The Carer Digital - Issue #139

Welcome to the latest edition of The Carer Digital!

Unfortunately we are putting together this week s issue of THE CARER digital while the Chancellor is announcing his spring budget so we won’t have the opportunity to lead with an article on the Chancellor s proposals (if any) surrounding adult social care or include comments from industry leaders and observers However please do watch out on our website - www thecareruk com - where we will keep you up to date the on the budget and the sector s reaction

Editor Peter Adams

It is underway, and while I have observed that the Chancellor is making concessions to fund childcare at the time of writing I have seen no reference to adult social care

The sector s staffing crisis is I think and I am open to be corrected the biggest issue that the Chancellor should dedicate funds to help resolve I believe an estimated 1 6 million people work in social care in England alone bringing skills experience and compassion however the workforce is stretched and shrinking, and has been for some time Long-standing issues of low pay and challenging conditions unfair perceptions of low skill and a lack of professional status coupled with the disastrous vaccine mandates policy have led many to leave the job they love and have discouraged others from considering social care as a career

And this is where the Chancellor needs to step up and support the sector urgently

His Autumn Statement did bring some relief Mr Hunt, pledged up to £7 5bn of extra money for social care over two years a part of which will come from allowing local authorities to raise council tax

Mr Hunt described the cash as the biggest increase [in social-care funding] under any government of any colour in history” But the money fell short of his own assessment of what was needed when he chaired the health and social-care select committee: in December 2021 he said that social care needed an extra £7bn a year and that call is something the Chancellor cannot escape from He recognised back in 2021 that the sector needed an extra £7 billion a year and now is sitting in the very seat which can provide it

However we will have to wait a couple of hours more to see what his proposals for adult social care are as of yet (1 PM ) I have seen nothing, and although we were tempted to delay our distribution to see what is plans are and what the sector reaction is one lesson I have learnt in publishing is never mess with deadlines so please do monitor our website

Our lead story is a rather different perspective As often stated long term funding for adult social care is a can kicked down the road by successive governments

Personally I think the idea of a basic service with top ups from people in the same way as they do with their pension pots, to fund long-term care is a sensible solution

Damian Green has long advocated this In our lead article he says a new form of insurance designed specifically to fund more expensive care costs in old age just like the private pension system that tops up the state pensions of millions of people It would allow people to buy insurance at the level they can afford in order to provide peace of mind I do not think that the care supplement should be compulsory as indeed auto-enrolment for pensions is not compulsory so we would not get into the slightly sterile debate about death taxes and dementia taxes, phrases that both of the main parties have thrown at each other over the years

I have to differ on that, controversial though it probably is The burden is too great, and some form of compulsory contributions is in my opinion inevitable

We are also media partners and exhibiting the same month at UK CARE WEEK at Birmingham’s NEC organised by ROAR B2B and will keep you updated with regional and national care shows we will be exhibiting so please do watch this space for announcements of our future partnerships

Please do try to make UK CARE WEEK Trade events are wonderful opportunities particularly for us to engage with people at “the coalface” We have had over the years some invaluable comment insight and it has been an absolute pleasure when you share all your positive and uplifting events and initiatives with us so please do pay us a visit we are and stand G 12

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

MP Demands “Radical Change” for Adult Social Care

(CONTINUED FROM FRONT COVER)

Mr Green added I suggest we should create what I call the care supplement: a new form of insurance designed specifically to fund more expensive care costs in old age just like the private pension system that tops up the state pensions of millions of people It would allow people to buy insurance at the level they can afford in order to provide peace of mind I do not think that the care supplement should be compulsory as indeed auto-enrolment for pensions is not compulsory so we would not get into the slightly sterile debate about death taxes and dementia taxes phrases that both of the main parties have thrown at each other over the years

SYSTEM TOO COMPLICATED

“I have been told by successive Ministers that that system would be too complicated and that we cannot set up an insurance system All I say in response is this: of course setting up a new system is complicated and difficult but we know that the current system is not working If we carry on doing the same thing the system will continue to be frail and rickety for years possibly generations to come, which is not acceptable We have to do something radically different If somebody can come up with a better way of getting some of that wealth to pay for social care fine but we have to try something radical :

“Funding is one key issue, but since the debate is about adult social care I will identify four areas in which we need new thinking if we are going to fix social care The first is the workforce which has already been mentioned It needs to be bigger bigger by more than 100 000 and to achieve that it needs to be better paid and have a higher status I would like nurses working in the care system to be on the same Agenda for Change pay scales as those in the NHS otherwise they will keep moving from the care system to the NHS ”

The second area is the voice of care within the new integrated care boards That change represents a chance to improve the integration of the health and care systems without creating another massive bureaucracy but I slightly fear that the ICB system is settling down with the voice of care providers not being loud enough at the table Local authorities are clearly a key player in the system but so are other providers and their voice needs to be heard ”

My third point is about the use of technology not only for sharing information between different parts of the system, but for giving those in receipt of care more control over their daily life We are not exploiting the range of available technology anything like enough to do that and if we get it right the prize is that more people will be able to stay in their own home for longer That is better for them, most importantly but it is also better for the taxpayer so it ought to be a high priority It is particularly important for people living with dementia ”

CARE ENTITLEMENT”

“UNIVERSAL

“The fourth area is an extension of that notion of people staying in their own homes for longer through the provision of housing As it hap-

pens, in one of the Minister’s previous incarnations, I spoke to him about this issue We are failing to build anything like enough supported housing for older people particularly in retirement villages Taken together, the last two measures I mentioned technology and the provision of suitable housing would mean that many people were able to stay in their own home for longer As I say that is a double win: it is better for the taxpayer but most importantly it is better for people as well Most people want to live in their own home for as long as they can ”

My original idea for a universal care entitlement accompanied by a care supplement would take the burden of social care funding away from local authorities which is good, and, more importantly, offer certainty and security for the increasing numbers who will need social care in old age No one would have to sell their house and see their inheritance disappear, everyone would have the chance of receiving better care and fewer people would be left unnecessarily in hospital beds as they wait for social care to be available I am conscious that none of this is easy and that it will take political courage and possibly political consensus to achieve but it is absolutely necessary if we are to provide peace of mind and security to frail elderly people who richly deserve it PROMISED £13BN LEVY “DISAPPEARED”

The Government has faced criticism after deciding to push back long-promised social care reforms to October 2025

Opening the debate Labour MP Simon Betts said: Although social care as a responsibility lies with the Department of Health and Social Care it is ultimately delivered through funding from local councils I want to concentrate on the challenge that that poses for councils This is not a new matter and is not without a lot of commitments Only last year the right hon Member for South West Norfolk (Elizabeth Truss) said that she would spend £13 billion raised by the levy on social care Well, the levy seems to have disappeared into other uses, as has the £13 billion

“The right hon Member for Uxbridge and South Ruislip (Boris Johnson) said

I am announcing now on the steps of Downing Street that we will fix the crisis in social care once and for all”

“Not to be outdone the right hon Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) said that her Ministers

“will work to improve social care and will bring forward proposals for consultation [Official Report 21 June 2017; Vol 626 c 35 ]

Let us go back a bit further David Cameron said: A commission will be appointed to consider a sustainable long-term structure for the operation of social care [Official Report 25 May 2010; Vol 510 c 31 ]

I will not just be party political in this because Gordon Brown said: “Alan Johnson and I will bring new plans to help people to stay longer in their own homes and provide greater protection against the costs of

care ”

EMPTY PROMISES

The one thing that Prime Ministers have in common over the years is that they all promise to deal with the problems and funding of social care The other thing that they have in common is that none of them has actually done that and that is something of concern and it is why we still have the problems today ”

Communities minister Lee Rowley said: significant additional funding has gone in to social care and is going in over the course of the remainder of the spending review period, £2 billion of additional grants in 23/24 £1 5 billion nearly of additional funding in 24/25

He added “Money isn’t everything but ultimately there is a recognition I think on all sides of the House that there are challenges around adult social care and more money has gone in

“In the conversations that I’ve had with local government over the past few weeks there is a recognition that this settlement has provided a good level of funds that it will be moving in a positive direction and it is providing the stability and greater certainty that they have requested and which we have responded to as a Government in that regard

“We need to support the most vulnerable and those who are in need irrespective of age and irrespective of condition

And what we are trying to do over the course of the changes that are coming in the financial year to come is to try to provide additional funds additional support additional taxpayer subsidy to do that and to ensure that local government can continue to build and improve for the long term ”

SPRING BUDGET

Ahead of today s budget a report has warned that the government s adult social care funding approach is unlikely to ensure performance reaches a level the public – and many politicians – expect

The report based on a roundtable and interviews with senior stakeholders from central and local government, care providers, the investment sector and others with expertise in social care examines why the government has not resolved the underlying workforce crisis and lack of capital investment – and sets out what the chancellor could do to fix these problems

Government spending on adult social care fell 9 5% in real terms throughout the first half of the 2010s only returning 2009/10 levels again in 2019/20 Instead of long-term investment the government s inefficient cycle of crisis-cash-repeat’ has seen it issue three shortterm emergency pots of money – but all three have come too late to make a meaningful difference

A lack of financial stability, the report states, means workforce issues aren t addressed with the long-standing staffing crisis in adult social care – with 165 000 vacancies – now arguably more severe than the higher profile one in the NHS itself

The report can be accessed here

Operation Br ycem: Home Office Targets Care Sector for Illegal Working

repercussions for care providers already struggling to maintain staffing levels

COMMON AREAS OF IMMIGRATION RISK

The UK immigration rules are complex and subject to frequent change meaning even the most well-intentioned employer can find themselves exposed to illegal working allegations

Through our work in the care sector we have identified the following common areas of compliance risk Ask yourself these questions

ARE YOUR HR PRACTICES CONSISTENT?

With the UK care sector firmly under the Home Office spotlight, Anne Morris, immigration lawyer and MD of employer solutions law firm, DavidsonMorris (www davidsonmorris com), urges care providers to take action to avoid illegal working penalties

Under Operation Brycem, the Home Office is targeting UK care providers by ramping up immigration investigation and enforcement efforts within the sector

This enhanced scrutiny comes at a time when overseas recruitment is providing an operational lifeline for care providers facing businesscritical staffing shortages In particular the addition of care workers to the Shortage Occupation List last year has led to more care homes than ever recruiting internationally

But sponsoring foreign workers places onerous compliance duties on the care provider, and failing to meet these duties risks enforcement action

The Home Office has powers to investigate and penalise employers for breaching their immigration compliance duties This includes carrying out immigration raids making arrests and imposing substantial fines Care providers will also want to avoid the reputational damage of illegal working allegations

WHAT CARE PROVIDERS HAVE TO DO BY LAW

All UK employers are required to comply with the Right to Work regime verifying every worker's eligibility to carry out the work in question before they start employment and in some cases during employment should the worker's permission be time-limited

Under the legislation employers face civil and criminal penalties if they have hired an illegal worker and knew or had reasonable cause to believe they did not have the right to work

In addition to Right to Work checks employers that have obtained a sponsorship licence to sponsor foreign workers such as care workers also have to meet additional compliance duties These include recordkeeping for each worker they sponsor, and monitoring and reporting certain changes to the Home Office via the Sponsorship Management System (SMS)

Sponsor licence breaches can result in a licence downgrade suspension or revocation impacting the organisation’s ability to recruit and continue sponsoring overseas workers These are clearly unwanted

It’s not uncommon to see differences in working practices within one organisation particularly between head office and individual care homes But if those responsible for hiring at a local level are exercising discretion in respect of immigration compliance or are not performing Right to Work checks correctly or at all the business as a whole will be put at risk of enforcement action

Likewise inconsistent quality of personnel records can expose the organisation to allegations of non-compliance WHO IS ACTUALLY WORKING FOR YOU?

We re aware of instances where individuals - who have been properly vetted and the Right to Work checks have been completed by HR or head office - are not the same as the individuals who actually turn up at the care home to work The care home manager is advised by head office that Mr or Ms X has passed the required checks and is starting employment with them but the manager has no idea that the individual is not the same person who the company actually recruited This exposes the organisation to illegal working allegations in addition to the related safeguarding issues

ARE YOU MAINTAINING YOUR SMS?

As a licensed sponsor updating your SMS is a mandatory requirement This includes notifying of changes of circumstances such as salary band changes leavers switchers and changes in work location

Managing your SMS should be a daily concern The Home Office expects your SMS information to be a snapshot of your business at any one time, meaning it has to be accurate and kept up to date

ARE YOUR LICENCE CONDITIONS BEING BREACHED?

In practice sponsored workers working hours and locations can easily pose a compliance risk Shifts are typically long and often run on But sponsored workers have to stay within the working time parameters of what is permissible under the organisation s licence

Employees may also be required to work in different homes Again, this can present problems if the company s sponsor licence prohibits sponsored workers from working in locations other than those recorded on the SMS

ARE YOU PERFORMING FOLLOW-UP CHECKS?

If a worker has time-limited permission to work in the UK their employer has a duty to check the individual's right to work does not expire during the course of employment Failure to carry out these follow-up checks risks allegations of illegal working

ARE YOU RETAINING PERSONNEL RECORDS?

The Home Office has the right to request employee documentation for up to two years after the employee has left your employment We

often see instances where personnel records have been deleted or destroyed before this date This is not accepted practice and would be regarded as a breach of your Right to Work duties

HAS YOUR LICENCE EXPIRED?

Sponsor licences are allocated for a period of four years If you do not successfully apply to renew your licence in advance of the expiry date the licence will automatically expire If your company s sponsorship licence expires your sponsored employees will no longer be lawfully employed The expectation is that you have effective processes in place to renew your licence on time

A PROACTIVE APPROACH TO COMPLIANCE

We recommend care providers take a proactive approach to complying with their sponsorship and Right to Work duties:

AUDITS & SPOT-CHECKS

Mock immigration audits are effective in identifying areas of risk and non-compliance, and allow the employer to resolve issues It’s also helpful for management to regularly conduct informal document spotchecks across its network

HR POLICIES

You should have specific HR policies relating to sponsored worker recruitment management and record-keeping Policies should provide guidelines standards and processes to ensure your operations are consistent and compliant

ONBOARDING & PRE-EMPLOYMENT CHECKS

As part of your pre-employment checks you are expected to take reasonable steps to ensure the identity documents submitted are genuine and that the person presenting for work is the same person the documentation relates to

If your recruitment is handled centrally by head office we advise holding a welcome video call on the first day of employment between the person in head office who recruited the individual the care home manager and the new starter to confirm they are the person who was actually recruited

TRAINING PERSONNEL

All personnel involved with recruitment, onboarding and line management of sponsored workers should be trained and skilled in meeting immigration duties Evidence of an ongoing commitment to best practice is a strong indicator to the Home Office of compliant operations

KEEP INFORMED

The Right to Work regime has undergone significant change in the past 12 months alone and the Home Office expects all sponsor licence holders to be up-to-date on the duties placed on them

Subscribe to updates on changes to the rules to ensure you stay informed and can react accordingly by adapting policies and processes and communicating these changes internally

RECORD EVERYTHING

The Home Office is looking for evidence of a sustained approach and consistent standards when managing sponsor licence documentation Also ensure your record-keeping extends to the full degree of the requirements If in doubt – keep it

Telephone Befriending Creates Amazing Friendship Built on "Trust and Respect"

A telephone befriending scheme set up by Methodist Homes (MHA) the largest care provider in the UK has helped two individuals create an amazing friendship

MHA set up the telephone befriending service to offer support and companionship to older people who feel or are at risk of becoming lonely and/or socially isolated across the UK

John Stedman was in a very difficult place following the death of his wife Sheila, who he was married to for 57 years

He was encouraged by his grief counsellor who helped him to get in touch with the Befriending team at MHA

He then got involved in the scheme and that was where he was introduced to 23-year-old volunteer Ellie Tyzack in September 2022

Since then the pair have been having weekly calls via the telephone and virtually on Zoom

Speaking on the service John said:

“The calls with Ellie have really helped me through a very difficult time in my life

The Befriending service at MHA is a wonderful initiative and something that will continue to help me and hopefully plenty of other people out there

“The Befriending team encouraged me a great deal and helped to speak and I am feeling a lot better now

“Ellie is an amazing person she helped me to smile and the conversations I have with her have been a joy

I want to thank her from the bottom of my heart and I believe our friendship, which is built on trust and respect, will only age and never end Ellie added: “I also started talking to John at a time where I felt quite directionless

“I was living at my parents’ house at the time, looking for jobs and houses post-university

Having John as part of my support network really helped give me a confident boost and understand my worth

I am now very content with new jobs and a new house encouraged whole heartedly by John s wisdom, advice and belief in me

I have been able to confide in John as he does in me

“John and I talk about the big and the small, from our values and philosophies on love and life, to our favourite foods and supermarket tales

“John has been able to reminisce on his life relaying stories of the past – music places and fashions

“On the phone I get a true picture painted for me – a real insight into a time I would never otherwise enter and I feel very lucky to be trusted to share someone s most precious memories

New Campaign Reveals How Dementia Puts the Ultimate Vow of ‘in Sickness and in Health’ to the Test

A new campaign reveals how dementia puts the ultimate vow of ‘in sickness and in health to the test

The Alzheimer s Society campaign features stories of couples affected by dementia across the UK and an emotional TV and radio ad narrated by actor Colin Firth

The harsh realities of caring for a partner with dementia are laid bare in a moving campaign launched by Alzheimer s Society

Couples from across the UK have opened their hearts about the devastating impact the condition has had on their relationship

For many, a dementia diagnosis marks the beginning of an often-difficult transition from being in an intimate relationship to becoming a carer

– fulfilling the ultimate vow of staying together ‘in sickness and in health’

By highlighting the changing nature of intimate relationships following a dementia diagnosis we shine a light on the challenges couples face We’re also urging supporters to help us reach more people by donating to the cause

The campaign features an emotional TV and radio ad narrated by actor Colin Firth which shows how dementia can change the dynamics of a relationship

View the full advert at https://www alzheimers org uk/news/ 2023-03-09/new-campaign-reveals-how-dementia-puts-ultimate-vowsickness-and-health-test

Care Home Residents Pay Tribute to Ukrainian Team Member’s ‘New Chapter’

Care home residents in Hindhead have paid tribute to a brave Ukrainian colleague who marks her first six months of working there

Having witnessed the devasting impact of the conflict in her home city of Chernihiv situated close to the Russian and Belarusian borders Iryna Shust, her son Bohdan and dog Druzhock fled following the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022

The trio’s 1,700-mile journey took them to a host family in Surrey, where Iryna found work in August 2022 in the hospitality team at Signature at Moorlands Lodge a care home in Hindhead

Coinciding with the care home’s celebration of International Women’s Day Iryna was one of Moorlands Lodge s 95 female team members who were presented with daffodils by residents recognising the expert care and support they provide

The care home also led an activity to champion the impact of famous women from around the world including Princess Diana and Mother Teresa

Having since settled in Surrey Iryna recounted her journey where she left Chernihiv after it was locked by Russian troops for two months along with the kindness and compassion that she was met with at the care home

A FULL TURNKEY SERVICE

Iryna Shust 50 a team member at Signature at Moorlands Lodge said:

“The beginning of the war was a fateful date for all Ukrainians crashing our homes hopes and lives From the first days of the war my native city suffered from shelling bombing and airstrikes We had no food no water, no electricity, no phone connection with relatives and friends

My house and many others were ruined a lot of houses were damaged, a lot of people were killed but the enemy never entered the town We decided to move to the UK to start a new life and I m very grateful to our host family who helped us to obtain UK visas and to start my new ‘Signature’ chapter

l am very happy to work at Moorlands Lodge where residents and colleagues have become new friends Each have been understanding and supportive I am grateful to everyone here

Rachel Yoxall, General Manager, at Signature at Moorlands Lodge, said:

“Each of the women living and working within our home has an inspirational story to tell The past 12 months have been particularly challenging for Iryna and we have been determined to ensure she was met with a nurturing environment when she arrived She has settled to become a treasured part of the Moorlands Lodge family ”

As well as supplying catering equipment from all the top manufacturers in the catering industry, at Inox Equip we can also provide full fit out services for new and refurbishment projects. This includes:

Altro Whiterock or Hygeinic wall cladding

Altro or Polyfloor non- slip safety flooring

Full electrical wiring with NICEIC certification

Mechanical services including new and replacement water, waste and gas pipe with GasSafe certification

Lay-in grid and plasterboard ceiling solutions

Lighting systems

Internal wall removal and construction

Temporary kitchen supply

Taking Care of Fire Safety

By Rob Yates, Head of Building Products Fire Safety in the UK and Ireland for Siemens (www.siemens.co.uk)

All buildings have their own specific requirements in terms of fire safety and risk assessments are the primary method of ensuring that a fire alarm system meets those needs Care homes are no different although the nature of the elderly occupants and their mobility issues need to be a particular focus in selecting an appropriate method of protecting the occupants and the care home itself from the threat of fire

In the majority of buildings, evacuation plans are a core element of fire safety procedures and while this is also true of a care home, the fact that it may be impossible to evacuate some of the residents has a direct impact on the requirements outlined in the respective standards In BS5839-1 for example the following clauses need to be considered

If occupants need assistance from staff to escape and there are more than 10 sleeping persons the system should be addressable

Residential care premises should be provided with automatic connection to Alarm Receiving Centres (ARC)

• Signals to Alarm Receiving Centres cannot be delayed from residential care homes

ADDRESSING THE SPECIFICS

Given all of the above, it is easy to appreciate that early detection of a fire incident is particularly important in a care home Many care homes operate with older conventional fire alarm systems Picking up on the first point these need to be upgraded to addressable systems to enable the location of an incident to be identified quickly In doing so it is important to consider the options in terms of cost implications associated with this migration Some systems will require replacement of not only the devices but also reconfiguration of the wiring into a loop Others do not thereby offering considerable savings in installation costs

The ability to identify the location of an incident quickly can be further enhanced through powered floor repeater panels, allowing the situation to be reviewed without needing to go to the location of the main fire panel The ever-increasing use of cloud-based technology (see final paragraph) can take this a stage further with apps available which allow monitoring of fire safety on a mobile phone

In many applications delays in sending a fire alarm signal to an ARC are often deliberate to allow time to investigate to see if it is a false alarm or of a scale that can be tackled safely with a fire extinguisher However as is clearly stated in the British Standard this is not the case in a care home Turning to the issue of false alarms as indicated in the extract from BS5839-1, the requirement is for a

maximum of 1 false alarm per 20 detectors annually Obviously zero false alarms is an even better scenario in an application where an alarm can cause panic confusion and considerable disruption Systems are now available which will provide a guarantee of no false alarms, with multi-criteria detection technology which detects a fire incident quickly without being impacted by deceptive phenomena such as toasters or steam Crucial to this is drift compensation whereby the sensitivity of the detector is automatically adjusted to reflect the build-up of dust or dirt without importantly affecting response times

CLOUD-BASED TECHNOLOGY

Increasingly as in so many of our day-to-day activities the internet and the cloud are becoming pivotal in the latest fire detection solutions Digitalisation has made significant advances in terms of ease of use of fire safety systems User interfaces are becoming ever more graphics-based, with the swipe, click, drag and drop approach so familiar from our mobile phones

Online portals can provide an overview of a care home’s fire safety or for those organisations operating a number of facilities across all connected sites Multi-site dashboards can provide locations of all sites in one place with a status bar indicating the respective status of each in real-time with a simple colour-coded approach to identify sites where problems may be occurring

Interoperability is a phrase that has been around now for some time in terms of building management systems and it is gathering momentum as digitalisation increases This is the potential to connect multiple systems which can then compliment each other An example would be a CCTV camera able to zoom in on a fire location or record the operation of a call point while a lift can report return status or louvres can be automatically activated in the event of an alarm activation to aid smoke ventilation

Care homes offer their own specific challenges in terms of fire safety By understanding those challenges and adopting a fire safety approach which reflects them residents and the buildings themselves can be effectively protected

ROB YATES

Rob Yates is Head of Building Products Fire Safety in the UK and Ireland for Siemens He has over 30 years’ experience in the fire industry

Sandstone Care Group Acquires Lancashire Care Home

The Sandstone Care Group has added an eighth care home to its group

The Cheshire headquartered care home operator has taken operational ownership of Burscough Manor Care Home in Burscough Lancashire

The 80-bed home offers luxury residential and specialist/complex nursing care tailored to each individual and using the latest nursing technology

The home joins seven other homes in the Sandstone Care Group in Lancashire, Merseyside, Powys in Wales and Shropshire

James Parkin, a director and co-founder of Sandstone Care Group, said: “We’re delighted to have opened our fourth home in Lancashire and our eighth in the group Burscough Manor is a lovely new build property with some great facilities and we have a brilliant team of people in place to offer the highest stan-

dards of care to our residents

“Our growing portfolio of care homes provide a range of residential, nursing and dementia care services within modern vibrant communities

As ever our focus is on providing the best person-centred care for our residents in a loving and welcoming environment

The home’s Registered Manager Samantha Smith said “We’re looking forward to meeting all the residents and their families over the coming weeks and to becoming a key part of the local community

“We’ll also be holding an Open Day on Wednesday, May 31st 10 30am-3pm so people can pop in and meet our friendly team and have a look around our facilities ”

As part of the investment in the care home a number of new jobs are due to be created including nurses care assistants and care practitioners

Why Are We Stuck in Hospital? Research Reveals Barriers When Leaving Long-Stay Hospital Care

Care England has welcomed the new research from the University of Birmingham and the rights-based organisation Changing Our Lives, ‘Why are we stuck in hospital? which explores the barriers people with a learning disability and autistic people face when trying to leave long-stay hospitals in England

Professor Martin Green Chief Executive of Care England says: Over six years on from the publication of the NHS ‘Transforming Care Programme’ and more than 2 years since the CQC Out of Sight – Who Cares? there are still 2,000 people in inappropriate settings Throughout the country, there are many providers of high-quality person-centred care who have demonstrated the improved outcomes that can be achieved when people are supported closer to home and with better access to the communities in which they live The development of high-quality residential services would allow for individuals located in inappropriate hospital settings to be discharged into a setting which is able to support their needs appropriately The system must work towards the satisfaction of the goals set out in the Transforming Care publication The system must be transformed so services are commissioned and delivered to stop people from being placed in hospital inappropriately provide the right model of care and drive up the quality of care and support for all people with challenging behaviour ”

The research by the University of Birmingham and Changing Our Lives shows a complex system where people are subject to labels and overcomplicated care as a result of a miss-managed and unorganised system that struggles to plan coordinate and deliver effective person-centred care for those that need it This

can lead to mistreatment and patients falling through the cracks without the proper support

The research is based on three case study sites across the country trying to understand barriers and success factors from the point of view of people in hospital families and health and social care staff

Key lessons are summarised in a new policy guide which will be sent to every health and social care leader in the country based on ‘ten top tips from people in hospital families and staff

Martin Green continues “A government commitment to fix social care, backed by appropriate levels of funding and true collaboration between all relevant stakeholders, is needed Social care providers have shown many times examples of people being supported 3-to-1 or 4-to-1 in hospitals and then with effective holistic respectful support in capable environments they can reduce that gradually over time There needs to be a greater level of trust and support for care providers through joint partnership working between health and care professionals and the provision of appropriate services within the community It is well established that hospitals represent an inappropriate care setting with models of care that are reactive and fail to meet the complex needs of these individuals and it should not take another national scandal for the Government to react accordingly The development of high-quality residential services would allow for individuals located in inappropriate hospital settings to be discharged into a setting which can support their needs and at a pace that is sensible and person-centred in approach ”

Unilever Food Solutions Identifies the Top Future Menu Trends

New Future Menus Trend Report

2023 report draws on insights from more than 1,600 global chefs

Unilever Food Solutions the global leader in professional food service released its first Future Menu Trends report 2023 today developed in collaboration with more than 1 600 chefs in over 21 countries The report was launched at an event for leading chefs and food industry experts at Hive

Unilever s Foods Innovation Centre in Wageningen the Netherlands as well as via a livestream

The top eight trends identified in the Future Menu Trends report 2023 are Irresistible Vegetables

Modernised Comfort Food, Low-Waste Menus, Wild & Pure, Flavour Contrasts Feel-Good Food The New Sharing and Mindful Proteins

“Identifying the hottest global trends is critical in our quest to provide solutions for chefs who are contending with challenges ranging from labour shortages to tackling sustainability issues like food waste said Hanneke Faber President of Nutrition

Unilever “With the release of the Future Menus Trend report, Unilever Food Solutions is not just sharing future trends but also offering solutions-based insights and adaptable recipes to inspire chefs and help them feel prepared for the future ”

Unilever Food Solutions anchored the Future Menu Trends Report 2023 around eight core themes based on global data,

extensive inputs from more than 1 600 chefs global social media analytics and the expertise of hundreds of chefs who offer practical realworld applications

Alex Hall Executive Chef at Unilever Food Solutions UKI said:

“The Future Menu Trends Report 2023 offers chefs a fantastic insight into what’s going on within the hospitality industry not just in the UK but right across the globe The eight trends outlined in the report reflect so much of what we re seeing hospitality innovators already doing, for example with The New Sharing trend being reflected in the rise of modern tapas or Low-Waste Menus being pioneered by the likes of Fallow and Silo ”

Alex continues: Tom Kerridge is a great example of Modernised Comfort Food playing out in the UK market too

and we’re delighted that he’s recently joined our Knorr

Professional brand as Creative Director With Tom s support we’re already helping chefs right across the UK to feel inspired to put these trends into practice on their menus to ensure they are delivering what the future consumer wants The Future Menu Trends Report 2023 really serves to highlight what we as chefs need to do in order to inspire our guests for years to come ”

All eight trends include suggested recipes ingredients and techniques to provide tangible solutions for chefs and food operators

Bear hugs for Residents at Cramlington Care Home

TheResidents at RMBI Care Co Home

Scarbrough Court in

Cramlington

Northumberland have been gifted with a dozen soft cuddly teddies to help provide comfort and relieve stress

The teddies, which were donated by the Freemasons of Northumberland and Cumbria, were presented as part of Teddies for Loving Care (TLC) a scheme set up by Freemason in 2001 initially to support young children who spend time in A&E departments in hospitals

Local Freemasons extended the TLC initiative extended to provide a similar comfort for care home residents living with dementia The residents were delighted to each receive a comfort bear of their very own

According to Dementia UK soft toy animals can provide great benefits for people living with dementia particularly in the later stages They can promote feelings of relaxation and pleasure Holding a soft toy animal can be helpful for people who may become withdrawn, restless distressed or anxious, improving their wellbeing and ability to communicate

Stacey Louise one of Scarbrough Court s Activities Coordinators said: Our residents were thrilled to receive such a kind and thoughtful gift bringing joy and happiness to everyone

RMBI Home Scarbrough Court in Cramlington

Northumberland is run by RMBI Care Co part of the Masonic Charitable Foundation For more informa-

The A&E Crisis and Protections for Whistleblowers

By Nicky Hayes, Legal Adviser at Protect (https://protect-advice org uk/)

The NHS is currently facing unprecedented pressure because of staffing shortages and funding cuts Healthcare workers are feeling overwhelmed, and patient health and safety is being put at risk Consequently staff from the health sector feel obligated to speak up and Protect the UK’s leading whistleblowing charity advised 350 healthcare workers on how to blow the whistle safely last year alone

It is vital that health care workers feel comfortable raising their concerns without fear of reprisal: they are the eyes and ears for organisations regulators and the public But it s not always clear how to navigate the process

WHISTLEBLOWING LAW

The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 (PIDA) gives workers protection against negative treatment from their employer after raising their concerns The protection applies where a worker including primary care professionals, has raised public interest concerns about specific types of wrongdoing

What type of concerns are protected?

Any matters that may affect the health and safety of an individual or breach of the law may fall within whistleblowing concerns In the health sector some of the examples we see include:

Poor clinical practice

Unsafe staffing levels

Inadequate training

Culture of bullying and harassment

Safeguarding failures

Fraud

It is important to note that you do not have to be certain that wrongdoing has occurred and hard evidence although helpful is not necessary to raise your concern You simply need to have a reasonable belief that there is cause for concern and provide information, rather than just an allegation, about the wrongdoing

Where can I raise my concerns?

INTERNALLY

Approaching a line manager or supervisor with concerns is often a sensible approach and the law protects this approach whether a disclosure is made to a line manager or the Chief Executive

It is important to be able to raise concerns higher in the management chain However there will be times where the concerns are about the conduct of the line manager, or they have failed to deal with concerns in the past so approaching this person would not be appropriate

This is where an employer’s whistleblowing policy will be useful as it often explains the best person outside of line management to approach Following a policy is not a requirement though it s a guide on who to approach there can be real value in approaching a manager or director you trust with concerns inside the organisation Many health sector organisations have Freedom to Speak Up Guardians who can support those raising concerns

EXTERNALLY

Where the concerns have not been addressed or if you have little faith the concerns will be addressed internally e g because you are aware of other whistleblowers being victimised or ignored or maybe past concerns you ve raised have been ignored you can go outside of your employer

The law protects whistleblowers who raise concerns with a regulator an MP or – in some circumstances –even the media if they lose their job or are victimised for doing so

If you blow the whistle to a regulator, you must reasonably believe that your concern falls within that regulator s remit and that the information you disclose is substantially true

An appropriate regulator in the health sector might be the Care Quality Commission or one of the professional health bodies- a full list of regulators can be found here

Disclosure to the media may be protected but comes with the strictest legal tests and is usually a place of last resort for disclosure You must either reasonably believe that you will be victimised by your employer fear that evidence will be concealed by them or that your concern is exceptionally serious

WHERE CAN I GET ADVICE?

Getting early advice especially when you are considering those external disclosures, is important and there are places that provide such guidance You can get support in raising your concerns from:

Protect’s free and confidential Advice Line (020 3117 2520)

• Your trade union or professional body;

Your local Freedom to Speak Up Guardian

If you have already raised public interest concerns in the NHS, you may be eligible for the NHS Speaking Up support scheme

If you are concerned about wrongdoing, it is important to know that there is legal protection and that you shouldn t be treated badly or dismissed for doing so

Poole Care Home Resident Enjoys Visit to The Tank Museum to See the Tank Her Husband Ser ved on During World War ll

Residents from Care South s Dorset House care home in Poole enjoyed a day out to The Tank Museum in Wareham Dorset which houses hundreds of military machines from every major battle since World War l During the visit, Resident, Dorothy spectacularly found the tank that her husband served on over 75 years ago during World War ll

Much to Dorothy’s delight, museum worker, James was able to identify the tank using a photo that Dorothy had bought along with her James shared stories of the battles that the tank had been involved in and revealed that his grandfather had also served in World War ll James demonstrated his expertise about the machinery by revealing that the tank Dorothy’s husband worked on was an American design The American design was dwarfed in comparison to the German tanks and in a one-to-one battle would have been demolished by the opposition’s heavy machinery Because of this the American tanks were manufac-

tured in large numbers

Dorset House residents took part in a simulation experience of life in the trenches listened to stories of the war dressed up in costumes from the time, challenged themselves with games, and even got to experience life on the tanks The World War ll exhibition hosted a shop and home set, decorated to emulate the time period, which brought back memories for many residents Resident Ralph revealed that his mother used to work in the shop, and resident, Dorothy could remember having a rag rug in her youth

Sam Baker Activities Lead at Dorset House said:

“It was a fantastic day that brought back a lot of memories for residents in our care particularly Dorothy who feels closer to her husband than ever before We would like to thank James and all the staff at the museum for the wonderful and historical day out

Healthy Outlook for UK Care Markets in 2023 says Report

Investors capitalise on the persistent demand for quality healthcare property underpinned by the fundamentals of the elderly care market according to the latest UK Healthcare Market Overview 2023 from global property adviser Knight Frank The report presents the need for further investment in the sector as continued ageing of the UK demographic is creating significant demand for high-quality fit for purpose beds across the continent In 2022 approximately 10 000 new beds were granted via planning applications this is via a mix of refurbishment and extensions to existing stock as well as new build schemes Whilst completion of these schemes will provide a substantial addition to circa 480 000 existing bed supply an important consideration is the type of scheme and the potential of delivery A number of the potential new beds are by way of mixed-use schemes with the option for an on-site care setting, which may not reach build out due to social and economic factors impacting feasibility European Healthcare transaction volumes for 2022 closed at circa €7bn which is approximately 27% down on the year reflecting the trends across European real estate volumes which fell by 23% in 2022 Despite this the composition of capital remains consistent with previous

years as cross boarder investment remained prominent Whilst REITs accounted for circa 60% of volume the report projects that the share of transactions attributed to REITs will contract as the year progresses and cross border capital filters through Julian Evans, Head of Healthcare at Knight Frank commented: “Whilst 2022 presented a number of standout factors which have continued to shape the sector it is even more important to consider how the year ahead will play out with matters such as inflation and cost of debt playing a key part in the sectors future Despite the clear headwinds the underlying drivers for healthcare will support demand and performance and as in previous times of uncertainty the sectors resilience will become increasingly apparent in the coming year ”

Whilst the nature of healthcare as a sector well supports the social impact side of ESG, sustainability and the increasing building standards with continue to be a growing consideration for investors and operators The upgrading refurbishment or repurposing of standing assets for example the older smaller and less fit for purpose buildings may present as a viable value add strategy for operators and investors across the sector ”

NCF Calls for RingFenced Funding to Adult Social Care

The National Care Forum (NCF) – the leading association for not for profit social care organisations is called on the Chancellor to ring-fence funding for adult social care

Having submitted representation to the Treasury the NCF working with the Care Provider Alliance which brings together industry bodies from across the sector have published an analysis which draws on the Fair Cost of Care Reports published by councils in England revealing that in 2021/22 the government paid at least £2 88 billion less than the actual cost of delivering care to people in their own homes, and in care homes for those aged over 65 This under funding is only the tip of the iceberg as the CPA Analysis also highlights the impact on services for working age adults and unregulated services Professor Vic Rayner OBE CEO of the NCF said:

As the Chancellor prepares his spring budget statement, we ask that he ensures there is funding, adjusted for inflation to meet the 3-year pledges in the People at the Heart of Care white paper in full

The government must also commit to a fully funded 10-year national workforce plan for adult social care which improves pay terms and conditions for the sector

“We need to see a move away from short-term emergency funding that is focused on hospital discharge, towards a longer-term and co-designed funded strategy with greater focus on community and prevention services

At a time when energy costs remain a critical issue for many businesses the Chancellor must create a tailored energy scheme to protect adult social care providers and those accessing their services from high energy bills to bring confidence and sta-

bility to the sector

The addition of adult social care to the Energy Bills Discount Scheme Energy and Trade Intensive Industries list, alongside the museums zoos and libraries already listed offers an immediate way to help

“We would also like to see zero rated VAT rather than exemption, particularly for not-for-profit adult social care providers

The existing funding shortfall is unsustainable and cannot continue Care providers are depleting their reserves relying on charitable income and are having to increase self-funder fees to subsidise the state and are unable to expand their care and support services to meet rising demand from people across the country

It is imperative that the government delivers and ringfences funding for adult social care providers that is realistic to the actual cost of delivering that care Social care is of course a significant partner to the NHS playing a vital role in supporting people to leave hospital safely as well as helping to reduce the need for crisis access to medical care and treatment by helping people to remain safe and supported to live well at home

But social care is much more than simply a partner to the NHS – social care and support is essential in its own right supporting people to live their lives to the full and to be part of their local communities

It is a key part of the nation’s infrastructure generating economic benefits to local communities It supports the workforce to remain in or return to work and ultimately helps to reduce demand on other parts of public sector services Investing in social care and support to providers is essential if these outcomes are to continue

R&RA Joins Forces with Rights for Residents

Leading care campaign groups the Relatives & Residents Association (R&RA) and Rights for Residents, have joined forces

Following the merger the Rights For Residents campaign will continue under the R&RA The merged organisations are also in the process of a rebrand including a new look and a new name which will launch over next couple of months

Rights for Residents was set up in the summer of 2020 by Jenny Morrison and Diane Mayhew as a direct response to the impact of lockdown restrictions on Jenny s mum who was living in care at the time Their efforts have been hugely successful, attracting thousands of supporters and helping to ensure the media keeps a spotlight on issues around isolation and residents rights more widely The campaign brought together families from across the country to successfully lobby for changes to the restrictions around visiting

Helen Wildbore Director of R&RA said: We are delighted to have joined forces with Rights For Residents

It’s a meeting of hearts and minds as we fight together for care rights ”

Diane Mayhew said: We re excited to unite with the Relatives & Residents Association to become a powerful voice of those in care ”

We know how much our voice is needed We hear daily from our members and calls to the helpline how people are being failed by the care system As a united voice for people needing care and their families we

will stand up for care rights across the UK and fight for a better care system

“The pandemic highlighted that the rights of people needing care are up for grabs From poor quality care due to staff shortages to isolation due to visiting restrictions all too often people living in care don’t have their needs met or their rights respected ”

We can t let this go on So our shared goal is to strengthen the fight for the rights of people using care services, so that everyone can enjoy a good quality of life with the support they need to thrive

“In our campaigning, there is still so much to do as we continue our call for a new right to a Care Supporter This vital new right will ensure that no-one is ever left isolated from their key family carer More widely we also need urgent reform of social care to ensure the rights of residents are at the heart of the sector moving forwards

“We also plan to strengthen and grow our helpline and support offer We know that we currently reach just a small fraction of the older people experiencing problems with care We will be developing our website and improving outreach through social media so that we can help more people to get the support they need and stand up for the rights of people needing care

“We still have work to do to do behind the scenes, but there will be more exciting news to share in the coming months as we get ready to launch a new look and a new name with a fresh sense of urgency and purpose ”

Care Group Launches Dementia Awareness Campaign Ahead of Mother’s Day

A Surrey care group has launched a dementia awareness campaign ahead of Mother’s Day as it looks to shine a light on the condition –especially its impact on women – with a view to encouraging people to stop, think and learn more about dementia

Using You re My Mother s Day as a visual emotive representation of one of the major side effects – that of memory loss and failing to recognise family members – the campaign is seeking to broaden awareness of the complexities of dementia and to get people talking

And with 65%1 of those living with dementia being women CHD Living a care group with homes across Surrey and South London is looking to put a spotlight on a condition that an estimated 944,0002 people in the UK live with – a figure that s set to rise to 1 6 million by 20403

With Alzheimer’s disease the most common form of dementia, it’s easy to presume memory loss is the standard form of the illness but with more than 200 types of dementia it can present itself in a wide variety of ways with a broad range of symptoms

CHD Living has launched the campaign to encourage more people to stop and think about the condition and learn more about its impact – and is using digital billboard messaging to broaden its reach

Shaleeza Hasham Head of Hospitality & Communications at CHD Living commented: The impact of dementia is profound But many people only have a rudimentary understanding of the condition All too often it s associated with memory loss while Alzheimer s is usually the only condition they may have heard of We’re hoping to make people more aware of not only the different types of dementia but also its symptoms and their wider impact

She continued: “Our ‘You’re My Mother’s Day billboard campaign is designed to make people do a double take and hopefully encourage them to stop and think about the condition And with two thirds of those with dementia being women we felt Mother s Day would provide an excellent opportunity to help project this messaging and make people take notice of what for some might look like a typo, but for others is very much a reality Mother s Day is especially tough for those sons and daughters whose mothers may not recognise them, so we re looking to get people talking and show them they’re not alone in their

dementia journey

Rebecca Page Head of Quality & Compliance at CHD Living and with longstanding experience in dementia care said Alzheimer s Research UK has done some fascinating research into why women are more impacted by dementia than men much of it very eye-opening ¬– with longer life expectancy alone not explaining the disproportionate number affected And the two thirds figure is something that s born out in our homes which is what led to the initial seeds of the idea for the campaign ”

She added: Of course though it can affect anyone and we re hoping to help make people more understanding and aware of the signs and symptoms Bruce Willis recent diagnosis with frontotemporal dementia has added a real spotlight to the condition, and we’re hoping we can build on that renewed interest

Alongside the billboard awareness campaign CHD Living is also looking to create a dementia support community to provide advice and guidance to those who are supporting loved ones friends or others in the community While it will also offer the opportunity for people to connect with others going through a similar experience to them

With several specialist dementia care centres amongst its services CHD Living has more than 40 years of experience in caring for people living with dementia, and its team will be looking to hold community dementia cafes to help people learn more about dementia as a condition or to come to terms with a diagnosis

Shaleeza Hasham concluded: Dementia can feel a very lonely place – not just for those living with it but for their family and friends too By creating a sense of community around dementia we’re hoping to help connect those who have had similar experiences while also using our longstanding experience of dementia care to provide advice and guidance on the best approach to care Our dementia cafes will be open to anyone who’s interested, but especially to those in Surrey and South London, which is where the majority of our care centres are based – so we encourage people in those areas in particular to register their interest ”

‘Adopt a Grandparent’ Secures Co-operative Support for Fundraising Push

‘Adopt a Grandparent’ has been nominated to benefit from Co-op’s Local Community Fund – being named as one of its charities of the year and marking a major step towards its 2023 fundraising goals

The independent charity works to pair elderly care home residents with volunteers worldwide to combat loneliness and isolation What began as a project based out of one Surrey care home group became a fully-fledged charity in 2022 and now works with care homes across the UK with almost 100 000 volunteers signed up to ‘adopt’

The Co-op donates 1p from every £1 spent on selected Co-op branded products and services through its Local Community Fund to a variety of chosen local causes Co-op members who chose to support Adopt a Grandparent will be directly benefiting the charity through this Fund when shopping With the charity requiring a minimum of £100,000 a year to stay in operation, and hopes of growing this to £1-million support such as this is essential to maximise its potential impact Co-op members can choose Adopt a Grandparent as their elected charity by visiting its page on the Co-op Membership site: https://membership coop co uk/causes/71723

Deborah Speirs Co-op Member Pioneer for Surrey and Sussex Borders said We re thrilled that Adopt a Grandparent is one of the charities and causes set to benefit from our Local Community Fund We proudly support projects across the UK that our members care about giving local causes a helping hand whenever

our members buy selected Co-op products and services Since 2016 £117-million has been raised by our members helping to make a significant difference to countless people

As part of the package of support from Co-op, Adopt a Grandparent will be taking part in a community morning at its local Co-op in Farncombe Surrey on Tuesday 21st March The event will give the charity the chance to raise awareness of its work among local residents and encourage them to choose it as their nominated cause for the year

Shaleeza Hasham founder of Adopt a Grandparent added “Loneliness became a huge crisis during the pandemic The health risks related to loneliness include a higher risk of mental and physical conditions including heart disease depression anxiety dementia and premature death By helping volunteers to virtually adopt a grandparent, we hope to alleviate loneliness and generate companionship in as many communities as possible with both parties benefiting from the enriching relationships

“It’s exciting to be a part of Co-op’s Local Community Fund and we love that members are able to support a cause that matters to them while doing their regular shop We re hoping lots of people in our local community will nominate to support us for the year but also that those further afield will do the same since the charity’s work benefits older people throughout the country ”

Age UK Hosts Afternoon Tea with Their Majesties the King and The Queen Consort

Age UK welcomed Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort to an afternoon tea earlier this month to meet with some of the Charity’s volunteers and service users

The event which took place at Colchester Library was part of a wider visit that saw The King and The Queen Consort mark Colchester s recently awarded city status To celebrate the occasion Age UK invited local service users, volunteers and staff from its Telephone Friendship Service The Silver Line Helpline local charity Age UK Norwich as well as the Charity’s Colchester shop to meet with Their Majesties to talk about the different ways the Charity is supporting older people

The King and The Queen Consort have supported the Charity’s work for many years – as Prince of Wales His Majesty became Patron of Age UK in 2010 and as Duchess of Cornwall, The Queen Consort became Patron of The Silver Line Helpline in 2017

Amongst the guests at the afternoon tea celebration was Alison in her mid-60s, who began using Age UK s Telephone Friendship Service almost a year ago when she started to feel lonely and was then paired with her volunteer befriender Sheena Alison said: “Sheena is marvellous – I love speaking to her We talk about all sorts every week including church cooking you name it! I feel much better now that I have these calls we chat every Tuesday and I love the structure it brings to my week

Talking to Sheena is one of the only conversations I have throughout the week so it really does mean a lot to me

Alison, who is a keen knitter, had the pleasure of gifting The King with a hand-knitted angel, which wears a

crown instead of a halo that she made especially for the afternoon tea celebration “It feels wonderful to have met The King and not only that but to have been able to give him a present too I love knitting I made little angles for Age UK s Telephone Friendship Service team because they really are angels so I wanted to do the same for His Majesty I had such a lovely time!

Alasdair Stewart, Age UK’s Director of National Services, which includes The Silver Line Helpline joined some of the service s volunteers to speak with The Queen Consort at the afternoon tea He said:

Local volunteers from Age UK s Silver Line Helpline really enjoyed meeting Her Majesty The Queen Consort Volunteers spoke about their experiences supporting older people over the last few years during the pandemic and more recently

“The volunteers were thanked by The Queen Consort for their important work and contributions and given Her Majesty s close connection to The Silver Line, this felt very special indeed ”

Paul Farmer Age UK CEO who hosted the afternoon tea with Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort said:

“It was a fantastic day which Age UK was thrilled to host The support of our volunteers is crucial when it comes to helping older people so this was a great way to celebrate the work of those in the Colchester area and to meet our local service users

We d like to thank our guests for coming along to share their personal experiences of supporting and being part of Age UK with The King and The Queen Consort and for making this such a special day ”

Our Dementia Choir to Take the Stage at UK Care Week

UK Care Week have just announced that Our Dementia Choir will be performing live on their Keynote Stage on the 22nd March at 12:15pm at NEC Birmingham

Our Dementia Choir began as part of a documentary created for BBC1 in 2018 The two-part series saw acclaimed actress Vicky McClure take us on a deeply personal journey where she sets out to discover the true extent of music’s power in combatting dementia

In this unique and exciting session, hear from the Choir's team about the incredible work that the charity are doing to

H.W.Pickrell Ltd

Lane North, Crays Hill, Billericay, Essex, CM11 2XE Mobile: 07860 894 331 • email: sales@hwpickrell.co.uk Telephone: (01268) 521033

Raising the standard of stair climbing solutions

change lives across the UK and the importance of music in dementia care Of course we couldn't have the choir join us without what will certainly be a show stopping performance

When you watch the choir – you will be exposed to a range of emotions – joy sadness laughter excitement amazementand more often than not you will have no choice but to get up and sing along!

See Our Dementia Choir sing live!

Sign up for your free tickets at https://hubs la/Q01Cq2740

The Stair Climbing Company offers an excellent range of compact, easy to use, powered Stair Climbers that are ideal for use in both home and commercial settings

Offering innovative designs, all of the company’s Stair Climbers can be separated into two pieces, for safe storage and are easily transported and charged In addition, all of its Stair Climber’s come with a two year manufacturer’s warranty

RAF Crew Help Staff Spruce Up Terraces and Flowerbeds at Veterans’ Care Home

Crew from RAF High Wycombe have helped staff give a care home s outdoor areas a spring clean

Eight service personnel donned gardening gloves and brought brooms rakes and trowels when they came to Royal Star & Garter in High Wycombe to help staff clean terrace areas and tidy outdoor spaces

Royal Star & Garter is a charity which provides loving compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia The

the

pulling out weeds which had sprung up over

but they were able to watch

RAF High Wycombe has chosen Royal Star

Future of Care Leaders Conference

Returning with a new name the Future of Care Leaders Conference has re-branded to highlight who should consider attending – the leaders of the care sector Bookings are officially open for the highly sought-after conference being held at The King's Fund, London on Tuesday 28th March 2023

The conference is set out to bring key trends challenges and developments in the care industry in front of the people who matter With a new and improved layout and a quality speaker programme, delegates can expect new additions including a networking breakfast and drinks reception to end the day on a high and strengthen relationships made throughout the day

The day includes an extensive programme with informative sessions held by a coveted list of speakers and hosts a selection of exhibitors in the networking space Delegates can enjoy a selection of refreshments throughout the day, as well as a quality lunch included in the cost of the ticket

The programme this year will focus on a range of important subjects which will be discussed in focused speaker slots and panel debates Topics include;

Embedding Net Zero into the Sector

• Raising the Profile of Adult Social Care

What Does Innovation in Care Actually Mean?

Improving Elderly Care Through Human Connection

Supporting the Wellbeing on the Social Care Workforce

Key speakers at the conference include: Liz Kendall MP, Shadow Minister for Health & Social Care; Kate Terroni Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care and Integration and Interim Chief Operating Officer at Care Quality Commission; Nadra Ahmed Executive Chairman of National Care Association; Avnish Goyal CBE Chair of Hallmark Care Homes and Vic Rayner OBE Chair of the National Care Forum; who is also Conference Chair

Use the following link to book your place and view the full programme – www futureofcare co uk

Unite Demands Withdrawal of Scotland’s National Care Ser vice Bill

An open session meeting held with MSPs in the Scottish Parliament dozens of Unite representatives working in the local government gave evidence to explain Unite s position, and the impact for local government if the NCS Bill was to proceed in its current format

In January Unite revealed that it had decided to withdraw from any further involvement in the co-design of the NCS The trade union s Scottish Executive approved a motion instructing its officers and elected lay representatives not to attend any co-design meetings with immediate effect

Unite has repeatedly criticised the proposal to transfer services, people and property from local authorities to the Scottish Government or to care boards as a ‘recipe for disaster’ The trade union has specifically taken aim over the only firm proposal on the table being the transfer of at least

75 000 employees from local government into centralised ministerial quangos

Pat Rafferty, Unite Scottish Secretary, said:

Unite has been leading the fight to have the National Care Service Bill withdrawn as it is clearly not fit for purpose This is a fact being acknowledged by Scottish Government Ministers who have got themselves into a terrible mess over the proposals This is because they never bothered to talk to the workforce and trade unions in the first place ”

The Bill has been a dog s breakfast from its inception and our members in local government have been rightly furious over the proposal to transfer at least 75 000 workers from local and democratically accountable bodies to centralised ministerial quangos Unite’s members will be attending the Parliament to tell MSPs directly that it s time to bin the Bill

Centrum Care Homes Celebrates International Women's Day and Festival of Holi with Residents at The White House and Croft Lodge

Teignmouth UK - Centrum Care Homes a leading provider of residential care services celebrated International Women s Day and the Festival of Holi with residents at The White House and Croft Lodge on March 8th 2023

The event was organised to recognize and honour the contributions of women in society and celebrate the arrival of spring Residents at both locations enjoyed a day filled with fun activities delicious food and vibrant colours

The day began with a special lunch where residents were served traditional Indian cuisine They also received colourful scarves and flowers to wear for the festivities

The celebration continued with a Holi party where residents enjoyed throwing colourful powders at each other, dancing to music, and enjoying sweet treats

In addition to the Holi celebrations the event also included a special

tribute to the women who have made significant contributions to society

Residents shared stories and memories of the women who have inspired them and made a difference in their lives

"We wanted to create a special day for our residents that would recognize the important role that women play in our society and also celebrate the arrival of spring," said Tracie Bowen, Registered Manager at Centrum Care Homes The residents had a fantastic time and it was wonderful to see them come together to share stories and memories "

Centrum Care Homes is committed to providing high-quality care services to its residents and creating a warm and welcoming environment where they can feel at home The International Women's Day and Festival of Holi celebrations are just one of the many activities and events that Centrum Care Homes organises throughout the year to help its residents stay engaged active and happy

“Recruitment and Retention, a Modern Crisis in Care”

By Catherine O ’Dea-Hughes, Director of Goatacre Manor Care Home

The adult social care sector has consistently faced challenges with high staff turnover and vacancy rates In fact in 2022 the number of vacancies increased by a staggering 52%[i] to a total of 165,000 Similarly, the starter rate fell between 2018 to 2022 from 37 3% to 30 8%; an indication that whilst staff are leaving in their masses, recruitment is failing too

With the renewal of the Workforce Development Fund expected to land in April 23 the industry awaits their support in terms of funding and learning and development opportunities with veiled breath More must be done to value and motivate our staff inside and outside of the doors of the workplace

In a person-centric career it seems obvious People are power in this situation of course As owners, managers and employees of care homes we must all act to create support networks that truly value one another support one another and encourage both personal and team development in every chance that we get If we are to recruit and retain care staff within a demanding environment we must place our people first and in this case there is significant weight in their investment

This is why we set up the Employee Assistance programme; to aid staff and their families in matters relating to their personal and working life to make them feel a valued member of our society and in their own For point of clarification the EAP assigns any and all members of staff with a contact for advice on their mental and physical wellbeing, their legalities and for citizens advice in an inclusive, holistic package This stands to support employees if there are issues at work or at home as we recognise the duality that occurs within the system of life far beyond the walls of employment And if an employee feels valued at home they should feel valued at their place of work; the same is true for the inverse situation

As part of the programme they also have the opportunity to speak to an external counsellor at any hour of the day; a particularly important chance as a number of care staff work through the night to provide residents with support and supervision

Burnout is the reality of the health industry, and the way out is by providing a support network that sees value in the harsh truth that stands when others fall and helps when others can t If an employee feels empowered in their work and by their team members they will feel motivated and confident in their own thought and abilities; and the same is true at home

Additionally staff must not only be valued but rewarded for their work In a physically and emotionally

demanding environment we must celebrate our staff who in many cases have continued throughout the pandemic and continue to stand strong Employee benefits packages are a great way to keep staff happy healthy and engaged with their line of work and best behaviours must be encouraged too if we are to create a truly content and motivated team

Best behaviours go beyond great work they transcend into great leadership By making examples of how team members have acted - in and beyond their line of work - your staff will feel encouraged and supported amidst a positive and inclusive working environment Management and leadership are two related yet separate entities, and team leaders and managers must foster leadership through great examples and through attentive listening When staff have the tools to foster development they use them and in turn make their own solutions This is how we retain staff, we support them, and we act as their first cheerleader in all that they do; for our duty of care is not limited to residents in care but also for our colleagues

This support must also extend to the recruitment of staff New staff can present fresh energy and new optimism to a workforce With the rate of new starters decreasing in recent years we must look towards creating new solutions at fast pace

See recruitment is a competition and those who win are often those who offer the best package Many employers assume employers only change or leave jobs because of their pay This perception is changing and many individuals seeking employment place deep emphasis on work benefits and on the cultural aspect of an employer

Employee benefits can range from free meals advice on how to upskill and professionally develop support with childcare and provide options to buy annual leave The cultural aspect comes from who and what the workplace offers supports and celebrates and can be a deciding factor in accepting or declining a job offer As mentioned above staff want to be valued and rewarded and this must be portrayed in job descriptions and interviews if new members are to join a team A motivated happy and successful team attracts similar individuals and whilst this is an entity less quantifiable than employee benefits they are seen in a person’s character, their persona and their team ethos

Additional benefits can be the provision of free or funded learning and development programmes with a roadmap toward progression within the industry; actions which lead to committed and qualified staff members; determined to achieve above and beyond their initial terms of employment

In simple terms, retaining and recruiting staff must come from within, and moves must be made to foster and support inclusivity encourage and reward achievement and provide avenues for further development if we as an industry are to stem the flow of staff and keep standards high for those who are in need of our help [1] https://www skillsforcare org uk/adult-soc al-care-workforce-data/Workforce-intelligence/publications/Topics/Recruitment-andretent on aspx

Outstanding Social Care Manager Receives MBE

A NATIONAL CARE GROUP registered manager has received her MBE from HRH Princess Anne, as part of The Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2022 for her outstanding services to social care

Julie Shield, registered manager at Abbeyvale Care Centre – part of National Care Group s Essential Care and Support services in County Durham – attended the ceremony at Windsor Castle on 28 February 2023

Becoming a Member of the Order of the British Empire is the latest and most prestigious in a number of awards presented to Julie throughout her career She was named National Care Group s Pandemic Star of the Year, was one of the first to receive the Silver Chief Nursing Officer Adult Social Care award from the UK Government in 2021 and won Employer of the Year at the Caring UK Awards in the same year

The MBE reflects her dedicated service to the residents at Abbeyvale Care Centre and the social care sector as a whole in which she has worked since 2000

In particular Julie’s efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic ensured her service was kept completely Covid-19 free selflessly putting the health and wellbeing of the people she supports above her own

Julie said: I m honoured to receive such an award for work that I love to do and to be included on a list of incredibly well-deserving people

The commitment of the passionate and hard-working team around me, along with the wonderful people we support, has made Abbeyvale, and National Care Group such a fantastic place to work over the past 23 years I’m excited to see the progression of Abbeyvale and to continue leading such a vital community service for the elderly and those with a diagnosis of dementia

James Allen CEO of National Care Group said

Establishing a service that caters to a wide range of complex needs is a challenge, but Julie has done this exceptionally at Abbeyvale, creating a care home that offers a positive and comfortable environment for the people we support

We re incredibly proud of all that Julie has achieved in her career and her outstanding local reputation She is a true example of the passion and commitment National Care Group colleagues embody daily in their shared goals of making a real difference to the lives of those we support and unlocking their full potential

Longridge Hall Care Home Manager Celebrates Her 15-Year Anniversar y With The Home

The manager of Longridge Hall Care Home has celebrated her 15-year work anniversary with the home

Tracey Hartley joined the Preston based home in 2008 as a senior care assistant before working her way up to become deputy manager and then manager six years ago

James Parkin and Ben Challinor, directors of the Sandstone Care Group which owns the home, presented Tracey with champagne and a bouquet of flowers

James said “Tracey is an absolute star and we wanted to give her a massive thank you from all her team for her dedication and ongoing commitment to Longridge Hall ”

Tracey said: “It was really lovely to be surprised with a speech and gifts The time has absolutely flown by and I love coming into work every day

“All week I’ve been recalling lots of lovely memories of people we have cared for over the years, some of whom I’ve known for over ten years

“Seeing residents happy is important to me and I’ve become known for my outfits on special days At Christmas, I dressed as an elf and last Easter I came to work in a bunny outfit On Valentine’s Day this week I wore an over-the-top blouse with big red love hearts on it It always make people chuckle

“Longridge Hall is a very special care home with a strong sense of community, and lots of our residents know each other from years back We are like a big family

“I’m proud of the team of colleagues I work with and seeing how they have developed over the years to provide our residents with exceptional person-centred care ”

to

‘Why Are We Stuck in Hospital?’ - Research Reveals the Challenges for People With Learning Disabilities and/or Autistic People Tr ying

Leave ‘Long-Stay’ Hospital

Research into the experiences of people with learning disabilities and/or autistic people in long-stay hospitals has revealed the barriers they face to being discharged and living more ordinary lives in their communities – including overly-complicated treatment systems lack of psychological support and a culture of some patients being set up to fail’

Research from the University of Birmingham and the rights-based organisation Changing Our Lives sets out findings from a study conducted with 27 people with learning disabilities and/or autistic people living in three long-stay hospitals in England as well as the perspectives of family members hospital staff commissioners social workers advocates and social care providers

The research was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR)

Through observation interviews and focus groups researchers were able to build a detailed picture of the issues keeping adults stuck in long-stay hospital, sometimes for many, many years This research has now been used to create a new guide and training video for those working in long-stay hospitals and in the community There are currently about 2,000 people with learning disabilities and/or autistic people in hospital at any one time Over half have had a total length of stay of over 2 years including 350 people who have been in hospital for more than 10 years

Jon Glasby Professor of Health and Social Care at the University of Birmingham who led the project said: We ve known about these issues for more than a decade and yet progress has been painfully slow One of the reasons for this is because we haven’t done enough to listen to the experiences of people with learning disabilities and autistic people in hospital their families and front-line staff Without drawing on this lived experience and practice knowledge, we’re unlikely to come up with solutions that actually work for people ”

THE RESEARCH REVEALED THAT THE MAIN BARRIERS TO MOVING PEOPLE OUT OF HOSPITAL AND BACK INTO COMMUNITIES FELL INTO THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

Seeing people as a collection of ‘labels’ and diagnoses not as individual people

- Different services and professions not sure who should be in charge

-

Massive delays in planning and co-ordinating who does what

- The difficulty of linking up the criminal justice system with health and social care (where someone has

committed a crime)

- An overly complicated treatment system which leads to patients ‘jumping through hoops to try and leave hospital sooner

- Staff in hospitals not always knowing what community-based care options are available

- A lack of psychological support for patients who may have experienced traumatic events in their past or during hospital stays

- Patients falling through the cracks in the health and social care system

One person stuck in long-stay hospital who took part in the research said

“I have my days when it gets me down you know like why am I still here? I’ve had about four places that have come to assess me but they ve all turned me down They turned me down because I don t have a learning difficulty, so I don t fit [the] criteria and because I don’t fit [the] criteria, the commissioners won’t accept me

Another person said “I just want to move on really - I cry in my room I’m so far away from my mum ” Jayne Leeson MBE Chief Executive at Changing Our Lives commented Planning and advocating alongside people with learning disabilities and autistic people who find themselves in hospital and working as part of a wider team to ensure these individuals move into their own homes has given the team in Changing Our Lives a front row seat in what we consider to be one of the biggest health and social care scandals of the two decades

Recognising the injustice of this situation we were very happy to work with the University of Birmingham on this much needed research, which as Jon Glasby rightly says, has listened to and gathered the thoughts and experiences of the people who have personal experience of living within these locked hospital settings "

Professor Glasby concluded: Most people want to come out of hospital and to live an ordinary life – and this doesn’t feel like much to ask Although we look back with horror at the old asylums future generations will look back at us and find the current situation barbaric People’s lives are on hold and no one thinks this is good enough

Boost for Care Home as Four Nurses Qualify

Four nurses with a vast range of experience between them will be working with communities at a Suffolk care home after passing their latest exams

Genevieve Nguya Japhet Keteku Nicholas Mensah and Francis

Nyghe have all passed their objective structured clinical examination

(OSCE) enabling them to work as nurses in the UK

The newly-qualified nurses have been working at Avocet Court in Ipswich which is run by family-owned Athena Care Homes over the past year as part of the care team while studying for their exams

Genevieve who works on the Powys community was nursing in a primary care setting in South Africa before she and her husband made the decision to relocate

Genevieve had worked in a range of settings including a private hospital and as an occupational nurse working for a large employer

She has experience of counselling; working on a Covid vaccination programme and even gained her prescribing licence back in South Africa

What I enjoy about working in a care home is being with the people Our residents are really interesting and each have their own unique ways While working here as a carer I have had the opportunity to form a bond and really get to know the residents

Nicholas and Francis were both practicing as registered nurses in Ghana They applied to be a part of the Athena family together and have supported one another throughout their journey

“You have to put a lot of time into studying for the first exam,” said Nicholas, having just passed his final exams He is working as a pre-registered nurse on the Cilgerran community at Avocet Court alongside

Francis and both have spent time getting to know the residents and their life stories so they can better understand their needs

Francis got the news he had passed his exams this week and said: No-one told me it would be so hard but it was worth it

“I wanted to work in the UK because I wanted to experience a different culture and having Nicholas with me has helped because we both understand where the other is at ”

Ruth Garnham General Manager at Avocet Court Care Home said:

“Not only are we gaining four new nurses but four nurses who know our residents and our homes Over the past year Genevieve Japhet Nicholas and Francis have become valued members of the Avocet family and they have forged relationships with our residents

We are excited to see them progress in the next stage of their careers and further improve nursing care here at Avocet Court Having four new qualified nurses within the team plus another nurse currently going through our induction programme means we can reduce agency use and offer more continuity to our residents

Athena Care Homes has a proven record of investing in staff offering clear career pathways for those who show a passion and determination to provide the very best for their residents

Jenni Rowan Resourcing Manager for Athena Care Homes said: When we recruit we look for people who have the right attributes and a vision for their own future, we can then support them as they gain experience and the qualifications they need to progress within the care sector

“We want to see our team members develop and grow, because it gives them confidence and satisfaction while ensuring we have qualified members of staff at a time when recruitment can be a challenge

Dairy experts Lakeland Dairies have launched their 2023 Celebrate Green campaign

WIN – Chance to win £500 amazon voucher

AND 5 x Lakeland Dairies hampers

• Enter free all chefs eligible to enter

Celebrate Green with Lakeland Dairies throughout March and on St Patrick’s Day

Steeped in Irish heritage dairy co-operative Lakeland Dairies are celebrating their lush green grass and rich Irish provenance with their annual Celebrate Green campaign The campaign recognises Lakeland Dairies’ Irish dairy farming excellence, and high-quality milk from its family farms It also embraces their excellent reputation and heritage in creating professional dairy products which have been carefully designed to deliver extraordinary taste and fantastic functional performance

CHANCE TO WIN £500!

To celebrate Lakeland Dairies are offering all chefs the opportunity to join them in Celebrating Green in the month of March, with the chance to a win a fantastic £500 amazon voucher Its free and quick to enter, and five runner ups will win a delicious Lakeland Dairies hamper The hampers are filled with their incredi-

ble dairy products including Millac Gold Double Creamy Pure Irish Butter Lakeland Dairies Real Dairy Whipping Cream and more

Enter here https://bit ly/3ktdpUo

Jean Cattanach, marketing Controller at Lakeland Dairies explains: Celebrate Green runs for the month of March every year with a focus on St Patrick’s Day on the 17th It’s the time of year when take a moment to reflect on the values and quality of our dairy co-operative and we’re excited to invite chefs to join us in celebrating our farming excellence and Irish provenance with this fun competition ”

97% OF CHEFS BELIEVE DAIRY

Providing Inclusive And Thoughtful Catering In The Care Home

By Matt Goodman, Catering Manager, The Royal Alfred Seafarers Society (https://royalalfredseafarers co uk/)

People of all ages deserve tasty healthy food but providing it takes thought and effort Care homes must consider each person’s dietary preferences restrictions nutrition and more to ensure that they get food that is both enjoyable to eat and supports their wellbeing

NUTRITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

Catering managers are responsible for designing menus that provide residents with all the required nutrients For example, creamy sauces and fish on the menu provide residents with healthy Omega-3 fatty acids which have an array of health benefits

Sharing nutrition information has traditionally been a challenge

Fortunately technology can help At Royal Alfred our team uses a web-based nutritional management system to ensure that each resident s preferences and requirements are kept up to date The system also helps to identify and flag allergens and provides “traffic light”

nutritional reporting on all stock items recipes and menus

MEALS TO LOOK FORWARD TO

However food is about more than just delivering the required nutrients Catering managers must also listen to the residents so they can deliver enjoyable meals It s also useful to keep up with the latest food trends to keep menus fresh and exciting

At Royal Alfred we meet every quarter with all the residents and staff to discuss menus We also host regular tasting sessions, run catering surveys and meet with families to discuss dietary preferences restrictions and needs Giving our residents multiple ways to have their say ensures that we can create meals they will love

The idea that food for the elderly needs to be bland or boring is a myth We make plenty of cakes, treats and traditional food and drinks

We also hold four food-based events each month recently including seafood night, Italian night and even a whiskey-themed day In the summer regular barbeques are a favourite among residents and an opportunity to invite their families Year-round culture days meanwhile enable residents and staff to try delicious food from around the world

We also put a lot of effort into presentation which is especially important for older adults with visual impairments This ensures that meals look appealing way and that there is a clear contrast between different foods and textures

SPECIALISED AND INCLUSIVE CATERING

We pride ourselves on our quality of care and that includes providing high-quality nutritious food for every resident In terms of medical requirements some residents may need a fortified menu while those with dysphagia require food prepared to the ideal consistency within the IDDSI framework Respecting dietary preferences is also essential, so we produce food for a variety of diets including for vegetarians vegans pescatarians and those living with coeliac disease or diabetes among others

We also create individual plans for those living with dementia Our approach here is intended to make mealtimes as enjoyable and stressfree as possible for both the residents and our carers Sometimes, simple changes such as altering mealtimes for residents with disrupted sleep patterns can have a big impact

COLLABORATING TO DELIVER GREAT MEALS

Our brilliant team works extremely hard to organise and prepare meals for so many varied dietary needs It s not always easy but it s always worthwhile! Working with a dedicated team on the nutritional value quality and presentation of food ensures that you can deliver delicious meals that residents love

Care Home with Cinema and Coffee Shops for Residents Opens in Nor wich

“Exceptional care is at the forefront of everything we do, and Broadlands Lodge will be a true asset to the community in Norwich We’ve designed the home to be a comfortable safe and authentic space for residents to live their lives enjoying everyday activities such as going to a coffee shop or getting a book out of the library says Sotak Robinson, Care Home Manager at Broadlands Lodge

The home which has 66 rooms each with en-suite wet room facilities, along with smart TVs and mini fridges, is designed to be spacious safe and comfortable for each and every resident

Within one inclusive fee the home also offers the opportunity for residents’ families to come and enjoy daily activities as well as restaurant quality food cooked by the team s on-site chefs with no extra charges

It was important for us to ensure the space feels like home for every resident, and that means having their family visit and enjoy their lifestyle with them Whether it s nipping to the coffee shop or taking part in one of the daily activities on offer, we welcome relatives to come and enjoy quality time with their loved one says Sotak Empowering their residents to make their own choices and feel supported and valued is at the heart of the Broadlands team as Sotak says we deliver care which is respectful of every resident Through person centred care, we recognise each individuals' ambitions and

respect who they are, and the life they lived before joining us ” Broadlands Lodge regularly host events with the last one occurring in February The event saw family friends and prospective residents all enjoying a day of activities including live music a photo booth and snacks from the on-site chef

Miele Professional Launch Miele MOVE Platform to Support

Frictionless Laundr y Management in Great Britain and Ireland

Miele Professional, a leading white goods provider, has announced the launch of Miele MOVE an integrated platform solution designed to bring efficiencies to the commercial laundry processes of its customers

Its intuitive design simplifies everyday work for all those involved in the chain of laundry management from managers and users through to service personnel

This includes supporting maximum machine use and the reporting of faults, increasing profitability and efficiency at all of a business laundry locations

Thanks to intelligent monitoring and assistance tools, users are able to access machine data at any time though any internet-enabled device This provides information such as when a machine is available and when a machine encounters errors minimising downtime Process data from programmes is also saved to allow performance to be reviewed and to assist with hygiene compliance

Complementary to data capture, users can take advantage of the visualisation capabilities within Miele MOVE which can be viewed by staff at the touch of a button Dashboards and widgets can be customised to ensure the relevant information is communicated This personalisation extends to other features within the platform such as machine and location labelling and notifications The solution currently offers both freemium and premium subscription options enabling clients to unlock different features

gradually

To optimise workflow and improve process security Miele MOVE automatically informs users when a fault occurs This can be then forwarded to authorised service technicians who will be able to act on issues faster resulting in minimal downtime and preventing unnecessary costs

As the platform is connected to Miele and its network of service partners, technicians can browse relevant machine information (e g required spare parts) immediately, reducing the need for repeat trips, saving both time and effort

Simon Venni Head of Sales at Miele Professional GB commented: Miele MOVE has been designed to make the lives of our customers easier by streamlining processes and increasing overall visibility of laundry management leading to energy saving cost cutting and reduced environmental impact

“Whilst we know that cost and time savings are extremely important, we also wanted the platform to be flexible to support a business and users unique requirements Going forwards we will be continuously enhancing the technology through the addition of client-specific features to support friction-free laundry management

Miele MOVE

How Can Technology Help Health and Social Care Professionals Provide Truly Person-Centred Care to the People They Support?

egardless of geographical location health and social care fields cross the world are governed by care standards which dictate that residents must receive person-centred care and be involved in every aspect of the care they receive

With the needs of residents in the health and social care setting being so diverse and complex organisations supporting people with specific needs, cannot aspire to achieve this best practice by applying a one size fits all rule when it comes to the technology they need to use, to manage both the care and operational sides of their business There is a substantial amount of published literature depicting how different types of technologies can positively ssist organisations in the health and social care industry to enhance ependence and quality of life for residents clients and patients

Equally, few articles in the information technology rubric balances these views by focusing on evidencing the drawbacks of using certain information communication technologies in this field

In her article: Ethical Issues and the Electronic Health Records (EHR) published in The Health Care Manager magazine in December 2020 Layman Elizabeth PHD student highlights the inconsistency of positive evidence about the use of EHR for disadvantaged persons in the care setting According to Layman (2020) if not used appropriately this type of technology can also come with some disadvantage which includes residents or clients not knowing who their information will be shared with; in some cases the accuracy of the information recorded about a service user is found to be incorrect Service users do not seem be able to have access to their electronic records

Over the past decade the issue around the use of technology in the health and social care industry has also been the centre of interest for Government and health care regulatory agencies Indeed, (Jennifer Martin 2019) the ex-Medicines and Healthcare product Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Inspector Director in her quest to review the strength and weaknesses of the EHR systems used in the health and social care field provided us with a very insightful blog published on the GOV uk website on the 23rd July 2019 Her work on the evaluation and review of a number of EHR technologies assisted decision makers to see that the majority of available electronic health recording systems did not have adequate functionalities For example, a major issue related to the lack of ability to give access to specific information to relevant audiences without breaching data There is also very limited evidence of EHR systems enabling residents and their families to access electronic files without the input of a staff member Despite some of the drawbacks highlighted in the digital literature it has been widely acknowledged that achieving effective sharing of information and capturing all essential aspects of an individual’s needs without using technological tools proves very challenging Hence the Government and health regulatory agencies and such as CQC NHS and Nice are supporting and will be ultimately requiring the implementation of EHR technology in health care settings A recent review of such systems (Jennifer Martin 2019) demonstrated that there has been some improvement regarding the sharing of information using EHR systems over the past few years Professional 3rd parties involved in the care of residents or patients are able to access electronic files However the risk of data breach for these systems appeared high, as not all systems could enable the professionals to see only what they needed The review of the literature on the use of technology in health and social care highlights the

By Annick Guirate, Trainer Consultant, Leecare Solutions Ltd UK (www.leecare.co.uk)

importance for leaders making decisions about the tools to be used to achieve best practice and personcentred care; to make themselves familiar with systems and functionalities that will enable them to have the service users at the centre of their care Interestingly, most literature and recommendations for best practice on this topic point to systems being able to share information effectively (Kharrazi et al 2018)

Leecare s senior leadership team is passionate about continually improving program functionality to ensure service users remain at the centre of the care they receive The team has continually kept abreast of latest technologies and Government requirements and what is required to ensure best practice, worldwide

With this in mind

Leecare’s Platinum6 software has been especially designed to make information sharing easy with an emphasis on the connection between the care of the resident staff and the organisation Particular care has been taken in developing P5MyCarePlan - our resident centred app By directly enabling service users to inform service providers, the information in assessments and care plans is not solely related to the clinical observations of nursing staff but also reflects more accurately the preferences views and feedback of the person receiving the care and support

P5MyCarePlan App also enables residents to review their care plan and what staff have written about them, as well as add information that populates directly into their care plan, in their own time

If the resident wishes for a family member to also have access to their information a login can be created for them so that they can contribute to providing feedback regarding the care of their loved one or just be updated about new events

Having this tool made available to residents, facilitates a truly person-centred care approach as it promotes adaptability and flexibility giving room to the resident to request changes as and when their needs change and communicate this to staff members in real time

Ensuring that residents and service users are able to easily communicate their needs is also paramount to providing person-centred care Therefore choosing a technological tool that is not just user friendly but adaptable and accessible is essential if staff are to fully capture all of their resident s different needs

Leecare P5MyCarePlan can not only be used on different type of devices such as mobile phones and tablets, but service users can also use touch screens to write their feedback or utilise voice recognition if they are unable to write Staff are then able to receive the information and take immediate and effective action Dr Caroline Lee CEO and founder of Leecare Solutions stated in her article entitled: Keeping residents and families connected-supporting Self Determination which was published on the 5th July in Hello Care Magazine: “Caring requires us to be vigilant – to know every wish and need, watch out for cues for change and to know what we need to know But obtaining the information directly from the person the care impacts using technology a system linked App ensures our care is not only about the Standards or public demands or legal responsibilities but is real and can be followed through onto the ground where it is needed most”

Dementia Researchers Cycle 500 Miles for Alzheimer’s Research UK Conference

Two dementia researchers will be cycling an epic fourday challenge from Norwich to Aberdeen to attend the Alzheimer’s Research UK Conference 2023 – the UK s largest dementia research conference – on 14 March

Michael Hornberger, Professor of Applied Dementia Research at the Norwich Medical School and Michael Coleman, Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge will be clocking approximately 125 miles each day to reach the conference on time

The duo have called themselves ‘Mikes on Bikes and are raising funds for Alzheimer s Research UK the UK s leading dementia research charity They will set off from Norwich on 10th March stopping overnight in Hull Newcastle and Edinburgh on their way to Aberdeen

Prof Michael Hornberger said:

“I am delighted to be joined by a fellow Mike on a bike Cycling 500 miles to the conference will be a great challenge for us both and considering our shared research interests, Alzheimer s Research UK is a worthy charity to raise money for

“I am also looking forward to sharing insights and ideas with other conference attendees about the latest dementia research to help enhance our understanding and treatment of dementia ”

Prof Michael Coleman said:

“I have always liked cycling, so when the chance to cycle to the research conference came up, I jumped

there will give us even more time to discuss ideas for dementia research!

“There is still so much work to do deliver real improvements to people s day-to-day lives for those living with dementia and their loved ones It’s compelling to think that, by working together the research community will be able to bring about significant advances to deliver these enhancements

Dr Sara Imarisio Head of Research at Alzheimer s Research UK said:

The Alzheimer s Research UK Conference provides a fantastic opportunity to gain insights from colleagues working across basic translational and clinical dementia research

“Both Michaels have supported the work of Alzheimer’s Research UK in many ways in the past from mentoring early career researchers reviewing grant applications to developing a mobile game for dementia research

We wish them the best of luck with their cycling challenge and would like to thank them and all their supporters for their fantastic fundraising efforts We look forward to hearing about their journey once they reach the conference

The hybrid Alzheimer’s Research UK’s conference will take place on Tuesday 14 March and Wednesday 15 March 2023 both in person at the P&J Live in Aberdeen and online to increase the accessibility of the event

The conference will also feature an early career researchers’ event to nurture and provide networking opportunities for the next generation of dementia researchers

Nutrition & Hydration Week: The Kitchen Crews Going The Extra Mile For Care Home Veterans

The efforts put in by catering staff at Royal Star & Garter to provide a healthy, happy and positive dining experience are being highlighted ahead of Nutrition & Hydration Week

Enjoying nutritious meals and socialising at mealtimes is an essential part of the outstanding person-centred care delivered by the charity which has Homes in Solihull Surbiton and High Wycombe

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

Talented teams of chefs and caterers from Signature Dining work with care staff to understand the needs of each individual to create appealing meals which meet residents’ complex care and nutritional needs

Royal Star & Garter’s Director of Care Pauline Shaw said: “Mealtimes are an important part of everyone’s daily routine and they can be even more important in care home settings A good dining experience can help with social interaction, and the consumption of healthy, appetising foods can make a big positive impact on a person s health wellbeing and happiness ”

To mark Nutrition & Hydration Week which runs from 13-19 March the lengths that chefs and kitchen staff at Royal Star & Garter’s Homes go to for residents benefits is being highlighted

Rida Diab is the award-winning Chef Manager at Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton He often takes personal requests and has cooked up delicious meals using residents cherished family recipes He did just that with one resident, when he made a gooseberry pie using her mother’s recipe The resident later said My mum died in 1966 and it reminded me of her ”

Rida has also been known to provide a fine-dining experience for residents When an RAF veteran requested steak, a food which didn t feature often on the menu because many struggle to eat it Rida would cook the meal in front of the resident in the dining area Explaining the efforts he goes to Rida said: It s a lot more work but I feel happy when I see them enjoying the food They deserve to be treated like this because of what they have done for their country We offer them everything that we can Residents can always come to me

In High Wycombe, Chef Manager Marcin Kosinski said he and his team make residents birthdays that little bit more special We always cook the meal of their choice,” he said “Even if it’s something we don’t have in the kitchen we re happy to go to the shops and buy the ingredients The residents also tell us what cakes they like and we’ll make them their own birthday cake ” Echoing Rida’s sentiments Marcin continued It s all about making their special day a bit more special It means a lot to them, and it means a lot to me and my team that we can do this for the residents and make them happy

In addition, Marcin also offers tours of the kitchen to residents, so they can see how their food is prepared and the effort and love that goes into producing every meal

Some Royal Star & Garter residents specific care needs mean they require texture-modified food and the care homes kitchens have a wide selection of pureed food for them to choose from Paul Bunker Chef Manager at the Solihull Home said: There used to be a stigma attached to pureed food, it was all mixed together and blobbed onto a plate I think this is quite uninspiring and degrading At Royal Star & Garter, our pureed food is deconstructed and served with dignity We puree our peas and pipe them onto a plate carefully so it looks like they’re individual peas Carrots are pureed and piped onto a plate to look like a carrot with a bit of the peas added for the stalk The feedback is that people living with dementia eat the carrots because they know what it is from the way it’s been piped And colours are also very important when living with dementia

Residents could be on a pureed diet for a number of reasons They could have a risk of choking and aspiration or problems with swallowing which is sometimes brought on by dementia or dental issues Nearly every meal served in the Homes can be pureed including nearly all meats so residents on texture modified diets are often eating exactly the same food as the non-pureed meals Paul continued: “It’s the same healthy nutritious tasty appealing appetising food By serving pureed food they way we do, the residents still maintain dignity – it

still looks like a meal it still looks like the food everyone else is eating

The food served at Royal Star & Garter has been praised by residents and relatives Derek’s dad Bob served in the Army’s Catering Corps and recently became a resident Derek said: Coming to Royal Star & Garter was like coming home for Dad He had a freshly cooked hot meal one that had been cooked especially for him That means so much to Dad and as a struggling relative, that brought a smile to my face I was relieved he was home Not just in a care home but home That meant the world to me ”

And retired GP Annet spoke of the impact food at Royal Star & Garter had on her mother Felicia whose husband served in the RAF She said: “Mum had a six-week stay in another care home and I could see she was losing weight and not happy But moving to Royal Star & Garter was like a breath of fresh air I can see how well cared for she is She’s eating well she s put on weight and she s happy

Director of Care Pauline Shaw added: “The emphasis at Royal Star & Garter is always about providing the very best care That extends to the food we serve in the Homes We know that food can be linked to memory social occasions and emotions and that it can bring enjoyment socialisation and dignity That s why we do everything we can to meet the needs of individuals in the dining room, and make mealtimes an enjoyable positive experience

Paul Robottom, Founder/Owner Director of Signature Dining, said: Everything that we do centres around the happiness and dignity of the residents We are privileged to work in residents’ own homes and design our menus to meet the nutrition and hydration needs of all residents whilst being adaptable to meet their preferences and special

Care Residents ‘Sapphire’ Wedding Celebration

A care resident from Longueville Court care home in Peterborough celebrated 65 years of marriage with her husband on 8th March 2023

On this day in 1958; Dorothy aged 22 and Edgar aged 24 took their vows in the presence of many family and friends at the Methodist Chapel in South Beach Pwllheli North Wales becoming ‘Mr & Mrs Jones

Learning of the couples ‘Sapphire’ wedding anniversary the home staff at Longueville Court decided to surprise them with a

homemade celebration cake to mark the auspicious occasion

Their daughter Winn shared some photos of the couples special day which made the happy memories come flooding back!

General Manager Bhekimpilo Perelion at Longueville Court said: We have had such a lovely day celebrating Dorothy and Edgar’s 65th Wedding anniversary The Longueville team couldn’t let the day pass without a celebration It’s so wonderful to see two people still very much in love after all these years!”

Dementia Care and Washroom Design

How can washrooms help suppor t independence for those living with Dementia? Chrissie Rowlinson, marketing manager from Dudley Industries shows how washroom design and dispenser choice can help make washrooms a less confusing space.

Alzheimer s Research UK reports that over 944 000 Britons currently live with dementia and by 2030 the number will exceed a million For those responsible for washroom design in the care sector this rising trend presents important challenges

Such washrooms will typically see a variety of users so they must accommodate different demands They must satisfy all the usual conditions – safety accessibility and ease of maintenance for example – but as the population ages it s increasingly important that they meet the needs of users living with dementia and similar cognitive impairments

DESIGNING FOR USABILITY

The various steps involved in wetting hands, applying soap rinsing and drying all demand thought observation, orientation and the ability to recall in which order tasks should be performed For people with dementia, this may be especially difficult in an unfamiliar environment

The challenge may be further complicated by the fact that people with dementia often struggle to distinguish similar colours A typical washroom, featuring pale-coloured dispensers on pale-coloured walls, does little to help them

However good design can remove key barriers to usability The Alzheimer s Society reports that using sharply contrasting colours is helpful Intelligent use of colour and signage can eliminate much of the visual noise that users can find so disorientating and in a washroom colour can draw attention to key items such as soap- and towel-dispensers

Washroom dispensers are available with high-contrast coloured wall-plates The equipment then visually

stands out from the surrounding wall cutting through most distractions to guide users in the right direction This can be particularly helpful when items are situated close together (e g a soap-dispenser above a basin beside a towel-dispenser) This saves the user from having to walk or queue at any stage in the washing process so there is less chance that he/she will lose track of what should happen next

COLOUR CHOICE

To reduce the risks of distress designers can also consider the pacifying effects of certain colours Blue is often regarded as a particularly restful choice, so white dispensers set against blue wall-plates are a good option They offer high contrast while promoting calm

Designing in this way also permits a kind of guidance through colour-coding The same colour can be used for all functional items such as toilet roll housings soap dispensers paper towel dispensers and so on Provided that each is presented in a logical order colour-coding can then lead the user on a simple journey through the facilities

The same journey can also be aided by colour-coding in accompanying signage or posters that explain with visual examples how to use the facilities provided It can also be enhanced with colour-coding on the floor; for example by using coloured tiles or strips to indicate a logical path through the washroom from basin to dryer to exit

Such cues help users to build visual associations and to develop a sense of familiarity both of which can reduce the risks of anxiety and promote more regular and effective hand-washing

LIGHTING AND SAFETY

Many older people suffer from restricted vision so adequate lighting is essential particularly if colour-coding is a feature of the room s design Moreover lighting should cast no strong shadows across floors and walls, since they may be mistaken for obstacles and interrupt users progress through the room

NOISE

Finally people living with dementia may be more easily startled by sudden noises so paper towel dispensers offer a safer quieter choice than hand-dryers They may also be better suited to residential premises where it’s

Tackling Recruitment and Retention Issues in Social Care

By David Ashton-Jones, Managing Director of Homes Together discusses how the group is navigating the

The adult social care sector is crucial for the UK and a big contributor to the nation s economy, adding an estimated £51 5 billion annually and employing around 1 5 million people There are also millions of people throughout the country that rely on this care to support them or their loved ones in their everyday lives

The sector as a whole has always faced challenges with recruitment with this being amplified in recent years with the Covid-19 pandemic, cost of living crisis and Brexit According to the most recent Skills for Care report the sector has around 165 000 job vacancies which is a 55% increase from 2020/2021

As leaders within the care industry, we must do all we can to support our workforce and encourage more people into the sector This includes us changing the tried and tested methods of recruitment and looking for new ways to attract talent into the sector and ensure they feel supported enough to then stay

RECRUITING FROM OVERSEAS

In February 2022 care workers were added to the shortage occupation list and the Health and Care worker visa route and at Homes Together one of the ways we have tackled the industry and country wide skills shortages is by looking further afield for our team members

We have just been awarded a sponsor licence which will allow for us to recruit people from other countries more easily Following this we are in the final stages of recruiting four people from the Philippines for an initial three-year contact where we will also be providing all the necessary training as well as supporting with housing Widening the talent pool for potential applicants can support care teams and the people in their care

LISTENING TO FEEDBACK AND GIVING BACK

We have over 130 colleagues at the Homes Together group and are always keen to gain feedback from them, meaning that staff at all levels can share their thoughts and feedback We ensure that everyone feels they have the chance to raise any queries within their roles and we can address them as soon as possible This way of working with our staff has led to our decision to launch a completely new division which will

ensure we can provide additional focus to support staff and help them navigate an ever-changing, everchallenging care landscape

Our team are enthusiastic about serving the practical social and emotional needs of Service Users and always go above and beyond It’s vital that we’re appreciative and understanding of pressures staff may be facing and responding to their concerns in order that colleagues feel valued and supported in their roles

One of the things we did for our team at Christmas was to offer all of our staff members a Christmas hamper that included everything for a full Christmas lunch for a family of four taking some of the monetary pressure off the occasion Some may see it as a small gesture but we know from the constant conversations we have with staff that direct actions such as this are appreciated

Implementing staff training and wellbeing programmes

The wellbeing of our team and our service users is at the heart of everything we do It is essential to have a workforce that is supported with ongoing training so they can fulfil their role to the best of their abilities and help the people in their care live their life to the maximum

Each of our team members are given training and career development plans that include health and safety training first aid awareness training food hygiene training and safeguarding challenging behaviour training,

Commitment and ambition are rewarded with tailored support packages training and opportunities for career progression Making the support package relevant to the individual rather than a one size fits all approach can also encourage a positive culture and appeal to potential applicants - highlighting that it is a career and not just a job

Looking after the team s mental health is just as important as training and development a study by GMB Union revealed that 69% of carers agreed that their work was causing them stress or impacting on their health, which was exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic

At Homes Together we work hard to try and combat these stark statistics as part of our employee benefits package all of our team has access to the Bupa Employee Assistance programme providing support and practical advice on issues that might be impacting their wellbeing These kinds of resources allow staff to have face-to-face, telephone or online counselling and expert support on both personal and work-related issues when and if they need it

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Care providers must ensure they are investing in their teams in training and in wellbeing support so their people feel valued appreciated and comfortable in their roles In order for us to be able to provide exceptional care now and for future generations we must ensure that nurture and support the talent within the sector and those looking to join

current recruitment challenges within the industry and building a strong workforce

Rolling Out the Red Carpet at Liberty House Care Home

Liberty House care home in Doncaster operated by Runwood Homes, rolled out the red carpet and dressed in their most glamorous attire for their very own awards ceremony

The ceremony took place on Tuesday the 28th of February with family friends and residents in attendance

The categories were announced in the home at the beginning of February, where the care home asked residents staff family and friends to vote for their winners

Awards were presented to residents and team members in a variety of different categories such as worst singer’, ‘most helpful’, ‘most chatty’, ‘nicest smile , ‘funniest laugh most caring resident best moustache and best dressed staff and residents

The winners collected their trophies in true Oscars style, by Liberty House’s Wellbeing Lead, Jody Hughes

To compliment the evening all guests enjoyed pie and peas alongside a glass of prosecco

The evening also received a surprise impromptu speech from resident Jean thanking all the staff for their hard work and dedication

Jody Hughes Wellbeing Lead at Liberty House said:

“This was the inaugural awards ceremony at Liberty House and what a fantastic turnout It offered a new experience for staff, family and friends to get together, glam up and celebrate with one another It was so rewarding seeing all the smiles on everyone’s faces, and we can t wait for many more events like this in the future

Devastating Impact of Cost-Of-Living Crisis and 50-Hour Weeks on Young Carers in North and Mid Wales

A CAMPAIGN to support the health and wellbeing of young carers is growing in momentum following a significant increase in the number supporting a family member for more than 50 hours a week and the devastating impact of the cost-of living-crisis

Ahead of Young Carers Action Day on Wednesday (March 15) Credu is calling on schools, colleges, health bodies and communities to show more awareness and create opportunities for the thousands of carers across the country looking after a loved one

Organised by Carers Trust the Action Day wants people to Make Time for Young Carers’ including the 1 400+ identified in Wrexham Conwy and Denbighshire and more than 1 000 in Powys and Ceredigion

They want to see extended understanding in schools and workplaces and more access to breaks and financial and mental health support

Young people have been writing to MPs and Members of the Senedd asking them to sign up to a five-point pledge committing them to supporting children and young people in a caring role

And Credu has developed resources with guidance and advice including a Young Carer s Identity Card that can be worn on a lanyard so teachers staff and members of the public understand their situation

Young Carers Coordinator Sally Duckers said: Our focus is on awareness and asking schools colleges and people in society to take time to listen to young carers and find out what might help them to not just survive but thrive

“The ID card is available across the whole of Wales and makes it easier for young carers to show they care in health settings educational settings or employment where having a caring role may impact them

“Given the effect of the cost-of-living crisis on families across the country, we are encouraging local businesses to pledge their support by offering a discount on entrance costs or goods that could support

young carers – all of this could make a huge difference ”

The National Census of 2021 highlighted how young carers and young adult carers in England and Wales were more likely to be living in areas of high deprivation compared to their peers without caring responsibilities

There has been a marked rise in the number of young carers and young adult carers who care for at least 20 hours a week and there are still tens of thousands of young people caring for more than 50 hours This is despite it being nearly 10 years since the introduction of new legal rights for young carers

In a new Carers Trust Survey around 56% of respondents said the costof-living crisis is always or usually hitting them and their family with a third admitting they always or usually face additional costs because they are a carer

Carers Trust s CEO Kirsty McHugh said: These shocking survey results show young people caring for their loved ones are being hit by a perfect storm of increasing intensity in their caring responsibilities and the spiralling cost of living

“It cannot be right that children and young adult carers are having to take on the burden of dealing with stretched household finances and caring for ever longer hours to the detriment of their education and wellbeing

A national strategy for unpaid carers must finally be developed after years of delay while an overhaul of Carer’s Allowance is long overdue Young people also tell us they urgently need support with mental health and access to breaks It s high time we gave them the help they so sorely need

For more information, email carers@credu cymru or sally@credu cymru or visit https://rb gy/n1xur7

Use the hashtag #YoungCarersActionDay to support the campaign

The Residential & Home Care Show 2023

The Residential & Home Care Show is making its annual return as the UK s leadership event for delivering outstanding care at ExCeL London on 26-27 April 2023

The event offers two days of high-quality educational content the opportunity to speak to leading suppliers in the health and social care sector, and explore what products and services suit your business needs It is a chance to regroup network with like-minded peers and equip you with solutions to current challenges seen within the sector The two-day event will be jam-packed with knowledge advice and inspiration

Free for all care professionals to attend the CPD accredited educational programme will be delivered over five theatres exploring a variety of topics including:

Recruitment and retention:

Health and social care experts will provide you with advice on topics such as employee engagement and how to effectively recruit according to your business needs Explore digital marketing technologies overseas recruitment and the importance of staff retention

Workplace culture and staff wellbeing: understand how to adopt strategies and best practice models into your workplace culture to aid to development and confidence of staff

Digital transformation

You will receive insights and advice on how to make the most of the digital transformation process and implement an efficient, cost-effective digital solution for your care home Business development and regulatory updates:

You will be able to access sessions on planning and implementation of strategies that will help increase the profitability of your care home and hear updates from local authorities to ensure your business complies with the latest regulations

Integrated care systems:

You will gain a deeper understanding of how the NHS and social care services will be working together to provide a higher quality of care

Residents’ health:

There will be a variety of sessions dedicated to residents health including long covid, diabetes and dementia care

REASONS TO ATTEND:

• Free for all care and healthcare professionals

Earn up to 12 CPD points

Take away practical advice and solutions that can be implemented into your own organisation

Join thousands of other Owners, Directors, Senior Managers all under one roof and utilise the networking opportunities

Meet and talk with 200 exhibitors showcasing their latest products and services

• Build relationships between residential care providers nursing homes domiciliary care providers NHS local government the voluntary sector and suppliers

• Learn from over 100 expert speakers who will share key case studies, best practice examples and deliver important panel discussions with sector leaders and successful care business providers Register at www residentialandhomecareshow co uk/tcu23

Mike Seabrook Appointed Home Manager at Hartford Care’s Bethel House Care Home in Barton on Sea

Mike Seabrook has been appointed Home Manager at Hartford Care s Bethel House care home in Barton on Sea Hampshire Mike has worked in the care industry for over 20 years and joined Hartford Care in 2022 as Deputy Manager at Bethel House He says: I have always had a passion for supporting people who require extra care; having helped my Nan who was living with vascular dementia I gained knowledge and a good understanding of the condition which has helped in my day-to-day duties I’m thrilled to be stepping up to Home Manager and to be able to develop my career within Hartford Care I’m looking forward to sharing my experience and knowledge in my new role, driving forward outstanding care at Bethel House

Harold Santiago has taking over as Deputy Manager at Bethel House He says: “Having worked at Bethel House since 2017 I feel valued and like I am part of a big family I am extremely passionate about working in care and I’m

very excited to take up my new position as Deputy Manager and to be able to mentor and pass on my knowledge skills and enthusiasm to my colleagues ”

Bethel House offers day care dementia care end of life care, residential care and respite breaks across its 30 en suite bedrooms With three lounge areas a large restaurant-style dining room and easy access gardens including a well-established orchard there s plenty of space for the residents to enjoy Hartford Care s philosophy is to provide a safe and comfortable lifestyle for its residents and carers in a high quality home setting Its head office is based in Basingstoke, Hampshire Established in 2003 its current 16 care homes are in Bristol, Berkshire (Burnham and Maidenhead), Devon (Sidmouth) Dorset (Poole) Hampshire (Barton-on-Sea Four Marks Hythe Portsmouth Winchester and Woodlands) Isle of Wight (Bembridge Ryde and Shanklin) Oxfordshire (Witney) and Wiltshire (Downton) Two further care homes in Aldershot and Swindon are due to open their doors this year

Care Home Administration Software Provider Shortlisted For Industr y Accolade For ‘Making Admin Easier’

A care home administration software provider’s commitment to making admin easier has been recognised with a shortlisting in this year’s HealthInvestor Awards

CoolCare is one of nine finalists for ‘Technology Provider of the Year’ a category dedicated to providers who deliver cutting edge digital solutions specifically tailored to their clients’ business needs, combined with first class service reliability and attention to detail Throughout 2022 CoolCare has recorded extensive time and cost savings for its users, with some also reporting increased business performance

Digitising everything from enquiry and fee management to resident records and simplifying processes the software helps care home teams save both time and money across a range of administrative jobs

On the news of the shortlisting, CoolCare Managing Director, Fiona Hale, said “Being shortlisted for an award is always a proud moment but as this particular category recognises so much of our team s hard work, including first class service, attention to detail and reliability, it means even more ”

CoolCare’s service is aimed at making operating care homes effortless more efficient and more profitable Its latest customer analysis revealed results above pre-pandemic levels for many of its customers including increases above national average in weekly fees occupancy and private payer ratios In 2022 CoolCare customers achieved between 29-62% higher weekly fees compared to the national average

The HealthInvestor Awards are almost in their 20th year celebrating the very best in businesses across the health and social care sector Finalists will attend a glittering ceremony on 7th June at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London to enjoy a three-course meal before the accolades are handed out with the ceremony being hosted by a celebrity guest Fiona adds: We re looking forward to gathering with the other finalists across all the categories on the night to celebrate the achievements and innovation happening in the social care sector We wish the best of luck to all of the other nominees for the night and will have high hopes for our category For more information on CoolCare, visit www coolcare co uk

Essential Insurance Covers For Your Care Home

often determined by best practice to ensure the resident or patient is as comfortable as they can be Unfortunately, this means mistakes can creep in A single mistake can result in a negative impact on your patient whether that be from medical treatment or advice This can lead to a potential claim for medical malpractice

Medical malpractice cover is not only a legal requirement to anyone providing professional healthcare services but also offers peace of mind by covering the cost of any losses that arise from defending and settling a claim This means that during a claim your business can continue to operate with as little disruption as possible

BUILDINGS AND CONTENTS INSURANCE

As a care home owner or manager you will offer a variety of services to meet the needs of your residents

Typically the care you provide is likely to vary with anything from basic care and accommodation through to respite end-of-life and specialist care for dementia patients

Providing the very best care for your residents will be at the heart of everything you do but the care you deliver is not without risk and therefore having the right insurance in place is something that should be high on your list of priorities Not only does your insurance need to be tailored to protect the care services you provide but you also need to consider the regulatory bodies you adhere to protection for your staff as well as covering the premises and its contents

Here are some covers you must consider

LIABILITY COVER

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) states that all care and nursing homes require insurance and without it they are unable to operate The mandatory insurance requirements from the CQC are Public and Employers Liability cover Any additional covers will depend on the type of care facility you own Public Liability Insurance will cover the cost of compensation to third parties in the event of death bodily injury, or damage to their property, which occurs because of your business activities, for example, if a resident s family member slips on an upturned carpet

Unlike Public Liability Employers Liability cover is a legal requirement for anybody employing staff including volunteers It covers you financially for any compensation costs or legal fees that may occur because of company negligence Employers Liability Insurance will also cover you for employees that have long left your business and may only now bring a claim against you

MEDICAL MALPRACTICE

Your carers will be skilled in what they do and usually have several qualifications, but their decisions are

Of course your business is home for your residents or patients Ensuring ample furniture is provided should be a necessity If they are accidentally damaged, you may need to replace them The building itself is just as important If for instance the premises suffer a flood how would the building hold? In extreme cases such as a fire or explosion a total rebuild may be necessary which would cost a considerable amount

Buildings insurance covers the cost of repairing damage to the structure of your property and provided that accurate sums insured are declared it should cover the cost to rebuild the entire property Contents insurance covers the cost of replacing or repairing your possessions if they are damaged, destroyed or stolen It includes everything you would take with you if you moved premises for example your furniture kitchen appliances and computing equipment

ARE YOU AT RISK OF UNDERINSURANCE?

If a business is underinsured in any capacity it could leave them with a financial burden should a claim be made While large corporations may be able to recover from the financial losses incurred because of underinsurance small to medium sized businesses may feel the effects of the loss more keenly owing to their sometimes already tight profit margins

Underinsurance may happen for many reasons e g using out of date estimates of your building sums insured, having inadequate or unrealistic indemnity periods, or not reviewing your level of cover as your operating models change

The most effective way of overcoming the risk of underinsurance is by talking to an experienced and knowledgeable insurance broker

The friendly team at Barnes Commercial can review your policy and make sure you have the correct level of cover in place

Send an email to enquires@barnesinsurancebroker co uk or call 01480 272727 to make an appointment

PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Hidden Costs Of Caring For The Environment

Every care home needs hot water From basins to baths and showers, catering and wash down Most facilities will run successfully on a system based around gas-fired water heaters unless a new build in which case the preference is to move to electric water heating to take advantage of the increasingly less dirty grid This does have implications for running costs with electricity on average costing as much as 3 8 times that of gas So why change things? The simple answer is net zero and the need to be more sustainable Because of the ubiquitous need for hot water which can account for as much as 30% of a building s daily energy demands, addressing how it is secured is one of the best ways of making active carbon savings today

Deploying either heat pumps or solar thermal as a renewable to provision the initial preheat is the most logical approach Where problems and unnecessary costs can quickly arise is when existing gas-fired top up’ water heating is replaced with like-for-like electric which can lead to gross system oversizing Domestic hot water (DHW) systems for

Consort Claudgen Includes Wi-Fi

Enabled Heaters in LST Range

Consort Claudgen s low surface temperature heaters range now includes heaters that are Wi-Fi enabled These heaters connect directly to Wi-Fi and heating can be controlled from the digital control panel on the heater or Consort Connect app Features include a 7-day timer with 24 heating periods per day lock function open window detection and custom automations Users can also view the energy consumption statistics of all connected heaters Additionally, LST heaters with Wi-Fi and occupancy sensor have a self-learning control ability which uses in-built occupancy sen-

sors to detect and learn a user’s weekly presence in a room It then creates a heating schedule and automatically warms the room according to the detected or predicted occupancy When the room is unoccupied, the heater will conserve energy by switching to a setback temperature or frost protection mode

BIM objects are available for download from Consort s website 01646 692172

sales@consortepl com

www consortepl com

See the advert on page 23 for further informa-

Rosehill Furnishings

• Chairs which have been tested for bariatric use

Their upholstered chairs can be supplied with antimicrobial vinyl and wood finishes for hygiene and infection control

Models are available with arms to assist people getting up and down from their seat

Made to order products in a huge range of colours and finishes to fit in with your existing décor Lounge chairs side chairs and coffee tables which are designed to enhance your communal areas

commercial properties should be designed to accurately meet a business needs At Adveco our application design team has a thorough knowledge of residential care understanding the peak hour and length of the peak which are the starting point for determining demand and ensuring the hot water system is correctly sized

This demands a bespoke approach as every facility is different The number of rooms facilities such as basins showers deeper baths and guest mobility, all impact on the sizing The physical constraints of the property from plant room and roof space to noise levels all impact technology choices Adveco can advise on this sizing and provide accurate monitoring to ensure applications are fit for purpose and future proof As a result decisions to move to more sustainable operations are optimised and do not leave properties facing unwarranted capital or unexpected new operational costs from going green https://adveco co/sectors/healthcare/

See the advert on page 15 for more information

BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels for Drug-Free Natural Pain Relief

include lasting pain relief improved joint movements, comfort during sleep, fewer cramps calmed nerve pain, reduced joint and muscle discomfort and faster post-activity recoveries

Rosehill are proud to have a long-standing history within the furniture industry It s their unique history and knowledge of the market which sets them apart from the rest They re committed to quality and their standards have continued to excel over the last 40 years

The expert team at Rosehill understand the market and can tailor your order to suit your exact requirements With over four decades experience in the industry, you can feel at ease knowing that you re in safe hands They take pride in the quality products they supply which are built to last while also being great value for money

Rosehill have experience working with healthcare organisations who require durable and comfortable seating for their patients and staff Rosehill specialise in seating and tables for care home lounges dining rooms visitor and waiting rooms wards staff rooms and FF&E packages

Options include bariatric seats anti-microbial vinyl and fabrics for hygiene and infection control high back chairs with head support and armchairs

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS

High back chairs with head support and wingback models

Dining chairs and armchairs with stylish and durable tables in a range of shapes and sizes

Bedroom furniture with fitted items in high quality finishes

• Outdoor furniture and benches

Complimentary breakout modular and office furniture for staff areas and receptions

Their furniture is available in a variety of styles and is designed and manufactured to help you provide a safe and comfortable seating option for your staff patients and visitors Their range is high quality and built to offer great comfort, and durability for furniture that lasts

Browse their wide range of furniture for your care home clinic ward or waiting room online at www rosehill co uk or call 0161 485 1717 to request a brochure or discuss your requirements with their helpful sales team

See the advert on page 23 for details or visit www rosehill co uk

BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels are natural drug-free topical cold therapy gels for muscular and joint pain, chronic arthritic pain, post-activity muscle tension general aches and overuse disorders Easy to use and fast acting BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels relieve pain, reduce inflammation and swelling without drugs and drug-related sideeffects

BIOFROST® Gels:

BIOFROST® Relief Cold Gel for pain relieving cold therapy

• 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 combination of natural ingredients including ethanol menthol eucalyptus peppermint and MSM Reported benefits of BIOFROST® Relief

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 com

See the advert on page 3

Raising the Standard of Stair Climbing Solutions

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

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

The Stair Climbing Company maintains one main

mission; to improve quality of life through its range of highquality and custom devices with built-in seats The safety and comfort of its customers is of the utmost importance to the company and it ensures that each wheelchair carrier model is designed to cater to individual customers’ specific needs and works with all stair types

Furthermore the company provides Stair Climbers for all ages making them suitable for everyone, and offers a free assessment for customers

If you would like to find out any more information please see the details below:

T 01787 379160

www thestairclimbingcompany com

See the advert on page 11

Focus Games - Enjoyable & Effective Training

24/7 accurate real-time fluid intake data for carers

Intelligent remote monitoring reducing time for staff to record

Reduced patient safety issues

Supports independent living for longer

Fluid intake history to help keep track of the past

• Restricted fluid management to help limit consumption

• Works with hot and cold drinks

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

tation of Yeoman Shield

it the most

Hydracare technology ensures accurate automated fluid monitoring to reduce incidences of dehydration and patient safety issues increasing quality of care

HYDRACARE BENEFITS

Commercial dishwasher safe for quick and easy cleaning

Up to 5 day battery life with low battery indicator

Spill detection with immediate alerts so you can react fast

Get in contact to book a free demo Hydracare

Technology starts at as little as 40p per resident per day Let s look after our loved ones!

www aquarate com

Introducing Aquarate Just Bowl

offer a bespoke training package which is supplemented by our exclusive Just Bowl equipment and additional items depending on the company s requirements We also provide aftercare support and guidance to ensure that Just Bowl is being utilised to its full potential ’

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 b a suitable condition and wo g

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

Protection 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

When residents enter a care home their daily routine inevitably changes and consequently, several forms of physical activity are no longer possible One such activity, that is synonymous with older adults is bowls According to Sport England in 2021 there was over 165 000 people playing bowls in England, but it is estimated that this figure is significantly higher especially considering there are over 2700 lawn green clubs over 2000 crown green clubs and an estimated 90 000 participants, 18000 participants taking part in Short Mat Bowls and many more taking part in Indoor Bowls, Disability Bowls and Carpet Bowls Sadly for many residents when they enter a care home they will no longer be able to enjoy a ‘roll up’ on a sunny afternoon However the Bowls Development Alliance is helping to change that by introducing Just Bowl into the care sector

Just Bowl was developed in 2014 by the Bowls Development Alliance as a community engagement programme and is a fun easy to play form of bowls that can be used in care homes rehabilitation centres, leisure facilities, educational establishments community settings and just about anywhere else Ian McCombes the Just Bowl Manager explains ‘We work with our partners to

The team have also been working with Sheffield Hallam University to conduct research and identify what impact Just Bowl has had on residents in Brighterkind care homes The findings showed that Just Bowl encouraged inclusivity as it allowed people of all ages and abilities to play The research conducted in 2018 showed that 83% of participants had a disability and 75% of the participants were aged 81-101 years of age Just Bowl also helped to increase physical activity levels with research showing the average physical activity levels (including light activity) increased by 40 minutes per week This is significantly important as research shows that any increase in the volume and frequency of light activities and any reduction in sedentary behaviour will contribute towards health The research carried out by Sheffield Hallam University also identified that Just Bowl created a sociable and fun atmosphere as the participants were able to bond whilst playing the game which subsequently led to an improvement in the mental wellbeing of those taking part with the research showing improvements in happiness and a reduction in anxiety

Additionally the research established that exercise self-efficacy increased following participation in Just Bowl, which suggests that participants felt more confident in their ability to be physically active Self-efficacy is the belief and conviction that one can successfully perform a given activity and exercise self-efficacy is an important predictor of the adoption and maintenance of exercise behaviours both of which could have compelling impacts on care home residents in their day to day lives

For further information on Just Bowl please visit us at UK Care Week at stand E40 or contact Ian on 07741873233 or ian@justbowl org

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

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

CLEANING & INFECTION CONTROL

Mask and Outbreak Guidance Updated in Care Settings

Guidance on the use of face masks in all care settings and on outbreaks in care homes has been updated to give settings the flexibility to ensure ongoing COVID-19 measures are proportionate

Previous guidance stated that face masks in care settings should be worn at all times and that care homes should seek advice from a local health protection team in the event of COVID-19 outbreak but this change now enables providers to further utilise their own skills and knowledge on appropriate measures

Since the guidance change last month providers are able to make risk-based decisions on when face masks are used and care homes can initiate their own outbreak risk assessments to make decisions about which outbreak measures make sense for their individual settings Decisions around masks will be based on factors like the risk to specific individuals if the setting is in an outbreak or the preferences of the individual receiving care Support remains available from health protection teams and other local partners for care homes when needed

Testing guidance has also been streamlined for small care homes to reduce the number of tests staff and residents need to take in the event of an outbreak This, alongside new flexibility for rapid response testing in these settings is in line with the latest public health advice

Social care settings will continue to be equipped with free personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep staff and people receiving care safe over winter and protected against COVID-19 where necessary

Minister of State for Care Helen Whately said: The darkest days of the pandemic are thankfully behind us But it doesn t feel like that for people living in care homes or being cared for at home, when many of the people they see are still behind a mask

So much of what we communicate is through our expressions our

faces and our smiles – especially for people who are deaf or hard of hearing Many rely on lip reading and face masks don’t make the job any easier for care workers either

That’s why we’re making this change We want care agencies and residential homes to decide what s best for the people they look after I hope this means thousands of people who are looked after by care workers will get to see a smile this Christmas

Care providers are now able to adopt a risk-based approach with decisions on the use of face masks balanced with the risk of infections spreading and considering any risks or benefits that arise from their use Care homes can make use of new flexibility in the updated guidance on outbreak management and in all circumstances should

ensure visits between loved ones are supported with each resident able to have at least one visitor even in an outbreak Outbreak measures should only be implemented if at least 2 of the cases of COVID-19 are linked and should be proportionate to factors specific to the care home such as if it s well ventilated easy to keep some parts isolated and how vulnerable people in the home are to COVID-19

Providers should continue to ensure adherence to guidance and be able to evidence this to the Care Quality Commission when asked

People receiving care can ask for staff to wear face masks, and staff should of course work in whatever way will make the person they are caring for most comfortable

Vaccination remains the best defence against flu and COVID-19 and with both viruses circulating this winter it is vital that all those eligible –including care workers – come forward to top up their immunity and protect themselves and those they care for

It is important that care workers and care recipients are protected against illness so that staffing and visitation levels can be maintained and care services can be kept safe this winter – this is why the government has supported care workers to get vaccinated by enabling them to be eligible at the same time as people receiving care Social care workers and others eligible this winter can book their appointments for both a COVID-19 autumn booster and flu vaccine via the National Booking Service or by contacting their GP

Free PPE for COVID-19 needs is available until March 2023 as previously announced, and providers will continue to be able to order this from the PPE portal

See the infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID19 supplement for guidance on the use of face masks in all care settings and on outbreaks in care homes at https://tinyurl com/y3vycett

The Cleaning Show 2023 to Focus on Latest Industr y Trends with Stellar Line Up

With commuters returning to the workplace hitting a post-pandemic high expectations of a cleaner safer and more hygienic working environment mean the responsibilities of cleaning and hygiene professionals and facilities managers across the country have intensified In light of this the UK’s leading event for the cleaning and hygiene industry The Cleaning Show 2023 has announced some of the industry’s leading suppliers and manufacturers that are confirmed to exhibit when the event returns to the ExCeL London from 14-16 March 2023

GREENER CLEANING SOLUTIONS

Attendees at The Cleaning Show will be left feeling confident that the industry is striving for change – specifically when it comes to sustainability – when a multitude of exhibitors will have the opportunity to demonstrate how they are putting environmental concerns at the fore

THE LATEST IN CLEANING TECHNOLOGY

Whilst sustainability is a clear priority for business owners across the industry emerging developments in cleaning equipment technology are accelerating the work done by cleaning professionals in a timely manner driving efficiency especially in hospitals or football stadiums where the scale of operation is much larger TECHNOLOGY SPARKS INNOVATION

Manufacturers

The technology on display will also highlight how advances are helping some of the sectors most important business s function

Maintaining infection control

Responding to the growing need for service providers, products and new innovations in the FM & PPE industries, this year’s event will also see an increased focus on the solutions and technologies driving growth in the sector – valued to be worth over £50 billion in the UK

Commenting on this year’s line-up Jim Melvin Chairman British Cleaning Council said: The cleaning hygiene and waste sector is one of the ten biggest industries in the UK and it is important that this resonates at The Cleaning Show which brings the industry together to celebrate its crucial work

The Covid-19 pandemic changed so many perspectives on cleaning PPE and importantly the roles of cleaning and hygiene operatives so I am certain that the line-up of exhibitors will be a hit with attendees as more businesses look to improve the safety of staff in the workplace And, as we enter the winter months where viruses have an environment to thrive, it is even more important to keep our key workers and the public safe healthy and well ”

Registration for The Cleaning Show 2023 is now open To register for your free pass to attend and to find out more about this year’s event visit https://cleaningshow co uk/london/

Angloplas Dispensers Help Reduce the Risk of Cross Infection

Angloplas are a UK manufacturer who specialise in producing dispensers for the health and hygiene industry Angloplas range of dispensers are produced in the world’s first proven Antimicrobial PVC with silver ion technology and which is exclusive to Angloplas This helps reduce the risk of cross infection by stopping the growth of bacteria and mould and works continuously for the lifetime of the product reducing levels of bacteria such as

and mould by up to 99 99%

CLEANING & INFECTION CONTROL

Noroviruses: Outbreak Management and Disinfectant Choice

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

Enteric virus (EV) outbreaks are prevalent in the care home community with 73% of cases of outbreaks in weeks 43-44 in 2022 attributed to them (UKHSA, 2022) Typically spread via contact with faeces infection can spread easily via surfaces, food and close contact from someone with the virus (NHS UK, 2021) Norovirus is a small, non-enveloped virus that’s very difficult to destroy with traditional disinfectants owing to its small size and external capsid structure (GOV 2012)

It is vital to choose a disinfectant that is efficacious against Noroviruses Chlorine-based products (bleach NaDCC tablets and chlorine dioxide) lose efficacy in soiled conditions where Noroviruses are prevalent This means that they require an additional detergent cleaning step prior to use in order to still maintain efficacy An excellent alternative is peracetic acid (PAA) which outshines chlorine-based products because PAA is not hindered by soiled conditions PAA is widely used in the food industry water treatments agriculture and many other high-level industries Independent studies have shown that 85 – 250 ppm peracetic acid was effective in reaching 99 99 % reduction in viral particles with a contact time of 1 – 5 mins It was also found that even in the presence of synthetic faeces 85 ppm peracetic acid with a contact time of 1 minute was not hindered by soiling (Girard et al 2015)

edencleen from Cleenol

Over the course of our history we at Cleenol have always produced products that offer a perfect balance between cleaning performance and efficiency with an attention to reducing the environmental impact that our products may carry edencleen our latest brand reaffirms our commitment to our credentials for environmental guardianship and represents an evolution of what has been an integral part of our DNA Edencleen has been designed to reflect in part our vision for a cleaner safer world that touches not only the environmental aspects of sustainability but has as an aim a social ambition to leave the planet in the safe care of and for future generations As such with edencleen Cleenol looks to ensure transparency in our approach which may on occasion result in some counter intuitive elements

The range covers the essential needs to cover 80% of daily cleaning and include: a washroom cleaner and toilet gel cleaner and urinal deodoriser an all-purpose surface sanitiser, a degreaser and a washing up liquid a no rinse floor degreaser, a window cleaner and a laundry detergent and fabric softener edencleen products have been developed around the following principles

and ingredients

RSPO certified palm oil derivatives

No animal der ved products

Cruelty free

Minimal petrochemical derived products

No parabens, formaldehyde, CMI/MIT, triclosan phosphates chlorine bleaches, optical brighteners, quaternary ammonium compounds

VOC free and phosphate, EDTA NTA free

Recyclable / recycled packaging

100% bio-based surfactant - made by using bio-based ethylene oxide which is manufactured from biomass

ethanol

Bioethanol naturally derived acids sugar-based surfactants bio-based solvents low impact preservatives

Combining carefully formulated products, with appropriate packaging using recycled material or recyclable componentry, the range s mostly colourless liquid and low fragrance usage are designed to convey a transparency and straightforwardness of our approach which will be a hallmark of all edencleen products and associated services

Careful use of enzymatic formulations and more traditional chemistry brings a portfolio of products that s finely attuned to delivering effective cleaning which when used as instructed helps maintain a neutral environmental impact edencleen s new range represents just the start to a fully refreshed solution to meet the most demanding of customers expectations See the advert below for further information

LAUNDRY SOLUTIONS

As Energy Prices Surge, Wolf Laundr y Offers Assistance To Care Homes

Commercial laundry expert Wolf is tackling the cost-of-living crisis within the care industry by providing expert personalised advice comprehensive consumption figures and additional training

Barnsley-based Wolf Laundry has more than 30 years’ experience within the laundry sector and provides bespoke commercial laundry equipment across the UK to heavy users including care homes, universities and holiday parks

Recognising the energy cost pressure facing the care home market, Wolf Laundry is working with clients to help them better understand usage and educate them about the cost savings that can be achieved by switching to gas

Wolf Laundry research showing figures for their Primus Dryer range reveals electricity rates reach £9 18 for a 24kg capacity load of laundry but in contrast the same brand of the machine holding an identical capacity fuelled by gas was almost half the price costing £4 92

Joshua Brown Director at Wolf Laundry said: We aim to provide the most transparent information to help our clients make the best choices for them We cannot deny that right now gas is much more cost efficient but we’re working with customers to help them understand the options

“We’ve recently rolled out a training programme for the care home sector focusing on achieving optimal hygiene as efficiently as possible We re working on a one-to-one basis with several care homes to help them find an efficient, long-term solution

We appreciate that our customers are making difficult choices about energy bills and trying to balance

that with long term sustainability targets Together we’re able to come up with bespoke packages to suit a client s particular business requirements and our customers are really welcoming this helpful and transparent approach ”

Providing a comprehensive range of the best commercial laundry equipment on the market, Wolf Laundry stocks washing machines, dryers and finishing equipment as well as its own range of detergents and other products to assist with infection control

Joshua added: In the midst of a cost-of-living crisis and with spiralling energy costs the price of a load of laundry is increasing

“With care homes running on fine financial margins ensuring each load of laundry is cost-effective can be one of key factors as to whether they can stay open or are at threat of closure It’s as stark as that One of Wolf Laundry s care home clients have the Schulthess W range washing machines installed Steve Holroyd Secretary of Warmest Welcome Care Homes said:

The information that Wolf has provided us with helps us make the best choices and for us that’s still electric but the consumption figures have shown us what else we should be considering right now in regard to how much each load of washing costs and how much that could change throughout the cost-of-living crisis With costs rising we were able to consider everything very carefully to ensure that we can save money where necessary and ultimately, have additional resource for other needs within the care home ”

For

9598

With Care Home Providers Facing Soaring Energy Costs, Forbes

Professional Advises On How To Optimise Laundr y Room Efficiency

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 autodosing 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 user-training and a multi award-winning repair and maintenance response

For more info contact www forbespro co uk; 0345 0702335; info@forbes-professional co uk

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

Our product range fully caters for the needs of both small and large retailers and brand owners alike comprising of woven and printed labels woven badges care labels branded and promotional swing tags garment accessories packaging and barcoding Our ground breaking labelling and security technologies are also able to provide an unrivalled level of protection to our customers brand by assisting to com-

bat counterfeiting and grey market activity

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

Visit www cashslabels com or see the advert on this page

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

Helping to Keep Your Patients Safe at Mealtimes with It’s Made For You Softer Foods

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 to ensure the nutritional content will meet the nutritional needs of your patients whilst they follow a texture modified diet Research has shown that 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 consume large quantities of food in one 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-prepared 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

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

FOOD AND DRINK

Discover The Power Of Chefs’ Most Trusted Bouillon*

Meanwhile two Michelin-starred Chef Tom has developed a range of classic recipes with a modern, seasonal twist, each utilising products from the Knorr Professional Bouillons range in a different way Knorr Professional’s Bouillons are available in Powder Paste and Jelly formats offering chefs versatility and flexibility in usage and

Anglia Crown – Adding Warmth to the Colder Months

The winter months are a busy time for anyone in the care sector and it is important that all residents have a chance to enjoy warming nutritious food at every mealtime

Mary Wedge Business Development Manager at Anglia Crown comments: “In our experience many of the residents look forward to the desserts They often represent familiar comfort foods and, even if they cannot face the main course, will often go straight for the pudding

Anglia Crown offer a wide range of hot and cold desserts that are ideal for a well-balanced nutritional diet including choices that do not contain gluten Our Crown Choice and Advantage ranges include some fifty-eight dishes, including our new autumnal warming Ginger Chocolate Chip Sponge and delicious comforting custard that goes with almost any hot dessert

Our Crown Choice cold dessert includes the perennial favourites such as Chocolate Cake whilst our Crown Advantage range also offer reduced sugar desserts All individual Crown Advantage desserts come in packs of eighteen, whilst the Crown Choice desserts come in packs of 3 and 6 allowing accurate portioning and cutting down on any potential waste

Many of the Anglia Crown dishes can be teamed up with fresh fruit, allowing for additional choice Items such as our Carrot Cake or Vanilla Cheesecake can be accompanied by whipped cream garnished with seasonal fresh fruit

Our hot desserts are high in energy our hot portions of 170kcal and above provide energy and protein dense options and when served with custard provide over 250 kcal per serving Our cold desserts of 250 kcal and above also meet the energy guidelines in the British Dietetic Association (BDA) Nutrition and Hydration Digest (2017) requirements

VEGAN SUITABLE CHOICES

At Anglia Crown we pride ourselves with the array of vegetarian and gluten free dishes that we offer including an impressive range of desserts This was recognised with us being named at the Vegetarian Wholesaler of the Year 2022 at the VfL Awards for Excellence in Veg n Care Catering

All the Anglia Crown hot desserts are suitable for vegetarians, Most of the Anglia Crown vegan products have been registered with the Vegan Society including some thirteen of the dessert dishes

Anglia Crown are here to help take the strain out of your menus throughout the year Visit www angliacrown co uk for further details

DEMENTIA CARE AND TRAINING

W&P Training

and Procedures

SUPORTED LIVING / LEARNING DISABILITIES POLICIES

Designed for Supported Living and Domiciliary providers that deliver CQC regulated activities to adults with Learning

Disabilities and/ or Autism W&P’s Policies and Procedures for Supported Living Services will assist with your CQC compliance

Looking for Supported living Policies with NO Personal Care? Visit https://www wandptraining co uk/policies-and-procedures/non-registered-care-policies/ W&P s policy and compliance team are constantly scanning and reviewing all the statutory websites and regulatory publications to track the very latest developments in the Health & Social Care Sector Policies and Procedures are updated every 4 months or immediately if there is a critical change to regulation, good practice guidance case law outcomes or just feedback from customers

To find out more about what we offer go to www wandptraining co uk or see the advert on page 2

Memor y Lane Games - An Extra Pair of Hands for Carers

Available to assisted living environments fully branded and personalised, the Memory Lane Games app features reminiscence quiz games on hundreds of topics including places hobbies animals history and food

The games are designed to be frustration-free and to trigger memories and conversation not to test

Improving resident wellbeing

Consistent with providing person-centred care our games encourage a sense of identity and connection and can be easily incorporated into personal care plans

Our library of games has something for everyone but unique games can also be made using a resident’s own memories and photographs creating a truly personalised and powerful experience

Always on hand even on the night shift Northamptonshire Registered Managers Network

Improving family connections

Our app has proven to be effective at creating joyful meaningful connections between families Useful when used to prepare a resident for their family visit as well as during, where they can be used as a conversation starter Games can be played and new memories made with the whole family on a topic everyone enjoys even the grandchildren!

Calming and distracting agitated residents

Carers are able to effectively reduce agitation aggression and distress as well as deliver personal and

therapeutic care more easily by initiating game play and allowing the app to provide respite

Alerts & Reporting

Our back office system captures and analyses game play data to alert deterioration against clinical data sets A sudden drop in game play performance for example could indicate a UTI This data is also used to generate a Reminiscence Journal (pictured) which can be created at the touch of a button and incorporates information on what the resident has played how long for and what they have enjoyed along with recommendations for future game play These can be sent to families and included in personal care plans ensuring everyone around the person living with dementia is aware of what they are positively engaging with

With no IT integration required, the benefits to residents and carers can be realised immediately

Improved resident and staff wellbeing improved quality of family visits and a differentiated care home business

Our real-world case study covers how personalised gamification with Memory Lane Games can be used as part of a treatment plan to calm and improve quality of life for someone with severe dementia

Contact us today to receive a copy and find out more

Helpforcarehomes@MemoryLaneGames com

Dementia Care: Communicating with People Living with Dementia Who are Struggling to Express Their Needs

By Dr Rachel Daly, Practice Development Admiral Nurse Consultant at Dementia UK (www dementiauk org)

language Taking the time to be with a person who is struggling to communicate is one of the greatest gifts to give them Remember that all behaviour is communication, and it is our job as professional carers to TRY HARD to understand and help them If you have a question on helping someone living with dementia you can always contact Dementia UK’s Admiral Nurse Dementia Helpline on 0800 888 6678 or email helpline@dementiauk org

T Take a moment Look around, what might be wrong? What might that person want or need? Give them your time

R Reactions - is the person reacting to you another resident the temperature, a noise or something else in the environment?

Y Yearning - is the person yearning for something? Are they hungry or thirsty? Are they bored? Do they miss their family? Do they need a hug?

H How can you find out their needs and emotions?Are they sad stressed, anxious, fearful confused, happy, or in pain?

pictures smells and show objects (like the juice box) to enhance understanding

Don t: be too loud too fast or use too many words Don t argue and remember that it is not important to correct them if they believe something to be true(like they need to go home to their mum) Distraction techniques can work well Ask them to tell you about their mum look at pictures or have a cup of tea together give a hand massage or play some music and dance with them if they are able

Music can be a wonderful therapy for people living with dementia and for it to be most effective it needs to be tailored to the individual

Find out as much as you can about the person through Life Story

Some people living with dementia may have problems communicating and expressing their needs which can leave them feeling very frustrated

For anyone providing support to a person living with dementia thinking about ways to help the person communicate with you could be beneficial Are there picture cards to hand to help the person recognise a picture of what they need (for example the toilet) and point to it, even if they cannot say the words? This helps them to express their needs and wants to their carer

Some people can write fluently long after their speech has gone Others may communicate through touch facial expressions or body

A Activities and meaningful occupation - how can you engage the person in a way that gives them some sense of choice control or fun? What did they like doing when they were younger? Would they like to plant some bulbs go for a walk or visit other residents? If the person is walking, consider why -are they looking for something or someone? Maybe they have a sore bottom from sitting too long

R Repetition - restate and use their words Reassurance - take the time to calm them down and remember they might feel frightened

D Dos, Don’ts and Distractions - Do: Smile be kind and get on their level Use more non-verbal communication like touch gestures

Otiom - Dementia Tracking System

Of the estimated 850 000 people in the UK living with dementia roughly 50% will wander with purpose and become lost during their condition When someone with dementia is reported as a missing person the police treat it as a high priority and put a lot of resources into finding that person as quickly as possible Technology can play a big part in preventing people with dementia from becoming lost and GPS technology has proven popular

Otiom is the only device of its type that is a registered class 1 medical device and has therefore undergone a rigorous testing protocol to comply with the European Medical Device Regulations

Otiom Offers peace of mind and freedom allowing people to move more freely It s a game-changing addition to the support of carers with a growing number of people living with dementia globally

Advantages include the ability to track indoors and outdoors low cost low maintenance superior battery life and improved communication stability We offer Otiom to both care homes and private users Otiom has been developed over several years backed by extensive research in the field of dementia It is the result of a collaboration with relatives, caregivers and people with dementia

Since Pentland Medical launched Otiom exclusively in the UK we have worked extensively with the Alzheimer Society and Alzheimer Scotland At the time of writing we are testing Otiom with the Alzheimer Society and expect to be listed as an official partner on their website in due course

Visit www pentlandmedical co uk or scan the QR code in the advert on this page for further details

Work which helps to ensure that our care always honours the person as an individual For example what job did they do? Did they have children? Do they have a religion? What are their hobbies? This is often called Person-Centred Care or Person-Centred Practice Ask the person (if they can communicate) ask their family check their records and note it in the care plan so you can share it with all your colleagues

Think about how the music you like might differ from your friends your partner or your family How can it affect your mood? That will be the same for your residents Some might like jazz or classical music whilst others might prefer music related to their religion If you find a favourite or something that calms them then make a note and use it in situations that they might find stressful If you find a tune that distresses them make a note of that too to help your colleagues to remember not to play it when they are around Music can be used passively (to listen to) or actively (for singing and dancing) – try it out always remembering to keep it personal to the individual

AND SOFTWARE

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

For further information see the advert on this page

Silent Running - Tranquility in Care Homes

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-

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

Lotus Care Technology

The NurseAlert pressure mat has been one of the most successful floor pressure mats due to it being non slip and carpeted which makes it feel very natural under a residents foot Lotus Care Technology Ltd have many other fall saving devices that can give you peace of mind whilst caring for this at risk of falls

Having many years of experience in fitting and maintaining

Nurse Call Systems helps the guys at Lotus Care Technology understand that every home is different and has different needs They can specify not only the best system for the environmental factors in the home but also take into consideration the best products that will make your carers and nurses jobs that little bit easier Visit www lctuk com for details

stressed also, this creates a happier workplace where morale is greatly improved staff are retained and CQC ratings improve Clearly the positive ramifications of a quiet Care Home run deep Get in touch today to find out how we can help your home become a quieter calmer, and more tranquil environment

For more information email us at info@c-t co uk

• Nurse Call Systems

• Fire Alarm Systems

• Door Access

Nurse Alert Mats

Designed to combat the problem of residents who are inclined to walk undetected, the Nurse Alert Mat can help protect residents especially at night that are at risk of falls and accidents

When connected to a Nurse Call system or the mobile Floor Sentry Monitor it will then alert staff, sounding the alarm with a small amount of pressure thus enabling staff to investigate

• Staff Attack

• CCTV

• Infection Control

• Dementia Care

• Electrical Contracting

In addition The Floor Pressure Mat has a heavy non slip backing, It comes professionally sealed so can easily be cleaned for liquid spills and is fully serviceable

www.nursecallsystems.co.uk

Hartford Care Joins Forces with Sensio in UK First to Reduce Risk of Falls in Care Homes

or computer If further information is required an anonymous snapshot of the incident is shared, so the team knows whether they need to attend or if the resident is moving around safely It s also possible to see the current status and position for all residents in their rooms at a glance from a single screen without compromising their privacy

Kevin Shaw Chief Executive at Hartford Care comments: “It’s a very exciting prospect to be the first care home in the UK to be trialling RoomMate This is ground-breaking technology which could help our entire industry develop and evolve; I am looking forward to seeing the impact this will have on our already exceptional resident care

Johan Anstensrud Chief Executive at Sensio comments: “We are delighted that the residents and staff at Hartford Care will reap the benefits from our revolutionary safety sensor RoomMate For years it has proven to be a success in Scandinavia preventing falls injuries and ailments and giving more time for personal care I am looking forward to continuing this exciting journey also in the UK together with Hartford Care

Hartford Care is governed by three core principals – care, comfort and companionship; and its philosophy of care is completely focussed on providing a safe and comfortable lifestyle for its residents and carers in a quality home setting

Hartford Care’s head office is based in Basingstoke Hampshire Established in 1908 its care homes are located in Bristol Berkshire (Burnham and Maidenhead) Devon (Sidmouth) Dorset (Poole)

AND SOFTWARE

Fall Savers - Affordable

Fall Monitoring Solutions

Fall Savers® are an experienced market leading healthcare provider of resident safety solutions for over 15 years FALL

Eliminate

The RoomMate sensor ultimately reduces the need for nightly visits so residents can sleep better with less interruptions In Scandinavian care homes where the technology is already being used falls have reduced on average by 60% across its 8,000 daily users

The technology works by an alarm being raised by the sensor if there is movement within a resident s room The care team can then check what kind of an alarm it is via the RoomMate app on a phone tablet

Hampshire (Barton-on-Sea Four Marks, Hythe, Portsmouth Winchester and Woodlands) Isle of Wight (Bembridge Ryde and Shanklin) Oxfordshire (Witney) and Wiltshire (Downton)

Find more details about Hartford Care’s awardwinning care homes while more information about Hartford Care Group Limited is available at: www hartfordcare co uk

Find more information about RoomMate and Sensio at www sensiocare com

PLEASE MENTION THE CARER WHEN RESPONDING TO ADVERTISING

AND SOFTWARE

G-Touch Wireless Care Home Solution

Genee is a UK leading manufacturer of innovative technological solutions Genee plays an integral role across all major industries including health care to support patients residents and staff

Having supported Care Homes through the pandemic The GTouch Wireless Care Home Solution is one of Genee’s most impactful solutions yet The solution includes; the G-Touch Interactive Screen Electric Mobile Trolley and a Wireless Battery Pack Its portability specially designed and simple to use interface as well as its multitude of applications are specifically built for residents and staff in mind

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

With built-in 2x15w front facing speakers and an HD video conferencing camera provides the perfect communication tool to video call families, friends, and other care homes With the built-in PC and Android 8 0 operating system the user interface software is easy to use As soon as the touchscreen is turned on the system loads into a tablet style of multiple icons containing the software and Apps used daily without the

need for a PC-style login The included software also helps residents with health issues, including Dementia and Alzheimer’s

A solution that benefits all! The Electric Mobile Trolley is better suited than a traditional wall mount or trolley The mobile trolley can be electronically adjusted by height and offers 90-degree angle adjustment from horizontal to vertical ensuring easy accessibility at different chairs and wheelchair height The four lightweight and strong steel integrated castors include locking brakes for safety

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

The G-Touch Wireless Care Home Solution comes with 5 years onsite warranty as standard with no additional costs Our dedicated team will bring the equipment to the care home assemble and install the solution and test everything on site We will also support you with free online training to ensure your Care Home gets maximum use of this incredible solution

Get in touch +44 (0)1902 390 862 sales@genee-group com www genee-group com

Blaucomm Ltd - Telecommunications & Networks

Blaucomm s Nurse Call Messaging Service (NMS) is the market leading solution to remove the dependency on noisy nurse call panels and pagers, through its intelligent software which delivers the alerts straight to the care staff who need them

Care homes are rapidly introducing smartphones for digital care planning and eMar - now the same devices can be used to receive the nurse call alerts they need for the residents under their care

Furthermore Blaucomm NMS is deeply linked into Person Centred Software MCM, so call bell data is linked straight to care plans This unlocks a huge benefit to care homes to enhance the staff performance with how they accept and respond to residents, which ultimately promotes better response times and visibility for management to audit their performance

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

Care operators are constantly recognising Blaucomm NMS for its reliability and dependability to their care operations, which is why we’ve been chosen time and time again over other solutions

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

NMS:

“We find Blaucomm is a genuinely fantastic company with a reliable product

We have a range of nurse call systems at different sites and the NMS system integrates to them and allows us to compare response times between sites

In addition the integration to Person Centred Software is revolutionary We would highly recommend this to anybody who wants to replace expensive pagers and silence those annoyingly loud nurse call screens!

To find out more about Blaucomm NMS visit www blaucomm co uk/healthcare

Ssee the advert on the front cover for more details

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

All-in-One Care Management Software for Today and Tomorrow

everyLIFE technologies was founded on a passion for empowering care agencies to deliver the highest standards of personalised care easily and efficiently Through a secure cloud-based digital care software solution

PASS was designed with the input of the industry and now supports over 80 000 people With complete care plans care plan tracking care records and online as well as offline alerts, we work to make critical data accessible secure and usable for your team

go back to the supplier each time They therefore particularly liked the Document Builder function in PASS which gave them the option to build and customise documents and assessments themselves

THE IMPACT

With the introduction of PASS, Court Nursing has benefited from:

Realtime access from within PASS to their service user s GP records without having to contact the surgery or pharmacy

THE COURT NURSING HOME BENEFITS

FROM THE INTRODUCTION OF PASS

As well as offering care for older people The Court Nursing Home also supports those with dementia learning disabilities mental health conditions, physical disabilities and sensory impairment Amongst their staff they employ four registered nurses

WHY PASS?

In moving from paper to digital Court Nursing was seeking a solution that would allow them to streamline their working practices and realise improved operational efficiencies

Flexibility: The powerful core functionality of PASS along with its flexible approach that supports customisable alerts, documents, assessments and workflows, were a key factor in their decision to select PASS

Self sufficiency: With a relatively young IT literate workforce they were keen to work in an environment where they could make simple changes to their digital care management system inhouse, without having to

• All of their service users documents stored electronically together in one place

• Ability to create and populate documents from within PASS

Creating their own bespoke documents

The Smart Observations function within PASS, making use of the Fluids observations feature for example

GP Connect has provided continuity of care between ourselves and the GP giving us access to up to date notes regarding the care of our users

In short PASS GP Connect helps us to cut out the middleman meaning that as nurses we can work more efficiently giving us more time for direct patient care

Rebecca Knight, Registered Manager

For further information visit www everylifetechnologies com or see the advert on page 42

Digital Employee Recognition Scheme Increases

Terryberry offer an all-in-one benefits reward and recognition platform including milestone and service awards, lifestyle savings, salary sacrifice, cycle to work 24-hour GP helpline and pension contributions in an easy-touse platform

It is commonly accepted that workplace morale is intrinsically linked to productivity and retention With the current cost-of-living crisis rocketing basic food and energy bills, Terryberry is helping UK businesses ride the storm

The 360 Employee Recognition software and platform incorporates four aspects into one integrated digital hub: employee benefits, milestones and service awards social recognition and wellness

The employee benefit section allows managers and HR staff to incentivise staff through a range of benefits from private healthcare life insurance and GP helplines employee perks such as retail discounts and wellbeing schemes such as cycle to work schemes

The milestones and service awards are reserved for retirement celebrations and service awards Gone are the days of handing out gold plated engraved clocks or watches; companies want a wider eclectic choice of gifts such as luxury hampers or unique experience days for their most valued employees

School children aren t the only ones who thrive under positive peer-to-peer recognition adult employees blossom under recognition culture schemes We all want to know we’re doing a good job; positive recognition bolsters self-esteem and superchargers dopamine It s a win-win scenario employees feel

Morale and Productivity

good will stay in their jobs and continue working hard Managers benefit from a happy workplace, with staff who feel valued and will go the extra mile

The last section is wellness with Terryberry offering services to support an employee’s physical mental and financial wellbeing Through support with Mental health and wellness to online gym classes and help with managing your finances

The 360 Employee Recognition software and platform offers HR departments and business leaders an integrated digital hub to look after the basics everyday workplace morale with customised calendar events for Christmas, Birthdays and retirement occasions This leaves more times for managers to come up with valuable team building sessions whether that’s in the boardroom or in the pub!

In 2021 Terryberry partnered with the UK Government on their Help for Households scheme launching Help for Employees an easy-to-use offers and discounts platform that is being made available to businesses of all sizes with the aim to help as many people as possible save money and look after all areas of their wellbeing reducing stress and creating a much happier workplace

To start prioritising your employees’ wellbeing today see the details below:

T +44 03448262008

www terryberry com/gb

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

Navigating the Cost of Living Crisis Without a Cost to Care Standards

Sadly we are all too familiar with hearing that our care sector is under pressure and that we are facing a challenging time as predictions point towards a recession At a time when we have 165 000 unfilled vacancies across social care and staff retention is as much of a focus as recruitment we are also facing higher costs for energy and essentials that aid us in delivering the care that residents need Now more than ever we need solutions that can save both time and money reducing the admin workload of stretched staff and helping budgets go a little bit further

As in many other areas of our modern lives technology has a big part to play in helping to navigate the cost of living crisis without compromising standards of care Care home administration software has the ability, and potential, to benefit care providers at all levels of the organisation but especially care home managers and carers Where the needs of residents are paramount solutions to saving time and costs need to be found elsewhere in the care home environment and one area where few would argue would be in reducing the administrative burden

The adage ‘time is money’ can feel overused but it still rings as true now as when it was coined While we all find ways to make budgets go that little bit further saving time can be a highly effective way to achieve this Utilising software capabilities to streamline the workload frees up staff to focus on the delivery of care instead of time-consuming admin Automation within software can also make normally time intensive tasks such as filling gaps in the rota much quicker [FH2] It s easy to underestimate how much time can be saved as each individual saving seems so small but taken together shortening these repetitive tasks can have big implications Direct messaging of staff from the rota for example is saving CoolCare customers about 11 hours per month

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

by Fiona Hale, Managing Director of CoolCare (www coolcare co uk)

alone – that’s nearly 1 5 admin days per month per care home Identifying these gaps earlier also prevents the need for emergency staffing from agencies which can come at a premium – stressing already tight budgets

From a business perspective ensuring that care providers time aren t monopolised by admin makes a lot of sense Staffing is one of the biggest investments and costs for any business so having technology in place that helps them to perform their role more effectively is a wise investment on its own Where care home management software can automate and reduce admin carers have more time to spend with residents helping to deliver compliant staffing requirements If a member of the team needs to spend hours in an office on admin tasks then additional team members are needed to ensure compliance adding extra cost to a shift which could otherwise be used to help with energy and food costs

The cost of living crisis is not only affecting care home staff at work Where home financial pressures are mounting the stress can make it hard to focus fully on work no matter how hard an employee tries Capabilities and integrations within care home administration software to enable earned wage access give staff the ability to use their pay in a flexible way which works for them and their own financial situation Having access to forward rotas and vacant shifts also allows them to pick up additional work and money when needed Supporting staff through the crisis is also of benefit to staff retention encouraging them to stay with the business and ensure standards of care are maintained for residents long-term, and avoiding the need for recruitment in the midst of a staffing crisis

Technology has a key role to play in helping the care sector navigate the current financial climate Whether that s through reducing the admin burden streamlining roles or offering greater staff flexibility and benefits However it s just as important to tackle the challenges together enabling staff to feel supported in their roles so that we weather the storm together and continue to deliver exceptional care

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 management can monitor improvement Steven Tegart from Talbot Group likes reporting and says “I wish all my other systems were as easy to extract data for management reports as the CAREAudits

Excel links

The system has over 120 example audits to select from CAREAudits apps are extremely easy to use and care providers can easily add or edit their own audits in minutes ensuring simple management of everchanging 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 CAREAudits apps are a part of the Care Plus Innovation Group, Priory Park Hull, HU4 7DY Info:- visit www careaudits co uk email apps@careaudits co uk or call Ken Newlove operations director on 01482 238887

PROFESSIONAL AND RECRUITMENT

A Care Provider's Guide to International Recruitment

by Suleman Sacranie, Founder of Care Hires (https://carehires com/)

There is the making of a perfect storm brewing in the care sector The UK population is ageing – with the number of over 85 s set to increase to 3 1million by 2045 and estimates suggesting this growth could be especially rapid between now and 2025 The number of years we can expect to spend in good health is also in decline meaning the need for care provision can only increase However care providers are also facing a significant shortage of workers and there are currently 165 000 vacant positions in the UK

So how do we deliver care to the growing number of older people who need it? International recruitment is a solution many are looking to but with an increasing number of hoops to jump through, it can be hard to know where to start and how to ensure you are able to get the staff you need

SUPPORT FROM GOVERNMENT AND AGENCY PARTNERS

A lack of familiarity with the process and a fear of making mistakes during the application process have been stated as significant factors in many employers avoiding it entirely Although changes to immigration rules post-Brexit have increased the paperwork for employing EU nationals the government has introduced several measures to make things easier including visas and exemption from the Immigration Health Surcharge which could save most workers £624 a year It has also added care staff to the official Shortage Occupation List, introduced a £500million fund for training and career development in the sector and made changes to qualifications

The overall cost of recruiting a single worker from overseas can vary substantially depending on the decisions you make on how to manage the process either internally or through a recruitment partner A key factor to note is that recruitment agencies should never charge applicants to match them to roles so if you choose to engage an agency to assist you with offers to work for free you should make sure they are not charging the applicants as this is contrary to best practice

ADVICE AND GUIDANCE

As with many things, preparation is key Before deciding to take the route of recruitment from overseas, it s sensible to make sure the correct preparations are in place Check that your applicants will be able to

get a sponsorship licence This won’t be possible if you have any unspent criminal convictions for immigration or certain other crimes or had a sponsorship licence revoked within the last 12 months You will also need to demonstrate that your organisation can monitor sponsored people and manage the process internally

You ll also need to check if the job is eligible for sponsorship Alongside the salary requirements sponsored employees must be a qualified doctor, nurse, health professional or adult social care professional and the role they fulfil will have to be for a Home Office approved UK health and care sector employer

Following best practice is always a good way to ensure success and one of the key things we recommend for successful overseas recruitment is to adopt a robust ethics policy A code of ethics based on principles laid out by the World Health Organisation is available from and recommended by the government Following this code will ensure that your approach is transparent and safeguards the interests of the applicants involved

Some of the main points to follow include that staff must not be recruited from countries on the Government s red list they should not be charged and that they should have the level of English proficiency sufficient to work in their role All new overseas applicants should also be offered appropriate support and induction which may include a pre-employment placement

PLAN FOR SUCCESS

Although the process may be intimidating especially for smaller care providers there is no reason you cannot successfully recruit from overseas By taking your time planning carefully and ensuring you are following the best practice, you have every chance of success

Agencies and legal advice can make the process easier if you are willing and able to take on the additional financial costs

Before your recruits get to the UK ensure you have prepared thoroughly for their arrival and be willing to invest time in them to help them settle and integrate into their new roles and lives The more supported a new employee feels, the more likely they are to feel happy and settled in their new environment The process may be frustrating at first but as with most things the more you do the easier it becomes Navigating the pending staffing storm will only be successful if we can find ways of managing and balancing permanent staff from the UK and overseas as well as supplementing the workforce with temporary staff As experts in our field connecting care providers and staffing providers we have a unique vantage point to the benefits of a joined-up approach Technology can go a long way to help with this but ultimately staffing is all about people remembering this through every stage of the recruitment process will ensure we weather the storm together

Apprenticeships Partnership Could Help Create ‘Managers Of The Future’ For Care Sector

The co-founder of an award-winning management transformation programme believes a new class of apprenticeships could help create managers of the future for the care sector

Laura Ashley-Timms Chief Operating Officer of Notion believes apprenticeships that increase people management capacity in learners could be transformational for the future of care sector management

Speaking at the start of National Apprenticeship Week, Laura says:

“The Care Quality Commission (CQC) now requires a specific ratio of manager level staff to patients in each care setting But there is a shortage of care workers with the required Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Adult Care This reduces capacity in care settings which means hospitals are unable to discharge patients into those appropriate care settings which increases demand for NHS beds If more care workers were able to access that qualification via an apprenticeship it would increase care setting capacity and alleviate pressure on the NHS

“These areas are strategically important for the UK economy and for UK society as a whole Creating more and better managers especially in the adult care sector has the potential to relieve pressure on the NHS

Announcing their partnership, Qdos Training Ltd and Notion have been working together to integrate

STAR® Manager into their management and leadership apprenticeships that are the first to fully embed Notion’s innovative (and now research-backed*) Operational Coaching™ and management approach into selected Level 3 and 5 management and leadership apprenticeships

The partnership is initially focused on three apprenticeship programmes, Level 3 Team Leader / Supervisor Level 5 Operations / Department Manager and Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Adult Care

Speaking of the partnership Laura Ashley-Timms said

We ve always wanted to partner with a quality apprenticeship provider because we see apprenticeships as a powerful way of unlocking untapped talent and potential within organisations of all types Qdos Training is an exceptional provider and has a very impressive programme completion rate Deborah Johnson, Engagement Director at Qdos Training, says of the partnership:

We share Notion s absolute passion to create the managers of the future Most of us are accidental managers’ and may not have ever been shown how to manage people let alone learned how to communicate in a way that invites the highest levels of collaboration in the workplace STAR® Manager is a unique approach that enables our apprentices to put into practice the people management and leadership theories they’re learning The programme enables them to be more than just managers and instead become brilliant people leaders

STAR® Manager was recently subjected to one of the largest academic studies of its type The study, carried out by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and the Government s Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy found statistically significant proof that the programme improves retention rates and transforms management capability at scale in as little as six months

Website: https://starmanager global/what-is-star/

Contact: hello@STARmanager global

The Eden Alternative is fundamentally a modern philosophy of care’ which at its core is designed to enhance the wellbeing of residents and staff in care settings, the quality of their lived experience and their fulfilment

It aims to build a truly positive culture; underpinned by close partnership working between residents the team and family members

It is also designed to empower members of the care team to think innovatively about practice to enhance their fulfilment and strengthen retention

It is worth spending 10 minutes to see the Eden Alternative in practice https://youtu be/qK3vTbckZMw

How does it work? It provides training to Care Homes management and staff and encourages Homes to train their own ‘in house trainers to run the programme if they wish

The philosophy is designed to develop a positive and vibrant culture empower members in developing a care partnership and help

c A series of relevant Eden Video clips

d An Eden course questionnaire to assist learning

e Development of an individualised project that candidates work

Providers to deliver on their ambitions

How long has Eden been going? Eden has been running such training in over 20 countries on 5 continents for nearly 30 years and started in the USA It began operating in the UK in 2005

Eden UK runs both face-to-face training and online courses which both lead to the accreditation of candidates as Certified Eden Associates of which there are over 2 000 in the UK and 20 000 worldwide

The Certified Eden Associate Courses The online course runs over 6 weeks x 1hr each week covers the same material as the 3-day Eden Associate courses and comprise 5 elements:

a 6 Online live 1-hourly tutorials running weekly

b Working through the Eden Associate workbook

Care Home Finance from Global Business Finance

Why Apprenticeships Are Crucial For Tackling Workforce Shortages Across The Care Sector

Care providers across the country have unfortunately become accustomed to workforce shortages As a recent report on health and social care workforce from the Health and Social Care Committee showed 95% of care providers are struggling to recruit staff and 75% of providers are finding it hard to retain their existing workforce This is compounded by the fact that these roles are typically paid less than 80% of the wider economy

The COVID-19 pandemic has further affected the sector s ability to recruit and retain staff – during this time the working conditions of social care workers suffered as they battled with long hours restrictive working conditions and an increased risk to their health

And on the ground these staff shortages can lead to increased frontline pressures burnout and job dissatisfaction They can also impact the quality of individual care – in October 2022, the CQC’s State of Care report said that in the first three months of 2022 2 2 million hours of homecare could not be delivered because of insufficient workforce capacity

So how can we encourage more people to pursue what can be an extremely rewarding career in care and stay in the sector?

APPRENTICESHIPS

If we are going to reverse the trend and increase the percentage of people joining and staying in social

By Steve Sawyer, Managing Director, Access Health, Support and Care

care we need to incentivise careers in the sector and create a positive environment for people to work in Doing so will improve job satisfaction – a huge factor in the departure of many health and social care workers as reported by the Nuffield Trust

At the Access Group one of the ways that we are promoting career pathways in social care is through the government’s Apprenticeship Levy Scheme, which aims to encourage work-based training in particular sectors Working with 75 000 customers across commercial and non-profit sectors we invest the money into our own apprenticeship schemes as well as sharing it with organisations from across health and care, supporting them to recover from the impact of the pandemic

The Health Support and Care division (HSC) of the company has invested £100 000 since March 2022 alleviating workforce pressures by enabling 86 health and social care apprenticeships across the country Benefactors of the financial support include residential care providers Burrow Down Support and Home2Home with Care; and domiciliary care provider Hamble Valley Care alongside a range of other care providers using the additional resource to enhance skills of new and existing staff thus providing them with more opportunities to advance their careers

As we see it apprenticeships play a crucial role in improving job satisfaction and ultimately staff retention, with unhappy and unfulfilled staff more likely to move into other roles They also motivate the next generation of talent to pursue a career in care encouraged by the support and opportunity to upskill in the sector

Admittedly apprenticeship schemes aren’t a silver bullet to the ever-growing workforce crisis but they are a positive step in the right direction to support a sector that we all value and depend on More information can be found on The Access Group s website at www theaccessgroup com