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October 2014
incorporating
no.220 • £4.75
The Number One magazine for the care sector
Care group pens letter after battle
By Dominic Musgrave
CONCERNED social care providers have written to a local authority to warn them that despite the outcome of a legal challenge, their fears about delivering safe care to older and vulnerable adults in their area remain. A group of providers mounted a legal challenge against Herefordshire Council after it imposed an unacceptable maximum price which it then required local operators to bid below in order to secure business. The providers argued that the maximum price of £13.98 per hour would not enable them to deliver safe or quality home care to older and vulnerable adults who used home care services in the area. They also argued that the council had not consulted properly over its decision to lower the maximum rate from what it had previously paid. The High Court rejected the providers’ call for a judicial review of the council’s processes, but the providers have now written to Herefordshire Council warning that the problems remain. They are setting up a Providers’ Association and want to hold a
quarterly forum with the local authority to discuss the provision of care in the area. Spokesperson for some of the claimants and providers, Mike Padgham, said: “Whilst disappointed that the court did not uphold the providers’ request for a judicial review, those providers also remain very worried that funding levels compromise the care they are going to be able to offer and have written to the authority warning them of that.” The providers had contended that the council’s maximum price represented a figure of up to 18.4 per cent below current market rates. They argued that the authority had not properly taken into account providers’ legal obligation to pay careworkers the National Minimum Wage, cover travel, sickness and holiday pay, or to meet training and essential quality checks. They concluded that the council’s maximum price compromised their ability to provide a proper service and may have even risked service users’ safety. They warned that the only way providers could bid below the council’s maximum price was by cutting costs.
Group to sponsor Silver Line charity
Former Manchester City legend and England winger Mike Summerbee opened The Cedars care home in Holmes Chapel’s annual fair. Staff, residents, and members of the local community were all thrilled to meet Mike, now a club ambassador for Manchester City, with some bringing items of memorabilia for him to sign and others taking the opportunity to have a photograph taken with him. The day raised over £400 for the residents’ activities fund. Mike is pictured with with resident Vera Woodley.
THE third largest care home provider in the UK, has announced its support and sponsorship of The Silver Line charity, founded by Esther Rantzen CBE. The £150,000 sponsorship sees HC-One at the forefront of this initiative, being the charity’s only founding partner from the care sector to engage in this endeavour, leading the way by providing relevant and meaningful support at a national level. HC-One’s chairman Dr Chai Patel said: “HC-One is proud to sponsor The Silver Line and be the charity’s only founding partner from the care sector. The charity provides a great opportunity to give older people a voice, and create a bridge between older people and their surrounding world. HCOne’s sponsorship fits perfectly with our core values of accountability, involvement, and partnership, in ensuring that older people are provided with the kindest care.”
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Home opens its ‘indoor garden’ therapy room By Dominic Musgrave A GROUND breaking garden themed sensory room has just opened at Yohden Care Complex in Blackhall Colliery which will be used as part of dementia therapy sessions at the home. The ‘garden’ was designed so that one half resembles a back garden and the other half a park and will feature in a variety of different therapy sessions to benefit clients with dementia. The back garden section features hanging baskets, ‘brick’ walls, window boxes so residents can grow flowers, a fence complete with growing ivy and climbing roses, and an artificial rockery that residents can rearrange and ‘plant’ imitation flowers in to create their own unique landscaping designs. The park has been designed to look like a wooded country green complete with outdoor seating so that residents can enjoy an alfresco dining experience or sit and chat with family and friends. Outdoor noises such as bird songs and the sound of a stream are also played when the room is in use to further enhance the sensory experience. The idea for the room was first thought of by care manager Maxine Lee She said: “The idea came following ongoing gardening therapy that we hold at the home. As anyone who enjoys garden-
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The sensory rooms at Yohden Care Complex will be used for dementia therapy sessions. ing knows, gardens have a great therapeutic benefit. They provide a peaceful, relaxing place and can help to ease anxiety and stress. “They are also great for reminiscence therapy as residents enjoy talking about their own gardens and take part in familiar activities such as picking flowers and growing plants and herb. “It encourages residents with dementia to think creatively by creating their own uniquely designed plot and has been
shown to slow the rate of cognitive decline. “The added benefit of the indoor garden is that gardening therapy can now continue all year round, regardless of weather conditions.” Among the activities typically associated with gardening, the room can also be used by residents and their families and friends as a quiet place to socialise and as a games room with outdoor activities such as lawn darts, bowls and skittles.
Group Production Editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia.co.uk Studio Manager: Stewart Holt Tel: 01226 734414 sth@scriptmedia.co.uk Database enquiries to: 01226 734695 E-mail: circulation@ scriptmedia.co.uk Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of all content, the publishers do not accept liability for error, printed or otherwise, that may occur. Follow us on Twitter @caringuk
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Activity co-ordinator Val recognised with top national award By Dominic Musgrave
Some of the residents at St. Johns House, Kirk Hammerton get into the Christmas spirit.
Residents ring bells for shot at Christmas number one A NORTH Yorkshire care home might not be the usual venue for recording a potential Christmas number one, but that’s exactly what happened at St. Johns House, Kirk Hammerton. Members of the ‘Oldest Choir in the World’, their fellow residents, staff and friends joined to record a CD for Christmas. “It was my manager’s idea,” said choir mistress and activity coordinator Ruth Strangeway. “After the success of achieving our Guinness World Record status last year, she said “Why not make a CD
for Christmas?” So we polled all the residents and staff and came up with our five favourite Christmas carols. “It’s certainly created lots of laughter in the home rehearsing Christmas carols in the middle of summer. We’re going to call the CD ‘Silver Bells’. “As well as it being the first track on our CD we think it epitomises the sparkle our elderly residents create in everyone’s hearts when they sing. Every day they demonstrate that you don’t have to be young to be truly amazing.”
A LINCOLNSHIRE care home activity co-ordinator has been recognised with a national award. Val Taylor, who works for The Orders of St John Care Trust at Apple Trees Care and Reablement Centre in Grantham, has been named best activity co-ordinator by the National Activity Providers Association. NAPA has introduced a number of awards for the first time this year to recognise expertise in a range of activity related topics, with the best activity co-ordinator the most sought after for an individual whose role is dedicated to offering meaningful and purposeful activity for individuals living in the care home. Val, who has been working with OSJCT as an activity co-ordinator for more than three years, was selected for the award due to her endless enthusiasm and willingness to work beyond the call of duty, especially when helping residents move from one of the group’s older care home to the newly-opened Apple Trees – a 64bed dementia facility. She also supports a team of 20 volunteers and has set up an enrichment programme for residents who choose to stay in their rooms, in
addition to supporting staff in engaging with residents and actively promoting the home in the local community. Val said: “It’s a true honour to be recognised with such a prestigious award – especially from such an important industry organisation like NAPA. “After working for many years in local schools, I discovered a new role and chapter in my life by becoming an activity co-ordinator and can honestly say that the work I do has been the most rewarding and challenging of my life. “The best part of my role is the joy and laughter it brings on a daily basis, as well as the value and appreciation I feel at the end of each day. “I truly adore my role and couldn't imagine working anywhere else other than with the residents at Apple Trees. “Every day, I am thankful that the Trust allows my colleagues and me to make a difference to the lives of some of our community’s most vulnerable people.” The awards ceremony was held in London during an afternoon tea event led by TV presenter and journalist Pam Rhodes.
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War veteran finally awarded Arctic Star after long campaign
Residents of St Martins in Larkfield enjoyed getting up close and personal with an array of wildlife on a day trip to Eagle Heights. Accompanied by care home staff, the residents learned about the wildlife in the sunshine at the centre in Eynsford. The residents settled down to watch a birds of prey display and learned about a number of birds including owls, eagles and peregrine falcons. The group went on to view other exhibits including the reptile house.
Inner Wheel gives chair to Elm House THE Inner Wheel, the women’s only affiliate of the Rotary Club, has donated a new outdoor wheelchair to Elm House care home in Nantwich to mark the 90th anniversary year of its foundation. The presentation of the new outdoor wheelchair, chosen by the Inner Wheel partly because of its resonance with the name of the
organisation, took place at the facility. Elm House manager Nick Brenan said: “We’re fantastically grateful to Inner Wheel for this very thoughtful gift. A big thank you from all our staff and residents.” The money for the wheelchair was raised from the Rotarian’s Christmas parade float.
A NAVY veteran who survived one of the most perilous missions of the Second World War has finally been awarded the coveted Artic Star after a 12-year campaign for recognition. John Podzukites, 91, joined the merchant ship Fort Vercheres at Middlesbrough in March 1944 where he worked in the engine room. Loaded with war materials, and intended for North Russia on what was once described as the “worst journey in the world” by Winston Churchill, the ship joined the Convoy JW-58 before coming under attack from German torpedo bombers and U-boats. But despite the dangers faced by the crew the convoy arrived without loss and now, 70-years on and following a determined 12-year campaign, the 91-year-old veteran has received the Arctic Medal for his contribution to the success of the mission. The campaign, which fought for the recognition of Arctic veterans, was achieved in 2013 and led by Billy McGee, a former merchant seaman from Stockton. He recently visited John at Ingleby Care Home in Ingleby Barwick where he now lives to present him with his medal. The determined campaigner has also ensured that John received recognition from the Russian Government, which has awarded
John Podzukites with Ingleby Care Home care assistant Alex Conway. three commemorative medals to the Arctic veterans since 1985. He also survived action in both the Mediterranean and the Atlantic ocean. Manager Carol Singleton, said: “It was incredibly moving to see John recognised after so many years for what must have been a terrifying experience. “We are very pleased that Billy continued his campaign for so long, and so proud that John now has a medal that he can treasure.”
Thorney Croft manager Louise Gibson, Miss UK Green Queen Sophie Desbrow and Jan Wilson, activities co-ordinator.
Home wins Green Apple award THORNEY Croft Care Home in Stranraer has won a Scottish Green Apple Environment Award. The awards, organised by The Green Organisation, a group dedicated to recognising, rewarding and promoting environmental best practice around the world, were presented at a glittering ceremony at Edinburgh’s Scotsman Hotel by Miss UK Green Queen, Sophie Desbrow. While the team were notified of their win beforehand, the details of their award were kept under wraps until the night, where they picked up the Silver Award for their dedication to activities that respect our natural environments. As a result, Thorney Croft, part of national social care charity Community Integrated Care, will now
have the opportunity to win a UK Green Apple Award, at the House of Commons in November. Regional manager Julie Cowen said: “It is a wonderful achievement for the team at Thorney Croft to be recognised for their tireless dedication to environmental projects. Their work has made a real difference to local good causes, and is the result of the team pulling together and thinking creatively to give back to their community.” Led by service manager Louise Gibson, the team’s environmentallyfriendly efforts have ranged from recycling clothing, collecting recyclables such as milk bottle tops, and donating materials such as furniture and metals to local community projects.
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The costs of making the wrong hiring decision By Andrew Dean, Prospect Health WHEN you hire someone it goes without saying you want the first person you hire to be the right one! The ability to find and hire that “right person” can make or break your business. Your approach deserves number one priority status and you need to ensure you consider all your options. The costs of hiring the wrong person can be immeasurable. We can break down the costs of recruiting into two categories: Visible costs and Invisible costs. Visible costs The cost of advertising; Ads in some journals can be expensive and if you place multiple ads in an effort to find the right candidate the costs can quickly mount up. Covering an opening with your time or an expensive interim; Covering you vacancy with an expensive temp or interim can be incredibly costly and even more costly if you, as the business owners/senior manager, has to cover the role yourself. It can also have a significant impact on the morale of other employees too. A bad hiring decision! The money wasted on wages, training, expenses and other ad hoc costs of the wrong employee can all add up to one very costly mistake!
Andrew Dean Invisible costs Recruitment administration; Time is precious. Writing and placing adverts, making telephone enquiries, selecting and interviewing candidates all take up lots of your valuable time. Lost opportunities; this can be significant depending on the size of business, level of position and type of care. Businesses need to think about what a high performer would have achieved in place of a bad hire. Finding that right person can be a hard, time consuming and expensive business. A recruitment consultancy such as Prospect Health can help take the stress out of filling your vacancy and provide a cost effective solution to finding that perfect person to drive your business forward.
Shirley Heaver, senior housekeeper at Bupa’s Lynton Hall Nursing Centre in New Malden, picks up one of her two awards from Rylan Clarke and Andrew Cannon, managing director, Bupa Care Services.
Award winners unveiled THE winners of the annual Bupa Care Home Awards were announced at a ceremony in Glasgow hosted by TV presenter Rylan Clarke. The Awards celebrate the hard work and achievements of around 27,000 employees across almost 300 care homes. They recognise individuals and teams who have demonstrated exceptional care and have gone the extra mile to support our residents. Winners: Sarah Wiltshire, deputy manager at Ashley House Nursing Home – Care Practice; Aileen Waton, area manager, Scotland and Graeme Davidson, home based trainer – Learning and Development; Louise Perry, activity coor-
dinator at Balnacarron Care Home – carehome.co.uk Award for Excellence in Care; Squires Dementia Community Team at Gallions View Nursing Home – Person First... Dementia Second; Carol Barnard, home manager at Brierton Lodge Nursing Centre – Leadership Excellence; Julie Taylor and the Lavender Unit Team, Eglantine Villa Residential and Nursing Home – Team of the Year; Anthony Byrne, home manager at Arncliffe Court Nursing and Residential Home – Breakthrough; Sam Okeh, home manager at Ardenlea Grove Nursing Home – Performance Improvement; Shirley Heaver, senior housekeeper at Lynton Hall Nursing Centre – Support Service Excellence and Bupa Brightest Star.
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Operator appoints occupational therapist and physiotherapist A CARE operator has decided to employ its own in-house physiotherapist and occupational therapist. New Care is one of only a handful of providers in the UK to employ both a physiotherapist and occupational therapist – a decision it hopes will have a direct positive impact on the overall health and wellbeing of the residents. Occupational therapist Elaine Miller has worked at the highest level in the NHS and across a number of different hospital, clinical, community, care home and hospice settings. Physiotherapist Charlotte Brookes has joined most recently from her own company, which focused on helping elderly people with a range of physiotherapy and musculoskeletal needs. Between them they will take forward New Care’s philosophy of ‘enablement’ and provide a wide range of assistance and treatment for a range of health and wellbeingrelated issues from posture and seating to feeding, mobility, balance and rehabilitation. “When it comes to health and wellbeing, it is all about the needs of the individual,” explains Elaine. “Different residents have different needs and there is no one approach
Occupational therapist Elaine Miller and physiotherapist Charlotte Brookes. that works for everyone. Physiotherapy and occupational health go hand in hand enabling us to provide a completely holistic approach that meets every possible need of our residents. “If there is the potential for improvement in their health and wellbeing, we will encourage our residents to continue helping themselves,” added Elaine. “After evaluating their capabilities and potential, we will develop strategies that help them maintain their confidence and skills which is great
for their overall sense of self and wellbeing. “However, if this is not possible, we look at the health and wellbeing of that resident from the perspective of a managed decline where comfort and quality of life is the priority.” Elaine works with the care home teams to facilitate an environment where the residents remain as independent as possible for as long as possible. She trains the staff teams to help residents continue with daily routines and tasks as far as possible to maintain their overall health,
wellbeing and mobility levels. Physiotherapy complements this approach with Charlotte providing non-medicated pain management and a range of other mobilityorientated treatments to further improve health and wellbeing. “Physiotherapy is so important for maintaining physical health, mobility and balance,” added Charlotte. “I can help residents maintain a sense of independence and wellbeing by helping them with their mobility capabilities and providing tailored exercise programmes and walking aids. “I hope to introduce a range of exercise-based group activities at the New Care care centres. These will take place in the residential care home setting and feature a range of activities from walking through to Pilates and Tai Chi classes all with the aim of providing an holistic approach to mobility, pain management and continued quality of life.” By having this multi disciplinary approach, New Care is able to offer its residents the best possible levels of care. With physiotherapy and occupational health, practitioners need to be a very good all round general practitioner which enables them to offer immediate assistance, rapid response and palliative care.
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Residents take to the waterways RESIDENTS from Belong Atherton have proved you're never too old to try something new, taking their first canal cruise on The Rose of Parbold, a specially designed accessible barge. The group, who have a combined age of 745 years, took a trip up the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, starting in Parbold, Wigan and stopping off for a picnic in the sun by the lock. Most of the party, who live at Belong Atherton, had never been on a barge before, but all agreed that it was a very enjoyable experience and one that they'd love to do again. Nicola Beaver, experience coordinator at Belong Atherton, said: “We do everything we can to ensure that people living in Belong Atherton get to pursue new interests. “Because so many people in the village have grown up near canals, we talked about taking a barge trip. “The Rose of Parbold was exactly what we needed to have a fabulous day out.”
Honey Lane wins group’s gardening competition HONEY Lane care home in Waltham Abbey was the overall winner of owner Carebase’s gardening competition. They enjoyed a visit from Charlie Dimmock and the first prize of a fully paid late summer garden party including food, wine and live entertainment of the winner’s choice. They also received a certificate signed by Charlie and a sweet hamper to divide up amongst residents and staff. The home took first place thanks to the amazing transformation of its garden, with a hand-built water feature made from whiskey casks, a recycled potting stand and an aviary of budgies for residents and staff to enjoy. Second was 1 Sewardstone Close in Sewardstone, which received a certificate signed by Charlie, presented after she had enjoyed the gardens, as well as the runner-up prize of an ice cream van to visit the home once a month during the summer months and a burger van during the winter. It earned its second place for outstanding creativity, resident and community involvement, new features and its overall journey. Four other homes received Special Contribution prizes of gardening vouchers.
Charlie Dimmock and Honey Lane and Carebase central office staff. These were Acorn Court in Redhill, Alderwood in Colchester, Bramley Court in Histon and The Spinney in Chingford. During July, Carebase – a group of private care homes in the South East and East Anglia specialising in nursing, residential and dementia care – encouraged its 10 facilities to do up their gardens, plant flowers, set up allotments and add new features
with the help of £1,000 worth of funds provided for each site by head office. Each of the homes also contributed to the gardening budget through fundraising events and, as well as residents and staff getting involved, some managed to incorporate a lot of community involvement too. Carebase managing director Nicola Coveney, and property director Mike Hirsch were the judges.
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New Bill will strengthen system further – claim
Resident Raymond Gill with handyman Ray Clarke and Cheryl Douglas, administrator at Richmond Court.
Handyman Ray comes to care home’s rescue A HANDYMAN at a Willington care home has been hailed as the home’s hero after coming to the rescue of its residents. Ray Clarke, who has worked at Richmond Court for the past eight years, worked tirelessly to repair the residents’ greenhouse, which had been severely damaged following a period of bad weather. As part of the activities available at the home, residents had been growing tomatoes in the greenhouse and were devastated when it was destroyed by strong winds.
Manager Julie Gray said: “I can’t thank Ray enough for restoring the greenhouse back to its former glory, which has had a real positive impact on our residents. “They had been working hard on growing vegetables as part of their activities, so it was quite distressing when all their work had been destroyed. Thankfully, the residents can now continue to grow their plants and vegetables in their fantastic new environment, and we are extremely grateful for Ray’s hard work and dedication.”
GOOD work is being carried out to improve social care and safeguard vulnerable people in Wales’ care homes, but a new law to be introduced next year will strengthen the system even further, it has been claimed. During a visit to a care home in Aberavon, deputy minister for social services, Gwenda Thomas, said the new Regulation and Inspection Bill, which will be introduced in the National Assembly in early 2015, will strengthen the protection of people and further improve the quality of care and support available in Wales. Gwenda said: “Next year, we will be introducing the Regulation and Inspection Bill before the National Assembly to improve the system even further. Regulation and inspection will be built around people’s wellbeing and the outcomes people want. “Citizens will be put at the heart of the new regulatory regime, the protection of citizens will be strengthened and the quality of care and support delivered in Wales will be further improved. Our new Bill has been developed in line with the changes made to the foundation of social services through our Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act, and recognising the lessons learnt from serious incidents such as Southern Cross, Mid Staffs, Winterbourne and other cases
“That’s why we need to ensure our regulation regime reflects modern practice and the ever changing world of social care. I’m confident the changes we are making will deliver that.” The Bill will introduce: New emphasis on the accountability of the service provider and the responsible individual. A new service-model of regulation to ensure no service escapes the regulatory regime. Powers to further professionalise the workforce through protecting titles, reserving functions and regulating training. Requirements for standardised, published annual reports from providers. Continuation of the targeted approach to workforce regulation with powers to add new groups as required. Establishment of a new National Institute of Care and Support to lead regulation of the workforce and social care improvement. Implementation of a set of Law Commission recommendations to improve the consistency of workforce regulation. New powerful duties on regulators to share information when necessary. New powers to issue quality judgements and rankings on service quality.
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Group fined after resident’s death Celebrating the bar’s opening are, front left – right: Resident Peter Barron with Darren Chambers and Councillor Wendy Hillary. Back left – right: Manager Jane Mack with resident Denis Costello, activities co-ordinator Julie Bialek and the Mayor’s Consort, Councillor Jed Hillary.
Mayor raises a glass to new bar AYCLIFFE care home welcomed local Mayor, Councillor Wendy Hillary, to raise a glass to a new bar that has been created in the facility. She officially opened the fullystocked bar named the ‘Jolly Carers’ by residents, which used to be an unused lounge in the home that was transformed by members of staff with help from residents. Thanks to the generosity of Darron Chambers, a steward at Newton Aycliffe Working Men’s Club, who kindly donated glasses, beer mats and a domino board, and The Bay Horse in Heighington and the Woodham Golf & Country Club, which donated a free standing bar, tables and other bar memorabilia, the
bar looks like the real thing and is the perfect space for residents to socialise with one another and their visitors. Manager Jane Mack said: “The bar looks great and is a real hit with residents and their families and friends. A lot of our residents really enjoyed socialising in local pubs, so it’s great that they can now do this in the comfort of their home. “Thanks to the hard work of members of staff and all the kind donations that we’ve received, which we are extremely grateful for, the bar is really impressive and I’m sure we’ll get a lot of pleasure out of the new addition to our home – members of the public are always welcome to say hello and pop in for a drink.”
A HERTFORDSHIRE care home operator has been fined after a resident with clinical dementia was suffocated by an unsecure wardrobe. Claire Hughes, 64, died as a result of compression asphyxia following the incident at The Chase Care Home in Printers Avenue, Watford, on December 23, 2011. The home was run by Borehamwood-based Life Style Care PLC, which was sentenced after an investigation by the HSE identified safety failings. St Alban’s Crown Court heard that Claire suffered from a form of dementia that led to an obsession with clothing and a need to wear excessive layers. As a result the wardrobe in her room was locked to prevent her gaining access to the clothes inside. On the morning of her death, she was alone in her room and had attempted to open the wardrobe door when she pulled it over on top of her, rendering her unable to breath. She was found when staff next checked on her and an ambulance was called, but she was pronounced dead at the scene. HSE established that the wardrobe had been attached to the wall before Claire became a resident at the home. However, the screws used did not penetrate into the blockwork of the building, so they were not adequate to prevent someone pulling it over.
The HSE investigation concluded that although the care home was aware of Claire’s obsession with clothing it had failed to ensure the fixings used to attach the wardrobe to the wall were of a suitable standard, and neither had it provided any information, instruction or training for the maintenance manager in how to carry out the work on it. The company was fined a total of £85,000 and ordered to pay a further £48,000 in costs after pleading guilty to a single breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Sandra Dias, said: “Mrs Hughes’ death was a wholly preventable tragedy caused by unacceptable management failings on the part of Life Style Care PLC. They put her at unnecessary risk. “The company was aware of her obsession with clothing and that is why they locked her wardrobe. In doing so it was eminently foreseeable that she would attempt to open it using force, and that the wardrobe therefore needed to be rigid and secure. Working in a care home is a specialised job, which involves dealing with vulnerable people. Care homes must ensure that they have the correct training in place for all their employees, and that they work to adequately assess and eliminate all significant risks.”
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Following this year’s World Alzheimer’s Day (September 21), apetito dietitian Helen Willis reveals how care homes can deal with the challenges of catering to residents with dementia.
Catering for a complex condition AROUND 80 per cent of care home residents have some form of dementia or severe memory problem according to the Alzheimer’s Society. One of the key areas of care that is affected by this devastating condition is the impact it has on eating habits, yet – as it goes without saying – ensuring dementia sufferers get the nutrition they need to maintain their health and wellbeing is vital. While events such as World Alzheimer’s Day may help raise awareness of dementia, the illness remains very difficult to understand, especially as it affects sufferers in so many different ways. In addition to the debilitating confusion and memory loss commonly associated with it, dementia can also lead to a loss of appetite, lack of coordination and even loss of the ability to identify objects, including food on a plate – all factors that can significantly affect nutritional intake. To further complicate matters, dysphagia (a term that refers to chewing and swallowing difficulties) often goes hand in hand with the condition. As well as making the process of eating tiring and stressful, a fear of choking can put many sufferers off their food altogether – often resulting in a negative experience at mealtimes as well as meaning that they won’t get
the nutrition needed to maintain good health. Furthermore, dementia is a progressive disease and therefore presents the challenge of constant change. So how do homes tackle these challenges and ensure that residents with dementia receive the nutritional intake they so vitally need to maintain their health and wellbeing for as long as possible? A personalised approach A ‘one size fits all’ approach simply won’t work when catering for those with a complex condition like dementia. A personalised nutritional programme is needed to help sufferers stay healthy and well as possible for as long as possible. This means that not only should meals cater to an individual’s tastes and preferences – including any cultural or religious influences – but they should look and smell appetising to encourage them to eat. The appearance of food is particularly important for dementia sufferers prone to confusion, who may be less inclined to eat something that they simply don’t recognise as food. Menus that rely on written descriptions of meals can prove particularly confusing, whereas picture menus can often help as they tend to be easi-
Helen Willis er for sufferers to comprehend. Support at every stage When catering to residents with dysphagia, the traditional approach has been to blend ‘normal’ meals to make them safer for those with chewing or swallowing difficulties. However, not only is this an unappetising option that can prove incredibly time consuming and stressful for catering staff, it’s also difficult to con-
trol the nutritional content of blended food. Most importantly, a failure to follow the strict national guidelines on texture-modified food can prove fatal, as dysphagia can lead to a risk of aspiration, where small particles of food enter the airway, which can in turn lead to infections resulting in hospitalisation or even death. apetito’s award-winning range of texture-modified meals are prepared in accordance with National Patient Safety Agency guidelines, while also offering a dignified and enjoyable dining experience for residents. Particularly important for dementia sufferers prone to confusion, each thick puréed meal is moulded to look like a traditional dish, while premashed choices offer appetising colour combinations, so they look as good as they taste. Offering residents with dementia a wide selection of appetising meals that are safe for them to eat and include the nutrients they need doesn’t have to be complicated. By working with everyone from experts in catering to those suffering from this incredibly complex (yet increasingly common) condition, you can ensure their needs are being catered for, whilst also making sure they continue to enjoy their mealtimes.
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CARINGCARE SHOW PREVIEW
Survey reveals key concerns of operators THE UK’s largest event to focus on the key issues facing the UK care industry – The Care Show – has revealed the results of an exclusive survey of over 22,000 care providers, highlighting their key concerns in the increasingly over-burdened care sector in the UK today. The recruitment, training and retention of staff is highlighted by over 52.5 per cent of respondents to the survey with budget cuts and external funding concerns ranking at almost 29 per cent. Other areas of concerns include occupancy levels and increasing regulation. In relation to staffing issues, employers are currently advised to use Common Induction Standards, which directly relate to the National Minimum Training Standards, and to continue with the existing qualifications such as diplomas in health and social care that signify occupational competence in a role. But many good care homes and care agencies are striving to go further and these success stories will be highlighted at The Care Show, taking place at the NEC, Birmingham on November 4 and 5. Santall Horn, general manager of Etheldred House in Cambridge, said: “We have 90 staff who work as a united team with a common purpose, with team spirit – not hierarchy – as our driving force. “All team members, from nurses to carers to domestic staff are given the company basic training in areas such as moving and handling and care practices to safely provide in areas such as gastrostomy feeding, mental capacity and many more, so they all have a common basis to grow in their understanding and learning. “While our qualified nurses are obviously trained to a greater extent, empowering our staff with knowledge is beneficial for all. “The home team is involved in assessing people for new admissions
to ensure both the families and the staff have a relationship from the outset. “We train our care staff internally or locally wherever possible and support social activities for them outside work hours.” The Care Show survey reveals other examples of staff engagement as key to building an involved and committed team of carers. For example, simple training in assessing the health of residents’ health as provided by Hartlepool and Stockton on Tees CCG in association with Care Plus Solutions CIC has been a positive and beneficial experience for both staff and residents. Involving dedicated staff in caring for people with a long-term view is another key recommendation, as highlighted by Russell Court Nursing Home in Kent and Anchor Bilton Court in Wellingborough among many others. The impact of funding cuts on the care industry was also highlighted as a key concern by many responding to the survey. Professor Martin Green OBE, chief executive of Care England, added: “The recent research by The Care Show clearly shows that the care sector is suffering hugely from funding cuts. “The demographics are clear and show that there will be a huge need for more care in the future and unless the Government invests in the sector now, this will lead to problems for future generations. “There will always be a need for high-quality residential care services and the current policy to deny this fact is shortsighted. “Independent care services can provide a solution to the growing needs of an ageing population and we should be supported and encouraged, rather than abused, misrepresented and marginalised, by politicians, the media and society.”
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Lynx Purchasing offers invoice audit at Care Show Birmingham BUYING specialist Lynx Purchasing is offering visitors to Care Show Birmingham a free invoice audit to assess the potential for major savings on key products and services. Care home operators who leave copies of five or more recent invoices with the specialist Lynx buying team at the show will be contacted afterwards with the results of their tailored confidential audit. During the show, Lynx will have specialists on hand to discuss the full range of buying challenges faced by care providers. These include managing food costs and margins while maintaining standards for residents, as well as sourcing non-food products such as cleaning and hygiene ranges at the best prices without compromising on quality. John Pinder, managing director of Lynx Purchasing, said: “The simplest way for us to assess the level of savings we can offer care homes is to check their current invoices against the exclusive prices we negotiate with leading industry suppliers.
“We’re asking visitors to bring along copies of recent invoices for any area of their business, in complete confidence. From fresh meat and fish to dry goods, cleaning nad hygiene, and even utilities and telecoms, we can save costs for almost every care home, and we look forward to meeting potential new customers at the show.” Care Show Birmingham takes place in the NEC on November 4 and 5, with Lynx Purchasing exhibiting on stand A55. Lynx Purchasing works with more than 2,000 businesses across the hospitality and healthcare sectors, offering access to the best prices in the market, across a wide range of products and services, with no fees or contracts. Lynx customers also benefit from detailed market insight, enabling them to plan more effectively.
Greater operational efficiency the key to better management AS a growing aging population attitudes towards how we expect to be cared for are changing with personcentred care sitting at the top of the agenda. Central to delivering this high level of quality care is greater operational efficiency. It’s about eliminating the unnecessary, value-draining activities that take attention away from care giving, and to ensure that funds are spent in the best possible way. For instance, using software to manage rotas with any subsequent changes being communicated via mobile and SMS means staff in the field remain up-to-date without any need to print, post or collect paperwork. Having worked in partnership with the health and social care sector for
many years, Access Group supports some of the UK's biggest care providers including City & County Healthcare, Home Counties Care, and Age Concern alongside care homes such as Four Seasons Health Care and HC-One. Most recently Access has created a new Health and Social Care Division to formalise this expertise and has also acquired CareBlox offering residential care solutions to complement its domiciliary offering. Access is helping clients create efficiencies where they matter most, leaving organisations to focus on what they do best – providing high quality care to the clients they serve and support. Visit Access at the Care Show Birmingham on Stand E100.
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CARINGCARE SHOW PREVIEW
danfloor to showcase ECONOMIX danfloor, leading manufacturer and supplier of healthcare carpets will be showcasing its new ECONOMIX range at the forthcoming Care Show. It aims to offer a practical yet stylish flooring solution for healthcare environments, and combines innovative performance features including an anti-microbial coating and an impervious membrane with the latest trend colours. This ensures the range provides a flooring solution that is fit for the demands of the sector, while also facilitating the creation of stunning interior design schemes. In addition to outstanding performance characteristics and the latest
trend colours, the range also offers excellent environmental credentials. The ECONYL solution dyed nylon yarn that goes into the manufacture of ECONOMIX is made from postconsumer waste, including items like abandoned fishing nets, making the range 100 per cent sustainable and fully recyclable, while helping to reduce the amount of waste materials in the ocean. Come and see us on stand H42.
Beaucare’s Beauwash™ Range BEAUWASH™ is an efficient, cost effective and ecofriendly laundry cleaning products range, specifically formulated with healthcare establishments in mind. It is cleverly designed to provide superb cleaning performance at lower temperatures, shorter wash cycles and kill bacteria at just 30°C, providing a more sustainable laundry cleaning process in terms of overall running costs and for the environment. Available in powder or liquid form: 10kg tubs, 5lt, 10lt or 20lt liquid containers.
When combining the laundry liquid with automated dosing systems, it creates one of the most efficient laundry solutions available on the market today. Beaucare also offers advice on the most efficient way to run all healthcare laundry needs and provides expert fitting and maintenance of automatic dosing systems by its own service engineers. Enquiries call 01423 878899, email sales@beaucare.com or visit www.beaucare.com
Easier management at your fingertips ... CoolCare has been designed with users in mind, making it an all-inclusive programme covering every aspect of care home management. It includes individual dashboards which are tailored to the needs of each user, whether a care assistant, marketing manager or chief executive. Care home management software has never been so user-friendly and comprehensive. The software is compatible with multiple platforms, such as iPhones, iPads, and android devices. You can even access the software remotely – enabling the software to be used on the move, wherever you are. CoolCare is a completely integrated product suite that covers all the administrative and recording tasks in a care home. These include client records including assessments and care planning tools, staff records from an HR perspective including training and time
and attendance functionality. In addition, various financial tasks such as client billing, private monies and petty cash records are all included along with a host of other useful features. Part of the implementation of every CoolCare installation is its tailoring and configuration for each customer so it fits in with existing systems and content quite naturally. This flexibility sets CoolCare apart from other similar systems and enables users to create a solution that suits their needs. With over 1,000 sites using CoolCare today we have the experience to help and support each user appropriately It is a completely ‘Cloud based’ solution with a simple pricing structure that includes training, support, data migration and configuration and is guaranteed to realise ROI in a very short space of time indeed. CoolCare will be exhibiting at the Care Show Birmingham on stand F68.
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Ascot: the popular hi-lo bath from Gainsborough Take the hassle out of your new build IF you are looking to remove the hassle from your new build or refurbishment project, while saving time and money then we can help. Good design ensures that your bedrooms are easier to market, increases the value of your home whilst improving the environment and comfort for your residents or service users. We work exclusively for the care sector providing interior design, project management and procurement services including all aspects of your interior covering furniture, curtains/blinds, carpet, artwork, tableware, towels and bedding. Our recommendations are tailored to your
precise needs and client group. There is no deposit to pay and no minimum order and we work anywhere within the UK. If you think we can help then please contact us for further information or to request a free consultation without obligation. Come and visit us on stand C62 at the Birmingham Care Show. Enquiries: For further information visit www.a21careinteriors.co.uk or call 020 8399 3091. From October 8 our new address will be The Sanctuary, 23 Oakhill Grove, Surbiton, Surrey, KT6 6DU.
DESIGNED to meet the challenges of high-traffic bathing environments and assist care providers with safe moving and handling practice, the Ascot bath has a compact footprint and is ideal for space-restricted areas. The soft-touch powered seat ensures smooth and controlled movement of the bather in and out of the bath. Once the user is gently immersed into thermostatically controlled water, the Ascot can
then be raised so carers can work comfortably without the risk of back or muscle strain. The Ascot has a maximum user weight of 150kg (24 stone) and can be supplied with air spa, chromotherapy lighting and BluetoothŽ sound system. Gainsborough will be exhibiting at this year’s Care Show at the NEC, Birmingham on November 4 and 5. Visit stand D10 for a product demonstration.
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Prism unveils range of assisted baths Flooring provides slip resistance PRESENTING a viable solution for multiple application areas, Forbo Flooring Systems has specifically designed its Surestep Wood Decibel range to provide R10 slip resistance underfoot, while at the same time offering 17dB impact sound reduction. Unlike traditional safety flooring ranges, Surestep Wood Decibel is also the first multiple width safety floor uniquely available in 2, 3 and 4m widths. In areas where multiple performance requirements are an issue, it can sometimes be difficult to find a product that meets all the necessary demands. The Surestep Wood Decibel range provides the assurance that no compromise needs to be made when it comes to combining different performance benefits into one floor covering. Using aluminium oxide particles in the wear layer to provide sustainable slip resistance and maintain the clarity of design, Surestep Wood
Decibel meets both the Health and Safety Executive and UK Slip Resistance Group requirements, making it ideal for use in aged care environments with resident’s safety being paramount. The product is also complete with a PUR Pearl finish that ensures an easy to clean surface, helping contribute to simple cleaning and maintenance procedures, as well as keeping costs to a minimum. Paul Rogers, technical dpecification manager at Forbo Flooring Systems, said: “Forbo has a long standing history in the manufacturer of HSE compliant safety flooring which offers best in class performance, as well as over 50 years’ experience in the manufacture of acoustic floor coverings. “As a result, Surestep Wood Decibel will help achieve reassuringly safe, quiet and aesthetically attractive interiors.” Forbo Flooring Systems will be on E15 at the Birmingham Care Show.
PRISM Medical UK has launched a complete range of assisted baths designed specifically for long term care environments. The range includes the Prism GK Relax, Prism GK Oasis and the Prism GK Compact. All models come as standard with variable height adjustment, easy to operate control panels and integral shower attachments, offering exceptional value for money. The Prism GK Compact is an exceptional value-for-money solution, featuring easy to use height adjustment which is ideal for those who require ample room to facilitate safe transfers from a mobile hoist. The Prism GK Relax also offers such benefits but with added features including a vertical raise entrance door and three automatic fill levels accessible via its touch screen control panel. When the bath is to be used by those with more severe conditions or poor trunk/postural support, the Prism GK Relax would be the required bath as it includes additional supportive features such as an inbuilt moulded seat and reclining system.
Alternatively, should a bath with exceptional ease of access be required, users may benefit from the integral hoist and optional hoist chair which are key additions on the feature rich Prism GK Oasis. Additional features available on all four models include hydromassage therapy, colour therapy and audio/sound therapy. As with all products within Prism’s extensive portfolio, the baths come with additional services free of charge including assessment, installation, architect planning support and training to care staff. Prism’s bathing product specialist Andrew Norris said: “Everyone at Prism is extremely excited about adding the new baths to our already diverse range of moving, handling and bathing products. “It signals our firm intent to provide the highest quality assisted baths, whilst at the same time retaining to our core values of offering exceptional value and ultimately saving the healthcare system money.” Come and visit us at the Care Show on stand D13.
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Investing in values based recruitment ORGANISATIONS that offer high quality care and support have one thing in common – they are committed to putting core values at the heart of their operations. Values like respect, dignity compassion and commitment to person centred care help employers create a positive culture and a sense of belonging in their workforce so everyone knows what is expected of them in their role So to support the implementation of the refreshed recruitment and retention strategy Skills for Care and the National Skills Academy have produced a suit of resources to help employers find staff who will embrace their workplace values to ensure high quality, consistent care and support. Sheila Scott from the National Care Association says the new resources will play a key role in establishing the use of values based recruitment across the sector: She said: “I am sure all care providers will agree that it is common sense to place values at the heart of their recruitment and retention practices. “I know that National Care Association will be actively promoting this crucial message to their members and signposting them to the refreshed recruitment and retention strategy, the values based recruitment toolkit and the investing in values top tips cards. “I understand that employers are at
“I am sure all care providers will agree that it is common sense to place values at the heart of their recruitment and retention practices.” different starting points when considering how to implement a values based approach to the recruitment and retention of their staff but it is clear that these cards will be a great asset to many employers regardless of whether you already involved or just considering the first steps." The easy to use top tips cards help employers to identify their workplace values, why they are important and how they can be embedded as part of their recruitment and retention processes. The development of this product was led by an employer group who used their knowledge and experiences to identify the support needed by the sector to understand and implement the right values in social care. The top tip cards form part of the values based recruitment toolkit
which is designed to help employers put social care values at the heart of their recruitment and selection practice so that they can build a strong social care culture, help people develop careers in the sector, and deliver high quality services through having the right people in place. The toolkit includes a number of independent resources which include a personality profiling questionnaire,
leadership framework, sample job adverts and interview questions as well as situational judgment to help employers find staff with the right skills and values to work for their organisation. For more information about the values based recruitment, the recruitment and retention strategy and how to order the top tip key cards go to www.skillsforcare.org.uk/values
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Kit provider branches out and exhibits at Care Show A WHOLE body vibration equipment provider is branching out into the care home market and appearing at the Care Show. Performance Health Systems, manufacturer of Power Plate will be introducing the device to the industry at stand B61 and aims to show care home providers the benefit of using whole body vibration in a care setting. The company has completed years of research to demonstrate that the equipment can help residents increase strength and muscle tone, improve flexibility and circulation, and alleviate pain.
Matthew Pengelly, SVP, Performance Health Systems said: “Adding Power Plate to care homes can help address health complications common to residents including compromised mobility, joint pain, risk of falls, pelvic floor dysfunction, and poor circulation. “Used in a safe, low impact way will not only improve balance and falls prevention among residents, but also allow them to be more independent and enjoy a better quality of life.” Power Plate technology uses a consistent, controlled level of vibration, that moves the platform in three directions; up and down, side to side
and backwards and forwards. Muscles contract reflexively so even those who lack strength or control will be able to gain benefit from using the device. The machine only has a small footprint and so is ideal for communal areas - and the company offers training and instructions on how it is best used. A spokesman added: “After a few initial supervised sessions, some may be able to use Power Plate independently. “Residents in care homes that already have Power Plate, look forward to using it can feel the improve-
ments after just a few sessions.” The company says it is looking forward to meeting carers and home managers to introduce them to the benefit of Power Plate. Power Plate is a medically certified device under the Medical Device Directive and exercise protocols are in line with NICE guidelines. It is safe to use by people of all ages with a wide range of physical conditions. You can find out more about Power Plate by calling 020 7317 5000 or emailing sales@powerplate.com Performance Health Systems is a Bone Health Partner of the National Osteoporosis Society.
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How can Caring UK boost your business? CARING UK is the number one magazine for managers in the elderly care sector. Our editorial pages feature top columnists, parliamentary and legal updates, news, people stories, event and exhibition previews, conference coverage, diary dates and business and property news. Every month, the magazine gives its readers the most comprehensive mix of news, expert comment, features, case studies new product launches and behind-theheadlines analysis. Our content is unashamedly focused on key information and news all delivered in a bright, informative and easy-toread package. The magazine goes directly to the people with buying power – the budget holders and decision
makers – which is why it is so effective at delivering product and service information to the right people. Independent research shows that business titles such as Caring UK are viewed by decision-makers as essential reading and that they have more reach than any other medium, with titles being seen as an authoritative source of information. To find out more visit us at the Birmingham Care Show on stand A50.
System launch to coincide with company’s recent rebrand THE Care Show Birmingham will see the launch of the new Intercall Touch Series call system to coincide with the British manufacturer’s recent rebranding. As market leaders in the design and development of nurse call systems, Intercall is committed to learning, adapting and improving the level of care and security within the care sector. The Touch series has been developed in consultation with the sector, using experience and
learning from previous systems. The result is a family of products that look as good as they work. Our stand number is F28 in Hall 3.
Leading IT software provider for the care sector OVER the last 20 years we have established ourselves as the leading health and care IT software provider. Our teams know and understand the health and care sectors and can confidently offer a high quality service, that delivers specialist IT solutions across an extensive range of clinical and nonclinical disciplines. With over 1,500 customers who we continually work with to refine and extend our offerings in order to meet the constantly changing demands of
the health and care sectors. Come and visit us on stand D50 at the Birmingham Care Show.
Lano Flooring Solutions to exhibit carpet range NOVEMBER’S Care Show will be an ideal opportunity to see focused carpet solutions for the sector from Lano. The supplier has developed a water-resistant, odourless, rot and mildew proof impervious backing that is a feature on many of its carpets for care homes. Ideal for use in areas where exposure to accidents is high, Lano’s impervious backed qualities bring a home-like quality while using advanced fibres for ease of maintenance and resistance to staining. For intensive high traffic areas, such as receptions, dining and communal areas, specialist
high-usage tufted or axminster woven carpets can help to add an extra dimension to care environments through structured textures, printed designs and stock patterns. Lano Flooring Solutions can also work with designers or end users, to create a flooring scheme unique to their project. Lano Flooring Solutions will be exhibiting a full range of care home focused carpet on stand E17 at the Care Show, November 4 and 5 at NEC, Birmingham. Enquiries: Call freephone 00800 5266 5266, email marketing@lano.com or visit www.lano.com
Dryers among the most energy efficient Girbau’s ED Series laundry dryers are among the most energy efficient in their class. Girbau’s WTL-approved 6 Series washers are eligible for 100 per cent tax relief under the Government’s Enhanced Capital Allowance Scheme. Complete Laundry Care finance option includes all service and maintenance in fixed monthly rental. Girbau will be exhibiting at the Birmingham Care Show on November 4 and 5 on stand C32.
Enquiries: Telephone 01462 427780, visit www.girbau.co.uk or email sales@girbau.co.uk
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Care provider welcomes first franchisees By Dominic Musgrave HERITAGE Healthcare has appointed its first three franchisees, who have completed their induction training course. The 10-day scheme covered a variety of subjects across all aspects of the homecare business and is designed to give franchisees the necessary skills and knowledge. Jameela Rangoonwala is taking on a Cardiff franchise, Archita Raval will be providing a care service to the Brent and Harrow communities and Ivan and Daniela Coutinho will be caring for clients in Ealing. The Heritage Healthcare franchisees will arrange for carers to assist people of all ages in their own homes with practical and personal tasks. This may be for a short while, after an accident or an illness, or it
might be long term due to age, disability or other health problems. Each business will also be providing a round-the-clock live-in care service, which will enable people to remain independent for as long as possible in the comfort and familiarity of their own home. Carers will live with clients and provide one-to-one assistance to offer freedom, choice and control to do what they want, when they want. They will also offer supported living services to people with physical disabilities or learning difficulties. This includes helping people go to work, attend a day centre, participate in leisure activities or visit the shops. Heritage Healthcare director Michelle Fenwick said: “We are looking for committed, ambitious and motivated people who have the desire to own, operate and develop
Ivan and Daniela Coutinho, Glenn Pickersgill, Jameela Rangoonwala, Michelle Fenwick, Archita Raval and Sally Pickersgill. their own business and maximise their income potential. I believe we have found this with our first three franchisees.� Each Heritage Healthcare franchisee receives a territory that is pro-
tected and offers the potential for substantial growth during the term of the agreement. They will also have a minimum of 40,000 people aged 65 plus in their designated area.
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Berkley Care buys site ACTING for private clients, specialist property adviser Christie + Co has sold a 0.67 acre site in Hillingdon, West London. Planning consent has been granted for a purpose-built 58-bedroom care home. Berkley Care Group acquired the site within nine weeks of making its initial offer, emerging victorious following a fiercely competitive sale process. Joel Gazeres, of Christie + Co in London, said: “Viable care home development sites are attracting interest from a wide range of funded buyers with ambitions to deliver better quality care homes to the
London area.” Berkley Care Group currently operates four care homes including Maids Moreton Hall in Buckinghamshire, winner of a prestigious Pinders Design Award. Seamus Halton, managing director of Berkley Care Group, added: “We are delighted with this opportunity to create a first–class care home in Hillingdon. We pride ourselves on our intensive staffing levels and training which underpins our ethos and ability to care for guests compassionately, with a high level of service.” Albion Ventures LLP provided the funding for Berkley Care Group.
ES Group has acquired a new care home in Hinckley, Leicestershire, on behalf of Target Healthcare REIT Limited. The property is a modern, purpose-built facility, with 72 generously proportioned en-suite bedrooms. The care home will be leased to Sloughbased Care Concern Group for a period of 35 years.
An artist’s impression of Richmond Aston-on-Trent.
Richmond unveils plans for its seventh village RICHMOND has announced details of its seventh retirement village, which is to be built at Aston-onTrent, Derbyshire. Once completed it will provide 125 homes for those over 55, and an additional 60 care home beds. The development follows the company’s acquisition by Bupa last year, and the success of its other new villages, Letcombe Regis in Oxfordshire, Painswick in Gloucestershire and Northampton. The new £30million Richmond Aston-on-Trent will initially comprise of 47 one and two bedroom apartments offering an independent lifestyle, 30 suites (one and two bedroom) which come with a ‘hotel style’ package to help with all daily chores, and a care home providing nursing and dementia care. Richmond Aston-on-Trent will also include all the facilities that have
made its other villages so popular, including a wellness spa with swimming pool and gym, hair and beauty salon, a library, IT room, terrace café, restaurant and garden bar – all set within beautifully landscaped grounds with a croquet lawn. Managing director Paddy Brice said: “We know from the waiting list for properties at our other villages that there is an increasing demand for what we offer, and are delighted that construction will start soon. “We very much look forward to becoming part of the community in Aston-on-Trent. “In addition to these new homes, which will help meet the growing need from the ageing sector of the community, this new village will create some 150 new and permanent jobs.” Construction will begin this winter.
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New association £8m care home plan aims to enhance for former TA site care standards A NEW association for independent care providers in West Yorkshire that aims to enhance the standard of care that people receive throughout the region has launched this month. Chairman Konrad Czajka, who is the managing director of Czajka Care Group, said the newly formed Bradford Care Association will also offer support to care providers and give the industry a voice on a national and regional level. He added: “The association aims to help care providers in Bradford and the surrounding area to give the best standard of care to each and every client. We hope to build the association into a substantial organisation which represents 90 per cent of care homes and the majority of homecare providers in Bradford, but this cannot be done without the active support of as many members as possible. “Membership is open to residential homes, nursing homes, and domiciliary care providers in the Bradford district.” The association has been founded to give independent care providers in Bradford support and guidance and it will also act as a lobbying group at a
Konrad Czajka local, regional and national level giving the sector one voice. Konrad added: “Members will have access to a range of services that will help to maximise the potential of their businesses. “They will also be kept up to date with relevant news, best practice guidance, training opportunities, and changes to requirements by the NHS and local authorities. There will be regular meetings as well as an annual conference.”
A NEW multi-million pound care home with nursing facilities is being planned for Shrewsbury by Shropshire's largest independent care provider. Not-for-profit Coverage Care has applied for full planning permission for the 90-bed home on land occupied by the former Territorial Army centre. The proposed project is the latest in a series of new build care home developments by the company in Shropshire over the last four years, as the county begins to see the impact of an ageing population and increased demand for both residential and nursing care. If granted planning permission, the Shrewsbury home is destined for a 2016 opening and is expected to employ more than 120 staff in a mix of full and part-time jobs. Chief executive of Coverage Care, David Coull, said: “We have been working hard on the plans for this new home, which will be similar in size and design to the New Fairholme development we opened last summer, in Oswestry. “The site on Sundorne Road is perfectly placed to ensure a high quality of life for residents, with leisure facilities and a GP surgery right on its doorstep. “Our intention is to have this new facility open during the summer of
2016. We exist to provide a place for people to live in comfort and peace, with access to whatever level of support they need, from none to nursing care. We benefit from being a not-forprofit organisation, so our focus is not on shareholders but on using our resources to keep on improving, meeting and exceeding all of the standards expected of our staff and our premises.” The proposed new home will have 90 large en-suite bedrooms over two floors, with a third storey frontage as part of the overall design, and two wings on each floor, each with its own lounge and dining area, sharing communal rooms and a private garden area to the rear of the building. It will be Coverage Care's third collaboration with Castlemead Group. Director of Castlemead Group, Joe O'Donnell, said: “We are extremely pleased to be undertaking a third major build for Coverage Care Services. “It's a partnership that has always worked very well, allowing us to bring together our collective expertise and experience in creating new care homes. “We're looking forward to delivering a building that will become a welcoming home to many people and will add an attractive and entirely suitable presence to this area of the county town."
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Care group reaches milestone in £170m investment strategy CARE UK’s investment in new facilities saw a peak of activity recently as three care homes opened their doors to residents. Two were part of the operator’s £60million investment plan to help transform older people’s care in Suffolk in partnership with the County Council. The third was Winchcombe Place in Newbury, where the opening ceremony was presided over by Strictly Come Dancing star Ian Waite. The two Suffolk sites, Mildenhall Lodge in Mildenhall and Asterbury Place in Ipswich, are spacious, modern, state-of-the-art care homes providing nursing care as well as residential accommodation. Unlike the old homes they have replaced, the nursing provision means if a resident’s needs change they do not need to move to an alternative home or to hospital. The latest thinking in design, technology and decoration have been used to support the care of residents with dementia, and both have landscaped gardens, a cinema, hairdressers, hobbies room and café. Both homes have adjacent day clubs which will help older people locally to enjoy a regular day out treat, reduce loneliness, keep up with
A CGI of the new Austin Place retirement living development in Weybridge, which will be built by Castleoak for Anchor Trust.
Dancer Ian Waite at the opening of Winchcombe Place in Newbury. their favourite hobbies and enjoy a freshly cooked meal. The other home to open is Winchcombe Place in Newbury. The new building will provide a range of care services for 80 older people, including residential and nursing care, specialist dementia care, short term respite care, and sensitive endof-life care. Visitors attending the opening were treated to a dazzling dance demonstration from Strictly star Ian Waite then given the chance to show off their own fancy footwork when he took the lead in an audience participation Cha Cha Cha.
Work begins on £12.4m facility CASTLEOAK has started work on a luxury £12.4m independent retirement living development in Weybridge, Surrey, for returning customer Anchor. The 65 one and two-bed luxury apartments with riverside views will be exclusively for sale and designed to the highest specification. Communal facilities will include a hair and beauty salon, treatment room, coffee shop, restaurant, lounge, reading room and landscaped gardens. As well as a thriving local community, residents will benefit from the peace of mind of a tailored care package and plan from Anchor. Jon Schofield, head of construction
at Anchor, said: “Anchor is very happy to be working with Castleoak again in the development of our new independent living scheme called Austin Place. “Castleoak has a long history in successfully delivering these types of schemes to a very high standard and we are very excited to see this scheme develop and be part of our growing portfolio. “We have worked collaboratively to agree the detail required to take this scheme from its concept to a start on site. This team effort I'm sure will continue through to the completion of what will be a very successful scheme.”
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CARINGCOMMERCE Advertiser’s announcement
What can care homes learn from recent flooding cases? By David Waters
Paul Burford
Burford acts for group in home sale BURFORD Care Homes are delighted to announce the sale of Ward Green Lodge Care Home in Barnsley, South Yorkshire. The prestigious new care home has 64 bedrooms with en-suite wetrooms, hairdressing salon and café. Ward Green Lodge was built by our valued clients, the LNT Group and was acquired by Britto Healthcare as a turnkey opportunity. Paul Burford said: “This deal comes hot on the heels of the sale of two large purpose built homes in the Midlands and, in addition, we have just exchanged contracts on another large turnkey home in East Sussex. “We have a pipeline of similar sized deals going through the legal process and we look forward to announcing further details in the coming months.”
TWO recent flooding claims highlight two important messages for care home owners: actively mitigate flood risks as much as possible – you can do this by retaining sandbags, clearing gullies regularly and making sure potential water courses are diverted around your care home – and, if an emergency does occur, utilise the expertise of a good care home insurance broker. Too often we encounter care home owners unaware of the lengths to which Care Home Insurance Services (CHIS) goes for its clients. A client had a small stream running underneath their property and, in the tremendous rainfall during January and February earlier this year, the stream became a river carrying thousands of gallons of water. The water level rose and the care home’s lift shaft became flooded. The home rigged a contraption to take excess water away from the lift shaft but this proved unsuccessful. Upon visiting the property, CHIS discovered the water had caused damage to the lift, so we advised the client to make a claim under the terms of their insurance policy.
Our claims team assisted from beginning to end, ensuring the process was as painless as possible for the unfortunate care home owner. Through the team’s hard work, the claim was settled quickly, allowing the client to move forward with her business. Moreover, we noticed the Health and Safety Executive lift inspection certificates (LOLER certificates) had not been issued to the home and alerted the owner, who was encouraged to take the steps necessary to obtain them. Consequently, not only did we help arrange a successful claim, but also potentially saved our client from an HSE prosecution. Another CHIS care home owner had continual rainfall and water pouring into six of her care homes in Kent. The client had not made any provision for rising water, no sandbags or diversion courses, so the water freely entered her homes. Eventually the emergency services arrived, rescued her residents and started the clean-up process, pumping water out of the home and then removing and destroying damaged carpets and contents. We advised the client to claim on her insurance and, once again, our claims team stepped in to manage
the process and secure an early pay out. Months down the line and thankfully everything is almost back to normal while many other properties remain uninhabitable. The owner is very impressed with CHIS’ claims service in getting everything repaired and now understands how far our services go. In both cases, our clients were impressed by CHIS: 1. Managing the claims process rather than leaving you to manage the process yourself. We know the process and do this day in, day out. 2. Responding quickly. We appreciate your time is valuable and you are better to be using it caring for residents and managing your staff, especially at a time of crisis. 3. Pushing insurers to settle claims today rather than tomorrow – getting the job done, that’s CHIS’ expertise. We pride ourselves in making sure every claim is concluded as quickly as practical and possible. 4. Attention to detail – you can rely on us. 5. Our efficiency: this is what we do day in, day out. David Waters is managing director at Care Home Insurance Services.
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CARINGCOMMERCE
Rates have fallen – are you paying too much? IF you’re seeking to restructure or increase your existing mortgage, Chandler & Co.’s status as an independent healthcare specialist means we have strong links with a comprehensive range of lenders. The combined experience of the partners including financial, management and care home ownership offers first-hand knowledge and expertise in the healthcare sector. As existing operators, you can consider the whole range of options available to you, including: Restructuring of existing loans. Equity release and debt consolidation. Purchase of additional businesses. Refurbishments and extensions of existing business. Land purchase and new build schemes.
Advertiser’s announcement
Lamont Johnson acquires purpose-built 66-bed Harmony Care on behalf of Elder Homes Ltd
Sale and leaseback finance. By combining finance for improvements with a restructure of your existing borrowings, it may be possible to enhance your business without increasing your monthly loan repayments. Terms include: Monthly repayments as low as £4,361.31 (per £1m borrowed). 75 per cent loan to value. No arrangement fees. 25-year loan commitment Make an informed decision with a FREE financial review from Chandler & Co.
Care home in East Yorkshire sold DC CARE has completed the sale of Holyrood House in Hedon. The home is the first of a series of sales due to complete on behalf of HICA, a regional not-for-profit organisation. Holyrood House has been sold to Tony Proudfoot, a local operator who is keen to expand his portfolio. The home was originally a residential property but was converted to a care home and extended some years ago. Alison Taylor, DC Care’s specialist
business appraiser, said: “This is another clear example that care homes do not need to be purpose-built and all en-suite to be considered viable. I’m always happy to see homes find new owners looking to make their own mark on the local community.”
National specialist agent Lamont Johnson Ltd is delighted to confirm the recent acquisition of Harmony Care, Wellingborough, Northamptonshire on behalf of their long established, retained client Elder Homes Ltd. This delightful purpose-built home offers spacious all single, all en-suite accommodation and enjoys a prominent main road location.
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DEMENTIA SPONSORED BY
www.active-minds.co.uk
Homes choose arts and crafts to mark centenary CARE home residents in Lymington have turned to arts and crafts to mark the centenary of the start of the First World War. Members of a ‘knit and chat’ group at Colten Care’s Belmore Lodge home knitted and crocheted 100 woollen poppies, one for every year since 1914. The collection was put on display at a poppy picnic with individual poppies sold, raising more than £220 for the Royal British Legion. For resident Anne Uren, it was a chance to remember her father, Lieutenant Edward Raymond Peal, who was in the Royal Flying Corps during the war. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in June 1916 in recognition of his role as an aeroplane observer. Anne said: “In those early days of military flying there were very few aerodromes so they would often take off and land in farmers’ fields. “There were also no maps for navigation. It was incredibly dangerous. Like many other former servicemen, he never spoke much about the war afterwards but I knew that he flew over northern France many times.” Belmore Lodge activities organiser Nikki Hansford said: “Our arts and crafts sessions are relaxing, social occasions that help our residents to reflect on times gone by and discuss
Resident Connie Roughley enjoys a cup of tea with Birch Green general manager Carol Nickeas and ‘Dear Dementia’ author Ian Donaghy in the new bistro.
Families help run bistro Residents Anne Uren (seated, centre) and Joan Connolly with some of the knitted poppies they made. With them is activities organiser Nikki Hansford. personal memories. “At the same time, many of our residents used to knit when they were younger and, like riding a bike, they tend to just get back into it.” At Linden House, Colten Care’s dedicated dementia care home, residents have been painting watercolour poppies in art therapy classes led by Shaun Stevens, an artist who works with the Alzheimer’s Society. Gardeners at all 19 facilities run by Colten Care planted poppy seeds in advance of the centenary so that flowers would appear during the summer. At several homes, peace roses have also been put in the ground.
FAMILIES and friends of those people with dementia are helping to run their own special bistro at a care home to share advice on the issues surrounding the disease after it was opened by a campaigner. Tea for Two was opened at Birch Green Care Home in Skelmersdale, Lancashire, by author and campaigner Ian Donaghy – who wrote the book Dear Dementia: The Laughter and Tears – to help share information on dementia for those interested in learning more. The bistro has been so popular that family members of people with dementia have stepped in to help run it, along with a small shop selling useful items and bric-a-brac. By creating the relaxing bistro environment, Birch Green is helping families of those people with dementia share their experience and gather information on the disease and its
effects. Experienced dementia care advocates will also be on hand to provide advice. General manager Carol Nickeas said: “The families soon got involved and wanted to contribute to the bistro environment. This is ideal because they can share their own experiences and also benefit from the knowledge of our dementia advocates at the same time.” As a centre of expertise, staff member Gill Tugwell is also a dementia ambassador, leading the Focused Intervention Training and Support project at Birch Green, one of just 150 homes in the country to commit to the training. Under the FITS project, the intensive training programme will be followed up with regular supervision sessions as best practice is rolled out to other staff members.
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CARINGHYGIENE AND LAUNDRY
Hygienic cleaning without chemicals WHILE it is essential to maintain the highest standards of hygiene in residential homes, it is not always appropriate to use strong chemicals. As a result, cross-contamination can become a real issue. Traditional cleaning methods such as using a mop and bucket can be unsuitable as they redistribute dirty water, encouraging the spread of bacteria. The use of steam for a deep and hygienic clean is fast becoming the
solution to these problems. Vax Commercial’s VCST-01 multifunction steam extraction cleaner uses steam to sanitise surfaces quickly and effectively without chemicals. Its powerful extraction picks up dirty liquid as it cleans meaning there’s no need to mop or wipe surfaces afterwards. It’s perfect for sucking up accidental wet spills and floods too.
“As the dirty water is extracted at the point of cleaning, the VCST-01 creates much less mess and is more hygienic than a conventional mop and bucket,” said Vax Commercial’s senior product manager, Brian Davis. “Using steam to clean is more environmentally friendly and efficient than a mop, as it uses less water and no harsh chemicals.” The VCST-01’s fast heat-up time means it is ready to produce 4.5 bar
of hot, continuous steam at around 140ºC that removes dirt, limescale and tough stains. It’s ideal for tackling a variety of hard surfaces as it has tools for cleaning floors, windows, taps, tiles and more. Steam flow can also be controlled – to remove tougher, stuck-on dirt simply increase the steam level or decrease for more delicate cleaning tasks.
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CARINGHYGIENE AND LAUNDRY
Snappy Tags – the one-step solution for labelling clothes for care homes IF you ask a relative of someone in a care home if they have any concerns, fairly soon they will tell you that they find it distressing to see their loved one in the wrong clothes. Lost, unnamed and incorrectly labelled clothing is a time-consuming problem for managers, and staff spend a huge amount of time ensuring they have correctly identified each resident’s clothing: after all our choice of garments is a vital part of our identities. With this in mind, one company has introduced a quick, easy and cost effective way to name residents’
clothing. Snappy Tags are discreet and resemble small buttons, making them comfortable and unobtrusive to the wearer. Care homes that have implemented Snappy Tags agree. Dale-Jaimé Matthews from the St Cloud Care group, said: “Snappy Tags has made it so much easier to keep track of all of our residents’ clothing since introducing this product throughout our care homes. “We have for years been trying to find a product just like this, everything else we have tried has failed. Now nothing gets lost and the staff,
relatives and residents have one less thing to worry about. “The little tags have given back hours of time to our laundry staff and have provided peace of mind with the residents and their families for their items of clothing.” Names are permanently laser etched into the tag, ensuring they will never fade, even in multiple harsh industrial laundry conditions. Tags are simply snapped onto the garment seam or laundry label using the Snappy Tag applicator, and although they will not fall off in the laundry process, they can be easily
removed and reapplied to a new item of clothing. Vida Hall care home in Harrogate also recommends Snappy Tags. Operations director Jill Young added: “I am very happy to continue to support Snappy Tags in our home. “We always recommend them to our residents because they are the best product of the type on the market today. “They stand up to our washing process, which many of the fabric style tags do not, and they are easily applied to clothing which is important as it saves time for the staff.”
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CARINGHYGIENE AND LAUNDRY
Care provider chooses Miele Professional THE Parklands Care Home group has chosen Miele Professional appliances for their two care homes in the Scottish highlands. The award-winning Parklands group has invested £5million in the newlyopened facilities and sought laundry solutions to prevent infection and provide standards above those required by the Care Quality Commission. The Miele Professional system installed in both care homes includes two 10kg sluice washers, two 15kg Sensor dryers and one flatwork Ironer. The Thain Group, founded by Scottish sporting legend Kevin Thain, has been enlisted by Parklands Care
Home to service their state-of-the-art new-build sites in Muir of Ord and Tain. The decision to invest in a Miele Professional on-premises laundry was an easy one for Denise Scott, manager of the Muir of Ord care home. She said: “Making sure our laundry is efficiently done is a top priority because of the infection control and health and safety requirements in care homes. “There is a high risk of infection being spread in a care home where there are many people so we need to make sure everything is done reliably and efficiently – this is easily done when you have Miele Professional
Do you follow DoH guidelines on linen decontamination? THE Department of Health has issued guidelines for linen decontamination in social care. The guidance introduces a number of Essential Quality Requirements with which laundry service providers and in-house laundries should comply. Examples include the requirement that linen processing areas are specifically designed to minimise the risk of recontamination of linen and a new definition of infected linen. We have made a short summary of CFPP 01-04 available on our website www.berendsen.co.uk/ cfpp-01-04 All Berendsen's laundry service facilities are either already certified to BS EN14065, the highest
level of bio-contamination control certification or progressing towards it. Berendsen is well placed tohelp organisations meet the requirements set by DoH whether you are part of a group or a small independent care home. Enquiries: Call the team on 0800 612 7237 and find out how our outsourced laundry service minimises infection risks.
To advertise in a forthcoming issue of Caring UK call our sales team on 01226 734480 or 01226 734692
equipment on site.” Each of the two care homes houses 34 residents and both homes employ a dedicated laundry assistant for four hours a day. All staff have been trained to use the machines by the Thain group. Residents’ personal clothing are usually washed and dried during the day and the sheets and towels are washed at night. It is a round-the-clock operation that never stops. The machines installed are designed to withstand the all day, every day use required in a care home but are also designed to care for the fabric of all items and use the least amount of energy.
Elaine McIntosh, Parklands Care Home operations director, added: “Investment is required when buying any new equipment, but with Miele Professional, you can be certain that it will be worth it. “They are built to last, efficient to run, use less water and have so many other additional benefits. Hygiene is really important to us, and the selfdosing systems are excellent. “The right amount of chemicals can be set and it’s foolproof for infection control – which is key in an environment like ours.” Parklands, which employs 450 people across the highlands and Moray, was voted the UK’s Most Outstanding Care Home Group in 2012.
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QUALITY IN CARESPONSORED BY
www.requiredsystems.com
Home awarded £500 for ‘Wishing Well Appeal’ Joan Williams a carer at Hedges House in Lytham St Annes ha achieved an advanced level apprenticeship in adult social care. Manager Michelle Neville said: “We are all very proud of Joan, she worked very hard for her qualification and was rewarded with £50 of Marks and Spencer vouchers in recognition of her outstanding work from Citrus Training Solutions.” Pictured presenting Joan with her certificate is Michelle Neville, Joan Williams and Mark Rishton from Citrus Training Solutions.
AMHERST Court care home has been awarded £500 from the Chief Constable's Property Fund for its ‘Wishing Well Appeal Fund’. The Wishing Well grants residents’ wishes, maybe to visit places from their youth, go to the theatre for example, or to revisit an old experience. Amherst Court is run by Avante Care and Support, caring for people living with dementia. The home offers Kent Police trainees the opportunity to meet residents as part of their training, to learn how best to communicate with those living with dementia and gain an understanding of how the disease may affect them in their daily lives. It was nominated for the award by Amanda Withrington, placement officer with Kent Police. Amanda Odd, general manager at Amherst Court, said: "Our residents
Residents with Kent Police members. will benefit greatly from this generous donation. We are pleased to host police trainees at Amherst Court and our residents enjoy regular visits of our local PCSOs Rachael Delahay and Rowen Cornwall. “Links with organisations such as Kent Police are very important to us. Not only are they of benefit to our residents, but they help build a wider understanding of a condition which is affecting more and more people in society.”
Helping you to comply with the regulator IT IS not just CQC that require services in the care sector to be able to evidence compliance. Your bank and local authorities placing service users are becoming more demanding. The two major failures in CQC inspections are poor record keeping and drug administration. Required Systems Ltd has all the quality systems you need to be compliant, incorporating all the forthcoming changes from CQC. To find out more call 01236 782477 or visit www.requiredsystems.com
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CARINGNEWS
Firm wins Devon contract
Gillie Court stitch up a great big welcome RESIDENTS at Bield’s Gillie Court have been busy stitching a giant welcome sign to greet visitors to their care home and sheltered housing development. The huge six foot by 15-inch sign took the stitching group just over three months of hard work to complete and was revealed at a small ceremony put on by staff. The group, which initially started two years ago to encourage members to stitch small items for their own rooms, took on the task to brighten the welcome for visitors to the Dunfermline development. Brenda Robertson, resource manager at Gillie Court, said: “The stitching group has been a great success over the past two years and it continues to grow with more members joining in. “It’s our biggest and most consistent group and is so popular that we’ve had to get two extra volunteers in to
help the group run.” The group have now taken on the task of brightening up the notice board in the complex. Social activities volunteer Linda Armstrong, who organises the group along with Sally Mackenzie and Nicky Webb, said: “We are looking to add a bit of colour to the area by stitching ‘Care House Notice Board’. “We’ve also been busy making Scottish themed pictures to go around the board, which are looking very impressive. “There will also be a rotation on the notice board, with various items and pictures stitched to the theme of Halloween, Christmas and so forth. “We are very close to finishing the notice board and it’s looking great. “It’s brilliant to have such a group lasting so long at the development. We’ve been going for two years and there has been a big effort to get all these projects completed.”
NATIONAL provider Sanctuary Home Care has secured a contract with Devon County Council to deliver services to people with care needs. The organisation will be delivering up to 400 hours a week of home care services to people across the Dartmouth area of the South Hams district over the course of the year. Administered by teams of Sanctuary Home Care’s community carers, the service delivers set hours of care directly to people’s homes to help them remain independent. Community carers can assist with domestic cleaning, shopping, pension and prescription collection and a large number of other tasks
that can help people to live independently in their own homes. Dartmouth’s location, in the southeast area of the district, means a number of clients live in rural, and traditionally more isolated areas. Sanctuary Home Care managing director Chris Munday said: “This contract is a great opportunity for Sanctuary Home Care to expand our existing first-rate services in Torbay and provide that same high level of service to a wider area across the South West.” The one-year contract will see Sanctuary Home Care expand its presence in Devon from its closest branch in Torbay.
Staff from two of Anchor’s care homes participated in the Surrey Memory Walk 2014 at Painshill Park, Cobham, raising more than £300 for the Alzheimer’s Society. The team from West Hall care home in West Byfleet and Moore Place care home in Esher (due to open in 2015) joined forces and walked either 10km or 2km to raise funds and awareness of people living with dementia. This Morning presenter Ruth Langsford also attended the event.
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CARINGNEWS
Tackling operational inefficiencies to ensure the provision of quality care By Steve Sawyer WITH the Care Act 2014 recently approved by Parliament and in receipt of Royal Assent, this is one of the most significant pieces of legislation since the 1948 National Assistance Act for the healthcare sector. In addition to important new rights for carers, the Act puts a real focus on quality of care, which has major implications for care providers. Ultimately, this means that residential and domiciliary care providers must look to improve operational inefficiencies, freeing them up to focus on the provision of ‘quality’ care and truly deliver under the new regulations. The Care Act – what does it mean for care providers? The implications of the Care Act put new obligations on service providers and the local authority. The Act will mean that person-centred care is more of a priority. A concerted move away from task-based care to a focus on outcome-based care will combine with the introduction of health and social care ratings, effectively opening the door for a scoring system of care provision and care providers. Those receiving care or making decisions on their behalf will not only have more choice over the care they receive and how they receive it but also from whom they receive it. Providers therefore must be able to support this personalisation of care
and demonstrate their effectiveness in delivering quality. The new Act also means that people have personal budgets and access to mixed funding. There will be a funding cap, revised financial needs-based assessments and a limit on the amount paid on care in a lifetime. Receivers of care will end up with a personal budget and may be paying for services themselves or getting funding from the local authority. The implication of a proposed clearer statement of an individual’s ‘personal budget’, may see a shift in perception, with the individual no longer considering themselves a recipient of care, but a customer of care. As a customer, they have choice, and choice decisions are based on both cost and quality, potentially posing some big challenges to service providers. Inevitably, increasing quality creates cost pressures. Put simply, it costs more to carry out personalised care, with a focus on delivering quality and agreed outcomes, than it does to deliver task-based care (going through the motions of just delivering the tasks that are needed). With limits set on the amount of money an individual will be required to pay on care in their lifetime, it would seem inevitable that the financial burden on local authorities will increase. With many local authorities already making their selection of care providers based to a substantial degree on price, squaring the circle of
Bespoke seaside break packages available AT Safehands Holidays we provide a choice of seaside breaks at two locations in the UK; The New Mayfair in Blackpool and The Esplanade in Llandudno We offer bespoke care packages tailored to your needs, so whether you are travelling on your own and require some assistance, with your own carers or with your family for respite we can provide as much or as little care as you require. Our bedrooms are fully accessible with adapted en-suite wet rooms. Many of our rooms boast spectacular sea views across the Irish Sea and Llandudno Bay respectively. We also provide specialist equipment including, ceiling tracking hoists, electric portable hoists and electric standing hoists, electric profiling beds in many rooms, shower chairs and commodes. Any other equipment can be requested when enquiring or booking. At Safehands Holidays we pride ourselves on the quality of our food and use quality local produce from quality local suppliers to produce varied daily menus which include tradition-
al home cooked roast dinners to international cuisine. Our experienced chefs can cater to any special medical, dietary or religious requirements, for example; coeliac, Halal or soft diets. Our seafront lounges are the perfect place for a relaxed lunch or drink, where you can just sit and watch the world go by, have a chat or watch the large screen television. We provide nightly entertainment featuring a variety of fabulous local singers, which appeal to a variety of differing tastes. Each night’s entertainment is also accompanied by bingo and raffles. Our tribute specials are something to look out for and they are always very popular, with acts including Abba, Michael Bublé and Meatloaf. In addition, The New Mayfair, Blackpool, hosts ‘Soap Star Specials’ throughout the year featuring a range of top stars from the nation’s favourite soaps, including Coronation Street and Emmerdale. Day trips and excursions are available in our fully accessible minibus. We also offer a pick up and return
improving quality for the same or less money will fall to the charitable and private care providers themselves. According to reports on the adult care system carried out by the National Audit Office (NAO), whilst care requirements have risen, in real terms funding has fallen by 8% between 2010-2011 and 2012-20132. Providers are going to be asked to do more for less and if they are continuously driven down on cost the quality of care is not going to improve without operational changes. Managing change and delivering quality services So how can care providers manage these changes and remain profitable while focusing on quality of service? Within the care industry, so heavily based on staff service, it is essential that workforce planning, staff rotas and contract and service management run like clockwork. Far too often providers work with disparate systems, aggravating the inefficiency of operations. Many providers don’t have the time or the systems to do anything other than task-based care. Good systems can reduce this and put the focus on people-based care. By streamlining systems and processes, improving IT and using business automation where possible, providers will be able to save time and money on operational issues. Integrated business management systems help reduce inefficiencies in the system, remove duplicated work,
allow providers to spot trends and proactively manage their operations to target issues and opportunities. By providing an integrated solution that allows different business functions to ‘talk to each other’ effectively, the infrastructure and operational cost of care reduces, allowing the business to redirect its efforts onto quality of care without hitting the margins they need to make. By utilising integrated solutions and technology to their advantage care providers will be able to make a visible drive towards quality. It’s not just the financial impact. Greater system efficiencies leads to better staff retention; investing in training and development as well as removing repetitive administration for care workers means less churn. This in turn improves standards and the continuity of care with the added bonus of reducing the costly cycle of recruiting new staff. With the ever increasing costs of delivering care, it is the providers that can operate efficiently, deliver person-centred care and evidence the quality of that care that will be the ultimate winners – benefiting their staff, shareholders and ultimately the customers they serve. The coming months will throw the care industry into the spotlight and it is vital that providers act now to ensure they are equipped to deliver quality care efficiently and cost-effectively. Steve is divisional director of health and social care at Access Group.
Shackletons join forces with turnkey company CARE home furniture specialists Shackletons worked with turnkey development company to the care sector, the DECS Group, to complete a £1.3million 20-bed care home design and development contract in Yorkshire. The extension and refurbishment programme at the independent and family run Inwood House residential care home in Horbury, West Yorkshire, centred on enabling the facility to continue to deliver first class care within the best possible environment. Enabling this, Shackletons provided a design and manufacture consultation service for the 20 bedrooms, two lounges and reception areas. Bespoke furniture was designed and manufactured to the care home’s specific needs, including bedroom furniture and seating allowing for individual residents’ mobility and comfort needs. Occasional furniture fit for visiting family and friends, and all soft furnishings were designed and manufactured by Shackletons. Offering an in-house café, hairdressing salon, orangery and
bespoke reception and waiting area the project completed this month and can boast being one of the most modern and comprehensive care environments in the Wakefield area. Sarah Thompson, regional sales manager at Shackletons, said: “We have worked with the DECS Group on full turnkey projects before and had no hesitation in working with them for this contract. “Their genuine desire to do a job well were the right fit for us – we look forward to working together more closely in the future.”
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CARINGPRODUCT NEWS
Care Roadshows go south CARE Roadshows, a series of free regional care events that inform and inspire care home owners,managers and all those within the healthcare sector, will be visiting Bristol and Brighton in the coming months. Join a variety of care suppliers, industry experts and like-minded care professionals to discover innovative products and services as well as the latest updates and ideas from this challenging industry at
these stimulating care home events. Take part in free seminars and workshops, enjoy relaxed networking and interact with specialist products to help maximise your care business to its full potential. There is also the chance to enter a £100 cash prize draw at each show. Care Roadshow Bristol will be take place at Ashton Gate on October 21 and Care Roadshow Brighton at Brighton Racecourse on November 18.
Kingston offers bespoke radiator cabinets KINGSTON Cabinets are one of the leading designers and manufacturers of bespoke radiator cabinets in the UK, with an extensive range for commercial clients. The commercial range meets with all health and safety regulations, protecting the vulnerable from hot radiators. Kingston Cabinets ensure their radiator cabinets not only look attractive but are durable, with rounded corners and easy accessibility, as well as good value. All covers are made to your specifications, with a no obligation design consultation provided to discuss your requirements. There is a wide selection of designs to choose from, all providing improved energy efficiency benefits. You can be assured that your new radiator covers will help create a comfortable space to be proud of. For those sourcing British-made products for
their project, look no further, as all Kingston Cabinets products are made by them in their UK workshop. Enquiries: Visit www.kingstoncabinets.com or contact 0800 988 6009 to arrange a free design consultation.
Technology for those who care James Spencer unveils biggest ever catalogue WEST Yorkshire healthcare furniture and equipment manufacturer James Spencer & Co Ltd has unveiled its latest and biggest-ever catalogue. The 375-page edition showcases many new products that run alongside the company’s existing ranges, including chairs, suites and recliners manufactured in-house at the firm’s factory in Wilsden, Bradford. There are also sections dedicated to challenging environments and bariatric furniture – areas in which the company specialises and in which it has seen tremendous growth. Chairman Richard Spencer said: “We manufacture hundreds of recline, recline lift and rise chairs every year, including healthcare chairs,
all designed to be easily cleaned to reduce risks of cross infection. “We have also introduced an anti-bacterial chair, which is a massive move forward for all healthcare environments. “Cross infection reduction has been highlighted over recent years and our platinum award-winning Stalham range of commodes, sani-chairs and shower chairs continues to be in increasing demand from hospitals and other care providers across the UK. We have also introduced bedside chairs and recliners that are quick to clean.” Enquiries: The new catalogue can be viewed in full and in pdf or page-turning formats at www.jamesspencer.co.uk
Simple solutions SINCE 1982, Colne (Lancs) based, Richards Residential Supplies have concentrated upon supplying simple solutions to common nursing home problems. The new WACMAT® adheres strongly to this tradition. With its ultra absorbent cotton pile and 100 per cent waterproof backing, the remarkable WACMAT® is an ideal accessory where spills may occur. Used as a commode mat, in bedrooms or bathrooms, the WACMAT® ensures full carpet protection. Then, after use, simply machine wash and tumble dry! It’s that simple... The WACMAT® will then be clean and odourfree, ready to perform time and time again. Alternatively the flat-laying WACMAT® can be used as an entrance mat, saving you hundreds of pounds in rental costs alone. Enquiries: Telephone 0800 074 3749.
Claim VAT back on your home even if you are not VAT registered IT is true, care providers can reclaim VAT worth about £3,000 per bed for any residents who stayed in your home between 1993 and 2002 paid for by the local authority. You don’t have to be VAT registered to make a claim. We can usually find the information required with minimal disruption to your business. How is this possible? Well in 2002 a care provider called Kingscrest challenged the view held by HMRC and won. There is no cost to you unless we are successful. Typical claims: 50 beds – £240,000; 40 beds – £170,000; 287 beds – £1.25m. And the best part is that you get the money in your bank account before you pay us. Don’t forget the tax repayment is free of tax – it is extra profit.
Enquiries: Call 01233 640985 and ask for Howard to find out more.
COURTNEY-Thorne’s wireless 08 Nurse Call System is highly flexible and when configured with dedicated assistive technology accessories, a customised nurse call system to meet individual resident/patient needs can be designed. Assistive technology accessories include bed exit or floor pressure mats, fall saver sensors, chair or bed watch sensors and enuresis detection. Alternative triggers such as air pressure switches, head operated switches, breathing monitors and a range of neck or wrist worn pendants all contribute to the design of a system that meets the needs of residents. As well as meeting the needs of those being cared for, Courtney-Thorne’s new CT-CLOUD product meets the needs of a care home management team by providing all nurse call data in easy-to-read reports delivered to who you choose when you choose. Enquiries: Freephone 0800 068 7419, direct call 01202 573300, email sales@c-t.co.uk or
visit www.c-t.co.uk or www.nursecallsystems.co.uk
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Garden cuppa helps dementia residents
Senior carer Benny Kurian from Bancroft Garden Residential Home in Stratford-uponAvon is pictured with Required Systems founder Peter Hawkins after he won a competition to win an audit tool as part of a competition held during Caring UK’s Elderly Care: Positive Choices conference sponsored by NatWest at Dudley. The winner at the Leeds event the following day was Christine Warford, manager of Grove Court.
Home celebrates project’s birthday LANGLEY Haven care home in Slough held an event organised in conjunction with Slough Borough Council and the National Lottery to celebrate one year since the Chances4Change ‘Sing for your life’ project was implemented in the town. Using a special music box, the
Architects
project aims to find out if improvement can be obtained in challenging behaviour, mood, social interaction and nutrition by singing. The Worshipful the Mayor of Slough and representatives from other specialist organisations attended the event.
A SHREWSBURY care home has found an innovative way of supporting residents living with dementia – by creating a cafe, train station and bus stop in the grounds. Following on from its successful pub in a summer house, Coverage Care's Coton Hill House home has created a dementia garden, which residents can accessed via a cafe serving tea, coffee, cakes and biscuits. The idea for the project came from the group’s carer Trish Dawson, following the publication of research which found green spaces reduced levels of agitation and anxiety in people living with dementia. Manager Alison Gough said: “The Forget-Me-Not dementia garden helps stimulate memories for the people we care for. “Researchers at the University of Exeter Medical School found gardens provided sensory stimulation for people living with dementia in an environment which can trigger memories, which is why we included a train station and bus stop.” Coverage Care is a dementia care specialist, developing both a Royal College of Nursing Accredited Dementia course and adopting a pioneering scheme which has seen residents' experience fewer falls, maintain healthy weight and have medication reduced. Alison added: “We pride ourselves on our understanding of dementia
ID Cards
Transport
Accountancy
The team at Coton Hill House which developed the innovative garden. and how it affects those who live with the condition and their families. We wanted to be able to include somewhere for people to have a cuppa and a biscuit, so we opened the Forget Me Not cafe which has proved really popular. “Visitors have also enjoyed the cafe, taking residents for a cup of coffee and we've even held cafe quizzes. The cafe and the garden give residents an opportunity to relax in a calming setting, but also to remember skills and habits which they may have forgotten.” Last year, the team at Coton Hill House transformed a disused summer house in the grounds after two residents in their 80s came up with the idea of turning it into a pub.
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