Caring UK

February 2009

incorporating The Number One magazine for the care sector

no.153 • £4.75 In association with

Aristocrat facing isle eviction

By Dominic Musgrave AN aristocrat is facing eviction from the Outer Hebrides island he owns – because the council-run care home he lives in is earmarked for closure.

Count Robin de la Lanne Mirrlees, 84, has lived on Great Bernera for 47 years and now lives in the Dun Innes care home – with one other resident.

But Western Isles Council, which run the home, says expensive fire regulations and running costs of over £97,000-a-year are needed to keep it open and it has been earmarked for closure alongside four others in the area.

Count Robin said: “The care home is absolutely perfect and the three staff that look after us here are wonderful. I had a stroke several years ago and if it wasn’t for them I have no doubt that I would have died.

“But now the council have told us that they want to close our home. It’s all about money and is a disgrace. I just hope they have a rethink, but I fear it is too late to do anything about it.”

Count Robin insists if the facility is

closed down he will stay on his island and move into a nearby cottage, which has been deemed unfit in its current state.

But Western Isles Council say the pair of Dun Innes residents will be offered places at a care home in Carloway, 30 miles away.

A council spokesman added: “There has been a change in the pattern in the care of the elderly. People tell us they want to live in their own homes for longer. This means that the numbers living in our care homes has dropped, which is why we are embarking on a full consultation into the future.”

Count Robin, a former Queen’s herald, was a friend of author Ian Fleming and it is believed he was an inspiration for a character in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

“Ian used to stay with my mother in France and I remember him telling her one day that he was thinking of writing a book,” he added. “She told him to forget it and concentrate on his golf, but of course he became world famous. I remember she used to also drink her martinis shaken not stirred.”

Police stun man, 89, with Taser gun

A care home manager has been recognised in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours for services to older people. Connie Oppong, manager of Anchor Trust care home Greenhive in Peckham, has been awarded with an MBE after almost 25 years of working in care.

Originally from Ghana, she began working in care as an activity co-ordinator in a Southwark care home in 1984.

In 2000 she became a manager for Anchor and has managed Greenhive since it opened in 2002.

Connie said: “I feel very humbled to have received this honour. So many people have supported me throughout my career, especially my family, and this is for them and everyone at Greenhive too. You don’t do this job for recognition, but it is very nice when you get it.”

POLICE in North Wales fired a 50,000volt Taser gun at an 89-year-old man who had walked out of a care home and threatened to kill himself.

A spokeswoman for North Wales Police said the officer took the decision for the man’s safety after he claimed he was going to cut his own throat with a piece of glass.

“North Wales Police received a report expressing concern for the safety of an elderly man who had absconded from a care home in Llandudno,” she added. “In all the circumstances the specially trained officers made the judgement, in order to protect the life of the man, that the use of Taser was the safest and most appropriate option.”

The man was treated for minor glass injuries at Llandudno Hospital before being transferred into the care of Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.

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3

CARINGNEWS

Funding cut as residents reject sexuality question

By Mary Ferguson A BRIGHTON care home for elderly Christians has had its council funding cut because residents refused to disclose their sexuality.

Pilgrim Homes operate the site for elderly Christians and chief executive Andrew Jessop has accused Brighton and Hove City Council of religious discrimination, after they withdrew their funding of £13,000 a year. Residents were asked by the council to fill in a questionnaire stating whether they were gay, lesbian, bisexual or ‘unsure’ but refused, branding the questions intrusive.

Andrew told Caring UK: “We are a Christian charity and we specifically provide care for Christian residents. We don’t ask

what their orientation is but we make it clear that we only provide care for Christians who sign up for our beliefs.

We supported our residents’ decisions not to fill in the questionnaire.”

Andrew said they wouldn’t turn someone away for being gay or bisexual, but they must sign up to Protestant Christian beliefs – which include abstaining from sex outside marriage. Marriage is only recognised between one man and one woman. He added: “It wasn’t a large amount of money that we were receiving from the council but the issue is why they took it away. They were basically asking us to positively discriminate by displaying LGBT literature and images in our promotional material and we were not prepared to do that.”

A resident at Care South care homes has received commemorative Women’s Land Army medals. Sarah Pye from Queensmead, was in the land army from 1939 to 1943 in the Shropshire area.

Richard Hawes, director of care services at Care South, said: “When we heard about this initiative, we felt it was our duty to help our residents receive their commemorative medals. They all worked very hard and deserve recognition the part they played in the Second World War.” The medals are being awarded by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: “We have never expected any residents of Pilgrim Homes to answer any questions about their sexuality if they preferred not to do so.

“The Government, which provides funding for the home, specifically states it must be open to the gay and lesbian community and that the home must be able to demonstrate this to qualify for that funding.

“We have merely asked Pilgrim to pose the question of residents’ sexuality through a questionnaire so that those who wished to answer might show that the LGBT community is not excluded from this service. In the absence of any willingness to do this, funding has been withdrawn.”

Highest rating for council SERVICES for older people and adults with disabilities in Leicestershire have received the highest rating for the seventh consecutive year.

Leicestershire is the only county council to receive the CSCI three-star rating for adult social care every year since the scheme was introduced.

The department spends £163m annually to provide services to 17,500 people through either home care, care homes and day centres. It also commissions services through the voluntary and private sector and delivers hot meals to the homes of almost 1,000 people daily.

www.caring-uk.co.uk Advertising Sales and Marketing Director:

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Editorial Group Editor: Andrew Harrod Tel: 01226 734639 Fax: 01226 734478 Healthcare Editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 Reporters: Nicola Hyde Christina Eccles Mary Ferguson Louise Cordell Lyndsey Smith Group Deputy Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734458 Database enquiries to Tel: 01226 734695 E-mail: circulation@ wharncliffepublishing.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.

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CARINGNEWS

Ken wins support for campaign to protect residents

By Mary Ferguson A MAN whose mother died after being moved out of her care home has won support for his seven-year campaign to protect residents from eviction.

Ken Mack has been campaigning for more protection for care home residents after his mother died shortly after being moved out of her home in Wrexham.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) is now lobbying the government to create better measures to protect residents from being evicted from care homes after recieving letters from Ken.

Jane Ashcroft has replaced Tony Heywood as the chairman of ECCA. The managing director of care services at Anchor Trust has taken over the role having spent a couple of years as vice-chairman.

“I’ve been involved with ECCA for a while but was honoured when I was asked to become the chair,” she said. “There are a

lot of challenges facing the sector over the next few months but I am looking forward to working with ECCA and representing our members as we face them.

“There is plenty to be working on.”

Barchester Healthcare managing director Tim Hammond has also been elected to the vice-chairman role.

Senior TUC policy officer Richard Exell told Caring UK: “Mr Mack wrote to us and it seemed he was making a very fair point.

“The issue had been a worry at the back of our mind too.

“So when we were doing our submission to the Government consultation we included half a page about the issue, highlighting that we supported his campaign.”

Richard said he would like the Government to give people in care homes the same set of security of tenure that people in other accommodation have got.

The Congress was asked to consult on the UK care and support system and it used its response to highlight the distress caused to residents facing eviction.

Richard added: “Threat of eviction can leave elderly people feeling exposed and vulnerable and as Mr Mack’s case proves, it can even lead to mental illness and premature death.

“Mr Mack has written to us since pointing out that other authorities have evicted elderly mental patients in care so it appears that his mother’s case is just one of many.

“If we get other opportunities in the future to bring this issue to light with Government then we will do all we can to do that.”

I What do you think? Contact Mary Ferguson on 01226 7374712 or email mf@whpl.net.

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CARINGNEWS

‘Bodies in bed’ care home still has work to do

By Mary Ferguson A CARE home ordered to clean up its act after leaving two residents dead in bed for days has been told it still has work to do.

The home hit the headlines last summer when it was revealed the bodies of two female residents had been left dead in their rooms – because of problems with the collection of the corpses.

CSCI inspectors first visited Lennox House in Holloway last June, with a follow-up inspection last month.

Inspectors found that, despite improving in some areas, substantial improvements still needed to be made at the home, which is run by Care UK. A CSCI spokesman said: “We have had concerns for some time about the quality of care at Lennox House.

After the inspection in June we gave the home a one-star rating and instructed the provider to make substantial improvements to standards.

“They prepared an improvement plan to show how they proposed to do this.

“We carried out a further inspection which showed that considerable improvements have been made but there is still work to do. We will continue to monitor the situation.”

The home is working on a series of improvements including ensuring all residents have a care plan, training staff to treat residents with respect and ensuring a clear line of accountability.

Tony Hosking, managing director of Care UK residential care services, added: “Standards at Lennox House have improved considerably and we are committed to continuing this positive progress.”

He has now committed to bringing Lennox House in line with Care UK’s other homes, 82 per cent of which are rated as excellent or good.

Ursula Woolley, Islington Council's spokesman for Adult Social Care, added: “I want to be confident that all the proper improvements have been made by Care UK at Lennox House. They are now putting a thorough action plan into practice – just being rated as adequate isn't good enough.”

Council halts couple’s pre-fabricated home plan A COUPLE’S plans to build the first pre-fabricated care home in Devon have been halted by the local council.

Brandon House owners John and Wendy Marsh applied last spring to build a 22-room care home near their Exmouth home which would have a cutting-edge, eco-friendly continental design.

The Avenues would be built in Germany in just two weeks, and be brought to the UK on lorries. It would be ready to house residents in 12 weeks. But the county council has refused the proposal permission on seven points, the main one being that they do not think the design is in

keeping with the area.

John said the couple now plan to appeal against the decision. He added: “The home is going to be environmentally friendly and we plan for it to be bright and airy with each resident having his or her own patio with a stunning seas view.

“Unfortunately the planning people at the council don’t like the idea, yet they were very supportive of it when we first thought of it.”

The couple, who live in a home made of the similar materials, previously had plans for a four-storey glass fronted home originally turned down by planners in 2008 due to its size.

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CARINGNEWS

Editor’s comment IT is easy to take an emotional view when it comes to care homes and their residents.

Take this month’s front page lead story for example. The heart says it is sad that two residents, one of whom even owns the island, will be moved 30 miles away to a new care home if the one they currently live in shuts down.

But the head says that keeping it open is costing Western Isles Council almost £100,000 a year is ridiculous and the money could be a lot better spent if it were used elsewhere.

One issue that cannot be ignored is the amount of money care homes are being forced to pay in retainer fees to GP practices.

We often hear the phrase ‘postcode lottery’ used in the sector when it comes to a fees story, and figures I have seen in relation to the variation in what care homes are being asked to pay is incredible.

Some are being quoted up to seven or eight times more than others, and quite where GP practices are getting these figures from is baffling.

It is surely a fundamental right of everyone living in the UK that when they are sick the care they require, be it at a doctor’s surgery of hospital, is free.

Whilst I understand that practices are offering a service to a care home, what I do not understand is why it is not free to residents who have paid their taxes and are enjoying the latter years of their lives.

Owner makes cutbacks amid statue confusion

By Dominic Musgrave A CARE home owner is being forced to make cutbacks after money promised to renovate a rare statue in the grounds has not yet materialised.

Alister Cook, director of Brancaster Care Homes, which runs Cartmel Grange in Cumbria, says the group paid between £10,000 and £15,000 to have it restored after English Heritage agreed to pay half.

But he says they are now kicking their heels because they are not happy with the work done on the First World War soldier known locally as ‘Albert’, thought to be the oldest in the world.

“We expected English Heritage to release the money once we had the work done,” he added.

“Having seen the work they are happy to release the money for the plinth that it stands on, but not for the statue itself.

“It has caused us an issue and has meant that we have had to reign back on certain capital expenditure at the home. Like many homes, funds are not running freely at the moment so it has made things quite tight.”

Alister says the decision to have the work done was made after English Heritage told them they did not think it would last another winter because it was in such a bad state.

But they ignored the body’s recommended person to carry out the work, choosing instead a local company who could carry it out on the site.

“They wanted it to be loaded on to a lorry and driven down to somebody in Kent,” he added.

“However, it was felt that it would literally crumble into a pile of dust if we did that so we chose instead to have the work done in the grounds.”

A spokesman from English Heritage confirmed that they were concerned that the restoration had not been done in line with agreed techniques following a meeting in December.

“Whenever English Heritage offers a grant, there are terms and conditions, including specific instructions regarding the materials and conservation techniques to be used,” he added.

“As a result of this meeting, payment of grant towards work done on the plinth will be made.

The statue of the First World War soldier “Some concerns were raised about whether the work to the statue was done in line with the agreed techniques. We await a technical report from the contractor who carried out this part of the work.”

Retiring manager credited with transforming home A MANAGER who turned a care home into one of the best in Scotland has retired after 15 years.

Ben Macdonald took over Anderson’s Care Home in Elgin – which is owned by the General Anderson Trust charity – in 1994 and is credited with transforming it to one of the country’s top six homes.

He was helped by a bequest of £500,000 from Willie Morris, a retired businessman who had no known connection to the home, which allowed for a complete refurbishment of the building.

Ben said changing the home into five separate units was one of the

main reasons for its success.

He added: “The refurbishment enabled us to change the whole philosophy of the home from an institution to a place where we could treat the residents as individuals without affecting others around them.

“After the refurbishment the staff and myself realised that we had an opportunity to change a person’s life and almost rediscover their personality again.

“I’ve come to a stage where I feel it is time to move on. I feel I have taken the home as far as I can and it now needs someone fresh to take the helm and take the home further.”

Digital switchover set to begin THE digital switchover is the biggest thing to happen to television since the introduction of colour.

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Switching to digital is as easy as connecting a digital box to your existing TV. However, you will need to consider all the TV equipment in

your home or commercial environment when preparing for the switchover.

The easiest and most cost-effective method to switch is by simply replacing your existing TV to a brand new digital ready one.

From as early as February the switchover process will take place region by region.

Choosing the right company to solve this and other TV and signal problems can be a tricky business, but TV and Video Commercial can put your mind at rest.

8

CARINGNEWS

Campaigners win reprieve for care home

By Dominic Musgrave

Ashley Williams, 16, right, and brother Ryan, 14, use daggers in a scene from West Side Story.

Hollywood-style hits Welsh home RESIDENTS at a Wales care home were treated to some Hollywoodstyle swashbuckling by young entertainers trained by a film and stage stuntwoman.

Pupils of the Delta Academy of Dance and Drama and Rapier and Steel Drama and Stunt Group visited Highfield in Wrexham and gave a display of mock punch-ups and sword fighting.

Activities co-ordinator Jerry Humphreys, first invited the groups to perform about two years ago, and they have returned twice

a year since.

“All the children are very professional and our residents really look forward to their coming to entertain us,” said Jerry.

“This year they enjoyed it as much as ever, not only because the children put on such a good show but because they all enjoy each other’s company so much.”

The group are trained by Apra Ames Roberts, whose film credits include Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Willow and The Mask.

CAMPAIGNERS have won a threemonth reprieve for a care home earmarked for closure – after claiming the £2m costs quoted for refurbishment are a smokescreen.

Wolverhampton City Council wants to shut Underhill House in Fallings Park amid claims that the home, which has 33 residents, does not meet the national minimum standards because of the lack of en suite bathroom facilities and the small size of the bedrooms.

But Coun Steve Evans says that is a smokescreen and that the £2m refurbishment figure quoted is way too high.

He added: “Having looked at the CSCI report the only recommendation it makes is to replace the windows and bed railings.

“That is being done so where the council gets the £2m figure from I do not know. I have pointed out to them that the minimum standards they refer to are for new builds and not for

Underhill House. There is nothing wrong with it.

“The home has a good rating and residents, their families and staff are all happy there. What the council plans to do is an injustice and this is the wrong group of people to tackle as they look to make savings.”

The campaign to keep the home open has so far included two protests and a petition of more than 1,000 signatures.

Now, the council has voted to conduct a three-month consultation period, where it will discuss with all parties the home’s future.

Brian O’Leary, chief officer for older people and transformation, added: “People have told us that they want to replace traditional residential care for those with physical frailty through the development of very sheltered housing schemes.

“Over the last 14 years, eight council residential homes have been closed and resources have been reinvested in the provision of eight schemes which have proved to be very successful.”

9

CARINGNEWS

Lorry ploughs into Halifax care home

By Dominic Musgrave A HALIFAX care home owner and manager had a lucky escape when a refuse lorry ploughed through a wall and into their office.

Valley View’s Beverley Kneafsey and Julie Beverley would normally have been in the room at the time, but were shopping for the residents at the supermarket.

Eighteen residents were evacuated from the home, and social services have relocated them to seven other facilities nearby.

Beverley said it is a miracle that nobody was injured when the handbrake on the vehicle failed and it rolled down the drive.

“A member of staff was in the office shortly before the incident but had been called into the bedroom next door by a resident,” she added.

“They heard an almighty thud and, when they came out and saw what had happened, quickly got the residents to safety.”

The home had to be evacuated because the accident had put the fire escape and alarm out of action.

“When we returned from shopping and saw the staff at the top of a drive

The refuse lorry embedded in the office at Valley View and a fire engine we thought there had been a fire,” she added. “It was only when we looked down the drive and saw the travesty in front of us that we realised what had happened.

“My only concern was for the safety of the residents and staff – thankfully they are all okay.”

Beverley praised the actions of her staff, whom she said followed the home’s procedures for dealing with an incident.

“We have plans in place which they

followed and quickly made sure all residents were safe,” she added. “All staff are trained in fire evacuations and practices as well as health and safety and, although you cannot prepare for something like this, the skills they have learned clicked into place.

Since the incident the staff have been brilliant and are visiting each resident every day to make sure they see a familiar face.”

The home is set to be closed for up to three months.

Homes get access to new GP service

By Nicola Hyde LAMBETH nursing homes now have access to a free dedicated GP thanks to the launch of a new service.

The local PCT has allocated £350,000 annually to the scheme, which it hopes will end homes using several different GPs for its residents and ensure residents receive a consistently good standard of care.

Angela Awe, PCT director of primary care and community services, said: “Patient care is our number one priority and it’s important that all of our residents have access to GP services.

“We want to ensure that our most vulnerable residents receive good patient care with regular GP visits and high nursing standards within their homes.”

Interested nursing homes must apply for the service and sign up to deliver agreed standards of care.

10

CARINGNUTRITION

In less than a decade, Threshfield Court in Skipton has gone from serving its residents fish fingers and Angel Delight to winning awards. Mary Ferguson reports.

How chef Jason transformed meal times in Skipton Breakfast: Bacon, eggs and , tomatoes, porridge, cereal st. toa or s kipper t Lunch: Roast lamb and min on bac and li cco sauce, bro d bake or tuna steak, pan frie and with tomato sauce lemon. Served with fresh s vegetables and two choice es. ato of pot ide Followed by pineapple ups le app d, tar cus down cake and or am cre ice charlotte, yoghurt.

Tea: Leek soup, scrambled on egg buttercups, tomatoes of ion ect sel a and st toa sandwiches. Homemade I Right: An example of a daily menu at ts.

Threshfield Court: and, above: Jason and Sarah in cakes, ice cream or yoghur the kitchen

AS well as winning the Care Home Nutrition award at the 2008 Great North Care Awards, last year Threshfield Court also received the Hospitality Assured mark and a four star dining award from owners Barchester Healthcare.

The changes which earned them the recognition have been a joint effort between senior clinical nurse Sarah Pawson and head chef Jason Smith, who has been feeding the residents for ten years.

Jason said: “We started really concentrating on nutrition four or five years ago when we were still part of Yorkshire Care Group.

“Since we were taken over by Barchester Healthcare they have put a lot more money into the catering side. When I first started it was very basic and there was a lot of convenience food like fish fingers and Angel Delight. Tea was always packet soup and sandwiches and meal times were very institutionalised.”

When Jason became head chef in 2003, food budgets were set at £2.10 per resident per day and today it’s £3.70.

Sarah said: “It’s unrecognisable what’s happening now and it’s not just about nutrition – it’s about the whole dining experience.”

Mealtimes are taken in two sittings so that the residents who need more help get the attention they need, while the more independent ones still have help on hand if they need it.

The drugs trolley is kept out of sight

and staff make an effort to sit and eat with the residents, making it more of a social occasion.

Two staff are also employed to deliver ‘hotel service’, bringing out food and making sure everyone is comfortable. They are also in charge of setting up the tables, taking pressure off the care staff.

Sarah said: “Even small changes make a big difference. For example in the past, because they were rushing, staff would bring out the whole meal on one tray. But now they bring it out separately in courses, so food stays hot and so the meal is more of an experience.

“And recently Jason has started putting menu books out on the tables in the morning, so residents can choose what they want for the day. Each meal has three different choices and there is a list of alternatives always available.”

Menus run on a five-week cycle and Jason said he likes to play about with what’s on offer, so residents never get bored.

“A big part of my job as the chef is to interact with the residents and ask them what they want, not to hide away in the kitchen. We ask for regular feedback and I leave a comment book out if people don’t want to say things face to face.”

Sarah added: “It’s taken us a long time to get to where we are now and it hasn’t been easy but we try to aim for perfection – and we are constantly working towards it.”

Home is hoping to secure five-star dining award JASON believes most care home kitchens are not given the money they need – and this is affecting the quality of catering.

He said: “The kitchen is often forgotten about because it is hidden away.

“Operators are happy to buy new sofas and make the front of house look nice because that’s what clients see, but to function at its best the kitchen needs investment too.

“And the big mistake that homes make is relying on processed food, thinking it’s a cheaper option, but it’s not. We even make our chips by hand – because the residents would know if we suddenly brought out Smash.”

Threshfield Court is now aiming to receive the five star dining award at

its next audit and staff are confident of achieving it.

And according to Sarah, it’s easy for other homes to make improvements too.

“One of the mistakes that some operators make is looking at dining as a task. A lot of homes are still very institutionalised and much of that is down to lack of training.

“If staff were taught that the dining experience needed to be improved then things would change. It’s about changing attitudes and utilising support, training and resources.”

She added: “Even if you don’t have great resources, you can change your philosophy on dining.

“Because for a lot of residents, food is all they have to look forward to.”

12

CARINGNEWS

Closure-threat homes given £1m boost

By Dominic Musgrave

David Behan CBE met staff and residents when he visited Somerset Care’s Calway House care home.

The director general of social care heard the views of both providers and recipients of care and support services, to gain an understanding of their ideas and concerns.

Group chief executive Andrew Larpent OBE said: “We were delighted that Mr Behan was able to take the time to visit the Somerset Care Group. We hope that he found his visit beneficial and informative.”

Picture: David Behan meets Andrew Larpent at Calway House.

Closure proposal ‘just ideas on a table’ SIX residential care homes in Cumbria could be closed following budget cuts being considered by Cumbria County Council.

Proposals also include increasing home care charges and

day care charges.

A spokesman told Caring UK they are not part of a draft document – just ‘ideas on a table’ – and the council is not yet naming the care homes mentioned in the proposals.

A GROUP of Northamptonshire care homes that threatened to close amid a row over funding are celebrating after the council allocated a cash injection of almost £1m.

The Northamptonshire Association of Registered Care Homes – which represents more than 70 per cent of independent care homes – threatened to move out of the county because it claimed increasing costs made businesses unviable.

Spokesman Glenn Hurd said it was partly due to the fact that Northamptonshire County Council gave no increase in fees in 2007 - but the council is now proposing a rise of six per cent, more than three per cent above inflation.

Glenn said: “We are pleased with the increase, which is probably more realistic than ever before, but we are still so far behind that there is still a long way to go to bring us into line with the rest of the country.

“This is the first step in the right direction after two years of arguing, but we are probably still at the

bottom of the list compared with the rest of the country when it comes to the amount being paid.”

The association claims the county currently has one one of the lowest weekly rates in the country at £331, compared to the national average of over £400. It claims to have been underfunded since 1993 when the council took charge of funding for elderly care.

Glenn added: “The councillors themselves have been supportive of our plight in general. Our main problem has been with the officers, but even they seem to be singing from the same hymn sheet as the rest of us at the moment. The council needs to maintain and consolidate its care home sector at a time when the elderly population is due to grow massively over the next 20 years.”

A council spokesperson confirmed that the rise is currently being considered, adding that a decision is expected in February.

He added: “This is part of our ongoing commitment to provide a secure, healthy and independent future for adults living in the county.”

New features included on relaunched NACC website THE National Association of Care Catering (NACC) has relaunched its website.

Other new website features include a skills and practices section, which

will provide the latest guidelines on nutrition and legislation, and training advice.

Chair Sue Ullmann said: “By increasing the opportunities through the NACC website for those at the forefront of catering for the elderly to share their views, ideas and experiences, we are hoping to increase the momentum for improving the nutritional care service across the UK.”

Television personality Kaye Adams opened a new purpose-built care home in Suffolk built on the site of a former RAF base.

The broadcaster, probably best known as the former host of ‘Loose Women’, also

read the Robert Burns poem ‘A Red Red Rose’ at the ceremony at Rendlesham care centre in Suffolk which has a Scottish theme based around Burns night.

She also toured the home and met with the residents.

The NACC, which represents nearly 500 catering professionals working in the care sector, has redesigned its website so that it is clearer and easier to navigate, and contains more advice and guidance.

14

CARINGHOMECALL

Top marks for care service THE HOME care branch of a successful care home was given a surprise CSCI inspection just six months after opening – and has passed with the highest possible score.

The Laurels Home Care service was only launched in April but an unannounced inspection saw it achieve the highest grade of two stars – with the inspector saying she could suggest no improvements that needed to be made.

Spokesman Kathreen Burns said: “Before we even launched the business we made sure everything was in place. We had been considering the home care market for years, and did have our reservations about it – but I am glad to say all our fears were proved wrong.

“The inspector said it was the highest star rating she could give us, with it being a new opening – and she did say if she could have scored us higher, she would have.”

Inspector Nancy Saich made the unannounced inspection in September and said she was impressed with the standard of knowledge the staff had.

Her report added: “This is a new service and they have started in a small way with a handful of service users and a small team of staff.

“This agency is good at making sure they only take on new service users after they are sure that they will be able to meet their needs.”

A care home in Carlisle that branched into home care is being hailed a national example of good practice. Nicola Hyde spoke to owner Kathreen Burns to find out why keeping it in the family has worked for The Laurels.

How Kathreen and her family don’t rest on their Laurels ...

KATHREEN Burns was probably the youngest ever resident at The Laurels in Carlisle – her family, the Briggs, bought the care home when she was 12 and they lived on site until regulations regarding living accommodations forced them to move out in 2002.

The business – run by the family for more than 30 years – is now managed

by Kathreen, her brother Wilson Briggs and mum and dad Pat and John Briggs.

She said: “We lived there until it was impossible for us to do so but it has always been a family business and we really enjoy it.

“My mum did try to retire a few years ago but she lasted two weeks before coming back to work. She loves it here, she loves her job and she just couldn’t cope with losing it.”

Kathreen trained to be a nurse while working for the family business and was a lecturer in nursing at the University of Cumbria.

Now, she delivers the City and Guilds NVQ training for staff at the home and is an assessor. The Laurels has 25 staff, ranging from domestics to care workers, and is registered for 29 beds.

She said: “It’s not very big compared to some homes but it works well for us. We pride ourselves on our finishing touches, and the fact that we are all like one big family.”

The Laurels does well on staff retention because it offers a flexible working package. Carers can request job shares or flexible hours to suit their own lifestyles.

Its commitment to its staff has been recognised by several Investors In People awards and they have been asked to speak at a special conference in March to share their good practice.

Last month, the company was awarded a contract to become a Train To Gain centre and has already been set up as a City and Guilds NVQ assessment site.

Kathreen added: “We really work hard on our staff training and it is probably quite unusual that, for such a small organisation, we have been doing our own training in-house since 2002.

“We will now be going in to other care homes, doing their assessments for them in their working environments.

“I am really into training but the

Kathreen Burns problem is NVQs are competence based. Staff have to be competent before they go into an NVQ so they sometimes feel as if they haven’t learned anything because they were already doing the job.

“It doesn’t seem right that people should work to a qualification but don’t feel like they have learned anything. They have to feel as if they are developing so we always try to work on communication skills – which is particularly important in the care industry – and not just the moving and handling side of things which they may already be doing.”

New homecare service protects client’s time with their carer A NEW home care service is using computer technology to monitor visits as part of a move which gives each client protected time with their carer.

The company uses a product from CareFree which allows carers to log in when they arrive and out when they leave through a freephone computer system.

Spokesman Kathreen Burns said: “If there is any problem, we know about it. We get an alert if the carer is any more than 15 minutes’ late and we immediately send another carer in their place – we don’t ever want anyone to be sat waiting. You hear horror stories about people being left on the floor for days because their carers haven’t turned up and we did not want to be like that.”

The service – run by the family behind Laurels Care Home in Carlisle – was launched in April and has 20 clients, with each having four visits per day. These range from a half-hour upwards, but each time slot is protected.

She added: “We spoke to people

who already worked for some home care agencies and were really shocked by the number of them who said their employers really crammed calls in or asked them to cut calls early so they could fit more in.

“Our staff are told to stay for their entire booked time, if the client gets an hour then the carer stays an hour and we can monitor that on our phone system. If the care needs are met and the person does not need anything further then our carers will just sit and chat for a while, or maybe even take them for a walk. For some people, this is the only contact with other people they get for the whole day, it’s important to them.”

The company has ten staff and also allows its carers from the care home to be trained to do home care visits.

Kathreen said: “Our care home staff enjoy going out into the community.

It gives them a break, as it can be particularly tough for them if they have been looking after someone who was unwell. It’s nice for them to care for people in their own home for a change.”

15

CARINGNEWS

Charity calls for allowance consultation

By Dominic Musgrave A NATIONAL charity has demanded the government runs a consultation on the amount of personal allowance paid to care home residents after it received over 1,500 complaints.

Age Concern has been campaigning for the figure to almost double to £40-a-week – but last month the Department of Health announced a rise of just 75p, putting the allowance at £21.90.

The charity claims that more than 1,500 people have contacted them to explain why the personal allowance is not enough.

Director general Gordon Lishman claims the government should honour a pledge made by Ivan Lewis to consult on the figure – which never happened.

He said: “It’s an insult to the vulnerable care home residents who rely on it and it is humiliating for them to have

to go with a begging bowl to family or friends just to buy essentials.

“Ministers should be ashamed of themselves for reneging on their promises to Parliament and for burying the bad news over the festive season.”

The money is issued to 240,000 care home residents and is used to pay for essentials such as clothing, shoes, transport and toiletries.

The Department of Health said the Personal Expenses Allowance (PEA) was being increased in line with changes to all other state benefits.

A spokeswoman said: “In 2009, the department will issue a consultation document which will consult on a range of issues related to the charging for residential care.

“This commitment to consult has been made earlier this year, to a range of organisations, which includes Age Concern.”

Staff past and present celebrated a Somerset care home’s 50th anniversary of its opening with a party.

Lord Rees-Mogg, columnist and former editor of The Times unveiled a plaque at Fletcher House, which was named after his father.

Manager Carol Mohide said: “We were delighted that Lord and Lady Rees-Mogg could be with us

to mark this special event.

“Both residents and staff thoroughly enjoyed the day and it was such a pleasure to see so many former staff members and show them what the home is today.”

Pictured: Former managers Pauline Leyton, Vera Hallworth and Janet Uncles celebrate with Carol Mohide and Lady and Lord Rees-Mogg.

Sisters reunited at Bristol care home TWO sisters who had not seen each other for more than 20 years were reunited again at a Bristol care home.

Kathleen Roberts, 96, had lived at Rosedale House in Brislington for two years following ill health after her husband’s death. But she did not recognise 83-year-old Lily Thompson, 83 who had been at the home for a two weeks trial period to see if she liked it.

The pair were part of a large family of 11 children who grew up in nearby

Bedminster and were brought together when one of Kathleen’s daughters came to visit.

Home manager Julie Edwards said: “They had been sat in the same room for a week without recognising each other. It was only when one of Kathleen’s daughters came to see her that they were brought together again. It has been lovely to see them chatting and having a good catch up. It was emotional for the staff and brought a tear to a few people’s eyes.”

16

CARINGGP SERVICES

‘Homes may be forced to employ GP’ WHILE STOCKS LAST

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CARE homes could soon be forced to employ their own doctor because of rising costs on retainer fees, it has been claimed.

Caring UK has obtained figures which show one care home owner has been quoted £60,000-a-year to pay for visits from a GP. Martin Green, chief executive of the English Community Care Association, said the average retainer fee is around £7,000 – but the rising costs could end up putting some homes out of business.

He added: “It could be that care homes think about employing their own doctor for an afternoon a week as an alternative to paying.

“A GP with a young family would probably welcome the flexibility of working a few hours in a care home.

“It would be cheaper for a care home to take the resident to the surgery themselves, but why should they? “Part of the problem with that is that often the person is frail when they need to be seen, so the services should be coming to the facility and not the home having to drive the resident across town.”

One care home owner from Buckinghamshire - who wants to remain anonymous - was sent a letter from a GP surgery which quoted £60,000 to cater for the 120-bed care home.

That fee included four visits a week, each one between two and a half and three hours.

The owner said: “As you can imagine I was not very happy when I received this letter – it is ridiculous.

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“Luckily for us we have a block contract with the local PCT, who were also not very happy when I showed them the letter I had received. They told me that Buckinghamshire PCT pays more to GPs than any other in the country.”

This fee covered extra work which the surgery considered to be beyond the levels of service it usually offered - these included ward rounds, writing up prescription cards and completion of patient accident forms.

ECCA now plans to lobby the government to put together a standard contract between the care provider and the GP.

Why should nursing homes have to pay?

KAREN JACOB, manager, Freeland House Nursing Home, Oxfordshire WHY should nursing homes pay for GP services when virtually every resident nationally is an NHS patient?

ELECTRIC ECONOMY HI-LO CARE BEDS PROFILING BEDS

Martin Green

If they were in their own homes the GP would have to attend on request.

Nursing homes are residents' homes, we are here just to look after them.

Some GPs write older people off as not worth bothering with, yet the majority of their patients are over 65.

‘I feel this is totally unacceptable as the age group we care for have paid into our government one way or another all their lives’ CAROLINE DYETT, manager, Enstone House, Oxfordshire I HAVE read your article in Caring UK magazine (December 2008) regarding retainer fees for GPs. I would like to let you know that we have just received a letter from our local surgery which states that we are going to have to pay an annual fee of £8,000 reviewed annually.

I am the manager of a residential home in Oxfordshire and at present have 25 service users in house, unless we escort service users to the surgery

for appointments.

I feel this is totally unacceptable as the age group we care for have paid into our government one way or another all their lives.

If it wasn’t for these people fighting for our country heaven only knows where we would be today.

Owners of these homes should not have to pay out for this service. The state as it is pays us a minimum fee to care for these service users, but the demand on the care that is expected of us increases constantly.

Where will it end?

17

CARINGPEOPLE

After over 30 years of working at a Sheffield care home, 72-year-old Mary Smith has no plans to retire. Mary Ferguson visited Woodbank Rest Home to discover the secrets to its staffing success – and why its team just don’t want to leave.

‘We are all like a big family here and I think even if I tried to leave, no-one would let me’

Mary Smith

WHEN Mary began work at Woodbank in 1976 there were no care plans, no lifts and no inspections – making life difficult for both staff and residents.

But 32 years later, she has seen big improvements and is the oldest of a team of staff who are genuinely happy in their jobs.

Mary has held a variety of positions at the home – including assistant manager and night carer – and currently works 35 hours a week as housekeeper, spending one day in the kitchen and helping residents with everyday tasks such as shaving.

She said: “I never planned to stay this long, I just take things day by day. We are all like a big family here and I think even if I tried to leave, no-one would let me.

“I’ve seen massive changes during my time here and the standard of care now is so much better. Back when I started the floors were covered in lino, laundry was done in the kitchen and there were no showers or lifting aids.

“We had to physically carry residents upstairs in their wheelchairs and hoist them into the bath by hand – you can’t imagine that ever happening now today.”

Woodbank is a family business, owned

by Jackie Byron and operated by her son.

Mary with residents and Johanna Johanna Andrews has been manager for three years and said Mary is invaluable to the team.

“It’s great for the residents to get consistency of care and they all love Mary - it’s important for them to see familiar faces.

We have a very low turnover of staff across the board and that’s really beneficial.”

Of a team of 21 staff two have been with the home over ten years, while the average length of stay is six to seven.

Johanna said she has never had to use agency staff – because she makes it a nice place for people to work.

“I’m not a regimental manager because it’s important for staff to feel comfortable in their jobs. With 26 residents we are a small home which helps with the family atmosphere and I always make sure my door is open, so staff know they can come to me with any issues.”

She added: “If Mary didn’t work very hard I’d still keep her on because she has been here so long. But she does an amazing job and I always know when she is on even before I see her because the entrance will be sparkling, the toilets will be clean – and the residents will be smiling.”

18

CARINGNEWS Residents at care homes in Gwynedd are getting a Wii bit sporty thanks to a donation from the council.

Twenty seven Nintendo consoles costing £6,000 have been purchased in a joint investment by the Older People’s Strategy fund and the Gwynedd Health Challenge Alliance for the region’s council-run homes. Residents can now compete in games including baseball, golf and ten-pin bowling.

Gwynedd Council spokesman John Wyn Williams said: “This is an excellent way of entertaining people – it keeps them fit and their minds active. It’s important that the elderly people of Gwynedd have the chance to try something new and have plenty of variation.”

Pictured: Coun John Wyn Williams tries his hand at the Wii game with Plas y Don resident Iris Owen and staff member Meinir Roberts.

Residents and staff at Healthcare Homes’ Barking Hall nursing home in Suffolk have been knitting tiny teddy bears for children overseas.

The idea for creating the ‘Barking Bears’ came from activities coordinator Marion Haxell, and originally formed part of the care home’s contribution to the Operation Christmas Child shoebox appeal. Each bear sports a label bearing its origins and its postcode.

Pictured: Barking Hall resident Alice Hackett with the hand-knitted bears

Alistair joins long line of famous faces

By Dominic Musgrave WHEN impressionist Alistair McGowan visited Nightingale care home in London, he was the latest in a long line of stars that have made an appearance for free.

Other famous faces have included Ian Hislop, Helen Lederer and Rolf Harris, none of whom have charged for their services.

And Alistair Addison, head of activities at Nightingale, said securing celebrities is surprisingly easy.

“One of our residents has a relative who works for a magazine and has contacts in the entertainment field, which is how we got Alistair to come in.

“But other celebrities we have had here in the past have all come in for free too, simply because we have asked.

“There’s no reason why smaller independent homes can’t secure these people too – you just have to have the courage to pick up the phone.”

As well as Alistair Addison, Nightingale also employs five activity coordinators and six freelance specialists.

Every day, residents have six

‘There’s no reason why smaller independent homes can’t secure these people too – you just have to have the courage to pick up the phone’

Alistair McGowan with Nightingale resident Marlene Singer activities to choose from and also enjoy regular performances in the home’s own concert hall.

Alistair said that keeping busy has a huge impact on their quality of life and rekindling old skills gives them confidence and independence.

“One of our residents used to work in the cinema industry so we put him in charge of films and he even does his own film festival for the other residents.

“We also have students come in to work one on one with residents in our cyber cafe and a 94-year-old client is currently working with a student from Ecuador to rekindle his Spanish skills.”

The home also has strong partnerships with the local community and an army of volunteers means residents get a lot of one on one activity contact – which helps when it comes to lessening health and safety risks.

Alistair added: “I’m a firm believer in using existing services, who are always happy to help for free.

And for us, the social model of care is just as important as the medical one.”

20

CARINGNEWS

Hi-tech home to have its own cinema

By Lyndsey Smith A NEW care centre is to open in Woking which will be fitted with its own cinema to help dementia patients.

The Princess Christian site, once used for convalescing soldiers, is being revamped into a hi-tech care home and will also have a sensory room.

The building has been boarded up for four years, but Nellsar Ltd – owners of 13 homes – have developed the site, transforming it into a 96-bed flagship home for people aged 60 and above.

Manager Sharon McNamara said: “Our facilities will cover the complete spectrum, and we will offer everything from day care respite, to long term care and support groups for people coping with dementia.

An artist’s impression of the new care centre in Woking, and below: manager Sharon McNamara “We will take in day patients offering theme days like a fish and chip dinner and a film.

“They can come for an hour, two or even the whole day, dependent on their requirements, and we will even lay on transport.”

Relaxation and distraction and behavourial therapy will be offered in the sensory room, something Sharon feels is very beneficial for dementia sufferers.

“This room helps patients, particularly those with difficult and challenging behaviour, or who become agitated quite often.

“We use multi-sensory equipment in controlled circumstances and it is all about relaxing the individual. It’s a bit like going to the sauna. Imagine how relaxing that is? This aims

for the same sort of effect.”

There will be an an open day at the home and Sharon is hoping to find memorabilia for a display area.

She said: “The home has been there for about 100 years and was owned by the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families’ Association.

“The more memorabilia we can get and the more history we can find, the better, and we are looking for anybody who knows any background or stories.

“This coupled with the services we can offer will make this an exceptional facility.

“I will be recruiting all my own staff and we will evolve together to become the best care home in the area. It is an exciting yet demanding task that lies ahead but I am looking forward to it.”

21

Operator plans to treble sites despite credit crunch A CARE homes operator is defying the credit crunch and plans to treble the number of sites it runs by next year.

The Helen McArdle Group (HMC), which sold 24 care homes to Bondcare for £100m at the end of 2004, moved back into the market in 2007.

The North East-based group currently has five homes and is about to open five more, with plans for a further five in 2010.

These will create hundreds of jobs, and managing director Mark McArdle

predicts it will increase its annual turnover from around £3.6m to £18m.

He said: “We are able to continue building new homes when other groups may be struggling because we have been doing this a long time, more than 25 years, and the name is well known.

“We have experience of not only operating homes but also finding good sites. There are a lot of people out there trying to sell land at the moment which they think is suitable for a care home. Choosing the most appropriate site is vital.”

The group invests approximately

A property agent has joined forces with the former head of Four Seasons to relaunch a company that was first founded in the 1980s.

Grayson, along with Rachael Jolley, has now teamed up with Hamilton Anstead to reform Taylor National as a care property agency.

Grayson Taylor sold his interests in Taylor National 19 years ago, but since then has been heavily involved in the industry, including six years at DC Care.

“We are extremely excited at the prospect of developing the business into a successful and respected name in the care property sector,” he said.

By Dominic Musgrave

£4m in each of the new build homes, which each create between 70 and 80 jobs.

The group was originally started more than 20 years ago by Helen McArdle and remains a family business.

Mark’s brother Daniel is in charge of estates and property, his other brother Sean recently joined the company as head of catering and his sister Rachael manages customer relations.

He says there are currently no plans to spread the business to other parts of the country.

“Having the local knowledge is very

important,” he added.

“We have good relationships with all our suppliers and providers, and staying in the North East means that the furthest we have to drive to any of our establishments if we need to is 45 minutes.

“The original business was sold because the family felt it was getting too big and becoming a corporate, whatever that means.

“You may say that opening 15 homes by next year means we are heading the same way, but we have recharged our batteries and felt the time was right.”

22

CARINGPROPERTY AND FINANCE

The owners of one of Calderdale’s best care homes have begun a new project. Dominic Musgrave found out more.

New project for owners who turned around the ‘worst home in Britain’ WHEN Barry Potton purchased Pennine Lodge in Todmorden 11 years ago the local newspaper headline read “Worst home in Britain sold”.

Since then it has been transformed into a three-star care home and the management have such a long waiting list that they have decided to build a new state-of-the-art EMI facility on the adjoining land.

Deputy chief executive Pat Asquith said: “When we took over the home it was in a real mess and it took a major refurbishment to get it right.

“For the past nine years we have not had a single recommendation from the inspectorate, and we have also received 18 four ratings from CSCI and five stars from Calderdale Council for our food hygiene.

“The waiting list has grown so much that the owner has decided to build another home next door to Pennine Lodge, which will be called Asquith Hall and will have 50 ensuite rooms.”

Building work has begun on the new home, which is due for completion in November, and the first residents are expected to move

Building work has begun on the new home, which is due for completion in November in in time for Christmas.

The building will be timber-framed, and facilities will include a jacuzzi and wave pool, sensory room, staff training room, high-tech laundry and facilities for residents to entertain relatives.

“The new building will create 50 new jobs,” added Pat. “It has been written into the contractor’s contract

that priority has to be given to local people for the build, and a bonus scheme has also been put in place if the work is completed to schedule.”

Denise Terry will transfer from Pennine Lodge to manage the new home. She said she is looking forward to the challenge.

“It will be nice to work in a building

where everything is new and hightech,” she added.

“Things run well here at Pennine Lodge so it will simply be a case of transferring the systems here across.”

Plans for another new home to be built by Barry in Halifax are being drawn up, and building work is expected to start in early 2010.

‘Wonderful extension’ officially opened LOCAL councillor Peter Beer officially opened the new extension and refurbishment at Hillside care home in Sudbury.

The Cornfields extension has seen bedrooms redecorated and refurbished to provide en suite wetrooms, and those bedrooms which adjoin the sun lounge have had the access widened, so that beds can be moved outside onto the

decking in fine weather. Manager Janet Warner said: “Cornfields is a wonderful extension and the refurbishment is superb; it brings us into the 21st century. Everyone takes great pride in providing the highest possible quality of care for the residents, and with the refurbishment Hillside is a beautiful home with enhanced facilities and ambience.”

Suffolk home adds bedroom extension HEALTHCARE Homes has built a two bedroom extension at The White House in Beccles, Suffolk.

The extension brings the total available beds at the home to 33.

Each room is garden facing and boasts full en suite facilities with special aids for the disabled. Home

manager Terry Mason said: “High demand has resulted in an unprecedented levels of occupancy, so we’re pleased to have responded with these two fine rooms which have an excellent location and garden view together with first class facilities.”

25

CARINGPROPERTY AND FINANCE

£1.5m home extension will create 30 new jobs

Senior care assistant Tina Edwards and care assistant Karen Reilly with Clydesdale partner Steve Tyers outside the nearly completed extension

DFE completes sale of Amesbury care home DFE Commercial has completed the sale of Camelot nursing and residential care home in Amesbury.

The 18th Century Grade II listed building is set over two floors, and recent developments include an Lshaped purpose-built care unit.

The home currently has 49 single and four twin rooms, 41 of which are en suite. But a planning application has been submitted to add a further 40 single en suite rooms, additional day space, a further passenger lift and two staff accommodation units.

“It was a great opportunity for us based in Southampton to sell Camelot for the second time,” said DFE’s Roy Cardy. “We successfully sold Camelot for the previous owners in July 2006 and, while this transaction has taken somewhat of a longer period of time to secure, it is nonetheless satisfying.”

A FAMILY run residential home is to spend £1.5m on an extension which will create 30 new jobs.

Ashleigh Manor was established more than 20 years ago by Maureen Lawley, who now manages the 38 bedroom home with her daughter Loretta.

Maureen said: “Over the years our sector has become more regulated and adapting existing facilities to comply becomes more difficult and costly. The result was a business

plan to expand, provide the very best in facilities as well as the best care and to benefit from the economies of scale this brings to the business.”

The new purpose-built extension features 28 en-suite bedrooms all with individually controlled under floor heating, digitally enabled TV points, private telephones and internet access.

Many have French door access to the 1.5 acre grounds and there are four new lounge dining rooms.

26

CARINGNEWS

The care home industry is one most hit by change – ever changing building regulations can have an impact on new design and build. In a Caring UK special Dominic Musgrave considers how the care homes of the future might look ...

Villages should franchise out key facilities

A competition has been launched for architectural students worldwide to design the care homes of the future.

DWA Architects has organised 'Caring for Older People' and will be looking for designs that tackle issues like community integration, improving visitor numbers, energy conservation and the best layout for the resident.

Spokesman David Ward said: “Care home design has become very sophisticated in recent years, with homes built to provide residential accommodation as well as much needed care for the more frail and growing numbers of people expected to

have the diseases of old age such as dementia. There are so many issues already affecting the design of care homes in the UK, and I’m intrigued to see what ideas come forward in the competition. Hopefully some of the designs will be adopted and our ageing population will enjoy the benefits.”

The competition will be judged by professor June Andrews from the Dementia Services Development Centre at Stirling University, Neil Hunt, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society, Lyth Watson and Bupa Care Services director of business development.

RETIREMENT villages should look at following the example of hotels and franchise out some of their key facilities according to an industry expert.

Keith Cockell, who has set up his own advisory business for operators of the future having previously founded the Richmond Villages chain, said gyms and restaurants could be contracted out to external companies.

“Like hotels there is no reason why such developments cannot be branded and there is nothing to stop you franchising out parts of the site to larger names,” he said. “Care homes are recognised by their branding so why not put another logo on the door of the gymnasium like hotels do? If it is the right company then people will never know the difference.”

Keith has set up English Care Village Estates and is on the lookout for family building firms to move into retirement villages as opposed to housing.

“I am speaking with good quality builders who employ their own tradesmen or have tight relationships with contractors about the possibility of building a village,” he said. “These are companies that have not been hit by the recession and are building between 70 and 100 houses a year with a turnover of around £10m annually.

“It will be a hand holding process, but with my experience with Richmond and their expertise I think there are a lot of rewards to be had from such a venture. I now need to persuade builders that this is the sort of sector they need to be looking at getting into, and am looking to

Keith Cockell getting around 12 spread throughout the UK.” Despite the current credit crunch Keith said there are people willing to put their money into the care industry.

“There is always a risk involved, but investors are looking to get into industries with the least amount of risk at the moment, and the care sector is one of those,” he added.

“Smaller building companies can build villages a lot cheaper than the likes of Richmond, probably around £40 a foot less, which when you consider an average village is 150,000 sq ft works out at a saving of around £4m.”

Care home of the future could ‘be built in five days’ THE care home of the future could be built in just five days and cost a fraction of the price, according to an expert.

Wayne Morgan, managing director of Elements Europe, is now marketing its Roompods to the care sector and says they have been a success in the hotel and student accommodation sectors.

The pods come complete with fixtures and fittings and include bathroom, kitchen and living facilities which are craned into place and stacked side by side or one on top of the other, up to six storeys high.

Wayne said: “Anything that can save time and money in care home

development is a bonus, particularly while the sector is evolving and expanding so rapidly.

“Where the product works best is when these savings are invested back into a home’s community facilities, external envelope and grounds.”

The Oswestry-based company produces approximately 5,000 pods a year, and expects to recruit more than 400 additional staff over the next three years to cope with demand.

Elements, which has previously supplied shower and bathroom modules to the care and retirement home sector for several years, also provides a full scale prototype pod as part of its design process.

Wayne added: “Sometimes an image on a paper simply isn’t enough to appreciate the true scale of a room, particularly when dealing with the accessibility surrounding older people’s housing, so we’re happy to build a full sized prototype.

“It allows us the flexibility to tweak the design and try different configurations, which is particularly useful in this sector where best practice in catering for people with differing care needs is changing all the time.”

I Would you like to work in a care home like this? Let Dominic Musgrave know by ringing 01226 734407 or email dm@whpl.net

Live-in carer campaign is scrapped

By Dominic Musgrave A CAMPAIGN that pushed for elderly people to be offered livein carers instead of being put in a home has been scrapped after it was ignored by the government.

Consultus Care and Nursing Agency – which manages homecare services nationwide – launched the campaign last year after a survey revealed more than half of 1,300 questioned would prefer to be cared for in their own homes.

But, despite a year-long campaign which involved hiring a PR agency to send out letters to scores of MPs, the agency says it has been forced to drop it.

Spokesman Celia Hoare said the pleas have fallen on deaf ears, claiming the current financial crisis could be a reason.

She said: “Nothing has changed since we released the report last summer.

“From time to time we try to raise awareness and get proactive in a bid to attract more carers, but we have heard nothing from the Government in response to these results.

“We also had a PR agency send letters to MPs, but unfortunately we have had very little response,

perhaps due to the current financial crisis the country is facing.”

Sixty per cent of respondents to the survey wanted to see greater awareness of live-in caring as a profession, with more than half of those questioned also wanting education and training courses, plus tax advantages for carers.

But now, the agency will instead focus on pushing for funding to be made available to encourage more people to become carers.

Celia said recruiting new carers from the UK, particularly during the winter months, is one of the biggest challenges facing homecare agencies.

She said: “Recruitment is a well known problem which the industry is facing, probably because of the low pay. We have to employ a lot of people from abroad, but many of them go back which leaves us low on numbers.

“We are starting a recruitment campaign shortly to try and attract more people to the industry.”

I What do you think? Send your thoughts to Dominic Musgrave, 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire, S70 2AS or email dm@whpl.net.

Home carers will be able to apply for grants to pay for free home insulation for their clients as part of a campaign run by One Foot in the Grave actor Richard Wilson.

The Home Heat campaign will offer free cavity wall and loft insulation, free insulation topups to modern standards, lower social tariffs, free annual gas appliance safety checks and cash help for replacing elderly boilers. For the first time, home carers will be able to apply on the behalf of their elderly clients.

Homecarenews After selling his care home group two years ago, Glenn Pickersgill has returned to the industry with the acquisition of a homecare business. Dominic Musgrave found out more.

Glenn returns to care industry with homecare move GLENN has been involved in the sector since he was 10, and one of his first memories is playing cards and dominoes with residents at his parents’ care home.

But after selling the family business Supreme Care Homes in 2006 when his parents decided to retire, he has taken on Guisborough domiciliary care business SureCare Services – renaming it Heritage Healthcare – and has secured the future of more than 100 jobs.

Glenn said: “I had a choice two years ago of either borrowing some money to buy the business from my parents or sell the company and look for something else, which is what I did.

“But after 18 months away I decided to look at getting back into the sector. It is what I know and grew up in, and what I am interested in.”

Glenn spent several months looking for the right business before finally deciding upon SureCare.

He now hopes to expand the business, win new contracts, open up other offices across the region and provide homecare services to clients within their own homes.

He also wants to offer a live-in service, where staff would stay in a resident’s house on an ad-hoc basis.

“I’ve chosen homecare because I think it offers people more choice and allows them to live independently in their own homes,” he

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Provider to open 11 new offices A HOMECARE provider is set to open 11 new offices during the first few weeks of 2009 – creating up to 500 new jobs.

Hampshire-based Bluebird Care, which has grown from just one office two years ago to 34 today in England Scotland and Ireland, also plans to open seven further offices later in the year.

Managing director Paul Tarsey said the company’s success reflects public demand for professional care in people’s own homes, based on personal preference and cost-effectiveness.

He added: “We place our emphasis on value for money, professionalism and good old fashioned service.

“The principle of receiving professional care at home is far more costeffective than selling up and moving into a residential home – which can cost up to £1,000 a week. Staying at home is also the favoured option for the vast majority of older or vulnerable people.”

Scheme opens

89-year-old Ethel Iveson is served by Latimer Hinks' Nick Poole, who assisted the deal, and new Heritage Healthcare owner Glenn Pickersgill.

added. “If you speak to 20 people over the age of 65 I can guarantee that at least 14 of them will say they want to live in their own homes for as long as possible.

“Government is also indicating that it wants people to stay in their own homes for longer. I am not saying there is no future for homes, but I do think the need for residential care will slow over the next 10 years.”

His grandmother opened her first

facility in the North East in 1955, which his parents took over in 1970. Glenn joined the family business in 1985 after running the Harewood Lodge care home in Grange Road, Darlington.

He expanded the group and went on to own homes in Darlington, Barnard Castle and Richmond. He also ran a domiciliary care business servicing council contracts in Durham, Darlington and Loftus before selling it.

A NEW extra care housing scheme built on a former swimming baths has opened its doors in Slough.

Northampton Place, designed by architects Archadia, includes 47 one and nine two-bedroom extra care flats.The site also includes a communal restaurant, reading room, guest suite, TV room, shop and faith areas.

The building is fitted with state of the art technological features for the convenience, safety and security of the residents.

Archadia managing director Patrick Manwell said: “We are pleased to add this development to our portfolio of extra care housing schemes, and feel sure it will provide much needed quality accommodation in this diverse area of Berkshire.”

The building was developed under a design and build contract in collaboration with Hanover Housing Association and Feltham Construction Company, and funding was provided by the Department of Health and Slough Borough Council.

Homecarenews

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Handyman aims to help elderly stay at home Support worker Susan Molyneaux and service user Phillip Gillingham

‘Care for cars’ pilot scheme launched for staff A PILOT scheme has been launched in Dorset and Sheffield which allows staff to trade care hours for cars.

The Cars4Hours scheme, run by Leonard Cheshire Disability, will offer a subsidised car to staff and the more hours they spend caring, the cheaper the cars become.

The car is also available for private use and full insurance and AA cover is included.

All servicing and running costs will be paid and managed by LeasePlan UK, who have partnered with the charity.

“We hope this new scheme will be an incentive for local people to join our growing care at home team,” added divisional director Peter

Grimshaw. “Staff enrolled in the scheme will be able to enjoy the benefits of a new car without the hassle of servicing and insuring it.

“The new cars will also help our staff reach older and disabled people in isolated areas more easily, enabling us to deliver a reliable and professional service.”

Susan Molyneaux, who has been a support worker with Dorset Care at Home Service for 19 months, was the first person to get a car under the scheme.

The charity offers a variety of services to people, ranging from helping people getting dress of getting out bed to meal preparation and shopping.

By Dominic Musgrave ELDERLY people will be helped to stay in their own homes for longer by a council-funded handyman to carry out odd jobs.

Communities minister Baroness Andrews announced the £33m scheme to help local authorities across England develop or expand their local handyman services over the next two years.

The scheme will enable older people to hire a security-checked person in a van to come round to their homes and carry out minor repairs, such as clearing out the gutters, fixing a new lock to the back door or securing the stair carpets to avoid it becoming a fall hazard.

Baroness Andrews said that for many people the service could provide the difference between independent living or moving into a care home.

“We all know sometimes it can be hard to find good, trusted help at home but these schemes do exactly that,” she added. “As we get older it

Firm adds to homecare portfolio with acquisition

Housing association sets up emergency support service A YORKSHIRE housing association has set up an emergency support service for its users which could save them money.

Craven Housing Association (CHA), part of Yorkshire Housing, has set up the 24 hour Supporting People personalised service for older people or people with disabilities who rent or own a home in the Craven district.

Customers may also be eligible for the Supporting People subsidy, which would save save them hundreds of pounds.

Linda Addis, manager of supported

can be the little things that hinder our ability to stay independent at home.

“Sometimes what is needed can be as simple as a grab rail or having loose stair carpets secured to be able to continue to get safely up and downstairs, jobs that are mildly inconvenient to most of us, but for others it means the difference between living at home or moving into care.

In most cases the service will be free or involve a minimal charge, depending on the local authority, ensuring that the service will be accessible to all.

The minister also announced £1m to develop a national helpline and website to provide expert advice and assistance on a range of matters affecting older people, such as housing advice and care and support services in their area.

The Government will work with a range of agencies including Counsel and Care, Elderly Accommodation Counsel and Help the Aged to get it up and running by April.

housing for CHA, said: “Previously only CHA tenants were eligible to subsidy – but since changes came in last year we are now able to offer it to all residents in the area as well as providing the full 24 hour alarm with warden service through North Yorkshire Supporting People.

“The changes we’ve made have been far reaching and our organisation and staff acknowledge the positive impact this service has had on the whole community.”

HEALTHCARE Homes has acquired Anglia Home Care Ltd based in Lowestoft, Suffolk.

The latest addition brings the number of homecare branches in the group to eight – all of which are, or will, become part of the company’s ‘Manorcourt Homecare’ brand.

Chief executive Richard Clough said: “Anglia Home Care is a prestigious company in its field –

supplying care to individuals in their own homes – and received an ‘excellent’ rating from the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI), following its last review.

“It’s a perfect fit for Healthcare Homes and, as part of our planned expansion programme, enables us to continue delivering quality homecare services over a greater area, throughout the eastern region.”

Agency staff make a date to strip off for charity calendar THIRTY women at a domiciliary care agency in North Wales have stripped off for a 2009 calendar to raise money for a local children’s hospice.

The workers at the OCS care agency in Abergele decided to do the calendar after reading a story about and then visiting Ty Gobaith children’s hospice in the Conwy Valley.

“We had talked about doing a

charity calendar for some time, but had never got round to it,” said administrative officer Donna Roberts, who came up with the idea for the calendar.

“Once we went to visit the hospice we decided we wanted to help them.

“The other girls took a bit of persuading at first, but once we got going we all got into it and really enjoyed it.”

The pictures were taken by a photographer friend of Donna’s called Andrew Wells, who she said was professional throughout.

“It was a nervewracking experience but Andrew put us all at ease,” she added.

“We had 300 of them printed and they are selling really well at £5 each. I think we only have around 20 left.”

OCS care agency help the elderly

and infirm keep their independence in their own home. Its domiciliary care workers get people up and put them to bed, and help them wash, shave, eat and drink.

They also help people use a toilet or commode.

All the proceeds from the calendar go to Ty Gobaith, which provides regular respite care to more than 70 terminally ill children and their families.

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CARINGNEWS

Work backlog could force home closures

By Dominic Musgrave

Artist’s impression of Heyeswood

Work starts on £14m retirement complexes in St Helens WORK has begun on two new retirement complexes in St Helens at a cost of £14m.

Heyeswood in Haydock and Heald Farm Court in Newton are being built in a partnership between the local council and Arena Options and Helena Partnership.

Heyeswood is expected to be completed in September and will offer one and two bed retirement

apartments for rent, shared ownership or sale.

Heald Farm Court will open in the autumn and will have 86 apartments and three bungalows available. Both will offer 24-hour support, and facilities will include a cafe, health and well-being centre and hair salon.

The scheme is being partly funded by the Department of Health’s Extra Care Housing Fund.

Labour MP claims his campaign has fallen on deaf ears AN MP who has been lobbying the government to bring all care homes into the public sector says his campaign has fallen on deaf ears.

Kelvin Hopkins – Labour MP for Luton North – began his campaign last summer after he revealed in Parliament he was deeply opposed to the privatisation of care homes and wanted government to bring all care homes back into the public sector.

He claimed that – instead of supporting council run care homes, in many areas including his own constituency – the government has decided to close them down.

But he says he has spoken to several government ministers – and nothing has been done.

He said: “I keep saying this but no one ever listens. I met with then care services minister Ivan Lewis about this before he was move on and he basically told me that if I was

thinking about re-nationalising care homes in this country I can forget it.

“This government has forced care homes into the private sector. Local authorities say their care homes need upgrading but are not given the money to do so, so the only way it can be done is by selling the home to the private sector or it being closed down and the care moved elsewhere.”

Kelvin is now calling for all new care homes to be built at the centre of the communities – and is adamant long-term care should be made a priority.

He added: “If a home is built at the centre of an estate then the residents don’t have to move far and their relatives and friends will be able to visit.

“The home will also be serviced by staff living on the estate, making it the hub of the community.”

A BACKLOG of basic jobs estimated at £1m may force a council to close four of its care homes.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council says that if the homes do close it will look to develop more housing with care schemes, which would provide support but at the same time allow residents to remain independent.

A spokesman for the council said a modernisation programme costing between £6m and £8m is also required to bring the homes up to scratch.

“We have condition reports identifying backlog maintenance for all four homes,” he added. “The type of work required includes window replacement, roofing, mechanical and electrical issues, externals and redecoration. In addition further accessibility work is needed to all four homes.”

Cabinet member for health and social well being, councillor Helen McLuckie, said the 38 residents living in the four homes would be found temporary alternative accommodation should they close.

“Minimising disruption for the permanent residents will be a significant consideration for Cabinet in eventually making its decision, although both options will inevitably lead to some disruption.

Consultation will be on a one to one basis with residents and their families.

“The proposal to consult on the future of the council care homes is no reflection on the council’s staff or the quality of service provided. The issue is around the size of the rooms and adapting the buildings for modern living.”

The council recently approved a three-month consultation programme on the homes’ future, which Helen said would include the families and carers of the residents, the staff employed at the four homes,

Coun Helen McLuckie unions and other stakeholders.

“Both options would result in the need for fewer care staff,” she added.

“The council would be looking at redeployment options, as well as seeking expressions of interest in early retirement and voluntary redundancy, during the course of the consultation with our staff.”

Helen claims the cost of running the four homes is £3.44m a year, while a move to the independent sector would cost £1.65m annually.

The homes which could close are Luke Senior House in Guisborough, Kiltondale in Brotton, Wheatacres in Redcar and The Meadows in Ormesby. A decision is expected at a meeting in June.

Gloucestershire care home opens in £50m programme

By Louise Cordell A NEW care home has opened in Gloucestershire as part of a £50m investment programme into elderly care by the county council.

Cabinet Member for adult services, councillor Tony Hicks, cut the ribbon at Chestnut Court care home in Quedgeley, which replaces the nearby Woolstrop House and Podsmead Court homes.

The home has 80 en suite bedrooms over two floors, 40 of

which form a specialist dementia care wing. Each floor will have its own communal lounges, dining rooms and assisted bathing facilities.

Tony said: “This new facility will provide much-improved facilities and the specialist dementia care wing will benefit the growing number of people who need this type of support, maximising their independence.”

Residents and staff will move into their new home in two phases.

Those from Woolstrop House will move in immediately and those from Podsmead Court on completion of the second phase of construction, which includes the dementia wing, in November.

The council plans to build 11 more care homes on new and existing sites to allow enough room for facilities, increasing the number of care beds and extra care units by 121.

These include more specialist

high dependency beds to meet the changing needs of the growing number of older people in the county.

The Gloucestershire Care Partnership is the council's partner for the development the new homes.

It comprises The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT), who will operate the care homes, and housing association BPHA (formerly Bedfordshire Pilgrims Housing Association).

CARINGTRAINING AND RECRUITMENT

Care home operator Clifton St. Annes is dedicated to looking after its workforce, reaping the rewards through better client care and increased demand for places. Mary Ferguson spoke to director Lou Squires about using training to boost staff satisfaction – and what it takes to become an award-winning employer.

How homes keep their workforce smiling ...

OPERATING two residential homes in North Yorkshire, Clifton St. Annes rounded off 2008 with a win for Best Employer at the Great North Care Awards.

Of the 84 staff spread between The Millings in Bedale and St. Johns House in Kirk Hammerton, around half have been with the company over five years, meaning there is no need for agency staff.

Lou said: “When we took on St. John’s it was heavily reliant on agency staff but we managed to recruit a full complement of in-house staff within the first year, many of whom are still with us today. As a standard we don’t use any agency staff in either home as it interrupts continuity of care.”

Over 70 per cent of staff at The Millings and 50 per cent of those at St. John’s hold NVQ Two or above and training is an important part of looking after the workforce.

In the last 12 months, staff have received training in everything from phlebotomy and stress management, to hand massage and Cordon Bleu cooking.

And Lou said that an open door policy means they are open to training ideas for anything at all.

“I have a strong presence in both homes – without undermining the respective managers – because it’s important for me to be hands-on and easily approachable.

“There is a general consensus that people train staff up and then lose them but we have disproved this, by creating new roles for staff who have gained further qualifications. We put a real emphasis on training.”

Another useful tool for ensuring staff are happy is the satisfaction survey issued every six months. Given out with pay slips, it features a number of open ended questions that aim to ascertain what the home is doing well – as well as what could be improved.

And every month the managers hold an ‘open surgery’ dedicating time when staff can visit them and talk about any issues they have.

“The staff are not backwards in coming forwards so I tend to know what they are feeling. They constantly say they feel proud of the way we look after the residents but the issue that comes up time and again is pay rates.

“It’s notorious in the sector, and it’s a real shame that skilled carers can work in a call centre or supermarket at a higher rate.

“I’m aware of the pay issues and it is a priority for us, which is why we generate staff satisfaction in other ways, such as the training and support. There’s a whole range of things that can help and we feel we have really raised the bar.”

As part of their employment pack-

Why firm deliberately resists expansion ACCORDING to Lou, operating just two homes makes it easier to look after both staff and residents and the company has deliberately resisted expansion.

She said: “It must be very hard for larger operators to be able to offer personal care for staff, but we can demonstrate that we care for staff in more ways than just the pay rate.

“Unfortunately a lot of companies are profit-driven and the staff and residents can be seen as a commodity.

“For example, it’s a very difficult job being a registered manager and I do question whether many of them get the support they need.”

Clifton St. Annes have retained just two homes so that they can concentrate on offering a personal service – benefitting staff, residents and themselves.

The Millings currently has a wait-

ing list, despite nearby homes running below capacity.

“By offering a personal service we attract a lot more personally funded residents.

“This allows us to charge fixed room rates that are also open to Local Authorities, but top-up rates are required.”

Lou said that the biggest thing other homes could learn from them is open communication.

She added: “It can be intimidating to ask for feedback sometimes as it’s often seen as a platform for complaints, but it’s important for staff to feel they have been heard.

“Our communication channels are always open and although it can be time consuming, the results are worth it.

“Staff turnover is expensive and time-consuming so in terms of retention, its invaluable.”

Lou with some of The Millings staff and, below, Lou Squires age, staff benefit from a health programme, delivered by a corporate wellness company. And Lou said that through learning about their own health, they know how to look after residents better, for example appreciating the importance of regular fluid intake.

Clifton St. Annes also operate a sick pay policy for all staff – including those employed part time – which is one of the ways the company combats upset about pay rates.

Lou added: “We did look at giving bonuses to staff for them not to ring in sick but decided if someone was actually ill, we didn’t want to encourage them to come in and put others at risk. We don’t have any problems with the existing policy though, employees seem to respect it instead of abusing it.”

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CARINGTRAINING AND RECRUITMENT

‘Despite everything that we face, I remain optimistic’

By Martin Green THIS year looks like it will be one of difficulty and a lot of uncertainty. The momentous events in the world economic system, which hit us all last year, will really begin to affect us in this one.

What was noticeable about the credit crunch was that just about nobody predicted it. It was truly an event that came out of the blue.

How we respond to unforeseen events and crises determines very clearly whether as organisations, or as individuals, we succeed or fail.

All of us, in whatever sphere we work, have the potential to be hit by unforeseen events which can undermine and destroy our organisations. That said it’s important to remember that there are things that you can do to plan for a difficulty or a crisis, and that the quality of that planning can often have direct bearing on whether or not your organisation survives.

‘My optimism is grounded in the firm foundation of my knowledge of the creative and dynamic people that form our sector’ As care home operators, you will all know that things can happen, such as floods, fire, and departure of important staff that can have a real and enormous impact on your organisation.

Faced with this potential, it’s really important that care home providers have a very robust plan, which will see them through any difficulties that might arise. The plan needs to be clearly focused on how you develop the capacity of your staff to deal with unforeseen circumstances and to move swiftly from crisis back to stability.

Central to this is a very clear commitment to the training and support for staff at every level, so that they possess the capacity and skills to deal with the unforeseen and to glide through a crisis and back to a stable service.

2009 is set to be a challenging, but at the same time, interesting year. These are going to be times of threat, but also potentially times of great opportunity. How we respond to the issues affecting the global economic structure and how we respond to the issues that affect our sector will be the definer of whether we have a positive or a negative future.

We have to get more proactive and more focused, and start steering the agenda, rather than letting it derail our efforts. Despite everything that we face, I remain optimistic. My optimism is grounded in the firm foundation of my knowledge of the creative and dynamic people that form our sector.

I Martin Green is the chief executive of ECCA.

Martin Green

Runwood Homes has received funding for employee education.

Government funding allows Council chief calls for urgent assessment staff to gain qualifications AN ESSEX care provider has praised the government’s Train to Gain scheme after receiving funding for employee education.

The project has allowed staff at several Runwood Homes properties to gain NVQ levels two and three in health and social care.

Louanne Selby, head of training, is now arranging further courses for employees at the provider’s newest home, Windle Court at South Woodham Ferrers.

Bill Sharp, Runwood Homes’

corporate governance officer, said: “We are delighted to compliment the Train to Gain plan as we have seen first hand how well this has worked and benefitted our staff.

“The scheme has enabled us to ensure that our employees have regular access to continued training programmes leading to improvements in not only qualifications but also the continuing upgrade of the services we provide for our clients.”

THE head of a county council is calling for an urgent flood risk and drainage assessment after a care home flooded.

Forty-seven residents were evacuated from The Gables in Ifield, West Sussex after the River Moles burst its banks, causing extensive damage.

The home is set to be closed for several months, with residents moved to other nearby homes.

And Henry Smith, leader of West Sussex county council, has called

for measures to be put in place to make sure a similar incident will not happen in future.

“I am asking for an urgent flood and drainage assessment to be carried out for this part of Ifield as it is the second time such widespread problems have occurred in recent years,” he added.

It is not known when the residents will be able to return to the home.

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CARINGTRAINING AND RECRUITMENT Managers need to be prepared to deal with the unexpected when it comes to their care home. Dominic Musgrave looks at how one home dealt with a potential crisis.

Teamwork to the rescue as home loses power WHEN the lights went out at Ifield Park care home in West Sussex over the Christmas period the staff had to react quickly.

Not only was the site, which consists of two residential facilities and a nursing home, plunged into darkness, but the telephone system and a variety of vital equipment including pressure mattresses were also affected.

General manager Jennie Whitfield said a power cut was potentially a very serious issue for the home.

“Our on call duty manager Yogita Mistry arranged for extra staff to care for the residents,” she added.

“Apart from the reassurance that the residents in residential care would need, there needed to be regular checks on the rooms as the call systems were also down.

“Without power the pressure mattresses in the nursing home would also not work, and residents in the nursing home needed extra staff to turn them regularly.”

Having contacted energy supplier EDF, the staff rallied together

Ifield Park care home in West Sussex and people that lived nearby prepared flasks of hot drinks and boiled hot water for the residents.

“The staff’s teamwork was demonstrated in the emergency,” Jennie added.

“Extra torches were on hand for emergencies, and the morale of

Fire safety advice and hazards covered in DVDs KEEPING people safe from the risk of fire is paramount in all care environments.

Fires can start so easily in any environment, but the risk and casualty rate in a care home can be high, where the obstacles are both logistical and people orientated.

To ensure that residents and staff are safe it is essential to have a comprehensive and effective fire safety programme in place.

As the leading provider of DVD-

based training solutions for the care sector, BVS Training Ltd have developed a range of resources for inhouse training sessions.

Their three titles cover the areas of hazards and prevention, drills and evacuation and risk assessment, and meet the requirements of Skills for Care Induction Standards and NVQ units.

For more information visit their stand at the Care Show in Bournemouth on March 17 and 18.

Training company shortlisted for awards A SHEFFIELD private training company has been shortlisted for two prestigious awards.

In Touch Care has been nominated in both the work based learning and further my learning categories at the next generation learning awards organised by the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (BECTA), a government body which promotes the effective and innovative use of technology in learning.

Jo North, who founded the company in 1993 having spent the previous 45 years in nursing and education, said she was delighted the company’s work had been recognised.

“To be the only finalist in two categories is a real honour for us,” she

said. “It is lovely to have been noticed for the work we do here and we keep our fingers crossed that we win something.”

The company is no stranger to awards, having won the Rotherham Chamber of Commerce award for innovation in business last year and were named best preparation of learners for NVQ assessment winners by awarding body ASET in 2007.

It runs a variety of courses aimed at all ages, using some of the latest technology, including the PlayStation Portable games console.

It also has an adult baby simulator which they are able to make bleed and sweat. Using a series of cameras and the latest software, all of the training can be filmed.

the residents was great. A couple of them even played the piano to keep up everyone’s spirits.”

The Red Cross also delivered blankets and hot drinks to the home before the power came back on at 8.30pm. It had been off for approximately four hours.

Cash should be provided for crisis training LOCAL authorities should provide more money for care homes to provide more staff training for dealing with crises, it has been claimed.

Andrea Rowe, chief executive of Skills for Care, said that homes should secure the money when they are negotiating the contracts.

“Making sure staff are properly qualified to deal with a crisis such as a fire, flood or power cut at the care home where they work is vital,” she added. “However, I think some owners and managers are reluctant to do so because they either cannot afford it or because they are worried that if they train their staff too much they will leave and get jobs in other sectors. I don’t think the funding made available by local authorities for care homes is enough. This is something that needs to be discussed when the homes negotiate contracts.”

Andrea added that managers should place more emphasis on the induction when a new member of staff starts, and that not enough are qualified to NVQ level three standard.

“A lot of homes are not delivering an induction fully,” she added. “These issues are so important that there are sections in our common induction standards dedicated to them.

Proper inductions can give a member of staff more confidence with the surroundings in which they work.”

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CARINGPRODUCT NEWS

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 odour-free, 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.

Contact: 0800 074 3749.

Housing association input welcomed from design to delivery KNIGHTSBRIDGE Furniture has installed seating and occasional furniture in Bield’s Chalybeate Court and Westland Court complexes in Western Scotland.

Knightsbridge met all the design requirements specified by Bield Housing Association’s Alison Allan, the housing officer responsible for both schemes, including impervious upholstery fabrics and the availability of various options in seat height and depth to accommodate the needs of individual residents.

Throughout both projects there has also been an over-riding expectation that a welcoming and relaxed ambience will be maintained in all areas.

Sited in Kilwinning, near Irvine in Ayrshire, Chalybeate Court is a purpose-built complex providing elderly residents with independent accommodation and communal lounge and dining facilities. Westland Court in Glasgow provides residents with sheltered accommodation.

Examples from the Knightsbridge Care portfolio have been specified for the reception areas, quiet rooms, community lounges and dining areas on both sites.

A key component of the two orders was Selkirk seating, which was developed by Knightsbridge after consultation with the Bield team. Including high-back and mid-back armchairs in both standard and petite sizes, Selkirk features shaped arms to allow easy independent rising, together with a sprung seat to ensure a comfortable sitting position even after extended periods.

A reversible cushion keeps fabric wear to a minimum, and the Selkirk is available in a wide range of upholstery options, including waterproof and anti-bacterial fabrics.

In addition to Selkirk seating, the Chalybeate Court order included armchairs in various sizes and configurations from the Knightsbridge Zeta, Rossetti and Gavotte collections, plus Gamma tables in a natural wood finish for dining and social activities.

The sleek curves of Melrose two-seater settees and armchairs were also specified for Westland Court, complemented by the contemporary lines of Balerno coffee tables.

Enquiries: Telephone sales on 01274 731900 or visit www.knightsbridge-furniture.co.uk

Haigh launches new SOLO bedpan disposer to care market HAIGH will be launching the new Panaway SOLO single bedpan disposer to the care home market at the Care Show in Bournemouth on March 17 and 18.

Designed to fit in small utility rooms and en suite washrooms, the SOLO is ideal for care and nursing homes looking to modernise their bedpan disposal system and concerned about infection control issues and available space in their premises.

Designed to take a single bedpan or other pulp product, the SOLO only requires cold water, electricity and a drain connection to be up and running. With no expensive water heating requirement, it is always ready to operate.

The new machine will further extend the Panaway bedpan disposal range to three models, with the award winning Panaway and recently launched Classic+ continuing to be available for four bedpan loading and greater throughput.

Enquiries: Telephone 01989 763131.

Dorgard chosen to help protect care home residents BML Healthcare Ltd has bought more than 40 Dorgard fire door hold open devices to ease access for residents and staff in walkthrough areas throughout its managed care homes.

Established for almost 20 years, BML Healthcare Ltd is responsible for the day-today management of care homes throughout England and Wales. With its extensive knowledge of national standards, BML is aware of the need to comply with the fire safety laws, in particular the holding open of fire doors.

Dorgard from Fireco is the wireless solution that offers the simplest, most costeffective way of legally holding open fire doors safely in any position, automatically releasing them should the fire alarm sound.

The Dorgard range is the solution to the illegally wedged open fire door problem, in any environment that complies fully with all relevant British Standards and EU directives.

Enquiries: Telephone 0845 241 7474 or visit www.firecoltd.com

Future blast chillers and freezers from Porkka UK PORKKA’S light duty Future range of blast chillers and freezers provides full cost-effective compliance with legislation.

Four models are available, the DC 520 and DC 720 blast chillers and the DF 520 and DF 720 blast freezers, ensuring the right capacities for a wide range of requirements.

The DC 520 will blast chill 12kg from +70ºC to +3ºC in 90 minutes, while the DC 720 will provide the same chilling rate for up to 18kg. After blast chilling, both cabinets revert to holding cabinets, adding a further 368 litres and 561 litres respectively of refrigerated storage space.

DF 520 blast freezers will freeze 60kg from 0ºC to –18ºC in 24 hours, while the DF 720 has the capacity to blast freeze 80kg in 24 hours. Blast freezing helps to keep food looking and tasting better by preventing the formation of ice crystals in the food during the freezing process.

Enquiries: Telephone 01923 779929.

James Spencer unveils Hanley mobile electric recliner JAMES Spencer’s latest product innovation, the allnew Hanley mobile electric recliner, offers freedom to nursing staff and users alike.

Its many attributes include: Multi-position finger-tip adjustment for ease of operation – no loose handset.

Optimum comfort - areas in direct contact with the user have pressure-relieving foam. The whole chair is luxuriously upholstered, with wide choice of fabrics.

Comfortable “spoon” shaped back acts as wings.

Battery-operated, can be charged overnight, providing 60/70 full cycles next day – even the batteries are recyclable. An acoustic warning signal sounds when charging is required.

Extensive safety features - no loose wires (trip hazards) when in use. Fitted with four chunky totallock brake castors. Short circuit-proof.

Overall width of 29” with full width ergonomic pushing handle - with care, users can be moved either in upright or reclined positions.

Enquiries: Telephone 01535 272957 or visit www.jamesspencer.co.uk

To get your product news on this page Contact:

01226 734479

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CARINGPRODUCT NEWS

Washer delivers substantial savings for nursing home A NEWLY installed high-speed HS6013 washer from Girbau UK is already providing substantial savings for the in-house laundry of Bedfordbased Dial House nursing home.

Dial House is a busy nursing home catering for up to 50 people and offering palliative care for those with specialist needs ranging from dementia to cancer.

Cleaning and hygiene have a major part to play in maintaining the high levels of quality service that the residents have become accustomed to.

With large quantities of sheets and

towels to clean, and many residents’ clothes requiring changing as often as two to three times daily, high performance and reliable laundry equipment is essential.

When the Dial House laundry team required a new washer following the abrupt failure of an existing machine from another supplier, the enthusiasm, knowledge and understanding shown to them by Girbau’s sales team was enough to encourage them to buy a new High Speed 6 Series washer from the company.

New range offers quick turnaround YTM Furniture is fighting back to help companies who are facing a bleak time ahead with the current economic situation.

After listening to their customers, YTM are launching an Express range of furniture that will be available for customers who need a quick turnaround when refurbishing rooms.

Sales for the furniture manufacturer have doubled in the last two years and now exceed £5million.

During 2008 twenty staff joined the team, with similar employment figures predicted for this year.

Director Damien Duffy believes the company’s continued success is because they listen to their customers.

“We conduct an annual customer survey, from the results of this we can continue to develop to meet and exceed the needs of our customers,” he added.

New identification solution NEWLY launched Retriever garment identification solution saves the time and cost of matching garments with residents, following laundry consignments to actively work against the threat of litigation.

Expolink’s newly-available garment identification software Retriever uses RFID1 to match 100 per cent of clothes to their owners, and is set to

Support for Expowest ONE of the care sector’s leading catering organisations is supporting the Expowest exhibitions taking place in Devon and Cornwall.

The trade only shows are open to care home owners and managers and offer a wealth of information and access to suppliers.

Expowest is also running two free seminars targeted specifically at the care sector.

Derek Johnson, National Association of Care Catering deputy chairman, said: “Expowest gives us the ideal platform to target people linked with the care industry and we will be running a seminar on preventing malnutrition.”

A second seminar on legionella awareness will be run by QES Ltd. Expowest Westcountry takes place at the Westpoint, Exeter on February 3, 4 and 5, while the Cornwall event is being held at the Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge on March 3, 4 and 5.

revolutionise the UK residential care home industry.

Expolink Software has partnered with RFID specialists Trovan, to supply this most innovative garment identification solution to the care home industry.

Retriever uses specifically-designed, minute laundry-proof RFID transponders (smart buttons) as a means of garment identification.

These revolutionary smart buttons replace the less reliable and more cumbersome issues surrounding name tags and marker pens.

The process of tracking, identifying and returning individual laundry items to the right resident presents a major problem to the vast majority of care homes.

Technological advances allow company to pin back charges TECHNOLOGICAL advances are helping Badgemaster lower their prices.

For over 17 years the company has placed keen emphasis on investing in the most up to date manufacturing and order processing systems which, coupled with consistent volume growth, has always enabled economies to be passed on to customers.

“We’re now in a position to complete even the shortest runs extremely cost-effectively,” said MD John Bancroft.

“So we’ve overhauled our price list to make lower quantities of badges accessible at the same discounted rate previously reserved for higher volumes, and are able to offer further significant savings for larger users.

“The product quality is better than ever.”

John believes competitors will be hard pushed to match Badgemaster’s combination of product quality and pricing, and invites buyers to check out their current deal against his own company’s offer.

38

CARINGCLASSIFIED AND PRODUCT NEWS Radiator covers

Regular seated activities help maintain health INTRODUCING regular seated physical activities (SPA) into the daily routine of a care home helps maintain residents’ health and mobility while promoting their independence and mental wellbeing.

Last October NICE released guidelines on occupational therapy and physical activity interventions to promote the mental wellbeing of older people in primary care and residential care.

To coincide with this Vitalyz have launched an SPA initiative where care managers can advertise their home as a quality provider if they commit to

Transport

keeping at least one member of their team (per location) trained by the company.

Vitalyz delivers a growing range of activity related workshops plus an accredited course in seated exercise.

This course is endorsed by the College of Occupational Therapists (COT), who have thoroughly assessed its relevance to the profession, currency and content.

Courses delivered by independent providers (such as Vitalyz) are additionally assessed by the COT for the educational philosophy, teaching and learning strategy and assessment criteria.

Auction site could save money

No.1 in used Wheelchair Accessible Transport ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORT AT AFFORDABLE PRICES • We specialise in the sale and purchase of quality used wheelchair accessible and ambulance vehicles.

• They can be bought as seen or refurbished and signwritten to your own requirements.

• 12 months MOT Class 5, and 12 months warranty.

• Independent engineers report supplied FOC. • Delivery service available.

• All buses fitted with seatbelts and comply to seatbelt legislation.

Always wanted late wheelchair accessible vehicles Gardiners Lane North, Crays Hill, Billericay, Essex CM11 2XE Tel: 01268 521033 • Mobile: 07860 894331 • Fax: 01268 284951 • sales@hwpickrell.co.uk

Visit our website for photos of current stock www.hwpickrell.co.uk

Your clients could be reading this page!

Call 01226 734479 Care Alarms

AN online reverse auction and cost saving specialist claims it could save care home groups a lot of money on their bills.

Horsham-based Co-Save, established in 2003, could save money on essential spending, including gas, electricity, telecoms, waste collection and disposal, stationery and cleaning materials.

Their savings for small, medium or large organisations have ranged from £549 to £296,121.

Uniforms

As part of their offer, they have run more than 1,000 reverse auctions (online, e-auctions), where, for example, £billion+ turnover companies, as well as smaller ones, have saved £millions by inviting their suppliers to compete with each other visibly and in real time - to reduce costs and boost profits.

There is no downside, and the buyer remains in complete control.