Caring UK February 2017 by Script Media

February 2017

no.243 • £4.75 incorporating

The Number One magazine for the care sector

Conference dates and speakers revealed

Extra £10m will not stop social care meltdown By Dominic Musgrave

A £10MILLION increase in funding for social care has been described as a “sticking plaster” that won’t cover a massive funding gap. The additional money for the sector was announced by Rebecca Evans, AM, the Welsh Government’s Minister for Social Services and Public Health. The announcement was welcomed by Care Forum Wales chairman Mario Kreft MBE, but he warned it was nowhere near enough. According to the Welsh Government, the new investment will form part of a three-way agreement to be established between the Welsh Government, local government and social care employers to work together to create a more stable social care workforce. They say the funding will help meet the extra costs associated with the introduction of the national living wage and that it is in addition to the extra £25million for social care, which was announced in the draft 2017-18 Budget in October. Mario said: “Any extra funding to a sector in meltdown is to be welcomed, but in reality it is a sticking plaster which will fail to plug the massive funding gap. “Care providers welcome Welsh Government’s recognition of the pressures the introduction of the national living wage has placed on

the sector. We all want to see care workers better rewarded for the vital service they provide and the increasing professionalisation of the workforce as we move towards registration. “But in two years since October 2015 we will have seen the minimum pay rates of our care workers increase by 12 per cent. We estimate the cost of this to be at least £80m. It will also have a knock on effect across the board because it will be impossible to maintain pay differentials as we would like. “We are pleased that Welsh Government see have prioritised social care as a sector of national strategic importance but there needs to be recognition the sector remains under pressure.” The Minister also announced that the maximum amount people can be charged for homecare and other non-residential care will increase from £60 a week to £70 from April. The uplift will complement the extra £10m-a-year investment, ensuring care across Wales continues to be of good quality. The rise reflects the need to invest in domiciliary care and takes account of inflation over the twoyear period that the current £60 maximum charge has been in place. It will raise more than £4m a year in additional income for local authorities to use to tackle pressures in the social care sector.

Angela Rippon has been awarded a CBE for services to dementia care in the New Year’s Honours list. The broadcaster, journalist and presenter is a dedicated supporter of Alzheimer’s Society and became an official ambassador of the charity in 2009. She co-chairs The Prime Minister’s Champion Group on Dementia Friendly Communities, alongside Alzheimer’s Society chief executive Jeremy Hughes, which focuses on improving inclusion and quality of life for people living with dementia. Angela has also backed Alzheimer’s Society’s flagship fundraising campaign, Memory Walk and supported the Counting the Cost campaign, which aimed to improve the quality of care for people with dementia on hospital wards.

THE line-up of speakers has been revealed for Caring UK’s first conferences of the year in Bournemouth, Newcastle and Blackpool in May. The Leaders in Care: Raising the Standards events take place at Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth on May 10 and Newcastle Racecourse and Herons Reach Hotel, Blackpool on May 17 and 18 respectively. Speakers already confirmed include Care England chief executive Martin Green OBE, National Care Association chairman Nadra Ahmed OBE and independent social care consultant John Kennedy. Delegates will also hear from representatives from the CQC, Skills for Care, Stirling University, Zenith Lawyers LLP, the Orders of St John Care Trust and Oxford University, apetito and OOMPH! An exhibition showcasing the latest products, advice and technology for a care home will run alongside all of the conferences. Further events are planned to take place on July 5 at York Racecourse, and on October 4 and 5 at the Riviera International Centre, Torquay and Bristol Zoo respectively. Details of the conferences can be found on pages 27 and 28, and of the first Caring UK awards on pages 10 and 11.

CARINGNEWS

Nantwich care home wins top awards for dementia gardens

By Dominic Musgrave

ST CATHERINE’S Care Home in Nantwich has been awarded two top accolades from the Royal Horticultural Society for its dementia friendly gardens. St Catherine’s supports older people, including people who live with dementia. It is part of national health and social care charity, Community Integrated Care. The home’s stunning gardens have been recognised by the gardening world’s most prestigious society – The Royal Horticultural Society, winning a ‘Thriving’ Award for the In Your Neighbourhood category at the Britain in Bloom North West Awards. The judges were really impressed by St Catherine’s garden and invited them to host the Nantwich in Bloom awards. The home also picked up a Gold Certificate at the event, which was hosted by the chairman of Nantwich in

St Catherine’s receive their ‘Thriving’ Award for the In Your Neighbourhood category. Bloom, Anthony Percival. Reaseheath College – a St Catherine’s went local agricultural college – to incredible lengths to designed the garden and staff, transform a traditional residents, their families and courtyard into a sensory members of the community garden. The outdoor space help maintain and develop includes raised flower beds, it, all under the direction of fragrant climbers, a pond and their activities organiser, Jean fountain, a beach hut and Chadwick. secret hideaways for quiet Local businesses have reflection. also pitched in. In 2012, The garden is now the Royal Bank of Scotland an integral part of the created a ‘Jubil-ympic’ community. Students from garden in celebration of

the Queen’s Jubilee and the London Olympics, formed of red, white and blue plants arranged in the shape of a Union Jack surrounded by patriotic bunting. Now a themed pop-up garden is created every year by businesses or volunteers. Carolyn Penfold, service manager at St Catherine’s Care Home, said: “It’s fantastic to have everyone’s hard work recognised by the Royal Horticultural Society. It has been a real community collaboration with students, community members, residents and families pitching in every step of the way. “We are really proud of our beautiful garden and the way it has become a real sanctuary for the people we support. “We do as much as possible in it – growing our own herbs, hosting barbecues and summer fairs, and simply enjoying the fresh air and changing seasons.”

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

www.caring-uk.co.uk Advertising

Healthcare Product Manager: Bev Green Tel: 01226 734288 Email: bg@scriptmedia.co.uk Assistant Manager: Tracy Stacey Tel: 01226 734480 Email: ts@scriptmedia.co.uk National Sales Executive: Mandy Edwards Tel: 01226 734692 Email: mandye@caring-uk.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 Group Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia.co.uk Group Production Editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia.co.uk Studio Manager: Stewart Holt Tel: 01226 734414 sth@scriptmedia.co.uk Database enquiries to: 01226 734695 E-mail: circulation@ scriptmedia.co.uk Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of all content, the publishers do not accept liability for error, printed or otherwise, that may occur. Follow us on Twitter @caringuk

CARINGNEWS

Women receive less monitoring, research claims

Averley Court residents with representatives from the Leyton Orient Trust.

Residents keep fit thanks to the Leyton Orient Trust OLDER people living at a supported housing development in Hackney are staying fit and healthy after joining forces with Leyton Orient Trust to provide exercise and wellbeing classes for residents. The new initiative at Hanover Housing Association’s Averley Court is largely thanks to support assistant Tunde Adams who spotted a flyer for a football reminiscence event before coming up with the idea of working with the Football League Two club in East London. After receiving interest from the charity and community arm of the football club, the residents have

been treated to 12 weeks of physical activity from professional fitness instructors. The exercise classes have been specially tailored for older people and include Boccia (a form of precision bowling), armchair Olympics, chair-based exercises and armchair volleyball. Dr Stuart Burgess, Hanover Housing Association chair, said: “We celebrate the positive benefits of an active lifestyle in later years every single day. “We are delighted to be involved with this fantastic initiative and look forward to working with Leyton Orient on other initiatives in the near future.”

WOMEN with dementia have fewer visits to the GP, receive less health monitoring and take more potentially harmful medication than men with dementia, new research has revealed. The UCL study, published in Age and Ageing, also found that only half of all dementia patients had a documented annual review even though GP surgeries are offered financial incentives to carry these out. Women were found to be at particular risk of staying on antipsychotic or sedative medication for longer. “As women tend to live longer than men, they are more likely to live alone without a family carer to help them access healthcare,” said Dr Claudia Cooper (UCL Psychiatry), who led the research. “Perhaps because of this, they are more at risk of missing out on medical help that might help them stay well for longer. We found that women were more likely to be on psychotropic drugs – sedatives or anti-psychotics –which can be harmful in the long term and may not be appropriate. Women tended to stay on such drugs for longer, perhaps because they have fewer check-ups to see if the drugs were still needed.

“Women with dementia who live on their own may need additional support accessing healthcare services. We should ensure GPs have the resources to pro-actively engage with these patients and review their condition regularly to make sure their treatment plan, including any drugs, are appropriate. “Improving access to healthcare and reducing psychotropic drug use in people with dementia, especially women, could help them to live well with dementia for longer.” The researchers analysed the records of 68,000 dementia patients and 259,000 people without dementia to compare their access to healthcare services, using The Health Improvement Network database. Overall, people with dementia received less medical care than those without, even though they are more vulnerable to physical and mental illnesses. George McNamara, head of policy at Alzheimer’s Society, added: “What is particularly worrying is that medication isn’t been reviewed regularly, which could lead to the prolonged and unnecessary use of antipsychotics.”

CARINGNEWS

Provider adds HR director to management SOCIAL care provider Milestones Trust has strengthened its senior management team with the appointment of Geralyn Meehan as its new director of HR. Having previously provided HR support for social and health care providers in the not-forprofit, private and public sectors, Geralyn brings with her a wealth of experience to the Bristol-based Trust, which supports people with mental health problems, learning disabilities and dementia. She said: “As soon as I saw the advert I thought: ‘That’s where I want to work.’ There are real challenges for the social care sector at the moment – more people require care and support and there is less money to provide it. “I want to help Milestones Trust work its way through these challenges, by attracting and keeping committed staff who provide excellent care.” In her last role, Geralyn provided a client facing HR consultancy service at Smith & Williamson and brings a wide range of skills to the role; she is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, in recognition of her work as an HR strategist. She also has a postgraduate qualification in business strategy.

Residents benefit from knitted twiddle muffs A KNITTED band designed to help combat restlessness and agitation in dementia is proving a hit with residents at Camelot House nursing home in Chelston near Wellington. Forty-five woollen Twiddle Muffs have been donated as individual gifts for each person at the home knitted by women from the Women’s Institute of Somerset. They were presented to Camelot House residents by the WI’s Audrey Cooksley and will also be donated to residents at the group’s sister services – Acacia near Yeovil and Avalon in Bridgwater. The creations have attachments on both the outside and inside with embellishments such as ribbons, beads, jewels, cellophane, lace and zips so people with dementia can twiddle in their hands. “Many patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia find them comforting and therapeutic as they help encourage movement and brain stimulation,” said Bonnie Frear, Camelot’s deputy manager. “Anxiety can be part of their dementia causing periods of distress and agitation. “The Twiddle Muffs can really help them focus on things. “They are also a really good topic of conversation, something different to talk about. They are going to be

Camelot House deputy manager Bonnie Frear, resident Elizabeth Thornton and Audrey Cooksley for Somerset WI. a safe environment for residents. a really good asset for us and our The service has a small allotment activities team.” where residents can grow flowers and The original muff was developed vegetables and is home to chickens by Margaret Light for her elderly Essie and Rosaline, guinea pigs grandmother, Lily, who had become Brandy and Sherry, and Pudding the visually impaired, to help satisfy her rabbit. need to keep her hands warm and Camelot Care has recently been busy. awarded its second Quality Hallmark Camelot House run by Camelot Award by the National Gold Care group is set over two floors with Standards Framework. a dementia-friendly layout providing

CARINGNEWS

Monmouth MP opens new custom-built care home

The founder of what started as a grassroots initiative to improve palliative care in a handful of Yorkshire GP practices and has become a transformative national movement has been recognised for her services to end-of-life care in the New Year’s Honours. Professor Keri Thomas has been awarded the OBE 16 years after launching the Gold Standards Framework – what is now the UK’s largest provider of end-of-life care training for health and social care professionals. Since providing those first surgeries with the tools to enable people to live their final months according to their wishes, she has developed the programme for care homes and hospitals, improving care for more than a million people while also upskilling a quarter-of-a-million care home staff.

THE doors of Monmouth’s newest luxury care home, The Orchard were officially declared open and ready to welcome residents at a launch ceremony. Owners, Janet Leech and Robin Cheesman, and home manager Kay Parker were joined by local residents, businesses and friends to celebrate the home’s official opening and attendees were delighted to meet and talk to VIP guest, David Davies MP, who cut the red opening ribbon. The Orchard is a custom designed residential home offering exceptional care services to residents with specific care needs. The building has been built in the grounds of its sister home, Ganarew House, and is set in a beautiful location surrounded by the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean. The interior has been meticulously planned and designed, taking into consideration insightful feedback and recommendations gathered from residents and staff from other homes owned by the same owners. It is stylish, yet homely, with a warm and friendly ambience. The 14 bedrooms are spacious and individually designed, each with a walk-in wet room. After the official opening ceremony, visitors were treated to a guided tour of the facility. A local harpist entertained everyone with her live and uplifting musical performance.

The Orchard’s owners, Janet Leech and Robin Cheesman, and home manager Kay Parker with David Davis MP. am delighted to welcome our new The grand opening was attended by residents and their families into our many who were personally involved warm and happy home. in the planning and development of “Residents will enjoy a rich The Orchard, including construction schedule of activities where they workers, architects, social workers can participate in their favourite and GPs. pastimes, learn new skills and venture Kay said: “I am delighted to have outdoors and they will enjoy an the opportunity to be the manager of environment where everything is such a beautiful new home. Here at geared towards their well-being.” The Orchard, our guiding principle The first residents will be moving is that life with us will be a positive, into The Orchard in the near future. life-enhancing experience, and I

CARINGNEWS

Pemberton Fold residents and staff at the 10th birthday celebrations.

Home marks birthday in style PEMBERTON Fold in Little Hulton, Manchester, celebrated its 10th birthday in style with a glitzy party complete with ballroom dancing, Michael Bublé tribute act and firework display. The care home supports older people, including people who live with dementia. It is part of national health and social care charity, Community Integrated Care. The staff at Pemberton transformed the home into a glamorous ballroom for the special occasion, decorating

it with huge glitter balls, black and white balloons and mood lighting along with a red carpet entrance. The Michael Bublé tribute act serenaded guests, which included people supported at Pemberton, their family, friends and members of staff. A local ballroom dance group then took to the floor, later inviting guests to join them. The celebrations finished with a firework display, organised by local pyrotechnician Chris Rotherham, whose grandmother had lived at Pemberton Fold.

CARINGNEWS

Three new faces have joined the team at Riversway Nursing Home in Bristol. Lifestyle co-ordinator Marilisa Tchies, training co-ordinator Natalia Haftec and receptionist Rachael Qumar have strengthened the ranks at the home, which provides nursing care for people with a range of physical needs, including younger people and those with dementia. Its staff provide a range of person-centred services with a range of needs including general nursing care, end-of-life care and dementia care.

Ayrshire care worker off to a flying start

AN employee at an Ayrshire care home has become one of the first care workers to complete an NHS initiative, primarily set up for ward nurses. Victoria Haswell, who works at Bupa’s Claremont Care Home in Whitletts, undertook the Flying Start programme over a four-month period, while maintaining her daily work responsibilities. The Flying Start initiative aims to develop newly qualified nurses, midwives and allied health professionals to build their confidence in the first year of practice. Keen to progress within her role, and supported and encouraged by Claremont, Victoria jumped at the opportunity to get involved. She said: “The aim of the programme is to ease you in from student to nurse and it does exactly that. “There is a lot of personal reflection involved and a focus on being an

independent learner, and it gave me so much confidence. I’m keen on academia in general so it was something I really worked hard at and I’m so happy I did. “Being one of the first to complete the initiative while working in a care home is special and something I’m very proud of. I would definitely encourage other care home nurses to follow in my footsteps as it really is worthwhile.” Carol Barr, home manager, added: “This is a fantastic achievement for Victoria and it’s a real reflection of all the hard work she puts in day in, day out. “She is a pleasure to work with as she is passionate about her role and very committed to the residents at Claremont. We all look forward to seeing what she achieves next.” All newly qualified health professionals who join NHS Scotland can take part in the nationally approved Flying Start programme.

Kit is new head of Trust’s volunteers THE Orders of St John Care Trust has appointed Kit Lendon as its new head of volunteering. In her new role she will lead the volunteering team and provide strategic direction for volunteering, which she says has huge potential. Kit added: “In the short term I will be looking to establish a really strong foundation on which to engage with our much-appreciated volunteers. “I will then be looking to grow and innovative our volunteering offer and help those people who give up their time to develop their skills, which will benefit both them, The Trust and residents.” She will work with OSJCT’s volunteers across Lincolnshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

Kit Lendon

CARINGNEWS

Group appoints youngest ever care home manager By Dominic Musgrave

BALHOUISE Care Group has appointed its youngest ever manager to its Ruthven Towers care home in Auchterarder. Jozi Stables, 26, who heads up 36 full and part-time staff, was formerly assistant care home manager at Ruthven Towers. She joined the home in June 2015 after working in learning and development at Balhousie Care Group’s head office in Perth. Jozi began working in the care home sector at age 14 as a parttime dishwasher. Her first job with Balhousie was as a shift leader in Huntly, Aberdeenshire. Having completed distance learning courses in health and social care and Scottish Vocational Qualifications, Jozi is now working on a Leadership & Management in Care Services qualification. Jozi was a recent finalist in the Scottish Care Awards for a training and development programme between Balhousie and the Prince’s Trust Scotland. Balhousie, with 25 care homes across the north east of Scotland, joined forces with the Trust earlier this year to offer young people the opportunity to train for a career in the care sector. Jozi worked with seven young people who were on a five-week training programme. Balhousie Ruthven Towers has

Residents and staff with the bench donated in Jim and Marjory Ower’s memory. Jozi Stables just achieved grade five ratings from the Care Inspectorate, which rated staffing, management, care and environment as all ‘very good’. Jozi said: “I knew from an early age that I wanted to work in the care sector, ever since starting in a care home part time as a teenager. Having worked in learning and development and now managing my own care home, I’m delighted to be in a position to help raise awareness about working in the care home sector. “By introducing young people to the industry in partnership with organisations such as the Prince’s Trust, we’re able to open up the care sector to people who perhaps wouldn’t have considered it before. I’m also thrilled to be working with such experienced staff at Ruthven Towers, some of whom have been there for more than 20 years.”

Family donates bench in residents’ memory RELATIVES of an elderly couple who died within 12 hours of each other have donated a memorial bench to the care home where they spent their final years. Jim and Marjory Ower both passed away on January 7, 2016 – just weeks after celebrating their 75th wedding anniversary at Balhousie Coupar Angus Care Home. Jim and Marjory’s sons, Jim and Ian, donated the bench, with their names added to a plaque, to be placed in the care home’s gardens for other residents and relatives to enjoy. Both originally from Coupar Angus, Jim and Marjory married during the Second World War on December 7,

1940. Another special date came in 2015 when Jim turned 100. The couple enjoyed a special 75th wedding anniversary party at the Coupar Angus care home, where they received a special telegram from the Queen congratulating them both on their long and happy marriage. Alison Miller, home manager at Balhousie Coupar Angus Care Home, said: “It was incredibly sad when Jim and Marjory passed away, especially so close together. We were honoured to help them celebrate their 75th wedding anniversary shortly before they both passed and I think they thoroughly enjoyed marking such a special milestone together.”

CARINGNEWS

Mental Capacity Act and consent for inclusion in marketing activities ... By Julie Rayner THE Mental Capacity Act 2005 is a ‘hot’ topic within the care sector at the moment, as it has become clear that not everyone understands the content of the Act or the implication of lost capacity. However, it is important to note that certain aspects of the Act are open to interpretation, such as consent for inclusion in marketing activities. In line with the MCA Code of Practice at Hallmark Care Homes, we have recently implemented a policy that ensures that residents provide their informed consent for their image to be used in marketing materials. This is because we strongly believe that residents have a fundamental legal and ethical right to determine what happens to them and this includes when and how photographic images of them will be used. Historically within the adult social care sector, it has been acceptable practice for residents’ photographs to be taken while they have been enjoying activities and for these photographs to be used in marketing material to promote the homes. It may have been that the resident has consented to these photographs being used, or their family member may have consented on their behalf. However, the taking of photographs of vulnerable people who cannot

Julie Rayner provide informed consent is now considered to be unethical and could be considered exploitative if the images are used primarily for marketing reasons. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 has introduced a legal framework in which a third party can be granted the power to make decisions on another’s behalf (Lasting Power of Attorney for health and welfare and/ or property and finance). However, the fact of holding a Lasting Power of Attorney in respect of another does not remove the expectation that the Attorney will act in the person’s best interest. According to the MCA, consent

is usually defined as a person’s agreement for a health care professional or care giver to provide care or treatment. However, for the purposes of our policy, consent is defined as the ability for the resident to agree to have their photograph taken or to be involved in a video recording that could later be used within a range of our marketing activities. This could be inclusion in a newspaper article, on social media or within an advertising feature. For consent to be valid, under the MCA guidelines the resident must: be competent to take the particular decision, understand information relevant to the decision and be able to retain that information. Moreover, they should have also received sufficient information to take the decision, not be acting under duress and be able to communicate their decision. This being said, there is nothing in our policy that would stop relatives taking photographs of their family member or for photographs taken as part of a social activity being displayed within a resident’s own room or on a memory board that is retained within the home. This is because the image is not considered to be in the public domain. Also, if a picture is being taken of a resident’s wound or injury, because this image is not intended

for public use and it can be argued that the picture is being taken in our resident’s best interests, this is not considered to be exploitative or unethical. To support our policy, specific consent forms have been developed for capturing residents’ consent for inclusion in marketing activities. These forms will be filled out upon admission and reviewed by the general manager should the resident appear to lose capacity to consent. In order to implement our policy, all team members (including members of the marketing team) will continue to be made aware of this policy via team meetings. The policy will also form part of the Hallmark Mental Capacity/DoLS training and be discussed with residents and relatives at their regular forums. As we care for vulnerable adults, Hallmark Care Homes has a responsibility to inform and educate others regarding the MCA and determine what actions we perform, we can and cannot consider to be in our residents best interests. Only by making people aware of this ethical conundrum can we help to secure a future for the care sector, where the integrity and the care of each resident is held above all else. n Julie Rayner is care, quality, governance and compliance director at Hallmark Care Homes.

CARINGNEWS

SPONSORED BY

Provider forms partnerships with schools

A WEST Yorkshire provider has formed partnerships with five schools throughout the Bradford area in the last two years and hosted talks with hundreds of pupils about the care industry and the career opportunities on offer within the sector. Czajka Care Group, which operates five nursing and care homes in Nab Wood, Steeton and Cross Hills, started working with Bradford Pathways in 2014 and now regularly hosts events and attends careers exhibitions at schools across the Bradford area. As a result of the initiative, the provider has gone on to recruit several school leavers John Carrington from Czajka Care Group said: “We’re keen to help find and grow the next generation of care workers and this initiative gives us the chance to talk to young people about the industry and all it has to offer. It’s also a great way of helping young people to understand more about care homes and the plethora of roles within the industry. “Our talks and programmes are always very well received by the pupils and it’s also been hugely successful in attracting people to join us either straight from school or further down the line.”

www.bluerockcare.com

Managing director celebrates her Dementia Studies degree By Dominic Musgrave CAROLINE Balmer, Caremark (Worcester & Malvern Hills) managing director, had reason to celebrate with her achievement of a degree in Dementia Studies. Her achievement is no mean feat given that she embarked on the twoyear distance learning degree course when she was still employed. One year in, she decided she wanted her own homecare enterprise and went on to buy a Caremark franchise, launching the new business alongside continuing her studies. Caroline said: “I have always had a keen interest in dementia. I have worked in the care sector for over 15 years and during that time I have seen how dementia can affect a person and also their family members. “On a personal note I have also witnessed the devastating effect it had on my own Nan, who sadly passed away from Alzheimer’s disease. “I decided to embark on my Dementia degree while I was the registered manager at a domiciliary care company. “I had a good look at all of the options and decided on a distance learning course with Bradford University. “This was a two-year course and it took into account my previous level

Lynda Godding, national training manager, Caremark Ltd and Caroline Balmer, at the completion of her initial franchisee training. 5 qualifications. The mode of study completed my first year I started my worked well with commitments Caremark franchise. This certainly and the first year was extremely kept me very busy and it was difficult enjoyable.” juggling starting a new business with Caroline bought her Caremark completing the last year of a degree. homecare business at the end of “However, I persevered and 2015 and, never one to dawdle, by completed the course and came away February 2016 was registered with with a good 2:1, narrowly missing the CQC and soon after her team a first. I now intend to pass on my were delivering personalised care knowledge and ensure we can deliver and support to people in her local a great quality service that specialises community. in the complex needs of people with She added: “Just after I had dementia.”

Company saves the day for retired Cotswold vicars ... A PKL temporary kitchen ensured a community of retired vicars in Cheltenham didn’t miss out on their home-cooked food. Capel Court’s community of retired clergy values the daily meal times that bring the 41 residents and staff together. It’s a vital part of the Church of England Pension Trust’s caring and inclusive ethos. Therefore a two week kitchen refurbishment in November 2016 presented a challenge for Housing Manager James Culley. After examining all his options, including bringing in meals on wheels or individually hiring pieces of equipment and finding them a temporary home on the premises, he found PKL and the company’s temporary kitchen solutions. Looking through the different options he felt that the company’s Field Kitchen would be perfect for the needs of his kitchen staff. After calling the PKL sales team he was pleased to discover he could specify whatever equipment he needed and the kitchen could be placed so close to the existing kitchen it meant service could continue without disruption. “Our meal times are very important to the home and to our residents,” he said. “We have a social ethos that we were very keen to maintain. We looked at other options, like meals on wheels, but we were worried about their quality and the ability to look after those with special dietary needs.

Range helps operators maximise the efficiency of their kitchen “That’s why we were so pleased to find PKL, who are just up the road. The ease of the sales process was very refreshing – with a few emails and calls all it took to get things arranged. Georgina was very efficient, professional and easy to deal with. When we had a technical question on the electrical supply of the unit she came back to us very quickly. “We’ve had no problems with the kitchen at all. It was by far the best option for our residents and staff. The single solution to the challenge of replacing our catering facilities during our refurbishment made things straightforward. Our residents barely noticed a difference.”

THERE is a vast range of refrigeration model sizes and options available for care home caterers, from upright cabinet fridges and freezers, counter fridges and freezers, undercounter fridges and freezers and blast chillers. If space is tight, some manufacturers adapt standard models so they are suitable for smaller kitchens. Manufacturers like Williams are looking at ways to produce refrigeration, including prep stations and counters, with similar capacity but in a smaller footprint. Luckily there are plenty of clever equipment designs to help maximise the refrigeration space you have. For example, Williams has designed its Small Kitchen range to help operators maximise the efficiency of their kitchen – whatever its size. The Williams PrepWell and Thermowell refrigerated ingredients units are equally suited to pizza, salad or sandwich preparation, for jacket potato fillings and for a host of other tasks. The Jade Slimline counters have all the features of the standard range, but with a reduced depth of just

500mm. Refrigeration operates 24 hours a day so choosing models that use energy saving technology makes sense – both financially and in terms of environmentally-friendly practice. Refrigeration with ‘intelligent’ control systems, such as Williams’ CoolSmart Controllers, minimise the cabinet’s energy consumption through processes such as fan and heater pulsing, intelligent defrost and independent management of evaporator and condenser fans. Hydrocarbon refrigerant has a number of environmental benefits, as well as reducing energy consumption due to its excellent thermodynamic properties. Hydrocarbon models are available across the entire Williams range of products. Williams Refrigeration offers a comprehensive range of commercial refrigeration including gastronorm cabinets and counters, specialist bakery equipment, coldrooms, merchandisers and blast chillers. Enquiries: To learn more about Williams extensive product range visit www.williams-refrigeration.co.uk

Considering the dining experience The dining experience Human beings have a complex relationship with food. Food provides us with the nutrients we need for energy, recovery and health. But food means much more to us than fuel. That’s because food and eating are central to many of our most cherished social rituals. Research undertaken for TheKnowledge confirmed that a special meal or dinner was by far the most popular way of celebrating a special event in life like a birthday or an anniversary. Even an everyday cup of tea and a snack with a colleague or friend can brighten up a morning. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that our eating behaviour is strongly influenced by our social context. Several recent studies demonstrate that we eat differently when we eat with others. And this has a direct impact on our physical and emotional health. This is partly down to the phenomenon of ‘modelling’ or behaving in a similar way to those around us. So, for example, several studies have shown that we will eat at a similar speed, and consume a similar amount as those around us. And this modelling will occur irrespective of whether or not we know our fellow diners, how hungry we are, what our current health goals may be, or how old we are. The social aspects of eating Research has shown than being part

of a group is, in itself, a rewarding experience. Eating with others also enhances our enjoyment of food. And, if those around the table say how much they like their meal, a positive feedback loop ensues, which further amplifies our enjoyment and improves our attitude to food per se. “People eat more when they eat with each other,” said Catherine Thompson of NHS England. “Social isolation is a real de-motivator for eating, particularly in older people.” So, you could say that eating with others can be as important as adding more nutrients to your diet. As well as helping you to eat amply and healthily, a social situation stimulates the mind and makes meals more enjoyable. Yet many people, and particularly the elderly, are not able to benefit from sharing mealtimes with friends or family. It is estimated that a third of people over the age of 70 in the UK eat alone every day. And, for one-in-seven older people, Sunday lunch is the loneliest time of the entire week. The environment, appetite and eating The social aspect of eating is not just an issue for community-based care. It is also a big consideration for residential care and hospital environments too. Ensuring that people are Eating for Health means recognising the importance of the eating environment, and paying attention to the ambience and layout, as well as the quality of the food

being served. So how can health and social care providers create the right combination of environment and food? Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, believes it all starts with a person-centred approach. He added: “We want people to see having a meal not as a necessity but as a joy. Dining rooms need to be welcoming, with every detail designed to give the individual resident the best possible experience. “Providing smaller tables, making it easy for people to eat with their friends or allowing them to choose to eat with their care assistant and then join friends for a coffee after dinner are some of the ways providers can make mealtime more enjoyable for everyone. “You get the most enjoyment when

you share food and drink with other people.” Ellen Brown, divisional manager for apetito Care Homes, agrees: “The dining experience is as important as the food in a care setting. Allowing residents to eat together is an important part of the apetito experience. “We work closely with our partners and customers to create a bespoke dining experience –including seating, menus, branding – as well as great food, which means everyone has the opportunity to dine with dignity and enjoy a good meal every day.” n ‘TheKnowledge: Eating for Health’ is the second in a series of white papers by apetito exploring some of the key health and nutrition challenges facing the health and social care sector.

The changing face of the kitchen By Glenn Roberts TECHNOLOGY is changing the face of the kitchen. It’s not unusual for new appliances to be operated and managed at the touch of a button – or the swipe of a screen. Much equipment can be monitored using automatic systems. Analysis of the data they produce can run the kitchen. It can be accessed over the internet – so a central office can run hundreds of appliances, checking maintenance schedules and tweaking programmes to improve cooking results or reduce costs. The connected kitchen uses technology to improve our industry, creating an ergonomic environment that ensures equipment and staff can work effectively. It helps us shoulder our environmental responsibilities. Tackle issues. Grasp opportunities. Take fats, oil and grease (FOG) as an example. FOG is a problem. Yet it’s also a resource. The ‘harvest’ from grease traps and grease recovery units can be used for anaerobic digestion and biogas production. Leading operators use cooking oils and waste from grease traps to power their company trucks. Technology

is turning this potentially costly problem into profit. Along with functionality, sustainability should be at the heart of any catering equipment buying decision. New technology is at the heart of sustainability. When you replace equipment or plan a new kitchen, make sure you consider the latest technology. It’s not something to fear. It’s to be embraced. A well planned care home kitchen will bring major benefits to the operation – it can mean savings in both staff and food, resulting from increased operational efficiencies and client satisfaction as quality of food and service improves. Space is a critical issue. Increasingly sites have limited kitchen space, but it’s essential the smaller kitchen is capable of producing the volume and quality of food required. Many manufacturers now offer slimline versions of their standard designs, to help maintain capacity in a small kitchen. Light catering equipment offers care homes the opportunity to buy new appliances when they want to extend their menus, without heavy investment. For example, a panini

Glenn Roberts grill or a potato baker can be used to create a whole new range of foods, with the equipment costing just a few hundred pounds or less. Multifunction cooking appliances, such as combi steamers and hi tech bratt pans, which can handle several cooking processes, will be a benefit in any care home kitchen.

Multi-functional appliances have evolved considerably in recent years, using innovative technology to combine the functions of conventional equipment into single, self-contained units, helping to simplify complex procedures and the preparation of large quantities of food. As of July 1 2016 all professional refrigerated cabinets carry an energy rating label, so buyers can compare the energy efficiency of different models easily. This is a result of the EUP Eco Design Directive and will apply to other categories of catering equipment in the future. The directive has led to manufacturers developing innovative new technologies to minimise energy consumption, so it’s well worth care home caterers revisiting what’s available on the market before making a decision. The Catering Equipment Suppliers Association is the authoritative voice of the catering equipment industry, representing over 170 companies who supply, service and maintain all types of commercial catering equipment – from utensils to full kitchen schemes. n Glenn Roberts is chair of CESA.

Centers helping to revolutionise the catering market FRIMA VarioCooking Centers are helping to revolutionise the market in a number of ways. For example, replacing equipment like kettles, bratt pans, fryers etc with one unit significantly changes the shape and workflow of a care home kitchen. Advanced technologies like Frima’s unique VarioBoost heating system help to make great changes in terms of energy and time efficiency. The latest compact Frimas, the 112L and the 112T, enable smaller kitchens to get in on the act and also reap the multi-functional cooking benefits. Choosing multipurpose cooking appliances, such as a Frima VarioCooking Center Multificiency, can add to the menu options available to care home caterers increasing the choice to residents and visitors.

Caterers don’t have to base their menu around their equipment’s restrictions – because an appliance like the Frima can cook anything. It can adapt to the varying demand and changes in menus, offering more cooking options and greater flexibility than conventional ovens

and traditional kitchen equipment. Multi-functional equipment can be used for a variety of items as wide ranging as fried foods, pasta, rice, sauces, casseroles, curries, omelettes, pancakes, custard, cottage pie and bolognaise sauce. It offers greater flexibility in a small

footprint, providing the opportunity to reduce the kitchen space required, as well as reducing the strain on extraction systems. Implementing energy efficient cooking methods, such as pressure cooking, can also help operators cut cooking times and subsequently energy use and labour during the running of a kitchen. Caterers should choose equipment that will improve working practices and health and safety, including manual handling issues. The Frima VarioCooking Center Multificiency units have integral cooking pans which automatically tilt for easy pouring, cutting down considerably on the manual handling of large cooking pots. The Frima’s pans are easy to clean, so less washing up space will be needed in the kitchen.

New DishTemp commercial dishwasher thermometer

THE new DishTemp thermometer from ETI Ltd is designed to sit inside a commercial dishwasher simulating a plate and accurately recording the maximum surface temperature during the wash cycle. Designed for everyday commercial use the unit incorporates a durable water-tight seal rated to IP66. Featuring just one on/off push button the DishTemp is easy to use, and the clear LCD display indicates the current and maximum temperatures over the range of 0 to 90 °C with a resolution of 0.1 °C/°F and an accuracy of ±0.5 °C. Supplied with a traceable certificate of calibration at one temperature point (71°C), the

DishTemp allows users to comply with current UK guidelines and US FDA food code requirements for monitoring the wash cycle in commercial dishwashers. Using the DishTemp eliminates the need for costly and inaccurate test strips or stem thermometers that don’t stay in place during the wash cycle and often don’t record the temperature at the plate surface. The DishTemp thermometer (order code 810280) is competitively priced at £25 each (exclusive of VAT and carriage), available direct from www. etiltd.com Enquiries: Call 01903 202151 or email sales@etiltd.co.uk

Provider wants 30 more staff after 10-year contract win

Page 37

DC Care sells The Barn House in Merstham, Surrey

Page 38

Six-figure investment creates new bedrooms for operator

Page 39

Foundation stone laid for care centre

By Dominic Musgrave

THE Orders of St John Care Trust has held a foundation stone ceremony for a new state-of-the-art care centre in Gloucestershire’s Cotswolds. As part of the day, Councillor Dorcas Binns, Cabinet Member for Older People at Gloucestershire County Council, unveiled the foundation stone of the Stow-onthe-Wold development in front of an audience that included representatives from several local community organisations, OSJCT trustees and directors and several of those involved in the design and construction of the project. Named Edwardstow Court to reflect Stow-on-the-Wold’s historic original name, the new 70-bed care facility is set for completion during late 2017 and will include three floors dedicated to providing a combination of residential and specialist dementia care.

In addition to six eight-bedroom households, each one complete with its own kitchen and communal living space, the home will also feature a central destination area that will provide a café, hair and beauty salon and shop area. Additionally, the external area of the home will offer safe and secure landscaped gardens with access from each of the ground floor households, as well as communal gardens accessible from the café area. Chris Poole, OSJCT assistant operations director for Gloucestershire, said: “This is the third foundation stone we’ve laid in Gloucestershire this year, reflecting the exciting new developments in our care offering to the people in the county – something we’re very proud of and excited about.” “More and more older people are living with dementia. The Trust offers a very high level of personcentred care for those living with the

Dan Hayes OSJCT chief executive, Michael Curtis chairman of Stow Town Council and Councillor Dorcas Binns. condition, and we really want to help meet the needs of as many people as possible within the county so that they can maintain the highest quality of life, no matter their age or medical condition. Our new care centres are

designed to provide that support.” The home is being built by construction company Stepnell in partnership with The Orders of St John Care Trust, which will provide the care in the new home.

Abacare’s head of training Tracey Taplin with some of the group’s carers.

Provider wants more staff

PEOPLE from Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil looking for work are being called upon to sign up to become care workers for a provider. Abacare, which recently won a 10-year contract to provide care to the elderly and vulnerable in the RCT area due to its continued growth, has 30 care worker vacancies it is looking to fill. Peter Angelides, CEO of the multiaward winning company, which was recently been named Britain’s ‘Most Outstanding Care Agency’ for the third year running, said: “We are looking for 30 kind and caring individuals who are ready to make a career for themselves in the care industry. There is the potential for the right candidates to stay with us for the full 10-year contract and beyond.

“No experience is necessary, just a willingness to care and to learn. Our company induction includes first aid, dementia awareness, health and safety, food safety, infection control, handling medication and moving and handling service users. “There are lots of opportunities for internal advancement for all our team members who show commitment, reliability and true passion. We provide a great support network for all of our carers too. “Anyone who joins us can reach QCF level 2, 3 and 5 with our support and we’re urging anyone thinking of changing their job, or getting back into the work force again, to get in touch as soon as possible and not to miss out on this fantastic career opportunity.”

The Barn House Nursing Home in Merstham, Surrey.

DC Care sells The Barn House DC Care has sold The Barn House Nursing Home in Merstham, Surrey. The home, formerly registered for 30, has been purchased on a leasehold basis after being owned and managed by Mr and Mrs Gungaloo for over 30 years. Commenting on the sale and the current state of the care home market, southern region business appraiser Andy Sandel, said: “Mr and Mrs Gungaloo had been looking to sell for some time and had tried the market with other agents. The home has been leased with an option to purchase the freehold, proving

that sometimes we have to look at alternative options for a sale that work for both seller and purchaser. “We were always confident of finding a suitable buyer for The Barn House because demand for opportunities in this highly sought after location is incredible. “It’s a cliché but the number of well funded, experienced healthcare operators on our books, looking to acquire at present, by far outweighs the homes we have on the market and, as such, a high proportion of our listings are under offer and in the hands of solicitors.”

CQC rating: ‘Inadequate’ – Really? EVEN the most seasoned and reputable service providers have ‘a moment’ when learning of the findings and ratings at the draft report stage. The results are already partly known, through feedback: you’ve been given an indication of many of the strengths and weaknesses of the overall service you provide, but what is the headline rating, and if you fundamentally believe that improvement notices are unwarranted, where do you turn? Compliance is the watch word, but how did you arrive at this point, particularly when you intuitively know that it shouldn’t look like this? And what of the ‘factual accuracy’ comments submitted by providers by way of response? What standards of evidence, if any, will be sufficiently compelling to result in a much needed revision of the term ‘inadequate’? It is not straightforward trying to hold CQC inspectors, their findings and ratings to account; and their evidently brittle systematic performance management mechanisms – at least in terms of their rating review process – have a tendency to result in less than wholly just outcomes for providers. Judicial Review is, or has been, the sole recourse of providers who are sufficiently committed to having their CQC ratings, and or, findings, if not radically overturned, then at least significantly amended.

Zenith Lawyers LLP managing director and solicitor Zairab Zabier. However, the statistics have not, hitherto, over-fuelled litigants’ hopes and expectations: success in the courts has been a relatively rare commodity. The outcome of a landmark case last year – R (on the application of SSP Health Ltd) v CQC – drove a coach and horses through a number of old certainties – certainties which were adversarial by their very nature: for example, the provider had not submitted evidence to challenge fact-findings alongside

its comments, because there was nothing in the procedure that allowed for this, and evidence was not requested by CQC. A clear case of ‘you’re wrong, because the rules don’t allow us to be anything other than right’. Significantly, the judgement stripped away the inequity inherent in the erstwhile process, now giving providers an even break. The assumption that a particular aspect of service delivery was necessarily flawed, because an

inspector found no evidence to the contrary, is overturned: the factual accuracy comments of the provider must now be fully considered by an independent person within CQC, with a possible view to retraction of one or more headline finding, before publication of the report. The methodology applied when compiling reports must now be broadened, at least on the provider’s request, to include contributions from staff members from areas or departments within the care setting who, hitherto, may have been routinely overlooked. So, as a client of Zenith Lawyers, did you know that we provide expertise in all aspects of regulatory compliance? Our experts are here to ensure that the complexities of establishing your newly enshrined rights, within the legal judgement referred to above, are something you can take for granted, with the complexities removed. No further need for expensive, energy-sapping judicial reviews. Your business doesn’t deserve arbitrary ‘inadequates’. We see to that. n Zenith Lawyers LLP Zairab Zabier – Managing Director & Solicitor. Email zairab@zenithlawyers.com Telephone 0800 999 6667. The views expressed in this article are that of the author and should not be relied upon as legal advice.

Six-figure investment creates new bedrooms for operator BEECHCROFT Care Homes Limited has forged ahead with the expansion of eight additional bedrooms at its Choice Care Home in Torquay thanks to a £500,000 investment from Royal Bank of Scotland. Beechcroft Care Homes own and operate four care homes situated in Cary Park, all within 400 metres of each other. They provide elderly care to their residents, coupled with care for those who suffer with dementia. The latest development of eight bedrooms at Choice Care Home is the third project to complete in six years, with more plans in the pipeline. This extension will create six full time equivalent staff positions. David and Julia Gow-Smith opened Beechcroft care home in 2005 and have organically grown their business over the last 11 years to achieve a £2.8million turnover business. Beechcroft Care Homes is the largest care home operator in Torquay, boasting 119 en-suite bedrooms across all four care homes and employing 100 and part-time staff, comprising of care home managers and deputy managers, senior carers, domestic staff and cooks. The close proximity of their care homes strengthens their proposition as an employer regarding

Nick Connors (Royal Bank of Scotland) with David Gow-Smith and Julia Gow-Smith (Directors of Beechcroft Care Homes Ltd) outside Choice Care Home, Cary Park, Torquay. collaboration and promotions for strategy as we rollout plans to extend staff. Southbourne care home in the future. The couple plan to enhance the “Now we have the extra bedrooms external spaces at all four care available at Choice Care Home we homes to include water features, are fortunate enough to increase our conservatories and outdoor terraces. care to the local community as well as David said: “Over the years we creating new jobs in the process. have recognised the local demand “Thanks to Royal Bank of Scotland for quality care required and have and their knowledge of the care home extended our properties accordingly. industry, this is helping us to achieve “We will continue to adopt this greater success.”

Group gets £10m loan for facility

YORKSHIRE Bank has financed one of the largest new care home developments in the UK with a £10m loan. This follows the company’s funding of Vida Healthcare’s first home, Vida Hall, and brings the total number of beds across to 194. Brian De Vere, business banking manager, said “Yorkshire Bank is delighted to be able to fund this valuable project and continue our relationship with Vida Healthcare. “The home will make a significant difference to the area, not only through the creation of jobs, but also through providing the support and care to those who need it.” James Rycroft, managing director of Vida Healthcare, added: “We’re thrilled that our continued partnership with Yorkshire Bank has allowed us to develop two muchneeded, specialist services, putting Harrogate on the map for quality dementia care. “The funding has created almost 200 residential places, as well as day care services and respite care to the local area and beyond. It will also provide a real boost to local employment.” Leeds-based Blacks Solicitors also worked closely with Vida Healthcare on acquiring the land.

CARINGNEWS

Group matches Compliance is easy with Required Systems ... volunteers with local care home CARE Home Volunteers is a new organisation set up to match volunteers with their local care home. Care homes are always very busy places and, even in the best ones, carers cannot spend periods of time in conversation with individual residents, particularly those who are not able to join in organised activities. Volunteers seem ideally placed to provide an additional resource to give friendship, conversation and companionship to residents. However, unlike in hospices and hospitals, volunteers are not widely found in care homes. CHV has researched and identified the main obstacles to volunteering in care homes: n The difficulty in recruiting suitable volunteers. n Vetting and administration problems. n The burden of day to day management of the work of volunteers. n The lack of understanding and awareness by volunteers of the needs and difficulties of residents.

n The extra burden placed on care staff by volunteers. n The potential for conflict between carers and volunteers. n The danger that volunteers may unwittingly try to carry out inappropriate functions. n The transitory and irregular support that volunteers sometimes give. n The lack of a tradition or culture of volunteering in care homes. n The reluctance of the public to confront and engage with old age, infirmity and end of life. CHV has designed its training and support programme specifically to target these difficulties. It has sought advice widely in the drawing up of these plans, and consulted extensively on their content, structure, feasibility, achievability and acceptability. CHV provides preparation and support for its volunteers, covering such matters as dementia, communication and safeguarding. Volunteers and the CHV coordinator meet regularly to share their experiences and to give mutual support.

REQUIRED Systems has been providing quality management systems and audit tools for the care sector in England, Scotland and Wales for 18 years. Over that time there have been many changes to the legislation and the introduction of computers and software to manage the ever increasing requirements to record the implementation of care and delivery of medication. The choice in the market continues to grow with ever more comprehensive systems being offered that purport to do everything from rotas, salaries, time sheets etc. in effect offering a very broad spectrum. It is often the case that care providers only cherry pick parts of the system through time constraints and available trained staff to implement the numerous elements. The two key areas that CQC consistently find that care providers do not achieve compliance are the failure to keep comprehensive and accurate records and the ability to demonstrate through audit tools that they do so and drug administration. Our new cloud based document management system provides a

comprehensive set of policies, procedures and forms. These are available for care homes and domiciliary providers with English and Scottish versions. These can be used on tablets, iPads, desktops and mobile phones. You can print off copies, amended, personalised and are automatically updated with the previous version archived and easily accessible when needed. The new document management system also allows you to choose any one of the five kloes and it immediately lists the policies/ procedures you need to show an inspector that you are compliant, supported with our audit tools you can demonstrate that you have adopted the system and are making full use of it. Our new document management system as it is cloud based and can be used in conjunction with your existing system that does not have an up to date system to accurately record and provide an audit trail of quality care. Visit www.requiredsystems.com to view a demo video or email peter@requiredsystems.com

‘Nursing and Care Homes: Values and Trends’ date THE annual Henry Stewart briefing on Nursing and Care Homes: Values and Trends will take place on March 22 at The Hatton, London. The information packed programme for owners, operators, local authorities, lenders, suppliers, agents and advisors covers nursing and care homes, assisted living and domiciliary services alongside a wide range of third age housing. In panels, case study sessions and keynote talks the focus is firmly on ‘current values and what can be done

to increase them’. Funding, investment, planning, regulation, demand and marketing strategies will all be covered. As Patricia Connelly, CEO of Henry Stewart Conferences, said: “The focus of this annual briefing is to ensure the latest developments and thinking are available to decision makers in this important sector.” Details of the topics, speakers and panellists can be seen at http:// www.henrystewartconferences.com/ nursingandcarehomes2017/

Hand crafted in Yorkshire CHRISTOPHER Guy Interiors has reopened its newly refurbished sales office and showrooms at its factory in West Yorkshire. The last 12 months have brought the company 16 new builds where full turn-key packages were installed, as a result of this the company has restructured its production processes and taken on a number of additional upholsterers to maintain its excellent level of service. Another success story for the company is the introduction of the new ‘Florence’ chair, which has proved to be one of its fastest selling chairs to date. Customer service is the key element in the company’s development strategy. Knowledgeable sales advisors and customer service agents are ready to handle your queries in a professional manner, the combination of which will strengthen its presence in the contract furnishings arena. If you are looking for quality bedroom and dining furniture,

traditional hand crafted upholstery for your care home project or refurbishment you can expect to save upwards of 30 per cent off your projected budget. Christopher Guy Interiors also offer a free interior design service.

CARINGINDUSTRY NEWS

Company offers much more than your standard supplier GOMPELS HealthCare Ltd provides its customers with the service they deserve. From next day delivery to free online tools, they offer much more than your standard supplier. How you may ask? COSHH library allows their customers to download COSHH datasheets all from one place, for products they’ve ordered. COSHH library saves their customers time, and makes sure they are compliant. Another great feature that Gompels has is its Risk Assessment wizard. This wizard allows customers to create risk assessments in as little as three minutes.

The clever software pulls the important information from the COSHH datasheet so they don’t have to go hunting through datasheets. Gompels Analytics allows customers to monitor spend, without the need for paperwork and invoices. Analytics has many features and also allows customers with more than one site to compare spend. Gompels customers are also able to keep track of their spend by setting alerts. These alerts will notify them if a site orders over a certain value, comes within a certain percentage of their budget, or even order too many of a product.

Medication errors a thing of the past ELECTRONIC Medication Administration Record (eMAR) systems are fast becoming the intervention solution to enhancing medication administration safety, and helping to prevent medication errors in home care and care homes. Clear records are fundamental to preventing medication errors, but when records are paper-based they can be difficult for the care provider to manage, as they are prone to being incomplete, misread, or misplaced. Zuri®, the tablet-based care planning software developed by Care Software Solutions, has launched an eMAR system within its care planning reduces time spent on

documentation, increases staff accountability and most importantly, improves client safety by reducing human error. Zuri®’s eMAR system is designed to streamline the medication administration process by providing nurses and carers with real-time access to medication schedules, prescribed doses, improved legibility and instantaneous alerts that notify them of potential medication safety concerns, such as missed doses and signatures. Zuri®’s eMAR system complies with CQC standards on medication administration and guidance set out by the RPSGB.

New Required Systems document download manager AN online, cloud-based system giving you instant access to the most up-to-date procedures and forms required to evidence compliance with the new CQC Fundamental Standards for England. We provide all the policies, procedures, forms and audit tools you need to comply with legislation where you are based. Enquiries: Call 01236 782477, visit www.requiredsystems.com or email peter@requiredsystems.com

Shackletons expands its team FURNITURE manufacturer Shackletons has expand its team with Trevor Cartwright taking the role of operations director. Trevor moves to Shackletons after working in a similar role at the YTM Group, and will be responsible for building the company’s established reputation as a premier supplier of quality furniture. Ensuring continuous improvement and consistency within the company’s service and production processes, Trevor will adopt a clear strategy to drive change through a ‘lean philosophy’ implementation. He said: “Successes are achieved by team members working in harmony and driving in the same direction. “It’s nice to be part of a successful team knowing that the people around you have the same drive and commitment.

Trevor Cartwright “Shackletons has a positive approach and a strong core team that rise to the challenges – I have never heard anyone say ‘that can’t be done’ and that’s what I like, a positive approach.” Trevor will drive the company’s ‘lean’ business policy ensuring it is applied, understood and embedded as ‘second nature’ and a way of thinking for all within the business.

Dealing with obesity in daily life A NEW report has highlighted that 60 per cent of British adults are overweight or obese, and one in 10 obese adults are morbidly obese. To help overweight people deal with daily life, Clos-o-Mat has developed a range of bariatric solutions to help them at least go to the toilet with dignity and optimum hygiene. Now, stronger and bigger toilet seats and benches, toilet lifts and hoists can be used singly or in any combination with a Palma Vita wash and dry toilet to meet personal hygiene needs – and are proven in tests to withstand up to 362kg/57st. The white paper, Guidance & Considerations in Toileting Provision for Bariatrics, is available for free download. Just click http://www.clos-o-mat.com/ images/downloads/bariatric-wp.pdf. Full details of the Clos-o-mat range of bariatric equipment is also covered on the website www. clos-o-mat.com Enquiries: Call 0161 969 1199.

PFC pre-equip laundry at Great Yarmouth care home ST EDMUNDS Care Home on the outskirts of Great Yarmouth consists of 40 single en-suite rooms offering respite and convalescent care as well as long term accommodation for residents who are not quite able, or do not choose to look after themselves. Until recently the laundry was done in a rather dingy store room, but earlier this year Eastern decided to upgrade the laundry facilities. Dave Ward, who acts as a consultant to Eastern on building and safety matters, identified a suitable room and was responsible for all the necessary building work which included widening the doorway, putting in new plumbing, gas pipes and flooring. For the equipment Dave contacted Armstrong dealer PFC Commercial Laundry of Norwich. They installed two Amazon high spin free standing 11kg washers and a Huebsch stacked tumble dryer with each section providing 13.5kg capacity. The laundry handles everything from the home – bedding, kitchen and dining room items as well as all the residents’ personal washing and is in

operation pretty well all day every day. Enquiries: Contact PFC Commercial Laundry on 01603 747836 or pfccommercial@mail. com or visit www.pfccommercials.co.uk

Simple solutions

More affordable, more absorbent. New incontinence range DEVELOPED over 12 months, Anov – the name of the new range, provides more absorption than leading incontinence brands and incorporates a variety of premium quality products. Beaucare® Medical is the exclusive stockist and distributor of the new Anov incontinence range in the UK. It is estimated that incontinence affects between three and six million people in the UK. It affects both men and women of any age, but is more common in women. The new Anov range includes products to suit all degrees of incontinence including Light Pads, Shaped Pads, Slips, Pull ups and Pants.

Operations director Heather Mawrey said: “We were aware that care home budgets were being squeezed and that residents’ comfort was key. We developed the new Anov range over 12 months with those factors in mind.” To accompany the launch, Beaucare is providing care homes with full product training and support materials to help assess each patient for their individual requirements. Contact Beaucare for more information plus a full comparison between the Anov product range and the leading brand. Enquiries: Call 01423 873666, email sales@ beaucare.com or visit www.beaucare.com

SINCE 1982, Colne (Lancs) based, Richards Residential Supplies have concentrated upon supplying simple solutions to common nursing home problems. The new WACMAT® adheres strongly to this tradition. With its ultra absorbent cotton pile and 100 per cent waterproof backing, the remarkable WACMAT® is an ideal accessory where spills may occur. Used as a commode mat, in bedrooms or bathrooms, the WACMAT® ensures full carpet protection. Then, after use, simply machine wash and tumble dry! It’s that simple... The WACMAT® will then be clean and odourfree, ready to perform time and time again. Alternatively the flat-laying WACMAT® can be used as an entrance mat, saving you hundreds of pounds in rental costs alone. Enquiries: Telephone 0800 074 3749.

CARINGINDUSTRY NEWS

NACC’s Care Chef of the Year competition open for entries THE National Association of Care Catering has launched its annual search for the UK’s best chef working in the care sector. The NACC Care Chef of the Year 2017 competition is now officially open for entries. The name of the prestigious culinary competition has changed from NACC Care Cook of the Year to NACC Care Chef of the Year, in recognition of the culinary excellence and professionalism within the sector, and the specialist skills and knowledge demanded of and demonstrated by chefs. Sponsored by the Worshipful

Company of Cooks and Premier Foods, the annual competition spotlights the care catering sector and the talented, qualified chefs operating within it. Chefs from across the sector – including residential homes, local authorities and other care organisations, plus community services such as meals on wheels, day centres and luncheon clubs – are encouraged to enter. Deadline for entries is February 3. Neel Radia, national chair of the NACC, said: “Care catering is a highly-skilled profession and it’s only right that our culinary competition reflects this, both in content and name. “Catering for the vulnerable and elderly is challenging and demands specialist skills, knowledge and responsibility. As people age their dietary needs change and a wide variety of special diets must be recognised and catered for safely. “It’s vital that care chefs confidently deliver the right nutrition and hydration, together with exceptional flavours and eyecatching presentation, to ensure the enjoyment and quality of life of those they feed. “Up and down the country, care chefs are doing this daily and

Alex Morte, chef de partie at Signature’s Coombe Hill Manor in Kingston-uponThames, was the 2016 winner. the NACC Care Chef of the Year competition is a fantastic platform for them to demonstrate their culinary flair and talent, and to showcase excellence across the sector. “Year on year the standard of entries grows and I’ve no doubt that 2017 will bring another incredibly impressive and inspiring competition. I urge all chefs working in a care environment to enter and seize the brilliant

opportunities for development that the competition presents.” The NACC Care Chef of the Year competition challenges entrants to create a nutritionally-balanced, twocourse menu (main and dessert) that is suitable for service users in a care setting. The combined food cost for both courses must be no more that £2.25 per head based on four portions and it is to be produced in just 90 minutes. Participating chefs will be expected to demonstrate nutritional understanding of the foods they are using, plus culinary flair in flavours, execution and presentation. All paper entries will be judged by a central judging panel that will be looking for innovation, costing, suitability for the environment, adherence to nutrition guidelines, taste and overall menu balance. Successful entrants will be invited to compete at the regional heats in March, where they will have 90 minutes to produce their dishes and demonstrate their skill set under the watchful eye of the competition judges. The two highest-scoring competitors from each regional heat will secure a place in the national final on June 7 at Barking & Dagenham Technical Skills Academy.

If you have got a news story for the next issue of Caring UK email it to dm@scriptmedia.co.uk