01
21/5/13
09:46
Page 1
June 2013
incorporating
no.205 • £4.75
The Number One magazine for the care sector
New website gives people home advice
By Dominic Musgrave
INFORMATION to help people choose, compare and comment on residential care homes and home care services is now available on NHS Choices. Launched by care and support minister Norman Lamb, the new care profiles help people to search and compare residential care homes and home care services and make confident choices about registered care for themselves or family members. The profiles bring together information from a variety of sources, including: I Official information from the CQC inspection reports on care services. I Information from care providers on the specialist services and facilities they offer, with details of staff and other useful information such as sample menus, photos of rooms and gardens. I Comments from the public, service users, residents and their families on their own experiences of the care provider, including links to other comment sites. I From next month, the ability for the public to give services star ratings. I Official Ofsted-style rating for
care services, when they are introduced. Norman said: “A fully open, transparent and comprehensive service like this will leave bad care nowhere to hide. This means better standards and quality of care across the board. “By reading about the experiences of others, people can make confident choices about their care and help providers know where to make improvements, if needed.” Over the coming months, care homes and other registered care and support services will be able to add details on how they perform against specific standards such as number of falls, bed sores, medication management and training of staff, as well as missed and on-time visits for homecare. St Cecilia’s care home in Scarborough is one of the first services showcased on the new site. Owner Mike Padgham, who has played a key role in its development, said: “This is an extremely important new initiative for people needing care and we are delighted to be among the first to get our home’s services and facilities featured on it. “I do think putting information like this at the fingertips of people choosing care is vital.”
Speakers unveiled for care events
Liverpool and England captain Steven Gerrard officially launched the start of the construction phase of a new extra care complex in Huyton. The £14.4m project is being developed by Bullock in partnership with Knowsley Housing Trust, part of the First Ark Group, and Knowsley Council. The development will provide 101 one and two bedroom apartments for over 55s needing additional support to live independently. The scheme will also provide an additional 21 properties available to older people for shared ownership.
THE line-up of speakers is almost complete for Script Events’ next two care conferences to be held in July. The Quality in Care themed days, which take place on July 17 at the Park Inn Hotel, Southend and July 18 at Basingstoke Country Hotel, are a must for all care home operators/ managers. Confirmed speakers include NCA and ECCA chief executives Sheila Scott and professor Martin Green, as well as Karen Oliver from the National Association of Care Catering. Fitness manager Tara Hammett will also discuss ‘Fitness and activities for residents’. Healthcare editor Dominic Musgrave said: “Quality is a key word for all care managers and operators, and providing this on a budget when fees paid by main local authorities is constantly been cut, is getting increasingly tougher.” I For details of how to book your place turn to page 16.