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26/1/16
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February 2016
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no.236 • £4.75
The Number One magazine for the care sector
Care provider gives thumbs up to CCTV By Dominic Musgrave A WEST Yorkshire care company has successfully trialled the use of CCTV cameras in one of its five care homes and now plans to introduce cameras in its others. Czajka Care Group, which has recently been awarded the prestigious Investors In People accreditation and Gold Standard Framework accreditation, which both recognise exceptionally high standards, trialled the cameras at its Staveley Birk Leas Nursing Home in Nab Wood near Shipley to enhance security at the home. Following the trial, the home’s residents and staff have all voted to keep the visible cameras, which are located in communal areas and near external doors. Acting registered manager Val Davison, from Staveley Birk Leas, said: “We look after 60 people aged between 18 and 64 who all have physical disabilities and are unable to look after themselves in their own homes. “We provide mainly single en-suite rooms alongside plenty of communal space and our main aim is to ensure everyone can live their lives to the full in a safe and comfortable environment. “We introduced the cameras after
a full consultation with residents, their families and our staff to provide additional security around exits and in the communal spaces and they have worked very well. “There is always an incredibly sensitive balance that needs to be applied to the use of this sort of technology, as our residents’ privacy is paramount, but by having the cameras in select areas, everyone has felt very reassured and happy with the additional level of security they provide.” Last year a survey about the use of CCTV in care homes showed that 60 per cent of the 2,000 members of the GMB, Britain’s General Union, were ‘reasonably relaxed’ about the use of visible cameras in communal areas of care homes. Konrad Czajka, managing director of Czajka Care Group, added: “We are always trying to find new ways of providing the very best service to our residents and, alongside investment in physiotherapy suites, disabled-friendly kitchens and information technology rooms for our residents, we are keen to ensure everyone feels safe and secure. “As with all care homes, we are a very busy place with lots of visitors and deliveries everyday so the cameras provide an extra layer of security.”
A housing support worker who has dedicated nearly 40 years to helping and supporting the community of Dundee has been awarded an MBE from the Queen. Neil Powrie, 61, currently works with Blackwood Housing and Care and received the prestigious honour for his commitment to the provision of voluntary services across the city. He also holds the title of Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Dundee and has volunteered in a wide variety of jobs across the public sector spanning over four decades. The devoted housing support worker was presented with the coveted Order of Chivalry at an honorary ceremony at Buckingham Palace, where he was praised by Charles, Prince of Wales for his boundless efforts.
Government urged to quell ‘perfect storm’ A SOCIAL care leader is calling on the Welsh Government to take urgent action to quell a "perfect storm" threatening care homes and domiciliary care companies in Wales. According to Care Forum Wales, the social care sector has been blighted by inadequate funding for many years. Now, care homes and domiciliary care companies are facing a double whammy of having to pay staff a 30 per cent increase without knowing where the money is coming from. Mario Kreft MBE, chair of Care Forum Wales, said: “The social care
sector is being caught up in a perfect storm that needs to be address at the highest level. Social care should be treated as a sector of national strategic importance. “The problems cannot be solved by local government and health boards – we need the Welsh Government to intervene. The NHS is under huge pressure, care home beds are being lost across Wales because of inadequate funding, there's a chronic shortage of nurses and vitally important domiciliary care companies are having massive recruitment problems.”