timescales with out making services worse and leading to longer waits for a care package for people on day one of their introduction

PROVIDING PRACTICAL AND ST YLISH TROLLEYS TO SUIT YOUR NEEDS

The County Councils Network (CCN) has respond ed to reports in the Times that the government is considering delaying charging reforms to adult social care in England, including the introduction of a £86 000 cap on care and a more generous means test

Two weeks ago CCN called for a 12 month delay to flagship social care reforms which were due to be implemented in October 2023 warning services face a perfect storm of financial and workforce pressures over the next 18 months

Whilst county leaders welcome reports that the government is considering a delay, they warn that the funding committed next year must be retained by councils and reprioritised, not used as a saving as part of the government Medium Term Fiscal Plan This would help tackle the £3 7bn additional infla tionary and demand costs already hitting services this year and next

Cllr Martin Tett, County Councils Network

“But while the implementation of the reforms should be delayed the funding committed next year must be retained by councils and reprioritised not used as a saving as part of the government Medium Term Fiscal Plan This would help tackle the £3 7bn additional inflationary and demand costs which are impacting services this year and next A delay to implementation will do little for care services if the government does not reprioritise earmarked funding for existing services while also delivering their prom ise to rebalance funding between health and care Failure to do so will mean we will be back to square one in 12 months’ time ”

We understand that today s reports may come as a disappointment to those who have urged for reform to social care for years but we cannot run the risk of them falling at the first hurdle Councils need time to plan and prepare expand our work force and ensure that the new financial burdens facing care services are properly costed ”

The Best Life – Ben’s Innovative Approach To Care Deliver y

lous given that we had our own nurse on site but our hands were tied We had to fol low the procedures We knew we could find a better way we want the best for our residents and we want them to receive the best possible care So we made some changes ”

care homes across the UK are working wonders in the

facilities

than anyone else this period of change has allowed one care home in particular to reassess the way that residents receive care in their facility and to make some significant changes to improve the lives and ultimately deaths of their residents

economic crisis and a pandemic are hitting

Town Thorns Care Home is a purpose built care facility based in Easenhall near Coventry and is owned and operated by the automotive industry charity Ben Town Thorns is home to 60 residents with a diverse range of needs from residential through to nursing and dementia care While this means that residents can stay with Town Thorns without having to relocate to a new facility when their condition deteriorates, the Town Thorns team has decided to tackle some of the bureaucratic challenges it was facing when offering through life care

Debbie Dale Care Centre Manager at Town Thorns said: When a resident moves into Town Thorns we want them to feel it’s their home Their room is their own we treat it as being an extension of their own family home and we want all the people we care for to feel com fortable and secure Naturally as age related conditions set in our residents needs will change over time A light touch approach from our staff at the beginning may progress into more complex nursing support as a person s health deteriorates and dementia is also a very changeable and challenging condition

“Previously, when a person’s needs changed, we had to move them into a different unit on our site to accommodate that meaning they had to leave the room they know the support staff they know and start again in an unfamiliar setting And if nursing or end of life care was needed but the resident wasn’t part of our own nursing care facility we needed to call on the services of our district nurse waiting until the next nurse became available and sometimes leaving our residents in distress or discomfort This seemed ridicu

Town Thorns has worked closely with its nursing and care team to develop a new way of working which they have titled The Best Life model Under this new pro gramme residents are able to remain in their dedicated room for the duration of their life at Town Thorns regardless of their medical needs and have access to 24/7 nurs ing support To make this possible, all carers have been trained and upskilled to take over some of the non medical tasks from the in house nurses leaving them free to focus on clinical care for all residents wherever they reside in the building

Joanne Brine Head of Care at Town Thorns said: We are currently in the final phase of a full refurbishment at Town Thorns and we didn t want to stop at refresh ing our building We wanted to give our care programme a full overhaul and focus on giving the best possible later life support to our residents It s been a huge undertak ing and I am so grateful for the passion and commitment from all our staff who have given up their own time to make this work and dedicated themselves to learning new skills and shaping the Best Life model with us

So far it s been a seamless process the residents know they will always see the same faces and the same surroundings and the families are happy that their loved ones will be able to settle and also receive medical assistance right away Our staff also benefit as they are learning new skills that will benefit their careers and they also know what a huge difference the Best Life Model will make to the residents that they have grown to know and love We are excited about the future of Town Thorns the best is yet to come

Following the successful introduction of Best Life in Town Thorns, Zara Ross, CEO of Ben, said: “ We are delighted to be rolling out our Best Life Model at Town Thorns We are continually looking at ways to improve the service we provide to our residents and this innovative approach will ensure our residents experience care that is really focused on their needs and wellbeing

To find out more about Town Thorns or any of Ben s care facilities visit www ben org uk/bencare

Local Care Home Shines Bright for Festival of Lights

Residents at Chorleywood Beaumont care home in Chorleywood had a brilliant day on Monday 24th October as they marked the start of the Hindu festival of Diwali popularly known as the festival of lights

Residents and team members dressed up and danced to tradi tional music they decorated the home and with diyas small oil lamps which are lit to signify the triumph of good over evil Diwali honours Lakshmi the goddess of wealth the lamps help Lakshmi find her way into people s homes

Chef’s Manny and Cristian prepared traditional Indian dishes including a range of warming curries spicy samosas crispy bhajis and papadums with lime pickle and chutneys followed by tradi

tional Indian sweets such as laddoo and barfi for the residents to enjoy

Flora Richard resident at Chorleywood Beaumont commented: I love all of the different cultural events that we celebrate here there s always something going on It is very interesting finding out about religious festivals from other cultures and sampling the won derful food It makes me feel like I am travelling abroad!

Ramona Stanciu General Manager at Chorleywood Beaumont said: To celebrate Diwali at the home was fantastic the colourful outfits and joyful music created a very wonderful atmosphere and our chef’s made the most delicious dishes everyone had a fan

MPs to Debate Right to End Isolation in Health and Social Care

dent (32%)

• 71% of the care homes implementing this ‘one named visitor rule told families they were following advice from local public health teams and/or the local authority

In 11% of outbreaks, residents were not allowed any visitors at all

The survey also found that some care homes are still implementing blanket visiting restrictions out side of outbreak situations contrary to current guid ance:

MPs across the political spectrum will debate the creation of a new legal right to ensure people can maintain contact with their family in health and care settings

The backbench business debate will take place tomorrow Thursday 27 October in the House of Commons

An alliance of MPs is supporting the right for a care supporter to be enshrined in law which is being led by Rights For Residents and John’s Campaign and the charity the Relatives & Residents Association

The debate follows research from a survey of over 650 families which highlights how isolation in care is continuing to cause harm The data shows many care homes are still experiencing COVID outbreaks and applying restrictions beyond what is required by Government guidance:

Almost 60% of respondents reported their loved one’s care home had been in lockdown since April this year

Only 24% of these homes followed Government guidance and allowed one visitor at a time during the outbreak period

• 62% of these homes applied additional restrictions over and above what is required by Government guidance during an outbreak By far the most com mon was to allow only one named visitor per resi

45% of respondents said there were visiting restric tions in place despite there being no outbreak

Helen Wildbore director of the Relatives & Residents Association said “Older people in care have been forgotten about out of sight and out of mind still suffering the harmful impact of isolation which has destroyed so many lives Now their voices will go right to the heart of power as MPs ask the government to ensure the damage of the last two and half years is never repeated The support of rel atives and friends is vital to good care and must be enshrined in law

Diane Mayhew co founder of Rights for Residents said: “Our survey underlines the urgent need for the rights of residents young and old to be legally upheld We must ensure those in care homes and hospitals have a legal right to at least one essential care supporter that can visit them in any circum stances Families have been forced to stand aside and witness the devastating effects that isolation has had on their vulnerable loved ones throughout the pandemic On being forcibly separated from their closest family members many simply gave up the will to live Families are not just visitors they are the eyes, ears and voices of those that can’t be heard and they provide an element of care that can not be replicated by paid carers, no matter how wonderful they are

NOW SUPPLY A WIDE RANGE OF FURNITURE

How Can Telemedicine Transform the UK Care Sector?

It’s unsurprising that vacancy rates in the UK for the social care sector were found to be exceeding pre pandemic levels last year Staff in the UK care sector have been greatly impacted by the pandemic Staff were pushed to breaking point as they were stretched to meet the needs of care residents and hospital patients Indeed, care worker turnover was found to be at a worrying 34 4% in 2021 The pandemic has shone a spot light on several areas of improvement in the sector

As a result the technology industry has identified opportunities for collaboration with care homes across the country to help support care workers to provide the best care to their patients

With telemedicine healthcare providers across the country are being provided with the right tools to reinvent a tradition of in home visits

Care workers are now able to check in on patients and provide care home residents without unnecessary limitations

Collaboration suite providers such as RingCentral have observed first hand how the lives of those living in care homes have been transformed thanks to innovative new technologies that enable patients to be seen and monitored without in person visits

This has undoubtedly benefited not only the residents of care facilities (as well as keeping them safe) but it has also improved the efficiency of care home staff from an operational perspective too This is because care workers can now save time on travel eliminating unnecessary visits thus support

ing more patients in the long run Care home staff making fewer unnecessary visits is also good news for the care sector in general as it reduces personal safety risks Over the course of the pandemic levels of staff sickness almost doubled (an average of 9 5 days lost were lost to sickness in 2020/21) Telemedicine is therefore a welcomed tonic in this case as it helps keep both residents and staff safe Telemedicine solutions also use technology that provides end to end encryption which works to keep the data of residents safe and secure This provides needed reassurance to the families of residents in care homes Digital transformation is now essential for the care sector and the industry must be open to inte grate new solutions and services into their practices By embracing telemedicine technology staff and care home providers are able to maximise time with their patients and residents as patient information is cen tralised This eliminates the need for care staff to rely upon legacy filing systems and IT infrastructure that is outdated and no longer fit for purpose

It s also important to acknowledge that care staff are leading less stressful working lives as a result of technology transformation which will help with care home staff retention as the sector struggles to fill cur rent vacancies For example recent research revealed that approximately 30% of care providers felt that telemedicine relieved symptoms of burnout and around 36% agreed that their work life balance has improved because of telemedicine

Telemedicine ultimately offers a multitude of benefits to care home residents and staff However the most impressive benefit is the feeling of autonomy and freedom that it provides patients as it facilitates patient treatment without unnecessary intervention or in person monitoring

Singer/Actress Anita Harris Backs Dementia Research

Charity Following Husband’s Alzheimer’s Diagnosis

Singer actress and entertainer Anita Harris has revealed that her husband of nearly 50 years, Mike Margolis, is living with Alzheimer’s disease

Artist writer and record producer Mike who has been by Anita s side since becoming her manager in the 1960s, was diagnosed in 2015 Anita has decided to go public with their experiences to raise awareness of the dis ease and support for the UK’s leading dementia research charity Alzheimer’s Research UK

Anita whose career spans over six decades and is best known for her recording of Just Loving You and starring in two Carry On films, Follow That Camel and Carry On Doctor said:

“For those of us who have a loved one going through the different stages of demen tia the pain is overwhelming But if through sharing my darling Mike s journey I can help even one family from ever having to take on these challenges then my purpose will be served

We must never lose hope and that s why I m proud to have become a supporter of Alzheimer’s Research UK Their drive to find a cure is vital and inspirational and I truly believe that one day a cure will be found

Anita added: “Mike knew early on that he was losing something of himself and fol lowing his diagnosis he would ask what was happening to him But he used his sense of humour to put people at ease, making light of our fear that his memory was slipping away Mike got COVID 19 and spent four weeks in hospital and we nearly lost him four times By the time he

came home everything was exacerbated and as so many people know that agonising decision for nursing care had to be made Mike’s now getting professional care in a lovely nursing home but how I miss those hugs and the power of his support Every evening I put him to bed and tell him I love him We celebrated our 49th wedding anniversary in May and I count our blessings for all our years of togetherness

“While it’s hard to talk about I know how important it is and I want to do everything I can to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s Research UK It’s only through sharing our experiences and supporting causes like this that we will end the heartbreak dis eases like Alzheimer’s cause, and I m proud to play my part ”

Earlier this month a lunch celebrating Anita s 60 plus years in showbusiness helped raise over £6,000 for the charity The guestlist included a who’s who of the entertain ment industry including entertainer and presenter Debbie McGee comedian Freddie Davies singer Tony Christie Emmerdale stars Liam Fox and Bhasker Patel and fellow Alzheimer s Research UK supporter and quizzer Anne Hegerty

Hilary Evans Chief Executive of Alzheimer s Research UK said: We are honoured that Anita has entrusted us to help share hers and Mike’s story It takes incredible brav ery to discuss something that s had such a devastating impact on their lives and we re so grateful that she’s helping to drive awareness in this way

We d also like to thank Anita for fundraising for us at her recent event celebrating an illustrious career in showbusiness These funds will help bring us one step closer to overcoming the dis eases that cause dementia

Care Home Colleagues Sleep Rough To Help Homeless Charity

A pair of community minded colleagues slept out in the garden of the Chichester care home where they work to raise funds to help home less people

Flo Dudley Barritt and Heather Pearce Companionship Team members at Colten Care s Wellington Grange, braved the overnight cold in support of the home s nominated charity of the year, Stonepillow

Together the pair spent two hours building a makeshift shelter out of pieces of cardboard they gathered from family friends and fellow staff

Residents at the home watched from the warmth indoors as the construction came together and Flo and Heather did their best to bed down for the night

Flo said: “Each year Stonepillow host a night in the grounds of Chichester Cathedral where you sleep rough in a cardboard box It s such a great way to raise money and we wanted to see how hard it would be for ourselves

“We then thought it would be great if the residents at Wellington Grange could watch us build a shelter actually in the home s garden so they could see the result with their own eyes cheer us on as we got ready for the cold night ahead and make sure we didn t sneak in for any home comforts!”

Flo and Heather built the corners walls and roof in stages with lots of layers of cardboard to sleep on inside They also fashioned a door and put up a string of fairy lights to make it a little more homely Flo added: Once we had built our home for the night one or two residents came for a moment to take it all in for themselves

“We also had cheers from residents’ windows lots of waves and people looking out from the dining room as they were eating their supper

Luckily there was no rain We were quite sheltered in the garden and the only thing we really felt was the cold air

It was a rough night s sleep on the hard ground with only blankets and sleeping bags to keep us warm

“We also had a curious fox stop by briefly nosy as to what was inside

Heather said: “We woke up several times in the night One of the first things that came to mind is how we couldn t wait to get back into our own beds with the warmth and comfort around us and to be with our own things

“The ground was hard and cold and the gaps in the cardboard made a cold draft come through Had it been colder raining or snowing we can only imagine how much tougher it would have been

It made us realise that we are so fortunate for everything we have and how lucky we are to have fresh clean clothes and a roof over our heads

Resident Jane Mason said: “I was really impressed with the shelter the pair of them made and the fact they were prepared to experience for themselves a taste of what it can be like to be homeless

The sleepout was the second initiative Wellington Grange has staged in aid of Stonepillow in recent weeks

The first was a dog show dubbed Welly G s Woofs and Wags open to pets owned by residents families and friends and Wellington Grange team members

Eleven pooches from a range of breeds competed in seven classes with different residents nominated as judges each time

Rosettes handmade by residents were presented to the winners along with certificates

“It was lovely ” said resident Lorna Cook “I thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and when it came to my turn to pick a winner it was so difficult to choose a favourite dog because they were all so good ”

Together the sleepout and the dog show raised nearly £600 for Stonepillow

Louise Newbury Smith, Country Manager for UK and Ireland at RingCentral (www ringcentral com/gb/en/)

and

Sector

with Staff Shortages Amid Changing Regulation

ing the problem

Nevertheless 77% of care and healthcare professionals believe recruitment challenges are the most significant driver behind staff shortages in the sector What makes matters worse is that over half (58%) admitted they are experiencing issues with staff performance

While addressing performance management issues is crucial for any healthcare organisation a quarter (25%) of respondents aren t address ing performance concerns because they are understaffed or don t know how to

According to a recent WorkNest poll an alarming 87% of care and healthcare providers admitted that their organisations are currently struggling with staff shortages and 36% of those admitted that these shortages are compromising the quality of service they can deliver With staff shortages at the height of their worries, care and health care providers would rather not also have to deal with adapting to recent changes to the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) new frame work which is yet to be fully announced These staff shortages could not have come at a worse time But unfortunately, it is only exacerbat

Toyah Marshall, Principal Employment Law Adviser and Solicitor at WorkNest said: This is truly a challenging time for care and healthcare providers But addressing recruit ment challenges by upskilling the workforce offering learn ing and development opportunities and supporting employees with their physical and mental wellbeing is criti cal

“When skills shortages and recruitment challenges occur the rest of the employees in the team are affected which ultimately causes burnout, stress, poor mental health, poor performance and even further resignations Training employees on the importance of compliance embedding it into their daily operations and reducing manual processes can ensure they are fulfilling their duties with the best care

Local Authorities Spent £22.0 Billion on Adult Social Care in

NHS Digital Reveal

The Adult Social Care Activity and Finance Report England 2021 22 is among four publications which cover topics such as outcomes activity finance and the opinions of those receiving care The reports relate to England and contain figures covering 2021 22

During that period, gross current expenditure on adult social care by local authorities was £22 0 billion, which was up £0 7 billion from the previous year The findings of the 2021 22 repor t also show: £16 6 billion (75 4%) of the total expenditure went on long term support an increase of £0 9 billion com pared with 2020 21

There were almost 2 0 million requests for adult social care support from nearly 1 4 million new service users received by local authorities in 2021 22 This is equivalent to 5,420 requests per day in England, up by 170 requests per day on last year

The number of service users receiving long term care has decreased to 818 000, continuing the down ward trend in the number of service users receiving long term care since 2015 16 This is mainly driven by a decrease in those aged 65 and over as well as the continued impact of the coronavirus (COVID 19) pan demic reported by local authorities

Other repor ts published today include:

Measures from the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework England 2021 22

This publication draws on a number of data collections and measures how well care and support services achieve the outcomes that matter most to people

The findings include:

Fewer females (67 5%) reported feeling as safe as they would like in comparison to male service users (71 5%)

The proportion of carers who reported having as much social contact as they would like dropped to 28 0% in 2021 22 from 32 5% in 2018 194

The North East region was rated highest for quality of life for carers scoring 7 7 out of 12 compared with the lowest regions London, South West and East Midlands which achieved 7 1 For adults in contact with secondary mental health services the North East region has the highest pro

portion (44%) who are living in their own home independently or with family while the West Midlands has the lowest proportion (15%)

Personal Social Services Adult Social Care Survey England 2021 22

This annual survey conducted by councils with Adult Social Services Responsibilities (CASSRs), asks serv ice users questions about quality of life the impact of care and support services and their general health and wellbeing The 2021 22 sur vey repor ts:

• 9% were very or extremely satisfied with the care and support they received down from 64 2% in 2019 20

The proportion of service users who were very or extremely dissatisfied with the care and support they received rose to 2 6% from 2 1% in 2019 20

Fewer service users (40 6%) felt they have as much social contact as they want with people they like compared with 45 9% in 2019 20 The number who felt they have little social contact and feel socially isolat ed rose to 8 3% from 6 3% in 2019 20

In relation to finding information and advice 29 1% reported they found this easy which was down from 31 0% in 2019 20 while 14 2% found it very difficult which was an increase from 12 1% in 2019 20

While the number of service users able to get to all the places they want in their local area remained unchanged at 29 6%, those who do not leave the home increased to 29 1% from 26 5% in 2019 20

The number of service users receiving practical help on a regular basis from someone living in their household dropped to 39 6% from 42 3% in 2019 20 The number receiving regular help from someone in another household also decreased to 45 0% from 48 3% in 2019 20

Also published is the Deferred Payment Agreements Report 2021 227

Key information from some of these publications will be included in the next version of Adult Social Care Statistics in England: An Overview which brings together information collected by NHS Digital around differ ent aspects of adult social care and covers from 2015 16 to the latest available data8

Statistics from this publication are also accessible through the Adult Social Care Data Hub where you can access official statistics, dashboards, metadata, data collection information, financial information and guid ance documentation

Care Home Completes Landmark Art Scheme

Residents at Camilla House Care Home in Fife channelled their inner Da Vinci as the home trialled a new programme of artistic activities to engage residents Art has been linked to improved health and wellbeing in care settings and helps nurture a sense of social inclusion and personal accomplishment

Residents of the home tapped into their creative sides during the recent initiative and hosted a memorable gathering for friends and family to showcase their artistic talent

A local visual artist led the group in a variety of artistic endeavours including flower mandalas and watercolour paintings Residents were able to enjoy using a number of materials and their work is now proudly on display within the home Camilla House which is part of the Holmes Care group arranged the art programme

as part of their mission to provide residents with opportunities to stay happy and healthy

Morag resident of Camilla House Care Home said:

“I loved the art lessons, exploring all the colours has reignited my passion for painting Hanging up my own work in my room made me feel triumphant and I can t wait to do more ”

Natalia Murphy Lifestyle Coordinator at Camilla House Care Home said: The art project fostered a sense of community here at Camilla House as our resi dents collaborated on pieces together They were proud to share their creations with their loved ones at our party and a fantastic time was had by all

New Research Calls for All Health and Care Staff to be Trained in AI

All health and care staff should receive training in artificial intelligence (AI) with additional specialist training for those who use AI tools in clinical practice according to new research published today

AI technologies are already helping clinicians in trials across the NHS to care for patients and could further support the health and care service to detect and manage diseases like cancer

With the possibility of further spread of AI a new report published by the NHS AI Lab and Health Education England (HEE) has set out recom mendations for education and training providers in England so they can plan resource develop and deliver new training packages on AI for health and care staff

The report says more advanced specialist training is required for other health and care staff depending on their roles and responsibilities whether in procurement implementation or if they may be using AI in clinical practice

A previous report by the same team found the vast majority of clinicians were unfamiliar with AI tech nologies and there was a risk that without appropriate training and support patients would not equally share in the benefits offered by AI as it is deployed across the NHS over the coming years

This new report is intended to directly support all education and training providers in England to plan resource develop and deliver educational offerings to equip the workforce with the necessary knowledge skills and capabilities they will need in AI

Dr Eric Topol, who’s independent report for the SofS outlined recommendations to ensure the NHS is the world leader in using digital technologies to benefit patients said This collaborative research from HEE and the NHS AI Lab represents a significant step forward in developing confidence in AI in the healthcare work force

“It is a model for other countries to adopt as we move forward with implementing AI in medical practice ”

Patrick Mitchell Director Innovation Digital and Transformation at HEE commented: “This latest report builds on the previous one to highlight the need for targeted training across the professions to truly unlock

the potential of AI in workforce and service transformation going on today ”

Alan Davies Innovative Programs & Partnerships Director at HEE went on to add “We have been delighted that this groundbreaking work has been welcomed by colleagues in NICE and MHRA as complementary and timely, and that colleagues across the devolved nations share our interest and determination to build on this further with related learning and edu cational materials ”

Brhmie Balaram Head of AI Research and Ethics at the NHS AI Lab said: “For the NHS to wholly embrace new AI technologies so they are adopted equitably across the country it is vital that we ensure all our staff receive appropriate training in AI

This important new research will support those organisations that train our health and care workers to develop their curriculums to ensure staff of the future receive the training in AI they will need

This project is only one in a series at the NHS AI Lab to help ensure the workforce and local NHS organi sations are ready for the further spread of AI technologies that have been found to be safe ethical and effective ”

The report breaks down the training requirements for AI into five groupings referred to as archetypes each of which encompasses a number of varied roles currently undertaken in the NHS The five archetypes are Shapers Drivers Creators Embedders and Users

Individuals acting as each archetype will have different knowledge and skills requirements and require an education package tailored to their roles For instance a Driver (champion and lead AI development and deployment at a regional/local level) would have different educational needs to a Creator (create AI tech nologies for use in healthcare settings)

Today’s report and partnership with Health Education England is part of the NHS AI Labs’ AI Ethics Initiative which was introduced to support research and practical interventions that can strengthen the ethi cal adoption of AI in health and care

National Care Group Reveals 1000+ Recruitment Drive In Past Year

An adult social care provider has presented its annual quality account highlighting a successful year of growth and improvement in the sector

The report revealed that in just one year National Care Group welcomed more than 1 015 new colleagues improved and main tained its quality rating with the external regulators and invested more than £1m in service improvements

The results are published as the adult social care sector contin ues to emerge from the impacts of the COVID 19 crisis along with a UK government push to drive more people into the sector after official figures revealed a projected shortfall of 105 000 vacancies needing to be filled by 2035

Mike Cleasby, quality director at National Care Group, said “This year s Quality Account again highlights the tremendous achieve ments of National Care Group Together, we have invested in our services our people and built upon a culture of strong continuous improvement that unlocks the potential of the people we support

The adult social care sector is continually evolving in its requirements however core to its ongoing aim is ensuring the people we support feel engaged and involved in their communities We pay tribute to our

fantastic colleagues that have helped enable this and uphold our consistently high standards in the industry

Further improvements highlighted in the report include the appointment of four new regional operations director roles and three additional heads of referrals roles as National Care Group continues to scale its growth across England and Wales

Overall the organisation now supports more than 1 245 people with 92% of respondents to its Quality Account survey rating the support they receive as good coupled with relatives of the people it supports logging a 93% approval score

Paving the way for the future the business has set targets for further growth and service improvements in 2022/23 This includes a new innovative ‘Experts by Experience’ programme, which will empower and encourage the people it supports to help inspect the quality of its services

Mike added: Collaboration is at the heart of what we do and together we can ensure we lead National Care Group to fulfil its ambition of becoming one of the best and most trusted care and support providers in the UK

Residents Take Centre Stage at Edinburgh Care Home

RESIDENTS at a Edinburgh care home strapped on their dancing shoes and warmed up their vocal cords in anticipation of the home s talent show

‘Cramond’s Got Talent’ was the latest addition to Cramond Residence s activities rota with the aim of encouraging residents to lead fun and fulfilling lives

At least 10 of the home s residents and staff members took centre stage to perform in front of a judging panel which also consisted of six residents

Many of the performances included tributes to bands such as ABBA whilst one resident showcased traditional Spanish dancing and another performed a piano symphony

The idea for Cramond s Got Talent came from one of the home’s Lifestyle Coordinator s Garylee Rushforth He said: It was great to see the residents and staff members at Cramond let their hair down and fully immerse themselves in the experience

“The residents were really excited and couldn’t wait to witness the array of talent that was to be show cased from not only their fellow residents but also their favourite key workers

“Each member of the panel had their own unique judging style as they all have a range of different backgrounds and life experi ences consisting of a dance teacher a former RAF engineer a pianist and singer to name a few

One of the residents was set on taking a Simon Cowell type approach in their judging style, which certainly made for an enter taining show!

Activities are resident led and aim to make life as fun and fulfill ing as possible The Lifestyle Team are continually looking for new exciting and engaging activities to implement into each month’s carefully planned programme

Facilities provided include a cinema and function room a dedi cated games room and also a sensory experience which offers therapeutic activities for those with dementia

Garylee continued: “The vast array of offerings at Cramond really is exceptional I love seeing the joy on our resident s faces when they are participating and having fun during one of the planned sessions ”

Agincare Welcomes Beaufort Park to its Care and Nursing Home Family

Family owned care provider

Agincare has announced the acquisi tion of Beaufort House Care Home and Beaufort Court Retirement Apartments in Burnham on Sea from farming charity The Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution (RABI)

Agincare has completed the purchase for an undisclosed sum fol lowing a transition period to enable a smooth change over for resi dents apartment tenants and the existing care team Beaufort has become increasingly popular under Agincare’s man agement during this time welcoming many new residents from fami lies across the area

Now known as Beaufort Park Care Home and Retirement Village it joins Agincare’s growing portfolio of high quality care and nursing homes nationwide Agincare was started over 35 years ago from a single care home in Dorset by founder and Chairman Derek

Luckhurst, and remains family owned to this day

The team is keen to build relationships within the local community as part of the next chapter of Beaufort s proud history as a school and then care home and is set to host an open day on 16 November

Agincare Chief Executive Raina Summerson said: “We are delight ed to welcome Beaufort its residents apartment tenants and care team into the Agincare family of care and nursing homes

“Beaufort Park is in safe hands Agincare is a family run, independ ent care provider with values to match and over 35 years experience of delivering high quality residential care and support in the heart of the communities that we serve

“We have exciting plans for Beaufort, and look forward to building a close relationship with the local community to support families in and around Burnham on Sea

Carers Urged to Keep Safe Over The Winter By Getting Their

and Flu Vaccinations

England Dr Nikita Kanani MBE who also works as a GP stresses the importance for all carers not just paid carers to protect themselves from COVID 19 and flu this winter

Both flu and COVID 19

and COVID

can

for as well as

be

family

you re healthy

“The NHS autumn booster programme launched in September and millions of people so far have received their COVID 19 vaccinations but there’s still a lot more that we can do ” she says

The flu and COVID 19 vaccines are the best

these potentially life threatening

you re a carer and you haven t had your vaccinations yet, you can still get them free from the NHS before the start of the winter

PROTECTING CARE HOME RESIDENTS

Dr Adrian Hayter is a GP and National Clinical Director for Older People and Integrated Person Centred Care at NHS England He explains that COVID 19 still presents a threat in our care homes and calls for care home staff to make sure they are up to date with their vaccinations

“Undoubtedly vaccination has saved lives and it is also safe” he says But we are still at risk of very serious illness and people are in hospital with COVID

We can help protect care home residents by both bringing the vac cine to them and protecting ourselves those who go into care homes and work in them This helps stop the spread in care homes and that reduces outbreaks If we can vaccinate both residents and ourselves against flu and COVID 19 we will be doing as much as we can to pro tect our communities ”

Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care at the Department for Health and Social Care Deborah Sturdy OBE emphasises the increased risk to staff who work in social care

“As a social care worker, you re more likely to be exposed to the flu and COVID 19 viruses which can be life threatening she says

“You also care for people who may be at greater risk, and it s easy to pass these viruses on without knowing

“That’s why it’s essential that all care workers take up their offer of the COVID 19 autumn booster and flu vaccine this winter they will help protect you and your family from potentially serious illness as well as the people you provide care for ” UNPAID CARERS SHOULD ALSO GET VACCINATED Deputy SRO of the COVID 19 Vaccination Programme at NHS

Getting vaccinated in good time ahead of winter before viruses start circulating when it gets colder is really important Making sure carers whether they are paid or unpaid are protected is not just good for them it’s good for the people being cared for too ”

HOW TO GET YOUR COVID 19 AND FLU VACCINATIONS

If you’re a carer NHS England is urging you to get your vaccinations as soon as you can and if you haven t got any earlier doses that you need of the COVID 19 vaccine it s not too late You can get them now and will be welcomed at a local vaccination centre

If you work in a care home the COVID 19 booster and flu vaccine may be offered through your employer If not you can still get the COVID 19 and flu vaccines through the NHS free of charge

Whether you re a paid or unpaid carer you can book your COVID 19 booster through the National Booking Service call 119 or find a walk in appointment through the online vaccination walk in finder The flu vac cine may be offered at the same time but if not you can get it at a GP practice or community pharmacy at another time it s better to get what you need as soon as you can rather than waiting to have both at the same time

For more information on COVID 19 and flu vaccinations visit www nhs uk/conditions/coronavirus covid 19 and www nhs uk/conditions/vaccinations/flu influenza vaccine

The award ceremony was held in the stunning Nineteen33 & Kabia’s suites at the Boston Stadium and dedicated to Tanglewood’s care homes and team members The gala event was hosted by Shaun Williamson aka Barry from Eastenders who warmed up the audience announced the winners and kept everybody in stitches with a bar rage of his cheesiest jokes and anecdotes

At just 30 Katie is a jewel in Tanglewood’s crown Driven by her passion for care, Katie joined the Company in 2017 as Deputy Manager for Toray Pines Care Home in Coningsby and was quickly identified as a rising star Katie was soon promoted to Home Manager where she established herself as a natural leader with the ability to influence change and enthuse others to realise their potential In 2021 Katie was offered and accepted the position of Home Manager for Cloverleaf a new 72 bed nursing home in Lincoln Katie continued to flourish at Cloverleaf and once again inspired her team to promote a culture that encourages

From sky diving in Dubai to a tour of the Grand Canyon in Arizona Care Home

Residents in the UK are living their travel dreams Residents in Advinia Health Care homes Newcarron Court Longwood Braemount Hillview Netherton Green and Parklands, have been travelling around the world from the comfort of their armchairs thanks to Oculus a virtual reality technology

The VR headset offers Residents the opportunity to visit renowned tourist sites whilst sitting comfortably in their Homes The headsets track head movements allowing the wearer to explore a 360 degree representation of an environment just by looking around The view experienced by the headset wearer is also displayed on a tablet so Carers and family can share and chat about the content which might include places familiar to the resident or parts of the world they’ve never encoun tered before

Advinia Health Care (www advinia co uk) says the introduction of virtual reality technology is in response to the impact the pandemic has had on residents who have expressed their desire to travel around the world In response, Advinia introduced Oculus to enhance the life of the residents especially those living with dementia

Dr Sanjeev Kanoria Founder and Chairman of Advinia Healthcare noted that “It is wonderful to hear how these experiences have allowed the Residents to reminisce with their families and each other and enabled them to become more engaged and

independence and inclusion Katie is constantly driven by her desire to ensure that residents are happy and cared for with respect, dignity and compassion Home Manager Katie More said, “I was thrilled to receive the Tanglewood award for Outstanding Contribution it’s amazing to be recognised in this way! My ethos has always been that we work in our resident s home and not that they live in our work place Therefore we treat residents and their home respectfully Cloverleaf is a warm and inclusive community where we consistently aim to meet the aspirations of resi dents as well as their needs; consequently our home is a happy home I truly love working in the care sector and feel fortunate to have found my vocation early in my career

Tanglewood Director for Quality & Compliance Caroline Greaves said “I am incred ibly proud of Katie, she is a fantastic ambassador for Tanglewood and the care indus try It was apparent from the very beginning that Katie has the attributes of a leader, she is kind, caring and compassionate and also fearless, inspirational and passionate Katie has a golden future ahead of her I wish her continued success in the sector she loves so much Congratulations on your award Katie well deserved

involved particularly during these challenging last couple of years

Reminiscence therapy is prov ing to be particularly effective for people living with dementia, and this is a fantastic example of how we can utilise modern technology to help them to unlock treasured memories and engage with others ” he further explains

Advinia is one of the UK's largest care providers and has for some time now been engag ing in groundbreaking techno

to provide the best

Katie More (30), Manager at Cloverleaf Care Home in Lincoln won a prestigious award at Tanglewood Care Homes Annual Awa rds Ball Katie beat off stiff competi tion to scoop one of the biggest accolades of the evening the award for ‘Outstanding Contribution

Further Raids on the NHS Budget

Plunge it into its Deepest Crisis in Decades”

Patient services, safety and the NHS’s ability to drive down waiting lists are now at real and present risk if the government does not abandon its plans to make further cuts to the NHS budget

Healthcare leaders are warning that there is no fat left to trim and that patient services will inevitably be cut if the NHS is expected to find any further savings

They are warning the government to avoid repeating the same mistake it made in the 2010s when it imposed a ‘decade of austerity’ on public services That left the NHS with over 100 000 staff vacancies crumbling buildings a £10bn maintenance backlog and lengthening waiting lists

Exceptional inflationary pressures in recent months and other unexpected cost pressures have already left the NHS facing a £7bn gap in the budget next year compared to that set out in the 2021 spending review This funding gap will already have to be made up by some key areas of planned expenditure being delayed including on digital and diagnostic capacity

With 132 000 staff vacancies a waiting list of over 7 million and other areas of care under huge pressure NHS leaders warn that the NHS will be plunged into an unsustainable crisis if local services are asked to go any further in finding efficiency savings They say the timing could not be worse as the NHS faces up to a perilous winter

In particular NHS leaders are warning against a raid on capital budgets to plug holes in day to day (rev enue) spending Capital investment has been pared back so significantly over the last decade that it has led directly to the NHS current ill repair in the form of crumbling estate and infrastructure and a more than £10bn maintenance backlog

The failure to invest in capital and infrastructure has also held back progress when it comes to delivering greater productivity and more efficient services This is often down to the dilapidated state of NHS buildings and antiquated IT systems across the country

Matthew Taylor chief executive of the NHS Confederation said:

“NHS leaders are issuing their starkest warning yet about the huge and growing gulf between what the NHS is being asked to deliver and the funding and capacity it has available We re already looking at making unprecedented efficiency savings If the NHS is asked to deliver even more savings, then patients and local communities will pay the price

“There is now a real and present danger to the NHS and anyone who thinks that further public sector funding cuts won t have a direct impact on patient care and safety is living in fantasy land

“NHS staff continue to do all they can, where they can, to improve NHS efficiency and productivity and tackle the care backlog that has built up in recent years But they are being held back in their efforts by budgets which have been hit very hard by inflationary pressures

One of the biggest mistakes the government could make is to raid capital budgets to plug holes in the day to day spending budget This happened in the 2010s and it’s one of the main reasons why we now have over 130 000 staff vacancies and a crumbling estate and infrastructure It s a false economy to disinvest in capital as it will mean local services are less able to make the changes they need in order to improve effi ciency This is a mistake that the government must not repeat over the 2020s

“As our recent new analysis clearly shows every pound invested in the NHS results in £4 back in wider economic activity so as well as delivering for patients the NHS must be seen as an essential building block for the economic growth that this government wants to drive over the medium and long term

“If as we unfortunately expect further cuts are still to come we need the government to be transparent with the public about the service they will get from the NHS in the months and years ahead

NHS leaders are also very concerned about the government’s laissez faire approach to health inequality budgets and policies

If the rumours are to be believed that the Secretary of State of Health and Social Care has decided to shelve the work of her predecessor and abandon the long awaited health inequalities white paper this will deal a huge blow to the health and life chances of millions of people across the country It will also have a direct and detrimental impact on the NHS as demand is almost certain to grow if public health is compro mised further

A significant and growing gap in life expectancy across the country means that for people living in areas with the highest and lowest levels of deprivation there is now an urgent need to create opportunities for health and care systems to drive improvements in population health outcomes at pace, not stop them in their tracks

World Alzheimer’s Month – Annual Memor y Walks for Charity

During the last week of September Activities and Wellbeing Teams organised walks at some of the Fremantle Trust care homes in the North and South of Buckinghamshire to raise money and awareness for those touched by Dementia

As the autumn leaves started falling to mark the beginning of autumn residents relatives and carers donned their hats and scarfs and three four legged canine friends and shook their collection buckets in local café s shops and along the streets took a stroll in the gardens and out in the community and collectively raised almost £800 in donations from family friends and Community for

the Alzheimer s Society P a resident at Cherry Garth said: It s such a good cause and my mum lived with dementia such a horrible disease and every little bit we can do helps, so I m walking for my mum ” Lifestyle and Wellbeing Lead Kayleigh Jones added “We all like to get involved this walk is special to lots of our residents and it s something they look forward to participating in every year ”

Building the Right Support Action Plan: Striking a Balance Between Business Success and Progressive Pathways

for some time our team has been developing its own progression model to support this aim Our model is designed to guide the people we support to develop skills and strategies and in turn gain greater control over their own lives reducing dependency on statutory servic es

Planning the future stages of a person’s pathway as well as their immediate support needs is important to achieve real progress When that happens you see people grow and develop and become part of their community often moving on to more independent housing and support We are focused on getting people out of hospitals and into a supportive environment where we can really help and be aligned with the government’s action plan

We should also rise to the challenges set by our regulator While the pace of change in regulation has not always been matched by change in commissioning practice, nor supportive of innovation continued con sultation and dialogue needs to be maintained Change will require investment and a demonstration of commitment and partnership will be required to ensure that investment is forthcoming

Now is the time to address this and look to the future A lot of cur rent commissioning and procurement processes are quite traditional and transactional, which can delay progress The way forward is to build trust and work in partnership as we try to meet the needs of those for whom society has effectively failed

The care sector faces major challenges as it works to strike a bal ance between building successful business models while ensuring the people it supports can progress through the care pathway with out becoming stuck in the system As the government s new Building the Right Support Action Plan takes shape, National Care Group (www nationalcaregroup com) believes it s on the right track to deliver the desired outcome, says commercial director Mike Ranson

It could be seen as a double edged sword how does a company in the social care sector fulfil its commitment to providing the highest levels of support, and move towards the aims of the Building the Right Support Action Plan while still being a profitable business?

The importance of progressing people through the care pathway shouldn t be underestimated It is a social care provider s duty to take those concrete steps to unlock a person’s potential not leaving them on a long term track that is not improving their life or prospects

Ensuring people keep moving on a pathway that is right for them is essential to clear the way for much needed capacity It’s about helping the right people at the right time and in the right location Of course social care providers still need their accommodation and services to be full to deliver a sustainable and profitable business but it s all about finding the correct balance and the best outcome for all

The government may still be facing the challenge of reducing the reliance on inpatient care for those with mental health diagnoses but

Providing a defined progression model gives reassurance to the people in our support, their families, and their support circles It can make it less daunting for a person to move on from one type of accommodation to another it offers them consistency and under standing

My theory is that the successful progression of the people we sup port is also our success If a provider can deliver these outcomes for individuals, then more people will want to work with them and that will lead to long term sustainability growth and commercial success

A health investor might be skeptical about the model and its ability to deliver a good return on investment but it does Our progression model allows us to release our organisational reliance on retaining people Our model should improve a person s independence rather than increase their dependency or our dependency on them

And it s about recognising the restrictions in the current market both in terms of capital, finance, and revenue for local authorities, but also the human capital in terms of the finite number of people that are working in the sector

Our aim is to establish our progression model across our national footprint The success of the “Building the Right Support Action Plan” hinges on organisational and broader systemic change Organisations in a sector such as ours need to become fully involved whether it's consulting with people needing support or commissioning processes

Investing in building relationships with local authorities and other partners is crucial This allows a more effective response to local demand and ultimately connects people better with the specialist sup port they need

We’re keen to be involved in the new integrated care system and evoke meaningful change The commissioning structure has changed dramatically and so we need to understand it in more detail It will be key for us to be involved and work closely with our partners because we're supporting people with significant needs at the more complex end of service delivery

The introduction of Integrated Care Boards means a reduction in the number of commissioning bodies we work with This may be beneficial to us and other service providers as it could mean there are fewer rela tionships that need to be managed, allowing engagement with those that remain to be more meaningful and interpersonal

To truly bring health and social care together, the health boards, local authorities and providers need to have open conversations about how we can deliver We know this is possible and have seen it work By developing local authority partnerships, we have successfully been able to improve and strengthen our offering, preventing people having to move a long way from family and friends to find an appropriate serv ice

As I said, change requires investment and it s not yet clear where the extra monies mentioned in the government’s action plan will come from This, and other details, need to be revealed quickly for the sector to see not only how it will make a difference to those it supports but to remain commercially viable and sustainable ensuring services remain and employment opportunities exist I am confident that the sector just like National Care Group will remain responsive and adapt able to all changes ahead

Care Workers Nominated for Prestigious National Awards

Shaw healthcare’s chief executive Russell Brown said: The 13th Shaw healthcare national awards cere mony will be a wonderful opportunity for employees across the UK to come together to celebrate what has become such an important event in the Shaw calen dar

Our hardworking and dedicated staff have shown immense resilience during incredibly testing times for our sector Their determination to deliver compas sionate high quality care for all our residents has been awe inspiring to witness over the past year

the care home with the highest rating on the website prior to the cere mony

The region with the highest number of nominations is West Sussex in England with five closely fol lowed by Powys in Wales with four Care workers in the West of England have also been rewarded for their dedication over the past year with three nominations in both Bristol and Ledbury in Herefordshire

We ve got an excellent number of high caliber finalists at this year’s awards ceremony, so it s going to be particularly difficult to pick our winners Congratulations to all our nominees and good luck ”

The awards aim to celebrate the achievements of outstanding staff members across Shaw s 61 UK facilities with all winners nominated by colleagues and selected by a panel of Shaw healthcare’s execu tive team

Keeping Eyesight Healthy for People Living with Dementia

Maintaining good eyesight can be a really important lifeline for peo ple living with dementia and can help support the people who care for them

Zetun Arif an ophthalmic director for Specsavers Home Visits in the Greater Manchester area, speaks to The Carer about how impor tant eye tests are in helping people live well with the condition, and about the service the teams offer to people living in care homes

Q Why is maintaining good eyesight so impor tant for people living in care homes, whether they are living with dementia or not?

Maintaining good vision really matters for all of us but it’s especial ly important for care home residents because they are more likely to have limited mobility and may be at a higher risk of falls

Many of the things they may enjoy doing will involve good vision like watching television or doing puzzles or craft activities

Q So that’s why regular eye tests are so impor tant for care home residents?

Sight loss can lead to people feeling really isolated and if a person is also living with dementia it can make them feel more confused

Regular eye tests allow changes in vision to be tackled quickly and can also detect other eye conditions

(such as glaucoma or cataracts) which may need further treatment at an early stage

Q How can Specsavers Home Visits help?

Our home visits teams are trained to support people living with dementia and the people who support them They ll work with to deliver a personalised service to your residents delivered with kindness patience and a smile

Our optometrists use objective assessment techniques which don t require responses from the person being tested, which means we can offer full support to people living with dementia even if they face chal lenges in communicating with us

We provide training for our staff on dementia and how to successfully communicate with those living with cognitive impairment and we always take our lead from carers who know the individuals best Q. How does your ser vice work?

We ll come to all types of care centre from community houses to residential homes to dementia special ist nursing homes and everywhere in between

In some services we ll visit for a whole day and provide full routine free NHS eye tests to everyone who lives there while in others we’ll visit new residents to give them a check up or see a single resident who is having particular issues with their vision

We supply NHS and private funded spectacles which we deliver and fit in person and which are engraved with the person’s name so you can easily find their glasses when you need to Glasses start from £19 and the same offers apply as would in store To find out more visit www specsavers co uk/home eye tests

Vicky Mcclure Calls on MPs to Cure the Broken Social Care System

Line of Duty star and Alzheimer s Society Ambassador Vicky McClure has shared a pow erful video calling on every MP to help the charity cure the broken social care system as reports today suggest Government will delay the vital care cap

In the wake of her second series of Our Dementia Choir Vicky’s poignant piece to camera speaks directly to MPs asking them to imagine trading their life in politics for life as an unpaid carer for someone with dementia Released today on Vicky's Instagram account, the video starkly describes the exhausting emotional financial and physical struggles faced by thousands of families trying to get support for loved ones with dementia and calls on Government to Make Dementia a Priority

The video comes as a report in The Times claims that Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is considering delaying the Government’s flagship social care reform which was a crucial first step in protecting care home users, of which at least 70% have dementia, from catastrophic care costs

Speaking in the video, Vicky tells MPs:'You worked hard, you have an important job you got elected You have the power to make real change 'Now imagine waking up tomorrow and having to give that all up to become a dementia carer for a loved one Your days now revolve around an illness not your career

'Instead of your morning coffee briefing, you’re making sure your partner doesn t choke on their breakfast You don t need a coffee even though you only got 3 hours sleep because you’re running on adrenaline and dread Instead of being interviewed by journalists you’re being interviewed by a social worker trying to get £69 70 a week that’s now your salary

Vicky ends video with a direct call on MPs:Make dementia the priori ty it needs to be Give people living with dementia, and their loved

ones caring for them, the diagnosis and support they need Give them what they need to live a better life from things like music therapy support groups and breaks for carers You need to cure the care system '

People with dementia are the biggest users of social care 70% of people in care homes and 60% of people getting care at home have dementia and decades of underfunding and neglect have led to a care system that’s difficult to access, costly, inadequate and deeply unfair to both users and workforce alike

Vicky’s video also highlights the sector exodus of many under paid overstretched care workers struggling to make ends meet as living costs spiral meaning people with dementia face being abandoned without the care they so desperately need:'Those wonderful people you now rely on those care workers they re switching careers too because they re utterly broken by the workload They’re leaving to work in supermarkets in restaurants

Alzheimer’s Society echoed Vicky’s calls and urged Government to rethink after reports that a flagship social care reform the cap on care costs is set to be delayed

Mark MacDonald Associate Director of Advocacy and System Change at Alzheimer s Society said: Vicky s heartfelt video is a rallying cry to Government to make dementia a priority She paints a stark pic ture of the reality of dementia care and support for thousands up and down the country she has been through it with her grandmother and she sees it up close with the members of her wonderful choir

We need to cure our broken care system which is failing many fami lies living with the reality of dementia The Government must not roll back on the care cap This social care reform was a crucial first step to tackle catastrophic care costs, limiting the amount people have to pay towards their care People with dementia are the biggest users of social care at least 70% of care home users have dementia and this delay would be a damaging blow to them at a time when many of them will be struggling with bills and need action on the cost of care too

We welcomed the Government s vision last year to ensure everyone with dementia can get high quality personalised care But it was only a

vision and with reports that Government may roll back on its flagship commitment to introduce a cap on care costs in 2023 we at Alzheimer’s Society are deeply worried that the commitment to realis ing that vision has waned We need to see the Government delivering on its commitments including on the cap and matching its ambitious vision for quality care with investment to make it a reality, to ensure providers and their amazing staff are equipped to deliver for people affected by dementia

Not investing in social care is a false economy which not only adds to the uncertainty and distress felt by those using the system but places even greater pressure on for example the NHS We have seen the dire consequences of underfunded social care and we must get sustainable investment in social care as soon as possible The Government must prioritise dementia prioritise social care and think again '

The Health and Social Care Select Committee recommended as a starting point of an additional £7bn per year to be invested in social care in England

Mark MacDonald added: Government must deliver on its promises a visionary ten year plan for dementia which transforms diagnosis and care in this country delivery of the dementia mission to invest in research and reform of the care system The Government’s promise of £5 4bn for social care doesn t even scratch the surface of what is need ed '

We re calling on as many people as possible to join us and Vicky and sign our open letter to thePrime Minister We must ensure the Prime Minister knows that we expect herto deliver

Alzheimer s Society is calling on the Government to honour its com mitment to:

The National Dementia Mission doubling dementia research funding and establishing a dementia research taskforce

A massive reform of the Social Care system putting people in control of their care and reducing the amount they have to pay for it

• A visionary ten year plan for dementia backed by proper funding and powerful partners which could be transformational for the 900 000 people with dementia in the UK

Beccles Care Home Welcomes Wish List Bikers Charity for Bucket List

A family owned Beccles care home recently welcomed the Wish List Bikers Charity to help residents tick off a bucket list experience

Four ladies from Wellbeing Care s St George’s care home which specialises in residential and dementia care were able to relive their younger years as they rode pillion on the back of a specially made Rewaco Trike provided by the Wish List Bikers Charity

The non profit charity, which spans north and south Suffolk, arrived at St George s care home to offer an exciting experience to residents Pam (78) Jean (88) Joan (97) and Beryl (96) who used to ride pillion on bikes in the 1960s enabling them to recall happy memories and evoking feelings of nostalgia

Beryl said: It was a fantastic day I never thought I d get on the back of a bike ever again, so it was quite a surreal experience for someone of my age but it made me laugh gave me a good thrill and certainly took me back several decades ”

The Wish List Bikers Charity was set up by experienced bikers to provide a motorcycling experience to

sick disabled or elderly individuals The team offer rides to fulfil bucket list dreams or reunite ex bikers with the joys of motorcycling by stimulating mem ories of days gone by reducing social isolation or just to put a smile on some one s face

Discussing the collaboration, Joy Henshaw, regional director of Wellbeing Care said: It was wonderful to see the ladies faces light up and hear them recall memories from when they would ride on the back of their partners’ or friends bike when they were younger

“It’s great to be able to offer our residents experiences such as these as it makes them happy promotes independence and allows them to explore past memories whilst creating new ones

Joy concluded: “All in all, the ladies have amazed us with their spirit and courage today and we d like

Celebrate the Meals on Wheels Heroes

Meals on Wheels Week returns 31st October to 4th November 2022 The award winning national awareness event organised by the National Association of Care Catering (NACC), raises awareness of and celebrates Meals on Wheels services across the country and the vital role they play in supporting older and vulnerable people living in our communities

As the country faces a difficult economic situation it is more important than ever that we all get behind those who prepare and deliver the meals on wheels and recognise the value that this service provides offering vital nutritional support to those who are most at need

The NACC are calling upon the whole care and hospitality sector and the supply chain to show some strong support with this year s activities

Special events that are planned throughout the week are: MEALS ON WHEELS AT THE HOUSE OF LORDS MONDAY 31ST OCTOBER

Hosted by Baroness Barker, the NACC Patron, this special Afternoon Tea will take the NACC s campaign to raise awareness of the importance of Meals on Wheels services to parliament As we launch this special week, we invite everyone to serve an afternoon tea for your own communities THANK YOU, TUESDAY TUESDAY 1ST NOVEMBER

This day is dedicated to showing appreciation for our Meals on Wheels teams For everyone that con tributes whether that s making the meals volunteers drivers carers or those that work behind the scenes today is the day to show our appreciation VIP ON WHEELS WEDNESDAY 2ND NOVEMBER

This popular Meals on Wheels Week activity returns! There’s no better way to convey the value of Meals

on Wheels than seeing it in action and the impact it has on service users VIP on Wheels is a fantastic oppor tunity to invite local MPs VIPs and dignitaries to experience a Meals on Wheels delivery and celebrate the service and the immense value it adds to the lives of those receiving i INTERNATIONAL MEALS ON WHEELS WEBINAR THURSDAY 3RD NOVEMBER

Hosted by Neel Radia NACC Meals on Wheels Officer for the UK and Madison Grech CNM Continuing Education Director for CSNM this international online seminar will include speakers from partners from the UK Canada and Australia

During this session

operators from across the globe will be discussing Meals on Wheels

will share case studies from our own processes and learn from each other Click here for further information visit:

Friday Friends Friday 4th November

special day is planned to highlight the importance of social eating and how it helps reduce loneliness

communities

bring people in

This simple small gesture is sure to have an immense impact Neel Radia, Meals on Wheels project lead for the NACC, said:

to share the joy of food

the local community in for afternoon

Throughout the week we will be holding special events across the country I urge all sectors to take part in Meals on Wheels Week 2022 to ensure the ongoing value of this precious service is recognised and pro tected I also would encourage everyone else to show their support for this cornerpiece of our nation Sue Cawthray the National Chair of the NACC said:

“This important week is an opportunity to highlight and raise the significant issues we face around a dwin dling service and the need for government funding and support It is imperative that our older population has access to a meal service delivered to their home and the social interaction that it brings to assist with preventing isolation

Black Histor y Month: Royal Star & Garter Staff Explain How Upbringing and Heritage Influenced Their Care

Staff at Royal Star & Garter have discussed how their culture and background has impacted their lives and the effect it has on their work at Royal Star & Garter

Dineo Malatji Lisa Marie Burke and Suzie Bignall were speaking during Black History Month They dis cussed growing up in African and Caribbean communities, their role models and the impact this had on their decision to work in the adult social care sector and at Royal Star & Garter

Star & Garter is a charity which provides loving, compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia with Homes in Solihull Surbiton and High Wycombe

This year Black History Month is recognising the achievements and contributions that black people make every day with an emphasis on people working on the Covid frontline including care home staff

DINEO MALATJI

Dineo is a lead Healthcare Assistant and has worked at the Solihull Home for 13 years He is from South Africa, and moved to England in 2001 He said: Growing up our role model was Nelson Mandela There was segregation and racism in South Africa and black people were treated ter ribly Nelson Mandela was fighting to stop that and we grew up with him as our hero It sent a very powerful message to me at the time to stand up for what you believe in, no matter what it cost My mum told me to always be proud of who I was and not let anyone make me ashamed of who I was It s something I’m now trying to instil in my children I was the youngest of a very big family When others went out to play I would stay at home and help my mother care for my grandmother When I came to England I worked in retail but as a favour for a friend I did some agency care shifts Memories came flooding back of looking after my grandmother and I realised that was the work I wanted to do Working at Royal Star & Garter reminds me of that time caring for my grandmother We treat residents like they are our own parents or grandparents If any of my family member ends up in care I would like them to be treated the same way as I am treating others

LISA MARIE BURKE

Lisa Marie is Dementia Care Manager at Surbiton and has worked at the Home for a year Her parents came to England in the 1950s and 1960s from Trinidad and Jamaica, and she was born in north London

She said: “My parents came here during a time when it was very difficult for black people from the Caribbean and Africa My mum remembers signs saying ‘No Irish, no Blacks, no dogs’ When she went for a job the interviewer said they would check if other people ‘would mind working with a coloured

person’ Knowing what they had to go through instilled in me the importance of acceptance hard work and overcoming obstacles My father used to say to me there was nothing I couldn’t do that nothing was impos sible

“My mum was my role model she was a very strong person who came here when she was 16 and man aged to forge a good career for herself Now my role models range from Michelle Obama to Lizzo I respect the message that Stormzy and other black artists are bringing to mainstream media They are not being viewed by the colour of their skin but by their talent Any ethnic minority who is trying to make and change for the better and to develop in whatever walk of life is an inspiration and role model

“Coming from the Caribbean we were always taught to be humble and respectful to our elders we called them aunty and uncle for example We were taught to be kind to care to have empathy to have patience These qualities have stayed with me, I bring them to work every day, and they are on display at Royal Star & Garter

“There is so much diversity in the Caribbean islands, much like there is in the UK And there’s a lot of diversity in Royal Star & Garter The care sector is a multi cultural sector and gives you the ability to learn so much from others things that you can only learn from sitting down and talking to someone I think Royal Star & Garter is such a melting pot and we have a diverse workforce that reflects our local community I think you should celebrate who you are every day not just during one particular month My daughter doesn’t see colour when she looks at people and that makes me realise how times have changed from the signs that greeted my mother when she first came to this country SUZIE BIGNALL

Suzie works in High Wycombe as a Healthcare Assistant She was born in High Wycombe to parents who came over from St Vincent in the West Indies She said: “My role models are my mum and dad I get my work ethic and drive from them I also learned to cook delicious West Indian food from them! My mum still works six days a week and she s 82 She also used to work in a care home and I’ve always been a very caring person I go to work and put 100% into my job

I don t need Black History Month to celebrate who I am I’m a black person, I’m proud of who I am and I’m proud of the colour of my skin “I love working at Royal Star & Garter It’s good because we have lots of people from different back grounds, working together and learning from each other We have so many different nationalities here, we all get on and we re a big happy family

Black History Month takes place in October each year and celebrates the continued achievements and contributions of black people to the UK and around the world It also calls for action to tackle racism reclaim black history and ensure it is represented and celebrated all year round

Poole Care Home Celebrates the Power of Poetr y

clear, which were inspired by his own words Sam Baker Activities Lead at Dorset House said:

The residents in our care and I saw this competition advertised on TV and together we decided that it would be fun to have a go and create our own entry I began this as a fun engaging activity for residents allowing them to participate in writing a poem about the home The brief was to write a poem based on Tears & Laughter and the poem was dedicated to late resident Ken whose loving words inspired the closing lines We want ed it to showcase how life in a care home has a positive impact and how we continue to provide residents with rich and fulfilling lives Residents in our care and the children were all really excited to film the poem; we took on the role of Hollywood stars for the day with lots of laughter and many takes It was just a wonderful day ”

The

his bedroom Since arriving at Dorset House Geoffrey is a regular in the garden as he has always been a keen gardener He enjoys many of the activities within the home and was very keen to be involved in the making of the Dorset House poem Geoffrey’s speech has improved so much he can now his lines of the poem loud and

Poetry Together is a national campaign spearheaded by broadcaster author and former MP Gyles Brandreth, supported by Dukes Education It highlights benefits from improved memory and speech development to increased confidence from learning and reciting poems and aims to bring young and old people together in a shared initiative

To find out more about Poetry

of Bidets to Meet Market Needs

Seat

Public Avoiding Using NHS Scotland Ser vices in Response to Pressures

The Scottish public is avoiding using NHS Scotland services in an attempt to prevent further pressures on the system More than 4 in 10 Scottish adults (44%) said they had avoided using NHS services at least once in the last 12 months when they felt unwell or needed treatment 32% said they had done this on multiple occasions

When asked why they chose not to seek care over two fifths (42%) said they had acted to avoid putting additional pressure on the NHS, while almost half (47%) said they thought they would have to wait too long

The YouGov polling also highlighted concerns with the standard of care Of the 34% who were not confident that the care and treatment they received would be of a good standard, the majority (68%) attrib uted their concerns to there not being enough nurses and nursing staff to provide adequate care The findings come as the Royal College of Nursing s NHS strike ballot enters its final week and ahead of a Scottish Labour Party debate in the Scottish Parliament on supporting the NHS

in Winter RCN members working in NHS Scotland are being urged to vote in favour of strike action for the first time in the College s 106 year history The vote comes after years of real terms pay cuts, under investment and the pandemic response has left Scotland s nursing workforce exhausted, demoralised and concerned for the future of their profession

Scotland’s public have shown their support for the need to invest in and value nursing staff 80% of Scottish adults support nurses being given a pay rise in line with inflation and 78% would sympathise with nursing staff if they were to go on strike

RCN members overwhelmingly rejected the Scottish Government s 5% pay offer earlier this year While the latest offer from the Scottish Government, made last week, is an improvement for the lowest paid, it is a further pay cut for registered nurses and fails to recognise their clinical skills and safety critical role

Colin Poolman RCN Scotland Director said “Strike action is always a last resort That it has come to this demonstrates just how concerned our members are for the safety of their patients how undervalued and demoralised they are feeling and how frustrated they are at the Scottish government s continued failure to listen and act

Our members have the support of the public who can see the dev asting impact that nursing staff shortages are having on the care they and their families receive Scottish government must do better if Scotland is to have the nursing workforce it needs It is not a decision to be taken lightly but I would urge members to vote in favour of strike action and to post back their ballot papers now ”

The RCN strike ballot continues until 2 November while elected mem bers consider the Scottish government’s latest offer and the next steps

Camberley Care Home T icks Off Residents’ Bucket List Wishes

A local luxury care home, Signature at Camberley has recently channelled their inner ‘genie’ making the wishes of four residents a reality The home s Bucket List initiative is designed to help residents embark on new experiences or equally to revisit treasured chapters of their lives As part of this, Signature at Camberley resi dents Patrick Fell and Terry Wiles were able to take to the skies earlier this month as they revisited their distinguished mili tary careers Patrick a 96 year old former navigator in the RAF and Terry an 80 year old Ex Paratrooper in the military flew in an aeroplane from nearby Blackbushe Airport courtesy of charity Aerobility and the team at Signature at Camberley Patrick took full control of the plane for the take off and flew for much of their time in the air, with the full trust of the pilot who was in awe of the two gentlemen as they swiftly slipped back into their old way of life

“It was an honour to meet and fly with Patrick and Terry and watch their memories come flooding back”, said pilot Steve Bradd

Joined on the day by friends and family members it proved to be the perfect day for Patrick and Terry who cherished every moment of the wonderful experience

Though, Signature at Camberley s mission to tick off the wishes of their residents did not stop there

Elsewhere fellow residents at the care home Roy Pankhurst 91 and Brian Best 81 both headed to St Mary’s Football Stadium to watch their favourite boyhood team Southampton, take on Everton in the Premier League

For Roy it was a special moment as he was joined by his son Martin who he remi nisced with about days gone by at the stadi um when Martin was just a young boy and had to stand on an old fashioned soap box to see the pitch For Brian a die hard Southampton fan and former season ticket holder it was a dream to be back watching the Saints once again after many years

While the result against The Toffees didn t go Southampton s way the experience was one that both residents say they will never forget Reflecting on the game Brian Best said I never thought I would have the chance to watch Southampton again especially in the Premier League! Thanks to the team at Signature at Camberley who made it happen ”

Finding A Care Home; One Family’s Stor y

Looking for a care home can often come in the midst of a stressful situation when there is a growing realisation that independent living options are no longer working Families who have been through the process have a unique perspective and insight We hear from Jane whose mother and mother in law are both now living at the same care home, Royal Court (part of the charity Lilian Faithfull Care) She shares her story and offers advice from what she has learnt along the way “Mum has dementia, poor eyesight and other complicated health issues I spent two years getting a clear diagnosis whilst her health was deteriorating and she was forgetting medication She was having falls in the garden and was a victim of rogue traders She was vulnera ble We had tried putting a lot of things in place like getting carers in and an alarm for her to wear but it was all refused Something had to give It culminated in a multi agency meeting where it was decided ‘things need to change’ ”

Jane started to look round at the options I didn t want just a single room as mum was going from a big Victorian terraced house with a large garden I knew this [Royal Court] was the only place in Cheltenham which offers residents their own flat ”

Jane and her family had used care homes twice for respite following operations but did not want to use them again “The first was unsuit able for mum it was aesthetically pleasing a boutique style place but it was unsafe for her ” “The second was a shocker” “If I’d known Royal Court did respite she would have been in here

Jane’s mum moved in quickly after they visited Royal Court “Mum put up lots of barriers to moving into care so there was compromise on both sides We mobilised everyone, the whole family We had a con voy of cars and fitting everything into her new flat everything she was familiar with, we brought in We put her three china seagulls in the same position in the lounge to give her that familiarity and comfort [About Royal Court] “To be that accommodating it was absolutely fan tastic

Jane s mother in law moved in the following year as her dementia had worsened and she was wandering We knew the layout and we knew it would be good The transition was much easier for her she was very accepting

Jane’s mum and mother in law both have dementia, “it’s about get ting them both in a place where they feel a sense of contentment

“The more information you give the team [at the care home] the more they can help settle them in I was confident that I was working in partnership with professionals at the care home There is really good listening and understanding and working with the family here ”

I wouldn t hesitate to recommend Royal Court having their own flats it’s so rare They have their own space ”

The activities are good here it s not just tokenism they are engag ing with people My mother in law joins in a lot whereas my mother chooses not to I would say get involved where you can My mother relates to the team, they are like an extra family One member of staff even came in on her wedding day to see the residents she absolutely loved that

After twenty years in teaching Jane is now a carer herself running her own home care business She also took a NVQ Level 4 in Health and Social Care when she realised her relatives were showing symp toms of dementia and wanted to understand more So what advice does she have for talking with those living with dementia?

People often tend to focus their conversations on the short term memory things like How did you sleep What did you have for lunch? or What have you done today? instead try to focus on a topic in the past perhaps a holiday a favourite place a hobby or past job that they’ve enjoyed Try and think of a few ideas before visiting so you can bring the conversation round ”

Jane has a final piece of advice for people considering what to do when it is becoming obvious a loved one isn t coping;

It s being brave enough to say enough s enough and finding some where where your family member can be safe secure happy and in company Yes, you have guilt, but you need to break through this and as a family you need to work together You ve got to just dig in if you don t do something the consequences could be worse ”

The relief was huge [after my mum and mother in law moved to Royal Court] We didn t have the worry about checking them at night or worrying if they didn’t answer the phone or getting calls at 2 or 3am We have no regrets It’s worked out for the better ”

For advice about finding care for a loved call any of the Lilian Faithfull Care homes and day hubs who will offer help and guidance www lilianfaithfull co uk/contact

Bournemouth Nursing Home Achieves Platinum Status For End-Of-Life Care

“To receive this award is testament to the whole team here We’re pas sionate about ensuring that the highest standards of care are in place and we are very proud of what we have achieved ”

The Award which recognises health and social care providers delivering quality care in the final years of life was presented to the nurse led care home team at the GSF Conference and Awards ceremony on 7 October 2022 in London

The prestigious hallmark places Muscliff in a select group of care homes, primary care settings, domiciliary care agencies and hospitals in the United Kingdom which have been recognised for delivering the high est standards of care

Dedrey Charles, Home Manager at the Bournemouth care home, said Our residents wellbeing is at the heart of everything we do here at Muscliff and I’m thrilled to see our hard work recognised with this accredi tation

The Gold Standards Framework is the UK s leading training provider for frontline staff caring for people in the last years of life and has been provid ing training for Muscliff Care Home since 2010

Julie Armstrong Wilson Lead Nurse for GSF said: Congratulations to all organisations that have successfully achieved accreditation and reaccredi tation this year The last two years have been an incredibly difficult time for all health and social care providers and taking the time to complete their GSF accreditation is to be commended Good quality end of life care has never been more important, especially due to the impact of the pandemic we have all faced Witnessing so many centres signing up to learn more and gain GSF accreditation so they too can support people at the end of life is fantastic to see ”

Sustainability, Cobotics and Hygiene Habits

Over the past two years the cleaning industry has been thrown into the spotlight and has proudly and professionally taken a frontline position as it demonstrates best practice in cleaning and sanitation processes At the same time consumers and business owners have developed a growing appreciation of the industry s role in keeping people and places safe With the pandemic firmly in the rear view mirror and the ‘new normal’ transition ing into a familiar rhythm the continued importance of enhanced cleaning regimes is clear

It s against this backdrop that The Cleaning Show 2023 returns to ExCeL London from 14 16 March 2023 to demonstrate the very latest advance ments in cleaning technologies and provide unmissable learning and sourc ing opportunities for the cleaning and hygiene sector which together with the waste industry is one of the biggest sectors in the UK, worth nearly £59bn and employing 1 47m people

The show, organised by the British Cleaning Council and Quartz Business Media is set to attract more than 100 cleaning suppliers with the likes of Jangro Numatic Makita UK Karcher UK Nilfisk and SC Johnson Professional among those confirmed to exhibit And with more than 7 000 senior cleaning professionals set to attend from across the contract cleaning facilities management (FM) healthcare hospitality retail and public services sectors it is no surprise that the event has become the largest and longest running exhibition in the UK dedicated to cleaning, hygiene and facilities management

A CHANCE TO LEARN FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS

Alongside a growing list of Europe s leading cleaning suppliers confirmed to showcase their latest tech nologies and innovations on the show floor, The Cleaning Show Conference will also return Welcoming the industry s leading experts the conference will offer a place to discuss and debate the big issues affecting the sector A full programme of speakers and topics will be announced in the coming weeks

Also returning after a successful debut in 2021 the Cleaning & Support Services Association will once again host the CSSA Innovation Showcase The dedicated pavilion is designed to highlight and celebrate the industry’s most innovative cleaning products, services and initiatives Among the big trends anticipated to take the spotlight the theme of sustainability will return to help operators minimise their impact on the plan et Cobotics and the evolution of robotic technology to support the cleaning process and tackle the ongoing resources challenge will also play a key role alongside healthy buildings where the Internet of Things (IoT) enabled dynamic resource applications will transform operations

With a focus on creating the Future of Cleaning businesses and organi sations operating throughout the industry can enter their innovations via the CSSA website by 30 November 2022 Prior to The Cleaning Show the CSSA will hold an Innovator's Pitch with a panel of leading industry experts who will review and interview all entrants and select those to be exhibited at the Innovation Showcase itself For further information on submitting an entry visit https://www cssa uk co uk/

Speaking about the CSSA Innovation Showcase Paul Ashton Chairman of the CSSA said: The CSSA Innovation Showcase represents the Future of Cleaning and provides genuine insight for our members and the wider industry into how we can use innovation to create positive change We specifically focus on highlighting ways our membership can tackle the operational challenges being faced with the evolution of customer demands There is no doubt that technology has a key role in the future provision of safe, clean environments ”

Jim Melvin Chairman British Cleaning Council said The importance of the work of the cleaning hygiene and waste sector which is one of the ten biggest industries in the UK has been highlighted during the Covid 19 pandemic with cleaning and hygiene operatives continuing to play a vital frontline role keeping keyworkers and the public safe healthy and well

“The Cleaning Show brings the industry together to celebrate our crucial work, as well as reflecting on key issues the latest trends and the most exciting innovative and technological developments

“We’re very excited to welcome both new and returning exhibitors to the ExCeL, London where the latest product launches will come to life It s an unmissable three days of exciting networking opportunities with a hotbed of education for visitors to enjoy ”

Paul Sweeney Event Director The Cleaning Show added: As we look ahead to our return to London we re excited to bring the industry back together as we embrace and explore this new normal for the clean ing industry Cleaning professionals have now firmly taken their place in the public eye with consumers increasingly acknowledging and excepting that places of work and public areas are cleaned with the utmost care The show will help cleaning professionals discover the latest technologies to help their businesses do this in the most sustainable and effective way

Registration for The Cleaning Show 2023 will open on 1st November 2022 To register your interest to attend and find out more about this year s event visit https://cleaningshow co uk/london/

Muscliff Care Home in Bournemouth has achieved a Gold Standards Framework (GSF) Quality Hallmark Platinum Award for its delivery of end of life care

time for Action!

The war in the Ukraine has, amongst other things, highlighted our overdependence on fossil fuels With uncer tainty around fuel supply and mounting energy costs we find ourselves in a global energy crisis

Yet, in the midst of all this uncer tainty, it s clear there exists a momentous oppor tunity An oppor tunity to embrace and accelerate the deployment of clean technologies to help achieve energy security and ultimately arrive at net zero

The Challenge Facing the Care Sector

When it comes to climate change and the continued burning of fossil fuels business as usual is no longer an option Nursing homes and care homes provide a critical service ensuring patients and residents are cared for in a comfor table and warm environment The majority of facilities provide heating and hot water from fossil fuel boiler systems the fact is this must change As with ever y sector of society the care sector must become more sustainable But, when it comes to decarbonizing buildings and in par ticular heat there are significant challenges facing the care sector How do you decarbonise buildings rapidly cost ef fectively and without disrupting the critical service of caring for patients?

Enter the ActionZero EscoPod

The EscoPod Decarbonising Heat Rapidly & Without Disruption

The EscoPod is a patented, high temperature heat pump technology designed to replace traditional heating systems with a high ef ficiency and fossil fuel free alternative The EscoPod AZH ActionZero s dedicated heat pump system for the healthcare industr y, has been designed specifically to deliver heating (and cooling) to non domestic buildings in the healthcare sector including hospitals nursing and care homes

Not only does this technology replace the need for fossil fuels but it also produces multifunctional outputs that can be used for heating cooling and domestic hot water The EscoPod AZH also of fers significant energy ef ficiencies with savings of up to 70% and cost savings ranging up to 65%

Amongst the many benefits of this technology is the fact that it can be installed with minimal disruption i e , there is no need for costly building fabric or mechanical system upgrades which are typically required with conventional heat pumps This of fers many organisations a lifeline a realistic pathway to decarbonise their operations without enormous cost and business interruption

ActionZero describes themselves as a one stop shop They will manage a clients decarbonisation journey from end to end providing an af tercare package that includes Operations & Maintenance as well as ongoing per formance validation via data analytics

The EscoPod in action

Earlier this year ActionZero announced a par tnership with the Bons Secours Health System, the largest private hospital network in Ireland The ActionZero EscoPod AZH is currently being installed at the Bons Secours Hospital Tralee Co Kerr y with plans to expand the roll out of the technology across six other sites in the healthcare group

We are thrilled to partner with Bon Secours; an organisation that are showing commitment to climate change and taking definitive action to reduce their carbon emissions

The EscoPod AZH solution enables healthcare organisations to address the very significant challenge that is decarbonising heat and it does so while putting money in our customers pockets a win/win where commercial opportunity meets social good ’ said ActionZero CEO Denis Collins former global executive with IBM and previous chairman of IDA Ireland Regional Development

The Future is green

According to ActionZero COO Cormac Murphy ‘The EscoPod is coming to market at a time when companies are struggling to meet the increasing demands to decarbonise existing facilities We are excited to be part of the solution, supporting these businesses in their transition to zero emissions in a cost effective manner ’

To suppor t

development and expansion of its EscoPod product range, ActionZero opened an Irish manufacturing

research & development centre in May 2022 From here the company will design and manufacture their

pumps before expor ting them to clients internationally This

at least 50 high

years,

Hassle -and Stress- Free Bath Adaptations - Without Delay

to

Aqua

Jolly Trolley Brings Therapeutic Activity and Entertainment to Patients That Are Isolating

The Jolly Trolley® is an essential for any care establishment as it pro motes social interaction between the service users and their carers

This innovative system is fully mobile and battery operated allow ing residents who may be unable to leave their rooms to also be includ ed w th ease The Jolly Trolley® comes complete with its own videos quizzes karaoke and other content but personal music photos and films can then be added from a USB stick to really bring out the mag c!

Don t just take our word for it here are just some testimonials from our very happy Health and

Social Care clients: Chester Park Megan Allan, Activities The fact that we can upload what is relevant to the specific Individual is so meaningful for that person and I can assure you we have shed some tears being able to be part of that resi dents memory ourney It has been an amazing addit on to our care home from staff and residents thank you Pennine NHS Trust Beech Ward “ we have been able to provide therapeu tic activity & entertainment with ease to patients that are solat ng

To see what the Jolly Trolley® can do for you call us for a free demon stration on 0800 093 8499

See the advert on the front cover

Yeoman Shield Fire Door Ser vices Taking the Guess Work out of Fire Doors

Fire Doors are an imperative part of fire safety

dition

FIRAS accredited team members Having a good maintenance routine will dispel some needs of fire door replacement therefore being more cost effective

ation of Yeoman Shield Fire ction products can also be nancially beneficial by halt ing impact damage from the start eliminating many repairs in the future and again will extend door lifecycles Installing Yeoman Shield door protection products such as door protection panels door edge protectors and PVCu glazing bead units will not affect the integrity of the fire door as all products have been tested in situ to the current standard required

Vulnerable frames and architraves can also be protected from impact with Yeoman Shield to pre vent dangerous splintering and splitting as well as abolishing the time consuming repetitive need for repainting

For a complete repair and protect service contact the team today frdp@yeomanshield com or visit www yeomanshield com or see the advert page 10

Free Online PAT Testing Course

Everyone can benefit from free training!

offers a

which is ideal

Equipment

Full

Testing

amount of electrical equipment we now have in our homes makes sense Both employers and employees are responsible for inspecting and maintaining electrical equipment in the work place So you should encourage all staff to do the course

What equipment do you need?

Inspect

How to do a

Test

What records to keep

a result of the pandemic many have found their working environment has changed dramati cally You may no longer allow people/contractors on

Testing is straightforward to do and can be easily managed in house Our free course will show you how you can

Test and what’s more the HSE say any competent person can do it!

How do you access the free PAT Testing Course? It s simple just go to www onlinepattestingcourse co uk Here you will be able to access the course, you just need an email address to sign up The course is made up of short modules and is simple to follow Who should do the course?

Probably everyone should do the course, as it shows you basic electrical equipment safety; which given the

Says Peter Wingrave AAT Director:

Adds Jane Turton

with InVentr

time but it ensures an even faster sign in during repeat visits

Care homes are crucial for our society so it s important to ensure they re a safe setting to help staff carry out the best possible care

With many family members and

their

who’s

You can also ensure that the contractors you have onsite have the skills to do the job safely by asking custom questions before they sign in, with options to include documents they may need to read upon arrival ensuring health & safety and the security of your site is always

InVentry can even help

CareZips® Classic Adaptive Pants

Older and Disabled

CareZips® Classic are patented easy dressing unisex adaptive pants especially developed for older and dis abled people experiencing problems associated with continence mobility mental function and cognition Suitable for persons living in care institutions receiving care at home or enjoying independence in their own homes CareZips® Classic serve equally well those who need assistance with dress ing and those who can dress them selves independently Comfortable and stylish, preferred by the users and favoured by their carers, the CareZips® Classic are truly transforming practical challenges posed by assisted dressing!

CareZips® Classic feature unique patented 3 zipper system which opens the front of the pants from the waist to the knees for quicker access during toileting continence pads changes cleanliness and refreshing The forward positioning of the two side zippers lessens pressure on sensitive hip areas and helps to eliminate discomfort The third zipper facili tates simple full frontal opening for faster and more dignified diaper changes catheter adjustments as well as personal cleansing and hygiene routines

CareZips® Classic have many benefits for the older and disabled users

People who can dress themselves enjoy the practical functionality and versatility of the CareZips® Classic adaptive pants day long comfort and easy care

People who depend on assisted dressing appreciate the quick and easy dressing process with less stress

Ambassador Textiles

Any competent person can PAT Test however you will need to use a PAT Tester that give you and outcome Pass or Fail It s great if the PAT Tester has readings as well but they are not essential

How often should I PAT Test?

Frequency of PAT Testing is dependent on your Risk Assessment You need to include the routine inspec tion & maintenance of electrical equipment in your Risk Assessment and the risk should determine the fre quency Factors affecting the frequency include

What the electrical equipment is

How often ts used

Where its used Who uses it

Want to discuss further?

You can call us on 01392 364933 or email sales@parker bell co uk We are always happy to help! See the advert on page 11

and greater dignity achievable with CareZips® Classic

Furthermore CareZips® Classic offer practical gains to the carers helping them provide better care whilst reducing physical efforts and time required to dress and to toilet the patients

Carers welcome the ease of dress ing facilitated by the design of the CareZips® Classic, namely the unique patented 3 zipper system that allows quick dressing and undressing as well as quick access to the crotch area during diaper changes CareZips® Classic enable the carers to dress dependent patients faster and change diapers quickly in a dignified manner that is less embarrassing and less stressful for the patients whilst less challenging and time saving for the carers

CareZips® Classic are unisex and fit both men and women perfectly Made in 6 sizes in 3 elegant yet practical colours (i e black charcoal and navy) the CareZips® Classic feature modern tapered fit at the ankles for an effortlessly tidy look CareZips® Classic adaptive pants are made from a breathable moisture wicking 4 way stretchy crease free and easy care durable fabric that guarantees practical usability smart appearance and all round user satisfaction

CareZips® Classic the perfect adaptive pants for comfort convenience functionality and style!

CareZips® Classic from Win Health Medical 01835 865866 www win health com

Raising the Standard of Stair Climbing Solutions

The Stair Climbing Company is one of the leading providers of powered Stair Climber solu tions which have been specifi cally designed to assist those struggling with mobility and independence issues facing people with disabilities

The Stair Climbing Company offers an excellent range of compact easy to use powered Stair Climbers that are ideal for use in both home and commer cial settings Offering innovative designs all of the company’s Stair Climbers can be separated into two pieces for safe storage and are easily transported and charged In addition all of its Stair Climber’s come with a two year manu facturer’s warranty

The Stair Climbing Company maintains one main

mission; to improve quality of life through its range of high quality and custom devices with built in

Consort Claudgen launches Consort Connect app

Consort Claudgen have launched Consort Connect app which allows users to have complete control over their heat ing remotely via their smartphone or tablet The app is free and downloadable from Google Play or Apple Store It can control Consort’s Wi Fi enabled heaters and SL heaters connected to an SLPBWIFI wireless controller It gives quick access to four operating modes and provides a 7 day timer with twenty four heating peri ods per day It is easy to set up and users can configure the settings of all connected heaters on

the app Users can also view the energy consumption statistics Other features include a lock function open window tracking and response capability, and custom automations There is a self learning control ability utilising occupan cy and temperature sensors however this is only available on the SLPBWIFI controller and Consort heaters with Wi Fi and occupancy sensor

For more information, contact our sales at 01646 692172 or visit www consortepl com or see the advert on page 6

Years of Design Excellence. 50 Years of Skopos

these new designs will be brought to life as prints perfect for Care Interiors available on a wide choice of Skopos base cloths

As with all Skopos prints customers will be able to order the Anniversary designs across base cloths for upholstery curtains and bedding Qualities include waterproof upholsteries velvets drapery linen effect qualities and blackout/dimout fabrics Many of our fabrics are antimicrobial com ing under the umbrella of Skopos ProtectPlus

the company

safety and comfort of its customers is of the utmost importance to the company and it ensures that each wheelchair car rier model is designed to cater to individual customers specific needs and works with all stair types

Stair Climbers for all ages

them suitable for everyone and offers a free assessment

customers

to find out

Improves Health

And

Mobility furni ture has come on leaps and strides over the last few years Gone are the dreary semi functional chairs and beds of the past Today’s generation of rise and recline chairs and adjustable beds look smart, last for years and are better designed and more com fortable than ever before Even people without mobili ty problems are buying them especially when they are made to measure giving that perfect fit

HOW DOES MOBILITY FURNITURE BENEFIT CARE HOME RESIDENTS?

Research has found that elevating the legs one of the main features of a rise and recline chair or adjustable bed reduces swelling of stiff and painful joints and enhances healing of injuries and wounds In fact experts have found that failure to elevate a limb can actually delay healing

Another advantage of mobility furniture is that it helps care home residents sleep deeply and for longer stints which we all know is crucial to quality of life both physical and emotional Why? Because it allows people access to a range of sitting and lying positions that traditional chairs and beds simply do not have WHAT ABOUT CARE HOME STAFF?

Mobility furniture improves health of care home employees because it results in less lifting/weight bearing Press a button on the rise and recline chair and it supports the user to their feet Some adjustable beds have the same feature

Most residents need to avoid pressure sores and again mobility furniture helps by pressing a button on the chair or bed to gently ease people into different positions The alternative is a member of staff shifting the resident to a new position at risk to their own health

Some adjustable beds and rise and recline chairs

even come with wheels a thoughtful touch for when residents struggle to walk between rooms And many come with wipe clean upholstery in case of unfortu nate spills

All of these features reduce the workload for

WORKING WITH EXPERTS

Dr Rob

Mobility

AN

Mobility

Care

the

2022 marks the celebration of 50 years for Skopos fabrics! As a tribute to this milestone, throughout this year, we will be looking back at some of our favourite designs over this half century The 50th Anniversary Collection will see some of these authentic landmark designs reborn using contempo rary design production techniques The evolved designs will be developed in line with current trends for use within contract interiors today Each month

Sustainable &

Care facilities typically exhibit significant but varied hot water and heating usage patterns which con tributes to the current 40% tally of UK greenhouse gas emissions generated by the built environment

help achieve climate neutral building stock by 2050 the industry is being challenged to reduce opera tional energy use over all other measures By increas ing the use of renewable energy supply and prioritising on site renewable energy sources the hope it to reduce both carbon and bills

comes with a cost Whether in the form of new build projects or and far more likely the refurbishment of existing yet ageing facilities under standing the necessary capital investment operational savings and payback periods is going to be key

the efficiency of domestic hot water (DHW) systems whether through the implementation of heat pumps solar thermal direct electric water heating or even simple modernisation of existing gas appliances helps care facilities meet sustainability goals in a practical and cost effective manner It also delivers improved year round conditions for staff and clients in care providing access to spaces better suit ed to delivering medical care and assisted living For buildings already on gas and that rely on large amounts of DHW a large proportion of current UK care and nursing home properties solar preheat is the preferable option For new build properties the expec

Online

Skopos offer a full range of fabrics including upholsteries plus made to measure curtains bed ding and cushions for Care Interiors To request a quote for new curtains bed throws and cushions for Care please contact our sales team 01924 436666

For free samples of our Anniversary Designs please log onto our website www skoposfabrics com Skopos Fabrics Ltd are dedicated to design, serv ice and best performance Our full service or fabric only option provides choice for our customers, with expertise in design, make up (curtains, cushions and bedding), fitting and installation

Hot Water For Care Homes

tation is for specification to default to a mixture of heat pumps and direct electric afterheat New system approaches including prefabricated packaged plant rooms also provide for better use of the spaces that already exist without the need to undertake expensive and disruptive building projects This is especially valid as demands for beds continue to increase, placing new demands on care facilities

Adveco can help achieve emission reduction targets With more than 50 years of specialised expertise in designing, supplying, and servicing hot water systems to the nursing and care industry, Adveco is the single resource you need for independent expert technical guidance on choosing and developing bespoke sus tainable

on the right path towards

to get

https://adveco co/sectors/healthcare/

FOR CARE

cuits

October is Alzheimer’s awareness month Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia and accounts for around 60% of dementia diagnoses in the UK Alzheimer’s Research UK suggest that around 69% of care home residents have Alzheimer s disease Studies have also found that symptoms may only start 10 years after disease onset and will gradually worsen over time

Over time, symptoms can have an impact on nutritional intake Those with the disease may forget to eat or drink not recognise that they are hungry, thirsty or full, or struggle to remember how to swallow This can have a significant impact on the quality of life and overall physical health of a person, and a common outcome is malnutrition

Care home caterers are integral in supporting residents with demen tia as food and nutrition can have a positive impact on those suffering with the disease By ensuring that food is as palatable as possible, appealingly presented and warm when served will encourage appetite

Caterers can also respond to any difficulties in swallowing by offering appropriate texture modified meals following the IDDSI (International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative) framework

For those who have been identified by nursing staff as ‘at risk of malnutrition’ through poor intake, Rachael Venditti RNutr from allman hall, the leading independent food procurement specialist suggests the following would be of benefit:

Create a ‘high energy, high protein’ menu for those identified at risk of malnutrition which uses fortified meals, snacks and drinks with added cheese, milk powder, butter and cream

Use full fat foods such as milk, yoghurt and cheese

Consider offering a smaller portion as an option at mealtimes for those who find large meals overwhelming and who would benefit from a ‘lit tle and often’ approach

• Offer enticing snacks along with the tea trolley such as cakes and bis

Ensure that a high energy pudding is on offer twice daily such as sponge and custard or ice cream

• Ensure that additional snacks are always available for those who may find themselves hungry between meals or overnight Dementia UK has helpful hints and tips to use as a reminder regarding supporting those with the disease such as: providing foods with different tastes smells and colours to stimulate their appetite using plain coloured plates so they can see the food easily trying adapted cutlery for people with dementia offering a menu of finger food which can be accessed for those who struggle at mealtimes

• always offering a drink alongside meals to encourage fluid intake

The Cuppas That Show

With lots of refreshing fruit and herbal blends as well as Original and black tea Tetley has a solution for everyone when it comes to having a cuppa

Here at Tetley, we understand the challenge of keeping your residents hydrated and the important role a quality cuppa can play

A significant 20% of care home residents are dehy drated1 which can lead to hospital admission This is easily preventable by keeping hydrated EVERY CUPPA COUNTS

It can be hard to make sure your residents are drinking up to 8 glasses of water a day Tea counts towards the recommended daily water intake,2 mak ing this the perfect comforting beverage to serve as a way of keeping on top of hydration

years

Operating globally, we source, buy and blend the finest tea leaves so you can promise residents perfection with every sip

Whilst we are tea masters, we are also environmentally conscious and committed to operating our business in a

MORE THAN

We

Whilst black tea remains a firm favourite among tea drinkers 3 having a range of tea blends including fruit and herbal options is important and goes a long way in keeping your residents hydrated This way you can maximise the opportunities

hydration

day by catering to different dayparts

Tetley

Can Your Homes Afford Not To Work with Allmanhall To Mitigate Rising Food Prices?

As winter approaches care homes are faced not only with the spiralling cost of food but also extraordinary energy price increases Heating and eating will be very real challenges faced by many allmanhall are able to ease some of the pressure faced by care homes Through negotiations, tendering and supplier management on behalf of care caterers, allmanhall are delivering value and support allmanhall s benchmarks on food costs give average savings of 12% What s more additional categories such as janitorial and medical supplies recently showed savings of over 15%

The support goes further than that allmanhall provide advice on how to maximise catering budgets It s so important for care caterers to have information regard ing which products are stable and which are volatile when it comes to price movement allmanhall do exactly this For example having a greater proportion of stable products making up your residents menus will make it easier to manage the impact of rising prices

The mobilisation of the new catering suppliers and the transfer of existing ones to allmanhall was smoothly managed and supported expertly allmanhall s approach provides my team with reassurance and peace of mind ”

St Martins Care

There’s currently a harsh spotlight on homes without

strong procurement practices Despite chefs working tirelessly to cost recipes source the best value ingredi ents manage portion control and waste some will con tinue to struggle to produce food at a low cost without the experience of a procurement team to manage and negotiate price increases for them

allmanhall also reduce the pressure on finance resources by consolidating billing and providing admin efficiencies and further savings

Why not visit the allmanhall team on stand 8 at the NACC TDF to find out more?

www allmanhall co uk

Here at It’s Made For You Softer Foods, we believe that everyone should look forward to tasty, safe, and nutritious texture modified meals The It’s Made For You range is designed for the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) framework standards and includes valuable nutrition

Our range of meals have also been developed to ensure the nutritional content

chicken

At

Anglia Crown – Offering You The Complete Package

The summer of 2022 will be long remembered as a hot one For many espe cially in the care sector perhaps it was a little too hot! As we are now moving towards autumn our thoughts are turning once again to those warming meals and the feeling of comfort that only good, wholesome food can bring

Our current range includes Crown Choice and Crown Advantage meals avail able frozen with Crown Choice also available as chilled products We are always looking to keep our dishes current and reflecting current trends which is why we are now offering more vegetarian and vegan dishes than ever before The company now offers over 70 vegan and vegetarian dishes many have been accredited with the Vegan Society This approach led to the company being named a Veggie Wholesaler of the Year We recognise that everyone is busy so we have crafted a menu cycle that can be readily adopted by any care setting with the knowledge that the menu is nutritionally balanced and has been approved by a professional dietitian

The two week cycle offers something for everyone Where a bulk service is required for resident dining we have it covered a similar menu using Crown Advantage dishes can be similarly employed The specially designed menu is cost effective, as it has already considered the financial balancing that is required in our sector and just as importantly it also helps with any staffing issues that you might encounter allowing properly trained Care Assistants to help with the complete delivery of the meals to your residents

Mary Wedge Business Development Manager at Anglia Crown comments;

“As we celebrate our 30th anniversary, we are proud to be a trusted partner with the care sector providing quality nutritious food 365 days a year We will con tinue to review our menus adapting to your needs whilst maintaining our vision of driving excellence in residential and care home catering

The current range is now available Visit www angliacrown co uk for further

or

sales@angliacrown co uk

Cash’s Labels- “The Name Behind the Name”

At Cash s, we aim to capture, reinforce and communicate our clients brand equity through quality and innovation from design to distribution

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

Laundr yTec

ing to combat counterfeiting and

Our industry leading eCommerce system is designed to reduce cost, improve efficien cy and streamline supply chain

and will fully pro tect the integrity and accuracy of critical business data The order entry process is very simple

suppliers and vendors

their valuable time on

other than ordering apparel

Innovation and Support

In these times of

ciency

Many

Replacement of two of

a minimum

20kwh

Standard

replaced 3 x 37kg dyers and reduced the energy consumption from 210kwh to 90kwh!

This was a extreme case but when the laundry door is shut are you really aware what your dryers are costing you to operate?

Our LDR dryers can offer a return on investment that would make your head spin faster than on of our washers!

We can complete a free of charge energy survey

Can you afford not to investi gate what your laundry is costing? See the advert below for fur ther information

CLEANING & HYGIENE

Partner Up for Healthcare Hygiene with GOJO at IPS 2022

GOJO experts in skin health and sur face hygiene will be exhibiting at Stand

37

Join GOJO THE INVENTORS OF PURELL™ and the hand sanitiser cate gory itself at the 14th annual Infection Prevention Society (IPS) conference stand 37 This year the event takes place at the Bournemouth International Centre from 17th 19th October 2022

At the show the team of GOJO Healthcare Support Managers will be offering support and advice on their total solution approach to infection prevention in healthcare facilities They will highlight the company’s ability to help hygiene standards across all areas and situations within hospitals and healthcare facilities

GOJO will showcase its role as a specialist partner in healthcare hygiene by focussing on three areas with specific need:

• SURGICAL WARDS

Meeting key hygiene norms is of the utmost importance in these envi ronments but the harsh products used to do so can really take their toll

on hands In contrast using PURELL Advanced Hygienic Hand Rub offers a gentler way to meet EN 12791 standard

• ACUTE AND GENERAL WARDS GOJO provides a straight ‘out of the box’ solution for hand hygiene, incorpo rating dispensers, products accessories, and signage as well as training and on boarding support It also manages instal lations thereby reducing the staffing impact of changing suppliers

• COMMUNITY & SOCIAL SERVICES: These environments often have radi cally different needs from what are tradi tionally catered for in healthcare packages GOJO takes these specificities into consideration and offers specially adapted products for example locked dispenser units and foam sanitiser so they can only be opened by trained personnel in demanding environments, for example Its ‘train the trainer’ programme allows all staff to be trained on product use, whatever shift they work Personal formats can also be supplied so healthcare pro fessionals always have products on hand when they are needed even if

Countering Unseen Fire and Water Risks

Behind the scenes in a care setting the safety and wellbeing of service users partly depends on expert clean ing of kitchen and laundry ductwork as well as clean, safe water, ad Gary Nicholls, MD or duct cleaning and legionella risk experts Swiftclean, explains

No matter how healthy your kitchen kitchen extract ductwork must be regularly cleaned in order to remove the grease deposits that arise from cooking People often think that this grease layer must be really thick in order to pose a fire risk However the specification TR19® Grease which governs kitchen extract hygiene issued by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) requires for grease layer to be controlled with in an average of 200 microns This is about half the thickness of an average business card Anything more than this thin layer represents a significant fire risk The only solution to this problem is a reg ular complete removal of the grease layer by specialist TR19® Grease cleaning

A second frequently overlooked fire safety cleaning task is for removal of dust fibre and lint from laundry extract ductwork Tumble dryer fires are surprisingly frequent especially in their extract ductwork The drying process resulting a significant buildup of ductwork deposits which are highly flammable and should be regu larly removed to eliminate the fire risk Cleaning in accordance with TR19® also issued by BESA it s the most

effective way to remove these

their work is off site

Chris Wakefield Managing Director UK & Ireland GOJO Industries Europe Ltd comments: We know the key to increasing hand hygiene compliance is to ensure that the right products are available in the right places at the right time We are constantly innovating to keep people and places healthy This means formulating products that are not only effec tive at killing germs but that won’t irritate hands that must be repeatedly cleaned throughout a shift ‘Ensuring that the products are available when and where they are needed be that personal bottles of hygienic hand rub or dispensers positioned in optimal locations And last but not least developing solutions with the environment in mind For example from 2023 we plan to move to RPT refills; all collapsible refills will be made from recycled materials as well as being recyclable

‘Widely used in the NHS, PURELL® is a trusted brand in healthcare facilities around the world Our solutions encompass fast active, effective formulas that care for skin, state of the art dispensers, and specialist sup port such as the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) accredited training mak ing us the ideal healthcare partner Come and meet the team at IPS 2022 to find out how we can support your facility ’

For a tailored effective total solution for your setting or for more infor mation on the benefits of partnering with GOJO please call +44 (0)1908 588444 email CustomerExperienceUK@GOJO com or visit www GOJO com

If you have a mechanical ventilation system you will almost certainly have fire dampeners installed where the ductwork passes from a side room to a corridor to reinstate the compartmentalisation provided by an internal fire resistant wall Fire dampness comprise a set of steel louvres which normally remain open to allow the flow of air through the ventilation system but which automatically close in the event of a fire to delay it spread These must be 'dropped tested' at least every twelve months, in accordance with BS: 9999, to ensure that they will close if needed Any that fail must be repaired and re tested

Ductwork cleaning and fire dampness testing a specialist task and should be conducted by technicians with appropriate competence and training

TR19® Grease contains advice that property manager should choose as a member of BESA's Vent Hygiene Elite (VHE) scheme to provide these specialist services VHE members like Swiftclean can also provide post clean certificate certification which insurers are increasingly expecting to see, especially in the event of a fire, to demonstrate the property owners or managers compliance with the regulations

Care must also be taken in ensuring that the water system is free from Legionella bacteria

The elderly and those with underlying medical conditions are particularly vulnerable to Legionnaire s Disease the potentially fatal disease caused by Legionella You are legally required to always have a current Legionella risk assessment, which must be updated if there are any changes at all to the water system, owner ship of the property or designated Responsible Person

The water system must be managed in accordance with L8 the approved code of practice issued by the HSE If you need any assistance which with legionella control you should choose a certified member of the legionella control Association to help you Visit www swiftclean co uk for further information and advice

HYGIENE

Introduction of Peracide™ from Sky Chemicals to Doncaster and Bassetlaw NHS Trust

INTRODUCTION

In the transfer of an NHS Trust from one disinfectant to another there are many factors to con sider from ease of use to effica cy against healthcare associated infections (HCAIs) For many years, Doncaster and Bassetlaw NHS Trust (DBTH) used a chlorine dioxide (ClO2) based product as their universal one application quick kill rate disinfection solu tion When the supplier announced it was to cease pro duction they had to find a replacement solution Whilst scoping the market it was found that most trusts were using chlorine based disinfectants or a different brand of ClO2 based disin fectants Most other solutions were complicated in their mechanism or required a cleaning and disinfecting clean (two stage), which would be time consuming Information was sort from the Infection Prevention Society (IPS) to see what products were commonly used throughout the country and this is where DBTH were informed about Peracide™ an in situ peracetic acid (ISPAA) based disinfectant After further discus sion with the company, it was agreed that a trial should take place to confirm the claims of the product The product was introduced to the microbiologist and Director Infection Prevention & Control (DIPC) our Facilities management team and Health and Safety advisor The process of using the product needed to meet the needs of facilities and Health and Safety and the approval of the DIPC that the product had a successful kill rate to reduce HCAIs DBTH did plate assays to ensure its efficacy and when satisfied trialled Peracide on two wards to test its efficacy and ease in use

In recent years, the need for rapidly efficacious high level disinfec tants has increased as HCAIs have become a significant issue HCAIs negatively impact the patient recovery, turnover and average cost by increasing the length of patient stays increasing costs associated with care increasing pathogenic effects and increasing the risk of spread to another patient MATERIALS AND METHODS

As an alternative to a ClO2 based disinfectant Peracide™ was selected Peracide™ is a broad spectrum biocide, reacting to produce peracetic acid in situ which is a high level disinfectant that boasts strong, oxidizing properties Peracide™ is extremely effective against a

wide range of healthcare associated pathogens including spore form ing Clostridium difficile MRSA Norovirus Legionella E Coli Pseudomonas etc and will work to destroy established biofilms Peracide™ is both safe to use and environmentally friendly and is suit able for high level sanitising and disinfecting on porous and non porous surfaces Unlike other disinfectants Peracide™ is minimally affected by organic matter Upon breakdown Peracide™ is completely biodegradable producing carbon dioxide, water, and oxygen

Two side rooms on the same ward were selected The occupants were of similar admissions reasons and neither of which had any alert organisms so did not occupy the room for isolation purposes RESULTS

Cleaning had not been performed on either side room with Peracide™ prior to this test The results show that the ClO2 based disin fectant showed no effect at the intervals measured

From this data, routine cleaning CFU counts with Peracide™ can be predicted Since there were slightly fewer CFUs than the pre clean it can be predicted that Peracide™ will lead to a cumulative effect over time as shown in Figure 2: Predicted cumulative effect of daily cleaning with Peracide

This emphasises the absolute importance of regular routine cleaning and shows that Peracide™ is effective both in short and long term use

DISCUSSION

Overall it was found that the ClO2 based disinfectant was almost entirely ineffective and was not suitable for use There are many possi ble reasons for this It could be a case of error in preparation as the for mulation can be difficult to use correctly, or that the solution was no longer efficacious as there is no indicative mechanism for the user It may also be an issue with the ClO2 based disinfectant in solution ClO2 exists as a gas which readily diffuses out of liquid solution with a diffu sion coefficient of 0 145cm2s 1 at room temperature (Lee Burgess Rubino and Auras, 2015)

On the other hand Peracide™ was considerably more effective and had lasting effect in a high traffic environment Peracide™ coming in a simple tablet form is easy to use is indicative of efficacy and is sta bilised in solution This accumulates to an easy to use visibly effica cious disinfectant with cumulative effect that supports long term infection control

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The results show that there is no cumulative effect of cleaning from the ClO2 based disinfectant as the counts at the end of the day were no different from before or after the clean The ClO2 based disinfec tant showed approximately no efficacy overall In comparison Peracide™ showed good efficacy to begin with and an overall reduc tion prior to the next clean

Thank you to the participants at DBTH for engaging in this trial and to the laboratory team who performed the necessary assays REFERENCES

Lee Y Burgess G Rubino M and Auras

and diffusion of chlorine dioxide

at different temperatures

of

Angloplas Dispensers

It

Peracide

It

Norovirus

E coli Legionella Streptococcus Pneumoniae

C Difficile

Peracide is a powerful

action

where including washrooms kitchens and on any surface including stainless steel and fabrics

is also recommended for use

equipment such as commodes bed frames

It produces no toxic

mobility

products so it s safe for both your users and the environment

Peracide s innovative colour change sys tem makes it easy for users to see when it is active The solution turns purple to show peracetic acid is being generated pink when the solution is ready to use and clear when ready to be disposed of This ensures no solution is wasted or used while inactive

Here are two of our satisfied customers:

“The staff are very happy with it!” Jayne, Ravenstone Care Home

“The

well

Aucklands Rest

Code:

Bunzl

and

Carol Scholey (RGN, BSc (hons)) Liam Grimshaw (BSc (hons) MSc by Research)

The XP range of upright vacuum cleaners from SEBO are ideal for these health conscious times They feature independently proven filtration hygienic dirt disposal using sealable bags and are exceptionally quiet and light to use

Clearly, a vacuum cleaner’s number one task is to clean The XP range harnesses the power of an on board computer to measure performance on the floor and continuously adjust the floor head to the optimum cleaning height completely automatically The power ful brush action pulls the vacuum cleaner forward so that the pushing force required to manoeuvre it is close to zero helping to make it light and easy to use for extended periods but also giving deep cleaning performance The integrated wand and hose mean that cleaning above the floor and reaching into awk ward places is easy The computer can also advise when the bag needs changing or when there is a blockage and the multiple access points and cassette style brush roller make the XP easy to maintain Of course, once dirt is picked up, it is essential that it is retained in the vacuum cleaner and not released back into the air The Health and Safety Executive states that we never assume that any dust is safe and that all uncontrolled dusts are potentially hazardous Virtually all the dust and dirt which is picked up by an XP vacuum cleaner is safely trapped in the high filtra tion bag which can be sealed and hygienically dis posed of The filtration of the XP has been independently tested by the DMT Test Institute in Germany to filter 99 97% of particles of 0 3 micron Above this particle size the filtration level is very close to 100%

Many professionally cleaned facilities operate 24/7 It is therefore not always possible to vacuum when no one is around In these cases low noise levels are imperative Although there are regulations limiting the sound power level that a vacuum cleaner can reach subjectively the sound generated can still be unpleas ant even where the vacuum cleaner meets the regula tions SEBO sound engineers have successfully muted the harsh frequencies to which the human ear is sensi tive This has the result that with any form of back ground noise, the sound from the XP virtually disappears, making it suitable in many cases for day time cleaning Indeed, in any situation where low noise levels are important the XP range is ideal

Last but not least at SEBO we believe that vacuum cleaners should be built to last and should be easily repairable Our vacuum cleaners are built to be durable and reliable; to have a long service life using few replacement parts Component parts are identified with the material they are made from so that they can be recycled more easily when their service life is over

For more details contact commercial@sebo co uk

DEHYDRATION

COMFORTABLE

Revealed: How to Create

Dementia causes the loss of cognitive functions such as memory and reasoning It affects more than 55 million people worldwide with almost 10 million new cases each year Living with dementia can be extremely difficult given that its effects can vary by nature and severity from person to person

Alzheimer s disease, the most common form of dementia, is thought to contribute to 60 70% of cases worldwide Though researchers are working tirelessly for a cure it continues to evade them However there are plenty of ways that we can make life easier and more comfortable for people liv ing with dementia

Print specialists Solopress have taken a look at how you can improve your inclusivity by ensuring your documents posters and signage are optimised for people living with Alzheimer s

KEY FINDINGS:

• Reseach shows that the use of colours can help enhance the memory of people living with Alzheimer’s

Therefore bold contrasting colours can help to properly convey a mes sage but intricate patterns and colours can be confusing Associating different shapes with different deas concepts or decisions within your design can make your message easier for people living with dementia to understand

• Sans serif fonts like Arial in size 14 and above are easiest to read block capitals are not recommended as these can be difficult to differentiate between Pictures can be helpful to ensure your message cuts through Photographs are preferred to drawings or artists versions

Avoid making your signage using reflective materials reflections can be confusing to people with dementia

• By using durable materials you can ensure the long term efficacy of your sign

COLOURS

Known to be one of the most powerful tools of communication colour

CARE

Documents, Posters and Signage

has a huge effect on the human brain and has the potential to trigger emotions and memories In fact academic research has shown that the right colours can help enhance the memory of those living with Alzheimer’s one of the most common forms of dementia

Dementia can affect how a person views colours particularly how they differentiate between certain colours As a result, colours with a high level of contrast are easiest for people living with dementia to digest; for exam ple implementing bright or bold colours throughout the home can help separate objects

With this thought in mind use bold bright contrasting text when designing dementia friendly documents Ease of access comes first so avoid loud patterns and stripes; these designs can be confusing and dis orienting Think simple vivid colour combinations

SHAPES

Dementia affects people in different ways and can even cause halluci nations If your signage or text must differentiate between two distinct ideas choices or options shapes can be a good way to highlight the dif ference between the two concepts

Changing the overall shape of your signage is a subtle but effective way to create dementia friendly print Shapes associated with positive or negative feelings were found to reduce confusion amongst people with dementia, preventing them from becoming confused or lost in hallways containing those shapes

TEXT

Given that dementia can affect one’s vision and ability to understand text any message used in your document must be as easy to read as pos sible Font sizes are crucial to ensure your work is easily readable with at least size 14 recommended If your content contains a lot of information, break it up into reasonably sized chunks so that it is simpler to digest

Dementia experts in the NHS warn against using block capitals as these can be more difficult to read particularly as dementia can cause visual impairments Both upper and lower case letters should be used for read ability as some people living with dementia will be able to recognise the

shape of a word before actually understanding its meaning

Think about how your document will be viewed Alzheimer s Society recommends using sans serif fonts for websites or digital content as they are deemed more readable on screen Staying consistent with your fonts is also helpful multiple fonts can make the interface and content confus ing for someone living with dementia

PICTURES

Pictures can play a vital role in helping dementia patients to communi cate more effectively by encouraging further memory retention Looking at photo albums and family pictures has been proven to play a vital role in engagement for people with dementia reducing feelings of isolation and helping strengthen personal relationships

As a result implementing pictures throughout your work or signage can be a great way to stimulate readers brain functions ensuring that your message cuts through Pictures can be particularly helpful for people with late stage dementia given that word based communication may not be possible Dementia can strip people of the ability to properly read and speak so the use of pictures and images where possible can really help consolidate your messages

Glen Eckett Head of Marketing at Solopress (www solopress com) comments: “Dementia is an awfully cruel syndrome one which has the potential to strip people of their dig nity and personality However inclu sive design practices can go some way towards helping people living with dementia maintain some of their dignity With the above tips, any company can ensure that its resources are accessible and under standable for people living with dementia

Memor y Lane Games - Reminiscence Games To Trigger Positive Memories For Those Living With Dementia

Hi where are you from?

Asking where someone is from is such a common opening question for a stranger and universal small talk

Where we live and where we come from is fundamental to most people s sense of self identity and history and perhaps that’s why it’s a powerful topic in reminiscence therapy

Reminiscence therapy involves simple tech niques to help those with memory loss or dementia to recall their memories This can improve self esteem and provide a sense of fulfillment improve mood and reduce agitation all of which are so valuable in the care of those living with a condition which doesn’t have positive outcomes It’s where the founders of Memory Lane Games started when they decided to make games for their elderly Mums

to enjoy using their favourite old photographs

After quickly realising they were onto something the Memory Lane Games app now delivers professionally curated reminiscence and speech and language activity games across a range of topics such as music film food hobbies and pets All of our games are designed to be frustration free and encourage communication and socialisation, not to test

SIMPLE BUT POWERFUL

Beneath its simplicity the Memory Lane Games app is a powerful tool Carers families and friends are able to enjoy interactions generated by playing the games with those in their care and can even create person alised quizzes using old family photos and create questions such as “Mum where did you go on your first holiday?" or “Where did you get married?”

In addition to our popular free app (available in the usual app stores)

we serve international care home groups with a SaaS platform enabling alerts based on their residents game play: highlighting changes in 7 clin ical data sets which are all game play related and have been established in our RCT Clinical Trial (underway) This data can be used to alert early interventions needed to address potential health issues like mini strokes or urinary tract infections for example

The benefits to users and care homes are immediately evident Improved resident and staff wellbeing improved quality of family visits and a differentiated care home business

If you would like to create a Memory Lane Game for your residents or to find out more about us please get in touch or download the app for FREE from the usual app stores

Helpforcarehomes@memorylanegames com

Encouraging the Independence of Dementia Patients Through Colour and Design

colours make doors easier to see against the neutral tones on the walls In contrast staff areas and supply cupboards should be painted in the same colour as the walls so that they blend in and become less obvious helping to avoid any unauthorised access

Calming colours

For many, dementia can affect a patients’ ‘biological clock’ which means they often get confused when determining the time of day This means they can struggle to understand when it is appropriate to go to bed Incorporating calmer colours in the bedroom area, using blackout blinds, and adding softer golden lighting helps to instil a sense of calm and relaxation and encourages a more stable sleep routine that they can initiate themselves

Hazard perception

Implementing strategic design techniques can heighten the awareness of potential hazards and reduce occupant risk For example, if items such as radiators are designed using stronger colours that contrast against the walls, it will make them more noticeable and reduce the chance of them being walked into or leant against and in turn, minimise burn risk Features such as light switches and signage can also be more easily identified if a coloured border is painted around them

Promoting independence in individuals is essential to instilling a sense of self worth, and the colour and design of a room can play a significant role Here, Dawn Scott at Dulux Trade delves into how care home managers can best plan living spaces to make sure they are as effective and enjoyable as possible for those occupying them

According to the Alzheimer ’s Society, 70% of care home residents are thought to have dementia or severe memory problems It is therefore crucial that care home managers understand how colour and design can support those with the disease and place residents’ needs at the centre of interior designs

occupants’ wellbeing, care and crucially independence Here s how:

Consider colour and contrast to aid navigation

Up to 75% of people over the age of 75 have vision problems As we get older, our eyes become more opaque and this makes it more difficult to differentiate between hues It is therefore essential that contrasting colours are utilised in living spaces as they act as visual cues and ensure there are clear visual differences between surfaces

The Dementia Friendly Colour Palette advises that soft tones are used for main walls, with only small hints of colour to create a sense of calm (think 60YY 83/062, 70YR 75/075, 30YY 68/024 and 70RR 64/034) For feature walls like the front of the living room and kitchen serving areas make sure more saturated colours such as yellows (43YY 74/339), muted purples (70RR 43/104), muted oranges (38YR 40/290) and teals (50BG 19/144)are used to contrast with the lighter main walls as this makes them stand out and draws the eye for maximum visibility

When it comes to doors that lead to regularly used rooms like bathrooms and living spaces, bolder shades should be considered such as navies (52BB 08/128), sage greens (90GY 29/121) and burgundies (54RR 09/276) These

To aid wayfinding further, it’s important to avoid high sheen flooring as this can appear wet or slippery to dementia patients, meaning they may not feel comfortable walking across it Similarly, dark flooring can often be perceived as a hole, and bold patterns or stripes can give the illusion that the floor is not flat or unstable, creating a sense of anxiety amongst those using these spaces The best option is to keep floors plain and ensure that they contrast with the walls and skirting to keep all surfaces easily identifiable

Upholding their autonomy is key, but with so many complex needs, knowing how to sustain dementia patients’ independence can be challenging To help, Dulux Trade together with the British Research Establishment created a Dementia Friendly Colour Palette which aims to bring colour to every room both figuratively and literally

The palette was born out of years of experience in design and a wealth of dementia research and knowledge with partners from Loughborough University and the Halsall Lloyd Partnership also involved in its conception The evidence based design principles it is founded upon assure designers that it is optimised to create an environment that champions

Keeping memories alive

Arguably the most important way of allowing a dementia patient to retain their independence is through involving them in the process It is vital that their living spaces are a reflection of them by surrounding them with décor that inspires a sense of homeliness and nostalgia

We recommend using familiar or favoured colours For example, to recreate the front door of a childhood home by painting their bedroom door the same colour It is also important to include some personal items on shelving near the entrance, such as an old house number, family photographs or ornaments from their home so the resident can quickly identify it as theirs

For more ways to design living spaces for those with dementia, and to find out more about Dulux Trade’s offering for aged care and Dementia, visit:

aged care

Blaucomm LtdTelecommunications & Networks

Blaucomm s Nurse Call Mes i S i (NMS) i the market leading solution to remove the dependency on noisy nurse call panels and pagers through its intel ligent software which deliv ers the alerts straight to the care staff who need them

Care homes are rapidly introducing smartphones for digital care planning and eMar now, the same devices can be used to receive the nurse call alerts they need for the residents under their care Furthermore Blaucomm NMS is deeply linked into Person Centred Software MCM, so call bell data is linked straight to care plans This unlocks a huge ben efit to care homes to enhance the staff performance with how they accept and respond to residents which ultimately promotes better response times and visibili ty for management to audit their performance

The best part is that Blaucomm NMS links into your existing nurse call system we work with all major brands such as Aidcall ARM Courtney Thorne C TEC

ENS Intercall Medicare SAS and TeleAlarm Care operators are con stantly recognising Blaucomm NMS for its relia bility and dependability to their care operations which is why we’ve been chosen time and time again over other solutions

Head of IT Trudi Harrow at WCS Care had this to say about Blaucomm NMS:

“We find Blaucomm is a genuinely fantastic compa ny with a reliable product

We have a range of nurse call systems at different sites and the NMS system integrates to them and allows us to compare response times between sites In addition the integration to Person Centred Software is revolutionary We would highly recommend this to anybody who wants to replace expensive pagers and silence those annoyingly loud nurse call screens! To find out more about Blaucomm NMS visit www blaucomm co uk/healthcare

Medpage Falls Management Products

Medpage T/A Easylink UK have manufactured and distributed fall prevention and detection products for over 25 years We specialise in products for one to one care, or small groups in a Care Home or Hospital Our systems are robust easy to set up and use and have a proven track record in helping to reduce falls in domestic and pro fessional care establishments

How can they help reduce falls?

Many falls occur when a person at risk from falls leaves their bed or chair particularly during the night By detecting an exit from the bed or chair early a carer or guardian gains time to attend and help the person, usually preventing the fall WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE

Medpage supply a diverse range of equipment for detecting bed and chair exit There are for example, simple bed alarms, chair alarms, or multiple use products for combin ing bed and chair monitoring, to allow the person to move from their bed to their chair There are sys tems that use a cabled pressure mat sensor connected to an alarm controller or pressure mat sensors with a self contained alarm transmitter to signal a radio pager Carer alarm notifications can be by a single or multiple user pager or alarm receiver or an external alarm device

You can find out more on the advert on page 2 or at www easylinkuk co uk/product/ product fall detection

Silent Running

Quiet and calm care homes ensure that resi dents are able to live in a more relaxing and pleasant home environment

Similarly carers and staff find that they too benefit from reduced stress when working in a home where noise levels are kept to a minimum There are many environmental factors that can affect those sensitive to their surround ings particularly those suffering from dementia these can be fluctua tions in ambient temperature, light, and of course noise Repetitive and high levels of noise can originate from a number of internal and exter nal sources for example telephones ringing loud conversations in cor ridors and call bells sounding often one of the largest contributors to increasing the levels of stress and discomfort in residents

A published study by the University of Stirling stated that unan swered Nurse Call (Call Bell) alarms can be one of the most common causes of stress in dementia sufferers The University recommends “fit ting call alarms which alert nurses but do not resonate throughout the whole building Alarms can be particularly disconcerting as they may encourage the person with dementia to respond or investigate what the matter is At the very least the loss of sleep will compromise a per

Tranquility in Care Homes

son’s ability to concentrate It can affect their attention levels and capacity to cope as well as being detrimental to their overall state of wellbeing Personal paging systems are preferable to bells and buzzers Modern Nurse Call systems can incorporate a number of methods to reduce their impact in a care home These include zoning whereby there are separate alarm types used depending upon the location of the call In these circumstances dementia suffer ers and those vulnerable to noise can be located in one zone whist less vulnerable residents live in an alternative “zone” Each “zone” can operate different call tones, warning lights or other methods to alert when help is required

Reducing noise levels is essential to create a tranquil envi ronment for residents Pagers have been around for many years are a relatively simple and cost effective measure in reducing the levels of noise and can be added to most Nurse Call systems Smart Mobile Devices are now becoming more commonplace for care home staff and hold a variety of apps for care planning e medication etc Many Courtney Thorne clients are now utilising the “Go” app with their Nurse Call sys tem With the Go app nurse call alarms are delivered imme diately and silently straight to the handsets alerting the individual carers to all Nurse call alarms without creating any general alarm sound and rarely disturbing the rest of the resi dents in the home

Calmer residents ultimately means that staff are less

Lotus Care Technology

Fall Savers

Fall Savers®,

Affordable Fall Monitoring Solutions

of

for over 15 years

FALL SAVERS ® WIRELESS MONITOR Eliminate all cables with our new generation falls management solutions!

Upgrade your falls programme with the latest tech nology from Fall Savers® The NEW Fall Savers® Wireless eliminates the cord between the monitor and sensor pad This results in less work for nursing staff, improved safety for patients and reduced wear and tear on sensor pads Wireless advantages include the ability to use one monitor with two sensor pads simul taneously and support for many new wireless devices

Benefits include:

Safer for patients; less work for staff

Bed and chair pads ava lable

One monitor works

Southern Care Maintenance Ltd

As

Priding

New Partnerships

Person

AND

How The Digital Revolution In Care Is Delivering The Best Outcomes For Residents

Technology is at the heart of the government s new health data strate gy which includes an aim to increase digitisation in social care by 2024 But why wait? At Bupa our digital transformation is already underway Digitisation is essential for the future Technology enables carers to spend more time on the most important part of the job; face to face qual ity care for residents Making processes more efficient with technology offers the opportunity to provide truly personalised care

One example of this is in dementia care where there are many opportu nities to incorporate technology For example Richmond Villages Willaston is a specialist village for people in the early stages of dementia where they re able to maintain a level of independence supported by homemakers At night residents are acoustically monitored and staff are alerted if there are unexpected noises or movement which might indicate someone is unwell or in difficulty

Technology has the power to change how we work in care settings more widely Care staff have always filled out paper notes throughout their shifts including details about medication wellbeing and feedback from the res idents As everyone will know it’s time consuming and inefficient and reduces the time that can be spent talking to residents and building positive long term relationships

But across Bupa Care Services we’ve introduced handheld devices which allow carers to record every interac tion with residents in real time freeing up capacity for real high quality care

It also means that staff can record more detailed up to the minute accurate notes with more information about each resident s mood what they chatted about or what activities they had been enjoying

G-Touch Wireless Care Home Solution

Genee is a UK leading manufacturer of innovative technological solutions Genee plays an integral role across all major industries including health care to support patients residents and staff Having supported Care Homes through the pandemic The G Touch Wireless Care Home Solution is one of Genee s most impactful solutions yet The solution includes; the G Touch Interactive Screen Electric Mobile Trolley and a Wireless Battery Pack Its portability specially designed and simple to use interface as well as its multitude of applications are specifically built for residents and staff in mind

The G Touch Interactive Screen is an engaging resource for residents and staff Available in 55 ’ 65’’ and 75’ the touchscreen itself has durable and toughened safety glass that can be easily cleaned The large screen provides for spectacular viewings of videos TV shows and movies In addition the size of the screen encour ages residents to participate in interactive activities

With built in 2x15w front facing speakers and an HD video conferencing camera provides the perfect com munication tool to video call families, friends, and other care homes With the built in PC and Android 8 0 operating system, the user interface software is easy to use As soon as the touchscreen is turned on, the sys tem loads into a tablet style of multiple icons containing the software and Apps used daily without the need for a PC style login The included software also helps residents with health issues including Dementia and Alzheimer’s

A solution that benefits all! The Electric Mobile Trolley is better suited than a traditional wall mount or trol

By Rebecca Pearson, general manager for Bupa Care Services (www bupa co uk/care services)

Another step change is that this information can be accessed by residents’ families

This helps build up a full picture of what life is like in the home and how their loved ones are doing day to day

There s no doubt that we re all getting more tech savvy, and why wouldn t we utilise it our care settings too? It s what families expect to see and increasingly it will be what our residents expect too

That s why it s so important that we lay the groundwork now But most importantly technology is helping our people get back to what they love Our people tell us they want more time to care That s why they came into this profession So it s up to us to make this happen

Compliance infection control and quality standards will always be top of the agenda Electronic medical records systems are designed to reduce the time it takes to administer medications safely and improve clinical outcomes with a joined up service that all health professionals can access This also makes it easier to refer back to previous notes to look for patterns with residents full medical history available at the touch of a button

All of our monitoring processes are also now stored in our digital quality and compliance solution which has been rolled out in each of our homes and villages It helps our home managers carry out quality monitoring and make swift changes to day to day processes if needed And regulatory partners can also be updated with the click of a button

But it s not just about quality or compliance There are a wealth of games apps and tools designed to support older people while making it fun and interactive For example for those with dementia a memory game app can help enhance the time they spend with loved ones

Ultimately it s the human connection that is at the heart of our digitisation journey As residents adjust to a new life and environment or deal with dementia it’s the people caring for them that bring fun and laughter back into their lives Technology allows us to foster this human connection and ultimately get more out of our time together

ley The mobile trolley can be electronically adjusted by height and offers 90 degree angle adjustment from horizontal to vertical ensuring easy accessibility at different chairs and wheelchair height The four lightweight and strong steel integrated castors include locking brakes for safety

The Wireless Battery Pack removes trip hazards and provides a helpful portable solution Simply add the lightweight battery pack to the trolley and easily move the touchscreen from room to room

The G Touch Wireless Care Home Solution comes with 5 years’ on site warranty as standard with no additional costs Our dedi cated team will bring the equipment to the care home assemble and install the solution and test everything on site We will also support you with free online training to ensure your Care Home gets maximum use of this incredible solution Get in touch via: +44 (0)1902 390 862 sales@genee group com www genee group com

AND SOFTWARE

Monika Primed to Make Care Management Simple

In

With

8

By Keith Hopewell, Director of Operations UK & Europe, Monika (www monika com/solutions/monikaprime/)

medication can be relocated before it loses integrity or be identified for destruction if it has become harmful This can also help identify faulty equipment, preventing the need for expensive repairs Alerts can be sent to any desktop, mobile, or Monika smart handheld PA device, all of which can access Monika’s cloud connected system offsite This is ideal for managers overseeing multiple care homes as it enables comparison between the location helping identify potential staff training opportunities for maxi mum safety

As well as ongoing temperature recording Monika s system can be programmed to send audio and visual hygiene task reminders to staff These tasks are fully auditable with the system recording who has done what and when reducing the risk of human error and miscommunication Staff can therefore spend less time in administration and more time caring for patients

Visit www monika com/solutions/monikaprime for further details or see the advert on the facing page

Cloud Finance Software That is Helping Care Homes Thrive

tal

Intelligent Care Software (ICS)

REAL

Care is was conceived designed built and is managed by nurses registered managers and care home owners The CARE is suite includes care and support care planning platform our policy app with over 200 high quality policies which are updated regularly and which also includes our supervision appraisals and training record apps and our audit app which templates all the essential audits and includes a record of inspection visits

At Care is we can get you started on your journey from paper or another care management system with minimum fuss plenty of support and all for what we believe to be good value for money

With eMAR mandatory training and a complementary care certificate coming in 2022 there has never been a better time to get on board https://careis net or see the advert on the facing page

The CAREAudits System

CAREAudits apps and systems

Ken Newlove director

via an associated company Kern Systems

are now benefitting from management having all the information we need at our fingertips in real time wherever we are

The system allows care providers to audit or check just about everything and manage areas requiring actions (or non compli ances) in it s Web Portal Encrypted date and time stamped evi dence including photos is seamlessly auto attached and recorded in the system

founding

had been developing and deploy ing

the private

Back in 2014 the team had more than 50 years experience in IT and software devel opment as well as having been heavily involved in the third sector with a trustee of three charities a director of a business

involved in the care market and a con sultant in a £10 million

interim CEO and Chair at an adult

Natalie Lawrence at Yorkare Homes says “It’s a paperless sys tem that runs alongside our existing client records system helping to make our whole operation paperless ” CAREAudits ensures management and staff are aware at all times of what needs check ing that it s been checked actions required by whom by when including full resolution management Each CAREAudit also scores the answers so management can monitor improvement Steven Tegart from Talbot Group likes reporting and says I wish all my other systems were as easy to extract data for management reports as the CAREAudits Excel links

The system has over 120 example audits to select from CAREAudits apps are extremely easy to use and care providers can easily add or edit their own audits in minutes ensuring simple management of ever changing requirements App auditors can use CAREAudits with virtually no training it s that simple The Care Auditor s Hands Free Operation guides the user through each audit each question and answer with it s own help text standard answers and standard actions required ensuring that the least skilled operative becomes the care provider’s expert Users can download the app for a free trial and be up and running with the full system in min utes

CAREAudits apps are a part of the Care Plus Innovation Group, Priory Park, Hull, HU4 7DY

Info: visit www careaudits co uk email apps@careaudits co uk or call Ken Newlove operations director on 01482 238887

Staffing Needs with Care Hires

their work

Better cash flow for agencies because of the easier and faster timesheet management

to the

quickly helping your cash flow

to

straightforward but what else? Although we focus on delivering quality rather than solely looking for direct savings because we help streamline the rates

make finding staff and running your business

agencies charge and save your office team so much time, we can still deliver huge

An average of over £8,000 saved per site on adm nistration

Over £1 2 million saved so far on

For just one customer we identified over £500 000 of annual agency savings on top of

and in as little as

amount of money?

a free

Hires

AND

10 Reasons To Go Digital With Electronic Care Planning and Medication (eMAR) Systems

TIME

More time to care

Carers never have enough time to care but going digital can provide more

There are so many time consuming tasks such as writing care notes completing paper assessments filling in charts preparing handovers and countless other administrative tasks

Going digital can automate many of these tasks and enable recording care interactions in real time ensuring nothing is left undocumented and saving time that can be better spent providing care

CONTROL

Better Control

Controlling paper based systems can be an onerous job It generates reams of paper that can easily be lost, copied and, potentially, fall into the wrong hands

Digital care systems are safe and accessible, maintaining the security and confidentiality of your data This is difficult to achieve with paper because sensitive information must be locked away when not in use per GDPR

Furthermore digital allows you to determine who can access and what via permission controls Staff only see what they need to see based on their role

AutumnCare has a number of tools that assist in maintaining security and confidentiality including this lock screen func tionality for use in medication administration rounds!

Additional cost benefits include savings on printing, paper, stationary and confidential waste bin collection These costs all add up very quickly and are enhanced by the savings in the administrative overhead

Furthermore, going digital reduces paper use and the carbon footprint of regular deliveries Therefore, going digital can help you become more environmentally friendly

RISK

Reduced risk

While the delivery of person centred care is paramount, care providers must also provide evidence of the care they deliver, and regulatory bodies actively encourage the use of technology

For example, the CQC states that the care provider should look to embrace technology that helps monitor care delivery During an inspec tion under the Effective key line of enquiry (KLOE) question E1 3 asks

How is technology and equipment used to enhance effective care and treatment delivery and support people s independence?

Digital care plans are the best way to achieve this!

PROTECTION

Protect your business

Social care is a highly regulated industry and going digital can help you safeguard your business With multiple regulatory bodies such as the CQC CIW Care Inspectorate RQIW Local Authorities and Safeguarding Teams not to mention families and the justice system Any of whom can make enquiries or perform inspections at any time and without notice

Going digital makes it easy and efficient to evidence the quality of care you provide In addition as a digital system has a complete audit trail you can be assured the information you are providing is accurate and com plete

COSTS

Costs and environment

The most considerable cost saving that going digital can provide is time While the amount of time saved will vary between service types and roles, this alone makes going digital worthwhile

It is challenging to manage analyse and keep data and there is a lack of security Going digital with your care planning and eMAR can significantly reduce your risk

Manual systems carry many risks

Using inbuilt alerts ensures that nothing is missed whether that s a care plan change or a fall report Using an eMAR will help reduce medication errors and ensure that the 6 Rs are always met

Going digital also allows the collection of data at the point of care which can be analysed to identify trends and risks and demonstrate corrective action

AutumnCare Mobile allows staff to perform clinical assessments and capture notes at the point of care for increased accuracy and care recipient involvement

RETENTION

Improve staf f retention

Staff recruitment and retention remain long standing challenges for the care sector and many factors contribute to the successful retention of staff

Morale is a crucial factor in retaining staff Using electronic care sys tems to change the focus from the administration to the delivery of care helps stage engage more with service users

Additionally providing smart tools like care planning and eMAR soft ware to reduce the administrative burden will decrease staff stress

QUALITY

Improved quality of care

With pre built assessments covering all aspects of health you can get to know your service users intimately

But it’s not just health other characteristics such as emotion, likes/dis likes and how they correspond to a wide range of activities can be record ed

Because any changes can be affected at the point of care updates become a true reflection of the care (rather than a delayed update at the end of a long shift)

This information is then easily accessible by other system users sup porting a personalised care experience

EVIDENCE

Demonstrate quality of care deliver y

VISIBILITY

Improved visibility

Electronic care systems ensure that managers have real time access to notes and information to instantly understand the care provided and help identify changes that need to be made to improve the quality of care

On an electronic care system it is much easier to see what is going on if you are contacted out of hours or on the go A digital system allows you to log in remotely to see what has been happening across the entire care serv ice at a glance

AutumnCare contains a customis able Dashboard to provide Managers with a snapshot of what is occurring across the care service at any point in time

USERS

Happier ser vice users

Last and by no means least going digital can make your service users happier

Digital systems enable you to spend more time caring and less time on administration

There are benefits to happy service users including positive reviews from family and friends, which may help grow your service WONDERING HOW TO GO DIGITAL?

If you re unsure of how to get started in your digital transformation AutumnCare can help!

AutumnCare provides specialist digital care planning and eMAR soft ware enabling providers to migrate to a digital system and providing the foundations for outstanding care We can walk you through what is required step by step as well as provide training and support every step of the way

To realise all of the benefits above plus many more get in touch with us today

Contact Chris Sharman

Email c sharman@autumn

0800

, TRAINING & RECRUITMENT

New Digital Right to Work Checks for British and Irish Workers

Employers will from 1 October 2022 need to adopt new digital right to work checks for British and Irish nationals or revert to cumbersome manual in person checks

It will says Gavin Webster at Vialto Partners (www vialto com) no longer be possible for employers to rely on virtual right to work checks introduced by the Home Office under its Covid 19 concessions for these individuals

The likelihood of inadvertently employing an undocumented worker is very low but the impact could be high If procedures are not properly fol lowed employers have no statutory excuse against employing an illegal worker and could face substantial fines and other sanctions

The Home Office’s right to work guidance was altered in April 2022 to allow digital identification verification for pre employment checks Back then, it felt slightly academic as the government had not certified any providers to conduct those checks Whilst digital certification isn’t mandato ry and indeed it is still possible to conduct physical in person checks the move is designed to give the Home Office and employers the reassurance that checks are well managed

Right to work checks reduce the risk of employing a person who does not have the right to work in the UK for instance where an earlier work visa has expired They are conducted in good time before or on the first day of employment and repeated when work permission is due to expire for example after three years of a Skilled Worker visa When conducted properly and in line with the Home Office s prescribed checks they also give employers a statutory excuse against a civil penalty of up to £20 000 per illegal worker in the event they are found to be employing someone illegal Without them an employer can be fined even if they had no chance of spotting that for instance a UK passport was a fake

While the risk of employing an illegal worker may be no higher for the care sector than others, the risk of detection probably is even where an employer had no chance of spotting a fake document The care sector has always been of interest to the Home Office, more so than other health providers and some other sectors Historically, these checks have typically been undertaken manually and in person imagine being sat with HR

on day one of employment handing over a passport so they can check your face against the photo and then take a dated and certified copy

The global pandemic and resulting changing working patterns have seen right to work checks change Manual checks are no longer available for peo ple with biometric residence permits biometric residence cards or an e visa for example those with pre settled status or a frontier worker permit That means the vast majority of people who are neither British or Irish pass port holders need to be checked against the Home Office online service normally using a share code provided by the prospective employee

For UK and Irish nationals employers are currently still relying on the temporary ‘COVID 19 adjusted right to work checks which allow checks to be conducted via video call as opposed to in person, with original docu ments

That will change from 1st October 2022 however when it will no longer be possible to rely on this concession and the Home Office wishes employ ers to conduct these checks via an authorised Identification Service Provider with accredited Identification Documentation Verification Technology AI TECHNOLOGY

Since April several government certified technology providers have emerged including our own right to work app Many of these platforms use AI technology to scan and read documents together with selfie digital photo graphs of new employees and will automatically record the name and date of birth of the individual pictures and the date of the check Checks can easily be conducted from anywhere in the country Whilst the Government would encourage employers to use an authorised Identification Service Provider with accredited Identification Documentation Verification Technology it is not essential Manual in person checks can continue but for large employers working across multiple locations that will prove cumbersome and time consuming

The use of this technology does require the human touch Employers must satisfy themselves that a compli ant check was conducted, that the person in the selfie is not an imposter, and if names differ, they must establish why for example a recent marriage Checks must be retained for the length of employment plus two years

The Importance of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in the Care Sector

Upskilling and staying on top of best practice and techniques is essential in the Care sector as it directly impacts on safety and standards When you invest in CPD, you re ensuring care workers have the skills, knowl edge, and confidence to carry out their role safely and provide the best possible care Having gained qualifica tions and landed a job in the care industry should be the start of the learning journey rather than the end of it

There is a strong link between CPD and staff retention and motivation CPD is mentioned in the NHS Long Term Plan as a strategy to motivate staff to stay in role and equip them with the skills to advance their professional practice Skills for Care found that 94% of employers with a low staff turnover cited investing in learning and development as one of the main activities contributing to workforce retention

Online learning is now the expectation for learning and development at work

and an affordable and accessible alternative to in person training When you’re looking for online resources,

seek out

reputable provider with endorsements from leading organisations in the sector

a Skills for Care endorsed provider of online CPD short courses and The Care Certificate

course materials are written by industry experts (including care home managers) and cover the knowledge needed for every standard in the Care Certificate and a wide range of CPD topics such as Infection control and preven tion Dementia and communication and Supporting adults with learning disabili ties

Whether you are an owner manager or independent learner please don t hesi tate to get in touch for a free demo of the Care Certificate course and our CPD

uk

on info@lasersys

Key Employment Considerations For Care Home Providers

By Lee Ashwood, Employment Director at Freeths LLP (www freeths co uk)

With

1 NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE

Care homes are often inadvertently paying their staff less than the National Minimum Wage and so leaving themselves at risk of claims for compensation by their staff and of being fined

Whilst the principle of the National Minimum Wage is a simple one that someone who works for one hour is not paid less than a set amount for that hour s work the calculation for determining whether or not someone is paid the National Minimum Wage is complex The issue is compounded as care homes commonly provide their junior staff with an hourly rate of pay equal to or only a little above the National Minimum Wage

The calculation requires an understanding of precisely what constitutes time spent working This can be far more than simply the time someone is rostered on shift and may include for example time spent handing over before or after a shift working while on a sleep in or while receiving training

An understanding of what payments a member of staff is required to make that will reduce their pay when cal culating whether or not they are paid the National Minimum Wage is also required Here payments by staff for their uniforms or training fees for example need to be considered

2 WHISTLE BLOWERS

All care home providers work hard to encourage their staff to make it known when they have identified health and safety issues, have suspicions of neglect or abuse or have any other concerns about the provision of care at their care home

Having made their concerns known and so blown the whistle’, it is widely known that the law states that the staff member may not be subjected to any detrimental treatment as a result of them blowing the whistle’ However, commonly care home providers leave themselves at risk of such a claim as they fail to ensure that the whistle blower s colleagues who may well have taken umbrage do not stop treating their colleague fairly and

People – Our Greatest Asset!

By Amanda Bewert OT (Australia) | Managing Director, Meaningful Care Matters

I hear all too often about the shortage of skilled staff working within the health and social care sector All too often experienced and well thought of team mem bers burnout and leave the service or care sector com pletely This is felt more keenly as it is more than just needing to replace a staff member but it is the loss of that person’s skills abilities knowledge of the organisa tion systems and processes and knowledge about the individual needs of the people who are being support ed and cared for

When organizations and businesses consider their assists usually they list their tangible or fixed assets such as buildings and equipment but it is the human assets (people) that are the most important part of any

with respect

3 FOREIGN LANGUAGES

As care home workforces become more and more diverse, the likelihood of a language other than English being spoken in a care home increases Care home providers want the best for their residents in terms of com fort and safety of course

Sometimes this leads to an enforced requirement by a provider that English is spoken at all times by their care home staff or at least in certain circumstances However the law against discrimination is wide ranging and bans on speaking a language other than English in the workplace can often fall foul of it

4 POOR PERFORMERS

With care homes struggling to recruit and retain staff and care home managers already busy it is often easier to overlook a poorly performing member of staff than it is to deal with them Setting aside the potential risk to the health and safety of residents failing to deal with a poor performer can greatly affect the morale of their col leagues with them possibly leaving as well leading to allegations of there being a difference in treatment and so discrimination

However as employment law does not prevent poor performance being dealt with swiftly and efficiently care home providers have no reason not to act, having first taken advice

5 PART TIME EMPLOYEES

Time and again it is overlooked by care home providers that the law states that part time employees must not be treated less favourably than their full time colleagues because they are part time

This issue comes to light when, for example, care home providers reward their full time employees with addi tional time off, the right to refuse overtime or even the opportunity to choose their shifts In doing so, care home providers put themselves at risk of a successful claim for compensation from a disgruntled part time member of staff

GET IN TOUCH FOR ADVICE

As a specialist lawyer for the Care sector, Lee supports individuals as well as businesses of all sizes including many small medium or well known organisations He is an experienced litigator and provides pragmatic advice based on the objectives of his clients

organisation particularly when considering the health and social care sector WHY ARE PEOPLE THE GREATEST ASSET OF ANY SERVICE OR ORGANISATION?

They are the face of the service Ultimately people within your team are responsible the for the provision of care and services to the people you support They are integral to meeting not only regulatory compliance requirements but are also the face of your service and organisation Engagement = Productivity The more engaged team members are the more productive they are too People who are satisfied challenged and motivated are far more likely to be engaged and committed helping the service and organisation to achieve their purpose and objectives Skills and knowledge While all team members must possess specific competencies and skills related to their role some skills and knowledge are irreplaceable or take many years to develop This includes knowl edge of specific people being cared for and understanding of organisations’ cultures, systems, and work pro cedures

The message of being valued and respected doesn t come from memos sent to staff They watch to see if the leadership walks the talk Lip service can only go so far; management can t just say they value their work ers They must show it in real terms

If we understand that people are our greatest asset then we must ensure that we invest in their health and well being too In turn people who feel valued and appreciated will go the extra mile for the people we care and support, and the organisation

See the advert on this page for further information

Workforce Challenge - The Eden Alternative – A Modern, Proven Model of Care for Staff and Resident Wellbeing

WHY DO THIS?

The Eden model is built on what people say they want, in a Home or a workplace, which therefore attracts residents and team members alike

As an Eden Home builds its reputation upon the quality of life it offers to the people that reside there it follows that occupancy improves

As a programme that empowers staff and focuses on their wellbeing It follows that staff retention improves

With a positive culture a motivated and dedicated workforce It follows that positive innovation becomes more possible sustainable and continuous

demand for services increase it follows that viability improves

As a cohesive cultural progression programme it follows that innovation modernisation and positivity increase

The model is efficient cost effective and the training is delivered by experienced practitioners in Care Homes

Homes are very busy places,

and people can do this at work

The 6 weekly sessions are run online with a work book with links for further optional reading or viewing

should not be a burden to busy Homes, teams

managers

It is however effective

can try without obligation

is designed to make business sense to providers

is designed to enhance viability

designed to support recruitment

retention

is designed to motivate Care teams and is open to any individual to add their

It is a training programme which leads to accredita tion and focuses in detail

7 domains of wellbeing

and is particularly designed to address

programme

In Dire Need Of Experienced Health Care Assistant, Senior Carer Or A Nurse?

Recruitment has the large database of well qualified applicants with experience in the health care industry such as health care assistants, sen ior carers and nurses from overseas We also have an expert team of solicitors for the necessary legal proceedings and advices

JJ?

We have very minimal processing fees

We assist you to get a sponsorship license

Qualified and experi enced candidates from overseas Tel: 01704 808227

uk

uk

An inspiring approach to care

As experienced Care Home practitioners we provide training to care home teams in sustainable innovation and positive leadership that empowers people to embed companionship, partnership working and vibrancy to build enriched quality of life into care homes

Develop a culture of care with wellbeing and positive relationships at its heart, with our 6 week online training programme. Discover how to replace loneliness, helplessness and boredom with wellbeing, companionship, and meaningful activities, in just one hour of training a week

Validated Eden Alternative associates can benefit from continuing support from our expert team

Sign up today and join the care evolution

today on 01626 868192 or visit www.eden alternative.co.uk

Are You A Care Home Owner

Staff Vacancies?

As recently highlighted in the media there are current ly over 100 000 vacant roles in the care sector Some 78% of providers who responded to the exclusive survey car r ed out by the ITV News in conjunction with the UK Homecare Associat on sa d recruit ng carers is the hard est it has ever been Many describe being at a breaking point Out of the respondents, 95% said they are unable to take on all the new clients in need of their help 2 years ago a relative of my friend with care homes in L ncolnshire came to see me He knew I was an immigra tion lawyer He was distraught and on the verge of pack ng it all in The issues?

We can t find the workers nobody wants to work full time as they will lose their tax credits’ ’the Brit sh work force are ust not interested nobody wants to relocate to the sticks to work for us

His plea “Harjap help me ” my solution? ‘have you thought about recruiting foreign workers? Or students already in the UK who are already working part time in the sector? he did it and today h s staffing problems have been solved

So how do we go about doing it?

The UK Imm gration system can be complex but with the right guidance can be navigated to benefit the care sector

In order to recruit foreign skilled workers, whether they are already within the UK or directly abroad your compa ny needs to be regulated by the UKVI (UK Visas & Immigration) This nvolves being licenced by the UKVI so that your business can successfully recruit foreign work ers without fear of being fined or breaching any immigra tion rules set by the UK governments stringent pol cies

Many potential employees are already w thin the UK on various types of visas however and may already be

working part time (20 hours a week) for you in order to work for you they would need to be successfully spon sored by your company through your sponsor licence Th s would involve mak ng a complex application to the UKVI and in essence asking them for permiss on for you to employ the worker full time Once permission s grant ed, you then have the benefit of a full time employee tied down exclusively to your company for at least a 5 year per od This is often referred to as a Work Permit If you wish to employee multiple foreign workers then we would need to conv nce the Home Office to grant you an appropriate allocation under the terms of your licence Under th s licence you can also recruit carers and nurses from abroad

The solution to current staffing cr s s is clearly to recruit foreign workers and it is not as daunt ng as people often make out There are many special st firms of lawyers who can do the whole process for you and you can also save on hefty recruitment fees of employment agencies

If you urgently need staff then you should definitely consider applying for a UKVI sponsor licence n order to employ qualified foreign workers and help your business grow No business should be turning away / down work due to a staffing problem which has a solut on Harjap S ngh Bhangal is a Director at Immigration Specialist firm GLS Solicitors (Global Legal Solutions) and is often seen on Sky News BBC News and is referred to as the “Immigration Guru”

8571

Care Home Finance from Global Business Finance

Care & Nursing Staff Turnover

Imagine a situation where you would have little or no worries about staff walking away and having a team that are very committed to your organisation

HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

By hiring overseas staff through the Sponsorship Licences Government Initiative (We can help you if you don t have a Sponsorship Licence yet)

WHY WOULD THE STAFF BE COMMITTED AND LOYAL?

According to the legal arrangement of their visa (right to work in the UK) all these overseas staff are obligated to stay at your organisation for 3 5 years otherwise they lose their immigration status and are liable for deportation to their country of origin

This makes them committed and legally bound to stay and work with you

PROBLEMS/SOLUTIONS

Someone might say this sounds too good to be true What happens if the staff is not happy? The reality of the matter is that a very small

Eliminated! Commitment

percentage will not work out but that is where we come in

Firstly we preselect the staff that we feel will blend into the culture of your organisation Secondly we will supply you with the tips that ensures a better settlement procedure for overseas staff Finally we are at hand through the continual coaching and mentoring program to identify sticky areas and work with you on getting a mutually benefi cial solutions

WHY WORK WITH US?

Purer Health Care Agency has been specially designed to help reduce the high staff turnover and its associated cost and disruptions as well as help overseas candidates obtain a better economically enhanced life This way we serve a business social and economic pur pose HOW WE DO THIS?

We have conducted a robust background screening conducting Criminal Checks Identity Checks Work Reference Checks and Family History Checks Hence all our staff have been prequalified and have

Five Things To Know About Data Breaches

Data breaches involve unautho rised access or the disclosure of sensitive, confidential or otherwise protected data This may be per sonal information, such as health or financial accounts trade secrets or intellectual property There are cur rently strict regulations in place in the UK to protect data and reduce the risk of a data breach occurring

However there are always exceptions to the rule and busi nesses should be aware of what they need to do if a data breach occurs

higher ”

Increased!

the appropriate qualifications and checks that exceed the required UK standard to safely and effectively function as Nurses & Care Assistants

Here are some more advantages of working with us

No Flights/Travel Obligation

No Accommodation Obligation

1 Week induction and orientation course for all staff (The idea is that from the first day the employee comes to work ready to hit the road running )

Free continuous personal development mapping for all staff

What next

Give us the opportunity to help you eliminate your staffing issues by reaching us on:

T: 0203 287 5125

E: ukadmin@purerhealthcareagency com

W: purerhealthcareagency com

WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT OF A BREACH

James Martin advises that there are a number of things that potential defendants can do in the event of a data breach: While there are actions that businesses can take this will very much depend on whether the alleged breach is accepted or if the allegations are disputed

If there is a breach there is a right to compensation as set out within Article 82 of the UK GDPR The level of compensation will depend upon the circumstances surrounding the alleged breach and the infor mation that has been released The Court will also consider what effect if any the breach has had on the affected party For example a breach related to the sharing of medical or financial records will be regard ed as serious ”

When it comes to actions that can be taken James advises: “In all types of cases due to the complex issues involved, it would be advisable for any Defendants to obtain legal advice at an early stage Where it’s accepted that a breach has occurred, it would be beneficial to try and reach a compromise with the affected party(s) at an early stage to avoid having to incur the costs of dealing with litigation ”

HOW TO AVOID A BREACH

Aisha advises that there are a number of key initiatives that can be put in place by employers to miti gate the risk of a data breach: “Organisations must have in place physical organisational and technical security measures to ensure adequate protection There should also be an emphasis on ensuring employ ees throughout the organisation are trained on what is expected of them when handling personal data and training logs can be kept to document this

GDPR AND PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION

According to Aisha Article 32 of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) outlines and estab lishes the minimum level of security that an organisation must have in place to protect personal data She comments Within this there is a specific emphasis on the ability to protect against Personal Data Breaches which is defined by Article 4 of the UK GDPR Failure to protect against this can attract maximum fines of up to 4% of the annual worldwide turnover or £17 5 million This is dependent upon which figure is

When it comes to the security measures that will enable businesses to control data and how it is shared Aisha adds: Organisations are expected to carry out regular tests of the security measures that are in place to identify any areas of weakness If an area is identified the measures should be updated accordingly

“When acting as a data controller it’s important to note that businesses will remain ultimately liable for any acts or omissions of any processors who are appointed From a due diligence perspective basic checks can be undertaken to ensure that the processor can keep the personal data protected in line with the standard set by Article 32 of the UK GDPR ”

Aisha Akhtar, a Solicitor in the Corporate and Commercial team, and James Martin, an Associate Solicitor in the Commercial Dispute Resolution team, at Blacks Solicitors (www lawblacks com), share their advice on data breaches, and what businesses need to be aware of if a data breach claim is brought against them