Caring UK August 2022

no.307

August 2022

incorporating

The Number One magazine for the care sector

Scheme pairs toddlers with residents A HERTFORDSHIRE care home has launched a new initiative pairing toddlers alongside residents to promote intergenerational connections throughout the community.

Foxholes Care Home, near Hitchin, recently teamed up with a group of local mothers and their little ones to launch ‘Foxcubs’ – an initiative that enables residents to relive the most cherished memories of their adult lives – parenthood.

Upon meeting with the little bundles of joy, there was an endless supply of hugs, smiles and laughs at the family-run care home, as residents sang rhymes, read stories and immersed themselves in plenty of bubblethemed activities alongside six first-time mothers in a day full of smiles and happy memories.

The initiative was first inspired by Foxholes’ head of engagement Adele Querelle – whose 14-month-old daughter, Nellie was the inaugural member of Foxcubs – after wanting to promote an activity that kept residents active and engaged while simultaneously benefiting like-minded mothers desperate to boost interactions for their children.

She said: “When I first mentioned the idea of Foxcubs to the local mums they were just so keen to get involved, and they

are all already excited to come back on a regular basis.

“From the get-go, you could see that the residents had this natural parental instinct, which comes so effortlessly to them.

“It was clear from seeing them interact with the children that the experience really provoked happy memories from bringing up their own little ones.

“They remembered all of the songs they previously sang to their kids, gave out advice and passed on their array of knowledge to all of the mothers – which as a mother myself, proved to be invaluable.”

Neil Gandecha, estate manager at Foxholes, added: “We’re really excited to see where Foxcubs can go, especially with it coinciding with Good Care Month.

“Relationships, especially those formed with our children, are sacred, and the same is true in care homes.

“We wanted to remind our residents what it’s like to connect and preserve the memories from their younger days interacting with the little ones, while also enabling local mothers to learn from the experiences of our inspirational residents.

“Every resident at Foxholes has lived a full, eventful life and we wanted that array of knowledge and wisdom to come to the fold.”

Time running out to enter CUK Awards

Westgate Healthcare director Tara Teubner was recognised for her commitment to care as she won the prestigious ‘Business’ award category at the Asian Woman of Achievement awards ceremony. The annual Asian Women of Achievement awards (in association with NatWest) showcase the contribution of Asian women to British society. Tara was nominated by the team at Coutts for her skills in the design of the group’s homes and the implementation of Westgate Healthcare’s unique lifestyle innovation programmes. Tara was later invited to 10 Downing Street with other award winners for a tour of the house.

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EXCITEMENT is building for the industry’s biggest end-of-year party, with plans in place to make this year’s Caring UK Awards the best one yet.

Nominations for the 2022 event close at noon on Friday, August 26.

The awards evening will celebrate excellence throughout the industry, with trophies in 20 categories up for grabs at the glittering ceremony taking place on the night of Thursday, December 1.

Organised by Script Media in partnership with Caring UK and headline sponsor Virgin Money, this annual celebration of success will culminate in a glittering ceremony – taking place at the Athena in Leicester – where host Dean Andrews will reveal the lucky winners.

Awards include Regional Care Home of the Year, Care Employee 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.

Previous winners have reported an increase in profile and positive media coverage.

Event director Dominic Musgrave said: “Once again we were overwhelmed with the standard of entries we have received so far from homes up and down the country.

“If you’ve not entered your care business yet then I would urge you to do so sooner rather than later.”

To enter visit www.caringuk awards.co.uk/nominations

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Home takes residents on Hares of Hampshire tour RESIDENTS at Speedwell Court, a dementia-friendly care home in Southampton’s West End, have been treated to a private tour of the Hares of Hampshire art trail.

The project, of which Speedwell Court is a co-sponsor, is a public exhibition of giant hare sculptures, which runs over 10 weeks during the summer around Southampton and Winchester.

Each hare has its own unique design and sponsor, and locals and visitors are encouraged to work their way along the trail to spot them all.

The event is organised by the Murray Parish Trust, which is dedicated to the advancement of paediatric emergency medicine across the South of England.

Deborah Holmes, Speedwell Court’s customer relations manager, said: “We felt compelled to be involved in this special project.

“Our residents keenly followed the design and installation process, and we were delighted to be able to take them to see Forget Me Not, along with a number of the other hares on the trail.

“With its family-friendly nature, the Hares of Hampshire trail is also something that we hope our residents’ families will enjoy following.

www.caring-uk.co.uk Advertising Healthcare Product Manager: Bev Green Tel: 01226 734288 Email: bg@scriptmedia.co.uk Assistant Sales Manager: Tracy Stacey Tel: 01226 734480 Email: cuk3@scriptmedia. co.uk Sales and Marketing Director: Tony Barry Tel: 01226 734605 Email: tb@scriptmedia.co.uk Publishers Script Media 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS. Email: info@caring-uk.co.uk Editorial Publishing Manager: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia.co.uk

“It will hopefully be one of many projects that we engage in around the city that demonstrate our desire to give back to our local community and projects that encourage creativity, culture and exhibit local talent.”

A custom-designed bus provided

by Xelabus to promote the home’s engagement with the programme facilitated the residents’ tour of the trail, which visited both cities. Upon

‘discovering’ each sculpture those following the Hares of Hampshire trail are invited to download an app to enter a code which tells the reader a little about the hare’s sponsor and artist and gives them a reward.

Speedwell Court is offering everyone who finds their hare, named ‘Forget Me Not’, an opportunity to receive a reusable ‘Hug a Hare’ coffee cup, complete with a free drink, from the home’s café.

At Script Media, we try to get things right but occasionally, we make mistakes. If you have a complaint about a story featured in our magazine or on our website, please, in the first instance, contact us by email: dm@scriptmedia.co.uk We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice as demanded by the Independent Press Standards Organisation. For details on the code and what to do should you be unsatisfied with the way we handle your complaint, please visit www.ipso.co.uk

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CARINGNEWS

Home’s fundraiser to support Ryley

Activity coordinators Debbie Padmore and Hannah Newman-Brown with the new buddy bench.

Duo get garden in ship-shape ACTIVITY coordinators Debbie Padmore and Hannah NewmanBrown have put on their gardening gloves to get the grounds of Rogers House in Wigmore ready for summer.

There’s no rest for the wicked as Debbie and Hannah have been working their way through the home, revamping the rooms and creating new areas for the residents to enjoy.

Last year they created a tearoom and they’ve just recently finished transforming one of the lounge areas into a Namaste room.

Now, with summer quickly approaching, they have set their

sights on the garden.

The pair have big plans, which once complete will include a sensory garden, water pond and even an ice cream shop.

Keen to provide an encouraging habitat for the local wildlife, they also want to add a squirrel run alongside their hedgehog house and bee hotel.

The project started with the painting of some benches in inviting bright colours to add a pop of colour to the garden. They have also created a buddy bench for residents who may be feeling lonely or feel like some company.

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“We were grateful for all the amazing donations for the raffle and from those that couldn’t attend on the day that donated via our just giving page.”

In an effort to play their part and support Ryley, the team donated a luxury food hamper, which included Prosecco, Signature goodies and plenty of food towards a raffle event that took place on the day.

The family fun event proved to be a huge success, with the community raising £4,100 for Ryley to continue to receive the vital physiotherapy support he needs.

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THE team at Signature at Elton House joined members of the community to raise money for specialist treatment to support youngster Ryley Keys.

People from across Watford recently came together for a charity football match and family fun day for the young football fan who lives with cerebral palsy.

The event was organised to raise money for Ryley who was told by doctors early in his life that he would not walk again.

Yet, after years of bravery and determination, Ryley has built up the strength to not only walk, but play his favourite sport, football.

Ryley recently went viral after he was awarded ‘goal of the month’ in May by his favourite team, Tottenham Hotspur.

During his inspirational journey Ryley was required to undergo a specialist operation in the USA on his legs.

Whilst the operation was a huge success, because of this Ryley now requires regular physiotherapy, which costs approximately £2,000 a month.

After hearing about Ryley’s physiotherapy costs and his families planned community fundraiser, family friend and housekeeping supervisor at Signature at Elton House, Siobhan Gates, was quick to share the event with her colleagues at the care home.

She said: “We were overwhelmed by the support from work colleagues’ friends, family, and the wider

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Edward Millington casts a line at Woodland Lakes in Thirsk.

Fishing fanatic Edward’s wish is granted by home’s staff A RESIDENT got a surprise when Hambleton Grange staff told him they had arranged his first fishing trip since before the pandemic.

Edward Millington moved into the residential and dementia care home in Thirsk last June, and expressed his love of fishing to the team, telling them tales of when his father taught him to fish from a young age.

They were determined to make his dream of another fishing trip come true.

After securing a Worthy Cause fishing licence, provided by the Environments Agency, and a spot to cast a line at Woodland Lakes in the town, all the team needed was some fishing equipment.

Lifestyle manager Elaine Snowden turned to the local community for help, asking if anyone would donate their old fishing rods to the care home residents.

The request received more than 2,500 hits on Facebook, with an overwhelming amount of people offering to help.

The care home was given enough fishing equipment to invite a number of other interested residents on the fishing trip.

Elaine said: “A big thank you to all those who responded to our request for fishing equipment, we’re so grateful for your help to make Ed’s dream come true. Everyone had a great time on the fishing trip.”

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CARINGNEWS

A fresh start for social care?

By Mike Padgham

AS I write this, we are awaiting the election of a new leader of the Conservative Party and therefore a new Prime Minister.

We already have a new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in Steve Barclay.

A fresh start all round perhaps.

Certainly, social care would welcome one.

During Boris Johnson’s resignation, the Government sneaked out an 18-month delay to a piece of reform that would have helped those who pay for their own care.

This was the latest in a long, long line of delay after delay of social care reform.

It is like those of us delivering social care are battered and bruised as we get to what we think is the finishing line of a marathon, only to have the tape snatched away.

During the current hot weather, we would be forgiven for thinking social care reform is a mirage – something that we keep seeing in the distance but which never materialises.

So my message to those looking to succeed Mr Johnson is a clear one: if you don’t have a bold plan to end the crisis in social care, don’t bother to put your name forward.

After suffering two by-election defeats Mr Johnson insisted he was ‘listening’. Much good that claim did for him.

I don’t think there has been

Mike Padgham much listening around from any government in recent years, especially over social care.

Whoever governs, it is surely their job to listen and to provide policy that enables a country to function and look after its citizens.

Where social care is concerned it seems that MPs have become selectively deaf. A couple of years ago I wrote to all 650 MPs, seeking their support for social care reform.

I can count on my fingers the derisory number of replies I received. That spoke volumes.

On a slightly lesser scale, in my role as chair of the Independent Care Group for York and North Yorkshire, I recently hosted a 20th anniversary celebration for the group and invited

all the MPs from our region.

Again, the empty chairs said it all. That begs the question, why?

Well, the answer is two-fold. Firstly, social care isn’t exactly a sexy topic.

Put bluntly, there aren’t many votes in it. Your average Minister or MP is far more interested in posing in front of a new school or cutting the ribbon on a new hospital wing than they are discussing the future of social care.

And secondly, social care is expensive and complicated.

Government after government has looked at it, tinkered a little here and there but then found it is too prickly a nettle to grasp properly and backed away.

I’m not saying that the root and branch reform of social care is easy – far from it.

But history has taught us that just because something is difficult is not a reason to give up.

In 1953, Sir Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay didn’t think ‘that looks a bit high’ and give up climbing Mount Everest.

Nor, in 1945, did Nye Bevan decide that creating a National Health Service to provide free medical care across the UK was just too complicated to tackle.

For more than 20 years I, and many others, have been campaigning for social care reform and the creation of a National Care Service that mirrors the NHS. Interestingly over that period we

have had 15 social care ministers and, with the arrival of Mr Barclay, four secretaries of state.

Continuity isn’t a strong suit. Recently Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting outlined plans to make the creation of a National Care Service a part of the Labour Party’s plans, putting staff pay and training and stronger national standards at its core.

Does that show that the Labour Party is listening? Possibly, but at the moment, this is an opposition party proposal and dependent upon the Labour Party gaining power for it actually happening.

It is good that a National Care Service is becoming part of the conversation. With a new Prime Minister and a new Secretary of State we hope for some bold actions to reform social care.

There are many things a new Prime Minister can do now. They can start by diverting some of the Health and Social Care Levy fund towards social care, to help the sector deal with severe funding issues and a dire staffing crisis.

Longer term, a National Care Service must happen, and we need to start discussing it now. It is a conversation no Government can ignore any longer. But is anyone listening? n Mike Padgham is the managing director of the St Cecilia’s Care Group and the chair of the Independent Care Group.

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CARINGNEWS

Young artist designs a warm welcome for village’s residents

Rock ‘n’ roll returns to home RESIDENTS at Larkfield View Care Home in Greenock dusted off their party outfits as they enjoyed an afternoon of rock ‘n’ roll.

The trip down memory lane involved plenty of classic dance moves and the best tunes of the 60s.

Care workers donned their finest Elvis wigs as they impersonated the “King of Rock and Roll” for the celebrations, while other staff members in polka-dot dresses swept residents off their feet.

After the dancing and singing stopped, partygoers soaked up the sun and tucked into a street

barbecue.

The event was organised by activities manager Sharon Kelly as part of the home’s weekly activity programme, which provides residents with opportunities to stay happy and healthy.

She said: “The rock ‘n’ roll party was a great success; it was lovely to see everyone so happy. The residents are always full of energy, and nothing brings that out more than a singalong.

“We are looking forward to finding new ways to entertain, but Elvis has certainly set the bar high.”

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A TALENTED young artist from Belgrave Primary School has triumphed in a competition to design a welcome card to be given to the first residents of Belong Chester, a dementia-specialist care village with a fully integrated intergenerational nursery.

Naomi Shetty sketched a vibrant design, bringing it to life through colour and composition.

The card created by the fiveyear-old features colourful homes, happy residents and celebrations to welcome them to their new home.

The competition hosted by Belong was run as a way of involving the community and personalising the welcome experience for customers moving into the village, which opens in the near future.

Patrick Butler, general manager of Belong Chester, said: “We’re delighted to have had this opportunity to work with Belgrave Primary School and we’re looking forward to welcoming the pupils to see their tiles in situ, and of course we’re also very pleased with the cards that everyone submitted.

“Everyone at Belong would like to extend warm a welcome to the customers moving into the new care village and we hope the thought that has gone into their cards will help make their move feel that extra bit special.”

Having designed the winning welcome card, Naomi won a ceramics workshop for the whole class with acclaimed sculptor Brigitte Jurack, which was organised by Belong and Ready Generations to usher in the intergenerational nature of the new village.

Naomi Shetty creating her ceramic fish.

Brigitte was chosen for her experience in working with Belong through ‘Where the Arts Belong’, an arts collaboration run in conjunction with Bluecoat, Liverpool’s contemporary art centre.

The workshop that took place in the school involved Brigitte bringing in real fish, shells and other objects for the class to examine and touch, inspiring them to experiment with the different tools to make their own ceramic fish.

The masterpieces that the class produced will go on to be displayed in the Belong village garden as part of a therapeutic nature walk.

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Team brightens up home’s garden A TEAM of volunteers from Sky have used their company encouraged community engagement time to brighten up the garden of Whitby House.

Ten members from the digital television provider gave up a day of their time pruning, weeding and painting to enhance the Ellesmere Port care home’s outdoor space.

The initiative was arranged after engineer Natasha Flett, who lives close to the home and prior to joining Sky worked in elderly care, contacted home manager Angela Earlham to offer the team’s help.

Angela said: “I was pleasantly

surprised to hear from Natasha and quickly accepted her very kind offer to spruce up our garden area.

“We used to regularly get visits from volunteers who planted lots of lovely flowers, but Covid restrictions made it hard for that to happen, so we’re very grateful to the Sky team for picking up the mantle.

“Many of our residents are wheelchair-bound but love sitting outside to enjoy the fresh air.

“The work that the Sky team has done means they now have much improved space to enjoy some peace and quiet. It looks fantastic and we’re very grateful for all their hard work.”

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15

Advertiser’s announcement

Making life easier for care agencies with CareLineLive’s new assessment tools FOR A care agency, going digital is not about replacing carers but about automating processes and giving people more time so that they can focus on delivering high quality care services as efficiently and effectively as possible.

CareLineLive’s cloud-based allin-one homecare management software improves efficiency, capacity and compliance for home care agencies by digitising workflows and automating processes such as rostering and payroll.

Homecare agencies can save time and money, and carers spend less time on paperwork.

This frees them to spend more time delivering better care with easy-toinput app-based record keeping and management.

Chief technical officer Declan Norton said: “By actively listening to customers and their clients our development pathway is driven by their needs.

“Our most recent features include a comprehensive suite of assessments designed to fully support person centred care planning.”

The tools are designed to provide clients, other health professionals, and the wider care circle, all the information they need to have a holistic, person centred view of the

client.

In addition to existing assessment tools (on nutrition and hydration, and mental health) CareLineLive’s recently released incident reporting feature allows carers to report concern and incident details through the carer app.

This describes the severity of the concern or incident using the RAG (Red, Amber, Green) system which in turn feeds into the management

All useful compliance features.

Other assessment tools being rolled out include a skin integrity assessment, mobility, moving and handling assessment as well as personal care. Expect to see many more available in the coming months.

Product researcher Marina Martin added: “We surveyed our customers and were surprised at the assessments requested.

“Whilst some, such as the skin integrity assessment, are not commonly used, they can be relatively complex and are typically used in referrals to other health professionals.

“The app means that the care provider can collect all the information in one place and then share the full picture via our Care Circle Portal.”

A further phase of assessment tools will include environmental health and safety, medication management, conditions and needs, communication, continence management and About Me which provides detailed information about a client and their preferences.

These are just some of the ways that home care software such as CareLineLive could help benefit your home care business.

portal and alerts a manager to concerns and incidents in real time.

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16 CARINGTECHNOLOGY

AND SOFTWARE

Operator to progress tenant tech roll-out

Surrey care home bags award THE catering team at Surrey based maritime charity The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society has been crowned best in the sector at the Care Home Catering Awards.

The Awards, which celebrate chefs and catering teams throughout the care sector, recognised the Society’s team led by Matt Goodman, who took home the Care Home Catering Team of the Year Award.

He said: “Winning the Award means so much as I know how dedicated all of the team are in ensuring residents get the most nutritious meals. We pride ourselves on the personalised care offered at the Society and believe it is very important to incorporate residents feedback and ideas into the catering plans.

“The team ensure that mealtimes are an enjoyable aspect of the day for residents by implementing creative ideas such as themed events and barbecues in the summer.

“It really is a testament to the Society as a workplace as it has a culture of togetherness and a strong programme of training and development and I am so happy that I get to be a part of this amazing team.”

The team was acknowledged for its emphasis on building strong relationships with residents and visitors whilst supporting the work of the wider nursing care team by ensuring mealtimes and nutrition are a key part of the care delivered at the Society’s care home Belvedere House.

The team has also introduced technology to ensure information is kept up-to-date and use a web-based nutritional management system that allows them to cater for different dietary requirements in the home.

The system helps to identify allergens in all the food and flags real-time allergens to provide traffic light nutritional reporting on all stock items, recipes and menus.

A HOUSING and care specialist is spearheading the roll-out of its tenants’ first technology strategy.

Tracey Howatt will be responsible for transforming how Bield’s 5,000+ tenants access and interact with their specialist services across Scotland.

Drawing on her vast experience across the organisation’s portfolio, Tracey will also play a vital role in the establishment and implementation of an innovative online portal.

The portal will allow tenants to access a variety of Bield services and communicate with staff using their laptop, PC, smartphone or tablet.

Tracey said: “The new portal will give tenants improved access to our services online. They will be able to use the portal at a time that suits them for a variety of purposes including making rent payments and accessing repair information.

“Tenants will also be able to exchange calls and messages with staff so we can stay connected and keep up-to-date with their needs.”

Her promotion in January was the culmination of 35 years’ experience for Tracey, who first joined Bield as a trainee in 1986.

She added: “I’ve been very lucky to have had the opportunity to work with great teams and help to deliver many important projects during my time at Bield; all of which has enabled me to grow throughout the company over the years.

“To have been promoted to this

Tracey Howatt

role at such a brilliant company is a real honour. I’ve been at Bield for 35 years but every day brings something new – it’s kept me motivated to continue to develop my career, progress through the business and improve the lives of Bield tenants.”

The Edinburgh-based charity aim to develop and launch the portal over the next 12 months, with Tracey and the rest of the Bield team working closely with tenants to ensure it is tailored for all.

Chief executive Dr. Lynne Douglas said: “Tracey has been an indispensable member of the Bield team for years and it is no surprise that she has risen through the ranks and is continuing to innovate and add priceless value to the company.

“The new portal is a really important project for Tracey and the rest of the Bield team. We hope that our customers welcome the convenience and flexibility it offers and that it improves tenants’ experience of engaging with our services.”

Paul Johnson, CEO of Radar Healthcare.

HC-One partners with Radar Healthcare HC-One, the UK’s largest elderly residential care provider, has chosen Radar Healthcare as its quality and risk management software partner.

The partnership will enable HC-One, who provide positive, personalised care and support to more than 14,000 residents, to move to a new innovative way of governance across almost 300 care homes in the UK. The Radar Healthcare platform will replace HC-One’s current corporate risk register and auditing system, adding an enhanced holistic view and allowing access to new learnings.

Radar Healthcare will help drive forward continuous shared learnings across all of HC-One, which is made up of more than 20,000 staff across the UK who deliver round-the-

clock care and support to residents (encompassing dementia care, nursing, residential and specialist care) 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Antony Hall, director of insights, assurance and governance at HC-One, said: “We’ve been on a twoyear journey to change the culture from being KPI driven to really understanding how learning and innovation can provide the highest quality of care to our residents.

“Radar Healthcare gives us the early warnings and a holistic view across our homes, allowing us to have proper conversations around where we can develop meaningful quality improvements. The really exciting element is the insight. Being able to use data analytics to give us a real-

time view and get ahead of the curve when it comes to something that could become an issue in one of our care homes will be a real benefit to our organisation.

“The reason for partnering with Radar Healthcare from the outset is that it allows us to innovate while focusing on the bigger picture. I’m personally looking forward to the art of the possible.”

Radar Healthcare CEO Paul Johnson added: “We are thrilled that HC-One has chosen to partner with us to implement the organisational learning they see as fundamental in achieving future success.

“Our partnership approach means we’ll work with HC-One from the start to ensure they’re making the most of the platform, and that it’s

helping them meet all their goals.

“We are proud of what Radar Healthcare has achieved so far in just a few years, and for the UK’s largest care provider to work with us is a testament to our platform.

“We’re giving healthcare providers the tools to use data in a strategic way. As well as freeing up carers to focus on caring, not paperwork, we’re helping to drive continuous improvement throughout organisations which results in a proactive approach to resident and patient care.”

Radar Healthcare has been widely adopted by healthcare organisations across the UK and internationally, such as Milton Keynes NHS Foundation Trust and The Emirates Health Services.

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Caring UK, the UK’s number one magazine for the care sector, now has a new website.

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20 CARINGTRAINING

AND RECRUITMENT

Operator named on apprenticeship list HC-One has been featured in the independent Top 100 Apprenticeship Employers 2022 for the first time, joining the prestigious list at number 45.

The recently published Top 100 list, developed by the Department for Education in conjunction with High Fliers Research, recognises the very highest standards of apprenticeship employment in England based on a range of data points and includes a range of industries in both the private and public sectors.

The list recognises the commitment of employers and supports future apprentices, career advisers and others to identify future potential apprenticeship opportunities.

Chief executive James Tugendhat said: “Being listed as one of the country’s top 50 outstanding apprenticeship employers for the first time is a huge honour and a great achievement.

“We are very proud of the apprenticeship programme HC-One offers its new and existing colleagues, as we aim to invest in developing a kind, skilled and knowledgeable workforce to meet the demands for care both now and in the future in the communities we serve.”

HC-One, the UK’s largest elderly care home provider, joined major household names in the Top 50 of the independently assessed rankings, in recognition of its commitment to the career boosting opportunities provided by apprenticeships over the past 12 months.

HC-One employs more than 900 apprentices across the UK and has seen success in the high number of staff completing apprenticeships since 2017 – with more than 1,300 completing apprenticeships as part of its partnership with Lifetime Training.

Apprenticeship opportunities at HC-One are offered to newly recruited and existing workers to help develop their skills, knowledge, and confidence, with a range of topics on offer including care, hospitality, business skills, IT and leadership.

Niall Hutton, 27, started as a care assistant at Capwell Grange Care Home in Luton in September 2018, before progressing to a senior care assistant and then on to a nursing

James Tugendhat assistant thanks to HC-One’s apprenticeship programme.

He said: “My apprenticeship with HC-One gave me the opportunity to develop my leadership and clinical skills in a range of different practical scenarios, working alongside talented mentors to improve my existing skills and learn new ones.

“During my studies I took on the role of infection control lead for my workplace during the height of the pandemic, and was encouraged to learn a lot about colleague engagement, policies and how to continue to provide the highest standards of care even in high pressure situations.

“I am hoping to continue my career pathway and complete a nursing degree apprenticeship to become a registered nurse.”

Jenna Lord, 37, head housekeeper at Averill House in Manchester, joined HC-One in October 2018 and completed her functional skills maths and English alongside her hospitality supervisor level three standard where she achieved a distinction.

She added: “My housekeeping role changed significantly during the pandemic. I couldn’t be prouder of how we all got through at Averill House.

“Doing my apprenticeship at the same time was challenging, but with the help and support I got from HC-One, colleagues at Averill House and friends and family, I was able to complete my learning and pass with a distinction grade, which really helped me to build in confidence.

“I couldn’t be happier, and my certificate is hanging proudly in my office at work.”

FREE RECRUITMENT We provide FREE trained overseas care staff for Nursing Homes, Supported Living and Domiciliary Care.

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Advertiser’s announcement

Agency recruits carers from India and Ghana BLUE Sapphire Consultancy Ltd is a professional recruitment and placement agency, servicing UK-based clients and candidates as well as health professionals within the care industry and medical field from India and Ghana.

With more than 15 years of industry experience, we are a leader in the field and known for our professionalism, reliability, and results-driven approach.

Our goal is to help our clients fill open positions with top talent.

We meet your business needs by sourcing gold standard care staff for home or domiciliary care.

We seek out fully qualified nurses and senior carers who understand a care user’s desire to maintain independence where possible.

We handpick our staff not just for their nursing skills, but for their humanity too.

They are hard working, caring individuals who are happy to support disabled and mental health patients, administer medication to globally-

accepted standards and support endof-life care where needed.

Our headquarters are in Manchester and we recruit from the UK, India and Ghana.

All of our overseas senior carers and care assistants are sourced from India and Ghana and are qualified and ready to work in the UK’s health and social care industry in private, residential, and NHS settings.

Our candidates: n Are fully qualified nurses in their home country. n Have a minimum of three years of relevant vocational experience. n Can communicate in English to IELTS UKVI 5+. n Undergo criminal record checks with certificates of origin from their home country. n Have valid, checkable references from established healthcare institutes.

Let us solve your staffing problem quickly and effectively without compromising on patient or resident care.

Specialists in recruiting care professionals from overseas JJ Recruitment is based in the UK and we specialise in recruiting competent nurses, health care assistants, senior carers and other health care professionals from overseas, especially from India, Philippines and the UK as well; since they will be finished studying/ working in UK care homes and want to switch from a Tier 4 to a Tier 2 VISA. Our company’s expertise in discovering skilled and dedicated health care personnel in the nursing and caring sector will be a great aid to prestigious care institutions like yours, especially with the growing need for trained and talented healthcare personnel in the UK. We are familiar with all of the procedures for hiring a new employee and can assist you every step of the way.

A sponsor license is essential for UK firms intending to employ anyone from outside the UK, regardless of whether they are EU citizens or from

further afield.

This license allows the company to sponsor skilled workers through the ‘skilled worker’ route.

If you don’t already have one, we’ll apply on your behalf by filling out the application form and submitting the supporting information listed in appendix A of the sponsor guidance.

For all legal matters we have our own team of qualified solicitors Our areas of expertise: n Fees are kept to a minimum. n Applicants are medically trained/ registered nurses in their countries. n Applicants are fluent in English. n Provide accommodation facilities if necessary. n Assist in acquiring sponsorship license. n Experienced solicitors for all legal matters.

CARINGTRAINING AND RECRUITMENT

21

Advertiser’s announcement

Care worker recruitment and retention – help for the cost-of-living crisis SCOTT Sherriden has been helping care providers recruit, onboard and retain care workers since 2015.

He and his team, many of whom have worked in care themselves, have learned recruitment best practices.

Recently, Scott shared some tips at our Barnsley and York Racecourse conferences.

We invited him to share some here too....

Purpletribe helps care business owners care for more clients, grow revenue and free up their time.

With more time in the day, owners can introduce new services and packages without needing to bring people in from further afield.

For example, Purpletribe has delivered 30 per cent care team growth, in half the time and at half the cost of a purely in-house run operation (see the Cura Care case study on their website).

Signposting to free recruitment and retention tips is at the end of this feature, but in the meantime, Scott busts some common myths: Myth one – you can’t attract enough candidates If you limit your recruiting to Indeed, this might be true.

It’s a fact that Indeed costs are spiralling, but nowadays Indeed jobs don’t show on Google at all.

Nowadays people Google for jobs near them and you can’t pay for ‘space’ on Google Jobs.

Google must find your jobs instead. Social media, other job boards and other digital channels are becoming more important, so now carer recruiting relies on a combination of digital recruitment and digital marketing to find the right people. Not many care providers have these skills in-house.

Relying on Indeed alone is now futile. Purpletribe found 63 per cent of their applicants to one London borough, through new channels, were UK residents new to the sector.

Myth two – no one is applying for your care jobs (or they’re only applying to keep their benefits) Ask yourself whether recruitment is at the top of your list, truly.

You may think you or the team are doing well, but how often are candidates getting their paperwork, DBS checks or training fast enough?

The great thing about recruitment is that it is successful when you follow a robust process.

But if it’s taking longer than 24 to 48 hours to get key information to candidates, they will be a ‘no show’.

Nowadays recruitment must be swift and

Scott Sherriden, Purpletribe founder and MD. executed persistently and consistently.

It’s a skilled, full-time job, not something to dip into when someone has the time.

The candidate can’t help but feel they aren’t that important to you if they don’t hear from you quickly.

Why would a contract not be sent within 24 hours of an offer? Why wait longer than a day to give interview feedback? Why not stay in touch during onboarding?

The people applying for your role need to start a job right away, they don’t have the luxury of waiting for two weeks.

Carer recruiting never stops. If you earn £500 to £800 (or more) gross profit per month per carer, then if you’re not driving recruitment there’s a ‘lost opportunity’ cost holding back homecare growth.

If you run a residential setting, the impact is high agency costs or staff burnout.

So, if you’re under-resourced and reactive to applicants, a pro-active competitor (in care or elsewhere) will win the applicant over.

A tenacious and great candidate experience works. Purpletribe makes up to four phone calls,three emails and two texts/WhatsApp’s to reach and pre-screen individuals, because success comes from not relying on CVs alone.

One day-a-week availability for interviews is not enough. Care providers need to make time slots available most days.

If an applicant can’t meet you quickly, they’ll meet the next potential employer instead and, again, be a ‘no show’.

Any gap or leak in the recruitment process is a

disaster. We can’t blame candidates for dropping out if it’s the recruitment process that’s at fault.

An applicant tracking system, like the one Purpletribe uses, highlights where to adjust and boost ROI. Myth three – you’re not paying enough money It’s not all about money. Purpletribe’s clients have found success by being open about what’s going on, showing their appreciation, making rostering more flexible around the individual, taking home care workers’ travel times into account, and making other small adjustments or gestures that help staff a lot.

Short-term fuel or energy bonuses and extra time off to recharge or access professional support to help with finance or other stresses, are all low-cost, high-value extras.

Especially if yours is a great place to work, with a great manager and a great team.

The cost-of-living crisis will also inevitably push more people back into work.

How you present the care sector and your own service both face to face or on social media is critical too.

Potential applicants are going to check you out and whether care (and you) sound appealing.

While the emotional challenge can be tough some days, you know the reward can be incredibly uplifting. It’s time to remind your team and your local community of all the ways you positively impact people’s lives.

Make sure your website and social media are working hard for you.

Scott will be speaking at our Bolton and Durham events on August 24 and 25 respectively if you’d like to catch him there. To book a place visit https:// www.caringukconferences.co.uk/book-a-place/ To book a no-strings chat with Scott or to sign up for more Purpletribe recruiting tips (PT Tips) visit purpletribe.co.uk Purpletribe is also on LinkedIn

20 22

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25 Advertiser’s announcement

Dawn Scott from Dulux Trade outlines how the design of living environments can impact the wellbeing of dementia residents and provides her top tips for care home managers.

How to use design and colour to ‘brighten’ quality of life for residents with dementia ACCORDING to Alzheimer’s Society, there are around 900,000 people with dementia in the UK and 209,600 more will develop dementia this year – that’s one person diagnosed every three minutes.

Looking specifically at care homes, 70 per cent of residents are thought to have dementia or severe memory problems.

This means it’s crucial that care home managers not only have a good understanding of the condition, but also what they can do to best support those affected in their care.

One area in which care managers can play a leading role is by considering the impact of the environment itself on their residents.

Indeed, people come to care homes to feel safe and looked after, so it is essential the environment is designed in a way that enables this.

At Dulux Trade, our mission is to add colour to people’s lives, both literally and figurately, and that’s why we feel passionate about promoting inclusive design within environments such as care homes.

Based on insight from our Dementia Friendly Colour Palette, designed in collaboration with the British Research Establishment, here are our five top tips for how to do this: Use colour and contrast to support recognition and navigation While the full effects of dementia on colour perception are not yet understood, it is well known that recognition time is notably faster if colour is used as a cue.

By using a range of different colours in your building, you can create visual prompts which make it easier for residents to see their route more clearly.

For example, consider painting the end of a corridor a different colour to the corridor walls or using contrasting colour to differentiate between rooms or areas.

The Dementia Friendly Colour Palette recommends soft tones for main wall colours, with only small hints of colour to create a sense of calm (think 60YY 83/062, 70YR

It is also important to consider how to make the space resonate with the individual to bring a sense of homeliness and inspire memories.

One example might be painting the front door to residents’ bedrooms in the same colour as the front door to their childhood home, and including something personal to them on the shelving outside their door such as photographs or an old house number which can create familiarity so they recognise the space is theirs.

For other doors within the building – such as those to bathrooms and living spaces – opt for bolder shades such as navies (52BB 08/128), sage greens (90GY 29/121) and burgundies (54RR 09/276) as this will make them more visible and easier to locate.

In contrast, doors to areas that are closed off to residents such as staff rooms and supply cupboards should be painted the same colour as the walls to prevent residents from noticing them.

75/075, 30YY 68/024 and 70RR 64/034).

Feature walls, on the other hand, are best distinguished with more saturated colours to contrast with lighter main walls and to help compensate the lens of an aged eye as it becomes more opaque – with yellows (43YY 74/339), muted purples (70RR 43/104), muted oranges (38YR 40/290) and teals (50BG 19/144) recommended.

Consider how design can signpost hazards and reduce the likelihood of trips and falls The right design does not only serve the purpose of supporting recognition and navigation; if used smartly, it can also form part of your risk management strategy.

For example, if items such as radiators are designed using stronger colours so that they stand out from the walls, it will help reduce the risk of them being grabbed unintentionally, or mistaken as a handrail, thus reducing the risk of burns.

Features such as light switches can also be more easily identified if a

coloured border is painted around them.

Guide the way with the right flooring and lighting Sight and hearing loss are common in older people, but dementia amplifies the effects of this as it impacts how the brain processes visual information.

As a result, high-sheen surfaces can look wet or slippery and bold patterns or stripes can give the illusion that the floor is not flat or stable.

This means flooring should ideally be plain and stair nose edging should be used to create contrast.

In addition, both the floor and wall colours should contrast with skirting.

Darker flooring should also be avoided as residents may perceive it as a hole, creating fear and anxiety when using this area.

Similarly, keeping lighting consistent throughout rooms is crucial, as shadowing and glare can be confusing and disorientating to those living with dementia.

Make residents, family and day-to-day staff part of the process

Choose a colour palette which has been designed with expertise and offers a range of choices Finally, it’s important to work with trusted designers and suppliers that will produce the best results.

At Dulux, our Dementia Friendly Colour Palette draws on a wealth of experience in design and dementia research from collaborations with Loughborough University and Halsall Lloyd Partnerships.

It is grounded in evidence-based design principles that offer guidance on how to create environments that optimise the wellbeing of those living with dementia.

We also offer our Designing for Dementia RIBA approved CPD that discusses the impact of dementia and delves further into why design matters for those living with the disease.

To find out more about Dulux Trade’s offering for aged care and Dementia visit: https://www.duluxtradepaintexpert.co.uk/ en/content/occd-aged-care For further information on the Designing for Dementia CPD visit: https://www. ribacpd.com/dulux-trade/26246/overview/

26

Residents create mural for traditional festival

Robert Courts MP (centre back) is joined by new owners Renos Sideras and Robert Adams as well as resident Jean McCrindle and home manager Vanessa Lavender.

Residents take a memory lane walk as new corridor opens AN OXFORDSHIRE care home has launched a new dementia-friendly corridor with a grand opening and ribbon cutting to commemorate the event.

Rosebank Care Home in Bampton specialises in dementia care and invited West Oxfordshire and Witney MP Robert Courts to celebrate the completion of the seaside-themed corridor with them.

The event was attended by residents, their relatives, the staff and the home’s new owners Robert Adams and Renos Sideras.

Activities coordinator Gemma Foster led the redesign with input from the residents.

She said: “Multi-sensory experiences are really important for people living with dementia, which

is why our newly decorated memory lane is so stimulating.

“There is lots to look at, music that plays and even tactile elements that the residents can touch. It’s a treat for the eyes and the ears.

“Most of our residents have lovely memories of the seaside, which is why we settled on this theme.

“If anyone is feeling a bit stressed or overwhelmed, we take a walk down ‘Memory Lane’ and talk about memories and just escape for a little while.”

Memory Lane as it is affectionately known in the home has now been fully decorated and refurbished in a seaside and underwater theme.

It features aquatic wallpaper, hand painted shells and fish and beach huts painted around doors.

RICHMOND Villages Astonon-Trent is displaying its well dressing on the village green for the traditional Well Dressing Festival.

Richmond Villages Aston-onTrent was invited to display its well dressing on the village green next to the main display.

Residents and staff have created a mural of the Queen’s Green Canopy to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee.

The design features plenty of trees, a picnic in the park, and even a Corgi looking longingly at a pork pie.

Head of activities Tracey Stinchcombe drew the mural and residents decorated it with petals and natural materials.

She said: “The activities team

facilitate the participation of residents living in the care home, including those living with dementia.

“The sensory pleasures of handling clay and flowers brings significant joy to our residents living with dementia and it is very heartwarming to know that they too have helped create our contribution to this important community event.”

Aston-on-Trent’s well dressing tradition started in 1997 and sees members of the community creating murals out of flower petals and other natural materials.

While these murals were originally placed at water sources as thanks to God for a plentiful water supply, modern well dressings form a walk around Aston-on-Trent.

Designs range from religious scenes to tributes to charities to depictions of community life.

Advertiser’s announcement

Ian Trotter, head of Gainsborough’s G360 Bathrooms, demonstrates the specialist anti-ligature showers at the Welland Centre.

Gainsborough G360 wet rooms deliver specialist clinical care at Kettering mental health facility THROUGH the proven design of specialist Gainsborough G360 wet rooms, mental health inpatients at The Welland Centre, St Mary’s Hospital, Kettering, continue to benefit from advanced anti-ligature safety and care.

St Mary’s is a multi-functional Northamptonshire NHS site which supports vulnerable inpatients and outpatients.

Services include The Welland Centre, which is a mental health inpatient facility for adults.

It has four wards and 49 beds – focused on treatment, recovery and psychiatric intensive care, along with a Section 136 safety suite.

The centre has two highly specialist Gainsborough wet rooms which ensure patients and carers remained safe during bathing cycles.

Last year GFM, the facilities management company responsible for maintenance, appointed Gainsborough to deliver the project due its proven track record in specialist bathing.

Zoe Sparrow, GFM building service manager, said: ‘The NHS Trust asked us to upgrade our bathrooms to specialist wet rooms for enhanced care.

“The wet rooms had to be clinicalcentric with advanced features to support nurses and our highly

vulnerable patients.

“Add to this a need for infection control and accessibility, we decided to specify Gainsborough for the project – we had seen their specialist work in prisons, they came highly recommended.”

Since installation, the ultraminimalistic G360 bathing environments have proven effective on multiple levels, particularly from a safety and practical point of view.

Risk has been greatly reduced by the considered selection of equipment that is anti-ligature, especially the detachable ‘bayonet style’ shower hoses.

These are only connected by care

staff when required so vulnerable bathers can be protected from selfharm.

Other fixtures and sanitaryware is equally minimal with light sensors for tap operation which also strengthens hygiene control.

Zoe added: “The two specialist Gainsborough wet rooms at The Welland Centre have meant our patients can maintain their dignity whilst benefiting from a certain degree of independence.

“In terms of our bathing facilities, our site has been able to accept more patients with complex needs, in complete confidence, which is an outstanding ongoing proposition.”

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28 Advertiser’s announcement

Lilian Faithfull has opened a specialist end-of-life care suite in Cheltenham. Charity patron Lady Bathurst recently opened ‘The Fairhaven Suite’ – a dedicated suite at St Faith’s. Separate to the main home, the new facility will give privacy, peace and comfort for adults in their final days, weeks or months. A key part is the support, space and facilities it offers to families and friends, enabling them to spend quality time with their loved ones. The Fairhaven Suite has grown out of the experience and expertise of the nursing team who have guided the design. After extensive remodelling and refurbishment, there are nine suites, each with an ensuite wet room. The suite is fully accessible and also includes lounges and kitchens for families.

Home gifted rose bush for supporting charity THE residents of Richmond Villages in Cheltenham have been gifted a rose bush to enjoy in their gardens by the Stroke Association.

For the past year, Stroke Association, who fund research dedicated to rehabilitation of stroke survivors, have had access to the facilities at Richmond Villages, making use of their fitness suites, private dining and arts and crafts areas on a fortnightly basis.

The rose bush was given as a ‘thank you’ for its support.

Andrew Osborne, village manager for Richmond Villages in Cheltenham, said: “We’re very grateful to Stroke Association for its kind gift.

“It makes a wonderful addition to our reflection garden and is a lovely

gesture from the charity.

“We’re incredibly proud that we’re able to support Stroke Association with its work. Strokes can be devastating and several of our residents have unfortunately had them before.

“Caring for stroke survivors, we see first-hand how important Stroke Association’s work is.

“By providing a space for them, along with tea and coffee, we can see how much it is appreciated.

“It’s important for us to work together as a community to help build a better life for stroke survivors.”

The rose bush was planted in the reflection garden as part of its Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

How efficient and compliant is your laundry operation?

WHEN choosing dryers, it is notable that care homes are increasingly turning away from gas appliances due to regulation changes and safety concerns.

Changes to industry requirements can necessitate considerable investment in order for gas appliances to meet the current standards.

Forbes Professional advises care homes on all relevant WRAS and industry requirements and helps clients ensure complete compliance with the latest regulations.

Many care homes would need to reconfigure their entire laundry room to enable the newly requisite two metre distancing between gas appliances and doors.

When such issues are coupled with safety concerns and the increasing costs of running gas appliances, Forbes would generally recommend that electrical appliances should be the product of choice.

Miele’s new heat pump commercial dryers are particularly highly rated for their safety, functionality and energy efficiency.

They do not require any makeup air, which enables the laundry

function to be installed in the basement or in a central location within the care-home, and saves on costly vent-ducting.

Miele’s Ecoplus technology guarantees that both energy consumption and drying times are kept consistently low.

Due to the effective interaction of the Miele filter system and the maintenance-free heat exchanger, fluff cannot clog the heat exchanger or adversely affect the exceptional drying efficiency. Miele’s heatpump tumble dryers employ a highly efficient and economical filter system and heat exchanger to keep run times low and enable an energy saving of up to 60 per cent when compared to vented dryers.

Forbes Professional provides a range of options for commercial laundry equipment, including the PT 8337 and the Little Giant PT 7137 heat pump dryers.

All of its Miele commercial laundry is available on a purchase, rental or lease basis, with access to a comprehensive service that includes installation, commissioning, user training and a first-class repair and maintenance response.

Advertiser’s announcement

Ways to legally and safely hold open fire doors INCREASING air circulation in care settings has become a hot topic, with many organisations now looking at ways to cost efficiently, legally and safely achieve this.

Fire doors are critical to any buildings infrastructure, but they can be a barrier to good air circulation.

Propping or wedging open fire doors could be dangerous.

The door may fail to prevent the spread of fire. So, what are the legal and safe alternatives?

Improve air circulation with a fire door retainer The Dorgard Fire Door Retainer and Freedor Free-Swing Door Closer offer care homes, hospitals and other medical settings a simple solution to legally hold fire doors open and improve ventilation as well as enabling staff and patients to move around the building ‘contact-free’, reducing the risk of cross-infection with germs and viruses without compromising fire safety.

By holding open fire doors safely, they allow air to circulate and improve ventilation.

Doors are of course automatically released to close as soon as the fire alarm sounds, protecting patients, visitors, staff and property.

A cost-effective and easy to install solution Dorgard Fire Door Retainers and

Freedor Free-Swing Door Closers are a relatively low-cost solution.

Both devices are wireless and battery-operated meaning they are simple to install with no wiring required.

They can be easily installed by your handyman.

These devices work with your existing fire alarm by ‘listening’ for the sound of the alarm before releasing the door to close.

There are several different types of Dorgard to choose from, ensuring that you get the right solution for your needs.

For low noise environments the original Dorgard is perfect, for areas where the noise levels are higher the Dorgard SmartSound offers enhanced sound recognition, and for premises with Pro also offers a ‘one glance’ check to verify that the entire system is functioning correctly.

Freedor SmartSound is a wireless, battery-operated free-swing door closer, which gives care settings the flexibility to leave the fire door open at any angle and for the fire door to function and feel like a regular door would.

When the fire alarms sounds Freedor SmartSound automatically switches back to performing as a traditional overhead door closer and automatically closes the fire door, maintaining compartmentalisation to reduce the danger from fire.

29

CARINGNEWS

New toolkit focuses on positive practice NAPA and My Home Life England has jointly released a new toolkit focused on enabling activity providers and care home leaders to work well together in order to enhance wellbeing and community connectedness.

The toolkit is free to access. It focuses on positive practice, building on what already works well and finding new ways to work towards shared goals.

It has been co-created and developed with those working in care settings and features a range of resources including case studies, practical tools and reflection points.

Hilary Woodhead, executive director of NAPA, said: “NAPA supports the care sector to prioritise wellbeing and a good working relationship between the activity provider and the care home leader is integral.

“This new resource shares positive practice and evidence of what works well, as well as providing opportunities to explore new ways of working to help relationships flourish.

A free to watch webinar also compliments the toolkit. Colleagues from NAPA and My Home Life England discuss the toolkit and two sets of care home leaders and activity providers share their experiences of positive working relationships and what works well.

Steph Thompson, deputy director of My Home Life England, added: “Every day My Home Life England hears stories of great leadership in action and examples of how team members, including activity providers, have an essential role in creating and developing positive cultures and community connections.

“We hope this new resource helps people to build on what’s already working well, and to recognise and reflect on the different roles people play in supporting a vision of wellbeing within a care setting.”

Musicians share their love of music with group’s residents RESIDENTS from three Dorset care homes enjoyed their own intimate performance by musicians from Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

French horn and piano player Kevin Pritchard and violinist Jenni Curiel visited the Colten Care residents as part of the group’s celebrations for World Music Day 2022.

The performance had been due to take place alongside a picnic at Poole Park.

But after rain was forecast, residents of the operator’s dedicated dementia home Fernhill in Ferndown and Abbey View in Sherborne joined with residents at the company’s newest home, Bourne View in Poole.

The musicians led the audience through a one-hour set which included popular pieces by Schubert

and Tchaikovsky, as well as hit songs from the 1960s and a medley of Cole Porter classics.

Fiona Pritchard, Colten Care’s music and arts partner, said: “Music is a huge part of life at all our homes and it is always wonderful to welcome BSO musicians and to see the joy and reminiscence their playing evokes in our residents.

“As always, people were keen to talk about their favourite pieces, their own musical memories and of course to ask the musicians when they will be performing for us again.”

World Music Day is celebrated annually and encourages people to share the free gift of music.

The event originated in France as Fete de la Musique in 1982 and is now marked across the globe.

Group thanks staff on its Carers Appreciation Day MARIA Mallaband Care Group has celebrated the contribution of its 3,500 carers during its recent Carers Appreciation Day. The annual event was launched last year, having been inspired by International Nurses Day which the operator observes each year in May to acknowledge the contribution of nurses across the group.

Without an equivalent national or international event already on the calendar for paid carers, Maria Mallaband chose to create its own event specifically to celebrate the commitment and contribution of the thousands who work with them.

The group, which operates more than 80 care homes across the UK, paid tribute and thanks to all the carers on the team for the vital role they play in the lives of those living with them.

Chief people officer Susan Jones said: “Our carers are absolutely vital – we couldn’t do what we do at Maria Mallaband without these key team members.

“We are so grateful for their hard work, commitment, and compassion – they ensure our homes are warm and welcoming places to be and make a positive impact every single day on the lives of those living with us.

“That is why we introduced Maria Mallaband Care Group Carers Appreciation Day and will continue to celebrate it annually, to give those who live and work alongside our carers the opportunity to express their gratitude for all they do.”

Care staff care for those living with the home as if they were their own family – looking after their physical,

psychological and social needs, providing support for personal care, hygiene, dressing and mealtimes among other activities.

Homes across the group found ways to celebrate these key members of their team, with gifts and cards, including many handmade by those living in the homes, along with parties and afternoon tea events. Every carer across the group was presented with a certificate, a pen/stylus and a thank you card with hints around self-care.

Susan added: “It is so important to us that our team members feel valued and appreciated – this event is just one such way we seek to ensure that.

“We have fostered a company culture that promotes communication, values the opinions of its staff, and commends them for their hard work, with initiatives like long service recognition and the MMCG Care Awards.

“Alongside a package of benefits and progressive pay, we have also introduced even more flexible working over the past year and early access to wages too, to help team members foster work/life harmony.

“All carers also have access to extensive career development opportunities, with ongoing support from managers and the learning and development team.

“We want them to enjoy what they do, develop their skills and fulfil their potential.

“We know strong teams deliver the best possible care, so valuing, supporting and showing our thanks and appreciation to every member of the team is central to everything we do.”

Advertiser’s announcement

What goes up must come down THE whole market was shocked when during Covid the price of a packet of humble vinyl gloves rose to £7 per pack of 100 or more.

Over time, manufacturing has caught up with demand and prices have been falling.

Some suppliers however have not been reducing their prices to customers as quickly as the landed price in the UK has been falling.

Despite the high cost of oil and freight, care homes in the UK should not be paying more than £2.50 per pack.

Sam Gompels, MD of Gompels HealthCare Ltd, said: “We are regularly hearing from care homes who are still paying Covid prices for their essential PPE requirements.

“All Gompels customers have their prices reduced just as soon as we can bring them down. They don’t have to ask, it happens automatically.”

Depending on what happens to the oil price and currency, there will be scope to bring the prices down further in the future.

This will be good news when free PPE for care homes comes to an end.

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COMPLETE A RECORD BREAKING 12 MONTHS With sales hitting an all time high, there has never been a better time to sell IVELHURST, Somerset

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Why would any Homeowner, in such an active selling market consider paying an Agent an Upfront Fee of £1,500 to £8,000?

Currently there is an over supply of well-funded buyers and an under supply of quality Homes becoming available.These circumstances work very strongly in your favour, as a potential seller. There is no need, in our opinion, for a Homeowner to part with any “Upfront Fee” in today’s bullish market.”

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Work begins on £6million care home WORK has started on a new £6m luxury care home in Sleaford, Lincolnshire Award winning Yorkshire construction firm Hobson and Porter won the contract to build the home following the successful completion and recent hand over of two other luxurious, new build care homes for the same firm, Yorkare Homes.

Both Louth Manor in Louth, Lincolnshire and Cottingham Manor in Cottingham, East Yorkshire completed on time and within budget.

Hobson and Porter has a longstanding history with Yorkare Homes, first working for the award-winning, family run care company in 2015.

Mark Smee, contracts director at Hobson and Porter, said: “Our first project for Yorkare Homes was the conversion and extension of Lindsey Hall, a former school in Cleethorpes seven years ago.

The new 67-bedroom care home in Sleaford, Lincolnshire.

“We successfully tendered for that competitively tendered for, will see job, then started on a three further us build a 67-bedroom care home impressive new build projects for in a 1.25-acre plot, complete with the company – Beverley Parklands in bar area, cinema, hairdressing suite, Beverley, Tranby Park in Hessle and library and lounge.”

Mere Hall in Hornsea, all of which Laurence Garton, from Brough raised the bar in terms of design and based Yorkare Homes, added: finish.

“We are a family business that has “This latest contract win, which we operated in the care industry for more

than 30 years and our homes provide care within a luxury environment.

“We now have nine standout homes across Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and have found Hobson and Porter always deliver the high standards of craftmanship and build quality we expect.

“A real partner, that we can rely on and trust to understand the challenges we face and the time constraints we are under, Hobson and Porter has successfully met our needs on numerous projects across two counties.

“Both Louth Manor and Cottingham Manor are immediately proving popular with residents looking for a special and luxurious home that exceeds everything else in the Louth and Cottingham areas.

“Following this success, we’re delighted that work is now underway in Sleaford and residents will be able to move in from summer next year.”

LAMONTLamontJohnsonCOMME JOHNSON P R O P E RT Y ADVISOR S

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SOLD

MAYFIELD HOUSE WALTON ON THAMES SURREY

Care Home registered for 34, sold on behalf of Messrs Mahadeo, Holmes, Harrison and Dixit to Mr and Mrs Merali of A Welcome House Ltd.

32

Browne Jacobson advises developer on sale of site Boucherne residential care home in Maldon, Essex.

Essex home sold to new entrants to care sector DC Care has completed the sale of Boucherne, a highly regarded residential care home registered for 24 in Maldon in Essex, on behalf of Chris and Carole Tibballs Boucherne is an elegant and substantial Grade II listed period property, extensively extended in 2002 to increase the capacity from 13 residents to 24.

A summer house, garage block and outhouses containing the laundry room, dry goods and additional storage have also been added in recent years.

Seeking retirement after operating Boucherne since 1988, the Tibballs appointed DC Care to market the business. The home was acquired

by Satyan and Vaishali Pala, new entrants to the care sector.

The sale of Boucherne was handled

by DC Care’s southern region director Andy Sandel and senior sales

negotiator Michelle Natkus.

Andy said “Boucherne attracted a lot of interest from existing local operators and first-time buyers alike.

We were delighted to find a suitable buyer in Satyan and Vaishali Pala and wish them good luck with Boucherne.

“Michelle and I would like to wish Chris and Carole Tibballs a happy, well-earned retirement after many years of setting high standards of care.”

Carole Tibballs added: “DC Care has guided us through all the trials and tribulations of selling a care home and has been available at all times to respond to many questions along the way.

“Michelle Natkus has been a delight with whom to work and has done all in her power to move things along and find answers when required. Thank you Michelle for your support.”

Company unveils its new vision for later living A NEW later living developer and operator backed by real estate funds managed by ActivumSG Capital Management has launched as Opus.

The unique model offers the full continuum of care with independent and assisted living, as well as an integrated care home within each village.

Opus has unveiled details of its first two villages alongside its brand launch: Edgbaston Place in Edgbaston, Birmingham, and Stoneham Park, near Southampton, Hampshire, which will collectively deliver 290 apartments and 90 care beds. Both villages are scheduled for delivery in late 2024 to early 2025.

The Opus management team, led

by Paddy Brice and Paul Jackson, has more than 15 years’ experience of working together within the sector, primarily at Richmond Villages,

where they led the restructuring and subsequent successful sale in 2013.

Paddy said: “Our vision is to bring innovation and a fresh approach to later living.

“We are creating communities for each stage of later life, so when residents need more support, they can stay in the Opus village community with the right level of assistance and care on site.

“ActivumSG will enable Opus to play a leading role in transforming the approach to later living by providing a full continuum of care in a quality setting with exceptional amenities.”

Opus has secured a number of additional sites for its development pipeline, supporting scale-up plans for the platform to develop and operate villages throughout the country.

BROWNE Jacobson has successfully advised Nottingham based developer Charterpoint on the sale of a 1.2 acre care home development site in Thurnby (Leicestershire) to care home operator Cinnamon.

The Browne Jacobson team was led by Kassra Powles, supported

by Melanie Hilton (banking), Katie Briggs (property) and Rebecca Burge (tax).

The site will be used for the construction of a 73-residential care home including resident lounges, dining and relaxation areas, a cinema room, hair and beauty facilities, café and private dining, terraces and landscaped gardens and a number of electric car charging points.

Kassra said: “We are delighted to have advised on the sale of the site to Cinnamon and is the latest in a series of recent deals we have advised Charterpoint on in the care sector.

“This deal is an indication of the strong investor appetite and demand, particularly for high end care homes.

As such we are optimistic that the resurgence in the healthcare development market will continue into the second half of 2022.”

Charterpoint is a Nottingham based property development company specialising in the design and delivery of sustainable homes for

Kassra Powles older people, including care homes, independent and assisted living accommodation.

MD Giles Nursey added: “This firstclass scheme will create an attractive care home for the area, which we identified as having a shortfall in purpose-built care home provision. It will also provide important local job opportunities.

“As an East Midlands-based senior living developer, Charterpoint is delighted to have sold the scheme to Cinnamon who will now take it forward to the development stage.”

Plans for residential home submitted on derelict land PRIVATELY owned property development company Muller Property Group has unveiled the plans for the redevelopment of a brownfield site situated in Lindley, Huddersfield.

The outline application proposes provision for a residential care facility of up to 60 beds with en-suite facilities and access with all other matters reserved.

Colin Muller, chief executive of Muller Property Group, said: “We have identified a significant shortage of assisted living bedspaces within Lindley and the local surrounding areas.

“There is a demand for upwards of 560 en-suite care bedrooms to serve the elderly population and an undersupply of approaching 300 bedrooms equipped with en-suite provision.

“The delivery of a 60-bed highquality care home accommodation for the elderly will help address a considerable shortfall mirrored across the wider district.

“The proposal to revitalise a sustainably located, brownfield and vacant site with a modern residential care facility will bring substantial social and economic benefits to the area.

“Developments of this nature provide a good range of jobs for local people with a cross section of wage levels. We expect a care home like this

Muller Property Group chief executive Colin Muller. to generate at least 50 new jobs.”

The site is approximately 0.70-acre (0.27 hectares) in size and is located within a predominately residential area.

The proposed new purpose-built care home will be a two to twoand-a-half storey building with fulltime on-site nursing care facilities, recreational spaces for residents on all floors, including lounges, dining rooms, activity rooms, cinema, as well as a hair salon and high-quality secured landscaped gardens.

33

Bank helps operator acquire care agency OAKNORTH Bank has provided a £760,000 loan to Nightingale Healthcare Group to acquire Care Unique, an independent care agency providing a service for people needing care and support in their own home, including child care.

Care Unique provides care to individuals who may have a disability or are physically frail and housebound due to their age, and find it difficult therefore to cope with their personal care needs and domestic responsibilities.

The business has a Care Quality Commission rating of “Good” and its care staff are highly trained and experienced in meeting the needs of service users. They can also speak the same languages of those they’re caring for, and cook appropriate meals, taking into account sensitive cultural and religious needs.

Nightingale Healthcare Group is a new entity set up by Mo Moosa, a police constable who was inspired to found the business following his experiences with domiciliary care for his family.

He said: “Caring for those in my local community is what gets me out of bed in the morning. With Nightingale Healthcare Group I hope to build on this, providing domiciliary care to the local community from carers who speak the same language and understand the cultural and

religious requirements of those they’re caring for.

“Like our caring staff, the team at OakNorth Bank was incredibly helpful, attentive and open in its approach. We look forward to working with them again as we build the business.”

The new firm will be run by Yvonne Warrington, a social care professional with 34 years’ experience including managing domiciliary care services, audit and quality programmes for 350 care homes.

Care Unique’s owner-founders, Davinder Singh and Baljinder Kaur, will remain involved with the business on a part time basis.

Al Morris, director of debt finance at OakNorth Bank, added: “Mo is clearly driven by his own experiences with domiciliary care and is determined to improve the livelihoods and care conditions of elderly people in his local community.

“The pandemic shone a spotlight on just how important the social care sector is, and the positive impact that good domiciliary care can have on the mental health and wellbeing of those being cared for.

“Mo is acquiring a strong business and building a strong team led by Yvonne, so we are delighted to be supporting his new venture and hope to help with future transactions as the group grows.

specialist healthcare business agents

Renovated home set to offer supported living RADIS Community Care has begun renovations on a former care home to launch a new supported living scheme in Leominster, Herefordshire.

The former Newman’s Care Home, which was established nearly 50 years ago, will be transformed into a new scheme suitable for people with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum disorders and physical disabilities.

It will house nine clients in four terraced houses, four of whom have lived at the care home for most of their adult lives.

Renovations will be completed in a phased approach, including modernisation of the properties and

building an extension on the ground floor to assist clients with limited mobility.

Les Newman, owner of the former Newman’s Care Home, said: “With such a long history, it is nice to know that this legacy will continue under Radis Community Care’s supported living banner. Knowing that the current four residents will continue to live in their homes is wonderful.”

Radis’ new scheme will open up a number of job opportunities in the area for support workers and carers.

The roles offer flexible hours, full training and the opportunity for career progression.

Independent expertise, nationwide knowledge

specialist healthcare business agents

20

TH

ANNIVERSARY

We have a wealth of experience and industry knowledge and we are very proud that DC Care is established as one of the largest independent Care specific agencies in the UK.

SOLD

If you are considering a sale of your care facility, please call us on 01937 849 268 or send an email to sales@dccare.co.uk for a free, no-obligation Market Appraisal.

A selection of care businesses recently successfully sold by DC Care...

When industry knowledge and wisdom are needed, when a discreet sale is desired, our clients choose DC Care to sell their healthcare business.

SALES | ACQUISITIONS | APPRAISALS | CONSULTANCY

01937 849 268

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34

Care home utilises scheme to recruit overseas workers Group celebrate accolade with HRH Princess Anne CARING Homes has celebrated receiving the Princess Royal Training Award.

Alongside 47 other organisations, the group was recognised for its inspirational commitment to learning and development for the fourth time.

Despite facing unprecedented challenges due to Covid-19, the organisations receiving this standard of excellence have created and delivered highly engaging training programmes which have resulted in significant and measurable impact.

Several of this year’s Princess Royal Training Awards recipients have innovatively used training as a way of addressing skills shortages and skills gaps in their sector.

In response to national skills shortages and increased pressure on the healthcare sector during the pandemic, Caring Homes created an in-house programme to train overseas recruits to become nurses and address a national skills shortage.

Liz Willis, director of learning and organisational development, said: “We are delighted that our training programmes have been recognised in this way and that we have been included among those organisations to receive one of these coveted training awards for the fourth time.

“We wholeheartedly believe that

investing in our colleagues, their learning and ongoing development is pivotal to the success of our organisation, the exceptional standards of care, safety and wellbeing we provide our residents and indeed the way in which we have risen to the challenges that the Covid19 pandemic has presented.

“As an organisation, we pride ourselves on our openness and transparency and as such we are always keen to share our best practice approaches and initiatives with the wider nursing community to enhance knowledge, improve the way in which care is provided and to promote patient safety and quality care.

“One way we have approached this is through sharing our nurse development initiatives at meetings involving Skills for Care, the Royal College of Nursing and NHS Trusts.”

The group is also part of The PRTA ‘Community of Excellence’ having been recognised by the awards in 2020 for its Chef Development Programme which upskills chefs and meets and exceeds industry criteria for care home catering and cooking for people living with dementia.

They were recognised in 2018 for the Future Leaders’ Programme and in 2016 with the ‘My World’ Dementia Training Programme.

A CARE group has utilised an employee sponsorship scheme to expand its international workforce and combat the current care staffing crisis.

CHD Living, a family-owned and operated group of care homes and home care services in Surrey, Hampshire and South London, has hired new staff through the UK’s employee sponsorship scheme — with plans to sponsor further individuals via the initiative following the success of the first cohort of workers.

Keen to support overseas workers, CHD Living has partnered with the scheme to sponsor new carers, with a standout example being Indian citizen Aneesh Kattuparambil Abbas, who was welcomed to the team last September.

Previously garnering invaluable experience in staff and industrial nursing in India and Saudi Arabia, Aneesh was able to bring a wealth of experience to his new role as team leader, whilst further developing and honing his skillset in the care profession in turn.

She said: “The team at CHD Living was integral to my move to the UK. “I received the complete instructions and support from the group to process the UK visa application — from requirements for the post and information of the UK visa procedure to details of quarantine, vaccination and Covid-19 tests.

“HR administrator Laura Johnson introduced me to Kings Lodge, and the following Monday I officially started my journey with CHD Living — it all happened so quickly.

“My main advice would be to follow the instructions you get from the team and produce the required documents. If you do that, the process will be easy and efficient.”

CHD Living is Home Office approved to recruit from overseas in various roles, including health care assistants, senior health care assistants and nurses, and hold a sponsor licence under the ‘skilled

Aneesh Kattuparambil Abbas worker’ category.

Eligibility for sponsorship includes having a valid Certificate of Sponsorship from a UK employer who has offered the job, meeting the standard English language requirements and undertaking background checks, including qualifications, identity, employment recommendation and criminal record.

Shaleeza Hasham, head of hospitality, communications and commissioning of CHD Living, added: “We are so proud of how well Aneesh has integrated into our CHD family.

“As a company, we guide our overseas recruits throughout the sponsorship process and provide support upon arrival, as we understand that moving to a new country and place of work can be daunting.

“For us it was crucial that we not only help Aneesh settle into his new role at CHD Living but also support and assist him with integrating into a new community. We wanted to give him the very best chance of starting afresh in an exciting new role here in the UK. “With his empathy, ambition and nursing skills we believe Aneesh will be an asset to the team at CHD Living. We cannot wait to see him thrive in his new role and wish him all the very best in this exciting, new chapter of his life.”

Manager Nicolas honoured for his charity and voluntary work

Homecare provider Walfinch Oxford has welcomed a new council initiative which has been launched to provide a financial £200 bonus to 100 people who choose a new career in the county’s care industry. Kam Gill, founder of Walfinch Oxford, said: “Since Walfinch Oxford launched in 2017 we have seen demand for flexible home-based care soar year on year. As such my care team has expanded to almost 30 people, yet we continue to receive calls every week from more individuals seeking support. We are therefore always looking to expand our workforce so we can help as many people as possible.

This initiative offers a welcome boost to those seeking a new career and supports organisations like us in recruiting new talent.”

NICOLAS Kee Mew, manager of Sanctuary Care’s Chadwell House Residential Care Home in Romford, has been honoured for his dedication to charity and voluntary work.

He received The British Citizen Award for Services to Volunteering and Charitable Giving from BBC News presenter Naga Munchetty at a Palace of Westminster ceremony.

He is one of 25 people to receive a Medal of Honour, which recognises exceptional individuals who positively impact their communities, charities and individual causes.

Among his achievements, Nicolas has run nine marathons

for Alzheimer’s Research and Alzheimer’s Society, including a virtual marathon at the height of the Covid pandemic.

He said: “I feel so honoured and humbled – and of course enormously proud to receive this recognition. Running for charity is something I started to do years ago, and I loved it so much I do something every year now.

“I am absolutely passionate about supporting people living with dementia, so the charities I have supported are so close to my heart.”

Originally from Mauritius, Nicolas started his care career in 2015 as a cleaner.

Homecare provider secures investment to drive growth NOBILIS Care, a provider of personalised at-home care for the elderly and vulnerable, has secured a £3.5m investment from independent asset manager BOOST&Co. The funding will be used to enhance the firm’s working capital and enable expansion into new territories.

The Southampton-based company, which currently employs more than 750 people, has a growing network of 13 branches around the UK. The investment from BOOST&Co will enable Nobilis to expand these branches, catering for increased demand and ensuring that people can access care across the country.

Nobilis also aims to add additional branches in new geographies in the next 18 months.

The business was founded in 2008 by husband and wife David and Nicky Watt following their struggle to find quality care for a family member.

The company prides itself on delivering personal, at-home care to enable elderly and vulnerable people to remain independent, while giving them and their families peace of mind.

Its philosophy has always been “care quality we would expect for our own relatives”.

Nobilis offers short term care, live-in care, regular home visits and access to a digital family portal.

David said: “This investment from

BOOST&Co will be invaluable in helping us to continue our mission to improve care in the community, make it more accessible and ensure that the elderly are able to retain their independence.

“It has been a pleasure to work with the team at BOOST&Co and we are looking forward to expanding the reach of our services across the UK, continuing to employ the very best carers to provide the highest quality of care and enabling more clients, and their families, to access this support.”

BOOST&Co has chosen to work with Nobilis because of its status as a rapidly growing business that has a clear focus on providing the best quality of care.

The company sets an example for others in the industry to aspire to, paying market-leading salaries to attract and retain top talent and maintain the highest level of service.

Adam Brinn, head of London and East at BOOST&Co, added: “We are pleased to support Nobilis with this funding round that will support growth and working capital across the group, as it continues to expand into new territories.

“The focus on investing in its people and maintaining quality of care at a time when the sector is facing multiple challenges really demonstrates the resilience of the management team and their determination to stand by their mission.”

35 Julia Bentley

Care UK has announced two senior appointments to help it deliver planned future growth while ensuring it maintains its quality of care. The appointments will fill two newly created roles of operations director reporting into chief operating officer Martin Friend who joined Care UK in January.

Julia Bentley will assume operational responsibility for Care UK services in an area covering Scotland and much of northern England. Her career spans more than 20 years in the care sector working for providers such as Four Seasons and Caring Homes. Phillip Steyn, currently a regional director, has more than 20 years’ experience with Care UK having joined as a team leader. He will take operational leadership for homes in the Midlands and the East of England.

Phillip Steyn

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If you are looking to buy or sell a care home contact Nick Greaves on 07943 107 887 or email nick@ngacare.co.uk

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Work begins on new £10m luxury home in Aylesbury WORK is under way on a £10million luxury care home in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

Chartwell Manor, a purpose-built 61 en-suite bedroom care home, will provide five-star accommodation and facilities and person-centred nursing, residential and dementia care.

Building work is on schedule to complete this state-of-the-art home by the autumn.

The two-storey building will be set within landscaped gardens, including private patio areas for ground floor rooms.

The inside will be tailored to the needs of the individuals living there, with spacious modern facilities comprising lounges and restaurants, including a bar and bistro, serving a menu of freshly cooked dishes prepared with local seasonal produce.

An on-site concierge will be part of the package of 24-hour personalised support on offer.

The new home will be operated by Maria Mallaband Care Group.

Chief operating officer (South) Paul Walsh said: “With Chartwell Manor we want to deliver everything those living there need and deserve – from luxury interiors and chef-created menus to dedicated compassionate care, and fantastic lifestyle activities that support their health and wellbeing.

“With our More... Lifestyle

programme we take our holistic, bespoke approach even further – providing a rich offer of activities and opportunities designed around each individual to be truly reflective of their interests and passions.

“This is not only about creating the very best physical environment but creating a community where each person can live life to the fullest; a place where individuality is celebrated.”

Last year MMCG committed to investing more than £80m to develop nine new homes as part of an ongoing build programme over the next three years.

The development of Chartwell Manor follows the launch earlier this year of the £9.5million Lace Hill Manor care home in Buckingham.

Paul added: “We have a clear vision for the exceptional quality we want to deliver – and Chartwell Manor will be a truly impressive addition to our care home family.

“Our homes are very much open to and engaged with the communities they serve, from partnerships with schools and charities to contracts with local businesses, to being a major local employer, so we’re confident this new home will be a huge asset for the people of Aylesbury.”

As well as responding to the need for social care within the community, the new home will also create upwards of 70 jobs for carers, qualified nurses, chefs, administrators and other professions.

37 Matthew Adlem

Dementia care provider Church Farm Care has welcomed two highly experienced industry professionals to its senior management team. Matthew Adlem has joined as head of operations.

With more than 15 years’ experience in the healthcare sector, during which time he’s worked for the Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and National Institute for Health Research, he will oversee all four homes, creating new frameworks and engaging members of the team. Meanwhile, Conor McGee, who has more than nine years’ experience working in the sector, has joined as head of care. He’ll be responsible for overseeing and reviewing the delivery of care across each of Church Farm’s four homes, and implementing ways in which it can be enhanced or improved. In addition to its two senior appointments, Church Farm has also welcomed a new admin assistant, Natalie Dove, who has joined the team at Hickling Lodge.

Conor McGee

FOR SALE: OFFERS INVITED

In-house academy establishes career path for care staff RESIDENTIAL and dementia care home provider Ideal Carehomes is offering in-house training to staff to improve career progression, and above average starting salaries for new starters.

The in-house training course, Ideal Futures, was developed to provide home management experience to those who have already progressed within Ideal Carehomes and are looking to be home managers in the future.

Through eight monthly modules, participants are able to learn the different elements of managerial roles in the care homes, from staff management and HR to budgeting and marketing.

Head of employee engagement and development Sarah Colling said: “Ideal Academy was founded with the

idea that anyone can have a career in care.

“Somebody could start with us having absolutely no experience, on a starting salary of £22,000 per annum, and can very quickly be fully trained to have a career with us through our internal management course, Ideal Futures.

“It’s really important that we have a great progression plan for our staff. It keeps them engaged and happy, and they don’t have to go anywhere else to progress.”

Of the Ideal Futures class of 2022, 11 participants graduated the course, with 10 of those participants being promoted before the end.

Ideal Futures will launch again in September, inviting a new group of carers and managers to learn and progress their careers.

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38

CARINGNEWS

Home collaborates with primary school

The Bourne View visitors are welcomed to the garden by children and staff at Talbot Primary School.

Garden launch sows seeds of friendship for residents RESIDENTS of a Dorset care home have cultivated community links with the opening of a garden at a nearby school.

Children and staff at Talbot Primary School in Poole welcomed neighbours from Colten Care’s Bourne View which is just around the corner in Langside Avenue.

Residents Kathleen Betty, Pat Tharme and Albert Langworthy enjoyed a tour of the new space and complimented all involved in its planning and opening.

It features raised beds enabling all children to take part in gardening activities and the care of plants and flowers.

Accompanying the residents were staff from the home including companionship team member Brian

Ramsey and Julie Steele, customer advisor.

Brian said: “It’s clear that a great deal of work has gone into making this garden so attractive and inspiring.

We congratulate all at Talbot Primary School and thank them for being such great hosts.

“They even served us afternoon tea and homemade cakes which was a delightful surprise.”

Pupils have been involved in planting and nurturing the plants and flowers during the past academic year.

Some of the seeds they have planted recently were specially gifted to them from the Tower of London Superblooms display, part of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

A FAMILY-owned Beccles care home has collaborated with a local primary school to promote intergenerational friendships and boost the wellbeing of residents.

Wellbeing Care’s St George’s care home welcomed 31 pupils from The Albert Pye School to foster intergenerational relationships through collaborative activities.

As part of the feel-good initiative, the schoolchildren bonded with the residents by drawing pictures, reading story books and playing games together.

Joy Henshaw, registered manager of Wellbeing Care, added: “This initiative has greatly benefitted our residents, especially Jean, who used to be a teacher. She and our other residents loved chatting with the children, who were very friendly and keen to engage in collaborative activities.

“Everybody is already looking forward to the school children’s next visit – the residents especially loved all the lovely drawings they left us.

“Looking to the future, we hope

to continue partnering with The Albert Pye School as there are so many benefits to intergenerational relationships, so we’re excited to see how this and other collaborations positively impact our residents in the upcoming months.”

Residents at Royal Star & Garter in Surbiton were given the chance to see birds of prey up close during a talk about the winged wonders. The care home welcomed the Birds of Prey Trust, with founder Colin Sutherland bringing owls and hawks for residents to look at, stroke and hold. Residents gathered in the reception area for the talk, and saw an African spotted eagle owl, a barn owl, a tawny owl and Harris hawk. Colin spoke at length about the birds, before taking the barn owl to visit residents cared for in the home’s dementia care house.

Bicester care home praised by CQC for its outstanding care LAUNTON Grange in Bicester has been rated ‘good’ overall by the CQC and ‘outstanding’ for its caring service.

The facility was opened by Ideal Carehomes in October 2020 and provide residential and dementia care to up to 66 residents.

Stacey Linn, managing director of Ideal Carehomes, said: “We are thrilled to receive this report from the Care Quality Commission, our first inspection since we opened Launton Grange in 2020.

“We are very proud of the care we provide at Launton Grange.

“To receive ‘outstanding’ in care is testament to the dedication of our team who support our residents to live fulfilling and enriched lives.

“It is wonderful to hear our residents and their relatives speaking so highly of our home to the inspectors, as well as our team who said that they feel supported and well cared for.”

Inspectors praised Launton Grange for the “excellent care” residents receive from its “passionate and dedicated staff”.

Relatives told inspectors they felt “the way the home was run meant

their family members received exceptional care”.

Inspectors praised staff for the way they “value people and their life experiences”.

The reports added that the home provides care that is “tailored to the individual needs of each person” and that “the culture at the home encourages and nurtures people”.

Ideal Carehomes’ unique ‘This Is

Me’ project, where staff dedicate time to get to know each resident and their likes and dislikes; plus, their engagement with local schools during the Covid pandemic, through the creation of residents’ Life Stories, was praised by inspectors for helping to maintain connections between residents and their local communities during lockdown.

Inspectors stated that this

“individualised care and liaison with the local community” gave residents “a new purpose and encouraged them to share their thoughts, likes and life histories with students from local schools”.

The activities team work together with the care staff to “organise a rich and diverse programme” which allows people to pursue their own “personal interests and hobbies”.

The report highlighted that staff do their upmost to ensure residents are “able to fulfil their wishes”.

According to relatives who were interviewed by inspectors, staff ensure they promote “people’s rights to dignity, privacy and independence”.

Family members added that their loved ones had “built extremely trusting and caring bonds with staff” and that these bonds had a “very positive impact on their family members’ wellbeing”.

Staff were also interviewed by CQC inspectors and reported that they were “supported by the management team who showed empathy and understanding”.

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