Caring uk June 2014 by Script Media

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June 2014

incorporating

no.216 • £4.75

The Number One magazine for the care sector

Care provider consulting on CCTV cameras

By Dominic Musgrave

THE UK’s third largest residential care provider has announced a consultation on visible CCTV cameras to be installed in all of its care and nursing homes as the latest measure to tackle the abuse and neglect of elderly residents. The suggestion would mean care providers are encouraged to offer an ‘opt-in’ scheme where residents and their relatives would be able to ask for cameras to be placed in their rooms. HC-One is confirming that it intends to ask residents, families and staff if they would support such a measure. If they do, HC-One will be the first provider to implement this kind of scheme. A ComRes poll asked more than 2,000 adults whether they would support or oppose cameras in care homes. Four-fifths supported the installation of visible cameras – and over a third said they strongly supported the measure. Two years ago, failings were exposed at an HC-One home, when a relative used secret filming in a resident’s room. Since then the group has been considering the controversial issue of using cameras in all its homes, and discussing the potential scheme with stakeholders and regulators.

HC-One’s chairman Dr Chai Patel said: “The secret filming that took place in 2012 showed shocking and distressing failings. We do not tolerate this kind of behaviour and we remain deeply sorry to the resident and their family. “As soon as we became aware of the situation we took immediate action. Over the last two years we have had conversations with our stakeholders and our regulator about the potential use of cameras in homes to protect the health and wellbeing of our residents. “This is, and always will be, our number one priority. As an organisation, and as a sector, we need to move forward and tackle this problem once and for all. Unannounced inspections by the CQC, local authorities, and our own service quality teams are important, but alone they do not always uncover the actions of a small number of individuals. “This is why we feel placing cameras in care homes can only help protect the wellbeing and dignity of those we support. We hope that, as a society, we can start an open and honest debate on this most vital issue.” I Do you back the idea? Let editor Dominic Musgrave know your view by emailing dm@scriptmedia.co.uk or on Twitter @caringuk.

Members of staff to learn sign language

Mezzo Soprano Laura Wright dropped by at the Orchard Day Centre, Epsom, to help celebrate the launch of the Care UK Wellbeing Foundation and partnership with Nordoff Robbins, the UK’s leading music therapy charity. Laura – who has more than a million album sales under her belt and is England’s official anthem singer for the rugby – is a VIP Ambassador for Nordoff Robbins, the first chosen charity partner for the Wellbeing Foundation. The charity received a £50,000 donation from the Foundation, which will fund more than 1,500 music therapy sessions across the country.

MEMBERS of staff at St Marks Court in Gateshead are learning sign language to enable them to communicate more effectively with one of the home’s residents. Manager Nikki Coulson and nine other members of staff are taking part in a 10-week course for the benefit of resident George Conway, who is deaf. She said: “Everyone at the home agreed that it was really important for us to learn sign language to offer George the best possible care and we are always more than happy to do anything that will benefit our residents. It is vital for George to feel included and part of the community at St Marks Court and we didn’t want George’s hearing loss to be a barrier for him.” The members of staff have various different roles in the home, from carers to kitchen staff to the handyman, which will make it as simple as possible for George to communicate with staff about all aspects of his care.

02 VAX

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Pupils turn residents into IT whizz-kids By Dominic Musgrave TWO high school pupils have handed out their own education lessons to give a group of older people a crash course in tweeting, Skyping and shopping online. Residents at Bield’s Mosside Court – a very sheltered housing development in Blackburn – are being taught essential computing and internet skills as part of fIT 2gether, an intergenerational project funded by Bield to encourage tenants to improve their IT skills using tablet computers. The operator hope to roll out the fIT2gether project across other developments and local authority areas in the near future. Two sixth year pupils at the town’s St Kentigern’s Academy, Laura Hinde and Brogan Manson, have been volunteering since November, spending one day a week with three of the tenants, teaching them how to engage with an increasing IT focused world, including how to email, Skype and shop online. The pupils who are taking part are also set to benefit from the project as they are gaining essential communication and learning skills, as well as achieving invaluable life and work experience. Emma Kennedy, project manager of the fIT 2gether programme, said: “Coming to

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Laura Hinde and Brogan Manson with Mosside Court residents john Hamilton and Bill Douglas. grips with the technology has really opened doors for some of our less mobile residents. They are now able to shop online, which can be a real life line with the cold weather preventing some residents going out as often as they would like. The pupils have also helped our residents retain their independence. Many of them also have families that live quite far away and visits can be irregular. We now have grandparents Skyping their grand-

children on a daily basis, which is just fantastic to see. “Hopefully we will see this project rolled out across all our Bield services and help keep residents in touch with their families as much as possible. The initiative ties in with Bield’s Free To Be commitment which strives to let people make their own choices about how they live their lives but being there to support them when they need it.

Studio Manager: Stewart Holt Tel: 01226 734414 sth@scriptmedia.co.uk Database enquiries to: 01226 734695 E-mail: circulation@ scriptmedia.co.uk Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of all content, the publishers do not accept liability for error, printed or otherwise, that may occur. Follow us on Twitter @caringuk

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Caremark Ltd will again be taking part in the Great Sussex Bath Race to raise awareness and funds for two Sussex charities: Life Centre and Chestnut Tree Hospice. Last July, 20 of the top companies in the county competed for the winner’s trophy in their various home-made water craft. Competitors were given four large barrels, rope, a bath and six long poles from which they had to build their raft in just one hour. Teams were not allowed to use any other materials except those provided. Entrants were allowed to accessorise/brand their individual craft and Caremark made sure their vessel was easily identifiable by fixing plenty of balloons to both ends. ‘Team Caremark’ won the the demolition derby at last year’s event, which raised £16,000 for the two charities. This year’s race takes place on June 22.

Home awarded £48,000 funding for community garden project By Dominic Musgrave AN OXFORDSHIRE care home is creating a community garden designed to unite all generations after being awarded a £48,000 Government-funded grant administered by the County Council. Albany Care Home’s garden is designed so the elderly people living there will be able to enjoy the outdoors while watching their visiting grand-children play in a safe but exciting playground. The idea was developed after consultation with the residents and their relatives and the care home staff. The concept appealed to a panel of assessors, including representatives from Oxfordshire County Council and the Alzheimer’s Society and, after completing a questionnaire, interviews and home visits, Albany Care Home was chosen as one of 15 eligible care providers to receive a grant. Teresa Mangonon, home manager at Albany Care Home, said: “The wellbeing of our residents is of the upmost importance to us, and this money will help to further ensure the happiness and welfare of our residents. The playground will be a great addition to our home to reinforce the family friendly environment we strive to foster.” The grant originates from the Department of Health, and is part of Prime Minister David Cameron’s

“Challenge on Dementia” initiative to address dementia care, as it becomes an increasingly pressing issue for Britain. Oxfordshire County Council secured £1.53m of the nationwide fund worth £50m through a collaborative bid to the Department of Health with its selected partners now collectively known as the Oxfordshire Dignity Plus Programme. Councillor Judith Heathcoat, Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for adult social care, said: "The Dignity Plus Programme is an important piece of work and I am delighted to see that the money secured via the county council-led bid to government is being spent in such a creative and beneficial way. “I am sure people living at Albany Care Home and their visiting families will make great use of the new garden and playground and it is excellent that the home consulted with residents and their relatives about how they would like to see the grant money spent. I look forward to visiting the garden and playground in the future.” The aim of the grant funding is to create additional outdoor space on the premises, and provide residents with a pleasant and stimulating environment in order to enjoy more fresh air. The project is due for completion shortly, but there is still an opportunity for local volunteers to lend a hand with finishing touches.

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Sanctuary Care launches national arts programme By Dominic Musgrave

Bridge event raises funds for home

SANCTUARY Care residents are to benefit from a range of creative workshops and activities thanks to the launch of a two-year national arts programme. Residents at Hawthorn Green Residential and Nursing Home in London recently enjoyed a taster day of creative activities to mark the beginning of an arts programme called Shine! which will be rolled out in the organisation’s 61 care homes across England. The programme has been launched to shine a light on the talents of care home residents through a variety of creative arts including dance, music, literature, film and theatre. Sanctuary Care has teamed up with a wide variety of arts partners to run Shine!, including Vamos Theatre, a full mask theatre company, Phakama, a youth arts organisation, Westminster Arts, a London-based community art charity and Ladder to the Moon, which provides support for healthcare organisations to develop vibrant, active and personalised care through resident activities and staff coaching and training. Sophie Atkinson, Sanctuary Group’s head of community investment and sustainability, said: “We are excited to be working with a number of

MORE than 200 Bridge players attended care home organisation Nightingale Hammerson’s annual Bridge dinner at NWRS, Alyth Gardens. The event raised £30,000, which will be put towards the running costs of the care home. Regular and gentle Duplicate Bridge took place under the direction of English Bridge Union Tournament director Martin Lee, while Rubber Bridge was supervised by Clive Belman. The Rubber Bridge players enjoyed a relaxed evening, but the serious effort took place elsewhere and, following fierce competition, prizes were awarded to: Sue Obrart and Linda Quigley (Regular Duplicate). Michael Supperstone and David Julius (Gentle Duplicate). Danielle and Andrew Balint (Flitch). Helen Simmons, chief executive of Nightingale Hammerson said: “Over the years Nightingale Hammerson’s Bridge tournaments have built up a large following of keen and skilled bridge players. “I am grateful to our supporters who helped to raise such a fantastic sum of money for Nightingale Hammerson.”

Hawthorn Green resident Thomas Diss with Phakama staff Corinne Micellaf and Sophie Herxheimer. unique arts organisations over the next two years to engage with all of our residents, regardless of any conditions that they may have. “Sanctuary’s approach champions person-centred care and this project supports that by shining a light on the talents of each individual through a wonderful mix of creative arts.” The Shine! programme, which aims to benefit over 3,000 residents, has been funded by the organisation’s parent company Sanctuary Group,

and is part of its commitment to supporting projects and initiatives which benefit residents and the communities they live in. Examples of projects included in the programme are: the creation of poetry books from residents’ stories and memories, a year-long film and reminiscence project that will result in residents producing their own film and hosting an Oscars’ ceremony and an ‘Edible Garden’ planting and arts project.

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Operator pilots toolkit to keep residents active Cherry Barlow of the New Forest Owl Studio introduces Nibbly the black barn owl to Castle View resident Des Meyers.

Owls’ visit is a hoot for care home’s residents A FLYING visit by two owls proved a hoot for residents at a Dorset care home. Beebo, a five-year-old tawny owl, and Nibbly, a black barn owl aged two-and-a-half, were special guests at Colten Care's Castle View home in Dorchester. Both normally live at the New Forest Owl Studio in Downton, Wiltshire, but were brought to meet residents by their owner, Cherry Barlow. She displayed the owls to 23 residents in the lounge and also visited individual bedrooms. Sue Godwin, Castle View's activities

organiser, said residents made the owls feel at home by stroking their chests and letting them sit on their arms. She added: “It was our first birds of prey visit and is just one of the many varied and interesting activities which our residents enjoy on a regular basis. Everyone was very excited to see the beautiful owls except for one: Bonnie, our pet budgie. We had to cover up Bonnie's cage while the owls were in the lounge, not because they would have threatened her but because she may have become upset at seeing them.”

CARE home organisation Nightingale Hammerson is one of the first in the sector to pilot a new toolkit developed by the College of Occupational Therapists which encourages residents to keep active and be involved in daily routine. ‘Living Well through Activity in Care Homes’ provides a way to evaluate the value of activities, along with offering lots of ideas, advice and support to help involve residents in meaningful and personalised activity. Tasks may include helping in the kitchen or garden alongside staff so that residents can do the things they loved when they were living in their own home. The aim is to enable older people who now live communally to continue doing activities they felt valued for, and take up new skills and hobbies at the same time. Bridget Turner, director of care development at Nightingale Hammerson, said: “Meaningful activity is integral and vital to the delivery of the person centred care and support we strive to give to all of our residents. Through testing this pilot we are re-evaluating our approach to activities and the value

some residents place on being able to re-engage in domestic tasks, making this part of their care plan rather than just a remote logistical exercise undertaken by others. “Housekeeping activities have been particularly popular and help provide structure, routine and purpose for many of our residents.” The College of Occupational Therapists developed the free toolkit to improve residents’ quality of life, with Nightingale’s lead occupational therapist Anne Topping and a member of the activities team playing a role in the drafting stage by sharing ideas of practical implementation. Anne added: “In piloting the toolkit we have observed the value of five and 15-minute activities that both enrich the experience and build relationships between staff and residents. “These short encounters enable residents to ‘live in the moment’ and thereby contribute significantly to their quality of life and wellbeing. The wide range of ideas for more structured activities and communication tips are also of great benefit, enhancing our personcentred approach.”

07 Safelinks

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Industry gives its reaction to BBC’s Panorama programme “Whilst we recognise the gravity of these revelations, we do not wish to condemn the whole of the care sector.”

By Dominic Musgrave THE industry has been giving its reaction to a BBC Panorama programme which showed alleged abuse at an Essex care home. Undercover reporter Alex Lee worked 36 shifts at the Anglia Retirement Homes owned Old Deanery in Bocking, near Braintree for the Behind Closed Doors: Elderly Care Exposed programme. She filmed a video appearing to show a partially paralysed woman being slapped, while others were taunted, roughly handled and ignored. Several staff have since been sacked by the owners, and Essex Police has begun an investigation of the alleged abuse after detectives viewed the programme. A statement released by the home following the programme’s airing, said: “We are shocked and saddened by allegations made by the BBC’s Panorama programme of inappropriate behaviour by some members of staff at The Old Deanery Care Home and apologise unreservedly for those failings. “We care passionately about our residents and will not tolerate this kind of behaviour. These incidents involved a small number of staff and

CQC chief inspector of adult social care Andrea Sutcliffe. are not reflective of the high standards of care which we expect and demand from all of our team. “As soon as the new management team was made aware of the allegations we took immediate action. We hired an independent law firm to carry out a full investigation as a matter of urgency. Eight staff were immediately suspended, and have not returned to work, pending a full inquiry. Our priority remains the health and wellbeing of our residents and we have more than 200 dedicated

members of staff who remain committed to the highest standards of care.” Andrea Sutcliffe, the CQC’s chief inspector of adult social care, said the programme raised important issues about the quality of care in care homes. She added: “The care shown in the Panorama programme is unacceptable. My sympathy goes out to the people affected. I am angry that the good care we know is provided is undermined when people are failed in this way. ‘The people who run care homes and who work in them are responsible for the care they provide each and every day. It is their responsibility to make sure the care they provide is safe, effective, caring

and responsive to people’s needs. ‘We have been concerned about The Old Deanery and its sister care home, St Mary’s Court, for some time. We have responded to concerns raised by staff. We have checked up on both homes regularly. We have told the provider to make improvements. “We cannot always know what goes on behind closed doors but I am determined that our new approach will strengthen our ability to uncover poor care and take action when we need to.” Debbie Sorkin, chief executive of the National Skills Academy for Social Care, said poor leadership was to blame for the programme’s findings. “Whilst we recognise the gravity of these revelations, we do not wish to condemn the whole of the care sector,” she added. “It is crucial that social care leaders, including commissioners, providers, and regulators, work with each other positively to ensure high quality services. Only by developing true leadership behaviours at all levels as evidenced in our research and our Leadership Qualities Framework can we bring about a culture of leadership that will result in the best care and support for the whole of the adult social care sector.”

09 DWP

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Group wins top business accolade ELEANOR Healthcare Group has won a Mayor of Lewisham Business Award. The company won the Environmental Practice awards for the measures it has put in place to be as ‘green’ as possible. Eleanor was recognised by the award judging panel for its rigorous environmental policy, which includes energy efficient vehicles and electrical equipment, LED lighting control systems, and energy efficient heating systems. Marc Santhi, CEO of Eleanor, said: “We are committed to being as ‘green’ as possible and all our staff member are encouraged to abide by our Environmental Policy, so to receive an award recognising the measures we have put in place is testament to our work in being environmentally friendly and it’s a huge honour to us.” The company has a strict green purchasing policy, while everything is computerised to avoid wasting paper. Eleanor also holds the internationally recognised ISO 14001 accreditation for environmental management.

The group which visited Barchester’s Queens Court, in Wimbledon and Lynde House, in Twickenham on a fact-finding trip.

Icelandic nurses visit homes A GROUP of 35 nurses from Iceland visited two Barchester homes while on a fact-finding trip about the public and independent health and social care services on offer in the UK. The care staff at Queens Court, in Wimbledon and Lynde House, in Twickenham, welcomed a group of nurses and took them on a tour of their homes to learn more about nursing and dementia care delivery in a social care setting. The two groups met up afterwards at Lynde House for a Q&A session about nursing care in the UK. Quality and assurance were top of the list of questions, and Barchester’s regional care specialists and general managers were on hand to answer

their queries. Pauline Houchin, lead care specialist at Barchester, said: “We have more than 2,500 nurses working for us out of a workforce that is 17,000 strong. Through our in-house business school we can provide a variety of tailored learning and development opportunities to our staff that ensure we meet the needs of those people living in Barchester homes. “Our induction and training courses meet and exceed government standards, and we offer great leadership development opportunities for nurses. “Our expert team of care specialists support the high standards of care

given and our first rate regulation team have a wealth of knowledge as many have previously worked as inspectors. Both teams work closely with the national regulators, staff and residents to maintain a high level of clinical governance and to continue to drive excellence across the company.” The Icelandic nurses have also visited acute services including emergency (A&E), ward areas, outpatients and other specialist services. They also attended the Florence Nightingale Memorial Service at Westminster Abbey, where a group of Barchester nurses were also among those fortunate to be part of the historic service.

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Book your place at conferences TIME is running out for you to book your place at the first two regional conferences organised by Caring UK. The Elderly Care: Positive Choices events, which take place at Rookery Manor in Weston-super-Mare and the Riviera International Conference Centre in Torquay on July 2 and 3 respectively, are being sponsored by NatWest. NCA chief executive Sheila Scott will kick off both events with an update on the Care Bill, followed by Skills for Care area manager Teresa Morrison and her look at ‘Building positive workplace cultures in adult social care’. Prior to the mid-morning break at Weston-super-Mare, Active Minds product designer and founder Ben Atkinson-Willes will discuss ‘Design for Dementia: A look at how better design can help improve peoples’ quality of life’, while at Torquay there will be an update from the inspectorate. After the break occupational therapist Heather Manktelow will begin the session with a seminar entitled ‘Activities for Health’ – Provision for nursing and care homes to engage in meaningful activities which promote and maintain health, well-being, quality of life and independence. At Weston-super-Mare this will then be followed by an update from the CQC. The final two speakers at both

events will be NatWest’s head of healthcare Neil Garton, who will offer advice on ‘Understanding and helping to deliver your business strategy’ and Lee Sheppard, head of care homes at apetito Limited, who will discuss ‘Dining with dignity – catering for Dysphagia’ in his session. A light lunch and refreshments and the opportunity for networking and visiting the extensive exhibition which will run alongside the conferences will complete the events. Caring UK editor Dominic Musgrave, who will chair the conferences, said: “As you can see we have once again put together a stellar lineup of speakers who will talk about a range of topics throughout the day. “With the exhibition running alongside and the opportunity to network, these conferences are truly not to be missed, and I would urge all care home and domiciliary care operators and managers in these areas to attend these events. “We also must thank our headline sponsor NatWest for their support of our conferences this year, and we are delighted to have them on board.” Exhibitors already confirmed include apetito, Required Systems, Care Shop, Lynx Purchasing, Aidcall and Shackletons. To find out more and to book your place at these must-attend events turn to pages 15 and 16.

White Rose House care home in Holmfirth celebrated its transformation into a ‘Premiere’ facility with Yorkshire artist Ashley Jackson. To mark the occasion, residents selected a print by Ashley to take pride of place in the home’s entrance hall. Originally built in 2005, owner Meridian Healthcare has invested heavily to transform White Rose House into something pretty special for resident. It now boasts a coffee bar, spa, piano lounge and restaurant style dining. Ashley (right) is pictured with Alan Firth, CEO of Meridian Healthcare.

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In the first of a three-part series of articles, Heather Manktelow, an occupational therapist experienced in facilitating therapeutic activities in a range of care homes and in the community discusses the importance of person-centred provision.

Activities do not have to be costly, but are priceless Introduction THE College of Occupational Therapy and the National Activity Providers Association have been working hard for many years now to raise the profile of the importance of personcentred activity provision in carehomes. They evidence through a whole body of work that activities are beneficial to people, and now, finally the topic is gaining the recognition and attention it deserves. The Alzheimer’s Society’s ‘Home from Home’ report states “Availability of activity is a major determinant of quality of life and affects mortality rates, depression, physical function and behavioural symptoms.” (2007, p5). The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence states “A lack of activity and limited access to essential healthcare services can have a detrimental impact on a person's mental wellbeing.” (2013,p1). The COT, NAPA and Skills for Care have been collaborating and working really hard together to provide extra resources and training to promote activity provision in Social Care. They have been working with training companies to promote the vocational (QCF Levels 2 and 3) qualifications in ‘Supporting Activity Provision in Social Care’ and recruiting occupational therapists to deliver, assess and mentor, carers and activity organisers through the courses. NAPA also offers these vocational qualifications and is committed to ensuring that “Activity is at the heart of care for older people.” (NAPA, 2014). The COT has compiled an excellent resource “Living Well Through Activity in Care Homes: the Toolkit” which gives ideas to provide an activity service focused on residents’ needs, preferences and activity choices.

‘There is little doubt that some care homes are working very hard to offer personcentred activities to their residents.’ It is available to download free from their website (College of Occupational Therapists, 2014). CQC inspectors already look for evidence that individuals’ needs are being promoted including physical, mental, social, personal relationships, emotional and daytime activity (CQC, 2010). They presently feel that there is room for improvement on finding out how people like to spend their time, provision of choices of activities and options for people to support their independence – particularly for people with dementia (CQC, 2013, p.6). The Care Quality Commission Strategy 2013 – 2016 ‘Raising Standards – Putting People First’ proposes a number of changes to raise standards in health care. It pledges to improve inspections, ensuring that services provide a safe, effective, caring environment, are well-led and responsive to peoples’ needs. It states “We will work closely with our partners and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) so we are clear about the measures we use in our assessments” (Section 1, p.9). CQC has also been collaborating with NAPA on ideas for improvements of inspections of meaningful activity. NAPA have suggested that carers should be asked

Heather Manktelow to explain to inspectors why residents sit where they do in a care-home, and how residents spend their day. By working collaboratively all these organisations are now far more influential, and finally NICE has recognised the importance of their work; in December 2013 it issued a new Quality Standard (QS50) titled ‘Mental Wellbeing of Older People in Care Homes’. This calls on care homes to provide spontaneous and planned opportunities by trained staff during the day allowing residents to engage in meaningful activities of their choice, involving family and friends if the resident wishes, helping residents to express themselves and maintain their personal identity. This means that for the first time, activities in care homes will be regulated and this must be a catalyst for change. Are commissioning agencies, owners and managers of care homes really taking it on board? There is little doubt that some care homes are working very hard to offer

person-centred activities to their residents. Since these homes believe in the importance of activity provision to keep their residents active and healthy, which ultimately promotes their independence; they employ an occupational therapist or activity organiser and allocate a specialised budget for activity provision. There are some excellent examples of practice. In particular, David Sheard from Dementia Care Matters is helping to change culture in dementia care homes and there are currently 56 homes in the United Kingdom known as Butterfly Service Homes adopting the Feelings Matter Most model of care: “Feeling you matter is at the core of being a person. Knowing you matter is at the heart of being alive. Seeing you matter is at the centre of carrying on in life” (Sheard, 2013 p.2) However there is another side to the coin; in comparison, the Alzheimer’s Society’s ‘Home from Home’ report found that the typical person in a care home spent only two minutes interacting with staff or other residents over a six-hour period of observation, excluding time spent on care tasks. Also that some people with severe dementia had been left alone in their room for hours with no attempt from staff to engage with them (Alzheimer’s Society, 2007). These statistics are horrifying, but the recent policy changes will affect the way activities are inspected in care homes which will drive up standards. Training along with a whole-team approach will help raise standards of activity provision in care homes. A full list of resources and references used in this article will be available at www.caring-uk.co.uk To find out more visit www.activitiesforhealth.co.uk

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Care provider to launch UK’s first micro franchises By Dominic Musgrave

A LEADING care company is launching the UK’s first micro franchises. SureCare says its pioneering franchise model will allow more people to become franchisees, while providing more targeted services in local communities. Micro franchisees – known as SureCare Local – will be able to offer a range of unregulated services including home services such as DIY, gardening and cleaning, as well as babysitting, holiday clubs and a mobile crèche service for weddings and other events. The cost of becoming a SureCare micro franchisee will be from £7,000 covering a population of around 100,000 people. This compares to the £28,000 cost of the full SureCare franchise covering a wider geographic area and offering care services regulated by the inspectorate. SureCare believes that the micro franchises will appeal to those already working in the care or healthcare profession, but also to young people in their 20s, the retired and semi-retired, people who have

recently been made redundant and those who have left the armed services. Gary Farrer, managing director of the Chester-based firm, said: “The launch of our micro franchises is genuinely ground-breaking. The concept allows us to provide our clients with a more localised service while, at the same time, creating opportunities for more people to become their own bosses. “With a number of Government schemes available to help both young and older people start up in business, we are hoping our micro franchises will appeal to a wide range of budding entrepreneurs. “Each micro franchisee will have the ongoing support of an experienced head office team in Chester who are able to advise on areas such as sales, marketing, finance, HR and operations.” SureCare, which was founded in 1994, currently has 27 franchises and three branches in England. The company was traditionally a provider of domiciliary care, but over the last 18 months has expanded into home services, child care and holiday and respite care.

Staff celebrate years of service EIGHT members of staff at The Old Vicarage care home in Churchill are celebrating a combined total of 76 years’ service at the home. The staff, who have each completed at least six years’ service, work at all levels of the home, with general assistant David Alexander the longest serving at 18 years, and home manager Nicole Trinder having completed 11 years. Nicole said: “The Old Vicarage has a number of local staff who have worked here for many years, and the consistency of care from familiar faces is very important to our residents.”

The Old Vicarage is part of Western Super-Care Group, a family-run business caring for older people in North Somerset. The operator has care homes in Weston Super-Mare and Churchill, and also provides care to people in their own homes in North Somerset and the Mendips. Pictured in the photo are night care assistant Glenice Lodge, deputy home manager Agnes Cabiles, home manager Nicole Trinder, cleaner/carer Sally Giddings and general assistant David Alexander. Not in the picture are cleaner Sue Betts, bank staff Phillipa Myram and cook Sophie Myram.

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CARINGNEWS Advertiser’s announcement

The commitment makes its mark THOSE who have signed up to the Social Care Commitment are starting to see the positive impact it can have on the quality of care they deliver and the training and development of their staff. The commitment - which involves signing up to a series of ‘I will…’ statements and tasks that put those statements into practice – is a Department of Health initiative that has been developed by the sector so that it is fit for purpose and makes a real difference to those signing up. The statements focus on the key issues that are important to all care providers, including recruitment, induction and retention of staff, and equality and diversity. Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb has called for “every employer and every employee working in adult social care to go online and make the commitment” – those that have already done so have quickly realised the benefits of the Social Care Commitment. In a recent evaluation, 85 per cent of those who had made the commitment said that they already have, or expect to see, an increase in the quality of care they provide, whilst 83% said that it has led, or will lead, to improvements in how staff are trained and developed. The commitment works. It can improve the quality of care provided in a variety of ways. Firstly employers and employees who sign up are

making a statement that they are going to commit to a defined standard of quality. For example, taking responsibility for the standard of care delivered, and promoting and upholding the privacy, dignity, rights, health and wellbeing of people who need care and support. For some providers these may already be standard but making the commitment provides employers with an opportunity to publicly declare the quality of the care they provide, and acts as reminder to employees about what defines quality care day to day. The tasks that underpin the statements have been designed by the sector and can be easily translated into practice. For example, having up to date job descriptions and person specifications for all roles and providing effective training for supervisors. The task and statement framework provides ideas to support providers in ensuring that a high quality of care is delivered. For those organisations with these measures already in place, the tasks can serve as positive reinforcement on their approach and that the right standards are being met. When the commitment is made by an organisation or an employee, the system develops a personal and organisational development plan which maps the tasks and statements,

and identifies learning and development gaps. This supports the long term implementation of the commitment. Individuals can use these to develop their career goals whilst organisations can use them to focus their development structure.

Those who have made the commitment understand its importance and how it can really shape care services in the future. For more information and to make the commitment visit www.thesocialcarecommitment. org.uk

NOT TO BE MISSED BY DECISION MAKERS IN THE CARE INDUSTRY

Elderly Care: Positive Choices Elderly Care: Positive Choices is the theme for Caring UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s annual regional conferences.

Our stellar line-up of speakers will offer expert advice on a wide variety of topics to enhance the quality of life your residents deserve in their later years, and also make your business stand out from your rivals to potential residents. Our top industry experts will pass on their knowledge on subjects including food and nutrition, activities and the care home environment itself, giving tips on what you can do to achieve and maintain the highest levels of care. Our first two conferences will be held at Rookery Manor in Weston-super-Mare and the Riviera International Conference Centre in Torquay on July 2 and 3 respectively. In September our events move north to the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley and Leeds United FCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famous Elland Road stadium. Running alongside all of the conferences will be an extensive exhibition, which will showcase all the latest products and technology for your care home. These really are conferences not to be missed, so to avoid disappointment please complete the booking form to guarantee your place.

For more information contact:

Exhibitor enquiries: Bev Green: 01226 734 288 Delegate enquiries: Lucy Dickinson: 01226 734 695 Refreshments served throughout the event including light lunch. Closes with a grand prize draw. Goody bag and attendance certificate for all delegates attending. Sponsored by:

HEADLINE SPONSOR

Some of the conference exhibitors:

10th Sept

Leeds United Football Club. LEEDS

2nd July

Rookery Manor, WESTON-SUPER-MARE.

3rd July

9th Sept

Black Country Living Museum, DUDLEY.

Riviera International Conference Centre. TORQUAY.

Conferences 2

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CARINGNEWS

Competition hots up for UK’s best care cook award By Dominic Musgrave

THE National Association of Care Catering has announced the 12 talented care chefs that will compete in the national final of the Care Cook of the Year 2014 competition and have their sights firmly on the prize of being declared the Best Care Cook in the UK. Two chefs from each of the six NACC regions triumphed during the exciting regional cook-offs, impressing the judges with their culinary skills and their particular knowledge and understanding of catering within a care setting, and earning their deserved places in the National Final. On June 11 the 12 finalists will compete in a live cook-off for the coveted title of Care Cook of the Year 2014. Neel Radia, national chair, NACC, said: “The NACC Care Cook of the Year Competition tests all of the essential skills and knowledge held by chefs in the care sector. “It also gives them the opportunity to showcase the great talent and best practices that they put into good use on a daily basis. The talent within our sector is outstanding and this fantastic competition gives us a platform to shout about it, which is

something caterers in the care sector don’t get to do very often. “The 12 national finalists are prime examples of the excellent work consistently being done in care catering across the UK. I congratulate them on their success so far in the competition and wish everyone the very best of luck in the National Final. It is sure to be an exhilarating cook off.” The 2014 NACC Care Cook of the Year national finalists: Scottish region – Alan Innes, Appin House, Kirkcaldy, Fife and Margaret Stewart, Methilhaven Care Home, Methil, Fife; Northern region – Luke Slaughter, Loxley Park Care Home, Sheffield and Giles Conroy, Sunrise Senior Living of Bramhall, Stockport; Midlands region – Sam Wicks, Peaker Park Care Village, Market Harborough and Jennie-May Smith, Berkeley House Care Home, Hull; Welsh region – Laszlo Kovacs, Burges House Care Centre, Cardiff and Gareth O’Hara, Sunrise Senior Living of Cardiff; South West region – Anthony Proffitt, Kimberley Court Care Home, Newquay and Chris Hill, The Rosary Nursing Home, Bridgwater; South East region – Alan Simpson, Sunrise Senior Living of Guildford and Becky Allcorn, Rotary Lodge, Worthing.

The Duke of Gloucester meets residents, staff and family on a tour of Osborne House.

Duke opens luxury care home A LUXURY care home in Selby has been officially opened by HRH the Duke of Gloucester KG GCVO. The Duke met residents, their families and staff at Osborne House before unveiling a plaque to mark its official opening. The first residents moved into the home just before Christmas, enjoying five-star facilities and the highest standards of care. Operated by Crown Care, Osborne House has 74 bedrooms with en-suite shower facilities, as well as a library,

café and IT suite, and will employ around 100 staff once it is at full capacity. Wendy Conn, Crown Care’s managing director of healthcare, said: “We are very proud of Osborne House and absolutely delighted to welcome HRH The Duke of Gloucester to open it and to meet some of the residents. “The facilities are fantastic. It has the feel of home-from home and has been designed to give the people who to live here or stay with us, the comfort and care they deserve.”

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Making mealtimes more enjoyable LEADING food company apetito’s pioneering range of texture-modified meals for residents with dysphagia allows homes to offer sufferers a range of appetising, nutritious meals – greatly enhancing their enjoyment of mealtimes. Chewing and swallowing difficulties may occur in people suffering from degenerative illnesses such as dementia, Parkinson’s disease, or those recovering from a stroke. Here, the potential feeding risks of choking and aspiration are compounded by longer-term issues such as aspiration pneumonia as well as malnutrition. Not only does this therefore present a significant safety risk, but a fear of choking can potentially deter sufferers from eating in the first place. “The challenge is to provide food of sufficient nutritional value and safety whilst ensuring that the meals taste good and are tempting,” said apetito dietitian Helen Willis. “apetito’s award-winning texture-modified meals do just that. Prepared in line with each of the Dysphagia Diet Food Texture Descriptors for a texturemodified diet, the range ensures safer, more confident swallowing, making meals something to look forward to, while embracing residents’ need for normal looking food.” In an industry first, thick puréed meals are moulded to look like a traditional dish which maintain their

shape once cooked, while pre-mashed choices offer appetising colour combinations, making them look as good as they taste. To allow homes to cater Helen Willis to residents at various stages of dysphagia, dishes range from those that fit the National Patient Safety Agency’s descriptors for ‘Category C’ texture-modified meals to those that fit ‘Category E’. ‘Category C’ refers to thick purées for those often in the more advanced stages of dysphagia, while ‘Category E’ food is best described as ‘forkmashable’ and is suitable for sufferers usually in the early stages. apetito’s menus also include ‘pre-mashed’ dishes, which fit ‘Category D’ descriptors. These meals are suitable for residents who require an even textured dish and are transitioning between Categories C and E. “Essentially, this ground-breaking range allows dysphagia sufferers to dine with dignity – something which is highly emotive and can make an enormous difference to residents who may have become fearful of mealtimes,” added Helen.

Pelsall Hall staff celebrate their award win.

Walsall home scoops top prize PELSALL Hall in Walsall was named home of the year at Greensleeves Homes Trust’s annual Accolades Awards. In addition to the 10 awards, the group also recognised members of staff who had been in service with the Trust for 10 and 20 years, with one employee being recognised for her 40 years of service at Mount Ephraim House in Tunbridge Wells. There was also recognition in a roll of honour of 11 of the Trust’s homes that had received external awards. Paul Newman, chief executive at Greensleeves Homes Trust, said: “The Accolades Awards is a highlight in the Greensleeves’ calendar which recognises the fantastic work which our staff carry out day in and day out on behalf of our residents, and I look for-

ward with much anticipation to next year’s awards.” Winners: Eating experience – Borovere (Alton); Activities – Borovere (Alton); Innovation – Mount Ephraim House (Tunbridge Wells); Fundraising event – Pelsall Hall (Walsall); Gardens and grounds – Speirs House (New Malden); Colleague of the year Samantha Allen, book-keeper, Arden House (Leamington Spa) and Geoff Almond, financial controller (head office); Unsung hero – Barbara Carey, senior carer, Arden House (Leamington Spa); Manager – Carol Grainger, Kingston House (Calne); Carer – Donna Stuart, Grosvenor House (St Leonards-on-Sea); Home – Pelsall Hall (Walsall). The ceremony took place at The Oval Cricket Ground in London.

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CARINGMEDICATION AND HEALTHCARE

New NICE guidelines signal an end to in-house training By Dominic Musgrave A PHARMACY that provides both dispensing and accredited training services for care homes has said the new NICE guidance on managing medicines in care homes will sound the death knell for a ‘make do’ approach to in-house medication training and therefore drive up the quality of care. Tony Guilfoyle, external training manager for Biodose Services based in Featherstone, Yorkshire, welcomed the guidance. He said: “It is startling what some in our industry classify as training and this, coupled with the abundance of free and non-accredited tuition available, has contributed to a fall in quality standards. “Until now, some care home managers have been lured by the attraction of free training, without necessarily questioning its quality. But now NICE recommends that care homes ‘should consider an accredited learning provider’, care homes can no longer take a ‘make do’ approach to in-house training.” “The number and complexity of medicines that can be prescribed to care home residents has increased markedly in recent years. The creation of some in-house training without expert professional input and robust assessment of learning is therefore unlikely to be adequate in

Tony Guilfoyle, external training manager for Biodose Services. most circumstances. “I would expect to see those organisations which are responsible for commissioning and monitoring the care sector to really welcome these insightful guidelines. Also, it is my belief that regulatory bodies such as CQC will utilise and promote these guidelines on training throughout the country.” Tony also picked up on an additional recommendation within the new

guidance, that ‘Care home providers should ensure that all care home staff have an annual review of their knowledge, skills and competencies relating to managing and administering medicines.’ He added: “We’ve never seen anything documented in the past about a time frame within which it is reasonable for knowledge to be updated. Of course, things change and this annual review is another welcome step towards better quality care.” Within the NICE guidance, recommendation 1.17.1 states that: ‘Care home providers must ensure that staff who do not have the skills to administer medicines, despite completing the required training, are not allowed to administer medicines to residents.’ Tony added: “At the moment we, along with other training providers, offer knowledge and skills training, but it’s still down to the home manager to assess competence.” “I look forward to seeing the Quality Standards which NICE will now develop to support the new guideline implemented by many responsible care organisations. “Overall, this guidance is a step in the right direction. It will result in an improvement in the quality of education in the sector which will therefore drive up the quality of care – something we all have an interest in.”

First aid kit saves money TRADITIONAL first aid kits have a life span of one to two years, meaning that unused supplies are often thrown away and replaced when they expire. This is costly and frustrating for care home managers and owners, who have tight budgets to work with. Forgetting to replace out-of-date items can also lead to prosecution and litigation. A new first aid kit, DecaMed has now been developed with a guaranteed 10-year life for all sterile components. The sterile contents within this kit are certified by the BSI. Produced in Germany, DecaMed solves the age old problem of having to discard your first aid kit contents every few years. DecaMed’s wide range of contents also include helpful items such as ice packs, disposable waste bags, hygiene towels and, in particular, more of the products that are used regularly, such as plasters. The ground-breaking longevity of this kit is achieved through the aluminium-vapourised wound dressings and sterile packaging, preventing sticking and infection. With DecaMed you can rest assured that your first aid products are in date when they are needed.

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CARINGMEDICATION AND HEALTHCARE

Is IT improving patient safety in care homes? By Andrew Willetts IT and effective medicines management in care homes can be the catalyst for improved accuracy, adherence and patient safety. Ensuring that a patient receives safe medicine administration at any stage of the life cycle is imperative, not only does it improve or at least maintain health it can also save lives. Care home residents have a unique set of healthcare needs as people are living longer – many with long term conditions that need strict and timely medicines plans. So it’s encouraging to see more innovation entering care homes to enable staff, GPs and pharmacists to work better together and to deliver more effective and safe medicines management. The ‘five rights’ of medicines’ management – right patient, right drug, right dose, right route, right time – will still exist and it must continue to be the core focus of medicines management. However we must continue to review and evolve the processes and controls that support the five rights to ensure the ever changing patient needs and care plans are supported. The introduction of one patient record and electronic health records is essential in supporting care home staff. It relieves the burden of reams of paperwork which can be overwhelming and prevent them having valuable interaction with the residents in their care. Enabling care givers more quality time with the people in their care must be at the heart of everything we do now, and in the future. By logging and managing medicines’ management and care through an online platform, organisations can not only view performance and quality of care across their multi-site locations but also feel more motivated because they are providing more direct care to the resident. The alternative is to spend vast amounts of time manually logging and recording information and having lengthy handovers with colleagues. Our very own CareFirst system with full EMAR (electronic medicines’ administration records) has demonstrated that accurate MARs, accessible management of information, automated stock management and a streamlined prescription process dramatically reduces human error. In turn, this frees up care staff time, improves medicines management, provides organisations with more transparency and improves the patient or residents experience. Everything we now do is wrapped around technology. The world has become a lot more accessible and the healthcare industry is gradually coming on board. Secure and remote access of residents’ medicines’ records by health-

care professionals (GP, pharmacist, the hospital and care home) ensures continuous improvement and performance management and is quick. Furthermore, it improves patient safety and empowers the patient and their families to make the right decisions about their health and well being- our collective goal. And while the transformation from paper-based to electronic MAR charts is widely recognised by the profession as a huge step in the right direction, change often comes with challenges. These need to be addressed. Training, for example, needn’t be a huge burden or a drain on resource and time. By working closely with the right partner change can become more manageable and mutual parameters can be set between trainer and trainee. Likewise the implementation of new systems isn’t as complex as it may first seem and the benefits far outweigh any perceived challenges. We ourselves have observed a reduction in error rates in some cases as high as 87 per cent. Turnover of care home staff brings with it many challenges also. But by reducing paperwork and implementing centralised and accessible records new staff can ease into an effective system far easier. Stock control can also be simplified. Through an online platform, medicines can be ordered and remain in their original packaging and with the original Patient Information Leaflets – the dispensing label bar codes will already be scanned and logged into the system. Because of this we have seen instances within care homes where the simplicity of reordering saves on average 15 hours per month per care home in stock handling alone – vital time that can be redeployed to the patient. This automated approach reduces any unnecessary ordering and reduces the high costs of medicines’ wastage. Not only does electronic medicines’ management improve patient safety and enhance the relationships between the care homes, GPs and pharmacists it goes a long way to helping a home achieve its operational objectives. A boost in rankings of course means that CQC regulations are being met and embargoes are avoided. But it is also important to consider how with increased safety and accountability and by reducing the costs of medicines’ management to help achieve 100 per cent occupancy, business growth is made more viable. And, by aligning the integration of new systems and processes to NHS policy, risks to the patient and bluelight scenarios are dramatically reduced while quality measures and reputation enhanced. Andrew Willetts is public sector and health care services director for LloydsPharmacy.

Medicines Management Guide from Rosemont A GUIDE to medicines management and older people is available from Rosemont Pharmaceuticals. Called ‘Medicines management and older people – a guide for healthcare professionals’, the booklet aims to help healthcare professionals learn more about how medication works, how the ageing process affects medicines, common adverse drug reactions, the definitions of compliance and concordance as well as to give an overview of some of the legal aspects of medicines management. The content of the guide is based on current best practice and the most up to date evidence about medication management. The focus is on the care of older people, who have a higher prevalence of illness and take around 50 per cent of all prescribed medicines (Kelly 2011). Four in five people over 75 take at least one prescribed medicine, with 36 per cent taking four or more medicines (NSF 2001). To receive a free copy of ‘Medicines management and older people – a guide for healthcare professionals’, just email marketing@rosemont pharma.com Jan Flynn, marketing manager at Rosemont Pharmaceuticals, said: “The safe delivery of medicines for older people is a critical and challenging aspect of care. It is complicated by multiple diseases, complex medication regimes and the ageing process affecting the body’s capacity to handle medicines. “In addition, medicines have become increasingly sophisticated, particularly in their delivery systems and there are legal aspects to consider as well as pharmacological ones. This guide aims to help healthcare professionals deliver the best possible medication care for their patients and residents.’ Enquiries: For further information call 0113 244 1999 or visit www.rosemontpharma.com

References Kelly J , Wright D, Wood J, (2011) Medicine administration errors in patients with dysphagia in secondary care: a multi-centre observational study. Journal of Advanced Nursing 67(12), 2615–2627 Department of Health, Medicines and Older People: Implementing medicines-related aspects of the NSF for Older People, March 2001.

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CARINGCLEANING AND LAUNDRY

Vax Commercial’s detergents care for more than floors MAINTAINING good hygiene standards in communal areas can be a challenge, with so many different types of surfaces to keep clean. Vax Commercial’s new range of high performance cleaning detergents give you everything you need to keep your home looking and smelling clean, and help prevent cross-contamination. Carpets and soft furnishings are a great way to create a warm and welcoming atmosphere, but if they’re not maintained correctly they can quickly start to look dirty and unhygienic. “For spot cleaning carpets, rugs and soft furnishings, Vax Commercial’s Carpet Spot and Stain Remover spray removes difficult stains and greasy marks, so you can quickly deal with accidents before they become a problem,” said Vax Commercial’s product manager Laura Harley. Designed for day-to-day maintenance of carpets and upholstery, Vax Commercial’s low foaming Woolsafe approved Carpet Cleaning Detergent has a super strength formulation that powers through high traffic areas, removes grease and dirt and lifts stubborn stains. It is suitable for use in all their carpet washers and also eliminates odours, leaving a spring fresh fra-

grance that ensures your carpets and soft furnishings smell as clean as they look. For cleaning worktops, tables and other washable surfaces, Vax Commercial’s new Hard Surface Sanitiser effectively kills bacteria. Available in a five-litre bottle or trigger spray, it easily cuts through tough oils, fat and stuck-on food residues. “Our Hard Surface Sanitiser is perfect for worktops, tables, dining areas and all sorts of other washable surfaces, leaving them brilliantly clean and hygienic,” added Laura.

A real diamond for care homes HYGIENE is of paramount importance in healthcare establishments – and so is efficiency. With the SEBO DART UHS polisher, the need for wet mopping is substantially reduced while vacuuming and polishing are combined without the need to seal areas off during cleaning. The SEBO DART UHS polisher uses HTC twister floor pads, incorporating micro-diamonds to polish the floor. This eliminates the need for the use of chemicals or liquids and creates a super smooth floor surface, minimising the potentially biologically active surface area. The absence of liquids has huge hygiene benefits, as well as complying fully with health and safety issues. Constant use of disinfectants is a common cause of resistant micro-organisms. All this is dramatically reduced through daily cleaning with the UHS polisher, extending the period between disinfectant schedules and thus significantly aiding micro-organism resistance. SEBO also provides an extensive range of high-quality upright and cylinder, commercial or domestic, vacuum cleaners that can be used on any floor surface.

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CARINGCLEANING AND LAUNDRY

100 per cent tax relief available on Girbau’s water efficient washers BUSINESSES purchasing new Girbau HS 6 Series high speed washers can benefit from 100 per cent tax relief under the Government’s Enhanced Capital Allowance. Thanks to the machines’ outstanding water efficiency, they have been granted approval by the Water Technology List for the scheme. The scheme was set up by the Government to encourage businesses to invest in new equipment that uses less water. The ECA lets businesses write off 100 per cent of the cost of purchasing a new Girbau WTLapproved washer against taxable profits in the year of purchase. Only machines on the

approved WTL list qualify and the tax relief is only available for the purchase of new machines. To be included on the Water Technology List, strict criteria regarding a washing machine’s water usage per kg have to be achieved. For washers up to 15kg in capacity, the maximum water usage per kg permitted is 9.4 litres. Girbau’s HS-6008 washer uses a maximum of just 7.8 litres per kg while the larger HS-6057 machines uses only 7.0 litres, making them some of the most water-efficient washers available today. Enquiries: For more information visit www.girbau.co.uk

Mental Health Concern can rely on Armstrong to help with budgets MENTAL Health Concern is a not-for-profit organisation operating specialist mental health services in the North East of England, commissioned by the NHS and local authorities. Many of its CQC registered services have their own laundry and, when arrangements with a previous supplier broke down, Armstrong was brought in to take over supporting all the equipment in return for a single fixed monthly payment. As equipment comes to the end of its life, Armstrong provides replacement machines so ensuring an uninterrupted service. Three of the services, at Alderwood, Briarwood and Pinetree Lodge, provide specialist nursing care for older adults experiencing severe and enduring mental health problems and dementia – ranging in size from 19 to 34 beds. Other services provided at McGowan Court, Jubilee Mews, Oakwell and Coalway Lane are smaller, offering 24-hour nurse led rehab and recovery care for adults with complex mental health needs, some compounded by drug and

alcohol misuse problems. The laundries handle all bedding, towels, kitchen and dining room items and personal laundry. In some cases dedicated staff are employed, but mostly the laundries are operated by the care workers and support staff, and wherever possible residents are encouraged to use the equipment with support from staff Enquiries: Telephone 01635 263410 or visit www.armstrong-laundry.co.uk

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Home fined after resident fell from first floor window A MANCHESTER care home has been fined for safety failings after a vulnerable resident was badly injured when he fell from a first floor window. The privately-run Nada Residential and Nursing Home was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive following the incident at its premises on Cheetham Hill Road on December 1 2012. Trafford Magistrates’ Court heard the 63-year-old man, who suffers from dementia, was found on the ground under his bedroom window with fractures to his leg, knee and back. He told staff he had wanted to get some fresh air. The court was told the risk of patients falling from open windows was well known in the sector, and restrictors should have been fitted to the widows to prevent them from opening more than 10 centimetres. The HSE investigation found the care home had failed to properly assess the risk of residents falling from windows, or take suitable action to prevent this from happening. Nada Residential and Nursing Home was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £597 after pleading guilty to single breaches of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the

“The 63-year-old man was badly injured in the fall but it could easily have been much worse.” Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Lorna Sherlock said: “The care home looks after people with dementia or mental health conditions and so many of its residents are particularly vulnerable. “The 63-year-old man was badly injured in the fall but it could easily have been much worse. It simply should not have been possible for him to be able to push open his bedroom window to a point where there was a risk of him falling out. “Nada has now fitted restrictors to all of its windows to stop them opening more than a few centimetres. If these had been in place at the time of the incident then the resident’s injuries could have been avoided.”

Harry York with some of his paintings.

Club uncovers talented artist RESIDENTS at Astbury Lodge in Great Sutton were amazed to find a talented artist living among them during one of the care home’s weekly art club sessions. Harry York, originally from Chester, has been painting the surrounding Cheshire landscape since he retried, and has built-up an impressive collection of oil paintings over the years – even exhibiting his work locally. Upon moving to the home, residents and staff were impressed by Harry’s talents and have mounted a permanent exhibition of his work in the entrance hall for everybody to appreciate. Home manager Phil Daniels said: “You discover some amazing things

talking to the residents here – they’ve all led such fascinating lives and everyone has a story to tell. At CLS we take a highly person-centred approach to care, and have been supporting Harry to continue with his painting through our weekly arts and crafts sessions.” Harry is a self-taught artist and has been perfecting his skill ever since he retired from his job working at Shell UK’s Stanlow refinery. Art therapy has been shown to have a number of significant benefits for older people; helping to provide a sense of lifesatisfaction and fulfilment through developing new skills, as well as a positive emotional outlet and alternative mode of communication.

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CARINGINTERIORS, DESIGN AND FURNISHING

£9m expansion to create new jobs Waverley Grange Residential and Nursing Home in Farnham.

Waverley Grange scoops ‘best care home’ award WAVERLEY Grange Residential and Nursing Home in Farnham was named ‘best care home’ at the 2014 Healthcare Design Awards. Karen Smith, manager of the Bupa owned home, picked up the award at a prestigious ceremony at The Lancaster Hotel in London. Waverley Grange scooped the accolade after it was recognised for its person-centered environment. The home’s spacious living areas, its use of natural night and green credentials all impressed the judging panel, alongside the architectural design which blends in with neighbouring buildings. “I’m absolutely thrilled Waverley

Grange has been named best care home,” Karen said. “Everyone living and working at Waverley Grange is extremely proud that our home has been recognised as a special place to live.” The award follows Bupa’s £5.5million investment into building the new facility which opened in June 2013. The 52 bed en-suite home offers specialist residential and nursing facilities for residents in the Farnham area. Its state-of-the-art facilities include a cinema, a café leading onto the home’s gardens, hair salon, library, an outside play area for children and an activity suite for residents.

AN ECO-CONSCIOUS retirement village has won two awards and is creating more jobs as part of a £9m expansion scheme aimed to make it the best in the country. Middleton Hall Retirement Village, near Darlington, has invested millions in its expansion plans, which include the Waterside development – the UK’s first zero carbon retirement homes, which are set beside a large pond and wetland area designed to attract wildlife. The plans also included the creation of a new orangery with a cafe, bar and farm shop. The company is now looking to recruit further carers, nurses, housekeepers, and a family living manager to run its innovative care service developed for a small number of residents who have dementia. The recruitment drive comes as Middleton Hall has been awarded a Better Health Gold Award, a scheme run by the Health Improvement Service at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust which is bestowed on businesses which actively embed health and wellbeing within their organisations. The award criteria was met with the work of Julie Binks, manager of independent living service Middleton Grove, with the help of Debby Lamont, the retirement village’s head of care and quality.

Measures introduced included: Membership of Middleton Spa. Personal exercise plans organised by one of the village’s Living Well team for over 70 staff. Free health checks for staff. Try Me Tuesday – healthy recipe days where staff could taste the recipes before taking them home. Nutrition workshops. It was the second award for the village which scooped the Contribution to the Environment 2014 category in the Best of Darlington Awards managed by the Darlington Partnership and by Darlington Borough Council. The village was praised for the Waterside development and for its initiative to encourage staff to take greener measures, such as car sharing and cycling to work, for which they are rewarded with meal vouchers. Jeremy Walford, managing director of the village, said: “Our investment in the new Waterside development and our aim to reduce our carbon footprint is all part of our mission to become the most sustainable retirement village in the country.But we wouldn’t be able to push ahead with our expansion plans without the dedication of our staff. Their health and wellbeing is one of our key priorities and I’m delighted that the Better Health Gold Award reflects our commitment to them.”

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CARINGINTERIORS, DESIGN AND FURNISHING

Group reaches final of prestigious care sector accolades By Dominic Musgrave

AVERY Healthcare Group is a finalist in the ‘Residential care provider of the year’ category in the 2014 HealthInvestor Awards to be held in London on June 11. The awards will be looking for the organisations and individuals that have made an outstanding contribution to the sector during 2013. Avery Healthcare, with its head office based in Northampton, employs approximately 1,000 people across its portfolio and has earned a reputation for delivering high quality care homes characterised by imaginative design led solutions, richly furnished interiors and a strong foothold in the private pay market. Managing director John Strowbridge said, “Care operators have a responsibility to create the best living environments possible for older generations. “It’s not good enough just to meet guidelines, operators need to be pushing forward and striving to continuously improve their buildings, services, care and they need invest in their people.

“Avery is so committed in setting benchmarks that we spent two years designing our own apprenticeship and training scheme. “We want a team of people who live and breathe the Avery ethos, the only way we can do that is to ensure our people receive the best possible coaching and opportunities – it’s not only good for the business, it’s good for creating a motivated culture which translates to a positive way of being for those living in our homes.” Its flagship home Silvermere, in Cobham Surrey, is also a finalist of the Pinders Healthcare Design Awards. The lakeside location and its concierge and catering service has set the standard across Avery’s continually expanding portfolio. Silvermere Care Home has created the design blueprint for further UK expansion for Avery, with new builds underway in Derby, Northampton, Wellingborough and Nottingham. It also has a number of sites under offer in the South West, Midlands and the North of England, and an acquisition programme backed by Healthcare REIT.

Interior solutions as individual as the care PREMIER care provider Excelcare hired Shackletons to develop a new interior look that would provide homely, comfortable, and modern accommodation for the residents of their private residences within their care community, Hunters Down in Huntingdon. The brief was to create an environment that provided a level of comfort synonymous with homeliness, while supporting the variations of care given, such as nursing, dementia nursing, residential and palliative. Five luxury suites, quiet rooms, family meeting room and a library have all benefitted from a Shackletons makeover. Soft cream fabrics with muted purples and greens have been used against more traditional, simply styled furniture in quieter rooms; whilst in the library tartans and checks in caramels and

browns work with high back seating and occasional furniture to create a sophisticated reading space. “Shackletons helped translate our brief by developing a stimulating environment that ensures transition to care and ongoing care within Hunters Down is as easy as possible, “ said Excelcare’s Charlotte SpiritoEdwards. “We believe maximum comfort, convenience and stimulation has been achieved for the people who live here – it’s as individual as the care provided.” The Shackletons service doesn’t just provide an exceptional product, quick turnaround, and responsive customer service; it also provides choice and expert guidance to ensure comfort, mobility, safety, freedom and enjoyment is provided without compromise for any residential or nursing care environment.

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QUALITY IN CARESPONSORED BY

www.requiredsystems.com

Good Care Guide launches in Wales By Dominic Musgrave

Lucas Love Healthcare directors Sinead Polland and Susanne Ritchie.

Top marks for care agency NORTHERN Ireland-based nursing and domiciliary care agency Lucas Love Healthcare is celebrating the double. Commended for the excellent standard of care provided by staff with an almost unheard of 100 per cent in their annual inspection by the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority, the agency has also posted its most successful financial year to date. This comes after a management buy out last year, which has enabled directors Sinead Polland and Susanne Ritchie to drive forward growth through a substantial expansion of their team and service offering. The agency provides temporary and permanent employment to nurses, care assistants and support workers

right across the province. “2013 was a tremendous year for Lucas Love Healthcare, with highlights for our team including launches of Access NI services and a dedicated e-Learning College, as well as the addition of two new team members and an extensive PR and marketing campaign following our takeover of the company,” said Sinead. “Our first year holding the reins saw us solidify Lucas Love Healthcare’s role as the recruitment provider of choice within the Northern Ireland care sector. Nurses, care assistants and support workers continue to work for us in an array of settings across the province, and our bank of high quality staff increased by 24 per cent in the final months of 2013.”

THE state of child and eldercare in Wales is due to be put under the spotlight with the launch of the Good Care Guide. The independent website has been described as “the TripAdvisor for the care industry” and will allow families across Wales to review and rate a care home, homecare agency or nursery – and seek out first-hand experiences from others. The Good Care Guide launched in England in February 2012 and has proved popular with families embarking on the difficult journey of finding the right care for their loved ones. More than 3,600 Welsh care providers can now be found on the Good Care Guide website, which has been created by My Family Care and United for All Ages, with the help of the Care and Social Inspectorate Wales. Director Andy Major said: “Our aim is to ensure that a high standard of care is adhered to in all care homes, home care agencies and nurseries across the country. “It’s of paramount importance that care in Wales is continually under scrutiny to make sure that people are always treated the way they deserve – well. “Whether you’re looking for the best nursery in Swansea or a great care home in Cardiff, Good Care Guide can now provide insight into what people really think.” The Good Care Guide has also proved to be an essential source of insight for care providers who have improved their quality of service as a result of receiving these honest, impartial and genuine reviews.

“We do not tolerate bad care but when this does happen we need to know about it so we can take action.” Imelda Richardson, chief inspector for Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales, added: “It is important when families are choosing care for a loved one that they have all of the information available to make an informed decision. “Having our providers listed on the Good Care Guide is another step forward in being transparent about the type of care available in Wales. “We do not tolerate bad care but when this does happen we need to know about it so we can take action. The Good Care Guide is another opportunity to engage with people to know what they think about care in Wales.” Care providers can subscribe to the Good Care Guide to enhance their listing and respond directly to comments. Good Care Guide alerts care providers when a positive or negative review is posted, and also allows them to report comments, which then become subject to a verification process. The Good Care Guide has a robust moderation process, ensuring that only genuine users of care can comment and providers can challenge false statements.

Helping you to comply with the regulator IT IS not just CQC that require services in the care sector to be able to evidence compliance. Your bank and local authorities placing service users are becoming more demanding. The two major failures in CQC inspections are poor record keeping and drug administration. Required Systems Ltd has all the quality systems you need to be compliant, incorporating all the forthcoming changes from CQC. To find out more call 01236 782477 or visit www.requiredsystems.com

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NCA launches Government cuts survey By Dominic Musgrave A NEW survey aimed at gauging the financial difficulties faced by care home providers due to Government cuts was launched at a care conference. The details of the online survey, designed to ascertain how Government cuts are affecting care home provision, was launched by NCA chief executive Sheila Scott in a keynote speech. Addressing delegates at the conference hosted by Leamington solicitors Wright Hassall, Sheila unveiled details of the new survey, which will be available to complete on the NCA’s website during the next couple of months. The survey’s aim is to collate direct evidence from care home operators of the impact upon care provision

that Government cuts in funding to local authorities has had upon them. Shelia said: “We are launching this survey as an opportunity for care home operators and providers to share with us their experiences of how Government funding cuts have affected them. “From some of our initial research, we are not overegging it to say that we are seeing a three per cent reduction in real terms in fees, while at the same time overall costs are rising. The Government must realise that this continued imbalance can only result in an impact in the standard of care delivered. “We feel that the survey responses will confirm what we already know, and it will be the springboard to a concerted campaign designed to press the Government to ring-fence money for care provision.”

NCA chief executive Sheila Scott. The NCA leader added that the organisation will publish the survey findings in the next few months. Rachel Gwynne, Wright Hassall’s head of charities and not for profit, said: “We are very pleased to have attracted such high-quality speakers

to Wright Hassall’s care conference, and such a good number of delegates to debate and discuss issues key to the care home sector. “It’s a measure of the event that the NCA chief executive chose to unveil details of their new survey and prospective campaign at the conference. “We look forward to seeing the findings of the survey in a few months, and where those results might take us in terms of tackling the funding issues currently emerging within the care home sector.” The Wright Hassall care conference saw a number of keynote speakers from the industry address delegates on a wide range of relevant sector issues. Alongside Sheila’s opening address, it included an update on the CQC by manager Amanda Lyndon.

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CARINGCOMMERCE

Richmond reveals details of its sixth village at Witney RICHMOND Villages has announced details of its sixth village, which is to be built at Witney, west of Oxford. Once completed it will provide 126 homes for those over 55, and an additional 60 care home beds. The development follows the company’s acquisition by Bupa last summer, and the success of its other recent new villages, Letcombe Regis also in Oxfordshire, Painswick, Gloucestershire and Northampton. The new £30million Richmond Witney will be located at Coral Springs, and within close proximity of the town centre. It will initially comprise 30 independent Village apartments – one and two bedroom apartments (with the average size of a two bed being 1,066 sq.ft), 46 Village suites (one and two bedroom) and a care home providing nursing and dementia care. A full list of property prices will be available shortly, but Village suites will start from £225,000 and Village apartments from £285,000. Reservations will also be taken in the near future when a sales and marketing suite will open in Witney town centre offering full information. Managing director Paddy Brice said:

A revised planning application has been submitted to Bassetlaw Council which could see 200 jobs created in the borough. The plans, for the Greenacres site, at Worksop, would be a huge economic boost for the area, bringing with it jobs and economic benefits for existing local businesses. Horizon had resubmitted plans for care centres to be built on the three-acre site, following a public consultation and discussions with the town council.

Artist’s impression or Richmond Witney. “We know from the waiting list for properties at Letcombe Regis that there is a strong demand in West Oxfordshire for what we offer, and are delighted that construction will start soon. “In addition to these new homes, which will help meet the growing need from the ageing sector of the community, this new village will create some 150 new and permanent jobs.” Richmond Witney will include all the facilities that have made its other villages popular, including a wellness spa with swimming pool and gym, hair and beauty salon, a library, IT room, terrace café, restaurant and garden bar, and all set within beautifully landscaped grounds with a bowling green and nature reserve beyond.

Frustrated with your current lender? Is it time to switch? IF you are seeking to restructure or increase your existing mortgage, Chandler & Co.'s status as an independent healthcare specialist means we have strong links with a comprehensive range of lenders. The combined experience of the partners including financial, management and care home ownership offers first-hand knowledge and expertise in the healthcare sector. As existing operators, you can consider the whole range of options available to you, including: Restructuring of existing loans. Equity release and debt consolidation.

Purchase of additional businesses. Refurbishments and extensions of existing business. Land purchase and new build schemes. Sale and leaseback finance. By combining finance for improvements with a restructure of your existing borrowings, it may be possible to enhance your business without increasing your monthly loan repayments. Terms include: Monthly repayments as low as £4,361.31 (per £1m borrowed). 75 per cent loan to value. No arrangement fees. 25-year loan commitment.

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CARINGCOMMERCE

Injuries caused by lifting residents By David Waters ONE of the most frequent reasons care home operators submit insurance claims is due to injury to staff resulting from lifting residents. Many of the claims we receive are due to back injuries, since they are so difficult to disprove. As an example, at the care home of one of our clients, a carer helping a resident get out of his chair was not using a hoist. This scenario is one with which many of us can empathise; but sometimes there is a need to protect employees from their own kindness. In this case, the resident fell as he raised himself from his chair and the carer tried to break his fall, twisting her shoulder. She was undoubtedly in pain and, following an MRI, it was discovered she had suffered a dislocated shoulder. The insurance cost for her injury and loss of earnings was in excess of £25,000 and her legal fees were almost the same again. For £50,000+, the carer could and should have used a hoist. In this particular case, the care home owner could not understand why his insurance premium increased by almost 30 per cent from £1,900 to £2,500. Conversely, our insurers could not understand how the owner failed to realise a £50,000+

A CGI of the new 80-bed Glastonbury Court care home development, which will be built by Castleoak for Care UK.

David Waters

Castleoak secures ten out of ten planning permissions

cost was caused by his management failure. As the UK’s only dedicated insurance broker for the care sector fortunately we were able to successfully mediate and restore harmony shortly before policy renewal. This case highlights two aspects: How important it is to train staff how to lift residents safely since a hoist can protect staff, residents and the care home owners. How very expensive litigation is. Insurers paying these bills can only recover this money from premiums, the correlation is inevitable. David Waters is managing director of Care Home Insurance Services

CASTLEOAK’S £45million Suffolk care home reprovisioning programme for Care UK and the County Council has reached an important milestone with planning permission granted for all 10 new care home and wellbeing centre developments. The final consent, an 80-bed facility to replace the existing Glastonbury Court in Bury St Edmunds, has been granted approval by St Edmundsbury Borough Council. Chris Hopkinson, Care UK regional operations director, said: “10 out of 10 planning approvals have now been achieved and these will directly meet Suffolk’s demand for a better provi-

sion of specialist nursing, residential and day care services. Construction has been underway on eight of the new care homes since 2013, and we look forward to opening six homes later this year.” The Glastonbury Court development is the second new care home and wellbeing centre for Bury St Edmunds, following Davers Court, where Castleoak is due to complete construction in July. Castleoak will start construction of the new Glastonbury Court development in September, with the opening scheduled for some time in November 2015.

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CARINGCOMMERCE

Rules to blame for closure ADMINISTRATORS from The P&A Partnership have been called in to a Lancashire care provider after increasing legislation and intense competition brought an end to the business, with the loss of more than 150 jobs. Abacus Care Home Care and Nursing Services (Ormskirk) Limited supplied qualified nurses and health care assistants to care homes, hospitals, and secure units, as well as providing palliative care and specialist care, and personal and domestic care to clients within their own homes. Abacus Care (Home Care and Nursing Services) Limited, also offered franchises providing care services around the UK. Chris White and Gareth Rusling have been appointed administrators. Chris said: “Abacus Care Home Care and Nursing Services (Ormskirk) Limited has provided a valuable service across the North West, and across the UK, for a number of years, but has fallen victim to growing health care legislation alongside rising competition. These factors have made the business unviable, forcing the owners to make the difficult decision to shut down the company.”

TV’s Dr Hilary Jones ‘blown away’ by new £8.5m home By Dominic Musgrave TV'S Dr Hilary Jones has said he was “absolutely blown away” by a new £8.5million care home in Hampshire. The broadcaster and author was speaking at a public open day at Colten Care's Linden House in Lymington. Dr Hilary described the home, which offers dedicated support for people living with dementia and memory loss, as a ‘centre of excellence’. He added: “Linden House acts as a shining light for the rest of the care sector. “Over the years I have attended the opening of 12 Colten Care homes and each time I see improvements on the one before. “I’ve been absolutely blown away by the attention to detail at Linden House. It's stunning.” Dr Hilary's visit came shortly after Lymington Mayor, Councillor Anna Rostand, officially declared the care home open in front of more than 150 invited guests. Up to 60 residents will live in one of four small ‘house groups’, each with a friendly atmosphere of safety, security and togetherness. Every physical detail of the 4,250square-metre home has been

Dr Hilary Jones takes a rest in Linden House's Linden Square with Jackie Hampton, home manager, and Ian Hudson, Colten Care's executive chairman. designed with dementia care in mind including themed rooms, colour schemes, corridor and room features, and navigational aids. The home includes a café, retreat, hairdressing salon, cinema and even a ‘Linden Square’ complete with ‘shop fronts’ evoking the Georgian grandeur of Lymington. Themed gardens include a gazebo, beach huts and putting green. References to Lymington and the local area throughout the home help the overall aim of prompting both

interactivity and reminiscence. The opening of Linden House has created around 100 direct jobs including posts for nurses, healthcare assistants, activity organisers, social carers and other ancillary staff. Ian Hudson, Colten Care's executive chairman, said:“We have 19 homes including four specifically for people living with dementia and memory loss. “As a family company, our policy is 'care before profit' and we are looking to expand further.”

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DEMENTIA SPONSORED BY

www.active-minds.co.uk

Amore Care, part of the Priory Group of Companies, has received university accreditation for a new programme. Dominic Musgrave found out more.

Innovative dementia programme receives university accreditation ‘CREATIVE Minds’ was well received by the review board at the University of Brighton, which was unanimous in giving full accreditation. The success of the programme follows a year of writing, delivering to care teams, reviewing, changing and retesting. ‘Creative Minds’ is an innovative five-session programme that has the ethos of supporting people with dementia to live their lives to the fullest capacity. The sessions include: Understanding the impact of dementia on the person and family. Enabling communication and positive experiences for people living with dementia. Understanding stress and distress reactions in dementia. Promoting dignity, respect and personhood for people who are living with dementia. Living life – meaningful activity for people living with dementia. Creative Minds is available for all Amore care home staff and offers participants a variety of ways to learn including active participation, best practice films, exercises, presentations, theory and reflective learning. Amore Care’s Creative Minds training is designed to motivate all care home staff and encourage creative ideas to improve the quality of life for

residents. Stephen Amos, dementia lead at Amore Care, said: “Creative Minds gives a clear message that people with dementia can contribute, be purposeful, can engage and be active, can share emotions and develop relationships, depending on the individual. “Our absolute belief is that people living with dementia need to be valued as a person with a continued role and purpose in life, need a sense of belonging within their care home community, need to feel they are loved and need to have meaningful engagement, activity and occupation. “The key challenge for our staff is that residents are often reliant on them to facilitate this.” Creative Minds in action A firm friendship with Amore Care’s Apple Mews’ maintenance man Johnny McKenna has enabled resident Alfie to involve himself in everyday tasks and activities that have led to a quality of life and level of independence he never dreamed of attaining. Johnny, who has worked at Apple Mews in Armagh since October 2012 after spending most of his working life on building sites, attended Amore Care’s Creative Minds training. Despite not having a care back-

Maintenance man Johnny McKenna and Alfie Hill. ground, he embraced the ethos of the programme and engaged with Alfie in a way that changed his life. Alfie now helps around the home, goes fishing with Johnny and even mows the lawns from his wheelchair,

with a little innovative assistance from Johnny. He is so motivated in his life that he has started regular physiotherapy with the ultimate aim of walking again.

Residents get on board with musical research

A Lancashire care company has won a prestigious award for its commitment to improving the lives of people affected by dementia. Jimmy Anyon, training and development manager at SureCare in Preston and South Ribble, received the Dementia Initiative Award from TV presenter Esther Rantzen. The awards were organised by the Lancashire Workforce Development Partnership and funded by Lancashire County Council. He said: “SureCare was delighted to take part in this year-long programme which was aimed at improving the care sector’s understanding of dementia and the ways in which carers such as ourselves can meet the needs of clients affected by the condition.” Jimmy Anyon is pictured with Esther Rantzen.

RESIDENTS at a national maritime charity care home are helping to investigate how music can help those suffering from dementia by taking part in a new scientific study. The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society, based in Banstead in Surrey, has been involved in a research programme involving live music charity Music in Hospitals and The University of Roehampton. The research aims to discover more about the science behind the therapeutic benefits of live music and in particular, how live music can improve the wellbeing of those suffering from dementia. The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society includes music therapy as part of the daily activities at its Surrey based care home. The study being undertaken at the home includes monitoring cortisol and saliva levels to assess the impact on a resident’s mood. High cortisol levels are an indicator of stress, whereas increased saliva is an indication of happiness. Concert coordinator at Music in Hospitals, Lisa Freund, said: “The res-

idents at the care home enjoy music sessions filled with different genres, ranging from classical to jazz, folk, pop, show and old time. “Our musicians possess exceptional communication skills, which enable them to involve audiences beyond a musical level and help to bring the person out of the patient.” The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society opened its dedicated dementia centre two years ago after establishing that 40 per cent of its residents were possibly living with some form of the disease. Care home manager Anne Kasey said music can help to relieve the feelings of isolation some sufferers can have, as well as reviving forgotten happy memories. She added: “It was an absolute pleasure to be involved in this study as we’re contributing to research that could help patients across the nation. “As well as this, we’re helping to improve people’s understanding of dementia, how it works and how music can help sufferers. The effects are obvious, with residents becoming more interactive and stimulated.”

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CARINGNEWS Advertiser’s announcement

Sweetheat delivers hot results with new bootbar system DEWSBURY-based Sweetheat Technology has developed a new innovative Bootbar System which allows delivery companies to deliver piping hot meals each time. Managing director Nazim Maniar said: “We have been manufacturing our revolutionary Sweetheat Heated Delivery Bags System for over a decade now for the fast food and restaurant home delivery market. “We wanted to move into a new

field and, through extensive research and development, we now supply many nursing and care homes through key customers including Hertfordshire Community Meals and SK Solutions of Stockport.” The Bootbar is wired directly onto the battery of the car or van and can power up to four Sweetheat Heated Delivery Bags at 90 degrees Celsius – ensuring hot meals each and every time. T: 01924 488619

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CARINGPRODUCT NEWS

Would your medication You cannot buy experience management stand up? THE CQC is extremely concerned about the management of medicines in care settings, and 16.4 per cent of homes risk failing an inspection because their systems aren’t safe enough. Biodose is designed to maximise medicine adherence and is the only monitored dosage system on the market to accommodate both liquid and solid medication.

It is specifically engineered to reduce the risk of error with patient photos printed on every tray and drug names displayed on each premeasured pod. It saves round times as no pouring and measuring of liquid medicines is required, plus personalised pods and MAR charts mean care staff can check easily they’re giving the right medication to the right person at the right time.

THAT’S the Agecare motto, We are a well established limited family run company with a great reputation across East Anglia for reliability and prompt service. We are fully insured and have time served fully trained engineers who take pride in being able to repair any type of manual handling equipment in one visit, and not just condemning equipment and recommending replacement parts or a new piece of equipment to make up for only charging a low Loler inspection fee. We have seen other companies

come and go over the years, quoting silly prices to create business, and when things go wrong they don't call you back. If you would like a reliable supplier, repairer, maintainer to look after your equipment and company give us a call. We supply a massive range of new and used tried and tested products across the UK at great prices, but more importantly we will use our years of experience to make sure you get a great product that is right for your needs.

New - ThermoPop® thermometer with 360-degree rotating display

Beaucare’s CareClean™ range BEAUCARE has launched CareClean™, a specialised NHS and care home chemical cleaning range. These products have been specifically formulated for medical environments. The range includes a number of concentrates providing dilution cost savings, without compromising on quality. Careclean™ is a selection of triggers,

concentrates and five-litre refills, encompassing all the essentials for your daily cleaning regimes, from multi-surface cleaners, polishes and degreasers. Beaucare® Medical Ltd, established 21 years, is the UK’s premier supplier of hygiene, medical supplies and equipment to individual care homes, care home groups, hospitals and NHS Trusts.

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. Enquiries: Telephone 0800 074 3749.

Claim VAT back on your home even if you are not VAT registered IT is true, care providers can reclaim VAT worth about £3,000 per bed for any residents who stayed in your home between 1993 and 2002 paid for by the local authority. You don’t have to be VAT registered to make a claim. We can usually find the information required with minimal disruption to your business. How is this possible? Well in 2002 a care provider called Kingscrest challenged the view held by HMRC and won. There is no cost to you unless we are successful. Typical claims: 50 beds – £240,000; 40 beds – £170,000; 287 beds – £1.25m. And the best part is that you get the money in your bank account before you pay us. Don’t forget the tax repayment is free of tax – it is extra profit.

Enquiries: Call 01233 640985 and ask for Howard to find out more.

THE new ThermoPop® pocket-sized thermometer can be read from any angle, in either hand – making the taking of temperature readings that much easier! The ThermoPop® features a unique 360-degree rotating display. Simply push a button to rotate the display in 90-degree increments, enabling the user to read the temperature in any position i.e. left hand, right hand, vertical or horizontal. Additionally, the ThermoPop® thermometer features a backlit LCD display, making thermometer readings that much easier to read whatever the light level. The thermometer is housed in a waterproof IP66 case and measures temperature over the range of 50 to 300°C with a 1°C/°F resolution. The thermometer will power off automatically after 10 minutes, maximising battery life. Each thermometer is supplied with a permanently attached, pointed stainless steel food penetration probe (Ø3 x 114 mm) with a fast response tip, together with a probe cover with integral pocket clip. The ThermoPop® thermometer is competitively priced, at £17 each exclusive of VAT and available

direct from www.etiltd.com ordering code 810-280. Enquiries: For further information call 01903 202151, email sales@etiltd.com or visit www.etiltd.com

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Andrew’s solution to identifying clothing

Staff and residents from Four Seasons Health Care raised £10,724.41 for Macmillan Cancer Support by taking part in the charity’s World’s Biggest Coffee Morning initiative. This amount could help pay for two Macmillan nurses for a month; providing crucial help for people living with cancer and their families. Across the UK, 162 Four Seasons care homes hosted a coffee morning, while Annette Embleton, a care assistant at Redwell Hills Care Home in County Durham collected more than £500 by shaving off her hair.

Concentrated savings from Gompels ... GOMPELS HealthCare Ltd has developed a new range of concentrated cleaning products. The range, specially formulated and developed by Gompels, includes a Floor & Hard Surface Cleaner, Foodsafe Cleaner & Sanitiser and a Room & Washroom Cleaner. They are all antibacterial, comply to BS EN 1276 and are designed to remove even the most stubborn dirt and grime. The products have been developed to be highly concentrated and therefore superbly economical.

When diluted they will give you a trigger spray bottle of solution for as little as 20p! As well as saving you money the system will also save you on storage – a 2.5litre bottle when diluted as directed will give you the equivalent of 166 750ml trigger bottles! Gompels are currently offering this range in a starter pack that provides you with everything you need to get started including the dispenser, a display board, pumps and empty trigger spray bottles as well as all three of the cleaning products.

ANDREW Passfield of Secure-Tag Ltd is on a mission. He has developed a cost effective solution to identify residents’ clothing in care homes to meet the needs of all operators and he wants everyone to know a real alternative is available. “We couldn’t understand why, in the 21st Century, people still hadn’t solved the problem of clothing identification and were determined to come up with the answer,” said Andrew, who co-founded Secure Tag Ltd. After extensive research both here and overseas, Secure-Tag has launched a fast, simple and extremely affordable solution that ‘does what it says on the tin’.

Andrew explained how they adapted a system they saw in the US. “We were shown small format thermal tags being used in a high intensity laundry and decided to adapt this,” he added. “Our system is suitable for fusing tags onto the care label using a special heat seal method for ease of application, ease of locating the tag and enhancement of personal dignity. “In just eight seconds our tags can be applied to any garment including socks and underwear, and crucially, they cannot be felt by the wearer.” Secure-Tags carry two types of identification – a small visible name and a barcode to speed accurate laundry sorting – which is ideal for larger homes.

Staff get their boots on for charity MEMBERS of staff at Debaliol Nursing Home in Newbiggin by the Sea, Northumberland, are pulling on their hiking boots to raise funds for the British Red Cross and extra treats for the residents. Sixteen members of staff including manager of the Bondcare owned home, Julia Rose, will tackle a 13-mile sponsored coastal walk from Amble to Newbiggin, donating funds raised to the British Red

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Cross and for additional summer outings for the residents. She said: “We always like to support charities and go the extra mile for our residents, so we’re looking forward to raising funds for the British Red Cross and for additional treats for our residents to enjoy this summer. Staff have been training hard for the walk and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that the weather will be fine.”

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