The Carer Digital - Issue #132

Welcome to the latest edition of The Carer Digital!

What’s going on with energy costs?

I have to admit I am a bit of a novice on this topic and I have put out an alert today for somebody with a bit more knowledge than me to give us an in-depth analysis on why energy costs are so high if wholesale tariffs are falling

I read this only a few days ago in the Guardian:

Wholesale gas prices have fallen in recent weeks as mild weather and high levels of gas storage in winter has allayed some concerns over future shortages of Russian gas However bills remain far higher than before the start of the energy crisis in 2021, when households were paying about £1,200 ”

Wholesale gas prices have fallen, high levels of gas storage – however, bills remain far higher than before the start of the crisis!

So once again what’s going on?

Wholesale prices are currently at their lowest levels since May last year but prices are still high and the government has announced it will be extending financial support for business for another 12 months from April 1 Apparently the way energy is bought and sold means that any lower rates are unlikely to be passed on until there has been a sustained period of price stability And who gets to decide that?

Social care and support providers have in recent months faced and will face in the future eye-watering increases in excess of 400% in their energy costs both gas and electricity costs, which is simply unsustainable

And as we are all aware, the current energy crisis comes at a time when the sector is experiencing the worst workforce pressures it has ever known A survey I was unaware of until research today revealed that 81% of care homes said they would have to increase fees for residents, between 5% and 15% The care sector is said to be facing "a perfect storm of significantly higher costs squeezed fees and a lack of staff

I was rather astounded that the Chancellor didn t make an exception for social care and an exception keeping current support in place so once again we will be welcoming articles with suggestions on how the government should move forward in supporting the sector

Would draw your attention to our Christmas Hamper competition on pages 12-13 We are sorry we couldn t accommodate all the photographs we were sent but this is a selection of many of the wonderful nominations we received Once again as stated in the editorial we were overwhelmed with so many wonderfully uplifting nominations we tagged on five extra runners-up prizes! Enough to get a bottle of champagne, but a gesture on our part to say “thank you”! These, as we have often said in the past, otherwise unseen stories in social care

demonstrate the dedication time and effort providers and staff take to enhance the wellbeing of the residents

The unsung heroes and it is plain to see in all of the nominations were received and the photographs we have reproduced just how much that hard work dedication time and effort was received with the smiles on residents faces so very well done

And watch out for our next issue and our next competition for Easter!

Following on from last week we would remind you that we are now in media partnership with premier event organisers Draw Events, organisers of The Alzheimer’s Dementia & Care Show taking place at the business design Centre in London March 3 and 4th

As well as media partner The Carer team with also be exhibiting at the show Now in its 10th year The Alzheimer s Dementia & Care Show is the UK s leading event for care providers healthcare professionals families and carers The show features a full conference programme with talks from leading experts carers and those living with dementia alongside professional advice clinics dementia and care exhibitors and unique individual training opportunities you won’t find at any other event

We are also exhibiting the same month at UK CARE WEEK at Birmingham’s NEC and will keep you updated with regional and national care shows we will be exhibiting at, so please do watch this space for announcements of our future partnerships

Tradeshows are a wonderful opportunity to engage with the sector, packed with all the latest innovative products and services, plus seminars by sector experts and organisations plus the most important of all of course feedback from you those in the frontline working on a day-to-day basis

So as I say please do watch out for future announcements and I would urge you to attend as many shows they are rate invaluable insight into the care sector and how it moves forward in the coming years!

One more thing of course please do continue to share your stories of awards and any celebrations fundraising sports events singing and dancing or any other feelgood stories which highlight the dedication commitment and devotion staff display every day improving the well-being of the residents!

And please follow us on Twitter we have hit the magic 10 000 followers we are delighted to say and we want to get that up to 20,000 so please do follow us and encourage as many of your followers in the sector to follow us as well!

I can always be contacted at editor@thecareruk com

Editor Peter Adams

Sector Disappointment at Government's

“Lack of Energy Support”

CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)

The scheme is available to all non-domestic contracts including:

Businesses

Voluntary sector organisations and charities

Public sector organisations such as schools hospitals and care homes Care England, has, however expressed disappointment at the energy bill support which, they say, leaves little financial support for energy beyond 31 March 2023

Professor Martin Green Chief Executive of Care England says: Yet again the care sector has been let down The Chancellor and Health and Social Care Secretary of State continue to talk about their financial awards for the care sector which omits a multiplicity of requirements and conditions attached leaving little to address the cost of living and inflationary impact devastating the sector ”

“In essence, there is no benefit to a care provider under the Chancellor s new support scheme Those who renewed their energy contracts in 2022 are likely to remain with a devastating 250% to 400% increase in energy costs What the government has failed to address again ahead of April 2023 is the additional premia which are not covered by the announced support scheme; energy suppliers add to cover shipping and transportation of gas and electricity on top of daily standing charges and “risks” of customer failure which doubled in 2023 for gas from around 1p to 2p per kWh and increased from around 12p to 25p per kWh for electricity ”

“For an average 50-bed care home the difference is an increase of energy from around £40 000 to over £120 000 per annum Care England worked tirelessly to provide the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy and Department of Health and Social Care a raft of data to evidence the impact energy inflation is having on the care sector yet it appears to have been totally ignored

A care provider who in October 2022 renewed their energy contract would have received a discount off the wholesale energy price for electricity of just under 45p per kWh The same provider will see that discount reduce to 1 96p kWh from 1 April 2023 The same can be said for gas which would have seen a discount of 7 4p kWh reduced to 0 697p kWh from 1 April 2023

PROVIDERS “UNLIKELY TO BENEFIT”

The Chancellor offered a minimal discount off the wholesale price yet those wishing to secure energy contracts cannot achieve anything like the wholesale price which excludes the heavily inflated standing charges on-costs and risk premia charged by energy suppliers Care providers who seek to renew their energy contracts will see no discounts applied until the wholesale price exceeds 30 20p per kWh

for electricity and 10 7p per kWh for gas The current wholesale price for gas is 5 7p and electricity is around 17p per kWh This means that those securing energy currently are unlikely to benefit from any of the government s discounts unless the energy price doubles

Martin Green continues: “When will this government talk to the adult social care sector listen to its problems and act appropriately? When will it sit down and talk about how a correctly funded social care sector can support the NHS with discharges from hospital and reduce A&E admissions? The kickback from government will be that £7 5bn has been injected into social care over the next two years The reality is this; when split between child and adult services, addressing 200,000 new care packages and supporting the early discharge of people from hospital into care to ease the NHS backlog this figure leaves far less than is needed to address the catastrophic inflation experienced in 2022 and the ONS predicted 7 4% inflation for 2023 which becomes worsened now given little to no discount is offered to care providers for energy Social care needs to stop being seen as the problem and engaged to participate as part of the solution

LETTER TO CHANCELLOR

As the energy crisis deepens 95 Charities and non-profit organisations across the UK have joined together to call for more targeted support in the form of a social tariff for the energy market to help older and disabled households heat their homes writing an open letter to the Chancellor Jeremy Hunt MP

New research by Age UK reveals strong support for a social energy tariff amongst the over-60s, with 71 per cent – increasing to 76 per cent of those with a disability – agreeing that a social energy tariff should be available for those who need it most

Age UK, Fair by Design, National Energy Action (NEA) and Scope –are warning today that many older and disabled people their carers and low-income households are facing an uncertain future as they grapple with unaffordable energy bills Age UK s new polling shows that a quarter (24 per cent) of over-60s are living in homes which are colder than they would like them to be rising to 27 per cent for older people with a disability

Collectively they are calling for targeted support to be made available to those who need it most – including those on means-tested benefits disability benefits and Carer s Allowance as well as those missing out on welfare support but still struggling with their bills They are deeply concerned that further price rises and a withdrawal of universal energy support from April 2023 will leave many older and disabled people in a increasingly desperate situation Demand for the Charities’ services is high and they are being inundated with calls from people in dire need, for example those relying on medical equipment

like dialysis machines who are facing a daily struggle to keep their equipment turned on and stay warm and well

POWERING ESSENTIAL MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

Caroline Abrahams Charity Director at Age UK said: Imagine having to choose between staying warm feeding your family or powering essential medical equipment This is the reality for increasing numbers of older and disabled households across the country

Older people are struggling to get by now and that s before another energy price increase comes their way in a few months’ time Many will simply not be able to cope with further price rises and we’re extremely concerned their health and wellbeing will pay the price There needs to be much more protection for those who have no other means of paying such extortionate energy costs The Government must introduce a social tariff for the energy market whilst prices are so high and ensure we never face a crisis like this again ”

Martin Coppack Director of Fair By Design said: We need to make sure vulnerable households are protected from future hikes in energy prices This is why Fair By Design has been calling on the Treasury and the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy to introduce an energy social tariff This would benefit those in greatest need who would no longer be faced with the impossible decision of going without essentials such as food just to be able to heat their homes

“The number of signatories to our joint letter to the Chancellor shows there is broad consensus on what the solution is We urge the Government to make good on its commitment to work with organisations like ours to consider the best approach for those struggling with their bills ”

“STICKING PLASTER SOLUTION”

Report author Matt Copeland, head of policy and public affairs at National Energy Action, says: “For our Fuel Poverty Monitor, we spoke to over a hundred organisations across the UK directly with our clients and polled the general public From this it s clear that the energy crisis is having a profound impact on the poorest and most vulnerable households in society

Whether households are heating just one room for just a few hours a week or rationing the use of their medical equipment the results are completely unacceptable in modern day society So far the UK Government has offered sticking plaster solutions to the crisis

What is really needed is structural change to the energy market We were told time and again that a social tariff is what is needed Today we come together with hundreds of other organisations to say just that The UK Government must urgently prioritise work to implement a social tariff as soon as possible ”

Building Engagement to Drive Innovation and Excellence

Saracen Care offers outstanding care and support services to adults with health and social care needs Its services are provided in supported accommodation or people s own homes and are commissioned by local authorities and the NHS

Konstantin Petrov Saracen s Head of Central Operations, says the company ethos is to strive for excellence and quality in all they do “This is evidenced in our Outstanding CQC rating and being provider of choice and first tier provider with Gloucester and Swindon local authorities he says The care provided supports adults from the age of 18 to over 65 The team specialises in working with people who have complex needs and behaviours that may be challenging

As an organisation it believes in empowerment and maximising an individual’s potential providing choice increasing independence and ensuring a safe and secure setting

We drive innovation and creative thinking in a constant aim to improve and better ourselves and our practices”, says Konstantin “Our goal is to help people live their best lives

Saracen Care currently supports around 65 individuals with a care team of 150 to 180 Many of the individuals we support require more than one carer each day,” Konstantin says

But our aim is to deliver a service that s tailor made to assist people to live independent and fulfilled lives to make people happy in their environment and over time empower them to do more for themselves

He adds that although there is a constant demand for the provider’s services Saracen Care is committed to focusing on what it does well “We specialise in individuals with learning and physical challenges and mental health conditions We try to find the right space for the person and we focus on what people can do not what they can’t ”

He said that in line with the Government’s commitment to promoting supported living over residential care when possible Saracen Care aims to bring people back into the community “This shift drives inclusion for people who should never have been kept away in the first place,” he says

In a sector that is facing many challenges not least attracting and retaining staff Saracen Care has doubled in size in the last two years Konstantin explains that although it is not one of the UK’s largest supported living care businesses by far staff retention and creating a feeling of belonging for all employees is a key part of its success”

To help with its management of policies Saracen Care chose Quality

Compliance Systems (QCS), the leading provider of content, guidance and standards for the social care sector as its compliance partner

Policies are at the heart of what Saracen does, says Konstantin That s where QCS has been so helpful he added QCS policies are well structured and the people behind them are passionate show a deep understanding of what the policies are there for and provide a clear framework The QCS team are people we like to work with

He explains that: “QCS provides us with clear, well-structured and thorough policies and procedures that are accessible to employees in a user-friendly fashion at all times The system also keeps up to date with the latest legislation

“We have visibility how employees engage with key policies, and if they have read and signed them This permits us to have a better understanding in terms of compliance and the way policies are received across the business ”

Although Saracen Care installed QCS compliance management system over three years ago, it wasn t until Alex Turner joined as Quality Assurance Manager 18 months ago that the provider realised it wasn t using the system to its full potential, which he has since addressed

According to Alex the major difference QCS has brought to the team is the ease of policy review “Previously only the management team had online access to QCS policies To allow other team members to view them they would be downloaded from QCS uploaded to another system and then printed off for staff to read and sign – obviously not very efficient

“Now, all staff can access QCS content either online or via the QCS App which is extremely user friendly and allows access 24/7 from anywhere This has saved us a lot of time and paper It also allows us to easily track staff involvement and progress to see how long our staff are engaging with our key policies This gives a much better understanding regarding compliance relating to policies and how they are received

“We have put a lot of time and effort of how we want the system to run For example we have built engagement with policies and the reading list on the QCS system into our employee’s job descriptions

But what has been really positive it that we now get feedback from staff about the policies, which never happened before – which proves that the QCS system is building engagement

Konstantin adds that: “Connectivity with staff and keeping them informed is very important to us and QCS allows us to do exactly that Employees awareness and access to policies and procedures is key to driving quality of service delivery across the business

We can now keep our staff up to date with all policy updates and changes, which enables them to feel empowered with knowledge and contributes to the company s retention strategy

When Konstantin and Alex met Lindsay Rees, QCS Head of Content, they started a dialogue about moving forward We now have regular conversations with Lindsay and the QCS development team ” says Alex “This engagement with QCS has helped us understand how the system can help us and where we can improve

Lindsay says that, after Saracen Care s feedback, QCS better understands their difficulties and is actively engaged in an ongoing relationship

She explains that QCS exists to provide best practice guidance to its customers and support them to provide outstanding care for the people they care for To do this successfully we need to understand what people find useful and what challenges they are experiencing to ensure that the content we create is tailored to what they need Feedback is fundamental to our success

According to Konstantin Saracen Care sees the relationship with QCS in the long term and aims to take it to another level We are working with QCS to drive innovation and for the QCS application to connect and work in sync with other key systems we use he explains

“We want to look at learning and development embedding QCS into the journey of our employees and developing more of a ‘smart use’ where we can see trends at a click of a button

He says he sees the relationship with QCS as collaborative and is looking at working together to improve not just the quality of Saracen Care’s service, but the care system as a whole

The ease of use built into the QCS application has been a huge benefit Moreover the close working relationship with the team at QCS has helped us improve the system not just for us but hopefully for other care providers too he says

“It’s a great system and we are excited about working together, in a partnership that will positively impact the care sector

Lindsay says Saracen Care is a dynamic and exciting provider who is driving innovation in the sector and clearly committed to providing outstanding care ” For further information on QCS visit www qcs co uk

Tony 23

and

Watched

‘impeccable

Tony

Speaking of his day Tony said: It was so nice to return to my hometown for a day that centred around appreciating everything that’s been made possible due to the sacrifices of those before us It was a very informative and humbling experience to spend the day with Princess Christian’s residents and families I really enjoyed exchanging life stories with some remarkable individuals as I don t often get the chance to hear stories from the past To accompany the local veterans for a day of remembrance and hear first-hand about their wartime experiences serving our country, was something I’ll never forget ”

Commenting

experience Tony said: It s been an unforgettable

least Serving as one of Her Majesty’s pallbearers was the greatest honour of my life and was made even more special by the fact that it was an experience shared by only seven other people across the globe To be honest it still hasn’t sunk in and I don’t think it ever will Rewatching the day unfold at Westminster Abbey and listening to everything that was happening outside the room was probably the first moment where I truly understood the magnitude of the day ”

A former pupil at Holmesdale School Snodland Kent Tony joined the infantry regiment more than three years ago and recently married his long-term partner Hayley Resident Liaison at Nellsar who accompanied him during the service

Christian Care Centre said “As with every year it was a very special day for everyone connected with Princess Christian Care Centre and the wider Woking community Our staff and residents were delighted to be joined by Tony who knows first-hand what it means to serve in the line of duty Tony is a remarkable individual and our residents loved chatting with him and exchanging stories – even our resident cat made herself comfortable on his lap!

“It was something that our staff and residents have long been looking forward to and were well prepared to make wartime displays and wreaths using poppies while sharing and celebrating the medals of residents who were active in the war An afternoon of poignant reflection was followed by tea and cakes before we enjoyed our resident singer Vick performing some great songs including a moving performance of The Last Post on the trumpet All in all the day was an overwhelming success I d like to thank Tony, Saj and Jonathan for playing such an influential role in bringing a smile to our residents faces ”

A Surrey care home welcomed one of Her Majesty s pallbearers to hear and reflect on the wartime memories of its veteran residents and share his experiences from one of the most historical events in modern history

Lance Corporal Tony Flynn of the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards visited Princess Christian Care Centre part of the Nellsar group to hear and reflect on the mix of poignant and uplifting memories of the home s veteran residents who had lived through the Second World War

returned to his hometown following a recent tour of Iraq

was welcomed to the 96-bed care home, originally built in 1914 as a home for wounded soldiers having recently served as a pallbearer during the state funeral of the late Queen Elizabeth II

by billions across the globe

was credited for his

role alongside seven members of his regiment who carried the coffin of Her Majesty before laying to rest the longest-serving monarch in British history on Monday 19th September

on the

few weeks to say the

Tony spent the morning speaking with a host of wartime veterans at the home before being joined by Woking Town Mayor, Saj Hussain and local MP Jonathan Lord for an afternoon of remembrance and reflection

Mario Taherian Registered General Manager at Nellsar s Princess

“The NHS Is Not Sustainable Going

For ward” says Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee Steve Brine MP

The Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee Steve Brine MP has warned that “the NHS is simply not sustainable going forward” without widespread structural reform Speaking in a recent interview with Healthcomms Consulting, part of the PLMR Group, Brine highlighted that in his opinion increasing the NHS budget by an additional £100 billion and increasing the workforce by 25%, still “wouldn’t be enough” to secure the sustainable future of the NHS

Brine who previously served as a Health Minister between 2017 and 2019 was speaking as part of the latest episode of Healthcomms Consulting s From The Frontline podcast In the interview explained how the NHS is facing an ageing population, rapidly rising costs and that a national debate will be required to ascertain how much money [UK taxpayers] want to spend on [the NHS]” and whether “we’re prepared to pay for it

Brine’s comments follow the Government’s recent allocation of £250 million to increase hospital discharges this winter as part of plans to provide additional capacity for emergency care in NHS hospitals While Brine welcomed this additional funding he expressed concern that the allocation of short-term fund-

ing by the Government might detract from funding that is required to implement systemic long-term reform in the NHS

During this interview Brine outlined his view that prevention is the magic key to the sustainability of the NHS for its next 75 years ” He expressed concern that we are always just putting that extra bit of funding in to get over the next bump” and that until the NHS commits more money to preventative measures we will be stuck in this cycle of chasing our tail for the next bit of money

The full interview can be found on the From The Frontline podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

Matthew Spencer, host of From The Frontline and a Senior Account Manager at Healthcomms Consulting part of the PLMR Group said: As our health and care system faces extraordinary winter pressures, constructive dialogue and ambitious reform is more urgent than ever As part of the PLMR group Healthcomms Consulting has been a longstanding champion of health and social care services It was a pleasure to hear Steve’s insights and we look forward to welcoming other experts to discuss solutions to the pressing challenges facing our health and care services on future episodes

Dementia-Arts Partnership Launches Creative Tool to Support Care Sector

An

Little Golden Moments brings together an array of one-to-one and group exercises in music and sound, storytelling, movement and dance and working with clay All have been devised by some of the country’s most acclaimed creatives commissioned by Bluecoat and piloted by Belong for the ongoing research partnership between the organisations Caroline Baker head of dementia and care quality at Belong commented:

Leeds Building Society Partners with Dementia UK to Launch UK Tour Clinics for Families with Dementia

Dementia UK, the specialist dementia nurse charity in partnership with Leeds Building Society is launching free face-to-face Closer to Home clinics to provide life-changing support to individuals and families living with dementia across the UK

The clinics will be held in different Leeds Building Society branch locations over the coming months bringing emotional and practical support to those impacted by dementia through the charity s specialist dementia nurses known as Admiral Nurses

The national tour of face-to-face clinics will offer a safe comfortable and private space for families, carers and friends to discuss any aspect of dementia and receive the specialist support of Admiral Nurses

In April 2020 Dementia UK and Leeds Building Society announced a four-year partnership to raise £500 000 to help over 2,500 families living with dementia across the UK As part of this partnership the innovative Closer to Home project was also launched in June 2021, to improve access to dementia care and support

Through fundraising by the Society colleagues and members the target of £500 000 has now been reached and because of it the charity has been able to develop and deliver the project and enabled families to book a virtual appointment with a specialist dementia nurse Between June 2021 and November 2022 over 3,200 families have been helped through ‘Closer to Home’ virtual clinics held over the phone or video call The face-to-face clinics

will now allow more families to access the services

Paul Edwards Director of Clinical Services at Dementia UK said “We are extremely proud of our Closer to Home’ clinics and have received wonderful feedback from families with dementia who have been supported by our Admiral Nurses virtually Community services have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and lack of funding has meant that families have come to rely on alternative means of support

“With dementia being a huge and growing health crisis and an estimated 944 000 people currently living with the condition in the UK, reaching more families has never been more urgent We are really looking forward to delivering face-to-face appointments in branches across Leeds Building Society’s communities We are grateful to Leeds Building Society for showing their continued support and commitment to helping families with dementia

Richard Fearon, CEO of Leeds Building Society, said Dementia UK was voted as our charity partner by our members and colleagues, and we are thrilled to announce that we ve already exceeded the £500 000 fundraising target we set ourselves to support the fantastic work they do

“We are proud to be able to work with the charity to help bring dementia care closer to home We believe everyone who needs the support of a specialist dementia nurse should get one in a safe and secure environment and we are glad to be able to offer space in our network of branches across the UK to allow this

moments they have with those they care for and this will help to bring about more positive experiences ”

Tabitha Moses project facilitator at Bluecoat added We hope Little Golden Moments will inspire creative engagement with people we love and support Each activity has been tried and tested both in-person and on a digital screen – all are dementia-friendly and Zoom-friendly You don’t need to have any arts experience just a willingness to have a go!

arts activities guide designed specially for people living with dementia has launched as part of a collaboration between leading dementia specialist Belong and Bluecoat Liverpool s contemporary arts centre offering an inspiring collection of pursuits to enhance the wellbeing of those who work with it

Robotics Collaborations are Giving Social Care a Boost

By Professor Lynne Baillie, Human-Robot Interaction, National Robotarium (www thenationalrobotarium com)

SUPPORTING PEOPLE TO LIVE IN THEIR OWN HOMES

Technology is being deployed as a result of these closer collaborations to help people with assisted living needs gain greater independence The National Robotarium s Laboratory for Robotic Assistive Living (LARA) is working on the project with Leuchie House, a national charity that provides respite breaks for people living with the long-term effects of a range of neurological conditions, such as motor neuron disease (MND) multiple sclerosis (MS) Parkinson s disease and strokes

Part of the process involves talking to guests at Leuchie House and their carers to find out exactly what they want and need with the National Robotarium s experts then combining robotics and AI to find solutions Helping people to live in their own homes for as long as possible – rather than moving into care homes – is important to help improve people s quality of life, and is also a key part of easing the pressure on the social care system

mated systems to build on existing human-led techniques For example at present care assistants will use repetitive questions to try to stimulate the long-term memories of people living with dementia

The ground-breaking Agent-based Memory Prosthesis to Encourage Reminiscing” (AMPER) project is developing an AI companion that can ask people questions to stimulate storytelling It will learn about individuals memories and experiences so it can offer tailored questions helping to bring each person s memories back to the surface By complementing existing care packages and supporting staff to deliver care that taps into an individual’s emotional needs as well as helping deliver their physical needs the level of patient care is elevated and pressure on the already overburdened support staff can be eased

working on the

vacuuming the

how about seeing robots supporting workers in care homes? While the idea may sound like science fiction devices are already being developed and deployed to help relieve the pressure on hard-working social care staff, while also enhancing care for patients and residents

from the living room

Both robots and artificial intelligence (AI) have key roles to play in supporting our social care system As our population ages the reliance on care homes will only increase That s why health and social projects are at the heart of our work at the National Robotarium a world-leading collaboration in robotics artificial intelligence and autonomous systems that brings together Edinburgh and Heriot-Watt Universities with a wide range of industrial and public sector partners under one roof

One example is to develop technology that can provide support to people after they have had a stroke and to monitor any deterioration in conditions such as dementia By combining sensors and robotics data can be collected over longer periods of time than would be possible through human observation helping to monitor patients and alert carers when a care package may need to be reviewed

As part of the process guests from Leuchie House will be invited to the Laboratory for Robotic Assistive Living to take part in trials of the technology in a realistic home setting A Centre for Enabling Technology has also been opened at Leuchie House’s site to the east of Edinburgh

HELPING PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA TO REVISIT THEIR MEMORIES

Some technology being developed involves deploying AI and auto-

The opportunities created by these sorts of health and care projects extend far beyond the public and private care sectors As well as helping the government agencies and charitable organisations that deliver health and social care these projects will also help to generate an economic boost for the companies that will build the equipment and write the software

Therefore as well as bringing benefits for healthcare patients and social care residents – along with their clinicians and carers – harnessing the potential of robotics and AI will reap rewards for wider society and the economy too From helping to search for survivors following natural disasters through to inspecting offshore wind turbines in hazardous environments robots have the potential to keep humans safe and healthy across a broad range of scenarios

You’ve Got a Friend In Deed at Wymondham Care Home

Residents at Windmill House care home in Wymondham are delighted to be involved with local community organization Friend In Deed Set up to reduce loneliness and promote kindness in the community, the Friend in Deed s little visitors scheme sees parents and caregivers bring their babies and children into care homes to interact with residents

The partnership was formed with Windmill House in December 2022 with Director of Friend In Deed Kelly Lindsay

The little visitor scheme has been taking part every Monday at the Wymondham care home and has seen many new friendships across the generations For residents at the home, the time with the toddlers can help support their emotional wellbeing and provide new social interactions Kellly Lindsay Director of Friend In Deed said: ‘We have been working with Windmill House care home since December 2022 and the initial impact has been fantastic Our intergenerational services help reduce loneliness

Now in its 10th year The Alzheimer s Dementia & Care Show is the UK’s leading event for care providers healthcare professionals, families and carers This is an unmissable event for those wanting to learn from leading experts, find practical advice and support resources help and information develop a better understanding of dementia and further professional skills

The show features a fully accredited CPD conference programme with talks from leading experts, family carers and people living with dementia alongside professional advice clinics, dementia and care exhibitors and unique individual training opportunities you won t find at any other event Held at The Business Design Centre London on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th March, the doors open at 9 30am each day and close at 5 00pm on Friday and 4 00pm on Saturday One-day tickets are from £18 00 online £23 on the door

and promote kindness by inviting babies, toddlers and school aged children into Windmill House and we are already seeing some special friendships flourish By connecting Windmill House to the local community in and around the Wymondham area we are helping to create kinder communities and remind older people in care homes that they are still loved and have significant purpose ’

Fran Annis Wellbeing Lead at Windmill House said: We are overjoyed to run this weekly scheme with Friend In Deed and have seen many fantastic benefits in the residents every time they visit Integrated supportive and kind communities are so important in reducing loneliness and spreading positivity It is a privilege to watch the residents build relationships with the little visitors and their parents; we look forward to many more visits in the future ”

Find out more by the organization by visiting: www friendindeed org uk

For further information and tickets visit www alzheimersshow co uk

At the show - NEW for 2023

Full Dementia Interpreters Course–Training2Care: Free taster sessions are offered to visitors who will have their ability to speak see hear and move impaired to begin to recognise the many forms communication may take for a person living with dementia Only at this event Training2Care are offering individuals the full 1-hour workshop to allow you to experience the complete experiential practical session

Full Virtual Dementia Tour & Training

Experience – Training2Care: As well as free taster sessions this is the only event where visitors can book the complete training as an individual – an 8 minute immersive experience followed by 75 minute de-brief – a must do’ experience for anyone involved in caring for people with dementia

Dementia and Care Matters Theatre: The main theatre hosts keynote speakers on range of topics as well as chaired daily

Question Time panels

Talks Hub: A range of practical talks covering dementia and care topics from professionals and exhibitors

CPD Accreditation: Certificates available to professional attendees

Admiral Nurses & Alzheimer’s Society Advice

Attend Appointments and Seek Urgent Care

as Needed During Latest Strike says NHS

The NHS is asking patients to seek urgent care if they need it during industrial action this week and continue to attend appointments as planned unless contacted to rearrange

Patients should use services wisely by going to NHS 111 online as the first port of call for health needs and continuing to call 999 in a lifethreatening emergency

General practice community pharmacies and dentistry are not impacted by strike action and the public should continue to access these services as needed on strike days

The NHS will contact anyone whose appointment needs to be rescheduled due to strike action If the NHS has not contacted you it is important to attend appointments as planned

This Wednesday and Thursday (18 and 19 January) nurses in some local NHS organisations including NHS trusts are striking but not every

local area is impacted

In all cases priority will be given to those patients with the most clinically urgent health needs

NHS Deputy Chief Nursing Officer Charlotte McArdle said: The NHS has tried and tested methods in place to manage any disruption and has been working hard to minimise the impact for patients

It is important that people continue coming forward for treatment whether it is 111 online for non-life threatening care, making use of your local pharmacy or General Practice or dialling 999 in a life-threatening emergency

While strikes will impact some services in those local organisations taking action NHS teams have worked hard to maintain routine care as much as possible so it is important people attend appointments as planned unless they have been contacted to rearrange

Football Loving Care Home Resident Gifted

AFC Bournemouth Signed Football Shirt

A

Stan

In

football loving resident from Wickmeads care home in Tuckton near Christchurch was recently presented with a very special gift from the team at Care South – an AFC Bournemouth signed football shirt mounted display

played professional football in the 1940s and 1950s for clubs including Brockenhurst FC and Sway FC with his Sway FC teammates winning the cup in 1947/48

2022 Stan celebrated his 100th birthday with a VIP visit to AFC Bournemouth s

Vitality Stadium with Assistant Club Secretary and Club Historian, Neil Vacher During the Second World War Stan was lucky enough to meet Dame Vera Lynn whilst serving out in Myanmar (formerly Burma) and exchanged communication with her and her family in later years Wickmeads Activities Coordinator Hudson who helped arrange the 100th birthday celebrations for Stan was pleased to present him with a mounted display featuring the letters, as well as a newspaper clipping of Dame

Vera’s visit to the troops and photos of her, which really brought a tear to his eye Residents at Care South s Alexandra House Dorset House Castle Dene Wickmeads Fairlawn Elizabeth House and St Ives House care homes along with clients from Care South at Home Bournemouth enjoyed a visit in December to AFC Bournemouth s (AFCB) Vitality Stadium for its annual Christmas coffee morning where Stan was in attendance and enjoyed a morning of tea coffee, cakes, mince pies and festive entertainment provided by carol singers with plenty of singing and dancing Tracey Walker Home Manager at Wickmeads said: “What a wonderful few months it has been for Stan He thoroughly enjoys the visits from the AFC Bournemouth Community Sports Trust team and visiting the AFC Bournemouth Vitality Stadium for various events Stan was delighted with his gift which meant a lot to him considering his background in the football industry It has been proudly displayed in his bedroom ”

Will More Short Term Government Funding to the NHS Assist Capacity?

There has been a significant growth in the older population, a growth in complex needs in expectations and there is a lot of catching up to do from the pandemic The pressures were rising before the pandemic

Today the NHS is stretched beyond belief We know there are huge system challenges, different approaches about what to do, but no easy or quick solutions

Whilst agreement that the status quo is totally unacceptable is universal solutions are seemingly elusive and the Government seems to announce one short term package after another, (which follows the pattern throughout the pandemic) perpetuates uncertainty and inhibits much needed long terms investment

Further to the grant of £500m in the Autumn of 2022 to ease winter pressures it was announced the NHS is being given £250m to buy thousands of beds in care homes” (and hotels by the way) amid a winter crisis (which) aims to free up hospital beds so patients can be admitted more quickly from A&E to hospital wards” Complex guidance with numerous conditions, was issued on Monday 16th January

As for the first tranche of £500m it is not clear what has been achieved thus far Councils are aware of their responsibility but are constrained as successive recent Governments have slashed their budgets Providers will complain that beds are left empty yet it is reported that hundreds of people are dying weekly as ambulances, A & E departments and hospitals are gridlocked

There are GP Nurse and general staff shortages Trainees are moving abroad qualified staff leaving or retiring early to alleviate some of their stress or will work for agencies at better pay to still work in the NHS The challenges in Social care are increasingly included in the newscasting It is appreciated that NHS

Healthcare professionals and commentators see the obvious connectivity and critical interdependency between Health and social care

It is also clear that colleagues in the NHS (as well as Social Care) have gone above and beyond what is reasonable especially over the last few years and this surely deserves recognition

It seems counter-intuitive that with a growing / ageing population our capacity has dwindled Residential bed capacity is now only 418 000 in 2022 down from 570 000 in 1997 more than 25% down (Laing Buisson) Domiciliary care capacity from 2011/12 was also reduced mainly by local authorities as a result of austerity measures despite rhetoric to the contrary (Laing Buisson)

The total number of NHS hospital beds in England has more than halved over the past 30 years from around 299,000 in 1987/88 to 141,000 in 2019/20, while the number of patients treated has increased significantly (Kings Fund)

There are some 165,000 vacant social care posts

There are also 133 400 vacant posts in the NHS

Now, with Covid still continuing to impact, as well as the ‘flu pandemic along with pressure to recover from cancelled appointments and procedures over last 2 5 years we are in a serious and life curtailing crisis

Collaborative working between health and social care is improving but challenged by the intense pressures both elements face not just lack of funding and investment etc but workforce challenges especially post Brexit whilst new GP and Nurse training has been constrained - e g it was reported some 3 000 GP trainee posts were axed by Government last Autumn

Morale in the NHS is seriously affected by the pressures largely imposed centrally The social care workforce is similarly under appreciated

There is much to improve in the way we collaborate between Government Health and Social Care There are also different models of Health and Care systems working well abroad, even in Europe and perhaps there is a lot we could learn from these

Pair of Furr y Friends Visit Leamington Spa Based Home

Residents at a Leamington Spa based care home had a welcome surprise as two Alpacas visited them

Dante and Caya from the Alpaca Pals, who offer up close and personal alpaca experience visited MHA Homewood

The pair spent some time in the home which offers personalised residential care for 50 residents

Residents gave the Alpacas carrots as they made their way through the home and made stops at some bedrooms

Jackie Turner, activity coordinator said:

The Alpacas have visited before and the residents love seeing them

Prior to them coming we encouraged the residents to sit in the lounge and then the Alpacas arrived

“Once they came in the residents lit up and it was a great moment They are really good pets they are well behaved, and the residents really enjoy their company

“Residents were feeding them carrots and they were casually roaming around the home which was great

We had them visit before and have been planning to arrange another visit for a while but due to some circumstances it wasn't possible

“We promised the residents once it was safe to do so we would arrange the visit and since it happened that's all they have been talking about ”

103-year-old Shares Volunteering and Bridge As Her Secret to Long Life At Birthday Celebration

It was a momentous day as care home resident, Lore Lucas, celebrated her 103rd birthday with the help of her family and friends, royalty, and even a local dignitary

To mark the incredible achievement

Lore was treated to a wonderful party at Signature at Elton House in Bushey where she enjoyed a range of delicious food drink and a fantastic birthday cake freshly prepared by the catering team at the care home

Lore also received numerous cards from loved ones as well as flowers and plants as new additions to her much-adored windowsill garden

There was an added buzz as the occasion also represented Lore s first birthday since Covid-related Government guidance on restricted visitation ended she relished the opportunity to celebrate with a wider group made up of her family and friends

To mark such a momentous day Lore and her fellow residents were surprised with a visit from local dignitary the Mayor of Hertsmere Cllr John Graham who stopped by for a drink and a chat Born in Holland in 1920 Lore has lived an extraordinary life She arrived in the UK in 1936 with her mother and sister and lived in London when the Second World War broke out in 1939 As was the case for many people, the war proved to be a defining period in Lore’s life After the conflict started, her father suggested that she her mother and her sister return to Holland so that they could be together as a family For Lore however, she decided to stay in the UK, while the rest of her family returned to Holland as proposed by her father

In this period she found happiness in an unsuspected place meeting her future husband, Ronald in London at a sandbag making party While Ronald was enlisted in the Pioneer Corps the two made sure to stay in touch whilst he was away serving After the conclusion of the war the two married in Glasgow in 1946 where she lived until she moved to Bushey over 70 years later in 2019

During this time she assisted her husband with running his business until he passed away, and was heavily involved in charity work volunteering with the Women s Royal Voluntary Service for over 20 years, and a notable supporter of Jewish Refugee organisations

Her fantastic community contribution was recognised when Lore aged 90 and still volunteering was invited to the prestigious Royal Garden Party at Holyrood House in Edinburgh Accompanied by her son, this was a fantastic moment for both, who thoroughly enjoyed the momentous day

Asked what the secret is for living to such an impressive age, Lore Lucas said:

“It has to be bridge If I could I would play daily but usually I manage to get at least three games in per week It is the food of life and better than any meal! Its not only great fun but helps keep me concentrated and my brain engaged

Speaking about Lore and her birthday celebrations, Karen Fleming, Client Liaison Manager at Signature at Elton House added: We were extremely happy to help Lore celebrate such a memorable occasion We are all thinking of taking up Bridge so as we can also reach a great age like her!”

Geoffrey Cox is a Director of Eden Alternative UK (www eden-alternative co uk) and the Managing Director of Southern Healthcare (Wessex) Limited which he founded in 2001 which has 4 Award winning Nursing homes in Devon

BMA Urges Junior Doctors to Vote ‘Yes’ to Industrial Action

The BMA has urged junior doctors to vote yes to industrial action after a meeting with England’s health and social care secretary Steve Barclay failed to result in meaningful progress from the impasse over pay

Following a meeting with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Steve Barclay about doctors’ pay today Professor Phil Banfield chair of council at the BMA said: Today s meeting with the Secretary of State went as expected The Government wanted to talk about the pay review body and their evidence while we wanted to talk about how that is not enough, and that any discussion about any doctors’ pay must include full restoration

“While this must be the first of many talks about how to do this for all doctors juniors have faced some of the steepest cuts to their pay of any public sector worker over the last 15 years with their pay falling by more than a quarter in real-terms since 2008/9 As a result we risk losing thousands of talented healthcare professionals; four in 10 have told the BMA they are actively planning to leave the NHS as soon as they can find another job The Secretary of State said today that he is committed to the NHS but we re past the point of platitudes now The health service is in a critical state; staff are treating patients in cupboards, crying mid-shift, and not

Surrey Care Home Residents Reminisce Through the Power of Music

Residents at RMBI Care Co Home Shannon Court in Hindhead recently welcomed Terry Owens a performer who has been coming into the care home for the past few months Terry sings a range of songs from the 50s 60s and 70s providing a charming one-man show for residents to have fun together and reminisce about their youth

He also brings roses for the women residing here!” says resident Margo Baxter one of the lucky ladies

Terry’s involvement with the care home did not start with musical shows, however Before becoming a performer

even getting a chance to eat Only today data has shown a dramatic increase in the number of patients waiting more than 12 hours for an emergency admission in A&E – 54 500 in December alone – and ambulance delays have hit their worst-ever response times Years of undervaluing staff has left the NHS without the workforce it needs and stretched to the limit This isn’t fair on staff trying to do their best and certainly not fair for patients who need safe and timely care

The Secretary of State listened to what we had to say and indicated a willingness to work with us, but we need action now If opening the junior doctors ballot opened the door to the longawaited meeting with Government then we can only imagine what a ‘yes’ vote in that ballot will do The ballot runs for six weeks and it is within the Government s gift to avert strike action at the end of it by paying doctors a fair wage In the meantime, the best thing junior doctors can do now is just that and vote yes to taking action yes to standing up for our health service, and ‘yes to protecting patient care If we can head off industrial action, we will, but we must be prepared and ready to act if the Government refuses to address the worsening workforce crisis in health and social care ”

for Shannon Court he was a Committee Member of the Association of Friends of Shannon Court for ten years including being the Chairman The Association of Friends is an independent charity that works closely with the Home supporting Shannon Court s tireless staff members and organising fundraising events to help enhance the lives of the residents

“I sing regularly in care homes and I always found Shannon Court to be one of the very best ” says Terry “Residents are always keen to listen and enjoy my songs They even sing the words with me!

“Solutions Required” for a High Quality and Sustainable Health & Care System

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) the NHS Confederation and the Local Government Association (LGA) have come together to create a report titled Joint vision for a high quality and sustainable health and care system’, on the long-term solutions required to make our health and care system resilient preventative and promoting independence

The report states that high quality responsive preventative and personalised health and care services contribute so much to our lives and society by:

enabling people to live their best lives and be active in their local communities

supporting unpaid carers to continue caring whilst working and living their own lives

offering rewarding skilled employment and long-term careers to over three million people

• bringing together the best of the NHS local authorities adult social care providers public health and the community and voluntary sector to support people to live good lives meet growing needs and expectations of those who draw on care and health services

boosting local regional and national economies by contributing to economic outputs (Gross Domestic Product) as major employers and contracting with local businesses Recent analysis shows that every pound invested in the NHS results in around £4 back to the economy through increased gross valued added (GVA) including through gains in productivity and workforce participation; and that the estimated adult social care sector GVA was £23 6 billion in 2016

However the report warns all of the evidence points to a stark truth our health and social care services are struggling to meet their statutory requirements to provide people with timely safe high quality and effective care and support And despite the heroic efforts of all those working in social care and health without immediate and long-term action from national Government, they will fail to improve, leading to worse health wellbeing and economic outcomes for all of us

The report also acknowledges the “heroic efforts” of the NHS and social care staff propping up the system but says that health and social care will fail to improve without proper funding from the UK

Government

It continues “We are pleased that the government has gone some way to addressing the financial challenges on social care and health in the Autumn Statement by providing more resources over the medium-term to meet inflationary pressures

“But this funding will not address the underlying gaps, market fragility and workforce pressures across health and social care Neither does it provide sufficient long-term certainly for social care and health organisations to invest in different models of care which prevent ill health and promote wellbeing resilience and independence

The three national organisations contributing to the report all agree that a vision for all partners in the health and care system must focus first and foremost on promoting the health, wellbeing and prosperity of our citizens This vision they say is relevant to all of us whether we need care support or treatment now or in the future provide unpaid care for family members work in social care or health or run businesses that contribute to health and wellbeing outcomes

It focuses on • maximising health and wellbeing and preventing or delaying people from developing health and social care needs

redirecting resources so that when people need treatment, and short term support they are assisted to make as full a recovery as possible restoring their health wellbeing and independence maximising independence and wellbeing for people with ongoing heath and/or social care needs by working with them to put in place the care and support that works for them

The report calls on the Government to work with us and to put in place concrete measures to ensure that local leaders can achieve this culture shift now and in the future

To this end we have three key asks – that the Government: invest in prevention and early intervention create the ability to plan for the long term deliver a long-term, fully funded workforce plan that covers health and social care – including the public health workforce

Say Hello to the Winner of the Carer's Christmas Hamper Competition… ...Darbyshire Care!

We are delighted to announce that Darbyshire Care's trio of Plymouth-based Hamilton House, Merchant House and Drake Nursing Home, are the winners of our Christmas Activity competition which we launched to help bring some festive cheer after a rather challenging 2022!

All that we asked was for care homes around the country to tell us about their Christmas celebrations including events activities menus fundraising anything you are doing that little bit different to put a smile on residents faces

That was it!

And much like Afternoon Tea Week in August 2022 you did us proud We were truly overwhelmed the nominations we received, and we were sent hundreds we are delighted to say! (And it did take us some time to plough through them all)!

Once again we are sorry we could only pick one winner, it was a very difficult choice, the nominations were truly wonderful and inspirational, demonstrating the time, effort care and dedication care homes around the country took to make the festive season an extra special occasion!

Since it was so very difficult to pick an outright winner we have added for “runner-up” prizes a small gesture on our part but a way of saying thank you kindly and very well done for the enormous time and effort taken to respond to our competition and a £25 Marks & Spencer voucher is on its way to

• Focus Support in Newbury

• Queens Court Care Home in Buckhurst Hill Essex

• CHD Kings Lodge Care Centre in West Byfleet Surrey

Churchill House in Ludlow (Shropshire)

Thornhill House Barnsley South Yorkshire

So very well done to you all and very well done of course to Hamilton House Care Home in Plymouth and here is a selection of your very special celebrations!

Oh, there was one more thing, we are doing all over again for Easter, so watch out for our Easter Celebrations competition!

And a selection of our other amazing entrants!

Nor folk Lodge, Hunstanton

Thornhill House, Barnsley

CHD Kings Lodge Care Centre

Churchill House, Ludlow

Downs View Care Centre

Ducks Halt, Frinton-on-Sea

Queens Cour t Care Home, Essex

Sweyne Cour t Care Home, Rayleigh

Pennine View Care Home

Longridge Hall, Preston

Mockley Manor

Courageous Leadership Starts with Being More Human

By Lynda Holt, Honorary Professor of Social Leadership and CEO of Health Service 360 (www lyndaholt co uk)

When you re leading in tough times as most of the last few years have been it’s tempting to lean into command and control to get stuff done and to hide your fears and vulnerabilities staying strong for others Sadly, this can cost you dearly, both in terms of your own wellbeing and your connection with your team

Good leadership is that secret sauce that holds people together, creates hope and possibility and allows us to achieve great things despite our circumstances This is not as complicated or as onerous as it might sound good leadership has some pretty basic components most of which come down to being a decent human being Your people may do what they are told, because they have to, but they will remember how you made them feel This will determine whether they trust you, engage with you, and buy into your vision We re talking deep human connection and belonging here people need to feel part of something they need to feel they are contributing or making a difference in some way So how do you do it navigate being human with all the vulnerabilities that it brings and lead other humans on a tricky and sometimes uncertain journey? You start with what you can control – yourself

Using a simple framework helps you to explore and grow The I CARE framework for courageous leadership pulls together five key elements of leadership in health and social care today They are innovation compassion, attitude, resilience, and engagement

INNOVATION

This is about your ability to lead change and solve problems Innovation comes from understanding what good looks like for you and your team then continually moving toward it As a leader you need to pay attention to what is happening by default what people are talking about perhaps complaining about working around or simply ignoring – this might give you a clue about where to focus your efforts Aim to lead innovation, not manage it let your people do that When people contribute and make suggestions they feel part of the change and they commit to the journey too This way it’s owned They are committed to the outcome on an emotional level – they will problemsolve and innovate with you

COMPASSION

We ve talked a lot about compassion compassion fatigue and the human cost of caring – and at an unconscious level we stop hearing things or zone out when it’s repeated often enough We are an innately compassionate species but busy adrenaline-fuelled lifestyles can get in the way Imagine a spectrum with compassion at one end and judgement at the other, compassion connects us, judgement distances us However we are unintentionally judgey about all sorts of things behaviours people and even whole groups of society Judgement is born out of fear – we are fearful of different people, and experiences –judgement distances us in the short term but it also disconnects us and makes it harder to lead Step one to

being compassionate is to take a judgement detox Take a look at where and of whom you are judgemental Being a compassionate leader has four stages – paying attention to what is going on – for you and others seeking to understand empathy and helping – which is not the same as fixing Your aim as a leader is to connect and enable people, not take over ATTITUDE

This is the thing you have the most control over you choose how and where you show up how you react – so focus your attention here first Do you know what the best version of yourself looks like – if not spend a bit of time answering this question – “Who am I at my best?”

None of us are at our best all the time but when we know what that is we can work towards the behaviours that make us feel good, fit with our personal values and ultimately make us a credible and trustworthy leader

Remember good leaders bring hope and possibility, so create an environment of realistic optimism This is not false positivity or deigning tough realities it is simply focussing on what s possible the good stuff and the value your people add every day RESILIENCE

Resilience is not about toughing it out or constantly doing more with less and it’s certainly not about being the last man standing Resilience is about refuelling and maintenance It s about knowing when you can step up and when you might need to step back

One way to do this for yourself and for your team is to think of your well-being like a bank account Pay attention to what goes in and what goes out and understand that if you spend too much without putting anything in you will finish up overdrawn or even bankrupt and in humans this looks like burnout or becoming physically and mentally unwell

Work out what energises you and what or who depletes you and then make sure you put enough energisers into your bank to stay in an operable range

ENGAGEMENT

This is about how you do what you do and your ability to bring people with you If you want people to follow you you first need to meet them where they are understand or at the very least hear their reality They will tell you what you need to do to make it safe for them to engage

Most people want to feel a sense of belonging at work this comes when you feel seen heard valued and critically proud of the contribution you individually and collectively make So if you want to build engagement and keep tired staff energised and committed work on value the why you do what you do It is this that connects people it is this that gives people a sense of purpose and meaning at work Resist the temptation to micro-manage, and where possible leave the what and how to your people

It s never too late to become the human – or the leader you want to be Your actions and behaviour determine the leader you become, and you have control over these Be courageous enough to stand up for what you believe in to act on what matters to you and to respect where others are coming from Good Luck on your journey

Blues & Brews Initiative

Launched by The Burlington

Shepperton Surrey based care home The Burlington has launched a special initiative to give back, support and say thank you to emergency service and health care professionals in the local community Blues & Brews has been launched so that emergency service and health workers who are often based on the road have a place they can come 7 days a week to take a break grab a hot drink and utilise the facilities and Wi-Fi of The Burlington

Spear headed by Admissions Manager Kirsty Ford Blues & Brews is being launched in January at a time when emergency services and healthcare professionals are under immense pressure

“We are all to aware of the challenges facing emergency services and healthcare workers and we are delighted to bring Blues & Brews to Shepperton 7 days a week anyone working in these sectors is able to come to The Burlington knowing there is a welcoming and comfortable space to relax catch up on any work and enjoy homemade refreshments ”

The Burlington which recently won Care Home of the Year at the Surrey Care Awards 2022, is well known in the local community for its forward thinking and community focused approach Home Manager Emma Dudhee spoke to this point

Blues & Brews is just our small way of saying thank you to all those incredible people who serve our community so passionately As a care home we work closely with many of these services and we are always looking at ways to give back and say thank you We want the community to know that you have a warm and friendly place which you can go to catch up on some paperwork take a comfort break or enjoy a cup of coffee ”

Those attending as part of the Blues and Brews initiative will also receive a complimentary limited edition ‘Burlington Coffee Tumbler” to use on each visit The patterning which has been inspired by designer geometric shapes to ensure they are stylish as well as practical

Residents Help Royal Star & Garter Celebrate 107th Birthday

Residents at the Homes in Solihull, Surbiton and High Wycombe enjoyed live music, dancing and cake as part of the celebrations Royal Star & Garter provides loving compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia

It was established on 14 January 1916 to care for severely injured men returning from First World War battlegrounds following concern expressed by Queen Mary She

charged

from war In Solihull, singers Boogaloo Babes sang an array of classics from the 1930s to the 1960s while residents danced and tucked into birthday cake In Surbiton singer and musician Jason Allen also had residents dancing while in High Wycombe singer and pianist Liza Jaz provided the live entertainment Director of Care Pauline Shaw said: “It was lovely to see the Homes filled with music and laughter as residents helped us celebrate our 107th birthday Our staff take every opportunity to create magical moments for the residents and celebrating our anniversary is a great reason to have fun ”

young

the British Red Cross Society with finding a ‘permanent haven for severely disabled

men returning

Industrial Action is Jeopardising the NHS’

The NHS is being trapped in a vicious cycle brought about by extreme pressures in emergency care ongoing high levels of flu Covid and RSV infection and industrial action which shows no signs of ending

With further strikes starting today and the Royal College of Nursing announcing two more dates for nurse strikes in February alongside more expected ambulance walk-outs and the possibility of a junior doctors strike in March NHS leaders are calling on the government to enter a renewed round of talks with the unions or risk further delays to patient care in the weeks ahead

Demand for care in emergency services has been high for weeks with the latest monthly performance stats showing there was record demand of 1 44 million attendances Less than half of major attendances were seen within the four hour target In addition, the number of patients who were stuck in hospital despite being medically ready for discharge topped 14,000 beds each day

In order to get onto a more positive track the NHS has to be able to respond to both immediate demand and to reduce the numbers of people in the community who are sick and waiting for treatment It is the combination of extreme winter pressures plus disruptive and ongoing industrial action that is putting at risk the NHS attempts to break out of this vicious cycle With no sign of an end to the dispute on the horizon NHS leaders fear that there will be a cumulative impact with each additional strike day, with more operations and outpatient appointments having to be rescheduled This risks slowing the NHS down in making further headway when it comes to reducing long waits for treatment and improving efficiency

To date NHS England data shows that more than 5 000 operations and 30 000 outpatient appointments have needed to be rescheduled across strike days If this week’s nursing strikes matched the same level as December then we are likely to see more than 4 500 additional cancelled operations and 25 000 more cancelled outpatient appointments That would take the total to around 10 000 cancelled operations and more than 50,000 cancelled outpatient appointments

This is a source of frustration for NHS leaders as they recorded one of their most productive months in November The latest figures showed the waiting list dropped by more than 27,000 patients in November, with more than 70 000 more patients coming off the waiting list compared to the same month in 2019 This was achieved before the spike in demand for emergency care and before strike action began The figures for December and into January have yet to be published but are expected to reflect these additional pressures

We re now in the sixth week since strike action began and appear no closer to a solution At the same time, the NHS continues to grapple with extreme pressure on its emergency care services and it is having to

reschedule operations and outpatient appointments due to the strikes We’ve been saying for weeks that the strike action couldn’t have come at a more difficult time for the NHS but we hoped a compromise would be reached by now to bring an end to the impasse All the while this continues the NHS won t be able to break out of the vicious cycle it s in

“There is some pessimism about the current state of the NHS, but local services have been making serious inroads into reducing waiting lists NHS leaders know they face huge challenges in responding to the growing demand they are facing but they need help from the government in bringing an end to the dispute

“If there is no realistic prospect of a solution then we’re facing the prolonged war of attrition between the government and the unions that we’ve been fearing The NHS has coped admirably on strike days but there is a cumulative effect and we must hope that the government and unions can quickly find common ground for the benefit of patients

The good news is that there appears to be desire on both sides to reach a compromise and in the meantime the NHS is working hard with union representatives and others to ensure the most critical services continue to be provided and are minimising disruption But elective procedures and check-ups are still having to be rescheduled and this is doing nothing to help the NHS meet its challenging targets

“Ahead of the next round of strikes, our message to the government is to give the NHS a fighting chance and do all you can to bring an end to this damaging dispute The Prime Minister must not allow the stand-off in the wider public sector to hold back a deal being reached in the NHS ”

Following the NHS recent success in virtually eliminating all two year waits for treatment the next key elective target is that no patient should wait more than 78 weeks (18 months) for treatment by the end of March

The latest data which runs up until the end of November showed nearly 49 000 patients were waiting more than 78 weeks This was down from just under 54,000 in June However, with many more patients due to tip over the threshold between the end of November and the end of March there could be as many as 220,000 patients needing treatment to meet the target to eliminate 78 week waiters

The NHS is doing all it can to meet the target with NHS England writing to trusts last week and asking them to contact all potential 78 week waiters to understand more clearly who is on the waiting list, how serious their conditions are and to ensure patients most in need are seen more quickly

Matthew Taylor added: The NHS has shown what it can do by eliminating two year waits against this most challenging of backdrops The NHS has also been making major inroads into the 78 week target and continues to do so but to further help the government needs to give the NHS a fighting chance by reaching a compromise with the unions and bringing an end to the dispute ”

Matthew Taylor chief executive of the NHS Confederation said:

How Training and Development Can Help

Ease the Recruitment and Retention Crisis

With the care industry not only struggling to recruit new staff but also retain their existing workforce, pressure is mounting to find solutions to the growing staffing crisis Here, Rob Bright, CEO and Founder of Cloud Assess (www cloudassess co), explains why effective training and development mustn’t be overlooked when it comes to attracting onboarding and retaining employees

THE CURRENT CRISIS

The skills shortage in the care sector is a growing national crisis and is only set to intensify According to Skills for Care, roughly 627,000 additional care staff will be needed by 2030/3 in order to meet demand

The recruitment challenge in the care sector is not a recent problem although it is one which has been accelerated by the pandemic due to a rise in employees reconsidering career options and lockdown restrictions disrupting essential training However with the situation only set to worsen without intervention, employers are under huge pressure to transform the way they train recruit and retain care workers to attract vital new employees and keep existing teams engaged

USING TRAINING AS A SOLUTION ENGAGING THE EXISTING WORKFORCE

Up until now, too much focus has been placed on recruitment as the primary solution to the growing skills shortage This of course has its place However the importance of retaining current staff cannot be overlooked In order to do this engaging the existing workforce has to be a priority

One effective tool for boosting engagement is upskilling Investing in employee development offers employers a tangible way to demonstrate their commitment to staff and their progression, which increases job satisfaction and loyalty Plus it offers an opportunity to fill skills gaps with talent that s already within the business

EFFICIENT ONBOARDING

For new employees, prioritising effective training at the onboarding stage can have a hugely positive effect on the retention productivity and morale of new staff – all of which are vital for both care workers and for those they provide care to In fact employees who say they had exceptional onboarding experiences are 2 6 times more likely to be extremely satisfied in the workplace, according to research carried out by Sapling

Those that invest time and resource into training new starters effectively from day one will reap the rewards with high-performing efficient and happy staff something that is more vital now than ever before

PRIORITISING EFFECTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES

However simply offering training is not enough It must be impactful if it is to make a real difference to an organisation and its people

In order to deliver effective training to care staff it s important to recognise the difference between how a ‘desk-based’ worker effectively learns compared to a deskless worker like carers The learning needs to be engaging and have a lasting impact on both new and existing staff and the format of the training plays an important part in this

A hands-on approach to training and assessment is particularly crucial for deskless industries like health child and aged care where practical skills are best demonstrated, practiced, and observed in person This is supported by our research which found that 74% of employees in vocational industries, prefer a face-to-face or hybrid approach to learning with online methods found to be the least popular

Although e-learning tools are growing in popularity due to their perceived efficiency and remote approach they are not ideal for those working on the front-line This is because it is difficult to replicate the kind of sustained, multi-session and hands-on learning that is required to learn practical skills when working alone on a computer

To avoid this, employers should opt for methods which encourage staff to demonstrate they ve absorbed the information and are incorporating it into their day-to-day work

DELIVERING EFFECTIVE TRAINING WITH LIMITED RESOURCES

Clearly employers cannot afford to overlook the importance of effective employee training and development However for short-

staffed industries this can seem daunting

One solution for time-poor organisations is to implement a strategy which amalgamates the benefits of both face-to-face and online learning This will allow employers to take a digital approach to the coaching, planning, training, measuring and assessment aspects of skills development freeing up valuable time and resources which can be spent on delivering in-person training and avoiding staff burnout

The 70 20:10 model is a good rule of thumb for employers who are implementing this type of training strategy The rule suggests that 70% of learning is through experience, meaning practical hands-on learning 20% is through social learning for example a buddy system and 10% is via e-earning

Supporting in-person training with digital tools can also boost productivity improve compliance and ensure consistency which in turn helps the business thrive

SUMMARY

At almost 11% care worker vacancy rates in 2021/22 were double the national average and showing no sign of slowing according to Skills For Care However a careful re-evaluation of how employees are trained forms an important part of the solution Executed well, employee training can help build more productive stronger and happier teams which are equipped to provide the best care possible

Southport Home Creates “Tree of Hope” to Start 2023 with New Beginnings and Positivity

“The

blossom and grow throughout the year

Staff

The

The idea was born following a meeting between the executive team and members of Salutem’s Employee Listening Forum, who are elected representatives tasked with providing a voice for staff

The Salutem CEO made the switch as he took on the job of Steven Gough deputy Manager and personal carer at Oakleigh Lodge in Nottingham which accommodates three individuals living with complex physical needs

Working closely alongside Steve John was able to help prepare the individuals for the day, including supporting them to go out into the community and getting lunch ready

Steve will shortly be welcomed to Salutem’s headquarters in Windsor to try his hand at being CEO for the day

“The purpose of the tree is to look forward and look for ways to celebrate life and encourage living positively

“With the new year comes new beginnings and hope our residents have really liked the idea and there has been some lovely conversations regarding the tree

With the help of staff they have enjoyed taking part in making the tree and adding their own bits to decorate it

When 2023 is over all the messages are going to be put into a book to keep, this will be done as an activity with our residents and our Tree of Hope can begin again next year

“As

Steve

Steve

day

”

John worked very hard and even stayed a couple hours more than he should’ve

I m looking forward to taking on John s role and working alongside members of the executive team in the near future ”

Stephen Gregory a student at the service said: I found John very friendly and good fun

“He was very helpful and was good at what he did ”

John Godden MBE swapped the top job for the shop floor in a new initiative launched by Salutem Care and Education

care organisation which has more than 130 services nationwide has introduced job swapping as part of its wider goal of improving transparency within the company

John Godden CEO at Salutem said: By visiting Oakleigh Lodge I was able to fully immerse myself in all elements of Steve s job

the day went on I was able to better understand the hard work and commitment that is put in by Steve and all the other members of staff who work in the service

and his colleagues were very hospitable and it was a real privilege to meet and spend time with the three individuals at the service

Gough deputy manager at Oakleigh Lodge said It s not often you see a CEO getting stuck in and taking on someone else’s role for the

NHS Delivers 20 Million Flu Jabs as Critical Care Cases Rise

More than 20 million people in England have had their flu jabs as the number of patients in critical care with the virus hits its highest yet this winter new NHS figures show today

Around four in five people aged 65 and over as well as more than three in five of those aged 50 to 64 have had their flu vaccine

Data published shows flu inpatients are still much higher than they have been since the pandemic hit, with 5,263 people in hospital with the virus last week

The number of patients in critical care with flu has risen again to 349, up by around five percent on the previous week

While 20 million people have had a flu jab and more than 17 million people have had a covid booster there are still a number of eligible people who have not taken up their winter vaccinations placing themselves at an increased risk of serious illness

The NHS is still offering protection to thousands of people every day at thousands of sites across the country

NHS Director of Vaccinations and Screening Steve Russell said: The NHS has been able to deliver more than 37 million vaccinations this winter including 20 million flu jabs thanks to the determination and hard work of NHS staff

This has provided crucial protection to the most vulnerable in our society but we are still in the eye of the storm with the highest number of patients in critical care with flu we have seen so far this winter So the message is clear – if you are eligible for a vaccination and yet to come forward I would strongly urge you to join the millions who have already had theirs and book your winter jabs through your GP, local pharmacy or on the national booking service and protect yourselves and your loved ones from serious illness”

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:

It s incredible that more than 20 million eligible people have rolled up their sleeves for their vital flu vaccine Now is the time to redouble our efforts given 5000 hospital beds a day are currently taken up by flu

Those eligible for the flu jab are:

People aged 50 and over

patients and for those who have still to get their jab to now do so “If you are over 50 or have an underlying health condition I encourage you to come forward to get the protection you need this winter and together we can minimise any additional strain on our services We are particularly encouraging pregnant women to have their vaccine as the clinical advice is that this is the best way they can protect themselves and their unborn baby

Our hardworking NHS staff and volunteers are on hand to get jabs in arms and with thousands of sites open, it couldn’t be easier to take up the protection at a time and place that s convenient for you Please join me and over 20 million others and come forward for your jab”

Those eligible for the flu jab include all people aged 50 and over health and social care workers people aged six months and over and considered “at risk” because of another medical condition, as well as pregnant women and kids aged two and three

• Those aged between six months and 49 years with a specified health condition

Some secondary school-aged children

• Two and three-year-olds

Pregnant women

Primary school-aged children

Those in care homes

People who are carers as set out in the Green Book

• Frontline healthcare workers

Frontline social care staff who do not have access to occupational health schemes

• Household contacts of people with weakened immune systems

Care Home’s Christmas Raises Money For ‘Help’ Community Group

During the Christmas festivities

money

Today, Activities Coordinator Karina Dunn had the pleasure of meeting the volunteer team to present the monies raised On behalf of all those who bought raffle tickets and took part in the Name the Ted’ competition we managed to raise an amazing £200 00!

Whilst there Karina saw for herself the good work this charitable organisation and team of volunteers provides A warm and welcoming hall full of tables ready for Brunch awaits visitors With fresh flower displays and napkins the Community Café offers a ‘safe’ place and nutritious meal every Monday to the homeless and those struggling with the pressures of living in today’s society, the elderly and alone who wish to make friends meet others and combat loneliness On the menu today they had freshly prepared; Gammon and Eggs

greeted every one personally with a smile Food clothing and other donations were shared before they sat together to eat The room was alight with chatter and wellbeing

Constantin Ulian, General Manager at Longueville Court said: “We love to fundraise for charities throughout the year we pick different causes to support that have been selected by staff, residents and friends of the home Being local to Orton Longueville the HELP community group are very close to the hearts of all our staff and residents We feel really proud to have been able to raise this money and send enormous thanks to everyone who had fun with us at Christmas and donated ”

The HELP Community Group welcome donations of fresh and store cupboard food items, personal hygiene goods and clean clothing for distribution to those in need to find out more please visit South Grove Community Centre Facebook page

at Longueville Court our residents staff and visitors had fun raising

for their local ‘HELP’ Community group based at South Grove Community Centre in the Woodston area of Peterborough

with Chips The team of volunteers

Minimising Telemedicine Risks to Maximise Quality of Care

Following the global pandemic there is a higher dependence on remote healthcare technologies in care homes collectively known as telemedicine The delivery of healthcare from a distance, such as video appointments or wearable devices that monitor residents wellbeing has increased dependence on robust IT systems While improving efficiency and convenience for healthcare professionals and residents this shift has generated a range of new cybersecurity ethical and legal risks for care homes to navigate

CYBERSECURITY RISKS

Care providers now handle larger than ever volumes of personal and sensitive information that is shared via online channels More data online means care homes are at greater risk of a cybersecurity breach, as networks may be used to gain access to larger healthcare or government bodies and their sensitive information One such incident was the prolonged NHS data breach in 2020 during the height of the pandemic

Between March and August 2020 there was a 6 000% increase in “phishing” incidents and 51 910 signs of malicious activity were notified to the NHS

ETHICAL CONCERNS

Ethics is a key consideration in relation to telemedicine The lack of proximity and face-to-face interaction during service provision can lead to patient anonymity or misdiagnosis A reduction in personal interaction and overreliance on monitoring technology may also impact residents’ wellbeing and increase patient isolation

LEGAL CONCERNS

As it stands the UK does not have specific laws regulating telemedicine technologies so regulatory organisations such as the CQC and GMC have stepped into issue guidance Current guidance provides highlevel principles for remote consultations; however these can be difficult to uphold without the appropriate training or suitable sanctions in the event of poor practice RISK

MITIGATION FOR CARE HOMES

Ensuring policies and systems are in place and that staff are educated and supported to use emerging telemedicine technologies and take advantage of the available regulatory guidelines is essential to manage the evolving risks effectively While this ever-changing risk landscape can seem daunting there are action-

able steps care homes and care providers can take to minimise the risks of telemedicine and use this technology to provide a higher quality of healthcare for residents

1 Establish a robust risk management framework involving stakeholders from across the organisation so potential cybersecurity, legal and ethical risks are highlighted early on Care home leaders can encourage a strong internal risk management culture by promoting transparent communication and sharing information so preventative action can be taken quickly

2 Develop a contingency plan to ensure continued service provision in the event of an emergency Due to the increased dependence on IT systems, back-up generators and alternative servers might be required to continue smooth operation of telemedicine technologies if there is a network service outage for example

3 Offer internal training sessions to enhance the knowledge of cybersecurity and hygiene, and how to operate the implemented technologies safely IT professionals and telemedicine experts should also be readily available to handle any issue that could disrupt the provision of services

4 Encourage transparent and consistent communication between care providers the residents and other relevant individuals, such as the residents’ relatives It is important to inform them about the benefits and risks of technologies and seek their consent for using such technologies

5 Keep up with the evolving legal landscape and regulatory guidelines and requirements to avoid the risk of non-compliance and regulatory scrutiny

6 Build in face-to-face meetings as part of care programs, to avoid barriers between care providers and residents as the level of physical interaction decreases Telemedicine technologies are meant to increase efficiency and quality of care, but not replace human intervention and responsibilities

7 Seek best practice advice from risk management professionals The cybersecurity risk landscape is constantly evolving, and third-party expertise could be required to guide a care home to appropriate risk mitigation mechanisms particularly if employees do not already have the relevant skillset in-house

8 Finally, re-assess your insurance program to ensure it covers all the relevant risks associated with using telemedicine technologies As technology develops and legal cases arise insurers will require even more granular detail such as where remote healthcare providers are based in relation to patients and who is trained to use that technology to effectively insure the changing risks and ensure that care homes are protected in the event of a cybersecurity breach or legal challenge Care homes are a haven for vulnerable individuals Unlike other sectors where the impact of risk is limited to financial loss or reputational damage healthcare consequences extend to individuals' wellbeing and safety Following best practice in risk mitigation will give staff the support they need to harness technology and provide an even greater standard of care

By Flora McCabe, Head of Advocacy and Risk Management – Healthcare, Lockton (www lockton com) – written in partnership with Bayes Business School (www bayes city ac uk)

NHS Confederation Responds to Speculation of Increased Pay Offer for NHS Staff

Responding to the speculation of an increased pay offer for NHS staff Matthew Taylor chief executive of the NHS Confederation said “If we are to believe the reports that the Secretary of State will concede that NHS staff should be offered a meaningful pay rise in response to their cost-of-living pressures, years of stagnated pay, and private sector competition this is a welcome development Clearly NHS leaders would have preferred this signal before any of the strikes took place but it is better late than never

“The single biggest factor that prevents the NHS from clearing the waiting lists as quickly as it would like to and from providing a greater range of services for its patients is its workforce shortages with 133 000 vacancies across the NHS and around 1 in 3 staff saying they were thinking of leaving

“The current NHS budgets are based on a series of assumptions at the

time of the Autumn Statement including around future pay awards This means that local NHS organisations national bodies and the Government would need to look very closely at what the impact of any changes would mean for what they are able to deliver As the Government has said previously adding 1% of pay for the NHS’s nonmedical workforce in England [on Agenda for Change] would cost around £700m extra per year

Health leaders continue to urge the Government and unions to be flexible and find a way of avoiding further industrial action But while we welcome a negotiated solution we also need clarity and honesty about the funding of additional pay awards If the award is not nationally funded individual NHS organisations – already pursuing very challenging efficiency targets – will have to absorb the costs potentially leading to patient services or new projects being scaled back ”

Care Home Resident Taken Back to Childhood by Magic of Pantomime

The

Joyce

She

Joyce

Both

Joyce

Cara

“We

‘magically

The magic of Christmas lasted well into the New Year for Dorset care home resident Joyce Holden who enjoyed a trip down memory lane courtesy of her local pantomime

a resident of Colten Care specialist dementia home The Aldbury attended Cinderella at The Lighthouse in Poole Joyce grew up in Oldham in Lancashire where her father use to write direct and also play the Dame in panto

said: “My dad’s performances were held at Ashton Road Community Congregational Church and I remember watching rehearsals “My dad wore an infamous red wig as the Dame and I used to watch him in wonder ”

was joined on the trip by fellow resident Jean Hands Companionship Team Leader Sue Miles and Colten Companion Cara Duroe Cara said It s no secret that Joyce adores the theatre and has many happy memories of it growing up

so, when she suggested panto we booked to go straight away

show was packed with traditional pantomime fun and plenty of songs magic and laughter But the two ugly sisters undoubtedly stole the show with their outrageous costumes and jokes

Joyce and Jean sat transfixed watching the story unfold laughing singing clapping and of course shouting out when prompted ”

said: I love seeing all of the different costumes My favourites were Doris when she was dressed as a beach ball with a seagull in her hair and Nadine dressed as a deckchair with a crab hanging off her!

continued:

all agreed that Prince Charming was very dashing and loved how Cinderella’s dress changed

from rags to riches becoming a beautiful blue ballgown just by her twirling around “Afterwards Joyce was smiling from ear to ear and thanked us for her trip down memory lane

The Powerful Transition: Adult Social Care Must Prioritise Menopause Support

82% of adult social care workers are female 28% are women aged 55 and over and the average age is 45

flushes, or lack of self-confidence as possible symptoms of menopause

Finally menopause awareness in the workplace is making headway in the national conversation highlighted by the publication of the first all-party parliamentary group report into menopause this autumn The inquiry found that the majority of employers do not have menopause policies in place and called for businesses to drive change following the Women and Equalities Committee report which said employers lack of support for menopausal symptoms is pushing highly skilled and experienced women out of work”

Around 15 5 million women are in varying stages of menopausal transition (perimenopause menopause and postmenopause) in the UK and these women are also the fastest growing work age demographic Considering that vacancies in adult social care have increased by 52% in one year, the highest rate on record, prioritising support for menopausal women to attract and retain them in this sector in particular - where staff are predominantly women aged 40+ - has never been more critical:

The average age for a woman to go through the menopause in the UK is 51 with perimenopause typically starting in the mid-to-late 40s (it’s important to know that some women will start the menopause transition at a younger age than this and some at an older age) 8 in 10 women will experience symptoms, an average of 7 (though not all at one time) usually over 4-8 years (but van be longer - again every woman is different) Around 7 in 10 will find at least one symptom very difficult Unsurprisingly then navigating the journey through the menopause transition can be physically and emotionally challenging Powerful statistics highlight the negative impact this natural part of a woman s life can have on her in the workplace Acas estimates that 2 million women over 50 have difficulties at work due to menopausal symptoms with one third saying they feel they have to hide symptoms while half say they still feel unable to discuss menopause in the workplace

Highly talented, experienced women are suffering in silence at work, or are reducing their hours or leaving their roles entirely A staggering one million women could quit their jobs because of lack of menopause support and 900 000 have already left their jobs because of it

And despite the issue s increasing visibility in recent years there is still a widespread lack of understanding around the range of symptoms that women can experience This is particularly pertinent to those working in adult social care, when the job already takes such a significant toll on mental and physical health The 2021 State of Caring Survey found 25% of carers as a whole said their physical health is bad or very bad and 30% of carers said their mental health is either bad or very bad

As a result, many menopausal women working in adult social care may not even recognise tiredness insomnia anxiety depression hot

Therefore part of the challenge lies in improving understanding of the menopause for all adult social care employers and women working in the industry themselves

It’s more essential than ever that the adult social care sector provides proactive menopause support training and guidance for all staff flipping it from just a ‘woman s issue to one of wider inclusion in the workplace There are plenty of free educational resources out there to support this

Because making a positive difference for menopausal women and catering for their needs will help with productivity talent attraction and retention and avoid the costs of retraining and hiring with the latter as well as ultimately making a positive difference to the services the sector delivers as well as to the lives of the menopausal women working in it

Adopting a transparent, robust and well communicated menopause policy supported by appropriate workplace adjustments will make a positive difference (e g flexible and hybrid working options, free period products menopause leave and workplace uniforms that are more breathable so women can better deal with hot flushes)

Introducing training from experts for all staff as well as launching informal menopause support groups and menopause champions backed by senior leaders, will signal that there is open communication around the issue and help normalise the conversation

Ultimately this is about culture change and so visible, active leadership from the very top of the organisation is a must

Prioritising menopause awareness and education creating a menopause-friendly workplace will not only have a hugely beneficial impact on the sector and its employees but also on the communities it serves There are lots of great, free resources out there to get you started so don t wait to make you re organisation menopause-friendly

Strictly Star Joins Social Care Charity as Ambassador

Strictly Come Dancing star Vincent Simone has been appointed as an ambassador of national social care charity Community Integrated Care

In the past year, the dance legend has drawn on his professional expertise to host numerous accessible virtual ‘Strictly Special’ dance classes for people who access care and support through the charity s awardwinning inclusive activities website www What-ToDo co uk

Through the Strictly Special events professional dancer Vincent shares advice inspiration and encouragement that creates a fun environment for people to get involved, making dreams come true for hundreds of dance fans from across the UK

Featuring on Strictly Come Dancing from 2006 until 2012 and finishing second with pop star Rachel Stevens in the sixth series Vincent spoke about the joy he feels at becoming an ambassador

Vincent said; Working with Community Integrated Care has been a really special experience for me, and I m delighted to now become an ambassador of the charity It’s simply a joy to see all those people supported by the charity loving life and exploring dance as a form of expression

“Sharing my passion and expertise whilst everyone is in the comfort of their own homes was fantastic I see how much these events mean to everyone and now look forward to more opportunities to take part in

further sessions in the future ”

Jenny Robinson a ‘Strictly Superfan and regular dance participant has been ever-present at the Charity s What To Do special online events, proudly wearing her sparkly Strictly outfits dazzling Vincent with her own moves and even awarding Vincent a Strictly 10 score mark

Jenny talked about how much a difference being part of the What To Do’ sessions has made to her life From accessible dance classes where I feel confident to express myself, to the numerous volunteering opportunities I’ve been apart of through Community Integrated Care they have really helped improve my confidence

“I didn’t see many people over lockdown and often felt lonely and isolated You could be having a bad day but when you re dancing or talking and meeting new people online in a safe environment you can often forget about everything that s going on and it can lift your spirits I love to listen to the music and just dance!”

John Hughes Director of Communities and Partnerships at Community Integrated Care said: We are absolutely delighted to have Vincent as one of Community Integrated Care’s ambassadors We saw firsthand the impact that his Strictly Special dance classes have had on the people that we support and we are relishing the prospect of holding further engagements with Vincent in the future

Local Nurse Celebrates 10 Years Of Ser vice with Chorleywood Beaumont Care Home

after year I speak for all of us here at Chorleywood Beaumont when I say that I’m looking forward to many more years of working with Iuliana!” Iuliana said Chorleywood Beaumont is so very dear to my heart I started my career here as a nurse and was promoted to unit manager in late 2014 The residents and team arranged a lovely party to celebrate and I was presented with flowers and gifts We are like one big family I love this home so much, I suggested my husband come and work here to and now he is one of the Chef s at Chorleywood Beaumont Chorleywood Beaumont care home is run by Barchester Healthcare one of the UK s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals Chorleywood Beaumont provides residential care nursing care and dementia care for residents from respite care to long term stays

Helen Normoyle is the co -founder of specialist online health service My Menopause Centre (www mymenopausecentre com)

and has worked with residents and their relatives to ensure that their needs have been met over the years

Jane McFarlane Employee Services Director at Barchester said: “I m always pleased to hear stories about the long service of Barchester staff and am delighted Iuliana has achieved this milestone It is dedication like this that ensures our residents are provided with a happy place to live Ramona Stanciu General Manager of Chorleywood Beaumont said: We re delighted to be celebrating 10 years of loyal service with Iuliana She has demonstrated her dedication and loyalty to this home and its residents year

US Regulator Grants Accelerated Approval for Alzheimer’s Drug lecanemab

The Food and Drug Administration has approved lecanemab, a new drug for Alzheimer s disease for use across the US It’s been less than two years since the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first licence of a new drug for Alzheimer’s disease in a generation But that drug aducanemab became a source of controversy and was not approved for use in Europe by the European Medicines Agency (EMA)

Now, the US regulator has granted a licence for another anti-amyloid drug – lecanemab (known commercially as Leqembi) This is the drug which first made headlines in the UK last September and around which the data is far more clear cut

The ruling means doctors can now prescribe lecanemab to people living in the US with a confirmed diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or early-stage Alzheimer s disease who have appropriate medical insurance or can afford to pay for it directly

This news may Alzheimer s Research say prompt mixed emotions and raise new questions about when the drug might be available here, prompting them to write to Eisai lecanemab s manufacturer calling on them to work with the UK government, UK regulators and the NHS to ensure an evidence-based decision on lecanemab s safety and efficacy can be made as a matter of urgency Eisai is expected to file an application

for marketing-authorisation in Europe by the end of March 2023

Set against this it s also clear that lecanemab can cause side effects which can for some, be extremely serious Decisions as to whether the benefits of any drug outweigh its risks who should or should not be offered treatment and how individuals should be counselled to make an informed decision are vital parts of the development and regulatory approval of all drugs

Looking ahead to what outcome may prevail in the UK, the UK regulators will look independently at the full clinical trial data to ensure that lecanemab is safe, effective and brings real improvements to people s day-to-day lives

Lecanemab gives the research community great confidence that we will one day be able to deliver a range of treatments that tackle different aspects of Alzheimer s as well as other diseases that cause dementia Researchers worldwide, including those funded by Alzheimer s Research UK are working hard to bring these forward There are now more than 140 experimental drugs in clinical testing today and we firmly believe that significant advances in dementia treatments will prevail over the next decade

New Dementia Café Launched in Kings Lynn

activities including arts and crafts games and puzzles for those not attending the talk

Kerri Rasberry Customer Relationship Manager at Amberley Hall Care Home said: Living with dementia can be a lonely experience not only for the person but also the caregiver We want to give people the chance to talk to others in a similar position, who understand what they are going through

while the home s lifestyles team will provide a range of

The lifestyles teams will provide activities that help people living with dementia to use the skills they have give them a sense of purpose and boost self-esteem ”

Closure and Loss of 30 Beds

The closure of a care home in Wales has been labelled an absolute disaster” by the chair of Care Forum Wales

Mario Kreft MBE the chair of Care Forum Wales said the loss of the 28 much-needed beds at Trewythen Hall Care Home in Gresford was a disaster for the vulnerable residents and their families

The home closed its doors just before Christmas after working with Wrexham County Borough Council to find alternative accommodation for the residents

It comes at a time when hospitals like the Maelor in Wrexham are at breaking point because of so-called bed-blocking with patients unable to be discharged after their medical treatment has been completed

As a result there are very few hospital beds available for incoming patients, many of whom have to endure being kept in ambulance outside or on trolleys in corridors for hours on end

Things are so bad that the Welsh Government has been urging hospitals to discharge patients without the usual care packages being prepared – something that has been challenged by the British Medical Association

Domiciliary care providers in Wrexham are also struggling and Care Forum Wales revealed several had handed back their contracts to the borough council because they were not economically viable and a shortage of staff

In a message to families Trewythen Hall which opened in the early 1980s said they had had been forced to shut their doors because they were not able to recruit enough workers

According to Mario Kreft the problems in recruiting and retaining staff were affecting the whole of the social care sector and he feared other care homes would be following suit in shutting their doors

The root cause, he said, was that the fees paid by local authorities and health boards were “unrealistically and irresponsibly low and meant that providers were not able to pay front line staff what they deserved

The upshot was that works were leaving the sector in droves for better paid jobs elsewhere and it was proving incredibly difficult to recruit new staff in their place

The situation had been made even worse by the unprecedented pressures of the pandemic which had left staff exhausted

It was a sentiment echoed in the statement from Trewythen Hall which said:

“Trewythen Hall Care Home service has faced a long-term recruitment challenge since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic which has made staffing our care home consistently to the appropriate levels reliant on agency carers or overtime shifts from our amazing staff

Despite our best efforts to attract qualified carers to the home we have been unable to solve this recruitment challenge ”

Trewythen Hall began expansion and refurbishing works in 2019 to modernise all facilities and bring all the residential care bedrooms to above regulatory size

“Sadly access and material shortages during the pandemic only allowed us to complete a handful of the bedrooms

“In light of the ongoing issues in operating as residential care service in the present environment, we have made difficult decision to close the care service

Mr Kreft said: The closure of Trewythen is an absolute disaster for the vulnerable residents, their families and the staff who have lost their jobs

“We have already seen other care homes in North Wales having to close because of staffing and financial problems plaguing the sector

“We are in the midst of a major crisis at the moment There are no beds for people who need them Meanwhile ambulances are queuing outside with their engines running and the paramedics on board are waiting for many hours to admit people who need hospital care

The situation is going to be exacerbated by the demographics with the ever-increasing number of older people

It s great that people are living long and the over 85 will be doubling over the coming years and that will serve to ramp up the pressure on services which are already at breaking point

“We do not have the provision – both in terms of people and capacity in care homes – to provide social care for them all

These beds are hugely costly to replace and once a care home closes it is highly unlikely that it will ever reopen

The other problem is that if there are any new care homes being built they won t necessarily be within the local communities they are now and we’ll have vulnerable people being shipped out to facilities miles and miles away from their families and friends

“Unfortunately local authorities have been paying lip service to the Welsh Government ‘Let’s agree to agree’ guidance which is essentially a toolkit to calculate sustainable fees that reflect the true cost of providing care instead of the current cloud cuckoo land approach of many councils and health boards

“What we need to do collectively in partnership is use public money wisely

For example it costs a great deal more money to keep somebody in hospital – more than £5 000 a week – than it does to look after them in a care home or provide domiciliary care

Many of the people stuck in hospitals across Wales should not be there and it would be better for them to be in a care home or receiving domiciliary care appropriate to their needs

“It would also be a much better use of cash from the public purse which would free up a huge number of hospital beds and provide a straightforward common sense way of alleviating the current crisis

“But to do that we need to invest properly in social care so that the fees paid to providers match the real costs of care

“That would then also enable us to pay our fantastic front line staff what they deserve, helping to retain the current workforce and attract new recruits to this incredibly important profession

“The current situation does not make any sense at all because the money being spent on keeping people in hospital unnecessarily is being wasted It s a total nonsense

“Apart from the financial considerations it puts those people at greater risk once their medical treatment is completed

One of the problems is that society has not valued these jobs in social care and the chickens have firmly come home to roost

Sadly this is something Care Forum Wales has been predicting for a long time – the truth is that you

Powys Woman Celebrates 100th Birthday

at Plas Cae Crwn care home in Powys the mayor - councillor John Byrne –and two other local councillors for a party to celebrate the big occasion

Marjorie has lived in Newtown all her life, focusing on her career at a local building company where she started as a typist and progressed to contract manger before she retired

She enjoys a tipple of sherry and says that she loves it when the local

stories

Plas Cae Crwn is operated by Shaw healthcare on behalf of Powys County Council and provides residential care for up to 40 people including those living with dementia

school children visit the home Service manager of the home, Nikki Hughes, said “Marjorie has been with us for almost five years so it was lovely to be able to give her the special day she deserves She is a wonderful character and we all love to hear her

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• BIOFROST® Active Dual-Action Cold Gel with Heat Sensation combining cold with heat to treat back pain

BIOFROST® Relief provides instant pain relief and activates body s own healing through an optimal com-

BIOFROST® Active is a dual-action fast-acting cold gel with heat sensation for effective relief of muscular and joint pain Containing 10 natural herbal extracts (i e Arnica, Burdock, Roman Chamomile, Garlic Watercress Ivy White Nettle Pine Rosemary Menthol) BIOFROST® Active relieves chronic pain releases muscular tension loosens stiff joints and effectively treats back pain Benefits of BIOFROST® Active include easier joint movements, effective pain relief in treated areas, discomfort-free sleep, fewer cramps and reduced post-activity muscular and joint fatigue

BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels are usable standalone or alongside other pain relieving therapies (i e medication, physiotherapy, etc ) BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels are suitable for people of any age, including elderly and disabled people living independently or in nursing care

BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels are Class 1 Medical Devices made in Finland Win Health Medical Ltd: T: 01835 864864866 / E: biofrost@win-health com W: www win-health

Sustainable & Cost-Effective Hot Water For Care Homes

tion 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 suited to delivering medical care and assisted living

Fire Doors are an imperative part of fire safety and are considerations of the design and maintenance of any building, but especially residential Article 17 –RRFSO states fire safety provisions (includes fire doors) must be maintained in a suitable condition order

If you are the Responsible Person it s imperative you appoint a competent person to assist in meeting your duties under the fire safety order to ensure fire safety measures including fire doors are kept in working order

Yeoman Shield s Fire Door Services can help to take the guess work out of fire door maintenance by providing fire door inspections condition reports remedial work and fire door installation all carried out by FDIS and/or 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 in the long term financially beneficial by halting 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 prevent 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

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

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

Sustainability comes with a cost Whether in the form of new build projects or and far more likely the refurbishment of existing yet ageing facilities understanding the necessary capital investment operational savings and payback periods is going to be key Addressing the efficiency of domestic hot water (DHW) systems - whether through the implementa-

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 expectation 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 sustainable applications today to get you on the right path towards net zero operation

Visit https://adveco co/sectors/healthcare/ or see the advert on page 15

C&S

Penile Retraction and

Noroviruses: Outbreak Management and Disinfectant Choice

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 planet 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)

A CHANCE TO LEARN FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS

Alongside

of speakers and topics will be announced in the coming weeks

GOJO experts in skin health and surface hygiene were recently exhibiting at the 14th annual Infection Prevention Society (IPS) conference, where healthcare professionals were invited to join GOJO THE INVENTORS OF PURELL - and the hand sanitiser category itself on stand 37!

The team of GOJO Healthcare Support Managers offered support and advice on their total solution approach to infection prevention in healthcare facilities highlighting the company s ability to help hygiene standards across all areas and situations within hospitals and healthcare facilities

GOJO showcased 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 environments 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 incorporating dispensers products accessories and signage as well as training and on-boarding support It also manages installations thereby reduc-

ing the staffing impact of changing suppliers

• COMMUNITY & SOCIAL SERVICES:

These environments often have radically different needs from what are traditionally 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

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 professionals always have products on hand when they are needed – even if 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 effective 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 fastactive effective formulas that care for skin state of the art dispensers and specialist support such as the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) accredited training making us the ideal healthcare partner

For a tailored effective total solution for your setting or for more information on the benefits of partnering with GOJO please call +44 (0)1908 588444 email

By James Derham (BSc (hons)), Liam Grimshaw (MSc by research, BSc (hons))

The Cleaning Show 2023 returns to ExCeL, London from 14-16 March 2023 to demonstrate the very latest advancements in cleaning technologies and provide unmissable learning and sourcing 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 growing list of Europe s leading cleaning suppliers confirmed to showcase their latest technologies 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

enabled dynamic resource applications will transform operations With a focus on creating the Future of Cleaning businesses and organisations 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/

Registration for The Cleaning Show 2023 will open on 1st November 2022 To register your interest to attend

CLEANING, HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL

known as BESA This means that after we ve completed your TR19® Grease compliant clean we can provide certification to demonstrate that you have done everything required of you to protect the users of your premises

There

In the event of a fire, certification will help to demonstrate that you have not been negligent If there should be a fire, and particularly if residents are harmed or negligence is proved, the Responsible Person can face legal proceedings and even if convicted a custodial sentence If you cannot demonstrate TR19 Grease® compliance your buildings insurance provider may also refuse to pay out following a fire

And don t worry about disturbing your residents

ll work with you to establish a time frame to perform your TR19® Grease clean when your kitchen is not being used and your residents are safe elsewhere

CATERING FOR CARE

At It’s Made For You, 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 It’s Made For You are proud to be Gold Sponsors of IDDSI

Our range of meals have been developed

nutritional needs of your patients whilst they follow a

Research

up to 50% of people with dysphagia are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition There could be numerous reasons for this including a reduced appetite or the inability to

of food in

pared It’s Made For You meals can also be a practical time-saver and bring peace of mind to the person with dysphagia as well as their carer

The range includes over 60 tasty dishes including chicken, beef, lamb, fish, and vegetarian recipes We also offer a tasty selection of desserts and breakfast options as well as mini meals for those with smaller appetites Each meal is easy to cook in either the microwave or oven and promises to deliver delicious and tasty mealtimes every time

This festive season It s Made For You are here to help deliver an easy and smooth Christmas Choose from our festive favourites including a Level 4 Puréed Roast Turkey Dinner and a Level 4 Puréed Spiced Apple & Custard Dessert From our Level 5 selection we have a tasty Minced & Moist Roast Lamb and Mint dinner Or if you’re looking for a Level 6 option, why not choose from our best-selling Soft & Bite-Sized Chicken Casserole followed by a delicious Soft & Bite-Sized Jam Sponge & Custard Pudding

large

sitting Our range of classic’ and ‘mini meals’ can help to ensure your patients are getting the most nutritional value from the food they consume The use of pre-pre-

At It’s Made For You, we offer a delivery service that cares, making it easy and convenient for our customers to eat delicious meals which can be delivered directly and safely to their homes This helps them if they cannot leave the house or go to the shops Plus people love to use our service as they can rely on a regular delivery of good quality and safe meals directly to their door by a friendly local Oakhouse Foods delivery driver Find out more at www Itsmadeforyou co uk

Anglia Crown – Adding Warmth to the Colder Months

SUITABLE CHOICES

Are You Up To Date On Food Shortages That May Impact The Catering In Your Care Home?

Everyone’s acutely aware of current labour shortages but what about product shortages that may impact the food you’re offering to your residents? Planning to use products that are in short supply may mean you re faced with even higher food costs

Food procurement experts allmanhall provide some insight to help you plan to mitigate and to tweak your menus if needed

Like all of us, UK farming is being impacted by a multitude of factors, including spiralling costs The NFU has warned of a looming threat to UK food security In particular there’s a risk of product shortages in the following energy intensive sectors:

Eggs - there are 4 9 million fewer hens laying eggs in the UK today compared to 2019 down 13% from 42 7 million to 37 8 million

• Glasshouse grown produce including tomatoes, sweet peppers and cucumber are likely to see production levels fall to their lowest levels on record

Pears - UK pear production is at its lowest level since records began Fears of crops rotting in fields due to a lack of temporary seasonal labour compound the problem

Furthermore UK pork prices are up 40% year on year largely due to high energy high feed costs and reduced herd sizes

This insight can be helpful when planning your menus and how to make the most of already-squeezed budgets For more expert analysis and other useful resources why not take a look at allmanhall co uk

allmanhall are achieving up to 16% food cost savings for Care groups in the UK As well as catering procurement they can help with incontinence products PPE and other frequently bought products For larger items allmanhall can support you by running a tender and ensuring the best value Visit www allmanhall co uk or see the advert below for further details

Supporting People to Eat and Drink Safely

There are a growing number of residents who have Dysphagia a medical condition which relates to difficulty in swallowing solids or liquids The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists describe Dysphagia as: “a serious issue and swallowing difficulties have potentially life-threatening consequences It can result in choking, pneumonia, chest infections, dehydration malnutrition and weight loss It can also make taking medication more difficult Swallowing difficulties can result in avoidable hospital admission and in some cases death It can also lead to a poorer quality of life for the individual and their family This may be due to embarrassment and lack of enjoyment of food which can have profound social consequences

Care homes and care agencies need to ensure they understand the risk and the solutions with clear policies training and diligence to underpin safe care There has been much progress in recent years in this area not least of which is expecting the same standard of choice and food provided to them as for any other dietary need Consideration for malnutrition risk also goes hand in hand with those who have swallowing problems if food tastes change or consumption reduces for nutrient dense foods IDDSI which stands for International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative was a safety framework introduced in 2018 and required to be implemented from April 2019 to help ensure safe food textures It consists of 8 Levels from thin fluid to regular food IDDSI org remains the primary source of information to enable sites to

train and audit against this framework For safe textures to be provided care teams need to know what good looks like and how to assess and support residents safely and to enable catering teams to produce food and drink which meets the IDDSI Levels If a care team member is supporting a person in their own homes they may also need training in food modification or at the very least understand what safe is and how to test safe texture Some care homes or agencies choose to procure or recommend ready modified foods whilst others produce their own food and some chose a hybrid of both Either way food needs testing for safe texture

Supporting people to eat and drink safely is a wider issue affecting all aspects of care from identification of dysphagia through to assessment and support It encompasses the safety of the food and drink describes in the IDDSI framework This entire area requires an understanding of the standards available to meet this as stipulated in the Eating, Drinking and Swallowing Competency Framework (EDSCF), which provides 6 levels of training and competency from basic awareness for non-hands on care or catering teams through to nurse level assessment and support for residents Care homes need to select training and learning opportunities that meets both the EDSCF and IDDSI and as there is no accredited training (although some very good providers) organisations need to identify the best way of training the teams and demonstrating competence and impact which in itself can be hard to judge without specialist help and support from key individuals

Support organisations such as the NACC (National Association for Care Catering) can help care homes and agencies to achieve this area and simple solutions such as the IDDSI app on phones provide a free resource that can help

With

LAUNDRY SOLUTIONS

Facing Soaring Energy

Facing unprecedented energy costs and an increasingly pressing climate crisis care home operators are all aiming to minimise energy consumption According to the Carbon Trust the care sector spends over £400 million on energy each year and after heating and lighting it is irrefutable that appliances are a main contributor to this figure For any care home, laundry is a key service area and one that is absolutely critical to maintaining infection control Thankfully, whereas you can’t turn down the heating in a care environment, or turn off the lighting there are ways in which you can significantly reduce the energy consumed by your laundry function Forbes Professional helps care home operators source the most energy water and user efficient laundry solutions whilst advising on all relevant WRAS and industry requirements When choosing dryers, it is notable that care homes are increasingly turning away from gas appliances due to increasing running costs and safety concerns This is all the more notable now that changes to industry requirements are necessitating considerable investment in order for gas appliances to meet the current standards Forbes would generally recommend that electrical appliances should be the product of choice with heat pump dryers enabling astounding cost and energy savings Miele’s new heat pump commercial dryers are particularly highly rated for their safety functionality and energy efficiency They employ a highly efficient and economical filter system and heat exchanger to keep run times low and enable an energy saving of up to 60% when compared to vented dryers Additionally these heat pump dryers do not require any make-up air

which enables the laundry function to be installed in the basement or in a central location within the care-home and saves on costly vent-ducting Due to the effective interaction of the Miele filter system and the maintenance-free heat exchanger fluff cannot clog the heat exchanger or adversely affect the exceptional drying efficiency

With regards to washing machines only a commercial washing machine will suffice in a care environment as only these machines will meet the WRAS requirements for Fluid Category 5 Forbes recommends using Miele commercial washing machines as they are highly energy and water efficient whilst delivering both thermal and sluice disinfection As an illustrative example based on an electricity cost of £0 34/kWh and three machines being used four times/ day for five years, Miele machines can realise a running cost saving of £9 529 when compared to another industry brand

Auto-dosing equipment also provides a great solution for ensuring that the right amount of detergent is dispensed for each cycle; minimising waste optimising the wash cycle and saving both money and time

Forbes Professional provides a range of options for commercial laundry equipment including auto-dosing equipment as well as Miele commercial laundry machines All of their products are available on a purchase rental or lease basis, with access to a comprehensive service that includes installation, commissioning, usertraining and a multi award-winning repair and maintenance response

Working

combat counterfeiting and grey market activity

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

Fall Savers - Affordable Fall Monitoring Solutions

Features include: Connects directly to most nurse call systems

High Quality anti-bacterial Floor Sensor Pad Large Size Pad Measures (L) 91cm x (H) 61cm Options (sold separately): Anti-slip mesh for hard surface floors See the advert on this page for further details or visit www fallsavers co uk

Medpage Falls Management Products

Care technologies have advanced at an amazing rate over the past decade The digital age is a place where we all live and all use technology as a familiar part of our daily lives At Medpage we have harnessed these advancing technologies into products to support Social Care and Independent Living Medpage brand products are designed to provide affordable user-friendly care support products for domestic and professional care Our new wristband activated door egress alarm is a perfect example of how advanced technologies are transformed into a system to safeguard people prone to wandering Simple to install suitable for single or multiple residents the system allows residents to remain mobile while providing an alert to carers if they attempt to leave the building through a monitored door Further details available at www easylinkuk co uk search Doorwatcher

Medpage have supplied Care, Residential Homes, and Hospitals with fall prevention and detection alarms for more than 25 years From basic bed and chair exit detection alarms to more complex cordless sensor pad systems with nurse call integration, we supply quality systems that deliver cost effective performance

Our new sensor pad controller the MPCSA11 has been included into numerous falls management projects in Hospitals and professional care establishments The system already proven to reduce care costs allows a patient with mobility to transfer from their bed to their chair or to visit their washroom without alarm notifications to carers providing the transfer is completed within a selectable time Failure to return within the selected time will result in alarm notification to carers either by pager nurse call trigger or ward wall mounted alarm receiver

Quiet and calm care homes ensure that residents 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 surroundings particularly those suffering from dementia these can be fluctuations in ambient temperature light and of course noise Repetitive and high levels of noise can originate from a number of internal and external sources for example telephones ringing loud conversations in corridors 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 unanswered Nurse Call (Call Bell) alarms can be one of the most common causes of stress in dementia sufferers The University recommends “fitting 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-

Lotus

stressed also this

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 sufferers 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 environment 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 system With the “Go” app nurse call alarms are delivered immediately 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 residents in the home

Calmer residents ultimately means that staff are less

www.nursecallsystems.co.uk

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

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

PROTECTION

Protect your business

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 complete 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

RISK

Reduced risk

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

RETENTION

Improve

staf f retention

Using electronic care systems 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 software 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/dislikes and how they correspond to a wide range of activities can be recorded

EVIDENCE

Demonstrate quality of care deliver y

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

Digital care plans are the best way to achieve this!

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

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

WONDERING HOW TO GO DIGITAL?

AutumnCare provides specialist digital care planning and eMAR software 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 care Call 0800 009 2121

Website uk autumn care

Virtual Reality Technology Helps Residents Take a Trip To Some Of The World’s Most Beautiful Places

Reminiscence therapy is proving 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 engaging in groundbreaking technological advancements to provide the best care for residents With a vision to create a better everyday life for its residents Advinia continues to explore the ever-present opportunities that technology provides to make life for the elderly more enjoyable

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 encountered 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 involved, particularly during these challenging last couple of years ”

Intelligent Care Software (ICS)

The CAREAudits System

CAREAudits apps and systems evolved via an associated company Kern Systems were Ken Newlove director and founding member had been developing and deploying paperless systems for EPoS and Finance in the private and public sectors since 1999

Back in 2014 the team had more than 50 years experience in IT and software development as well as having been heavily involved in the third sector with a trustee of three charities a director of a business directly involved in the care market and a consultant in a £10 million turnover charity and interim CEO and Chair at an adult hospice

Working in the Care Sector the team recognised in 2014 the sector was becoming overwhelmed with

administration driven by ever increasing legislative compliance requirements and controls and pressurised by ever increasing costs The CAREAudits apps evolved from their desire to give something back to the Care Sector; to develop systems that genuinely reduce costs and increase efficiency as well as improving accountability and quality And above all a system that would be easy to install and use by everyone

THE CAREAUDITS SYSTEM

The CAREAudits app and Web Portal Auditing Tool is now being used throughout the UK and Ireland by all care service providers in numerous locations There are thousands of carers checking everything from CQC Compliance and Safety to Medication Audits Training and Maintenance as well as service users quality and wellbeing and now Corona Virus Steve Smith regional manager at Care Homes UK

says “We were able to implement the system ourselves and 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-compliances) in it s Web Portal Encrypted date and time stamped evidence including photos is seamlessly auto attached and recorded in the system

Natalie Lawrence at Yorkare Homes says It s a paperless system 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 checking that it’s been checked actions required by whom by when including full resolution management Each CAREAudit also scores the answers so manage-

ment 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 minutes

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

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

Christie & Co Analyses Transactional Healthcare

Market In Inaugural ‘Care Market Review’ Report

Specialist business property adviser Christie & Co has today launched its first Care Market Review 2022 report which analyses the transactional healthcare market in the UK: looking at buyer appetite transactional activity and investor demand local authority fee increases and the funding landscape It also includes an operator survey which gives an insider view on occupancy and agency staff usage from some of healthcare’s leading operators

TRANSACTIONAL ACTIVITY

Christie & Co reports strong demand for care home opportunities throughout the UK with a 78 per cent increase in completions from 2020 to 2022 and deal numbers significantly ahead of pre-pandemic levels This year offers sat at an average of 101 per cent of asking price underlining that strong investor appetite with competitive bidding is commonplace Christie & Co noted however that with the changing macro-economic landscape the trend moving forward will be driven by a number of factors including the availability of capital and the alignment of vendors pricing expectations relative to prevailing market conditions

New instruction levels increased by around 30 per cent from 2020 to 2021 and they continue to grow as operators capitalise on the buoyant market conditions and strong values achieved

The company notes that its most active buyer type over the past five years has been independent operators with one or two homes which, on average transacted on 41 per cent of deals in the sector So far in 2022, corporate operators and investors have made up 33 per cent of deals while first-time buyers made up just 7 per cent – a fall of 9 per cent since 2018 which is reflective of the increasing funding challenges for first-time buyers the regulatory burden of the CQC and the increase in quality, higher value stock on the market Thanks to a competitive marketplace and the increased use of technology in care homes which can allow for some operational work to be conducted remotely buyers are increasingly looking further afield with almost half (48 per cent) of deals in 2022 concluded to buyers who live over 100 miles from their target business A large number of deals were concluded in and around urban centres yet there has been an increase in the number of care homes transacting in rural and coastal areas

CLOSED CARE HOMES

Over 1 500 care homes ceased trading between 2015 and 2020 This was not solely linked to CQC ratings, as over 40 per cent of care home closures in 2020 had ‘Good’ ratings and were closed for a range of reasons, including margins and cost pressures

A record 31 per cent of the care homes Christie & Co sold in 2021 were on a closed basis – 56 per cent of these were sold for ongoing healthcare use whilst 26 per cent were sold for residential conversion The number of closed care homes sold dropped to just 13 per cent in 2022 however an increasing proportion (80 per cent) of these closed homes were sold to care home providers

LOCAL AUTHORITY FEE RATE INCREASES

When analysing local authority fee rate rises across the UK in the fiscal year 2022/23 Christie & Co found that fee increases fall short of inflationary cost pressures in the sector There was a large disparity between fee increases throughout the UK from 3 1 per cent to 12 8 per cent with an average residential fee increase in England of 5 4 per cent and nursing fees rising by 6 8 per cent Going forward the company expects the burden on the self-funded client base to increase OPERATOR SENTIMENT

SURVEY

Christie & Co interviewed a cross-section of local and regional

providers in the UK to gain insight into some of

operational challenges they re facing

With resourcing placing a huge strain on care home operators 52 per cent of respondents said that they have a widespread use of agency staff Those that have obtained a sponsorship licence to recruit staff from abroad have been able to tap into new markets for their recruitment needs and this has been successful for many However with over half of providers still having to use agency staff to fill their rotas business costs are increasing further

While 43 per cent of operators said occupancy has returned to prepandemic levels for 57 per cent occupancy is still recovering There is a wide variation in occupancy trends across the UK with many smaller regional operators saying that their homes are largely back to pre-pandemic levels and larger providers generally reporting lower overall average occupancy rates Positively though the majority report good enquiry levels which suggests that occupancy rates will continue to re-build during 2023

FUNDING LANDSCAPE

The report concludes with a look at the funding landscape written by commercial finance specialist Christie Finance which has seen 8 33 per cent fewer funded deals in the sector this year as operators look to their portfolios to expand or restructure existing debt The average loan size increased by 5 8 per cent, which suggests that funding in the sector is evolving to provide more refinance to buy or expand

First-time buyers making offers on care businesses fell from 48 per cent in 2021 to 45 per cent in 2022 due to the perceived difficulties in raising finance This area of the market has been more challenging as the recognised lenders retrench to service existing operators with proven track records

Rob Kinsman Regional Director – Care at Christie & Co comments

“The last couple of years have presented the sector with huge operational challenges but it is heartening to see that investor appetite has fully recovered We have confidence that the entrepreneurial nature of the sector will ensure the transactional market continues to thrive despite the growing economic headwinds ”

To read the full report visit www christie com/newsresources/publications/care-market-review-2022/

the

PROFESSIONAL , TRAINING & RECRUITMENT

Care

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

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 beneficial 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 purpose

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

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

When 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 the programme is therefore run on line for 1 hour per week for 6 weeks and people can do

this at work or at home

The 6 weekly sessions are run online with a workbook with links for further optional reading or viewing and should not be a burden to busy Homes teams and managers

It is however effective You can try without obligat on It is designed to make business sense to providers

It is designed to enhance viability

It is designed to support recruitment and retention

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

WHAT IS IT

It is a training programme which leads to accreditation and focuses in detail on 7 domains of wellbeing 10 principles and is particularly designed to address instances of loneliness helplessness and boredom Geoffrey Cox The Eden Alternat ve Call today on 01626 868192 or visit www eden-alternative co uk

Global assists clients throughout the U K who specialise in the healthcare sector to achieve their objectives of purchase development and refinance

We have organised over £1 8bn for clients in the past 30 years providing clients with competitively priced funding to refinance existing debt ease cashflow and develop businesses further

From helping clients make their first purchase through to allowing groups

to grow significantly in size we assist at every stage of your business expansion

Every proposal is individual and deserves to be treated that way, so we hope you will allow us to be of assistance to you and call us to chat through your plans and requirements I am sure we will be able to tailor a facility to your requirements

Call us on 01242 227172 or e-mail us at enquiries@globalbusinessfinance net