August 2017
no.243 • £4.75 incorporating
The Number One magazine for the care sector
Time running out to enter first awards
By Dominic Musgrave
TIME is running out to submit your Caring UK Awards’ entries, with nominations for this year closing on August 21. The Caring UK Awards, in partnership with Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank, recognise excellence and achievement throughout the care industry and recognising team efforts across the UK. They have been created to highlight and pay tribute to the care home teams who make an outstanding contribution to caring for the elderly. Taking place on Friday December 8 at the National Railway Museum in York, there are over 15 trophies up for grabs at this year’s awards including Care Home of the Year, Volunteer Team of the Year and Activities Team of the Year. Other categories include Best Innovation in Care, Best Outdoor Environment and Care Employer .of the Year. Derek Breingan, head of health and social care at Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank, said: “The health and social care sector forms a significant part of Clydesdale and Yorkshire Bank’s activities across the country and we consider it a very important sector to support. “We all want the best outcomes
for our loved ones and those who need care and support in our communities. The sector receives its fair share of negative press and this does not highlight the significant positive contribution that so many people that work in care deserve. “Given our ongoing relationships with providers and stakeholders we felt it was important that we could come together and celebrate the real difference that people make to the most vulnerable in our communities. The invitation to become involved in the Caring UK Awards was a fantastic opportunity to do this. We also were excited that the event was being held in York, given most national awards are hosted in London, and therefore might encourage more entries from regional care providers and employees. “We are really encouraging people to enter nominations for the categories available. It is the nominees that make the event, a real opportunity to celebrate with colleagues and other like minded people in the sector, and something to look forward to.” The judges with the tough task of picking the winners and the hosts will be announced in due course. n Enter your nomination at www. caringukawards.co.uk
Television presenter Fiona Phillips was the guest of honour at the opening of a new £11m Hallmark care home in Royal Tunbridge Wells. Fiona, who is also an Ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society, cut the ribbon at Chamberlain Court Care Home’s official launch event. As part of the 72 bed residential and dementia care home’s special event, guests were invited to view the home’s state-of-the-art facilities, which include a £50,000 cinema, hairdressers, barbers, therapy room and café. Other design innovations include a walk-in and musical therapy bath, a celebrations room which can be reserved for functions, an outdoor activity room and an aviary.
Dance group to visit 12 homes A DANCE group that offers interactive shows for young children and families will be bringing its innovative performances to 12 Northamptonshire care homes. Wriggle Dance Theatre’s latest project, funded by Northamptonshire community foundation’s Compton Fund and in partnership with Shaw healthcare and St Crispin’s Retirement Village, will see eight community volunteers, from nine – 57 years old, visit care homes in Wellingborough, Rushden, Northampton, Corby, Kettering, Desborough, Raunds and Daventry. The performance will incorporate elements for the residents to watch, and moments to interact with
the performers, utilising creative movement, singing and props. The show will be based around the theme of our sense of touch, and how this connects us to the world around us. It’s hoped that the project will encourage creativity and social interaction for the residents living in the homes. The community volunteer performers are made up of parents and their children of different ages. There are seven dancers and a live musician. Jane Harris, of Shaw healthcare, added: “Social interaction and regular activities are vital when providing community care, and I have every faith that our residents will embrace and enjoy the upcoming performances.”
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CARINGNEWS
Gold medals for West Yorkshire care homes
TWO Nab Wood care homes have been awarded the prestigious Gold Standard Framework Accreditation Quality Hallmark Award in recognition of their continued high standards, after completing a rigorous assessment programme. Brookfield Care Home and Staveley Birk Leas Nursing Home, which are both owned and operated by Czajka Care Group, have successfully completed the coveted accreditation. The company’s Currergate Nursing Home in Steeton and Beanlands Nursing Home in Cross Hills already hold the Gold Standard Framework Accreditation. Konrad Czajka, managing director of Czajka Care Group, said: “The Gold Standard Framework recognises those care homes that can evidence the very highest standards of care for all people nearing the end of
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The team from Brookfield Care Home celebrate being awarded their Gold Standard award. “These homes are a completed an intensive ninetheir lives, it means that we hallmark of excellence and month training programme listen to what people want are just a handful of care before the homes were and support them and their homes in the area that are put through a rigorous families in making choices now recognised by the Care accreditation process that and decisions about their Quality Commission, NHS assessed all key operational care. We’re delighted that aspects. Inspectors also Choices and by a wide range both Brookfield and Staveley carried out a comprehensive of other indications of quality Birk Leas have now achieved review across all areas of care provision.” this accreditation, it’s very that residents receive. As part of the award, staff well deserved.”
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CARINGNEWS
Charity unveils activities pack for care homes By Dominic Musgrave
Residents and staff at Ruckland Court in Lincoln have been taking part in Country Court Care in Bloom, a companywide competition to encourage residents to get involved in gardening projects at their care homes. To celebrate their efforts at Ruckland Court Care Home, residents invited Coun. Chris Burke, Mayor of Lincoln, to join them for a garden party. It looked spectacular in the sunshine, and residents enjoyed entertainment from local singers the ‘Blighty Belles’ followed by afternoon tea.
Home is Scotland’s first to be awarded accredited status CRAIGIELEA Care Home is the first in Scotland to receive an accredited status for Playlist for Life. Playlist for Life taps into meaningful music that has the ability to improve life for people with dementia, their family and their carers. Playlist for Life accredited status is only awarded when practitioners can demonstrate implementation of the incentive and not just that they have attended a training event; the awarded package is then valid for two years.
Manager of the Holmes Care Group operated home, Sheila Inshaw, said: “We are delighted to have achieved accredited status for the Playlist for Life establishment, and are particularly proud, as we are the first home in Scotland to receive this prestigious award. “The staff have worked extremely hard with residents and families, and will continue to promote Playlist for Life to everyone who will listen as it really can have such rewarding results for residents, families and staff.”
A WELSH charity’s art for care homes programme is launching a new bi-lingual resource pack to help care home staff and residents to run creative activities workshops. Age Cymru’s cARTrefu project is sending a cARTrefu Activity Pack to every care home in Wales. The packs provide ideas for care home staff and residents on running activity sessions covering visual arts, words, performing arts and music. “Since 2015, we’ve been running the cARTrefu arts project and linking care homes with some of Wales’ most creative artists to give older people in care homes access to quality arts activities,” said Reg Noyes, Age Cymru’s cARTrefu project coordinator. “Our artists have enabled hundreds of older people who live in care homes to create their own art through sessions in visual arts, performing arts, words, music. “We’ve now developed the sessions our artists delivered into the cARTrefu Activity Pack, which features colourcoded cards to help care home staff
and people who live in care homes to run their own cARTrefu sessions.” The cARTrefu Activity Packs contains activities split into four areas – visual arts, performing arts, words, music. All the activities are designed so they can be delivered without any expert knowledge or specialist equipment. Rebecca Evans, Minister for Social Services and Public Health, said: “We know that creative activities can have a very positive impact on people’s health and wellbeing. “The new cARTrefu Activity Pack will enable care homes to run quality arts sessions for residents, providing opportunities to try new activities, express their creativity and engage with other residents.” The pack provides advice on how to lead a creative session, including planning, the importance of getting involved in the activities yourself and the timing of sessions. It also looks at creating the right space for delivering a creative sessions and considerations including playing relaxing background music and encouraging family members and visitors to get involved.
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CARINGNEWS Staff and residents celebrate during the race night.
John Mildenhall receiving his medal and pin at Forest View care home with his wife, Anne.
Race night raises £350 John is honoured with RAF to support residents accolades on 88th birthday A FORMER serviceman has been presented with his National Service medal and a veteran’s pin, 70 years after joining the RAF at 18 years of age. John Mildenhall was presented with the medal and pin by Councillor Peter Reed, chairman of Mid Sussex Council, as he celebrated his 88th birthday with friends, family and staff at Forest View care home in Burgess Hill. The celebrations for John, who regularly attends day care at the home, included a buffet and live musical entertainment. This was funded by donations from Mathew Gallagher of P&S Gallagher Funeral Directors and Tim Wheeler of Wheelbase Garage Service.
Chris Aldridge, team leader at Forest View, spends his time encouraging visitors to reminisce and recall stories from their past, prompting residents to share. John would happily share his experiences of his time with the RAF, and how he was stationed in West Kirby and then Bedfordshire, before moving onto Gloucester. During one of these discussions, John recited his ID number and Chris, with the support of John’s family, contacted the Home Office so that his medals could be sent. Shaw healthcare, which operates the care home, covered the cost of purchasing and shipping the medal to John. The medal now takes pride of place in John and his wife of 60 years, Anne’s home.
A SCUNTHORPE care home has ‘horsed around’ at a charitable race night to help support residents living with dementia. St Mary’s hosted the event to raise funds for its garden project, which will allow it to become even more dementia-friendly for residents. The race night raised £350, which will go towards the installation and maintenance of St Marys’ garden, which includes the addition of a golf putting green for residents and areas where they can tend to their own plots. Rhoda Short’s family, a former resident at the Larchwood Care run home, also donated £500 towards a bench in her name, while a water feature was donated by another former resident’s family. The race night consisted of eight races and guests, which included residents, their families and staff,
as well as members of the wider community, were also treated to entertainment and refreshments. Kerry Davis, home manager at St Mary’s, said: “I would like to thank everyone who attended and contributed to the total raised, which will benefit our residents and garden project immensely. “Our residents enjoy relaxing in the garden area when the weather is nice, and tending to a garden and playing mini golf, for example, can be very therapeutic and relaxing to residents, particularly those living with dementia. “All monies raised will help fulfil our garden project that will allow us to carry out even more activities. “The event was a great success and we are very grateful to all sponsors of the event and races, as well as the families who have already donated money and items to the home.”
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CARINGNEWS
Most services meet the ‘Mum Test’ but there is still too much poor care, new report finds TOO many people across England are living in care homes and receiving care and support in their own homes that is not good enough, a new report claims. The CQC has found that over threequarters of adult social care services are currently rated as Good (77 per cent, 16,351) and two per cent (353) are currently rated as Outstanding. The inspectorate says strong leaders – both at provider and registered manager levels – play a pivotal role in high-performing services, where a strong vision and person-centred values inspire staff, encouraging a culture of openness and transparency. However, CQC has found variation with nearly a fifth (19 per cent, 4,073) of services being rated as Requires Improvement and two per cent (343) as Inadequate. This is the first time that such focused analysis on a national scale has been possible following the formal introduction of CQC’s new regulatory regime for adult social care in October 2014, with expertled, specialist inspections that focus on what matters most to people using services – are they safe, caring,
effective, responsive and well-led? Since then, CQC has carried out over 33,000 inspections of around 24,000 different services – many more than once. These include residential homes, nursing homes, care in people’s own homes, Shared Lives schemes and supported living services. Safety is where CQC has found its greatest concerns, with 23 per cent of services being rated as Requires Improvement and two per cent as Inadequate in this key question. Issues uncovered include ineffective systems and processes for managing medicines or determining staffing levels, which can result in people not getting their prescribed medicines, call bells not being answered, and home visits being rushed or missed. Andrea Sutcliffe, chief inspector of adult social care at the CQC, said: “When CQC began to transform its regulation of adult social care in England, I asked my staff to consider whether every service they were inspecting was good enough for their Mum or anyone they loved. “The ‘Mum Test’ has guided our work ever since and made sure that we always focus on the people who
Andrea Sutcliffe are most important – people who use services, their families and carers. “Having carried out over 33,000 inspections of around 24,000 different services, most of the adult social care sector is meeting the Mum Test, providing safe and high quality care that we would be happy for anyone we love, or ourselves, to receive.
“This is thanks to the thousands of dedicated staff and providers who work tirelessly to ensure people’s care is truly person-centred and meets their individual needs. “However, there is still too much poor care, some providers are failing to improve, and there is even some deterioration. “It appears to be increasingly difficult for some providers to deliver the safe, high quality and compassionate care people deserve and have every right to expect. With demand for social care expected to rise over the next two decades, this is more worrying than ever.” Of the 686 services that were originally rated as Inadequate and have been re-inspected, more than four in five (81 per cent, 553) improved their overall rating. But CQC has not seen the same rate of improvement in services that were rated as Requires Improvement initially, where only 56 per cent of the services eventually improved to Good, with others failing to improve and some deteriorating. And 26 per cent of the services that were first rated as Good and have been re-inspected have deteriorated.
What they said in response to the report ... Janet Morrison “While it is reassuring that the overall majority of social care services continue to be rated as good, it is extremely concerning that nearly 4,500 care services are under-performing. There are systemic problems which need to be tackled, including staffing and, most worryingly, poor safety. No-one should have to live in a care home or receive care where safety is under question. While there are many examples of good care, nonetheless a quarter of all services inspected by CQC have been found to be unsatisfactory when it comes to providing the safe care older people and their families expect. This poses serious questions to government about the crisis in the social care system. A cross-party approach is needed to put in place a sustainable and long-term funding solution that delivers high-quality social care services now and in the future.” Janet Morrison, chief executive of Independent Age. “It is disturbing that safety has been flagged as the biggest concern in care, when providers are caring for some of the most vulnerable adults in society. Too often we hear the consequences of inadequate care – our investigation last year revealed people with dementia left in soiled sheets, or becoming ill after eating
out of date food, and that only a third of homecare workers have received dementia training, leaving families fearing for their loved ones. “People with dementia deserve better. Without funding to put the right protocols in place, it’s no surprise that providers are being forced to cut corners. We need to see Government act before the care system collapses, with clear detail on consultation for reform that is backed up with action, not more words.” Nicola O’Brien, head of policy and campaigns at Alzheimer’s Society. “The report indicates that although progress has occurred there is much to be done in order to ensure that all providers are in a position to provide the best quality care; getting to grips with the fees from local authorities and CCGs is key to this objective. Care England welcomes the report and the intelligence it provides will ensure CQC and providers can work to see a social care sector that can achieve the high ambitions it sets itself for good quality and personalised care. “This sector is still at a tipping point. In order for this to be alleviated the resource, including the newly pledged money from the Government, needs to be delivered to the front line. This is not always happening and action must be taken to address this by Government.” Professor Martin Green OBE, chief executive of Care England. “We welcome the CQC’s report into the standard of adult social care nationally. As the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman we investigate complaints about adult social care, and work closely with CQC to inform their inspection work
by sharing information about our investigations into care providers when things go wrong. “Because of this we believe a key factor in any well-run service is an encouraging attitude to complaints. Care users and their families should be confident to raise concerns about the care they receive, that those concerns are listened to and providers use the learning from those complaints to inform their own service improvements.” Nigel Ellis, chief executive of the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
course, essential for the delivery of care to some of the most vulnerable members of society. Leadership is a key driver for change, and it is very encouraging that CQC has highlighted the importance of a strong culture around creativity and innovation as making a real difference to the delivery of outstanding services.” Vic Rayner, executive director of the National Care Forum.
Ben Challinor
Vic Rayner “The CQC report provides a window into the complexity of adult social care in 21st century Britain. This report shows that the ‘care’ factor is alive and well, with over 95 per cent of services being rated as good or outstanding for the care that they provide. This is good news, and is vital that we continue to measure. “The report also highlights the areas where there is need for significant improvement – demonstrating the critical importance of safeguarding and leadership. These factors are, of
“The latest CQC report goes to show what we are facing as a care industry and the reference to lack of money not being an excuse for quality care is alarming. If you spoke to care home operators trying to make a living in a 20-bed care home with fees at just £350 a week, they may not agree. Many care homes are literally facing a fight for survival. The sector is under immense pressures with factors like the National Living Wage keeping both large and small care home operators awake at night. The Government’s £2 billion investment is a welcome start. However, the focus for the care homes needs to be improved training, support and continued investment from the local authorities.” Ben Challinor, co-founder of Caresolve.
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CARINGNEWS
Positive impact of complementary therapies on advanced dementia care home residents By Louise Gray
POSITIVE improvements in several indicators including agitation, mood, responsiveness, sleep pattern, anxiety and pain were identified in a recent pilot study with elderly care home service users diagnosed as living with advanced dementia. In this hospice-led study, care home staff and family members reported that (following a complementary therapy session) residents: n Were calmer/more settled. n Were easier to move and handle. n Shouted/cried out less. n Exhibited less bodily tension/ contraction. Care home staff observed that the complementary therapies had a positive impact on the behaviour and mood of the residents. This proved beneficial to staff as residents were subsequently easier to interact with and deliver care to, as these quotes from staff illustrate: n “More focussed, relaxed, less anxiety, able to listen and concentrate”. n “It was less stressful for (residents when care team were assisting with positional changes and personal care”. This study was funded by a South Lanarkshire-based hospice, and was delivered by its two-person Care@ Home team. Two neighbouring local authority care homes agreed to refer residents to the study. Following assessment by the Care@ Home specialist nurse, I provided a block of 12 (where possible), weekly complementary therapies to eight residents in the two local care homes mentioned. Therapies (lasting
approximately 30 minutes) were tailored to the medical condition and (where able to indicate) personal preferences of residents, and included Aromatherapy Massage, Reflexology and Reiki. Assessment data was recorded at each visit by the specialist nurse and myself. The data collection methods we used are detailed later in this column. During my visits, I witnessed residents reacting positively to a combination of gentle touch, the use of relaxing music and (where appropriate) the scent of essential oils. Those who were vacant and unresponsive on my arrival would often make and maintain eye contact, smile and try to engage in conversation during therapies. Distressed and agitated residents would visibly relax and, quite often, fall asleep. Abbey Pain Scale data recorded by myself and the specialist nurse showed a positive post-therapy change in residents’ body language (83 per cent), facial expression (82 per cent), contractures (79 per cent) and vocalisation (73 per cents), on visits where these were evident. Of those complementary therapist visits where distress was displayed prior to therapy (72 per cent), residents exhibited reduced or no post-therapy distress on 57 per cent of occasions Given the numerous benefits highlighted in the study, it was decided there would be merit in training care home staff in how to provide a simple ‘hand pamper’ to residents. This gentle routine could be used to calm agitated residents, or
Louise Gray assist those experiencing poor quality or no sleep. These training courses were delivered to care home staff in their workplace by hospice staff. In conclusion, the provision of therapies in a care home setting proved inexpensive in terms of the limited materials required and number of staff utilised (requiring only two healthcare professionals for a combined total of less than half a day per week). When the low cost of provision is considered against the number and extent of benefits achieved, care home managers and funding commissioners should give serious consideration to the regular provision of complementary therapies to this client group; not only to improve the quality of life of residents, but also to assist staff in their delivery of more efficient and effective care. Data for this study was gathered: n By Care@Home staff, using various
assessment tools; namely Abbey Pain Scale, DisDAT, IPOS and (where possible) MYCAW. n From direct feedback on evaluation forms completed by care home staff and residents’ family members. The MYCAW (Measure Yourself Concerns and Wellbeing) questionnaire proved unsuitable for those where communication and/or cognitive ability were impaired. Similarly, it proved difficult to fully complete the IPOS (Integrated Palliative Care Outcome Scale) assessment tool with such residents. However, the Abbey Pain Scale and DisDAT (Disability Distress Assessment Tool) were most useful for assessment and data recording purposes, and the use of evaluation forms provided vital quantitative and qualitative information from care home staff and residents’ family members. References n Regnard, C. Mathews, D. Gibson, L. et al (2008) Disability Distress Assessment Tool (DisDAT) © 2008 Northumberland Tyne & Wear NHS Trust and St. Oswald’s Hospice. Available at www.disdat.co.uk n Abbey, J., De Bellis, A., Piller, N., et al. The Abbey Pain Scale. JH & JD Gunn Medical Research Foundation. Available at http://www.racgp.org.au/ your-practice/guidelines/silverbook/ tools/abbey-pain-scale n Cicely Saunders Institute (2014) Development of new integrated palliative care outcome scale. Available at www.pos-pal.org n Louise Gray is a Care@ Home complementary therapist for Kilbryde Hospice.
Lincoln care home supports dementia golf fundraiser A PIONEERING dementia care service held its first fundraising event at Lincoln Golf Centre recently, raising £1,500 for the project. Members of Lincoln Golf Centre together with local businesses including Eccleshare Court Care Home and The Mayor of North Hykeham, Councillor Susannah Spencer supported the fundraising event. The Dementia Golf Project began in 2015 and has proved to be a
lifeline for families living with the condition. “We are absolutely thrilled with the positive impact the golf sessions have had on people’s lives,” said Anthony Blackburn, founder of Golf In Society, a social enterprise with a mission to improve the lives of our ageing population through golf. He added: “The monies raised will allow us to make the golf days available to more families living with dementia in the Lincoln area.
I cannot thank the local businesses and Mayor enough for their fantastic support.” The sessions combine physical, mental and social stimulation and are delivered in beautiful natural surroundings. As well as providing excellent dementia therapy, the sessions have offered a muchneeded respite break for carers “We were delighted to support the dementia golf fundraising day at Thorpe-on-the-Hill Golf Club,” said
Alykhan Kachra, managing director, Country Court Care. “As a provider of residential and nursing care for people living with dementia we understand first-hand the benefits that can be gained from providing meaningful and stimulating activities. “The Golf Days Out initiative is a fantastic way to exercise both mind and body and we wish them the very best of luck with their future fundraising.”
CARINGNEWS
Customer relationship manager Lisa Vile, Avnish Goyal, Anita Goyal, resident Pat Trill, Beena Goyal, Ram Goyal and general manager Liz Day at Maycroft Manor, Brighton.
Directors celebrate landmark birthday
HALLMARK Care Homes’ directors Avnish Goyal and Ram Goyal visited all 15 of their homes in England and South Wales to celebrate the group’s 20th anniversary. The purpose of their four-day trip was to take part in the homes’ individual celebrations and recognise the company’s 63 long-serving team members for their contributions. All of the homes, which provide residential, dementia and nursing care, planned a range of exciting activities for visitors, residents and team to get involved in, which varied from team breakfasts to themed
parties, with musical entertainment and party games. Avnish said: “We had an incredible time visiting all 15 of our homes and celebrating Hallmark Care Homes’ 20th year of providing great care. “The road trip was a great opportunity to spend quality time with the residents and honour all of our hard working care teams who have contributed to making Hallmark Care Homes such a success over the years. “I am incredibly proud of what has been achieved and I am looking forward to our next milestone.”
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CARINGNEWS Residents, staff and friends of the Chirk Court Care Home, managed by Clwyd Alyn Housing Association, raised £103 for the Alzheimer’s Society with a recent coffee morning. “It was lovely to welcome many family members and friends from the wider community. We’d like to thank everyone who supported us and the residents themselves, who made it a great event,” said manager Lisa Johnson. Chirk Court resident Graham Williams is pictured with care practitioner Tasha White.
Homes highlight need for better information CARE homes have highlighted the need for better digital information sharing following hospital discharge, a new report from the Professional Record Standards Body has found. A survey of more than 260 respondents found that care home workers needed better handovers to care homes, better planning by hospitals ahead of discharge, higher quality discharge summary information and appropriate discharge times for their service users. n Care homes reported differences in receipt of discharge summaries, with 27 per cent not receiving summaries. n Of the care homes receiving discharge summaries, nine in 10 still get paper records, though two-thirds of those interviewed said they had their own digital processes in place. n Care homes highlighted issues including poor communication, lack of information and poor discharge processes.
n The majority of respondents, (77 per cent) felt that digital communication systems would help them with hospital discharge summaries. n While care homes are increasingly using technology and have developed digital processes internally for managing care, these are not connected to the wider health and social care system. Ian Turner, PRSB advisory board member and chair of the Registered Nursing Home Association, said: “For those living in care homes, hospital visits and other temporary changes to care can be unsettling. By ensuring that correct care and medication information is shared between relevant professionals, we can make the process of transfer safer and more comfortable for the service user.” Findings from the report will be used by NHS Digital’s social care programme to consider how to improve these information flows.
Golf club honours resident A CHESHIRE golf club honoured a care home resident at a celebratory afternoon tea. Sheila Watson from Meridian Healthcare’s Lauren Court care home was invited to join president Sue Bennett at Sandiway Golf Club to reminisce about her successful
era. The 97-year-old, who has lived at the home since 2014, was a member at Sandiway for many years, winning countless trophies. The club named one of the trophies after Sheila following her winning it three consecutive times.
Awards in partnership with
Clydesdale/Yorkshire Bank, who are also sponsoring
Care Group of the Year
CLYDESDALE Bank, established in Glasgow in 1838, and Yorkshire Bank, founded in 1859 in Halifax, are built on strong foundations, dedicated to serving people, businesses and communities. The established and trusted brands of Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank offer a full range of financial products and services to help people and businesses grow. Our dynamic Health & Social Care team have a wealth of banking experience, are highly skilled in structuring flexible finance packages for customers and share a strong passion for the care home, and wider healthcare sector.
Care Home of the Year – Aidcall AID Call has 40 years’ experience in the design, manufacture and installation of nurse call systems with a proven track record of over 3,000 installations nationwide. We offer a wide range of products and bespoke solutions designed specifically to meet the needs of care homes. Our first class knowledge, innovative approach and reputation for delivering safe and efficient solutions positions us as the leading supplier of wireless nurse call technology As our systems are wireless their installation is quick, undisruptive and can be specific to each home. They are future proofed so you can add to, and enhance, your system without incurring large costs or necessitating
infrastructure changes. This flexibility allows them to adapt to change and evolve as the care environment does. Beyond providing a personalised service, this means our systems are relevant and useful for far longer. Unit 4 Brunel Court Brunel Road Newton Abbot Devon TQ12 4PB 0800 052 3616 sales@aidcall.co.uk www.aidcall.co.uk
All loans are subject to status and applicants must be aged 18 or over. Terms and conditions apply. Please note that security may be required. Any asset used as security will be at risk if you break the agreement. Yorkshire Bank is a trading name of Clydesdale Bank PLC. Derek Breingan Head of Health and Social Care 07818 454674 derek.a.breingan@cybg.com
Best Innovation in Care – Beaucare Medical
BEAUCARE® Medical Ltd is a leading supplier to care homes and the care sector since 1992. We supply the full range of medical, nursing, hygiene supplies and capital equipment. We continue to maintain our core values, ensuring our team have the knowledge and expertise to advise and help our entire customer base. Our product range consists of approximately 4000 products and six established brands, including ATmo® (pressure relief mattresses and cushions), ProBed® (electric profiling / nursing beds), AquaBathe™ (Care Baths), BeauWash™ (Laundry Chemicals and Dosing), Beaulift® (patient lifting hoists) and Furniture4Care™. Beaucare sets the standard for high quality, low cost supply of medical, nursing, janitorial and hygiene products. We can assist you in lowering your spend per client and ensure tasks are
undertaken using the right product, therefore reducing wastage. We have worked with our customers to develop usage and monitoring reports to help managers to work within budgets. Beaucare is committed to care, with a dedicated customer service department, which undertakes the servicing of care home equipment at competitive rates, such as electric profiling nursing beds, patient lifting hoists and slings. Servicing is carried out to industry standards including LOLER certification for hoists, our engineers are fully qualified and experienced at working in care home environments. Call 01423 873666 or visit www.beaucare.com
Care Employer of the Year – Aston Brooke Solicitors
ASTON Brooke is a leading provider of legal advice to the UK health and social care sector and represents a wide range of care home groups, proprietors, and managers, as well as industry bodies, staff and residents throughout the United Kingdom. In particular, they assist care homes with applications, or registrations with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), challenges against the CQC, and inspection reports. Their lawyers also provide advice on how best to deal with CQC inspections. In addition to offering guidance on engagement with the CQC, offering support strategies to improve overall standards, and providing advice on how to challenge warning and fixed penalty notices, Aston Brooke
Care Team of the Year – CareDocs (Care Management Systems Ltd) can help oppose notices of cancellation, challenge regulatory prosecutions and handle inquests. They also assist with buying or selling care homes, including conveyancing and refinancing, as well as with employment issues and tribunals, immigration issues for staff, disputes, litigation and negligence claims and funding issues. www.astonbrooke.co.uk 020 3475 4321
CareDocs is an innovative computer-based care planning and home management system for residential and nursing care homes. Designed by care home owners, CareDocs offers all the features that you’ll need to ensure the smooth running of your home. Care planning is at the heart of CareDocs and as well as providing a quick and easy way to carry out comprehensive assessments, you’ll be able to produce fully
personalised care plans in a matter of minutes. There’s a host of other features that will simplify your day-to-day responsibilities, reduce the need for many paper records and allow you to monitor outstanding tasks at a glance. Unit 6, Apex Court Almondsbury Business Park Bristol BS32 4JT 0845 500 5115 info@caredocs.co.uk www.caredocs.co.uk
Management Team of the Year – Condy Lofthouse Architects GREAT management, like great building design, balances flair with planning and thoughtfulness. The nominees for the Management Team of the Year have illustrated a flair for the role and matched this with the ability to identify, recruit and lead a great team. We’ve shared that philosophy since our inception in 1979, delivering many dozens of great care home projects across every market segment and in every area of the UK. And so when we were asked to sponsor the Management Team of the
Year we agreed readily, and for one simple reason: whilst the sensitive, thoughtful and intelligent design of care homes is a key component in their success, it is outstanding management and leadership that makes the ultimate difference. Whilst great design is vital to residents’ enjoyment and comfort, it is the care home managers who truly define their experience. No 17, Connect Business Village, 24 Derby Road, Liverpool, L5 9PR Tel 0151 207 4371 Email rwhite@condylofthouse.co.uk
Lifetime Achievement – Shackletons AT Shackletons we have been creating comfort for more than half a century. We design and manufacture all our furniture in our Dewsbury based workshop – maintaining quality and the highest standards from start to finish. We take our community responsibilities seriously, so wherever possible we use
local suppliers and source materials from the UK. We do this because we believe it gives you all the reassurance you need to choose Shackletons with confidence and ensures everyone who lives with and uses our products enjoys the comfort they deserve. Call 01924 868470 or visit shackletonsltd.co.uk
Dementia Care Team of the Year – Your Mobility
Activities Team of the Year – Safehands Holidays
Two fantastic hotels in two great locations. Both hotels have 40 fully accessible bedroom rooms most equipped with electric profile beds, level access shower rooms with grab and transfer rails, shower chair/ commodes, and overhead tracking. We provide half board holidays / respite breaks with waitress service, all special diets are catered for in our fully accessible restaurants. We have live cabaret entertainment on every night in
our licensed cabaret bar. Our hotels are registered with CQC & CSSIW allowing us to provide bespoke care packages to meet our guests needs. A fully accessible pick up and return service is also available along with accessible days during your stay. For more information or a brochure please visit www.safehandsholidays.co.uk or contact our sales team on 0333 999 8888 sales@safehandsholidays.co.uk
Retirement Village of the Year – ServiceSport OUR mission is to provide expert, technical support, parts supply and estate management solutions, improving and extending fitness equipment’s life and reliability regardless of the location within the UK. We estate manage, service, maintain and remanufacture in-house, almost all brands of commercial, indoor fitness equipment, offering a range of service levels to suit needs
of all types of operators. Based in Chorley, Lancashire, a workforce of more than 80 people provide a national coverage of servicing and repair. From humble beginnings, ServiceSport achieved over £6m of sales in 2015 and has aspirations for continued growth. 0845 388 4662 www.servicesport.co.uk
THE team at Your Mobility specialise in providing a unique and comprehensive range of dementia friendly portable chairs for people in your care. We pride ourselves on offering the highest quality innovative and functional seating to best meet the needs of the service user and their wonderful carers. Our offering is geared up to supporting both carer and cared for by providing comprehensive and practical assessment before sale, prompt delivery within 72 hours of order and very competitive pricing. We then provide carers with ongoing support in the form of training on ‘good seating practice’, twice yearly free safety
checks on chair throughout its service life and a two-year ‘no quibble’ warranty. Your Mobility chairs help get people out of bed, providing comfort, pressure relief and safety while offering carers reduced hoist transfers and ease of transportation around and outside the care home. www.yourmobility.org
Do you want to get involved? Limited sponsorship opportunities are still available for our big night at the National Railway Museum, York on December 8. To find out more call 01226 734605, email tb@scriptmedia.co.uk or visit www.caringukawards.co.uk
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Caroline wins Inspirational Achiever of the Year award CAROLINE Balmer, joint owner and MD of Caremark (Worcester & Malvern Hills), has been nominated as this year’s Pitmans ‘SuperAchiever’ after claiming the ‘Inspirational Achiever of the Year award. Caroline was selected as one of three finalists from scores of international entries in recognition of her achievements in 2016, notably the setting up of a dementia home care service in Worcester. Last year saw Caroline successfully launch and grow her new dementiafocussed care business, study for and complete her degree studies in dementia, as well as train for and run a 10k marathon to raise money for a local charity. Her drive and determination impressed the judges and the results of her entrepreneurial spirit made her the ultimate winner of this sought after accolade. She said: “It’s hard to blow your own trumpet but I am very proud of what I have grown in one year of business. I have gone from picking up the keys to an empty office, to becoming a thriving business in 12 months, as well as completing a degree. “I have created a vibrant, diverse team of 35 lovely people who go
Caroline Balmer out every day and provide care and companionship to people in their own homes. It’s something I am passionate about and it is exciting and rewarding to watch it grow and change people’s lives.” The trend was set earlier this year when Caroline and her team were awarded The Rising Star award by franchisor Caremark Limited at its annual corporate conference in recognition of her outstanding performance throughout 2016.
Stocks Hall Andrew Smith House in Nelson thanked one of its loyal, committed volunteers for all his hard work over a long period of time. Brian Sharples first came to the home when he visited his wife Maureen, who lived there in recent years. When Maureen passed away, Brian continued to visit the home, volunteering and supporting in whatever way he could. He currently volunteers five days a week. Manager Jayms Bell added: “This award cannot convey the depth of gratitude from Stocks Hall towards Brian, but we hope it is something towards showing him how much he means to us.”
Lorna Mallin Beavers Wick St Lawrence leader, Isobel, Lisa and Max Owen and Beau Anson.
Pedalling posse cycle 220 miles for charity A CYCLING group from Aberdeen is set to tackle a 220-mile cycle from Inverness to Campbelltown to raise money for charity. John Halliday, 39, and the ‘Cyclepaths’ are taking on the journey to raise money for two charities close to his heart – Bield and Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland. John said: “It’s not easy to find time to train as we all have young families. But we go out and cycle on the roads of the North East as often as possible. “We’ve done a few cycles like this before in the past such as Inverness to John o’ Groats and from Aberdeen to Mallaig. “However, we are still apprehensive for this cycle ahead of us. We are all getting a bit older and don’t recover as quickly as we used to. But we’re still extremely excited to see another part of Scotland which we haven’t covered before. “We are collecting donations through a Virgin Money Giving page, the support we’ve already received has just been incredible with over £1,000 raised so far.”
The charities were chosen in memory of John’s aunt, Yvonne, and Stuart Birnie, a close friend of the group, who passed away after suffering from an arterial embolism. Yvonne was a tenant at Bield’s St Andrews Court development in Broxburn for eight years. John wanted to raise money for the housing development to say thanks for the care she had received during her time there. The ‘Cyclepaths’ are a team of five cyclists and a driver who will work together to complete the four day cycle. The group have been training hard in preparation for the upcoming challenge. Kevin Rowe, Bield fundraiser, added: “We are incredibly grateful that John and the ‘Cyclepaths’ have chosen to raise money for us. “Yvonne was a much valued member of our community and will be sorely missed. “We have already decided to use some of the money raised to get a wooden bench in the garden with a memorial plaque.”
Home’s garden gets makeover thanks to community’s help SUMMER Lane in Worle has enlisted the help of local community volunteers to give its garden a makeover. The care home is taking part in ‘Country Court Care in Bloom’ – a company-wide gardening competition designed to encourage residents to enjoy gardening and outside spaces. Homes across the Country Court Care group will be competing against each other in various categories from ‘Best garden transformation’ to ‘Best vegetables’. Staff from the Weston-super-Mare facility were joined by local helpers for their ‘Big Dig’ . Parents and children from the Wick St Lawrence Beavers colony, as well as volunteers from local businesses came along to help and enjoy the sunshine. “We had a great response to our call for volunteers” said well-being and activities coordinator April Lewis. “It gave me a real sense of satisfaction to think that this small idea ended up being so well supported locally, it will
give a big boost to our Country Court Care in Bloom initiative”. The area of garden at the back of the care home had previously been rather uninspiring, but the team have plans to turn it into a vegetable and herb garden for the residents to enjoy. The team at the ‘Big Dig’ spent a day weeding, removing turf and digging over the soil ready for planting. Wide grass pathways were left to enable residents in wheelchairs to move easily around the garden. The garden will continue to take shape over the course of the summer, with residents already planting seeds and planning the next stage of the project. “The new garden area will be a great asset for the home in the long-term, not just for this project,” added April. “It’s really important to encourage our residents to continue to enjoy their hobbies and interests, especially for those living with dementia. We are very excited to be moving on to phase two of the project and thank all those involved so far.”
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No mountain too high for care home on fundraising mission
John Maxwell
New manager appointment THE Randolph Hill Nursing Homes Group, which currently operates six quality care and nursing homes in Scotland, has announced the appointment of John Maxwell as its facilities manager. Based in the company’s Edinburgh headquarters, he will be responsible for day to day buildings maintenance, ensuring the group’s homes meet or exceed regulatory requirements while delivering the highest standards in facilities for residents. Randolph Hill managing director, Peter McCormick, said: “John has a wealth of experience, handling a diverse range of facilities management challenges at different sites across Scotland. “His combined expertise and knowledge is vital to a safety and security-focused business like ours and we are delighted to welcome him to the team.”
STAFF from Banstead-based maritime charity, the Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society, are aiming to raise at least £4,000 for charity by competing in the 24 Peaks Challenge. The team of caring and estates staff from the Society’s specialist maritime nursing home, Belvedere House, has been preparing for months to compete in one of the nation’s most gruelling challenges in support of national maritime charity Seafarers UK, which has been helping people in the maritime community for a century. Competitors in this year’s challenge will have 24 hours to scale 24 peaks, covering 31 miles across the Lake District and climbing some of the highest mountains in England, including Scafell Pike. The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society was one of six teams out of 24 to complete the challenge last year, and are hoping to top the £4,300 they raised in 2016. This will be estate manager Richard Condie’s second time competing, with Nick Potroanchenu from maintenance and Kim Tema, a care assistant, tackling the challenge for a third year in a row. Newcomers Jenny Tema and Roberto Iannella will be competing for the first time, and the team has been training in the lead-up to the event by walking, running and going to the gym, with plans to train at Box Hill in Surrey over the next two months. Commander Brian Boxall-Hunt, chief executive of Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society, said: “This is the
Competing in the 24 Peaks Challenge from the Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society are Nick Potroanchenu, Roberto Iannella, Jenny Tema, Richard Condie and Kim Tema. third year in a row we have entered a team for this gruelling yet rewarding challenge, and we are encouraging people to donate to a charity that has done so much for the maritime community. “We wouldn’t be able to provide our residents with the level of care we do if it weren’t for organisations such as Seafarers UK, who continue to support us and our mission to provide seafarers with a safe haven in old age, illness or adversity.” The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society receives support from the charity, which helps the home provide housing, residential and nursing care to former seafarers, their widows and dependants, which it has done for
more than 150 years. These services include nursing, support, respite and dementia care, all on-site at its estate in Surrey. The home has already hosted a number of fundraising events including a quiz night, and has raised more than £1,000 so far. Seafarers UK gave more than £2.5 million in grants in 2016 to 72 maritime welfare charities, providing vital support to 170,000 people across the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets. The charity receives no government funding and is heavily dependent on public donations and legacies to maintain its grant-making programme.
Immigration skills charge will impact health care funding for many years By Kashif Majeed ON April 6 a new immigration skills charge came into force which is taking “desperately needed money” from the health service for years to come due to the service’s continuing reliance on foreign staff. The government introduced the skills charge to incentivise the recruitment and training of British workers. The immigration skills charge will apply to health care employers that employ non-EEA migrants in the care sector, under a Certificate of Sponsorship for a Tier 2 visa. Employers will have to pay a £1,000 annual charge for skilled workers who are applying for a Tier 2 visa outside the UK, inside the UK to switch to Tier 2 from another visa or inside the UK to extend an existing Tier 2 visa. As such, sponsoring a migrant under Tier 2 for three years will attract an additional £3,000. Smaller businesses and charities will pay a reduced charge of £364 per employee a year.
The charge is on top of the fees already in place, which include home office fees for the Tier 2 and the certificate of sponsorship. These home office fees do not include fees for dependants, which would substantially increase costs. Following the acute shortage of care workers coupled with an aging population, the UK care industry continues to rely heavily on skilled migrant workers from outside of the EEA. Many care homes sponsor skilled migrant workers as it saves the time and cost of training unskilled resident workers. However, with the introduction of the immigration skills charge care providers may have to reconsider their approach. It is clear that this will have a significant financial impact on the care industry, and particularly on smaller care providers. A major criticism of the introduction of the immigration skills charge is that the existing resident labour market test already ensures that there are no suitable
Kashif Majeed resident workers. It is clear that by introducing the immigration skills charge the government is intentionally seeking to out-price a growing number of health care employers from the migrant labour market, limiting their recruitment options. The increase in the National Living Wage on April 1 2017 has already place the care industry under significant financial strain. Leading
providers of care in the UK raised concerns at this point about the impact the increase may have, and estimated it will “cost care homes an extra £1bn by 2020”. There are serious concerns that without extra funding the sector will be at risk of collapse. Under the circumstances, the introduction of the immigration skills charge will undoubtedly place the sector under further strain. It is important to nurture a more competitive, upskilled domestic labour market, as it is critical for the future economic sustainability and success of the UK. However, the commercial reality remains that health care employers need to hire workers with the appropriate skills and at a commercially viable cost level. Some health care employers faced with mounting costs of migrant sponsorship are reviewing their recruitment strategies, including exploring alternative immigration options. n Kashif Majeed is a director at Aston Brooke Solicitors.
CARINGNEWS
The Burton Closes Hall Care Home and Bakewell AJ Welldressing team with their design at the RHS Chatsworth Flower Show.
Home wins RHS well-dressing competition By Olivia Taylor THE First Royal Horticultural Society Welldressing Competition has been won by a team from Bakewell. Burton Closes Hall Care Home alongside Bakewell AJ Welldressing was named Best Welldressing Exhibit at the inaugural RHS Chatsworth Flower Show. Over 90,000 visitors attended the show, when they were invited to cast their vote for their favourite welldressing design. All entrants were asked to submit ideas focusing on “Design Revolutionaries”, with teams from Bakewell, Buxton, Ashford, Chesterfield and Tideswell selected for the final. The trophy was awarded to the Bakewell team for their detailed design of Burton Closes Hall, in the heart of Bakewell, which is now operated as a care home by the Hill Care Group. Architect Augustus Pugin, known for designing the interior of the Palace of Westminster, is the design revolutionary behind the building, constructed in 1848. Burton Closes Hall has retained the majority of its original features,
which include many of Pugin’s Gothic revival stylings. The well-dressing design is the creation of Sue Hudson, who has continued the tradition of Bakewell welldressings along with sister, Christine Barks, following its revival by their father and horticulturalist A. J. Goudie in 1967. Marking the golden anniversary of the town’s well-dressing revival, Sue and Christine led a team of local volunteers in their creation for the RHS Chatsworth Flower Show. Carl J D Fisher, home manager at Burton Closes Hall Care Home, said: “The residents, staff and team behind the welldressing design were absolutely thrilled to have our care home at the centre of the Best Welldressing Exhibit at the RHS Chatsworth Flower Show. “It’s testament to the hard work put in by Sue and her team that their stunning design was selected by the public as the best on display. “The welldressing attracted a lot of attention over the five-day event, including from the Duke of Devonshire and President of the RHS Sir Nicholas Bacon, who have all been impressed with the attention to detail and craftsmanship.” Three members of staff from Rogers House, Abbeyfield Kent’s care home in Gillingham, have a combined total of 75 years of caring for residents. Lorraine Laker, Pam Hartmann and Val Banfield began their employment at Rogers House when the care home first opened in 1992. Rogers House will be celebrating its 25th birthday at the end of this year. The care home has cared for over 1,000 residents since it first opened.
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SPONSORED BY
www.bluerockcare.com
Academics appointed to help provider develop its dementia services Group pledges support to Dementia Friends LINCOLNSHIRE based carers have pledged to support people with dementia after taking part in a workshop. Clarriots Care is committed to training people about the complexities of the condition and what they can do to make a difference to the lives of people affected. The Dementia Friends campaign is part of a national movement to spread awareness of dementia and inspire people in their communities to get involved in helping those in need. The group’s care coordinator, Lucy Hunter, organised the workshop during Dementia Awareness Week for a number of companions who support people in the community with dementia. A group of other team members from Clarriots Care’s headquarters in Manby also attended
the training session. She said: “We know that a dementia diagnosis can be terribly upsetting for the person who is diagnosed, as well as their family and friends. We are committed to providing high quality support and care to people living with dementia so that they can continue to live as independently as possible in their own homes. “Our workshop provides carers with extra guidance on the different stages of dementia. It also gives them the skills to ensure the person they care for with dementia is comfortable in their surroundings.” The Alzheimer’s Society began the Dementia Friends campaign to encourage members of the public to find out more about how dementia affects a person and to better understand what they can do to make them feel more at ease.
CARE UK has selected the Association for Dementia Studies at the University of Worcester as its new partner to help it invest further in its provision of care for people living with dementia. The initial phase of the partnership sees an 18-month contract where the University of Worcester will support Care UK to build consistency, cohesion and continuous improvement into all aspects of dementia care in its 114 homes. Announcing the launch of the partnership, Care UK’s residential care services managing director, Andrew Knight, said: “We’re already known for our resourceful, compassionate and innovative approach to caring for people with dementia but we are always striving to be even better. Linking to an academic partner will help us to use the very latest in dementia research to ensure we are at the cutting edge of residential dementia care over the next decade.” Care UK spent four months evaluating possible academic partners from universities across the UK. After narrowing it down to three, the University was chosen for its strong research base and its
determination to develop a tailored programme based on a deep understanding of Care UK’s current and future dementia care services. Andrew added: “We were particularly impressed by the fact that the Association for Dementia Studies at the University of Worcester wanted to develop a really tailored programme which will make a difference to every member of our team from carers and housekeeping colleagues to my executive team. “The two organisations also have a lot of shared values around respect, seeing people as unique individuals, and recognising the importance of our teams working closely with the family and friends of residents and other members of the community.” Professor Dawn Brooker from the University of Worcester will lead the team of academics supporting Care UK in this venture. As part of the contract with the University, Care UK has earmarked over £500,000 to further improve the care it offers to residents living with dementia. The majority of this money will be spent on one of the most comprehensive programmes of training and awareness building that the organisation has embarked upon.
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Care group scoops top accolade BARCHESTER Healthcare has received a prestigious award from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents for its contribution to occupational health and safety in the healthcare sector. Having previously won two RoSPA ‘Gold’ awards, this year Barchester entered into the competitive ‘Healthcare Provider’ category, open to hospitals, university trusts and care home providers, and received the highly prized ‘Healthcare Services Award: Commended’ accolade. The annual RoSPA awards promote the importance of occupational health and safety and acknowledge organisations that excel in this area. 2017 is their centenary year. As ‘Commended’ award winners, Paul Mason, director of health and safety, and Andy Hollingshead, health and safety manager,were invited to the RoSPA’s centenary celebration hosted by Prince Andrew at Buckingham Palace. Paul said: “Winning this is testimony to the commitment shown by all staff employed by the group and the importance and focus placed on health and safety by Barchester’s executive management team.”
Stuart named Chef of the Year STUART Middleton from Meallmore Lodge in Inverness was named the National Association of Care Catering’s Care Chef of the Year. At Barking & Dagenham College’s Technical Skills Academy, the 11 finalists from across the NACC’s six regions demonstrated their culinary skills, creativity and knowledge in this specialist field of catering as they produced innovative two-course menus under the watchful eyes of the panel of judges. After 90 minutes of intense competition, Stuart claimed the NACC Care Chef of the Year 2017 title with his winning menu of ‘traditional fayre with flair’: Haggis, neeps and tatties followed by a dessert of Culloden Cranachan (A Meallmore twist on a classic). The judges praised Stuart’s menu and approach that delivered on taste, skill and presentation and showed clear understanding of his clientele. They were impressed by the authenticity of his dishes, his innovative interpretation of classics, the use of regional ingredients, his attention to detail, and the passion he shows through working with residents to create his menus. He said: “I’m overwhelmed to have won. I didn’t expect it as the calibre of the other finalists was unbelievable. “I competed last year but I was nervous and didn’t know what to expect, so I over-complicated everything. This year I simplified it. I engaged with my residents to create a menu they love and that’s Scottish through and through. I definitely
Mark Taylor from Premier Foods (sponsor), Stuart Middleton, Neel Radia, NACC national chair, and Bev Puxley head of judges and from Worshipful Company of Cooks (sponsor). enjoyed the final more this year. What an amazing day.” Peter McGregor of Perry Manor, Worcester, took second, with Martin McKee of The Hawthorns, Aldridge, taking third place. Stuart was also awarded Highly Commended Main and Martin took Highly Commended Dessert. Neel Radia, the NACC’s national chair, said: “2017 marks the 30th anniversary of the NACC and this wonderful competition has been instrumental in our ongoing and successful work to highlight the amazing culinary talent within the care sector. “Care chefs have to be highly skilled and knowledgeable to cater for the
elderly and vulnerable. In this very specific area of catering, as well as ensuring meals are nutritionally balanced and beneficial, they must think about catering for individual physical and emotional needs such as special diets, cultural requirements, social preferences, reduced appetites and eating difficulties caused by conditions such as dementia and dysphagia. “Care chefs do an incredible job creating a variety of impressive dishes that are delicious and visually appealing, and wouldn’t look out of place in a top restaurant. Every year the standard of entries and food produced by all competitors gets stronger and stronger.”
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Home engages with its local community HASLINGDEN Hall & Lodge in Lancashire has continued to create strong links with local groups with two new confirmed regular dates in the dairy. The local Rossendale Memory Choir runs weekly in the community. They aim to bring together those with dementia, their friends, relatives and carers, in a relaxed and welcoming environment to reconnect and engage through music. Activity coordinator at the home, Tracey Booth, approached the choir after she took some of the residents at the home to their weekly meeting. Tracey wanted to establish an exclusive choir within the home, giving all the residents, including those with limited mobility, the opportunity to be involved with the vibrant singing group. A trial was set up and proved a success, with high engagement from both the dementia and residential members of the home. It was agreed that the ‘Haslingden Memory Choir’ will meet the first Monday of each month, inviting friends and relatives into the home for an afternoon of song. Tracey said: “I approached the choir because I wanted to give all our residents the chance to be involved in something fun and energetic, despite their mobility. Our new choir will bring everyone together to sing a variety of new and classic songs,
Activity coordinator Tracey Booth and resident Mary Wilson. which will be particularly beneficial to our residents with dementia. We have some fantastic voices in the home and now we have our own choir, everyone can get involved.” The home has long-standing relationships with Helmshore Primary School and Little Stars Nursery, who visit regularly to take part in joint activities with the residents. The children enjoy reading and singing to the residents across the home, as well as taking part in arts and craft sessions which occur weekly as part of the home’s partnership with The Equal Arts, HenPower project. This project aims to promote health and wellbeing and battle loneliness and depression in older people by engaging them in arts activities and hen-keeping. The four hens have been residents at the home since 2016 and have become the focal activity with the children from both schools.
Staff and residents at a High Barnes nursing home took a step back in time as they held a 1940s-style street party in aid of Help for Heroes. The nostalgic event, which took place at Barnes Court Care Home, was held to remember the soldiers of the past, while raising money to support members of todays British Armed Forces. The home was awash with red, white and blue, with bunting, balloons, flags and war-time themed posters on display. Ladies at Barnes Court had their hair styled with victory rolls and headscarves and staff donned wartime and military-themed fancy dress, while residents wore themed accessories.
Home marks Armed Forces Day CARE home residents in Stockton-onTees got a ticket to the past as part of Armed Forces Day celebrations. Mandale House staff dressed as land girls and military personnel to help recreate a history many of the residents remember. War time tunes were performed by entertainer Janie St John, with staff and residents joining in for a sing-along. Pupils from Mandale Mill Primary School also dropped by to play traditional board games and performed songs from their end of
year assembly. Christine Reason, home manager at Mandale House Care Home, said: “One day didn’t seem enough to mark Armed Forces Day, so we extended our celebrations over several days, meaning we could bring in the excellent singer Janie St John, and invite local primary school pupils to visit. “I can see no better mark of respect for our armed forces than seeing the joy in residents’ faces and hearing them sing along to tunes from their youth they remember so well.”
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Three reasons to offload your laundry provision
New online hand hygiene training for care home staff
A NEW evidence based online hand hygiene training course is now available free of charge and offers one hour of CPD. This course is divided into four modules which include a summary of guidelines, an introduction to the skin, a hand hygiene video and a section about improving compliance. At the end of each section there is a series of multiple choice questions so that participants can test what has been learnt. The course is fully referenced and based on the most up to date guidelines, research and evidence. The training has been designed to specifically address the hand hygiene issues relevant to healthcare staff working in care homes. Additional trainees can be added to any registration. This helps save time and enables the training
coordinator to track the progression of other trainees. Although it is recognised that good hand hygiene is essential to protect both staff and residents from cross infection, evidence suggests that many healthcare staff do not decontaminate their hands when required or use the correct technique. This one hour of training will help improve standards of hand hygiene through an increased understanding of the vital role it plays in delivering care. Enquiries: For further information about this course email:ukmarketing.sm@ schuelke.com or visit https://www.schuelkelearning.com/course/introduction-to-handhygiene-for-care-home-staff
WITH the many demands involved in running a care home, ensuring that the laundry process runs smoothly is a key service that can be outsourced, minimising stress and maximising efficiencies. There are many benefits to partnering with a laundry services provider, here are three key ones: Freeing up staff time Almost half of care homes (46 per cent) say saving staff time is the biggest potential benefit of outsourcing their laundry services. Significant time, planning and physical demands are required to operate an in-house laundry service and outsourcing the washing, drying, finishing and packing can free up staff to focus on more important tasks. Infection control All care homes must ensure that they meet the Department of Health’s Essential Quality Requirements. To ensure infection control compliance, an in-house laundry can prove costly,
once equipment rental, maintenance of older machines, textiles purchases and utilities are factored into the equation. A way to ensure that correct laundering procedures are implemented for maximum infection control is to outsource laundry services to a specialist. Reducing costs and hassle When asked about laundry problems, over 60 per cent of surveyed care homes reported that machine breakdowns caused the most disruption to staff, owners and residents. As well as disruption, the impact of breakdowns on cost and time are significant. Additional linen purchases, parts and labour costs and man hours to fix the problem can all affect operating budgets for the entire home. Outsourcing with a trusted provider, such as Berendsen, frees up staff time, creates space and reduces costs and maintenance issues, enabling staff to direct their energies towards the residents, not their laundry.
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CARINGNEWS
Lytham care home appoints manager By Olivia Taylor NEW Care has appointed Lorraine Disley as registered manager at The Hamptons Care Centre in Lytham St Anne’s. In her new role she will take responsibility for the soon-to-open, £12.5m state-of-the-art 76-bed care facility, including all residents and staff. Lorraine will work to ensure each resident receives professional, person-centred care from her team, enhancing their lives by encouraging them to remain independent for as long as possible, and that each day is filled with love and laughter. She has also been tasked with ensuring the home complies with Care Quality Commission regulations and will oversee ongoing training and development of the team, making sure they meet New Care’s exacting standards. With just a couple of months until the care home opens, Lorraine is already very busy. For the first time in her career she is working closely with the senior management team on the build of the care home, providing her expert opinion and wealth of knowledge. Lorraine, who has a career in care management spanning over 25 years, joins New Care from Four Seasons
Health Care where she was a regional manager responsible for 17 care homes across the North West. She said: “I am thrilled to have joined New Care; it is a superb company with an incredible vision to deliver only the highest standards of care, which is something I am very passionate about too. New Care’s approach to care is fresh and progressive within the industry so it is great to be part of that. “Being involved in the build process of The Hamptons has been a new, but fantastic experience from me and I am proud I have been able to offer my advice in the development stage. I am very much looking forward to the next couple of months, watching the care home take shape and handpicking my team. “Once open, I want to create an individual, inviting and comfortable care facility in Lytham St Anne’s, one that is an integral part of the local community.” In addition to communal lounges, formal dining rooms and gardens, residents will enjoy the privacy of their own well appointed and restful bedroom, complete with en suite wet rooms, and a host of hotel-style services including fine dining, a hair salon, nail bar, concierge and a busy and varied programme of activities and events.
Joanna Brown, headteacher at St Mary’s C of E School in Pulborough, and some of her pupils visited The Anchorage care home to say thank you for the donation of £1,000 to help with the swimming pool repair. The pupils sang a couple of songs from their latest show Aladdin, and also participated in a quiz session.
Care home garden gets makeover from pupils
RAWMARSH Ashwood Primary School pupils have transformed a care home garden as part of a young leadership project. The youngsters were tasked with making improvements within their community. They chose to brighten the garden at Broadacres Care Home, which cares for elderly people and those living with dementia. The school raised funds to purchase bunting, paint, plant pots and flowers to help give the garden a makeover. They raised £180 with a bake sale, attended by Rotherham Mayor
Councillor Eve Keenan, residents and carers from the care home, friends and family. The school also held a non-uniform day to help generate funds for the project. Helen Walker, home manager, said: “The pupils did a great job and the new plants look fantastic. “We’re all very grateful for the pupils’ hard work in raising funds and coming back to the home to carry out the gardening work. “Projects like this are so important and have huge benefits for our residents, as it helps them to feel more connected to their local community.”
Residents learning French to help tackle dementia BALHOUSIE Ruthven Towers Care Home in Auchterader has been working with social enterprise Lingo Flamingo to offer French classes to residents in a bid to help delay the symptoms of dementia. It is believed that speaking multiple languages can delay the onset of dementia by up to five years. The tailored sessions help residents with early forms of dementia to improve communication, cognitive development and inter-personal skills, as well as build their confidence. Residents at the Perthshire care home have just finished a 10-week French workshop, taking part in a range of activities including music sessions, word association and learned memory techniques. Jozi Stables, home manager at Balhousie Ruthven Towers, said: “Lingo Flamingo’s foreign language
workshops have proved very popular with our residents and the benefits have been amazing to see. “Residents that were quite disengaged at the beginning became fully engaged by the end of the tenweeks. “We have residents that are counting in French and even singing the French national anthem! It is fantastic to see how they respond to the activities and the enjoyment they get out of every session.” Balhousie first began working with Lingo Flamingo last year at their Wheatlands Care Home in Bonnybridge and the success of the partnership has prompted them to introduce it into other homes within the group. The project was also recognised at last year’s Scottish Dementia Awards as a finalist in the ‘Most Innovative Partnership’ category.
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n Costs and Charges Management (ideal for contractors). Pirana now offers a new and improved KPI Module to help drive down costs and enhance your quality, safety, sustainability and compliance programs. Pirana Mobile PRO is a simple, yet powerful set of mobile applications for use on or offline. Huge savings on travel, admin, printing and phone call charges are instant. Devices can be IP rated/ATEX compliant, barcode/RFID scanner. Shire also delivers training courses, free regional roadshows and a free trial. The Royal Naval Association has donated iPads to the Navy veterans and partners who live at The Royal Star & Garter Homes. The donation was funded by the Aged Veterans Fund and named Project Semaphore: an initiative set up by the RNA to improve communications for aged Naval veterans. The custom built 16GB iPad Airs were presented in bespoke RNA-branded protective cases and came pre-loaded with relevant apps. Sarah Clewes, deputy project manager for Project Semaphore, visited the homes to meet the veterans and give them their computer tablets.
Queens Meadow Care Home resident Pauline Butter, 77, has been taking part in a lottery funded digital technology project at the home.
Technology helps reduce isolation among residents DIGITAL technology has helped reduce isolation among elderly Hartlepool residents after a grant from the Big Lottery Fund. The £10,000 grant funded a yearlong project at Queens Meadow Care Home. The money was used to purchase tablet computers and pay for tutors to teach the residents how to use them. Over the past year they have been able to keep in touch with relatives over the internet, explore local history and their family trees, take and share photos and video, among a wide variety other activities. Regular tutoring sessions helped develop residents’ abilities and knowledge of the devices, showing them new features and helping foster
engagement. A showcase event was recently held at the care home, where residents demonstrated their new-found skills and celebrated the achievements of the past 12 months with staff and others involved in the project. Julie Armstrong, home manager, said: “The project has been a great success. It has given residents not just a window into the wider world but a chance to interact with it as well, helping them to stay connected and continue their personal learning and development. “We’ve seen people who were withdrawn due to their dementia really come out of their shells and talk about their lives, as well as their likes and dislikes, which has been great.”
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Provider wins prestigious award for end-of-life care By Dominic Musgrave
THE team at Camelot House and Lodge in Wellington were named outright winners for end-of-life care in the 2017 Care Focus South West Awards. Their nomination beat off strong competition from across the region, winning the title in this award scheme which sets out to reward excellence across the care, support, health, housing and local communities sectors, aiming to pay tribute to those who have demonstrated outstanding excellence and commitment within their field of work or community. Camelot House and Lodge is run by Wellington-based dementia care providers Camelot Care, which has three other homes in the South West, in Bridgwater, Yeovil and Taunton. The new award follows on from Alison Southcott and her team’s achievement in 2016 of achieving ‘Beacon’ status for their service for the second time running in the industry-leading Gold Standards Framework, evidencing such high standards that the home was one of only seven across the country put forward for Care Home Of The Year 2016. Alison is now preparing to be a GSF ambassador working with homes new to the framework to help them establish best practice and prepare for their accreditation. Camelot Care’s operations manager, Clare
Compere Ben McGrail (BBC Somerset) with the Camelot Care team – Clare Woodhead (operations manager), Bonnie Frear (deputy manager, Camelot House), Sam Paddon (manager, Camelot House) Angela Teasdale (group director), Ann Vaughan (group administrator), John Teasdale (group director) and Jane Barrie OBE, Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group of the Somerset Community Foundation. we do to deliver the Gold Standards Woodhead, said: “We couldn’t be more pleased for Alison and her team because this framework goals feeds into providing the best chance of making totally sure we do get accolade is so very well deserved. it right for the people we support and their “The award represents the culmination families.” of many peoples’ year-on-year efforts to provide excellent end of life care. The award was presented at a gala dinner “We understand only too well that when at the Wellsprings Leisure Centre, Taunton. it comes to end of life care we have just one These were the 10th annual Care Focus chance to get it right, and all the preparation South West Care Awards.
Ideal Carehomes appoints a new managing director
IDEAL Carehomes has announced the appointment of Paul Farmer as managing director. The appointment follows continued strong performance of the North and Midlands based care provider. Having sold a significant proportion of its portfolio in 2015, Ideal Carehomes has consolidated its offering, concentrating on reinvestment in the built environment, staffing and activities to redesign their model to attract self-funding residents. Securing sector-leading self-funded admissions of 75 per cent in the last year, the operator is looking to expand its portfolio once again. Ideal Carehomes is part of the LNT Group and is sister-company to care home builder, LNT Care Developments. Matt Lowe, chief executive of LNT Group, welcomed Paul to the team,
commenting on Ideal Carehomes’ growth plans. He said: “Paul’s appointment denotes an exciting milestone in Ideal Carehomes’ future. We are pleased to have his knowledge and experience to drive growth, whilst improving our already impressive business performance. “Building efficient care homes and delivering a quality care model is part of the LNT Group’s bread and butter.” Paul was previously managing director at St. Philip’s Care where he was responsible for 28 care homes providing nursing, residential and mental health care. He added: “I am joining Ideal Carehomes at a very exciting time. Over the past 18 months, Ideal Carehomes has taken stock of their position and reflected on the changing realities of delivering care. “
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Head of HR Virginia Perkins, Ken Nolan (chairman) and Donna Brigg managing director of Springhill Care Group.
Lancashire care group is pride of the north LANCASHIRE based Springhill Care Group is the first care organisation in the North of England to have achieved the coveted Investors in People Gold accreditation against the latest version of the leading best practice Standard. Now the efforts of the care group have been captured in a video produced by Investors in People North of England to showcase the company’s journey and achievement. Springhill, which operates three care homes – Springhill in Accrington, Birch Green in Skelmersdale and Riversway in Bristol – was awarded IIP Gold after being assessed against the stretching sixth generation Investors in People Standard which was launched in late 2015. Assessors noted that Springhill ‘outperforms the health and social care sector average’ in many areas of
people management practice and that the group ‘is a leading organisation in its field’. Donna Briggs, MD of Springhill Care Group, said: “We knew we’d done well to achieve IIP Gold but to be the only care provider in the North so far to do so proves how rigorous this really is and makes all our efforts worthwhile in terms of quality and best practice. We believe our people-led approach is supporting a sustainable future for the business, our employees, our residents and the communities we serve.” The film, produced by Investors in People North of England, will showcase the care group and their IIP journey to other organisations interested in the Standard and will be an example of how Investors in People has been embraced to achieve sustainable success.
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Purpose-built home sold
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Launch event marks start
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The Commission on Good Work – The ‘Taylor Review’ Of Modern Working Practices Page 44
New city centre care village is approved PLANNING permission has been granted for a new Belong care village located in Chester. Cheshire West and Chester Council approved proposals for the new facility, which will provide dementia care in the heart of the city centre, as well as a range of amenities for the wider community. Following Belong’s state-of-the-art village model of care provision, the Chester development will incorporate six households (with 72 suites and three guest bedrooms in total) where 24-hour care is provided, including specialist dementia and nursing support, along with 23 one and two bedroom apartments for independent living. Its village centre will boast a hub of facilities including a gym, bistro, hair salon and therapy rooms, which are open to members of the wider community. Outreach services include home
care and a specialist day care service known as ‘Experience Days’, which enables customers to take advantage of village amenities and the specialist dementia support available. The new care village will also necessitate the creation of over 140 new jobs, including support workers, nurses and catering staff. Tracy Paine, operations director for Belong, said: “We are delighted to receive planning permission for a new Belong village in Chester, and we anticipate making a significant contribution to the city’s provision of high quality services for people with dementia, both for people living in the village and the wider community. “This will be our first village in a city centre location and we are very excited about the enhanced opportunities this central location will bring for social interaction and integration with the wider community.”
An artist’s impression of the new Belong care village in Chester. The site will involve the landscaping historical architectural styles. of surrounding areas, including the Planning consultants J10 Planning canal-side conservation area, for the Ltd, based in Chester, were benefit of local residents. responsible for overseeing the The village has been designed by planning application process and specialists in architecture for older ensuring the development will be people, Pozzoni, to incorporate the in accordance with local planning best principles of dementia-friendly policy. Construction work is design, while integrating with the scheduled to begin later this year, and various surrounding industrial and the village is set to open in 2019.
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Haddon Court in Sheffield has been acquired by Sheffcare.
Purpose-built home sold SHEFFCARE has completed the acquisition of a purpose-built care home in Sheffield. Haddon Court is an 81 bedroom facility which was built in the mid1990s. The building will be substantially redesigned and refurbished in order to provide replacement accommodation for the charity’s existing Knowle Hill care home. Chief executive Belinda Black said: “This is great news for us, as it ensures the continuing success of the charity and as this will be an 80 bed home, it will also help generate valuable further income. “This is a very attractive home with views over a lake and the church. Once our work is completed, we will be able to offer superior facilities for both residents and staff.”
Belinda added that the decision to relocate had been taken only after all other options – including the building of an extension at the current site – had been fully investigated and found to be unviable. She added: “I am confident that with residents and staff all moving together, we will be able to keep disruption to an absolute minimum and that everybody will appreciate the upgraded rooms and en-suite facilities the new property will offer.” Ian Wilkie, director of HPC, who handled the sale on behalf of the vendor, said: “We are delighted to have once again acted successfully on behalf of this established client. “We were also pleased to have had the opportunity to work with Belinda and her team at Sheffcare to assist in enhancing their portfolio.”
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Councillor Geoff Fazackarley and Dr Stephen Ladyman, founder of Oak Retirement.
Launch event marks start INDEPENDENT retirement living specialist Oak Retirement and real estate fund manager Frogmore celebrated the official groundbreaking of their latest development in Hampshire. Friary Meadow in Titchfield will offer a selection of 86 luxury homes, comprising apartments, townhouses and bungalows, set in stunning surroundings on the edge of natural, mature countryside. Mayor of Fareham, Councillor Geoff Fazackarley and the Mayoress Tina Fazackarley were on hand to mark the start of the construction of the site during a special launch event. Oak Retirement, which launched in 2012, announced the new development last December. The name, Friary Meadow, has been chosen to reference the nearby Abbey and the likely historic use of the fields
around it. Dr Stephen Ladyman, founder of Oak Retirement and former Minister for Health responsible for Social Care, said: “Our offer of luxury apartments with flexible services that adapt to individual needs will leave people in control to enjoy their retirement. “Our residents will benefit from high quality independent living in their own luxury property with the knowledge of being able to access flexible on-site services should they need support.” As well as luxury accommodation, the £35m development aims to offer its residents a wide range of additional benefits including staff on duty 24/7, a fully licensed restaurant, and a weekly home visit from a cleaner. Friary Meadow is due to be completed in November 2018.
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The Commission on Good Work – The ‘Taylor Review’ Of Modern Working Practices By Zairab Zabier “Good work is shaped by working practices that benefit employees through good reward schemes and terms and conditions, having a secure position, better training and development, good communication and ways of working that support task discretion and involve employees in securing business improvements.” (The Commission on Good Work – July 2017) Most employers will have seen this week’s publication of the Taylor Review: the centrally commissioned piece of work looking particularly at work practices in the modern era, and how, for many, the world of employment rights, robust sets of terms & conditions and reward packages have become something of a relic; perhaps a throwback to a different place and time. Readers will now be familiar with the latter day term: “the gig economy”: an informal description of the practice of commissioning ‘self-employed’ staff to act as directly employed staff, but without the hindrances of employment contracts, holiday pay & sick pay, employers’ Pension & NI contributions and a host of other rights and entitlements which have become established over past decades. The Review calls for the Government to subscribe to the idea that work, in all its forms, should be “fair and decent with scope for fulfilment and development.” Examining current working practices
in the context of productivity, the report, almost resembling a bill of rights for workers, advocates the following measures as key components of consideration for modern employers to take cognisance of: n A new role for the Low Pay Commission exploring how to improve quality and progression in sectors with a high proportion of low paid workers; n A national framework for employability skills “so we can develop the kind of transferable capabilities that can be acquired in formal education, and also informal and on the job learning”; n Recognising and supporting the role that employers can play in promoting health and wellbeing at work; n Making it much easier for employees to access rights to independent representation, information and consultation; For the purpose of clarity, in the interests of business and workers, the review proposes: n Primary legislation to define the boundary between self-employment and worker status; n Moving towards aligning the categories used in tax regulation and employment regulation;
n That the employment status boundary should be defined – as is the tax boundary - in terms of the level of control and supervision experienced by individuals (employee or self-employed?) The report goes on to castigate “onesided flexibility”, which it claims was the source of most complaints voiced during its research into individual areas of concern. One-sided flexibility is described as “when employers seek to transfer all risk on to the shoulders of workers in ways which make people more insecure and make their lives harder to manage. It is the people told to be ready for work or travelling to work only to be told none is available. It is the people who have spent years working for a company on a zero hours contract but who, without a guarantee of hours from week to week, can’t get a mortgage or a loan.” It is typically this view, gleaned from the review’s research, that is very likely to lead the thinking which goes on to be contained in prospective guidelines around what is going to be judged as fair or unfair employment practices; that which will define an employee or a selfemployed individual. Ultimately, clarity with back-up will be applied to the haze of efforts currently
aimed at defining worker classification and concomitant entitlements, as well as obligations. Accordingly, it is expected that there will be a new requirement that this raft of data will be provided on day one of a worker’s employment. The task of enforcement, in line with a range of other employment rights and guarantees, will fall to HMRC, who will also oversee the methods designed to make it easier for people to find out and enforce their employment status and all that that implies. Finally, as there will almost certainly be cross-party consensus in favour of the points raised in the review, legal enactment will inevitably follow. And rather than await the inevitable passage into law, it is highly advisable that employers now embark on a review of their existing employment and contractual arrangements with the purpose of identifying areas of weakness, or norms, which are likely to transgress the new code(s) of practice. This is not by any means going to be a simple exercise; professional legal assistance is highly recommended. Zenith Lawyers offers, on request, a root and branch review of its clients’ working practices and contractual arrangements, with a view to achieving full compliance in advance of the introduction of these new enforceable guidelines. n Zairab Zabier is managing director and solicitor at Zenith Lawyers LLP.
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CARINGINDUSTRY NEWS
New business to create 50 jobs SURECARE, one of the UK’s fastest growing care companies, has opened a new franchise in Leicester. SureCare Leicester, which is owned by Mirza Ali and Narjis Hadi, will supply people in the area with a range of dedicated care services including person centred care for the elderly and vulnerable, child care, home services and staffing solutions for care homes. The new franchise, which is based in the heart of Leicester, was officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Leicester, Councillor Stephen Corrall. A number of staff have already been taken on by the company and they are looking for up to 50 proactive and
friendly people to join the team over the next 12 months. Mirza said: “We have a growing team of care workers who will be working to ensure our service users receive the day-to-day help they need to maintain the highest quality of life. “As a business, we pride ourselves on our high standards of care which promote choice, independence and dignity and enable people to maintain their quality of life and standard of living in the later years of their life “We will be keeping a laser focus on our service users’ needs and how they want the care to be provided.”
Why should you silence the call bells?
EXTENSIVE studies in dementia care show that dementia patients are extremely sensitive to their surroundings with noise a distinct contributor to high levels of stress and upset. So, creating an environment free of repetitive, high volume noise is essential in creating a calm, happy home for your dementia residents. A University of Stirling study found that call bell noise is one of the most common causes of stress to dementia patients, suggesting “fitting call alarms which alert nurses but don’t resonate throughout the whole building. Alarms are particularly disconcerting as they may encourage the person with dementia to respond or investigate. The loss of sleep can compromise a person’s ability to concentrate, affecting attention levels and capacity to cope. Personal paging systems are preferable to bells and buzzers.”
Louise Arnold, of Peninsula Care, did just that and installed the BlueBell system. She said: “The change at the home was immediate, eliminating the intrusive ringing bells means instead we hear music, conversations and laughter.” So, let InstaCare Systems create a silent system in your home, without replacing your existing system! With access to all major paging brands including Scope, CST and the unique waterproof BlueBell pager, with staff ID and exit alarm, we can integrate any paging system with any call bell system. Let us help you get the best solution for your home. Enquiries: Call 01392 877267, email info@instacaresystems.co.uk or visit www.instacaresystems.co.uk
Beaucare’s Beauwash™ range
BEAUWASH is an efficient, cost effective and eco-friendly laundry cleaning products range, specifically formulated with healthcare establishments in mind. It is cleverly designed to provide superb cleaning performance at lower temperatures, shorter wash cycles and kill bacteria at just 30°C, providing a more sustainable laundry cleaning process in terms of overall running costs and for the environment. Available in powder or liquid form: 10kg tubs, 5lt, 10lt or 20lt liquid containers. When combining
the laundry liquid with automated dosing systems, it creates one of the most efficient laundry solutions available on the market today. Beaucare also offers advice on the most efficient way to run all healthcare laundry needs and provides expert fitting and maintenance of automatic dosing systems by its own service engineers. Enquiries: Call 01423 878899, email sales@beaucare.com or visit www.beaucare.com
NEW – stylish Pashmina Scarf Bibs from Care Designs CARE Designs’ waterproof Pashmina Scarf Clothes Protectors are now available in stylish NEW pebble prints in three chic colours. The innovative garment combines the look of a stylish ladies’ scarf with the waterproof practicality of a bib and so and can be worn all day with a high level of dignity. The two silk-like fabric layers on the front are
highly absorbent while the waterproof layer on the back keeps clothes dry and has quick fastening Velcro for ease of fitting. Get 20% OFF now; use code CAREDESIGNSCUK4 at the checkout! Enquiries: Call 01223 840236, email purchasing@bibetta.com or visit www.caredesigns.co.uk for a brochure
Castlemeadow Care chooses Girbau Laundry HEALTHCARE Design Awards 2017 finalist Castlemeadow Care supports its residents with expertise, sympathy and respect for their dignity – as if they were a family member. Since 1999 the family-owned business has been helping the people of Norfolk and beyond to make the most of later life. New build care home St John’s House offers a new style of premium luxury care in Norwich. It was designed and built with the passion and belief in creating a place where people can feel at home, receive exceptional care and experience a great quality of life. When first approached by Castlemeadow Care, a Girbau laundry consultant listened to its specialist laundry needs and provided detailed advice on laundry design and equipment choice for optimum infection control, operational efficiency and quality. The Girbau team worked closely with the main contractors for the project to ensure a smooth installation and commissioning. New staff for the laundry were also given introductory training on laundry operation and machine use. Acting care home manager Sandra Scott is
thrilled with their on premise laundry, the two Girbau HS-6013 each with a capacity of 14kg enable the housekeepers to process the bed linen, bath towels and residents’ daily laundry. The robust washers are paired with two energy efficient Girbau ED340 Gas Dryers, and a 1m GMP flatwork ironer. There is also a Norris steam ironer for finishing residents’ personal laundry. Enquiries: Visit http://www.girbau.co.uk
Simple solutions
SINCE 1982, Colne (Lancs) based, Richards Residential Supplies have concentrated upon supplying simple solutions to common nursing home problems. The new WACMAT® adheres strongly to this tradition. With its ultra absorbent cotton pile and 100 per cent waterproof backing, the remarkable WACMAT® is an ideal accessory where spills may occur. Used as a commode mat, in bedrooms or bathrooms, the WACMAT® ensures full carpet protection. Then, after use, simply machine wash and tumble dry! It’s that simple... The WACMAT® will then be clean and odourfree, ready to perform time and time again. Alternatively the flat-laying WACMAT® can be used as an entrance mat, saving you hundreds of pounds in rental costs alone. Enquiries: Telephone 0800 074 3749.
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CARINGINDUSTRY NEWS Ellen Brown, divisional manager – care homes at apetito – has witnessed a great deal of change in the care sector since apetito entered the market in 2008. Recent collaborations with some of the most pioneering care groups have highlighted these changes and the exciting future of UK care. One such development is the increased focus on dining experience. Ellen discusses the reasons behind this trend and points to partner Springfield Healthcare as an illustration of how dining experience can be placed at the centre of the care solution.
The importance of mealtimes QUALITY, nutritious meals in care homes should be a given; but perhaps less well documented is the role dining experience plays in ensuring the health and well-being of residents. Often, when people go into care, mealtimes become more of a task than an enjoyment. There are strict times during which residents are fed and they are given a narrow, unimaginative selection of meals. Frequently these are served in solitary, enclosed dining spaces, leaving residents with little to no power over their own mealtime experience. A pleasant and sociable dining environment can have a significant impact on the life of a resident. Making mealtimes an enjoyable experience can encourage them to eat well and often, this in turn has a positive effect on their health, well-being and weight management. Recognising this has led many modern care groups to place an increased focus on dining experience. One such group is Springfield Healthcare. In May 2017, Springfield Healthcare opened its new care village in York, ‘The Chocolate Works.’ Housed in the former Terrys Chocolate Orange factory, it has been carefully restored to provide exceptional and innovative care facilities. The village is beautifully designed; but there is more to this than just being aesthetically pleasing. The centrepiece of ‘The Chocolate Works’ is the marketplace, a large indoor space which aims to ‘bring the outside in.’
The space is full of natural daylight, trees and greenery and is home to shops, a café, spa, gym and chocolate shop. The idea: to move away from the enclosed communal spaces found in traditional care homes. Here residents are free to move around the marketplace, feeling like they are outdoors and part of a wider, bustling community. The shops encourage a sense of normality, so when people move in, they can continue living an active lifestyle, undertaking activities they have participated in throughout their lives. For residents with dementia, the recognisable
elements of the marketplace will help to recreate a life they know and understand, making the move into a care setting less of an unsettling experience. These ideologies are very much reflected in the way food and mealtimes are dealt with at ‘The Chocolate Works.’ Just as the facilities’ layout and design encourages normality, community and social interaction, so does its approach to food. Each floor has its own kitchen, but, importantly, meals are also served in the café, pub, terrace and other outlets. This means residents have the flexibility to eat what they want, whenever they want, either on their own, or in groups with friends and visitors. This flexible approach to dining means eating together, relaxing and socialising are cleverly woven into daily life. Residents retain their independence and communal dining allows the natural and enjoyable social aspect of eating to be maintained. Addressing the dining experience is central to apetito’s approach when entering a care home. Therefore, working alongside Springfield Healthcare and having the opportunity to design branding, menus and to provide food throughout the development was an extremely exciting opportunity. ‘The Chocolate Works’ exemplifies that as care facilities move forward, the importance of modernising and improving residents’ dining experience should never be overlooked.
Programme helps staff to improve overall wellbeing WHEN a person with dementia lives in a care environment, their routine may be interrupted or changed which can affect their health and hygiene requirements. Supporting staff to step into the shoes of people living with dementia is integral to all of the training courses provided by Alzheimer’s Society Training and Consultancy. Our courses help participants to recognise the effect dementia can have on the senses and how that in turn can impact on the routines we all have in life. To help care home staff improve the overall wellbeing of their residents, we recently developed a new training
programme called ‘Engaging people with dementia’. This course follows on from ‘Step inside dementia’ which is our most popular training programme. It looks at how we encourage people to be involved in their daily routine of maintaining their health and hygiene, and for the staff who support people living with dementia to see this as an opportunity to engage rather than see it as a task. Participants can explore techniques to help them to connect with people with dementia, including how to use person centred planning using their skills through meaningful engagement.
Home is where assisted living and healthcare is ASSISTED living and healthcare is a rapidly growing industry in the UK and Legrand, global specialists in electrical and digital building infrastructures, have established a new identity as the Home of Assisted Living and Healthcare. With the average living age and the number of individuals considered vulnerable or at risk increasing daily, technology is forming a central role in the delivery of cost effective, efficient and reliable social care and
health care services. This technology is quickly advancing as the demand for digitally enabled products and services intensifies. Legrand’s Assisted Living and Healthcare division designs, manufactures and supplies innovative technology enabled care services in the UK and Ireland. The division’s new identity brings three separate brands, Tynetec, Aid Call and Jontek together, to position Legrand as a leader in the assisted living market.