Caring UK April 2023

Providers are being pushed to the brink

THE care of thousands of older and vulnerable people could be at risk after a dire warning that a third of care providers have considered leaving the market.

A new report reveals that rising costs and workforce pressures are pushing many care providers to the edge.

The Independent Care Group says the report provides more evidence of the need for urgent Government action on the care crisis.

Chair Mike Padgham said: “Coming as it does, hot on the heels of a total lack of action on care in the Budget, this report makes terrifying reading and rings alarm bells for the future care of thousands of vulnerable people.

“It serves as a snapshot of where providers are at the moment, particularly smaller providers, which make up a vital chunk of the sector as a whole.

“It paints a picture of the social care sector potentially suffering death by a thousand cuts as more and more providers either fully close, close parts of their operations or consider closing in the future.”

The Sector Pulse Check report was commissioned by national charity Hft and Care England. Some 92 per cent of respondents said workforce pay was a concern, with 81 saying local authority

CUK Awards nominations set to open

fee increases did not cover those rising costs. Financial and workforce pressures had forced 42 per cent of respondents to close parts of their organisation or hand back contracts

Mike added: This is an excellent, timely report and we congratulate Hft and Care England on its publication and stand firm with them in calling for the Government to get round the table with providers and find some solutions. If, as is being reported, a settlement has been reached to give nurses and ambulance workers a well-deserved pay boost, we have to ask, what about care staff?

“They fought side by side with NHS workers during the pandemic and, like them, were clapped on the doorsteps. But there is little sign of social care being funded sufficiently well for anything like the pay rise afforded to their NHS counterparts.

“Better funding for social care would enable local authorities to pay a price that better matches the true cost of delivering care.

“That would in turn enable providers to pay their staff better, tackle the disparity that exists between them and their NHS colleagues and ease some of the financial and recruitment nightmares that are outlined in the Sector Pulse Check report.”

A National Care Group registered manager has received her MBE from HRH Princess Anne as part of The Queen’s Birthday Honours List 2022 for her outstanding services to social care. Julie Shield, registered manager at Abbeyvale Care Centre – part of National Care Group’s Essential Care and Support services in County Durham – attended the ceremony at Windsor Castle. The MBE reflects her dedicated service to the residents at Abbeyvale Care Centre and the social care sector as a whole, in which she has worked since 2000. In particular, Julie’s efforts during the pandemic ensured her service was kept completely Covid-19 free, selflessly putting the health and wellbeing of the people she supports above her own. Julie won Employer of the Year at the Caring UK Awards in 2021.

OPERATORS wanting to put themselves forward for recognition have been urged to enter the Caring UK Awards in partnership with Virgin Money when nominations open next month. Nominations for this year’s event will open at www.caringukawards. co.uk on Monday, April 17. The deadline for nominations will be Monday, August 28.

The awards, organised by Script Events in partnership with Caring UK, recognise excellence and achievement in all corners of the care industry.

And with more than 20 categories up for grabs, there’s something to suit every type of care business. These include everything from Quality in Housekeeping and Catering Team of the Year to Best Outdoor Environment and End of Life Team of the Year.

Caring UK Awards director Dominic Musgrave said: “We’re extremely proud that the Caring UK Awards are for every business – our awards are free to enter and our judging criteria means that it’s not down to the size of your facility but how you run it.

“Our main aim is to recognise and honour the best in our wonderful sector and showcase the innovation and dedication that goes on every day so please share your successes and tell us about your hard work and initiatives by sending in your nominations.” Trophies will be handed out at a ceremony on Thursday, December 7 at the Athena in Leicester.

Residents receive a special visit from AFC Bournemouth skipper

CARE South’s Castle Dene care home in Bournemouth was delighted to open its home for special guest appearances from AFC Bournemouth goalkeeper and captain Norberto Murara Neto, known as Neto, and retired footballer Steve Fletcher thanks to the AFC Bournemouth Community Sports Trust team.

Residents were delighted to welcome the AFC Bournemouth Community Sports Trust team with its special guests back to their home, with everyone keen to put their footballing skills to the test.

Home manager Lana Wright said: “It’s always great to welcome the team from AFC Bournemouth Community Sports Trust to Castle Dene and this time with two very special guests.

“Residents thoroughly enjoyed the football games, especially with AFC Bournemouth captain Neto and Steve Fletcher joining in. The Trust visits the home regularly to deliver football sessions which help to keep residents in our care active and engaged, with input from the community.”

The day started with residents taking part in warm up exercises to prepare for some football fun. Neto and Steve joined in with the games and the Community Sports Trust team made sure everyone

in the makeshift pitch was able to get involved, using specially designed, seated football games to bring out the competitive streak in all residents. There was a well-earned half time break with tea, coffee and conversation between residents, Neto, Steve and the Community Sports Trust team.

Prizes for the games that were played consisted of official AFC Bournemouth merchandise, including clocks and scarfs,

and were handed out by Neto and Steve to the winning residents

The visit from the team was thanks to the ongoing partnership between AFC Bournemouth Community Sports Trust and Care South, which began in 2014. The partnership allows residents, home care clients and staff to get involved in a variety of activities, including meeting players, coffee mornings, walking football and visits to the Vitality Stadium.

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Expanding homecare operator to create 16 jobs to meet demand

A HOMECARE provider is expanding and creating 16 new jobs in the Kendal area.

Africa comes to home

AFRICA was brought to a care home in Salford when a community group showcased their traditions, festivals and culture for residents and staff.

Members of the Moonraker Foundation, which is based in Leigh, performed at Alderwood when they showcased African music, dance, costumes, and food.

Wearing traditional ceremonial dress, five performers played instruments and danced for the assembled audience.

Two residents joined in part-way through, when Denise Latham, 71, started dancing and Doris Jennings, 93, played a drum.

The residents also enjoyed an African arts and crafts session, where they coloured and decorated pictures and masks, ahead of the Foundation’s visit.

Home manager Angela De Mascia said: “It was a fabulous afternoon. Something really different for the residents and staff. Everyone loved it.

“All week the residents had been doing African arts and crafts and it was displayed, ready for the show, for The Moonraker Foundation members to see.

“We’d like to say a huge thank you to all five members for visiting Alderwood Care Home and giving everyone an amazing insight into such a vibrant and fascinating culture.”

The African heritage project from The Moonraker Foundation aims to raise awareness of African festivals and how they have changed, capturing and demonstrating memories and knowledge of these historical traditions.

Westmorland Homecare is aiming to recruit 20 new homecare assistants within the next six weeks – 16 of those will be new roles and four will be to fill existing vacancies. The jobs will be a mixture of full and part-time posts.

“There is an increasing need nationally and locally for care at home,” said Kelsey Walmsley, manager of the South Lakes branch of Westmorland Homecare.

“We want to show that a career in care is unlike many others. It’s rewarding in every way and definitely leaves you with that ‘feel good’ factor.”

New homecare assistants will continue to receive free induction training for around seven to 10 days and spend a couple of weeks shadowing a more experienced colleague on calls before working on their own. And now the company is offering a £250 starting bonus for all those who complete the training.

Westmorland Homecare provides thousands of hours of care each week to enable elderly and often frail people to live independently in their own home.

Its services include home care, such as help with housekeeping and meal preparation, and personal care, such as help with dressing, bathing and getting in and out of bed.

Kelsey said there was a strong ‘personality focus’ to its recruitment process.

She added: “We recruit people based on what their values are as individuals and whether they match our company values.

“The values of Westmorland Homecare are kindness, innovation, trust and enriching people’s lives.

“We have an utmost belief that we can teach people the necessary

professional skills required for the job but the ability to care for people is an innate quality that individuals either have or do not have.”

She added that working for Westmorland Homecare was like joining a family.

“We have lots of staff who have been with us for an extremely long time because we look after our team and do things such as staff and client social events and even organise discounts for staff at local pubs.

“We have created continuity of care for clients and continuity of working for staff. They go to see the same clients on the same days because we want them to learn their clients’ routines and lifestyles and ultimately become their second family.”

Kelsey said that while care work was rewarding in itself, it could also be a pathway for those who wanted to join the medical profession. One former homecare assistant had gone on to study medicine, some had moved into nursing and one was now a qualified occupational therapist.

Homecare assistant Rachel Hayton and a client enjoying a day out, which included a visit to a local cafe.

Residents at RMBI Care Co. Home Scarbrough Court in Cramlington, Northumberland, have been gifted with a dozen soft, cuddly teddies to help provide comfort and relieve stress. The teddies, which were donated by the Freemasons of Northumberland and Cumbria, were presented as part of Teddies for Loving Care, a scheme set up by Freemason in 2001, initially to support young children who spend time in A&E departments in hospitals. Local Freemasons extended the TLC initiative extended to provide a similar comfort for care home residents living with dementia. Stacey Louise, one of Scarbrough Court’s activities coordinators, said: “Our residents were thrilled to receive such a kind and thoughtful gift, bringing joy and happiness to everyone.”

Residents and staff walk every day for charity

CARE home residents and staff in Epping have walked 1km a day in February to raise money for a charity close to their heart.

Ranging from ages 84 to 95, residents at Weald Hall joined the care team to walk the total of 28km throughout February.

The month-long challenge has so far raised £500 for Dementia UK and the residents’ fund.

Manager Danielle Barham said: “I am so proud of our residents for joining our care team with this challenge and raising money for such an incredible cause.

“It’s been wonderful to watch our residents embrace getting outdoors, even in the colder weather. The dedication of staff and residents has been phenomenal.”

Completing the steps locally in and around Epping, some residents have walked unaided, whilst others have joined staff in their wheelchairs.

Weald Hall was taken over by

Premium Care Group last summer.

Starting with residents’ bedrooms, sitting rooms and dining areas, significant investment in the home has seen internal and external decoration works transform it into a warm, welcoming and inclusive environment.

Keeping with the upmarket theme, Weald Hall features a cinema room, hair salon, music room, multi sensory room, bakery, library, post office and sweet shop.

With final exterior works planned to be completed in the spring, the owners plan to make the most of the large grounds and rural views.

The changes have seen the management of the home transformed, with improvements being made to staff training and development and personalised care and activity programmes.

The home has already seen its CQC rating change from requires improvement to good.

Guide dog Erryn visits dementia care home

RESIDENTS of a dementia care home in Wellington responded with lively interest to a recent visit by a local guide dog user, accompanied with her canine companion, who shared with them her experience of life with the support of a guide dog.

Jo Hogan has benefitted from the support of three dogs before the arrival in 2020 of Erryn, a gentle and loving four-year-old Labrador. She was registered blind at 21, having started to lose her eyesight aged nine.

Richard Dempslake, activities co-ordinator for Camelot House and Lodge, said: “It was a lovely session – Jo told us her story, her experience with having a guide dog and how it transformed her life.

“We thought we already knew a bit about guide dogs, but Jo really enlightened us about the difference a companion such as Erryn makes to the lives of individuals who have a vision or hearing impairment.

“After the talk, residents were keen to ask Jo questions about her loyal companion, and then we walked around the home introducing Jo and Erryn.

“This helped with residents with sensory loss and became an animal therapy session, with residents thoroughly enjoying stroking Erryn’s fur and getting an occasional lick.

“Jo offered residents guide dog stickers which they wore with pride.

“Our residents thoroughly enjoyed Jo and Erryn visiting, and we were pleased to make a £50 contribution to Guide Dogs UK who do such amazing work training dogs for people like Jo.”

The visit was part of a full and varied activities programme co-ordinated by Richard and his team for the enjoyment of residents of Camelot House and Lodge.

Jo added: “Erryn and I really enjoyed our time at Camelot House. We would welcome the opportunity to visit again any time for animal therapy.

“I’m sure many people with sight loss would join me with huge thanks for the donation made by Camelot Care.”

In his latest in a series of regular columns, care provider Mike Padgham, who is chair of the Independent Care Group, gives us his personal take on the big issues facing social care.

Can care and profit live side by side?

THROUGHOUT 34 years of my delivering social care there has been one issue that has kept surfacing again and again and that is money.

I’m not talking about money that is spent nationally on social care – by the time you read this we will know whether the Chancellor had any financial help in his Budget for social care this year.

No, I’m talking about what the owners of care groups earn and whether care should be delivered by profit-making businesses at all. It surfaced recently when I was asked during a panel discussion whether I felt it was right for the owners of huge care companies to take large dividends or salaries.

There have also been some wellpublicised calls recently for care to be first and foremost delivered by notfor-profit organisations in the future.

To deal with these issues in turn, the first thing to say is that they are not new. For as long as I can remember there have been questions about whether care and profit can live side by side.

It is worth remembering that the bulk of care is not provided by huge companies but by small to mediumsized providers who are just about making a living – and in some cases at the moment, failing to do even that. It would need an enormous, seismic shift in the way this country delivers care for not-for-profit providers to be able to meet all current demand, let

alone future need too. I think there is room for all types of care provision in the marketplace.

Starting and growing a care business represents a huge risk, with many people risking their life savings and borrowing money to proceed.

Many, like me, began small by taking on a home to care for just a few residents and delivering the care myself whilst living ‘over the shop’.

All care providers have to make a profit, or a surplus in the case of notfor-profit providers, otherwise the Care Quality Commission will not let you operate. For most, a tremendous amount of that profit is reinvested back into the business to keep improving the quality of their care, maintain the fabric of their buildings and to meet ever-rising bills.

Delivering care is a hugely expensive enterprise, particularly for those who provide mostly public sector-funded care. It is well documented that the price commissioners pay for care has been squeezed to the point where it fails to cover the cost of delivering care and it is hard to survive.

The first results of the muchpublicised Cost of Care Exercise have revealed that in 2021/22, the government paid at least £2.88billion less than the actual cost of delivering care to people in their own homes, and in care homes for those aged over 65. The data, already out of date, suggested that on average residential care fees were £218 a week and nursing homes fees £231 a week, below the fair cost of delivering that care.

One London borough reported an average potential gap of up to £375 a week for care home fees and £4.31 an hour for home care.

Trust me, if the majority of modest sized providers were not putting people before profit, they would have exited the market a long time ago.

For me, it has always been about care and whilst I make a living from my business I also invest in sustaining and improving the care I offer and in paying my staff as well as I can, given the huge financial pressures we face, particularly in these times of rapidly rising fuel and utility costs.

One of the arguments made in favour of not-for-profit operators

is that such providers are better regulated and inspected and more accountable.

Well, I would struggle to find a tighter regulated sector than social care, subject as we are to close scrutiny from the Care Quality Commission and our local authorities and the NHS amongst others.

The implication from this assertion is that private providers put profit before the standard of their care.

There are, sadly, examples of poor care, poor performance and poor value for the public purse in the public sector just as there are in some profit-making care businesses.

There are many working in the public sector and not-for-profit sector earning very good salaries from their posts, just as there are within corporate providers.

The question should surely always be, are they doing a good job, delivering good care and justifying that remuneration?

I find these arguments divisive and a distraction from what we should be united in seeking, which is a fairer deal for all social care providers, small, medium or large, profit making or not-for-profit.

Instead of internal discussions or disagreements we should be turning our collective fire on the Government and stepping up the fight for better funding for social care and proper reward for all of our combined workforce.

Weldmar Hospicecare selected as Chairman’s Fund beneficiary

CARE South, a not-for-profit leading provider of residential and care at home services across the south of England, has selected Weldmar Hospicecare as one of the latest beneficiaries of its Chairman’s Fund.

The Weldmar team cared for Elaine Stockley, a night care assistant at the operator’s Maiden Castle House near Dorchester, who passed away in June 2022 after battling cancer for a number of years.

The new manager of a Hindhead care home has completed a remarkable five-year climb to a senior leadership position and set out her vision to support the community. Rachel Yoxall, a member of the team at Signature at Moorlands Lodge, is preparing to embark on an exciting new chapter in her career following her appointment as the care home’s new general manager. She will lead a team of 120, providing residential, nursing, dementia, and respite care, and takes the reigns after progressing her way through the ranks. Rachel is a long-standing health care professional, having worked as a ward sister at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth for eight years. Eager to take her career in a different direction, she chose the path of social care, joining Signature at Moorlands Lodge five years ago as a nursing manager.

Elaine’s family and friends, as well as the team at Maiden Castle House, have all continued to raise funds for the charity since Elaine’s passing, raising £2,760 by holding a quiz night and walking 26 miles around the Jurassic Coast.

Chief executive officer Simon Bird was keen to show the company’s appreciation and support, and to thank Weldmar Hospicecare for the care they gave to Elaine and her family when they needed it most, by applying to Care South’s Chairman’s 2020 Fund for a donation of £1,000 for the charity.

Simon was also keen to support the Care South team at Maiden Castle House in their fundraising efforts for a charity that is very close to their hearts.

He said: “Weldmar Hospicecare remains very close to the hearts of many who worked alongside Elaine for years at Maiden Castle House.

“Elaine was a wonderful member of the team who worked tirelessly at the home and was a real inspiration.

“The Weldmar Hospicecare team are all truly wonderful and we are really pleased to be able to support such an amazing charity that did so much for Elaine and for everyone they support day-in, day-out through some very difficult times.”

The Chairman’s 2020 Fund was set up as a way for the charity to show its support and appreciation to not-forprofit individuals and groups who are important to Care South’s care homes, residents, care at home clients and

staff.

April Whitehead, major gifts and partnerships lead at Weldmar Hospicecare, added: “We are really thankful for Care South’s generous support through the Chairman’s Fund, which will give comfort, dignity and relief to our patients.

“We are extremely proud to support our Dorset community and help anyone that needs us when facing one of life’s most difficult journeys.

“We are very grateful for the support which will help us to continue our vital services providing bespoke and high quality end-of-life care.”

Mike Padgham

Ashley Smith, home manager at Maiden Castle House, Tracey Gent, fundraiser at Weldmar Hospicecare and Simon Bird, chief executive officer at Care South.

Court case has major significance for the regulated care sector

Introduction

A recent Court of Appeal case, Hexpress Healthcare Limited v Care Quality Commission, has major significance for the regulated care sector.

Background

Hexpress Healthcare Limited is an online medical service which prescribes medication to patients via an online form reviewed by a doctor.

Following a CQC inspection in May 2022, Hexpress received a draft inspection report with an overall Requires Improvement rating, as well as an Inadequate rating under the Safe domain. Hexpress challenged the draft report through CQC’s factual accuracy comments (“FACs”) process.

Some amendments were made by the regulator, however Hexpress was not satisfied with the final report.

In October 2022, Hexpress applied to the High Court for permission to judicially review CQC, as well as seeking an interim injunction to stop the publication of the report.

First instance decision

The application for an interim injunction was dismissed by Mostyn J in November 2022, however he

did grant Hexpress permission to judicially review CQC on one of ground of challenge: that CQC acted disproportionately by using only six medical records as its sample.

Hexpress was next granted leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal on two grounds:

(1) CQC failed to independently review its FAC response, which was procedurally unfair; and

(2) the final report contains error of fact or else gives undue weight to irrelevant factors. Specifically the CQC should have taken into consideration additional evidence provided and remedial steps taken by Hexpress since the inspection.

Court of Appeal decision

The case was heard by the Court of Appeal on February 16 and its judgment was issued on March 6. Both grounds of appeal were dismissed for the following reasons:

(1) The Court of Appeal noted that following the case of R (on the application of SSP Health Ltd v Care Quality Commission) in 2016, CQC had amended its FACs process by bringing in an independent inspector unconnected with the inspection to review the provider’s FACs after the lead inspector had

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done so. The Court determined this independent element should ensure that any demonstrably wrong or misleading statements are corrected before the final inspection report is issued. Therefore, the FAC review process was procedurally fair and there was no entitlement in the Hexpress case to a further independent review.

(2) The Court of Appeal found that CQC was not obliged to rate the service based on a later date, taking into account any improvements made, but could lawfully rate the service based on the findings at the date of inspection.

Practical implications

This case underlines the importance of submitting detailed FACs and supporting evidence to CQC in response to a draft report.

However, what should you do if there are still significant factual errors in the final report even though CQC has followed its FAC review procedure which the Court of Appeal found to be fair?

In light of the Hexpress case it is far less likely that CQC will agree to carry out a further independent review.

Instead, the author strongly

recommends you seek legal advice as a matter of urgency to determine whether there are grounds for seeking a judicial review/interim injunction to prevent publication of the report on the basis that publishing the report in its uncorrected form would be irrational and/or unreasonable.

If there are such grounds, they should be communicated to CQC in writing without delay, with a demand that the report be corrected prior to publication. One would hope CQC would make the necessary changes to the report in the interests of accuracy, reasonableness and robust public assurance concerning standards in registered services.

Ultimately, however, if CQC refuses to make the changes, your remaining course of action is to apply to the High Court for permission to judicially review CQC.

We may well see more providers applying to the courts for a remedy if CQC turns down requests to correct inspection reports that continue to contain statements which are demonstrably wrong or misleading after the FAC stage.

n Neil Grant is a partner and Poppy Jackson a trainee solicitor at Gordons Partnership Solicitors.

Care group opens nominations for annual awards

NOMINATIONS are now open for the ninth annual Maria Mallaband and Countrywide Group Care Awards celebrating the work that takes place every day throughout the organisation.

The past year has been a busy one for Maria Mallaband Care Group with the opening of two new homes, the roll out of several sector-leading initiatives which are transforming life across the group, and a further enhancement of staff benefits and flexible working opportunities.

It has also been a demanding time within the sector, with the need for care home places growing, local authority funding and recruitment continuing to pose challenges, and the cost of living crisis putting staff under pressure financially.

But across the group, which has more than 80 homes up and down the UK, colleagues have brought their best selves to work every day, showing integrity, commitment and exceptional teamwork, and providing a first-class service, both those working directly alongside people living in their home, or in another capacity.

These annual awards give the MMCG family a chance to shine a light on that incredible work and celebrate and thank some of the special people who make a difference. Every single member of staff has the opportunity to be nominated in their respective category, as they rightly

deserve.

Chief people officer Susan Jones said: “We’re delighted to launch this year’s awards this week – it is always incredibly uplifting and moving to hear about the wonderful things our staff members have been doing and to be able to share and celebrate that.

“With the generous support of our awards sponsors we really pull out all the stops on the night for the winners and nominees – it’s their time to shine, and a highlight of the year for all of us.”

Anyone can nominate a member of staff, whether they have someone in mind for the Home of the Year, or think they’ve spotted a worthy recipient of the Excellence in Care award. With 11 possible categories this year, judged by a selection of judges, there is an opportunity for everyone.

Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony – a live, in-person gala evening – due to take place on July 20 at the Royal Armouries in Leeds.

Now in their ninth year, the awards were originally launched to recognise the hard work and efforts of the staff and the impact they have on the lives of those living in MMCG’s homes and their families.

In the past, clients, colleagues, relatives, and visitors have submitted a staggering number of nominations across all categories – and this year is expected to be no different.

Resident enjoys museum visit to see the tank her husband served on

RESIDENTS from Care South’s Dorset House care home in Poole enjoyed a day out to The Tank Museum in Wareham, which houses hundreds of military machines from every major battle since World War l.

During the visit, resident Dorothy remarkably found the tank that her husband served on more than 75 years ago during World War ll.

Much to Dorothy’s delight, museum worker James was able to identify the tank using a photo that she had bought along with her.

James shared stories of the battles that the tank had been involved in and revealed that his grandfather had also served in World War ll.

James demonstrated his expertise about the machinery by revealing that the tank Dorothy’s husband worked on was an American design.

The American design was dwarfed in comparison to the German tanks, and in a one-to-one battle would have been demolished by the opposition’s heavy machinery.

Because of this, the American tanks were manufactured in large numbers. Sam Baker, activities lead at Dorset House, said: “It was a fantastic day that brought back a lot of memories for residents in our care, particularly Dorothy, who feels closer to her husband than ever before.

“We would like to thank James and all the staff at the museum for the wonderful and historical day out.”

Dorset House residents took part in a simulation experience of life in the trenches, listened to stories of the war, dressed up in costumes from the time, challenged themselves with games, and even got to experience life on the tanks.

The World War ll exhibition hosted a shop and home set, decorated to emulate the time period, which brought back memories for many residents.

Resident Ralph revealed that his mother used to work in the shop, while Dorothy could remember having a rag rug in her youth.

Pet therapy comes to Powys care home

RESIDENTS at The Oaks welcomed two newborn lambs, a couple of ferrets and a cat called Tash as part of a pet therapy day.

Young volunteers from The Game Change Project visited the Newtown care home with the animals and chatted to residents.

Residents enjoy ‘stepping out’

RESIDENTS of Colten Care’s dedicated dementia home The Aldbury in Poole are enjoying the stimulating music and sing-alongs provided by a monthly community tea dance.

The Aldbury residents attend the ‘Stepping Out Community Tea Dance ‘ which is run by ex-professional ballroom dance company Shall We Dance at the Broadstone War Memorial Hall. The event is sponsored by Douch Family Funeral Directors.

Companionship team leader Sue Miles said: “Stepping Out is an entertaining and extremely valuable tea dance run for local people

including those living with memory loss and their carers.

“Our residents have been attending for the last nine months and thoroughly enjoy themselves, especially Joan Perrin and Phyllis Haiyne, who are both former ballroom dancers.”

“We are immensely grateful to the Douch family, which provides this and many other groups and activities within the community including lunch events, book clubs and also Knit and Natter.

“Indeed, the Knit and Natter Club recently donated 20 colourful lap blankets for our residents and they were over the moon to receive them.”

Registered manager Jen Roberts said: “Our residents had a wonderful morning with the volunteers from The Game Change Project, who brought lots of lovely animals to interact with.

The lambs went down particularly well and the residents took it in turns to feed them milk from a bottle.

“We love welcoming animals into the home and this is the latest pet therapy visit. Everyone finds it very soothing to be close to animals and to stroke their fur.

“Last year, we had two friendly alpacas into the home, which were also a big hit.

“We’ve also got a therapy dog called Jess who pops in every

week and we’ve arranged for some donkeys to visit in April.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming The Game Change Project back to our home on a regular basis.”

The Game Change Project is a not-for-profit organisation based on a small holding in Powys which supports young people to develop essential life skills, raise their aspirations and build their confidence.

Association launches its Care Chef of the Year 2023 competition

THE National Association of Care Catering’s Care Chef of the Year 2023 competition has opened for entries. The prestigious competition has been celebrating the culinary talent across the care sector for 23 years. Open to all chefs and cooks working in care settings, it recognises, showcases and celebrates their sector-specific knowledge, skills and flair.

The deadline for entries is Monday, April 24.

The NACC Care Chef of the Year 2023 competition is once again supported by main sponsor Unilever Food Solutions and event sponsor The Worshipful Company of Cooks.

Sue Cawthray, national chair of the NACC, said: “The launch of the NACC Care Chef of the Year is always an exciting event.

“This fantastic competition is a highlight of the NACC calendar and a brilliant platform to showcase the skills, knowledge and excellence of chefs working in our sector, as well as the career opportunities it offers.

“Delicious, nutritious food and positive dining experiences are fundamental to quality care, so you could say that the kitchen is at the heart of a care home.

“It’s therefore only right that we celebrate and champion the incredible talents of care chefs who,

day-in-day-out, ensure the individual and varied needs of those in their care are understood and met with skill, flair and dignity.

“I encourage everyone to enter their amazing chefs and celebrate the culinary excellence our wonderful sector delivers.

“I can’t wait to see how this year’s competition unfolds. Good luck

everyone.”

Focusing on the importance of food, nutrition and positive mealtime experiences as part of quality care, entrants are challenged to create an appealing and delicious two-course menu (main and dessert) appropriate for people in a care setting. The combined food cost for both courses should be no more than £3.50

Advertiser’s announcement

per head based on three portions and it must be nutritionally balanced.

The menu must also feature at least one product from Unilever Food Solutions’ sector-relevant catering range.

All paper entries will be judged by a central judging panel and the successful chefs that make it through to the next stage will compete at the regional heats in June.

Here they will have 90 minutes to produce their dishes and demonstrate their skill set and knowledge under the watchful eyes of the competition judges.

The judges will be looking for clear nutritional understanding of the foods they are using and how they benefit the needs of their clientele, plus culinary flair through flavours, menu balance, execution, presentation and hygiene best practice.

The two highest-scoring competitors from each regional heat will compete for the NACC Care Chef of the Year 2023 title at the national finals on October 3 at West Nottingham College.

For more information on the NACC Care Chef of the Year 2023 competition and to download the entry form visit https://www.thenacc. co.uk/events/nacc-care-chef-of-theyear-competition-2023

Head of dementia development will drive care home group’s plans for sector leading care

MARIA Mallaband Care Group is driving the way forward for its Dementia Pledge to develop its commitment to delivering the best possible care for people living with dementia, and the best education support for its teams

Laura Steward, MMCG’s head of dementia development, has devoted her entire career, spanning more than 25 years, to social care, specialising in dementia education from 2012.

Her recent appointment in saw her take the reins of MMCG’s Dementia Pledge, involving a multipronged approach under the banner of ‘Always you…’ which includes upskilling team members and sharing best practice – all with the aim of enabling those living with dementia to live as well and as independently as possible.

As part of its Dementia Pledge, MMCG recently established the role of Dementia Ambassadors.

These trained specialists work in homes and take the lead in educating colleagues, sharing knowledge, skills, and evidence-based strategies and tools.

Laura said: “We want every member of the team to have the right knowledge, strategies, skills and compassionate understanding to respond to and care for people living with dementia across our homes in the best possible way.

“Having devoted a lot of my professional time to mentoring and coaching others I believe the most successful way to educate is harnessing that flow-

down of learning.

“Our specially trained Dementia Ambassadors will show, train, lead, mentor, guide and inspire their colleagues, so that every member of the team has the confidence and know-how to improve the daily lives and experiences of those living with dementia in their care.”

Laura, who has completed vocational training throughout her career, gained a Post Graduate Certificate in Person-Centred Dementia Studies from the University of Worcester earlier this year.

This new pledge is also about offering a broad range of experience across the entire business and will drive development as well as delivering dementia education programmes and designing and improving dementia care services, with a strong focus on person-centred care.

She added: “Improving the quality of care for those living with dementia and giving people a voice is our passion at MMCG, and we been working hard to develop particular interest in upholding people’s rights and ensuring that people living with dementia have a voice, developing tailored, holistic approach to care practice for each person.

“Over the past 10 years I have really enjoyed gathering a better understanding of dementia and how to support people to have a better quality of life – and for me that doesn’t have to be more complicated than simply understanding people and meeting them where they are.

“I’m personally focussed on delivering the right education and support for team members. By making sure we pay close attention to care teams working experience we can ensure it’s less draining for them, allowing them to give their best to those in their care.

“We see the Dementia Pledge as an important element of our care offering, so we are rolling it out carefully across our homes in a timely and wellthought-out way.”

“MMCG’s commitment to delivering the best dementia care is second to none, and that level of support will allow me to have a massive impact and bring positive improvements across our homes.”

To find out more about the Maria Mallaband Care Group visit www.mmcgcarehomes.co.uk

Laura Steward, MMCG’s head of dementia development.

Chris Pickard of Four Seasons Health Care was crowned National Association of Care Catering (NACC) Care Chef of the Year in 2022.

Care home opening is talk of the town

MAYOR of Thrapston, Councillor Craig Wheeler, cut the ribbon to officially open Hermitage House at a busy open day event.

Guests joined the staff to celebrate the opening of the residential and dementia care home, which is 36th in the Peterborough-based Country Court portfolio.

Hermitage House will be home to up to 67 people and will bring 70 new jobs to the town.

“This is an important facility for Thrapston, setting a new standard for care homes in the area and providing people with the quality of life they deserve,” said co-CEO Alykhan Kachra.

“This has been a challenging final week for our project here in Thrapston, with the snowy weather hampering our efforts.

“It’s been a true team effort to get the home open on schedule, so I would like to thank all those involved.”

More than 350 people attended a public open day on the following day. People were bowled over by the facilities and delighted to enjoy refreshments and take a tour of the home.

“It was wonderful to see so many people at our open day,” added home manager Clare Hedge.

“There was a great atmosphere and much excitement from local people.

“We are very keen to become part of the community here in Thrapston, and we were certainly made to feel very welcome.

“I would personally like to thank everyone who came to see us, and we hope that people will continue visit our residents in future. We want everyone to benefit from the facilities we have to offer here.”

The care home will offer long-term residential care, short-term respite care and specialist dementia care. Facilities at Hermitage House have been designed with residents’ needs in mind, with themed communal spaces, large open spaces and various spacious lounge and dining areas, all complete with comfortable seating, modern facilities and specialist equipment.

All bedrooms feature en-suite walkin shower rooms and are bright and spacious, with some opening onto the landscaped gardens.

Each floor has a luxurious assisted bathroom for people who like to take a bath in style, enjoying their favourite TV programme or listening to relaxing music while looking up at the starlight ceiling.

On the ground floor the café provides a meeting area for residents and visitors.

The front-of-house team will be on hand to ensure freshly baked cakes, tea and coffee are available for everyone all day.

The private dining room is available to book for special family occasions.

The chef manager will provide a bespoke three-course meal or afternoon tea for families to enjoy in the comfort of their private space for the day.

On the lower-ground floor the Elegance Salon features a hair salon, nail bar and mini-spa area for massage and aromatherapy.

Following a visit to the salon, residents will enjoy the Bamboo bar with the rainforest-themed décor offering a calming retreat serving drinks and refreshments.

Meanwhile, the cinema features a widescreen TV and seating area to enjoy films in style.

Residents living with dementia will be cared for on the first floor. The marketplace creates a community space within the home where people can meet their friends or visit the ice cream parlour.

Daily meaningful activities will be provided throughout the home, particularly in the dedicated activity room which will be used for arts, crafts and reminiscing.

This includes an OMI interactive projector, which will be used for games and activities and is designed to encourage residents to stay mobile and active.

Hermitage House also boasts its own pub. The Coach House Inn provides a location for activities such as pub quizzes and games. Residents can enjoy regular fish and chip suppers over a drink with their friends.

If Ed Balls can do it then so can I

By Katie Krohn

IN EARLY 2022 I was a new recruit to the Health and Social Care Finance team at Virgin Money, and happened upon Inside the Care Crisis one evening on BBC iPlayer.

In case you missed it, it is a twopart documentary featuring former Labour politician Ed Balls working in a Scarborough care home over two weeks during the pandemic.

Through word of mouth I had heard it was a relatively true to life account of some of the challenges facing social care, and so thought would be an interesting watch as I joined a 20-strong team actively lending into the sector.

The programme had been described in the media as “unflinching” and “warts and all”, which is was, but it has stayed with me for a myriad of reasons.

Therefore when an opportunity arose to do a short secondment as a care worker, I decided to put my

name forward.

At the end of March I will be working in TLC’s newly-built care home in the South of England, Kailash Manor, which has been developed with funding from Virgin Money, registered for both elderly and dementia care.

Given I am not properly qualified or

trained, I will be doing a fraction of what social care professionals do, but hopefully I will be able to contribute in a small way.

At Virgin Money, new recruits are often required to do secondments in our credit function, but not in care homes, so why am I doing this?

For one, as a specialist lending team, when I joined I felt a walk-thewalk culture with social care being personal to many in the team. Team members have family in care, had done care secondments themselves, so the desire to improve my understanding, and the support from others in the team, were factors in me wanting to do it, and feeling I could do it.

Lastly, I am curious to see how it feels to be a care worker, instead of just reading about it and hearing it discussed at conferences.

I previously worked in hotel finance, and staff recruitment and retention as important, but in the social care sector, the discussion seems at a fever

pitch. The issue is debated endlessly at conferences and webinars, but often to a dead end.

I remember a panel discussion where it was suggested care home workers should just post to Instagram more to solve the recruitment problem.

Before joining the team I was unaware of the significant pay gaps between the NHS and social care, unaware as to the level of burn out post the pandemic, and unaware of how ignored care workers often feel.

A year into the role, these themes are well-known and discussed. We all know intellectually the staffing challenges, and possible solutions.

In the end I am just hopeful I will have a different insight when I am actually face-to-face with the cornerstone of many of the businesses to which we lend, providing the care.

n Katie Krohn is a director of health and social care finance at Virgin Money.

New care group officially launches following acquisition

THE newly formed Aria Care Group has officially launched following the acquisition of the operating business that had previously been operated by Caring Homes.

The acquisition unites the existing property ownership of 50 homes to the operating business, bringing long-term stability for Aria Care Group that will now be strengthened by a substantive

investment programme encompassing refresh and refurbishment through many of its services.

Aria’s objective is to become the leading care provider in each of its locations, as well as becoming an employer of choice with excellent career development opportunities and working environments.

“We are thrilled to introduce our new brand which reflects our commitment to

providing excellent care and delivering a quality lifestyle in our communities,” said Caroline Roberts, CEO at Aria Care.

“We are delivering a service that our residents and families can trust. We feel our new motto, Care from The Heart, reflects our dedication.”

The newly formed executive team has many years of experience in the health and social care sector.

Caroline Roberts

Boost for home as nurses qualify

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

Genevieve Nguya, Japhet Keteku, Nicholas Mensah and Francis Nyghe have all passed their objective structured clinical examination, enabling them to work as nurses in the UK.

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

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

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

She has experience of counselling;

working on a Covid vaccination programme and even gained her prescribing licence back in South Africa.

“What I enjoy about working in a care home is being with the people,”

she added.

“Our residents are really interesting and each have their own unique ways.

“ While working here as a carer I have had the opportunity to form a bond and really get to know the residents.”

Nicholas and Francis were both practising as registered nurses in Ghana.

They applied to be a part of the Athena family together and have supported one another throughout their journey.

“You have to put a lot of time into studying for the first exam,” said Nicholas, having just passed his final exams.

He is working as a pre-registered nurse on the Cilgerran community at Avocet Court alongside Francis, and both have spent time getting to know the residents and their life stories so they can better understand their needs.

Francis got the news he had passed his exams recently, and said: “No-one

told me it would be so hard but it was worth it.

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

Ruth Garnham, general manager at Avocet Court Care Home, added:

“Not only are we gaining four new nurses but four nurses who know our residents and our homes.

“Over the past year Genevieve, Japhet, Nicholas and Francis have become valued members of the Avocet family and they have forged relationships with our residents.

“We are excited to see them progress in the next stage of their careers and further improve nursing care here at Avocet Court.

“Having four new qualified nurses within the team, plus another nurse currently going through our induction programme, means we can reduce agency use and offer more continuity to our residents.”

Katie Krohn

Nicholas Mensah and Francis Nyghe with a resident at Avocet Court.

The value of care home workers and using innovation to reduce the burden

By Greg Whelan

WORKING in a care home is a challenging job that requires physical, mental and emotional strength. Caregivers provide care for vulnerable, elderly and sick people which can be stressful and painful at times.

This article identifies the challenges that caregivers face at work and how care home owners and managers can help.

It will also look at how innovation and new products can help reduce the burden on carers and reduce the financial burden to care home owners, whilst contributing to the growth of the care home industry.

Understanding the challenges of care home work

Caregivers work in an environment providing care for residents with complex and diverse needs.

This can be physically demanding work as caregivers help residents with tasks such as bathing, dressing, feeding, and toileting.

Caregivers also help residents move around, which can be challenging, especially if the resident suffers mobility issues or is bedridden.

Apart from the physical demands, caregivers must also have the strength

to cope with the emotional demands of the job.

Caregivers often work with residents who suffer from dementia or other illnesses that affect their memory and behaviour.

This can lead to challenging situations that require patience, empathy, and a calm and reassuring presence.

Additionally, the job of a caregiver is mentally demanding. Caregivers must be able to communicate effectively with residents, their families, and other healthcare professionals.

They must also be able to manage medication schedules, monitor residents’ vital signs, and respond quickly to emergencies.

How care home owners and managers can help

Care home owners and managers acknowledge that they have a responsibility to create a supportive environment for caregivers and that they have the necessary resources and support to do their job effectively.

This includes providing training, adequate staffing levels, and appropriate equipment and resources.

One of the biggest challenges that care homes face though is staffing shortages.

*According to the ONS, there were almost 1.5 million estimated open job adverts as a daily average during December 2022.

Healthcare accounted for almost 190,000, or 12.7 per cent of all vacancies.

Healthcare also accounted for the two occupations with the largest number of job adverts nationwide, with 31,870 adverts for support workers and 21,170 for nurses.

To overcome staffing shortages, care home-owners and managers can explore new technologies and products that reduce the burden on carers.

For example, Wellell Inc. offers innovative products such as the allin-one “Optima Turn Mattress”.

This product provides automatic continuous patient lateral turning for pressure injury prevention and healing, which can reduce the caregivers workload and help maintain great care home teams.

Innovation and the future of care home work

Innovation is crucial for the future of care home industry.

Care home owners need to explore new ways to reduce the burden on carers and improve the quality of care for residents.

Innovation can also help staffing shortages by providing carers with new tools and resources to make their job easier.

New products and technologies, such as the Wellell’s Optima Turn Mattress, offer a way forward for the care home industry.

By providing caregivers with the tools they need to do their job effectively, care home owners and managers can create a happier, healthier workplace that leads to a happier, healthier workforce.

Care home work is undoubtedly hard, but it is also rewarding.

Caregivers provide care for vulnerable, elderly, and sick people, and their work makes a significant difference in the lives of others.

Care home owners and managers have a responsibility to create a supportive environment for caregivers, and innovation is essential for the future of the profession and the care home industry.

#we’ll care

*Reference from Guardian Richard Partington Economics correspondent Mon 13 Feb 2023 17.05 GMT

n Greg Whelan is the product and marketing director at Wellell UK Limited. Call 01905 774695, email gwhelan@wellell.com or visit www. wellell.com

Show offers two days of quality educational content

THE Residential & Home Care Show is making its annual return as the UK’s leading event for delivering outstanding care at ExCeL London on April 26 and 27.

The event offers two days of highquality educational content, the opportunity to speak to leading suppliers in the health and social care sector, and explore what products and services suit your business needs.

It is a chance to regroup, network with like-minded peers and equip you with solutions to current challenges seen within the sector.

The two-day event will be jampacked with knowledge, advice, and inspiration.

Covering key topics

The CPD-accredited programme will be delivered over four theatres exploring a variety of topics including how providers can improve the quality of the care they offer;

workforce, recruitment and retention; how social care can better integrate with the NHS – particularly with new local Integrated Care Systems; providing practical advice and strategies to run your business more effectively, and finding new clients.

Speakers at the show will also be covering workplace culture and values, personalised care, dementia care, long Covid, regulatory updates, employment laws, digital transformation, and much more.

All this, in addition to the presence of more than 200 exhibitors from across the residential and home care landscape.

The Residential & Home Care Show is working with key organisations in social care such as National Care Forum, Care Providers Voice, Homecare Association, Care Association Alliance and many others, to provide excellent content and give those who are working within social

care a voice to share their expertise with others.

New features for 2023

This year’s event has new and exciting features that will take the attendee experience to the next level, including The Outstanding Society Learning Lounge, where attendees are able to hear best practice examples and practical advice on how to improve their CQC rating.

There will also be a ‘Meet the inspector’ hub in partnership with the Care Quality Commission, allowing people to ask advice about their biggest concerns and receive handson tips for upcoming inspections.

As a Health Plus Care exclusive, we have some extra social care sessions taking place in the Institute of Health and Social Care Management Theatre at The Healthcare Show, co-located with The Residential & Home Care Show.

Advertiser’s announcement

Reasons to attend:

n Free for all care and healthcare professionals.

n Earn up to 12 CPD points.

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

n Join thousands of other owners, directors and senior managers all under one roof and utilise the networking opportunities.

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

n Build relationships between residential care providers, nursing homes, domiciliary care providers, NHS, local government, and the voluntary sector.

n Learn from more than 100 expert speakers who will share key case studies, best practice examples and deliver important panel discussions with sector leaders and successful care business providers.

From paper to clicks; saving valuable time with the right software

By Fiona Hale

CoolCare are pioneers in care home administration software, helping care providers achieve digital transformation that truly benefits the business and its team by making admin easier.

Time is one of the most precious resources for any business.

Therefore, finding ways to both maximise and save time can have a major impact on both business performance and staff retention.

Essentially for care homes, where time is saved on admin, it can be freed up to deliver care to residents.

On average, care homes make around 15 fee adjustments per month as care needs evolve and funding situations change, with some making more than 100 adjustments when needed.

As the decision for an older person to go into care is often deeply personal for an individual and their family, invoice accuracy is incredibly important for care homes where fee errors can create distress.

Using care home management

software to support invoice processing and generation both reduces the time taken and simplifies the process.

A manual fee change takes an estimated 15 minutes on average.

Care home administration software brings this down to just a few clicks,

saving care homes around 2.5 hours in an average month and much more in months with greater volumes of changes.

There are also opportunities for time savings across staff processes too.

With some 696,000 care home staff in the UK, the number of times

staff clock-in and out is easily in the millions.

Care home management software can automatically add clock-in times to timesheets and ‘snap’ to the appropriate shift time, saving time for staff daily and also for payroll teams at the end of the month.

Meanwhile, the average care home receives an average of 21 holiday requests each month.

A manual holiday request takes a total of around 15 minutes versus a digital process taking an estimated five minutes.

Through digitising this process, care homes stand to save around 3.5 hours each month.

Some of these savings may seem small in isolation, but when experienced as a whole, the time truly adds up. The processes mentioned above alone stand to recoup almost an entire staff day a month.

Adopting care home administration software is a powerful change that is able to make care homes stronger as businesses, reduce costs through automation, increase accuracy and reduce the workload, and ease the weight of the administrative burden.

Hale is the managing director of CoolCare

n Fiona

Service users delight in operator’s launch of its latest offering

NURSEPLUS has launched its care at home offer in Canterbury, officially opened by a couple who have been benefiting from its assistance for the past four years.

Dan helps choir prepare for coronation performance

PREPARATIONS to mark His Majesty the King’s coronation this spring are well underway, and for a special celebration at its Didsbury home, older people residing at Belong Morris Feinmann care village are busy rehearsing for their performance of a lifetime – with a little help from Manchester choir master extraordinaire, Dan McDwyer.

Newly formed last month, The Tomforte Community Choir meets weekly to practise its harmonies ahead of the royal event on May 6 which will see the ensemble, many of whom are living with dementia, perform for fellow residents, family and friends as part of the coronation festivities programme.

The dementia specialist enlisted the Royal Northern College of Music alumnus after being inspired by his work with Ariana Grande, Emeli Sandé and Katherine Jenkins, along with musical direction of thriving community projects focusing on singing for mental health and wellbeing: Manchester Proud Chorus, Altrincham Garrick Show Choir, and The Choir Project – Northenden Choir.

Angela Luckett, religious and cultural experience coordinator at

Belong Morris Feinmann, said: “I think our customers are the most engaged I’ve ever seen.

“Many may not recall the previous week’s rehearsal but when they come, everything just clicks; they remember what we’re doing, the words and the melodies.

“Thanks to our new best friend, Dan, dementia leaves the room for an hour – it’s remarkable.”

In addition to the pleasure of companionship earned from the gatherings, the workshops benefit cognitive ability, having been designed to challenge the participants gently.

Dividing them into subgroups to sing their own ‘rounds’ simultaneously, for example, requires much concentration at the individual level.

Made possible by Tom Einstein and named in his memory, the choir aspires to continue his legacy by singing forte, meaning ‘loud’ in musical instruction, and also giving rise to the choir’s name.

Tom’s father was one of the founding members of the original Morris Feinmann Home, set-up at the end of World War II to support Jewish refugees settling in Manchester.

Service users Carol and Doug Blackburn cut the ribbon for the launch in Canterbury at its offices. The couple from Dover, who both have learning disabilities, have been supported by Nurseplus since 2019, receiving help with everyday activities such as household chores, healthy eating choices, food preparation and taking them out and about when necessary.

Vicki Gidalla, clinical compliance and training director at Nurseplus, said: “Providing care to people in their own homes has been something we’ve been doing at Nurseplus for more than 15 years and we’re delighted to be expanding our care at home service to the Canterbury area.

“We know that people thrive and enjoy a better quality of life if they can remain in their own homes and we’re very proud to be able to offer that support to individuals in order to allow them to get the best out of their lives.

“Our teams put a lot of effort into matching clients with carers based on common interests and compatible personalities, in order to provide companionship alongside day-to-day support to combat loneliness and improve the overall well-being of our clients.”

Care at home is a premium homecare service provided by Nurseplus which offers fully tailored support and live-in care packages to people across Canterbury who wish to stay in their own homes, rather than moving to a residential setting.

The event also shone a spotlight on the job opportunities, which include a range of home carer roles such as companionship, complex care and live-in care.

The nature of the service means Nurseplus is able to recruit specifically for each package making the process more transparent and allows carers to know exactly what type of care they will be offering and where.

Care at home is targeted at people who require care calls of two hours or more, whether that be for companionship and support or more complex care.

The service features an enhanced client matching programme so homecare workers are placed with clients based on clinical needs as well as their likes, dislikes, hobbies and interests.

The service was recently launched in Aylesbury and Bristol and is already in operation in Devon, Dorset, Cornwall, East Sussex, Essex, Hampshire and Wiltshire.

Trust continues commitment to pay staff real Living Wage

NOT-for-profit care provider The Orders of St John Care Trust will continue to pay the current real Living Wage from April 1, with all employees paid an hourly rate of £10.90 or above, and all care colleagues being paid £11.07 or above per hour.

The decision represents a £6million annual incremental investment in its hourly paid employees, providing an increase on the charity’s real Living Wage pay rise in April last year, and demonstrating the care provider’s ongoing commitment to recognise and reward its workforce.

CEO Dan Hayes said: “We strive to provide the highest standard of care to each of our residents and tenants, and colleagues in our care homes are critical in delivering that service. This pay rise reflects the incredibly important work that they do.

Dan Hayes

continue to prioritise this significant investment in our people.

generation.”

“We know that our colleagues are also facing a tough time with the rising cost of living. We are doing everything we can to support them, and I’m pleased that we can

“We also know that it’s a tough job market, and we hope this boost in pay shows prospective employees just how much we value our workforce, and that social care can be a rewarding career choice.”

In addition to the pay boost, OSJCT supports its employees through a range of initiatives.

Residents at Richmond Villages Witney have shared their life experiences and given advice to 13, 14, and 15-year-olds from Wood Green School in the town. The retirement villages’ brand ambassador Sharon Morrison discussed a number of topics with the residents including their professional careers, proudest achievements, biggest inspirations, and what success means to them. Joanne Cambrey, head of activities at Richmond Villages Witney, added: “We have some truly inspirational women living here and it has been wonderful to give them the opportunity to share their experiences with the younger

Residents Dr Elizabeth King, Denise Bright, Sibylle Kreutzberger and Sue Ramsden are pictured with students from Wood Green School.

Durham-Ramside Hall

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Health and social care – is it all doom and gloom?

NEW research coordinated by Vida Healthcare has revealed that only 42 per cent of the general public would consider a career in health or social care, and yet 69 per cent of the social care workforce see their future career in social care.

The dementia care specialist coordinated research into the sentiment of the social care and NHS workforce following the ongoing strikes, staff shortages and calls for better pay.

This is exacerbated by public perceptions of health and social care, with more than one third (34 per cent) of people in the UK not considering a career in these sectors due to perceptions of low wages and long hours.

When it comes to pay, the UK population believes that the average salary for a social care worker is less than £30,000, with only two per cent of people believing that they can be paid an average salary of more than £46,000.

Vida’s research has revealed that the average salary for social care workers across the UK is £28,962 while a fifth (20 per cent) of the workforce are paid between £31,000 and £35,999.

While the majority (63 per cent) of social care workers haven’t considered a career move, and 32.4 per cent of NHS workers agree or strongly agree that they often think about leaving their organisation, Vida’s research has revealed the initiatives that can be put in place by employers to attract and retain more talent. Social

(65 per cent), more flexible hours (47 per cent) and mental health support (36 per cent), while career development and training was flagged as important by NHS workers.

Less than half (42.4 per cent) of the NHS workforce agree that there are opportunities to develop their career in their organisation, and only 41.7 per cent feel supported to develop their potential.

James Rycroft, managing director at Vida Healthcare, said more needs to be done to attract and retain talent in the social care sector in particular.

He added: “Negative news abounds about both health and social

care services in the UK, from the government being warned that the sectors are on a precipice, to criticism that the Spring Budget didn’t reference public sector workers.

“Our research has shown that while there are things that need to be done to support the current workforce and attract new people to work in health and social care, it may not be as bleak as it first appears.”

With more than two fifths (43 per cent) of the general public in the UK not considering a career in health or social care due to believing that their skill set is not right, the research shows that there’s a job to do in educating the population about the skills that are required.

According to the research, the main requirements that are needed to hire strong talent is kindness and compassion.

More than half (50.4 per cent) of NHS workers agree that their role makes a difference to patients and service users, while 67 per cent of the social care workforce surveyed chose a career in the sector because they enjoy caring for others.

Wanting to make a difference (64 per cent) and job satisfaction (50 per cent) were also cited as key reasons for joining the sectors.

James added: “While experience and/or education is of course important, our ethos at Vida is that anyone can become successful in the social care sector if they are a kind and compassionate person. Ultimately, our job is to care for people and make a difference to their

lives.

“People are the lifeblood of our health and care services, and employers within these sectors need to do everything we can to support our employees. At Vida we’ve implemented a number of initiatives to help keep our staff happy.

“This includes increasing our pay by 30 per cent to benefit a number of roles, including nurses whose hourly rate increased from £18.50 to £22.50.

“We also have our specialist training platform, Vida Academy where we deliver numerous training programmes to provide staff with career development opportunities.

“This includes our Aspiring Leaders programme which gives people the skills they need to become exceptional leaders.

“While it’s not always easy as employers to implement initiatives like this, they do provide significant benefits. For example, our staff turnover is only six per cent compared to the industry standard of 29 per cent.

“We also recently coordinated an internal staff survey to ensure that we’re doing everything we can to make Vida an enjoyable place to work.

“I was delighted to hear that 85 per cent of our staff feel motivated and accomplished in their role, almost three quarters (74 per cent) agree they have achieved either personal or professional development goals during their time at Vida, and 81 per cent agree they have the support they need to carry out their duties.”

The importance of virtual wards

VIRTUAL wards have become increasingly important in the current healthcare landscape, as they offer a multitude of benefits to both patients and healthcare providers – easing the continued pressure on the NHS.

It’s been recently reported that the NHS waiting list has decreased for the first time since the start of the pandemic – which can be attributed to the country’s health service taking advantage of the latest technology –known as virtual wards.

Thousands of virtual ward beds opened last month meaning people can receive specialist care from the comfort of their own homes, and whole hospital beds are freed up for those who need them most.

One of the main advantages of virtual wards is that they allow for better patient care coordination and improved communication between healthcare providers.

With virtual wards, patients can receive care and support from their healthcare team without having to physically visit the hospital, reducing the risk of exposure to infectious diseases and increasing the efficiency of care delivery – in other words, they can receive the care they need in the comfort of their own home, thereby freeing up much-needed space in hospitals for patients that really need to be in the hospital.

Virtual wards also offer improved monitoring and management of chronic conditions, such as heart disease and diabetes, helping to

prevent hospital readmissions and improving patient outcomes.

With regular virtual check-ins and remote monitoring of vital signs, patients are able to receive timely interventions and support, reducing the likelihood of their condition worsening and reducing the burden on healthcare providers.

Not only that, virtual wards can improve access to care for under

served and rural communities, where access to healthcare can often be limited.

With virtual consultations, patients in remote areas can receive the care they need from the comfort of their own homes, reducing the need for travel and improving access to specialist care immediately.

In summary, virtual wards offer a multitude of benefits for both

patients and healthcare providers, improving the efficiency, accessibility, and quality of care.

As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, the importance of virtual wards will only continue to grow, offering a valuable solution to many of the challenges facing the healthcare system today.

Advertiser’s announcement

Vida Healthcare managing director James Rycroft.

Joyce takes to the race track for latest ‘bucket list’ adventure

CARE home resident Joyce Ward switched it up a gear with some high-speed laps of Goodwood Motor Circuit having already ticked off horse riding and chocolate-making from her ‘Bucket List’.

Joyce, who is a wheelchair-user and lives at Colten Care’s dementia home St Catherines View in Winchester, will celebrate her 100th birthday in May.

To celebrate the milestone, she was helped to compile a list of 10 things she wants to do before her big birthday – her Turning 100 Bucket List.

In December, Joyce realised her wish to enjoy horse riding again with a trip in a specially adapted carriage at Broadlands Group Riding for the Disabled in Medstead.

And in January she experienced chocolate-making when she visited Chocolate Craft based in Old Alresford.

Now, thanks to the dedicated St Catherines View team – including minibus driver Martin Williams – she has received her wish to ‘go all out’ at one of the country’s most famous tracks, Goodwood in West Sussex.

Companionship team leader Laura

Sheldrake said: “When Joyce said she wanted to ride around a race track we were a little stumped at first because her health prevents her getting into a racing car.

“But with the help of Cameron Green, motor circuit operations

steward at Goodwood, we managed to come up with an alternative – they cleared the track for us and allowed Martin our minibus driver to race around it, enabling Joyce and her granddaughter Hilary Bloomfield to feel the experience of racing around

the track.

“Goodwood were so helpful in organising and helping on the day to make sure Joyce had the best experience. She was absolutely over the moon and was still beaming after four laps.”

After the track run, Joyce was also able to look around the cars in the paddocks including Ferrari and Porsche.

Laura added: “All the owners of the cars where so welcoming, showing Joyce around and talking about them and as they headed out they all lined up and drove past Joyce as they headed to the pits to start.

“Joyce was then able to go sit on the balcony of the Jackie Stewart Pavilion to watch the cars race around the track.”

After an amazing few hours at Goodwood, Joyce was taken to Colten Care’s Wellington Grange in Chichester for some lunch and a tour from home manager Hayley Geddes.

The companionship team is now planning for Joyce’s next Bucket List challenge when she will be swapping the race track for the waves – to go sailing.

Operator set to increase care assistants’ salaries to 40 per cent above the National Living Wage

BERKELEY Home Health Somerset and Wiltshire is set to increase care assistants’ salaries to 40 per cent above the National Living Wage to service increased local demand

The operator has experienced an increased demand for its services in the local area and is set to increase all its care assistants’ salaries to a minimum of £15 per hour.

The company is also starting a recruitment campaign which will see them hire between 30 and 60 carers over the next six months.

CEO Andrew Needham said: “Our care assistant hourly pay in the area is 40 per cent more than the planned minimum wage of £10.42 per hour from April 2023.

“We want people who might have thought their future was in retail, the

service industry or even leisure see that social care offers good pay and opportunities.

“We firmly believe that satisfied carer colleagues means stability and even better care for our clients.”

Berkeley Home Health is an in-home visiting care company supporting elderly and vulnerable adults across the UK with their needs.

Due to planned strategic growth and increasing demand for visiting in-home care services in and around its Somerset and Wiltshire branch, it is looking to expand its team with between five and 10 carers a month over the coming six months.

The branch currently covers the Frome, Westbury, Bradford-on-Avon and Trowbridge areas, with expected future growth to extend across the

Somerset and Wiltshire counties.

The provider is looking to recruit both experienced carers, those that are looking to return to care, as well as those wishing to change career paths and retrain to become a carer.

Berkeley Home Health offers comprehensive training to those new to care, supporting them in obtaining their Care Certificate with a programme jointly developed by Skills for Care, Health Education England and Skills for Health. All carers then follow this up with a period of work shadowing.

The branch offers successful candidates a £15ph starting salary – a full time equivalent of £31,500 per annum – 40 per cent above the increased national minimum wage coming into effect from April.

Andrew added: “We are excited to be able to offer the opportunity for local experienced carers or those wishing to retrain to join our team.

“We value our carers and believe the investment in them is important to attract great people who want to join us in providing outstanding care to our clients and stay with us.

“Every carer is an individual just like our clients, some have ambitions to develop their career working towards management level and others are looking for a care role that fits in with their family and lifestyle.

“We have the capacity to be able to support both.

“We are committed to delivering a best-in-class care service to our clients and that for us means investing and valuing our carers.”

Home welcomes cohort of experienced workers

A NORTHAMPTONSHIRE care home that provides nursing, residential and respite care has appointed 11 new staff members from India – bringing fresh perspectives and knowledge to its social care offering.

Meadow View, a branch of Wellbeing Care that prides itself on providing the highest standard of personcentred care for up to 53 people in Wellingborough, has welcomed its new overseas colleagues with open arms to help fill the job vacancies within its home.

The 11 recruits from India join the home with a wealth of experience between them.

Wellbeing Care regional director Joy Henshaw said: “We are always looking for ways to provide the best possible

care for our residents, and hiring overseas workers was the next step for us to be able to provide this.

“It has been a bit of a cultural change, but they have settled in well and are a lovely bunch who have helped us tremendously to fill our staffing vacancies. The residents have also been receptive to the extra help around the home, and appreciate the new company.”

The staff are initially supported with housing and are required to stay with Meadow View for five years, providing them with a secure and reliable job.

To help with the integration into their new role, the nurses have been provided with an induction, in house training – completing a minimum of 45 sessions, and online resources.

Joyce Ward and her granddaughter Hilary Bloomfield enjoyed seeing some of the cars at Goodwood.

New £10.4m home opens its doors

SIGNATURE at Farnham Common formally opened with help of local dignitaries and Ronnie Leggat, a founding resident, to cut the ribbon. The facaility provides 74 studio apartments to its residents, and the opening ceremony revealed the stateof-the-art home’s communal facilities which include:

n The in-house Blyton Café paying homage to the celebrated author Enid Blyton’s connection to Farnham Common.

n A large cinema screen.

n An emporium providing a hair and nail salon, therapy room and spa bathroom facilities.

n Salon treatments including hand and manicures.

n A dedicated physiotherapy room for resident treatment.

Joining Signature Senior Lifestyle’s family of 37 other care homes, Farnham Common provides specialist residential, nursing, dementia, and

respite services which are tailored to each individual resident.

The opening ceremony, which was attended by Farnham Royal Parish Council, also marked the launch of a community dementia charter created by Signature at Farnham Common, for use by community groups, local businesses and community

organisations. The charter provides actionable advice to support somebody living with dementia, such as an explanation of the condition, dementia-friendly language, and how to adapt an environment to ensure it is suitable for somebody living with dementia.

40 YEARS OVER EXPERIENCE NATIONWIDE SELLING CARE HOMES

Alex Alexandru, general manager at Signature at Farnham Common, said: “We were thrilled to formally open Signature at Farnham Common and welcome the community we will be serving.

“We are also delighted to launch its community dementia charter, which shows our firm commitment to supporting our community using our expert knowledge of supporting people living with dementia.

“Our care home has been designed to be a hub of activity, with a host of communal spaces and social activities for residents, supported by highly trained team members committed to delivering true peace of mind to residents, relatives and their loved ones.”

To deliver the new care home, Signature at Farnham Common worked in partnership with Beard Construction and PRP Architects to deliver a £10.4million project.

Lamont Johnson are delighted to confirm the recent completed sale of the prestigious Beeches Nursing Home, in Worthing.

The Home is currently registered for 40, fully management operated and offering all single bedrooms, 39 having ensuite facilities. Many of the bedrooms benefit from having mobile ceiling hoists and has a CQC overall rating of “Good.”

The Home has been continuously under the ownership of Mrs Jane Wyatt for over 35 years, and has been acquired by existing Home Owners, Mr Nirmal and Mrs Jas Chahal of Ascot, Berkshire. This is the 3rd Home that Mr and Mrs Chahal have acquired via Lamont Johnson, in the past 5 years, alongside their other Homes in Worthing and Middleton on Sea, West Sussex.

£13m care scheme moves step closer

A TOPPING out ceremony was held to mark the final completion for Housing 21’s latest extra care scheme.

Sandstone Court has been developed in partnership with Telford and Wrekin Council and is being built by Midlands-based Deeley Construction.

Construction specialist completes £6.5milllion build for care operator

CONTINUING its ongoing relationship with Cinnamon Care Collection, construction specialist Stepnell has finished design and build works on the £6.5million 57-bed Gables Care Home in Hagley, Birmingham.

Offering specialist dementia and residential care at the luxury 55,000 sq ft premises, this is the third scheme that Stepnell has delivered for Cinnamon Care Collection, following the completion of a care home and care apartments at Eastcote Park.

Completed in 70 weeks and working to a high-end specification, the facility features a cinema room on the second floor, four private care suites, as well as landscaping works including gardens and parking.

Keen to invest in a regional supply chain, Stepnell used local brick manufacturer Ketley Brick and employed three local labourers to support the build.

Adrian Barnes, regional director at Stepnell, said: “It’s been a pleasure to work with Cinnamon Care Collection again for the creation of its new premises and we worked closely with the team to ensure this project was built on time and on budget.

“Using our trusted supply chain and extensive knowledge and with the support of our consultants,

Harris Irwin Architects, structural engineers ARC and M&E consultancy Harniss, we have been able to deliver the project at the best value and the highest quality.”

The facility will also offer an open spaced foyer, four dining areas and a hair, beauty and nail salon.

Stepnell has worked across schemes that have delivered more than 2,300 beds across care homes, sheltered accommodation and specialist facilities for dementia and palliative care, for NHS Trusts and private healthcare.

A fourth development for Cinnamon Care Collection is also in the works, with Stepnell having recently commenced on site to build Warwick Care Home – an £8.9million project that will provide 66 beds with five care suites.

Ben Collard, development and capital investments at Cinnamon Care Collection, said: “We are delighted to have worked with Stepnell and delivered another successful care home scheme in the Midlands.

“The whole team was committed to quality, which is evident in the result. I look forward to working with Stepnell on future projects and to continue to develop and improve our homes.”

The scheme moved one step closer to completion, as the build reached its highest point.

Representatives from Homes England, Deeley Construction, RG&P and Gardiner and Theobald joined Housing 21’s chief executive Bruce Moore to celebrate the occasion.

Sandstone Court in Telford is Housing 21’s first all-electric extra care scheme, using a new low carbon brief.

Deborah Hope, head of development at Housing 21, said: “We are delighted to reach this important milestone in the development of Sandstone Court, this is our first allelectric extra care scheme which is being built using our new low carbon brief.

“The scheme will provide much needed homes for older people in the area, with on-site, tailored care and support packages available to help residents live independently.”

This scheme will provide accommodation for local people over the age of 55.

The development is supported by Homes England and will offer 70 affordable one and two-bedroom

apartments, all of which will be available for social rent to local people over the age of 55.

The scheme has been designed to promote independent living in a community setting, with a care team on-site 24/7 to deliver planned care packages if needed.

Residents will benefit from a range of on-site facilities, including a café/ bistro, hair salon, communal lounge and gardens which are also accessible to visitors and the local community. The new development is scheduled to open in 2024.

Epping home undergoes major rebuild project

AN EPPING care home is set to see a number of positive changes as the new owners set their major rebuild plans into motion.

Weald Hall Care Home was taken over by Premium Care Group in the summer of 2022.

Starting with residents’ bedrooms, sitting rooms and dining areas, significant investment in the home will see internal and external decoration works transform it into a warm, welcoming and inclusive environment.

Weald Hall will also feature a cinema room, hair salon, music room, multi sensory room, bakery, library, post office and sweet shop for residents and visitors to enjoy.

With works planned to be completed in the spring, the owners plan to make the most of the large grounds and rural views.

Managing director Robert Adams said: “Our residents and families have given us so much positive feedback about the changes that have been made so far, and we are really looking forward to seeing the completed project.

“Our vision is to provide extraordinary care, so we will continue to invest in the beautiful building of Weald Hall, as well as training, development and recruitment.

“We are looking forward to

welcoming the local community into Weald Hall very soon.”

The changes will also see the management of the home transformed, with improvements being made to staff training and development and personalised care and activity programmes.

The home has already seen its CQC rating change from requires improvement to good.

Premium Care Group also owns two other homes in the Essex region, both situated close to Brentwood.

Avante Care and Support has been granted planning permission to develop a 70-bed care home at Hundreds Farm House, Canterbury Road, Westgate-On-Sea in Kent by Thanet District Council under delegated powers. This new modern care home will provide between 50 and 100 local jobs and will offer first-class facilities to meet the needs of local residents. The interior of the home will be designed using local themes as inspiration. In addition, Avante will incorporate many facilities, including balcony terraces and plenty of amenities internally. Avante is working with Lawrence Baker, a specialist care home contractor, RDT Architects as designers and Ridge and Partners LLP as project managers to design and build the site, with work expected to commence in the summer and to open to new residents in spring 2025.

Christine Seating from Homes England with Telford and Wrekin Council’s Joanne Cornwell and Housing 21 chief executive Bruce Moore.

Resident Valerie Toon with Premium Care Group managing director Robert Adams.

Trident completes extensive refurb at one of Europe’s largest retirement villages

TRIDENT Construction Services has completed its largest refurbishment contract to date after a £2.2m modernisation project at Lark Hill Retirement Village near Nottingham. The company remodelled and upgraded a number of communal, staff and visitor areas at the site, which is run by The ExtraCare Charitable Trust.

The work included refurbishing and modernising the bar and bistro, village hall and stage, reception, and main thoroughfares, the Skylark Lounge, craft and multi-use rooms, the gym, yoga studio and changing rooms, the hairdressing salon, launderette, along with staff rooms and staff sleeping quarters, and a guest suite apartment.

Lark Hill, situated on the outskirts of Nottingham at Clifton, remained occupied throughout the 42-week project, which was completed in six phases and on budget.

Craig Johnston, a director at Trident Construction Services, based at Clay Cross near Chesterfield in Derbyshire, and contracts manager for the project, said: “We were delighted to have been awarded this contract at Lark Hill, helping to enhance facilities for residents and staff.

“Meticulous communication and planning for this extensive and inspiring scheme was imperative,

given the nature of the site and the fact that it remained occupied throughout the entire programme of modernisation work.

“We are proud to have built up an excellent relationship with the village staff and residents during the course of this phased remodelling and refurbishment scheme, which has provided Lark Hill with some excellent new modern facilities.

“Trident has previous experience of working in the care sector at Kettering Hospital, the Royal British

Legion care home Galanos House in Warwickshire and ExtraCare’s Pannel Croft Village in Newtown, Birmingham, but this was our most extensive and long-running project to date, and we couldn’t be more proud of the result.”

Lark Hill has 327 one and two bedroom apartments and bungalows and is home to more than 400 residents. Built in 2009 it came under the spotlight when it featured in Channel 4’s Old People’s Home for Four-year-olds in 2018.

Kevan Murray, location manager at Lark Hill, added: “This project has been ExtraCare’s most adventurous and comprehensive modernisation project to date.

“The team worked extremely hard whilst retaining a person-centred approach which has been unique and refreshing.

“Ultimately, I couldn’t have hoped for a better team of people to work with on this project.

“This project absolutely helps us to deliver on our mission “better lives for older people”, and on top of communal spaces for our residents, Trident have also supported with staff areas, meeting rooms, training suites, sleep-in rooms, offices and guest suite for family and friends to stay over.

“All these areas have been completed to a very high standard, transforming the look and feel of the environment which will again, I feel, help take us to the next level.”

Other members of the Trident team included director and quantity surveyor Jamie Keegans and project manager Aiden Hawkins.

Employers agent for the scheme was Baily Garner LLP, architect was Nicol Thomas Architects, while Engineering Services Design provided mechanical and electrical engineering consultancy.

Gainsborough continues to provide fast specialist bath deliveries despite global challenges

DESPITE ongoing supply chain issues, Gainsborough Specialist Bathrooms, the respected UK manufacturer of power assisted baths for the care sector, is continuing to maintain highly competitive delivery times for its specialist bathing solutions.

For more than 35 years

Gainsborough Specialist Bathrooms has successfully designed, manufactured and installed awardwinning baths for care homes, hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. Similar to all manufacturers, Gainsborough continues to face difficulties sourcing materials and components in a timely manner.

Nevertheless, its flexible and nimble strategy means it can still provide a competitive bath turnaround from

initial site survey and order through to delivery and commissioning.

This maintains an advantage for care providers and ultimately vulnerable bathers as utmost hygiene can be provided without significant delay.

Peter Eckhardt, CEO, Gainsborough Healthcare Group, said: “Being able to facilitate quality specialist bathing solutions as quickly as possible has always been our mission.

“Current trading conditions have indeed challenged this proposition.

“However, through our smart thinking I am proud to say we can still provide one of the most competitive bath supply times in the sector and intend to maintain this position of authority.”

When it comes to safe, antimicrobial and durable bathing systems, Gainsborough understands healthcare providers need solutions fast. Hence it delivers accessible baths efficiently, within budget and always on time.

This trustworthy approach is also reflected in its G360 services which offer complete bathroom and wet room installations.

By choosing Gainsborough, all clients can access the established expertise of this proven specialist so final bathroom designs provide the best in terms of practicality and aesthetics.

Employing the latest in assistive fixtures, each project is 100 per cent

focused on the needs of the bather whilst supporting best practice in moving and handling.

Protecting staff from potential musculoskeletal injury and subsequent time off work is just as critical so care performance levels are not compromised.

Gainsborough provides the following benefits:

n Highly competitive bath lead times.

n Total bathroom support from concept to completion.

n Largest range of specialised baths for varying acute and rehab needs.

n Long term value, ultra-energy efficiency and trustworthy bath performance

n Proven established manufacturer for more than 35 years.

n Dedicated to care and CQC excellence.

n Leading antimicrobial BioCote technology built into every bath. The inclusion of BioCote in Gainsborough products offers a unique hygiene solution which complements infection control processes.

This silver ion technology is integrated into bath surfaces during manufacture so cannot be wiped or worn away. Once installed BioCote provides up to 99 per cent 24/7 protection against influenza A H1N1, E.coli, Salmonella and CRO, CRE, VRE and MRSA.

Call 01527 400 022, email info@gainsboroughbaths.com or visit www.gainsboroughbaths.com

Restock your PPE at the lowest possible prices

NOW that free PPE stock levels are starting to diminish, it is a good time to find yourself a trustworthy PPE supplier.

At Gompels we were able to keep our loyal customers well stocked during the pandemic by closing our doors to new customers and resellers, who were hungry for any PPE they could get their hands on.

In our November 2020 price update, Nitrile Gloves hit £25.08 per pack of 200 as demand outstripped supply. It feels fantastic to be able to bring

prices all the way back down to prepandemic levels. Vinyl Gloves are now just £1.99 per 100.

Our warehouse is bursting at the seams with stock and we look

forward to supplying customers with the PPE they need.

Ordering on the Gompels website is quick and easy, you can register an account or checkout as a guest if you

prefer.

We offer same day dispatch on all orders placed before 4pm, with 99.7 per cent of orders arriving the very next day.

So why not give us a try with a no-strings attached PPE order?

And if you do change your mind, we offer free returns and a money back guarantee.

You will not be disappointed with our service or products.

Gompels.co.uk

Is your home ready for its CQC inspection?

FOR ANY care home the laundry process is critical to maintaining stringent hygiene standards and is therefore service area that will be closely evaluated upon inspection by the Care Quality Commission.

In order to ensure that your care home has efficient and CQC compliant procedures in place, Forbes Professional advises that imperatives go beyond the need for commercial laundry equipment that provides the requisite disinfection.

The CQC states on its website that for care homes to achieve a ‘Good’ rating, there is an expectation of a ‘designated room for storage and managing laundry.’

They will also require that ‘laundry processes follow national guidance and correctly manage’ and clean

‘used and infectious laundry to minimise risk of infection.’

Efficient segregation of clean and soiled laundry is essential at all times, with a clean and dirty flow system to avoid recontamination.

Surfaces must also be kept decluttered and equipment must be well maintained.

Laundry operators must be familiarised with the correct laundry and infection control processes and must know how to use the laundry equipment to its best potential.

Additionally, the CQC expect there to be a designated lead for cleaning and decontamination, to whom any hygiene concerns would be immediately escalated.

As standard, proper hand hygiene must be maintained, with

ready access to wash basins and appropriate PPE is required for all laundry handling.

clients to help them establish a fully compliant laundry operation.

Our consultants offer complimentary site surveys and can advise upon on the relevant legislation, IPC policy expectations and industry requirements.

Forbes provides care homes with Miele’s energy and water efficient commercial laundry and offers comprehensive user training to ensure the machines’ features are fully optimised.

All of our products adhere to the requirements of WRAS and the CQC and are protected by our multi-award winning service support, at no extra cost for the life of the contract.

Call 0345 070 2335, email info@forbes-professional.co.uk or visit www.forbespro.co.uk

Forbes Professional works with

People / Care

• Enhanced patient dignity

• Continuous turning or single instance

• Improved sleep

• Pressure injury reducing

• Pressure injury management

Time

• Reduced moving and handling

• More time to care

• Improved patient / client outcomes

• Assisting reduced resources

Cost

• Reduced manpower for turning

• All in one system

• Single pump/Lower energy bills

• Reduced injury risk

• Reduced sta absence

• Reduced maintenance

“A Turning Point in Care”