Caring Uk (July 2010) by Script Media

15/6/10

16:09

Page 1

July 2010

incorporating The Number One magazine for the care sector

no.170 • £4.75 In association with

Monkey business is defended By Dominic Musgrave A POOLE care home owner has defended her decision to arrange for a captive monkey and two penguins to visit the residents. Around 50 people packed a room at Kingland House to meet and handle the creatures from Oxfordshire-based Amazing Animals, a company which owns and trains animals for film, TV, advertising and still photography. But the decision to book Dougie the monkey, who appeared alongside Johnny Depp in promotional shots for the Pirates of the Caribbean films, and miniature penguins, Charlie and Ferrari, received criticism from conservationists. Joy Birkett, who owns the home with her husband,claims that there has been a massive over reaction. She added: “The visit gave the residents so much pleasure, and their faces lit up when they saw the animals arrive. It is disappointing that something nice we have done for our residents has received so much criticism. The residents love animals but cannot get to the zoo, and we have a wide variety such as PAT dogs, rescued greyhounds and donkeys from a nearby sanctuary

coming to visit us, as a lot of homes do because they have such therapeutic benefits. “It was all done in good fun and there was no signs of any cruelty to the animals. If was any sign then we wouldn’t have allowed them into the home.” The visit was arranged by the home’s activities co-ordinator Pauline Gold after she saw the company featured on a TV programme with Alan Titchmarsh. But conservationists claim the monkey could carry and be susceptible to disease and the conditions of the nursing home would not have been ideal for the two penguins. Jim Clubb, of Amazing Animals, said: “We are a responsible company and all of our animals are regularly screened because they are trained to be in regular content with humans. If we didn’t have these things done we wouldn’t be able to get insurance.” The animals were handled by residents on the visit and alcohol gel was available to disinfect their hands. An RSPCA spokesman added: “We would be concerned if such visits increase stress levels or cause unnecessary disturbance to animals. The animals’ welfare must be paramount.”

Cruising theme for home

Fiona Phillips was the guest host of the Great British Care Home Awards at the Guildhall, London. The television personality, best known for presenting GMTV, announced the 12 category winners at the event, which celebrated excellence in social care and paid tribute to those who work in the sector. For a round-up of the night see Page 22

A WARWICKSHIRE care home has taken residents on the journey of a lifetime without them leaving the comfort of their own chair. Staff at the Four Acres in Studley arranged a virtual cruise week of events, which involved the dining room being transformed into a ship for five different countries’ themed evenings. Manager Jill Turley said: “Most of our residents are unable to get away for a holiday, so we decided to do a virtual cruise. Staff and relatives joined in by dressing up in local attire, and menus were designed to reflect cuisine, culture and languages of the countries visited.” Residents enjoyed Tapas served by a Spanish waiter, accompanied with music and instruments, when they ‘visited’ Spain, before stopping off in Naples, Istanbul – where residents enjoyed Turkish dancing – and Bridgetown port Barbados, with a Caribbean chef and limbo dancing. For the grand finale all the residents were invited to the captain’s table, with black tie dress code.

15/6/10

13:42

Page 1

15/6/10

16:11

Page 1

CARINGNEWS

Winning Crewe care home A CARE home in Crewe beat off nationwide competition to win a group’s best themed events award. Station House, which has 69 residents and a specialist dementia unit, won the prize for its varied events, which in the past have included a party in the park, dog grooming and a race night. Entries to the competition were judged on the originality of theme, involvement of the residents, evidence of relative or community involvement and the creativity and originality of material. Home manager Carole Wardle said: “I’m lucky to have such a wonderful team of staff. They don’t see their work as a job but as a vocation and they volunteer to bring their talents, hobbies and spare time into these events. It brings a whole new range of exciting opportunities and entertainment to the residents.” Runner up was Pinetum in Chester, which held an old-fashioned sports day including a themed menu and football cake.

Home trials latest fingerprint system A NORTH Lincolnshire care home has installed the latest fingerprint system to increase the security of its residents. Riverside Mews in Brigg is trialling the new hitech biometric system and, if it proves successful, home owner North Lincolnshire Care Ltd plans to install at its other two sites in the county. Marketing manager Paul Marsden said the new system had a variety of benefits for the company He added: “The obvious reason for the system is for the residents' safety, and we are always very careful and aware of their security. When residents are getting old, some are prone to go on walkabout, especially those with mild dementia. This system gives peace of mind to families and residents.” “We have also looked at streamlining the organisation and, rather than having lots of key holders within the home, it means that we can control who can do what where around the home. And he said residents who are able to go out also appreciate the new technology. Paul added: “On a sunny day, residents enjoying going for a walk around Brigg market and this new system enables us to keep an eye on who has gone where and when they have returned to the home. “Residents like the new system as they just need to use their thumb or finger to have access. Any kind of arthritic problem makes using keys very hard, so this system makes it easier for them." “It also saves carers from the hassle of rum-

www.caring-uk.co.uk Advertising Sales and Marketing Director: Tony Barry Group Sales Manager: Jackie Brook Tel: 01226 734479 Email: jb@whpl.net Product Manager: Ailsa Bedford Tel: 01226 734480 Email: ab@whpl.net National Sales Executives: Rebecca Hazell Tel: 01226 734685 Email: rh@whpl.net Mandy Edwards Tel: 01226 734333 Email: mandye@caring-uk.co.uk Fax: 01226 734477

Publishers

Resident Wilf Reader with the new system maging in their bag for keys while trying to push a resident in a wheelchair.” As the system is cutting edge, the number of uses for it is really down to creative thinking. Computers linked to the system can be configured to grant specific access rights to named people. Paul added: “There are a hundred and one ways that this can benefit the organisation, and we are only using a very small percentage of what the system is capable of at the moment. “If you get deliveries on a regular basis from a supermarket, you can give the delivery man access to the kitchen area. The system will recognise the person from his or her fingerprints. We can monitor this using webcams and communicate from a remote location over an intercom. It could also be used to manage the medicine cupboards and inform us of when items need updating.”

Wharncliffe Publishing Ltd. 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS. Email: info@caring-uk.co.uk

Editorial Group Editor: Andrew Harrod Tel: 01226 734639 Fax: 01226 734478 Healthcare Editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 Group Deputy Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734458 Database enquiries to: 01226 734695 E-mail: circulation@ wharncliffepublishing.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. You can now follow us on Twitter at caringuk

15/6/10

16:11

Page 1

CARINGNEWS

Cherie Booth at the Fair Fee Forum launch

Step closer for legal challenge over care fees By Dominic Musgrave A LEGAL challenge to all local authorities and PCTs in Britain over the level of fees paid to care homes has moved a step closer. Speaking at the official launch of the Fairer Fee Forum, Cherie Booth QC, said she believed “there are very strong grounds that such a case would be successful”. The wife of the former prime minister and Aston Brooke solicitors have been instructed to pursue the legal avenues open to challenge local authorities whom it claims are consistently paying below the true cost of care. Cherie said cost appears to be the driving force for many placements, and not quality. She added: “Rather than the residents’ needs being the primary concern, it has been widely noted that placements are made routinely in the home with the lowest fees rather than, for example, those with the highest star rating. “There is a strong case to be argued that the PCT and local authorities have systematically under paid for the services they are utilising. “We are considering mounting a legal challenge to try and end this

cycle of exploitation by the local authorities.” Raman Purewal, head of the litigation department at Aston Brooke, said social care sector could either embrace the legal challenge or sit back and continue to accept further reductions by local authority “bullyboy” tactics. He added: “The issue of funding is one that affects the entire social care sector, irrespective if the resident is a self funder or local authority funded. “It is a grave misconception that this issue only affects local authority residents. If the authorities paid the true cost of care then the fees paid by the self funders would not be cross subsiding the local authority residents, and also local authority residents or their friends and family would not be required to contribute to fees in the form of top-ups. “There are numerous reports that can be used to determine the true cost of care and the local authorities are well aware of their existence but have chosen not to utilise them when conducting fee negotiations with stakeholders. “This clearly demonstrates that they do not look upon the service being provided with the respect that it deserves.”

£300k extension doubles capacity WORK has been completed on a Bolton care home’s new £300,000 extension which has almost doubled its capacity. The development at Blackrod House has increased the number of beds from 17 to 27 after owner Irene Burton secured funding from NatWest’s specialist healthcare team. The project involves an extension to the rear of the property and the conversion of a number of double rooms to singles. Irene said the new development makes the home more financially

viable. She added: “The existing home had 17 bedrooms, but this included three double rooms so it was difficult to get more than 14 at a time which made it not really viable financially. “One of the new rooms has already been reserved, and I am taking a lot of private enquiries as well as from neighbouring councils.” Irene acquired Blackrod House in 2007 following a 30-year career in the nursing care sector.

15/6/10

16:13

Page 1

CARINGNEWS

Call for basic nurse training for care home staff MORE money must be spent training care home staff to prevent the elderly ending their days in a hospital, according to a new report. Researchers from the University of Warwick and the University of West England are calling for workers to be trained in basic nursing skills to meet the changing needs of residents as they get older. The report, funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, also recommends a new registration system with formal qualifications for social care staff. This would help to improve old people’s quality of life and could save the NHS money at a time when its budgets are coming under growing pressure, they claim. Professor Ala Szczepura, from the university’s Warwick Medical School, said: “As residents age, their health needs inevitably increase with nearly half of residents in the homes we studied classed as needing the intervention of a registered nurse on at least a daily basis. “If appropriate care cannot be provided on site, residents may find they are admitted to hospital or moved to a nursing home when this is not absolutely necessary. “The development of a cadre of new role carers would enable these homes to provide

high quality care as residents’ needs increase.” Researchers from the two universities carried out more than 100 interviews with residents, relatives, care home staff and managers over the last three years. They hope it will help to shape the new coalition government’s plans to addressing the future of funding for old-age care. The study also found that three-fifths of the 453,000 elderly people living in care homes live in facilities with no on site nursing staff employed. Fellow researcher Deirdre Wild, from the University of the West of England in Bristol, said the proposals would require some cultural barriers to be broken down. She added: “Older residents are depicted as a burden on community services because it is believed that the demand they place upon community staff will outstrip available resource. “Home managers frequently experience dismissive attitudes from hospital staff, with little consideration given to the well being of elderly residents on discharge. “Older residents in one home described the poor quality of care they received in hospital that left them traumatised following discharge and with a dread of re admission.”

‘Walking on sunshine’ A CARE organisation is brightening up the lives of its residents with a splash of colour therapy. The pastel shades have been ditched at Pendine Park in Wrexham in favour of a vivid, life-enhancing palate in the corridors. The pioneering approach has been masterminded by artist-in-residence Sarah Edwards, pictured above, who has researched the

subject in detail and, working with residents and staff, has developed the new colour scheme. The main colour is bright yellow, and Sarah said that residents say being in the corridors is like “walking on sunshine”. Sarah said: “It’s known that colours affect your mood and well-being so that was the thought behind changing the colours in the corridors at Pendine Park.”

15/6/10

16:16

Page 1

CARINGNEWS

Why mental stimulation is so vital By Chris Harding ONE of the daily challenges faced by care home workers or managers is providing motivational, stimulating activities for residents. Research into the importance of stimulating the elderly, in particular those with dementia or Alzheimer’s clearly demonstrates how these groups must exercise their minds as often as possible. Regular activities stimulate the brain, forcing it to respond, slowing down the deterioration process. Alzheimer’s Society research found that typically a person with dementia living in a care home spends just two minutes every six hours interacting with other people. This is not enough. Mental stimulation is hugely important for people with dementia – it can improve quality of life and help them feel more independent and confident. Encouraging people with dementia to take part in everyday activities, such as helping with washing and drying up, setting the table or gardening can give pleasure and bring purpose to the day. One in three people will end their life with dementia, and for many people these final years will be spent in a care home. It is essential that dementia training becomes a mandatory requirement for all care home staff. In particular, if residents are home bound and physical activities are restricted; their desire for life may be inhibited. These activities make residents feel empowered, whether it be a

George Dixon receives his certifcate and copy of the recipe book from Shirley Brigham, trustee of The Abbeyfield Kent Society

Chris Harding one hour activity session or a reminiscence activity, any activity helps to stimulate the residents, making their day more interesting and keeping their minds sharp and active. Historically, care homes had a reputation which saw elderly residents sitting lifeless in chairs. Thankfully, this was not a true reflection of all. Today, we see them making leaps and bounds forward in the ways that they motivate and stimulate their residents, with some employing full time activity co-ordinators. Although some activities such as entertainers are costly, other are low cost yet still provide an all round benefit for both the resident and the carer. Traditional daily activities such as bingo, dominoes or cards, can become stale. Recent cost effective ways to embrace the resident and carer relationship, with a significant impact on brain stimulation, are daily reminiscence newsletters. This solution is affordable, despite lack of funds, is cost effective and has a huge impact. Chris has made it his mission to enhance the lives of residents through various activity schemes. For further information visit www.dailysparkle.co.uk

Residents benefit from food project By Dominic Musgrave A KENT care home has taken part in a food project with its local museum. The Dynes, in Kemsing near Sevenoaks, was invited to participate with The Group for Education in Museums (GEM) on a project called Sounding out Your Heritage. Each week for four weeks a representative from the town’s museum visited the Abbeyfield Kent Society-run home to host a series of food-related workshops. With them they brought along a range of cooking utensils, ration books and old photographs to use as topics to evoke the residents’ memories. Home manager Nicky Pett told Caring UK the project had many benefits for the residents. She added: “Overall the residents really enjoyed getting involved with the project. One resident who doesn’t really communicate with the staff spoke so clearly it obviously made a real impression on him. “Another lady who recently turned 100 remembered when she used to be the cook at a nearby stately home and GEM representatives spoke with the current owners, who came along to the celebrations that we held at the end of the project.”

Topics discussed at the workshop included how a ration book worked, what utensils were used during the War years compared to those of today, with residents also discussing their favourite food and recipes. Some of the memories, recipes and photographs were then put into a book, which was given as a memento to the residents and sold to their families. Nicky added: “One of our residents is a former photographer, and he enjoyed taking pictures at the workshops and arranging them for the book with the scanner they provided. I have noticed the residents are now a lot more enthusiastic and responsive to ideas since we took part in the project, and I have asked the organisers to think of us. “It has opened up new doors to different things and, combined with the Eden Alternative which we are also involved with, we are now doing a lot more one-to-one activities than group ones.” Another of the group’s homes, Edward Moore House in Gravesend, also took part in the GEM project, with music and dance the main focus of their weekly workshops. The residents also created a sensory quilt inspired by their memories and recollections.

New manager for Norfolk home WENDELL Damasco has been appointed the new manager of Olive House care home in Norfolk. The 34-year-old joined the home’s parent company Healthcare Homes as a senior carer at another of the group’s homes in 2003 after moving from his native Philippines. For the last two years, Wendell has been assistant manager at Home Meadow in Toft, and says he is

relishing his new role. Wendell added: “There is a lot of work to do at Olive House, as Healthcare Homes only acquired the home in January. One of my priorities is to ensure that the standards of care match those of our other homes.” A purpose-built care home, Olive House has 35 en suite bedrooms, with plans in place to extend the property with an additional six.

Garden party boost for children’s hospice A NORFOLK care home hopes to raise £5,000 for a local children’s hospice at its garden party. Residents at Aylsham Manor will be joined by family and friends at the event, which will include a raffle and cream tea while being

entertained by Aylsham Silver Band. There will also be an exhibition of the art work produced by the residents in their art and craft sessions, led by Jo Baldwin. All money raised will go to Quidenham Childrens’ Hospice.

17/6/10

12:15

Page 1

CARINGNEWS

Hotel title for extended care home in Lytham By Dominic Musgrave THE owners of a Lancashire care facility have renamed it as a hotel rather than a traditional home. Robert and Hilary Chadwick took the decision to reclassify Hedges House in Lytham after the opening of a new extension. And manager Michelle Neville told Caring UK the title fits perfectly as they have worked hard to create a hotel atmosphere. She added: “We feel that we offer hotel services so we chose to rename the home to reflect that. “We have a reception desk and the decor is similar to that of a hotel as we don’t have any wheelchairs or other equipment on show to make it look too clinical. “The food is also of the highest standard, and we regularly meet with the residents to discuss their likes and dislikes to make sure they have their say.” The home, which has 32 bedrooms, has recently received a three-star rating from the CQC. It is no stranger to picking up awards, winning the care section of the Lytham in Bloom competition and getting an ‘excellent’

grade from Fylde Council as part of its Taste for Life scheme last year. Michelle, who has been manager for the past six years, added: “We run a varied programme of activities at the home – everything from trips to the nearby park to Knowsley Safari Park. “We also have a treats afternoon every Wednesday, which can consist of a movie with popcorn and chocices to fruit kebabs dipped in chocolate and homemade milkshakes. “All of the activities from the home then go in the home’s newsletter, which we put together every few months. The residents like getting involved with that, and our maintenance man is going to start a computer club for those who want to learn more.” Residents regularly keep in touch with their relatives overseas via email, with Michelle printing out any correspondence the home receives and helping them to respond. Are you considering or would you consider renaming you care home as a hotel? Let Dominic Musgrave know by ringing 01226 734407 or email dm@whpl.net

Residents Brenda Mitchell and Anne Davies celebrate Blackpool’s recent promotion to the Premiership

15/6/10

16:19

Page 1

CARINGNEWS

‘Jabberwocky Club’ thrives in Felixstowe DEBATES about ‘Fairtrade’, quizzes and a talk about the history of pub signs are the unusual activities of a newly-formed social club set up by residents of three Felixstowe care homes. Residents from Healthcare Homes’ Mill Lane, Maynell House and Foxgrove have formed the ‘Jabberwocky Club’, which takes its name from a Lewis Carroll poem. Their inspiration came after taking part in an inter-generational initiative with students from Suffolk New College in Ipswich. The residents enjoyed the social element so much they decided to continue meeting regularly. Each Tuesday afternoon, the residents meet at Mill Lane, with minibuses arriving from the other two homes. Mill Lane manager, Lorraine Barker, said: “Over a six-month period, the older people from the three homes shared memories with the students, such as wartime music and childhood tales. The residents enjoyed it so much that they decided to form their own group where they could carry on meeting once a week. They all really enjoy it and it helps them remain a part of their community.” Lorraine said the club has been such a success that residents from other homes in the area may join the group in the future.

Wedding theme day goes like a dream By Dominic Musgrave ROMANCE will be in the air this summer when a Southport care home holds its second ‘wedding’ day. Last year three pairs of staff were ‘married’ as part of the Tudor Bank Nursing Home themed event which culminated in a traditional ceremony complete with its very own vicar. Residents and staff arranged the whole event, which was the brainchild of activities co-ordinator Heather Mitchener and manager Mary Pagett, with the wider community also invited to take part. She said: “We came up with the idea of marriage and romance because a wedding is an event that almost everybody has been to some time in their life. “But we were surprised at how successful the event was. The day took four months to organise, and we involved the residents as much as possible. It was a great bonding exercise, not only for the residents, but also for the staff. The residents are still talking about the day and we have put photographs around the home to help them to reminisce about it.” Heather said it is often difficult getting members of the community

to visit the home because it is EMI registered. She added: “People are often nervous about what they might find when they come into an EMI home, but we involved the outside community as much as possible too. “The local Salvation Army donated one of the dresses and a local cake decorator provided us with the cake. We invited people from outside the home to the ceremony as well.” Heather said they had originally discussed the idea of holding a christening instead this year, but after the success of the wedding they decided to have another one. She added: “We are looking to do it a bit differently, but we are going to

stick with the wedding idea this year because the residents got such a sense of achievement if they came up with the idea for the music or designed their own corsage. “The residents also loved dressing up, and many bought a new outfit for the day and wore a hat. “They seemed to really enjoy the formality of the day, and the vicar kept it very light hearted and not too religious.” Have you held an unusual themed event at your care home? Let Dominic Musgrave know by emailing dm@whpl.net or ring him on 01226 734407.

Karen has second wedding day THE manager of a Buckinghamshire care home shared her wedding celebrations with the residents. Karen Kelly, manager of Farnham Common House, got married in New York, but so the residents could share in her celebrations she held a special ‘wedding day’ party at the home. She put on her dress again, bought a new bouquet, a new wedding cake, party food and champagne for all the residents at the home to enjoy. Several members of staff also dressed up in their wedding dresses, while others brought theirs in to hang on display round the room. Residents also dressed up and wore hats or fascinators. Karen said: “I was determined that residents would somehow get to celebrate with me. Everyone was so happy for me and we had a splendid party.”

15/6/10

16:20

Page 1

CARINGNEWS

There are activities to suit all tastes at Kingsclear care home in Camberley as Dominic Musgrave found out when he paid a visit.

Busy times at Camberley home YOU name it there is a club for it at the Caring Homes group home, whether it be aviation jigsaws, bird watching or collectors. And trips to the likes of the local brewery or concerts with members of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra mean there is never an idle moment for the residents at the home, which is registered for 69 in five separate wings. Head of activities Ken Weaver, who has been in post for eight months, told Caring UK he is constantly coming up with new ideas. He added: “Residents are invited to attend all of our activities, but there is no pressure put on them if they do not wish to. “We find that communication with the residents is very important, and there is nothing more frustrating for the elderly if they cannot get their views across. “To get over this problem we have worked with a local special needs school to devise our own sheet with a variety of signs and signals on. Everyone has a copy, and since we have started using it, it has been a huge help.” The Edwardian building is more than 100 years old and has previously been a school, hospital and hotel before being

turned into a care home by its previous owner. Ken is currently raising funds to try and improve the access to the grounds for the residents, and is more than halfway to reaching the £600 target. He added: “Having a man and woman working together as activities co-ordinators has a lot of benefits because we both have our individual strengths. “We can also put on a lot more activities, usually three or four a day, and there are also some residents who will only go to an activity if it is being taken by a man. “We tend to do something that stimulates residents in the morning so that they are not just sat around watching television, and then do something social in the afternoon. We find it works best that way.” The home also celebrates annual events such as patron saints’ days, with this year’s St Patrick’s Day festivities involving a three-day Irish festival. Ken added: “We have to be realistic that nobody wants to be in a care home, but we have a lot of staff here from all over the world that I also plan to tap into for future events.”

Sensory garden brings change of atmosphere in Hemel Hempstead home THE manager of a dementia care home says she has noticed a change in atmosphere among the residents since the development of a sensory garden. Chris Larner, manager of Queensway House in Hemel Hempstead, said the residents were consulted throughout the design process after the home received a grant from the local authority to spend outdoors. She told Caring UK that she is currently trying to source a new summer house to add to the garden at the Gold Homes owned facility. Chris added: “After receiving the grant from the local authority we wanted to do something all residents could enjoy, and that would appeal to all the senses. “We decided to make some areas quiet and others busy, and took some external advice with regards to what we should have in the garden, though the residents were consulted as much as possible. “We wanted to get the most out of the money so got the local probation team involved with doing the groundwork, and their leader is a landscape gardener so she helped with the designs.” The garden, which recently won an award at the group’s annual

ceremony, features plants with different textures and aromas as well as two water features, one with ultra bright LEDs and another which is a cascading wall in polished stainless steel. They have also developed a small eight-hole pitch and putt golf course in the grounds, which Chris says she hopes will be used for competitions in the summer months. She added: “We hoped to use it for some fun events last year but the weather was never good enough, but fingers crossed we have bought a few trophies and will be able to have a few golf competitions. “We were really surprised to have won the ‘most innovative idea’ award because a lot of the other homes in the group have created activity gardens and keep chickens. “The residents really enjoy sitting outside in one of the different areas we have created, and it has proved to be a good selling point when we are trying to fill a bed.” Have you come up with an innovative idea for your care home’s grounds? Let Dominic Musgrave know by emailing dm@whpl.net or ring 01226 734407.

Residents taking part in the Easter bonnet parade

15/6/10

16:21

Page 1

CARINGHOMECALL

Residents at a Surrey care home are packing their suitcases and going on a summer holiday. Dominic Musgrave found out more.

We’re all going on a summer holiday ... THE four residents at Green Acres will be accompanied by two staff on their trip to Butlin’s at Bognor Regis. Other staff will make the daily commute from the home in Banstead to help care for the residents, who came up with the idea for the break at a meeting involving relatives. Activities co-ordinator John Groom told Caring UK said: “We regularly take the residents on outings and, at a recent residents and family welfare meeting, where we got a lot of suggestions, one of the service users asked why they couldn’t go on holiday. “I looked into it and I have been down to do all the health and safety arrangements necessary for us. The residents are contributing to the holiday and we want to make it as enjoyable for them as possible. “We always try to encourage an input from the residents because it is their home and we are budgeting their money and not ours.” The Anchor owned home was rebuilt 10 years ago and has recently been awarded a three-star rating by the CQC. John, a former roofer who ran his own business for many years before changing careers, originally applied for a job at the home as a gardener, but was soon asked to change roles.

He added: “Management must have seen something in me because they wanted me to get involved with the activities, and I haven’t looked back since. “All the staff are very proud of the home, and my job is very simple because they all like to come out of their bubble and get to know the residents better on a personal level. “I see my roles as one that stimulates and motivates the residents, while at the same time giving them self-confidence and respect.” The home is part of the group’s Make a Wish project, and John is already working on a couple of ideas for residents. He added: “We have a lady who always wanted to visit the Houses of Parliament, so I am working on that one. We also have a gentleman who worked on the first Harrier Jump Jet, who stood on the runway when the first one took off with his fingers crossed. “I have arranged for him to do some model making and if we can I would love to get him up in one.” The home also has close links with the community, and students from the local college are helping to develop a sensory garden in the grounds.

Green Acres

‘Financially unviable’ dementia home set to close A SOUTH Tyneside dementia home is to close after the owner decided it was no longer financially viable. Eighteen staff are set be unemployed and nine residents, many of them suffering from dementia, have been left looking for a new home after Evergreen Care Homes Ltd, owners of Victoria Rose in Hebburn, announced it would cease trading. Manager Geraldine Innes said many of the residents had been at the home for a long time – one more than 20 years. She added: “The business is likely to go into liquidation after the owner decided not to keep the home open. “The home has a very good reputation locally, but it does need a lot of work doing and money spending on it, which he has decided is not financially viable. “Some of the staff have

found jobs, others are looking, but it is just a case of waiting to see what is going to happen. “It is such a shame and the announcement came totally out of the blue.” The local council said it is working with the nine residents, their families and carers to find suitable alternative accommodation. Deputy leader Alan Kerr said: “Elderly people who live in care homes are some of the most vulnerable in the borough and we will be working with their families to ensure that they will be spared, as much as possible, from upheaval and worry.” Victoria Rose will be the third care home to close in South Tyneside in just over a year because of the recession following the demise of both St Gregory’s and High Dene in South Shields.

Care sector figures honoured for services to social care TWO care sector figures have been recognised in the Queen’s birthday honours list for services to social care. Jacquie Roberts, chief executive of the Care Commission in Scotland since 2001, received an OBE for her 40 years’ service. She said: “It is a great personal honour and I hop this is seen as an award for the very many conscientious and committed people who work in social care as much as it is for me.” And Mario Kreft, proprietor of

Pendine Park care organisation and chief executive of Care Forum Wales, has been awarded an MBE. He said: “I think the MBE is recognition of the huge contribution of social care in communities right across Wales, including the teams at Care Forum Wales and Pendine Park. “It’s a huge team approach and is a reward for all the work that we’ve been doing together over the years to raise standards in social care and to promote the profession of social care.”

18/6/10

12:13

Page 1

15/6/10

16:23

Page 1

CARINGNEWS

Importance of computers at village COMPUTERS are an important part of the residents’ lives at one Northamptonshire retirement village. Residents in the independent and assisted living apartments at Richmond Northampton have 24-hour access to the internet, with many having their own computers or laptops. Social recreation therapist Chris Ryatt also runs sessions with them, teaching everything from the basics to how to use a webcam, Facebook and Skype. He said: “We are lucky to have our own fully-equipped IT room, and I am on hand to show them how to use the computers for a wide variety of things. “Some keep in touch with relatives in America, Australia and New Zealand, while others enjoy playing games or looking at old films and music on You Tube. “Computers help the residents stay up-to-date with what is going on and, although they may be an older generation, they really enjoy using the machines.”

New IT suite provides global link for residents A DORSET care home’s residents are keeping in touch with relatives across the world after the owners set up an IT suite. The money for the new development at the Old Vicarage care home came from a £5,000 grant from the Fresh Hope Trust to support its activities programme. Proprietor Annie Sinnott, who has long been an advocate of computers for the use of residents in care homes, said: “We have acquired three computers, a printer and a scanner, together with desks and chairs to furnish the IT area. “Two of the computers are a newlylaunched design developed by local company Wessex Computers in association with TV presenter Valerie Singleton. “SimplicITy computers are aimed at people over 60 who are unfamiliar with computers and the internet. The screens of the new PCs have just six buttons, allowing users to surf the internet, send emails and watch videos without having to navigate around cluttered desktops. “The residents love it. Eight are already using it to talk to relatives – some in Costa Rica, South Africa and New Zealand, and one 95-year-old is Skyping her daughter in Canada.” The computer comes pre-loaded

Reg and Bet Coffin with activities co-ordinator Jan Millward with 17 video tutorials from Valerie Singleton. All functions, including the keyboards, are in clear typeface. Annie said she wants the new facility to be of benefit to as many people as possible. She added: “We asked students from the local school to come in and help residents to learn the basics,

and this was good for them as well as us. One of our residents, who has his own computer, is also helping others to use get online. “These computers are also available by arrangement to older people living in the local community. We cannot possibly keep such a generous grant to ourselves.”

15/6/10

13:44

Page 1

18/6/10

15:27

Page 1

CARINGNEWS

Simple method of labelling WITH summer approaching many residents put away winter clothes and need their summer ones labelling properly. This is such a time consuming task that often clothing is left inadequately named and consequently it can easily get mislaid. Attach-a-Tag is a simple, cost effective method of labelling clothing and soft objects and is an ideal way to quickly label short term and respite residents clothing as well as normal laundry. Replicating a button, it attaches in seconds to the garment seam or laundry label, making it discreet and comfortable to the wearer. The patented design is easy to attach but difficult to remove, and cannot be taken off by accident or come off during the laundry process.

Yvonne takes therapist of the year title YVONNE Hendry was the CAT who got the cream at a Somerset charity’s awards ceremony. Yvonne, who has worked as an activities co-ordinator at Axbridge Court care home for the last three years, was named creative activity therapist of the year after completing a series of courses. The National College Network qualifications in planning activity, reminiscence therapy and dementia care are four-day courses run by Reminiscence Learning at their Bishops Lydeard headquarters. And Yvonne picked up the inaugural award after home manager Sandra Crossey asked the daughter of one of the residents at the Almondsbury Care owned home to write a 500-word nomination. She said: “The main aim of the courses is to teach you how you can stimulate the residents through activities – everything from quizzes and crosswords to facials and massages and trips out. “The people running the courses launched the award because they wanted to reach out to the homes and find out whether they used the skills they had learned in the home environment. “The manager asked somebody else to nominate me so that she could give an unbiased opinion of what I do, and I was over the moon when they told me

Yvonne Hendry receives her award from sponsor Ken Mahoney, managing director of DMA Stairlifts, while Fiona Mahoney, chief executive of Reminiscence Learning and Axbridge Court manager Sandra Crossey look on. that out of all the entries they had received I was in the final three. So to win it at the ceremony was unbelievable.” Yvonne joined the home with no previous experience, having previously worked at the local leisure centre. She added: “I was looking for a change of jobs because I felt I was getting stagnant in my previous role. “My father passed away in 2004 and a family member told me I would make a

good carer, but I felt it wasn’t really for me. But when I saw the activities job here advertised in the local newspaper I decided to give it a go and applied. “Sandra gave me the opportunity despite the fact I had never done anything like it before, and I have been here ever since. She tells me I am a natural, but I am not sure about that. The course has been a huge help, and has given me a lot of ideas for things to do.”

15/6/10

16:25

Page 1

New home brings 70 jobs to Yorkshire By Dominic Musgrave A £4MILLION care home named after the deputy chief executive of the group has been unveiled in West Yorkshire. Asquith Hall, named after Pat Asquith, will provide nursing and residential care for elderly or mentally infirm patients and create approximately 70 jobs. The accommodation consists of 53 single bedrooms, and owner Barry Potton, who also runs nearby Pennine Lodge, named it in recognition of Pat’s hard work during her 13 years’ employment. She said: “Barry decided to name Asquith Hall after me in appreciation of the work I have done for him over the years in a variety of roles, including the last three as his deputy. I was humbled by his decision, but have got used to it now. “The new facility is a very specialist nursing home, with all bedrooms having had magic eye scanners installed in an attempt to prevent any falls. It also has a lot of extras, including a hydrotherapy pool, sen-

sory room, a hair and beauty salon and treatment rooms that we hope will reduce the need for readmissions to hospital.” Mayor of Todmorden Cheryl Stovin, a former CQC inspector, officially opened the home, and unveiled a plaque where a time capsule has been buried. Pat said she hopes to carry the high standards from the 42-bed Pennine Lodge across to the new home. She added: “In the time capsule we have buried all of the plans for the home and the names of those people involved in designing and building it, with the hope that it will be opened in 100 years. “Pennine Lodge has been owned by Barry for the last 15 years and has a three-star rating from the CQC. We also have a long waiting list, and hope to mirror the success that we have had there at this new home.” The company also hopes to begin building a specialist care home with 60 bedrooms in Wood Square, Boothtown, Halifax, later this year if planning permission is granted.

Forty members of staff at the Scottish inspectorate received specialist qualifications designed to improve the delivery of care at an awards ceremony. Public health minister Shona Robison, who presented the certificates to the Care Commission employees, said: “It is vital that we have well-qualified staff in place to help us drive up the quality of care services through effective and professional regulation. These awards give confidence to service providers and the public that those who regulate care services have the skills and qualifications to carry out their roles to the highest standard.”

Caring UK Commerce section brings you all the latest property, business and training news every month.

In this issue: How the internal

environment has an impact ... Page 16

Michael Le Vell opened Leeds’ newest care home Aire View in Kirkstall. The actor who plays Kevin Webster in Coronation Street Michael was the popular choice of guests at the home, who were asked which celebrity they would like to perform the official opening. Manager Paula Pearson said: “We had a poll among the guests and we knew that we wanted someone from Coronation Street or Emmerdale to perform the opening.” The 84-bed home is owned and opened by Avery Healthcare. Michael is pictured with resident Martha Ryan and home manager Paula Pearson

Occupany rates

fall below 90% – new report Page 18

Will Act ever

see the light of day? Page 19

15/6/10

16:27

Page 1

CARINGCOMMERCE

The impact of internal environment By Vanessa Wall IT IS widely accepted that the quality of the built environment can have an impact on people’s health and general well being. Buildings should provide a comfortable internal environment keeping us warm in winter and cool in summer. Comfort of the occupants is a key measure of the environmental sustainability of any building as reflected within the ‘Health and Well Being’ categories in the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Methods. Older people, particularly those with dementia, can be more sensitive to the built environment and to changes within it. Passive environmental design principles can help to ensure environmentally comfortable homes. For example, the building’s orientation should be considered to maximise natural light, passive heating and passive cooling. South facing glazing should optimise solar gain, contributing to a controlled natural heating. North facing windows can provide even natural light, but consideration must be given to minimising potential heat loss. Maximising natural light, without glare, can reduce the demand for artificial lighting and subsequent running costs. The location of opening

Vanessa Wall windows, doors and vents can also form part of the overall ventilation strategy; either for natural cross ventilation or passive-stack ventilation. Although they do run constantly, mechanical ventilation systems use a very small amount of energy and, when combined with an efficient heat recovery system, are a means of refreshing the air inside while providing low levels of space heating. Positive passive systems can also draw fresh air into the building, forcing stale air out. Exploring passive heating and cooling strategies from the outset, reduces the overall energy demand of the building and any renewable technologies, that may be required as part of a planning consent, can be down-sized accordingly. Capital, operational and maintenance costs can be reduced with a positive impact on the health and well being of the residents and staff. This passive design approach is

reflected by the forthcoming revisions to the thermal insulation part of the Building Regulations, which come into force in October 2010. This is based on a hierarchical; three-fold approach: A new ‘Fabric Energy Efficiency Standard’ to ensure an efficient, highly insulated envelope so that the energy demand of the building is minimised. On-site CO2 emissions should be reduced by appropriate low and zero carbon technologies; this is known as ‘Carbon Compliance’. Remaining CO2 emissions associated with cooking, lights, appliances, etc. should be mitigated through ‘Allowable Solutions’. For existing buildings the same principles apply. Upgrading wall and roof insulation, replacement windows, air-tightness of the building fabric should be seen as a priority. Boiler and appliance efficiency is also crucial in the equation. This legislative hierarchy is simply another way of expressing the passive design mantra: ‘fabric first, renewables second’ but now it can be implemented to ensure our buildings are energy efficient and provide comfortable environments for those who live and work there. Vanessa Wall is environment and sustainability manager at Pozzoni LLP architects.

Heath View, Congleton, which Pozzoni designed for Plus Dane Housing Group

Speakers confirmed for ECCA conference ABBEYFIELD Society chief executive Paul Allen and National Skills Academy chief executive Liz McSheehy have been confirmed as speakers at the annual ECCA conference and exhibition. The event entitled ‘For Better or for Worse?’ which takes place take place at the Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury,on November 17, takes integrated commissioning as its theme and will pose the question of whether health and social care can ever be happily

married. In her presentation Liz will emphasise the role and benefit of innovative training, while Paul, as a major care provider, will give his own insights into the everyday reality of integrated commissioning. Further speakers will be announced shortly to add their perspective and present a rounded view of the issues.

Care group appoints development manager A LEEDS-based care group has announced the appointment of a new service development manager.

Chris Womack, who has extensive experience in the service industry sector, has joined Maria Mallaband Care Group.

Tax reclaims for commercial property owners CAPITAL allowances are among the most valuable and least exploited methods of reducing property owners’ income tax or corporation tax liabilities. Capital allowances arise from capital expenditure on purchasing or constructing a new property along with extensions and refurbishments. We carry out retrospective, current year, and new build capital allowance claims, both for individuals and companies in relation to commercial properties right across the commercial sector. Most retrospective capital allowance claims that we handle lead to a significant tax refund for the client. We will quickly identify the validity of a claim without obligation. If a claim does not proceed, there will be no fee. We comprehensively survey the property which allows us to identify any qualifying items that, for numerous reasons, have previously not been claimed. Enquiries: Telephone 01246 293011 or visit www.salmon-business.com

15/6/10

13:46

Page 1

15/6/10

16:29

Page 1

CARINGCOMMERCE

Occupancy rates fall below 90% – new report By Dominic Musgrave

Mary and Stephen Brown with John Morgan and Victoria Evans from RBS and Vajinder Bal from Lombard

£800k extension creates 13 new bedrooms WORK has finished on an £800,000 extension and refurbishment at a Salford care home which has created 13 new bedrooms. The project at Moorfield House, which has been managed by healthcare construction specialists Decs Group, has increased the home’s capacity from 20 to 33 beds, as well as providing residents with a new day room. The home, which was formerly a doctor’s surgery, was established 20 years ago by husband and wife

OCCUPANCY rates in specialist care homes fell below 90 per cent for the first time since records began eight years ago, according to a new study. The Care Homes Review report of the second half of 2009 by Colliers CRE, which measures occupancy rates, average weekly fees, payroll costs, nonpayroll costs and profit margins, found that the average occupancy is 89 per cent, almost four per cent below the average since 2002. There was some regional variation, however, with specialist homes in Scotland and the North East both achieving average occupancy rates of over 95 per cent. But homes within the South East and the East Midlands performed less well, with both regions averaging 85 per cent.

The research also found that fees remained steady in the second half of 2009 for nursing homes, while residential homes saw a marginal increase in the weekly rate. Jeremy Taster, head of healthcare at Colliers CRE, said: “This report shows that the effect of the Care Quality Commission star rating system is becoming apparent, and that the market reflects the continued pressure on the public purse and greater incentives for domiciliary care.” Downward pressure on occupancy rates in specialist homes combined with rising payroll costs continued to impact on profit margins in the last six months of 2009, with average profit margins or EBITDAR as a proportion of total revenue falling to 34 per cent, a two per cent decrease from figures collected earlier in the year.

team Mary and Stephen Brown, and has recently been running at 100 per cent capacity. Mary said: “We have operated at full capacity for several years and it has been frustrating having to turn people away. The last time we extended the Moorfield House was 20 years ago so the latest development is overdue.” Constructions costs were funded by RBS, with its asset finance arm Lombard providing an additional £80,000 funding package to help equip and kit out the extension. Sandra Hudson (left) and Christine Morgan

Huddersfield home changes hands TAYLOR National has completed the sale of Newsome Nursing Home, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire by way of a sale of 100 per cent of the share capital of Huddersfield Nursing Homes Ltd.

The home, which is registered for 46 in 40 single and three twin bedrooms, was originally established in 1985, and acquired by Andrew Savage as managing director in February 2008.

Group appoints new managers A CARE group has appointed new managers for two of its Norfolk homes. Sandra Hudson has been promoted from deputy care manager to manager of Healthcare Homes’ Claremont House, while Christine Morgan has become unit manager for Claremont Lodge, joining the company from

previous roles in care with Orbit Housing and Mencap. Claremont House offers specialised nursing care for the elderly, and Claremont Lodge is one of the few specialist units in the region which caters for residents with dementia.

15/6/10

16:30

Page 1

CARINGCOMMERCE

Will Personal Care at Home Act ever see the light of day? By David Goldman THE Personal Care at Home Act 2010, which was designed to provide free care at home annually for about 280,000 people with the highest needs and “re-ablement” support annually for about 130,000 people, received its royal assent in April. But it now seems highly unlikely that the Act, which needs a further parliamentary vote to bring it into force, will ever see the light of day. Why the Act will not be brought into force This of course is speculative, because all one can do is look at this stage of the life of the new coalition government, is to look at the Election manifestos of the two coalition parties to see whether there is likely to be any desire on either side of the coalition to bring the Act into force. The Conservatives did not oppose the principle of the Act in Parliament, but did consider the likely cost of its implementation was far too high. Given that the focus of the new government will be on cutting public expenditure, it is not likely that the Conservative element of the coalition will fight to save the Act and the coalition “pre-nuptial agreement” makes no mention of the infamous, so called “Death Tax” said to have been designed to fund the Act. The Liberal Democrat side will most likely seek to kill off the Act. The Liberal Democrat manifesto states that it would divert the money that would have been spent on implementing the “flawed” Act into: “... proposals for long term care of the elderly”. So what will we get? The Conservative manifesto suggests a number of alternative strategies for delivering personalised health care within the resi-

£8m home to be built in Kent WORK is due to begin on a new £8m state-of-theart nursing and residential home in Kent. Nellar Ltd’s Hengist Care Centre in Sittingbourne is due for completion in late 2011 and will have 75 ensuite bedrooms. Funding for the project was arranged by specialist care home broker GRP Finance. The home will also feature a hairdressing salon, cinema, sensory room, assisted bathing facilities, spacious lounges and secure landscaped grounds.

David Goldman dential care industry: Provision of single budget access, combining health and social care for people with chronic illness or long term conditions. A new patient funding system for all hospices and other providers of palliative care. Residential Care Homes may also benefit from the proposed single premium insurance scheme to fund residential care. However, in both the Conservative and Liberal Democrat manifestos, there was a clear bias in favour of the principle of home care support. The Conservatives favoured the extension of their insurance scheme to fund home care. The Liberal Democrats seek to provide “a seamless service … to allow people to stay in their homes for longer …” The strength of the political will to implement any form of subsidised personal healthcare at home remains to be seen. Assuming, however, that there is the will and (ultimately) the money to do so, then, although it is unlikely to have a high priority this, in the long term it does seem likely that a system reflecting the views of the coalition parties, will eventually find its way onto the Statute Book. David Goldman is a consultant with law firm Matthew Arnold and Baldwin LLP.

New home set for police station site PLANS are going ahead for a new 65-bed care home to be built on the site of a former police station in the centre of Hatfield. The home will be a flagship property for Avery Healthcare and, subject to planning approval by the local council and construction, Acacia Mews is expected to open in early 2012. The three storey home will be brick built to follow traditional styles of architecture area, and be adjacent to another development of semi detached homes being built by another developer on the site. Like other Avery homes, Acacia Mews will offer a mixture of personal, convalescent, respite and dementia care, and is expected to provide jobs for around 60 staff.

15/6/10

16:31

Page 1

CARINGCOMMERCE

Acquisition is ‘first of many’ Oliver Sargent, David Crier, Gavin Davey (Francis Clark), Darryl Thomas and Tom Kingston (Francis Clark) are pictured at Orchard Portman Nursing Home, Taunton. Picture: Mark Passmore

Christie and Co has sold the freehold of The Homestead care home in Crowthorne for an undisclosed sum, off an asking price of £2.3 million. The three-star home is registered for 23 residents with dementia, and had been in the same ownership for 25 years. They had recently secured planning consent for further expansion.

By Dominic Musgrave

state when we bought it, however, it just needed a bit of investment.

THE acquisition of a Somerset care home is likely to be the first of many over the next few years made by its new owner. Experienced care home operator Doctor Oliver Sargent has bought Orchard Portman nursing home in Taunton from an asking price of £3.8million, and plans a £500,000 refurbishment programme on the facility. He also plans to build a 27-bed hospital in the nine acres of land, which also includes and orchard and cricket field, which will be registered to care for people with mental health with the CQC. He said: “The new hospital will be registered separately and, once complete in approximately 10 months’ time, will create approximately 50 new jobs. “We are also planning a refurbishment of the nursing home – painting all of the rooms, updating the carpets, making more creative areas and building a path to give the residents more outside access. “The two-star home was in a good

“Half of the nursing home is a new build that was completed in 2004.” Oliver has already put in place the management team to support the existing manager, with plans to expand the business further in the near future. He added: “We have more management than we need for a single home, but we want to purchase one a year for the next few years so it is good to have people in place early. “It is early days but I am looking around the south coast and ideally would like to build a new home in Hampshire. “My requirements when looking for a home are a good deal of space, preferably at least one-and-a-half acres, near a community so the facility can be a part of it and have a nearby source of employees when required.” Orchard Portman was advised throughout the nine-month process by Francis Clark LLP, accountants and tax advisers, with Christie and Co acting as the agents.

VAT reclaims continue to be a lifeline for care operators IN A climate where care home operators are still suffering rising costs, reduced placements and great uncertainty about their future, the opportunity to recover up to nine years of VAT is greatly needed. Cost reduction specialists Salmon Business Group can help operators reclaim retrospective VAT for nursing and residential homes. Despite the ruling taking place back in 2002, many operators have failed to avail themselves of the opportunity thinking that they could not make a claim. You may not have all the records but this does not matter, as we can work with minimal information to secure a successful outcome. We can assess your claim free of charge and advise as to what the next step should be, and take this through to completion and funds in your bank account. If we are not successful there is no charge to you the customer - you have nothing to lose. Enquiries: Telephone 01246 293011 or visit www.salmon-business.com

15/6/10

16:32

Page 1

CARINGNEWS

Mike Parsons

Cynthia Bower

Members of the care sector have given their reaction to the CQC’s announcement that it is scrapping the star ratings system for care homes. Dominic Musgrave reports.

Criticism over scrapping of ratings system THE inspectorate has said the current quality ratings system will cease ahead of the new registration system and new standards, which come into force on October 1 under the Health and Social Care Act 2008. But it added that key inspections due to take place between now and September would be brought forward, and that by the end of June all services that have not been inspected for three years will have been. Chief executive Cynthia Bower said: “We want to work with the sector to develop a fair and transparent system. We are very open to different ideas and will be calling on people to tell us how they think it should work.” Martin Green, chief executive of ECCA, criticised the decision, saying the CQC was “bureaucratically shambolic”. He added: “The CQC has told providers that it is interested in quality and yet we have seen it bring forward the abolition of the star ratings system without a clearly defined timescale for its replacement. “The manner of this announcement, the lack of consultation, and the fact that CQC is not even adhering to its own published timescale gives us grave concern about its commitment to quality and its understanding and engagement with the social care sector. “The CQC has been in existence for 13 months and it is becoming increasingly clear that it has little

understanding of the social care sector, is administratively and bureaucratically shambolic, and lacks leadership and direction.” And Mike Parsons, founder and CEO of Barchester, agreed. He added: “The star ratings, though not without their flaws, are the only measure we have to differentiate ‘excellent’ from ‘poor’ care homes. “While we fully support the development of a more sophisticated ratings scheme we are concerned that, until this new ratings tool is in place, there is no compunction on care home owners to aspire to higher quality. Once the new and hopefully improved ratings scheme is implemented, the real challenge for the CQC is to incentivise towards qualitybased commissioning – where high standards of care are the first choice”. Until October 1, CQC will continue to conduct risk-based inspections when it receives information indicating concerns about safety, and will continue to publish the inspection reports on its website. These may be key inspections, which could result in change to a rating, or a random inspection, which will not involve a rating change. What do you think of the CQC’s decision, and what would you like to see in the new ratings system? Let Dominic Musgrave know by emailing dm@whpl.net or ring 01226 734407.

New staff appointed at organisation A CHARITABLE organisation has appointed two new members of staff to expand it provision of one-to-one learning services to care home residents. Learning mentors from Learning for the Fourth Age (L4A) will soon be

teaching residents in Sheffield and Leeds everything from computing to knitting. Danny Woodworth is the new contact for Leeds and Jason Briggs for Sheffield. They join an existing team of four directors.

Residents get ready for their buffet to celebrate the 65th anniversary of VE Day

Manchester residents get into patriotic spirit ... RESIDENTS at a Manchester care home were served a 1940s’ style buffet and refreshments including dandelion and burdock and cream soda to celebrate the 65th anniversary of VE Day. Union Jack flags decorated the large lounge and conservatory area at

Greatwood House, while staff also set up a 1940s’ kitchen area complete with traditional tableware and a clothes airer. Display boards with memorabilia, much of which was donated by residents and their families, was set up around the home.

15/6/10

16:32

Page 1

CARINGNEWS

Recognition for ECCA chair at care awards Category winners receive their awards from Fiona Phillips and sponsors.

JANE Ashcroft picked up the outstanding contribution to social care prize at the inaugural Great British Care Awards. The Anchor Care chief executive and ECCA chair picked up the prize at the ceremony, which was presented by television personality Fiona Phillips. Caring UK was the media partner. The event was the culmination of a series of regional awards, with all of the winners from these invited to attend the national final which ECCA hosted. Director Mike Padgham said he hopes the awards will help to raise and improve the profile of the sector. He added: “The awards built upon the success of the regional awards, which have become such an important occasion in the social care calendar in such a short space of time. “Our regional events recognised some fantastic teams, individuals and organisations, providing exceptional care in their respective regions. “Residential and nursing care on offer in this country is clearly in extremely good shape, and our winners demonstrated great quality, innovation and entrepreneurial flair.

Social care doesn’t always get the positive column inches in the media that it should, and that is why events like this play such an important role.” Other winners: Newcomer – Rachel Guthrie (Innova House, Nottingham); Employer (more than 250 employees) – Alnur Dhanani, Phillipa Morley and Dawn Sharp (Carebase, Wimbledon); Employer (less than 250 employees) – William Kenyon (Transitional Rehabilitation Unit Ltd, St Helens); Worker – Christina Dobson (Henshaws College, Harrogate); Registered manager – Helen Rollin (Anchor, Ipswich); Nutrition – Jo Shuker (Sebright House, Leamington Spa); Dignity in care – Tamsin Banks, Susan Wells and Caroline Patterson (Plymouth City Council); Dementia carer – Jo Shuker (Sebright House, Leamington Spa); Care team – Thompson Court Resource Centre (Bradford); Activity organiser – Jan Millward (Old Vicarage, Dorset); Ancillary worker – Hayley Pell (Innova House, Nottingham); Trainer – Sue Huxley (Lynhales, Lyonshall); Innovator – Susannah Chard (Choices Housing Association, Newcastle Under Lyme); IT innovator – Karen Cooper (Greensleaves Homes Trust, Tunbridge Wells).

Nominations now open for 2010 awards FOUR new regions have been added to the regional 2010 Great British Care Awards and nominations are now open. As well as the five original areas, ceremonies will also be taking place this autumn in London, the South West, East and South East. Once again there will also be two national finals at a prestigious London venue in 2011 - one for the homecare sector and one for care homes. Director Mike Padgham said: “The awards represent all areas of the care

sector, whether it be older people or specialist services, residential or home care. From frontline staff such as care workers and care managers to people who have made an impact in other ways such as training, IT and innovation.” Four new award categories have also been added for this year, and they are: carer; putting people first; supported housing (design) supported housing (development). Dates and venues for the regional awards are:

October 9 – Great West Midlands Care Awards, National Motorcycle Museum, Solihull October 14 – Great London Care Awards, Emirates Stadium, London October 16 – Great East Midlands Care Awards, East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham October 22 – Great North West Care Awards, Old Trafford football ground, Manchester October 29 – Great East of England Care Awards, Imperial War Museum, Duxford

November 5 – Great South West Care Awards, The Passenger Shed, Bristol November 12 – Great Yorkshire and Humberside Care Awards, National Railway Museum, York November 19 – Great North East Care Awards, The Marriott Hotel, Gosforth Park, Newcastle November 27 – Great South East Care Awards, Hilton Hotel, Brighton Full details of how to enter, and deadlines for nominations, are available from www.careawards.co.uk

Ian Hardcastle, head of healthcare at NatWest Business and Commercial Banking, discusses the role of the Great British Care Awards in recognising the industry’s leading lights.

Celebrating all that’s good in the care sector “THE awards are a fantastic way to celebrate those people in the care sector who are committed to providing the highest standards of care, whether it’s in nursing homes, specialist dementia care, home care assistance, or any other field. In the Care Newcomer category – which NatWest sponsored – we celebrated new faces in the industry, those who have perhaps taken the plunge to start up a new

venture or develop an existing business opportunity in a novel way. I believe that the confidence and energy displayed by these individuals will be pivotal in boosting the attitude of the business community both within and beyond the healthcare industry, and contribute to the future development of the country’s economy.

The changing demographics here in the UK are bringing challenges and opportunities for the care sector. An ageing population continues to place high demands on care providers but also contributes to the sector’s strong performance, with most health expenditure non-discretionary in nature. We are also seeing an increasing demand for specialist care services.

Care home operators should regularly review their business model to ensure the business is well-placed to continue to operate profitably while offering the highest standards of care. This can be supported by maintaining training for staff, and considering providing niche areas of care in order to differentiate the offering from the competition.”

15/6/10

13:47

Page 1

15/6/10

13:48

Page 1

15/6/10

16:33

Page 1

Group seeks meeting with new minister By Dominic Musgrave A REGIONAL social care group is seeking a meeting with the Government’s new Minister of State for Care Services to discuss the way ahead. The Independent Care Group (York and North Yorkshire) chair Mike Padgham has written to Paul Burstow, and claims the coalition offers a golden opportunity to put the care of the elderly to the top of the agenda. He added: “The new Government offers us a golden opportunity for a fresh start in discussions on the future of social care. “We have written to Paul Burstow seeking a meeting with him to discuss how independent care providers can help shape the way care is delivered in the future. “Given that it affects the proper care of some of our older and most vulnerable people, a new government offers the chance for a new dialogue on how we can all work together – Government, independent providers and care commissioners – to provide the best care we can. “On paper Mr Burstow’s record on social care issues looks encouraging, and we are excited to see what direction, under his stewardship, the new

coalition government plans to take social care.” The group released its own manifesto ahead of the election which called for a fully costed, funded and sustainable strategy for providing high quality care to those people Mike Padgham who need it. It sought an end to the current ‘postcode lottery’ of care that sees differences in the level of care available, depending on where you live. It also called for ring-fencing of social care funding and for Government and local authorities to work more closely to deliver social care. Other suggestions included VAT relief for social care businesses, an end to over-regulation, and far greater recognition of independent social care providers as big employers and major contributors to the national economy.

New chief executive appointed BRIDGET Warr has replaced the retiring Lesley Rimmer as the new chief executive of the UKHCA. Bridget, pictured above, had previously been chief executive of Guide Dogs for six years and, during that time drove major change throughout the organisation, helping to change the perception of the charity to one that supports all round mobility of people with visual impairment. Bridget also helped improve the charity’s financial position, building its annual turnover considerably and working hard to promote Guide Dogs nationally and internationally.

UKHCA chair Mike Padgham said he was delighted with the appointment. He added: “Bridget has an excellent track record, particularly in the area of growing organisations, increasing their influence and fundraising – all essential for the future growth of UKHCA. We were looking for an individual with exceptional qualities of vision, drive and passion to take the organisation forward. “We believe that in Bridget we have found that person, someone with the ability and excellent leadership skills to move UKHCA into a new era of growth and increased influence.”

15/6/10

16:35

Page 1

CARINGCOMMERCE

Phillip wins Innovator of the Year award By Dominic Musgrave A DOMICILIARY care operator is enjoying the limelight after winning a prestigious business award. Phillip Tovey, who owns Integrity Care, which provides home care across Cardiff and Mid-Glamorgan, picked up the Innovator of the Year award from training provider City and Guilds, beating off hundreds of people. The annual Lion Awards are the culmination of the City and Guilds Medals for Excellence programme, which rewards talent in education. The 27-year-old, who set up the company after looking after his grandfather who suffered with Alzheimer’s for four years, said: “For the company to meet the appropriate care standards I needed to become a registered manager with the Care Council for Wales, which required me taking a City and Guilds Level 4 NVQ in Leadership and Management for the Care Service. “I was inspired after completing that in seven weeks and have since completed two assessor and verifier awards. “I am completely devoted to the

NVQ and committed to training my workforce. Winning this award has motivated me to encourage my staff to develop their skills so the company can demonstrate the highest standards of care.” Phillip first set up the company from a garage with one co-worker, but since those humble beginnings it has grown and it now provides more than 3,000 hours of care to more than 200 service users. He added: “I hope that my story can inspire others because I was bought up on a council estate, not from a wealthy background, and have been able to start and run my own successful business.” “After doing a bit of market research and my own poor experiences I saw a need for homecare in the region, which is why I decided to set up the company. And it beats working for somebody else. “The plan is for the company to grow steadily over the next few years, but the focus will always remain on the quality of service rather than the quantity. Integrity Care has also recently been recognised as a City and Guilds centre.

New homecare provider goes to work A NEW homecare provider has received its CQC registration and opened its doors to provide care throughout the Oxfordshire area. Dinah Madelin, pictured above, and John Cascone, managing directors of Caremark (West Oxfordshire and Cherwell), have been planning and preparing for the year preceding the CQC registration, including recruiting a team of care and support workers to operate from their office in Woodstock. Dinah, who has a background in nursing and has worked in a number of hospitals, said: “My previous work focused very much on rehabilitation and helping people return to their

own homes with community support input to enable them to do so as safely and securely as possible. “So many people would say ‘I just want to go home’ and I used to find it heartbreaking when, for whatever reason, anyone was faced with the realisation that home might no longer be an option. “Relationships can become strained when relatives or friends undertaking the role of carer become exhausted or feel there’s no time or energy left for anything else. I hope the support we can offer will take away that pressure and enable people to get on with simply loving each other and enjoying their time together.”

Phillip Tovey receives his award from BBC sports presenter Jake Humphrey

Emma Gifford-Pike, Elizabeth Percival, Peggy Gifford-Pike and Conservative MP for Wells David Heathcoat-Amory at the opening

First anniversary celebration A SOUTH West homecare company’s newest branch has celebrated its first anniversary. And the Glastonbury division of Lifeline Homecare, which provides services to people in Wells, Shepton Mallet, Street and surrounding villages – managed by Elizabeth Percival – was awarded the highest possible twostar rating at its first inspection. Peggy Gifford-Pike, who cofounded the company in 2003, said: “I am very pleased with how

everything is going because enabling people who need help or support to stay in their own homes is such a rewarding experience. “I also want carers to be seen and treated as the true professionals that they. “This means providing excellent training and support for carers, which is crucial to providing our clients with a quality service.”

27 A-Z

15/6/10

16:52

Page 1

Caring UK A-Z Directory Art Print and Framing Easy Art Unit 1-4 Tylers Business Park Lewis Road Blackboys Uckfield PN22 5LF Tel 0845 1662 732 customercare@easyart.com www.easyart.com

Bathrooms/ Hygiene Cistermiser Unit 1 Woodley Park Estate 59-69 Reading RG5 3AN pr@wardturner.co.uk www.cistermiser.co.uk 0118 9691611

Business Services Network Care 15-16 Queen Square Leeds LS2 8AJ Tel:0113 281 6772 info@networkcareuk.com www.networkcare.com

Catering Fowler UK Unit 9 Link 59 Business Park Deanfield Drive Clitheroe BB7 1QJ 0800 6199337 david@fowleruk.com www.fowleruk.com

Clothing Boyd Cooper 3 Long Acre Willow Farm business park Castle Donington DE74 2UG Tel: 01332856566 catalogue@boydcooper.com http://www.dimensions.co.uk/Boyd_Co oper

Infection Control Environmental Hygiene Solutions 65 Riverside 3 Medway city estate Rochester Kent ME2 4BH Tel: 08000 434270 www.enhys.com

Clothing Labels Attachatag 4 Brackenholme Business Park Brackenholme Selby North Yorkshire YO8 6EL Tel: 01757 638926 enquiries@attachatag.com www.attachatag.com

Construction

Insurance

Jab Enterprises 1 Bickenhall Mansions Bickenhall Street London W1U 6BP Tel: 0800 0141 366 jon@jabenterprises.com www.jabenterprises.co.uk

Towergate Patrick Britannic House 230 Burlington Road New Malden Surrey KT3 4NW Tel 020 8336 0099 www.carehome-insurance.co.uk carehomes@towergate.co.uk â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Insurance for Careâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Corporate Badges Big Badge 111 Waldegrave Road Teddington TW11 8B Tel 020 8614 8880 sales@big.co.uk www.biggroup.com

Furniture Specialists Care Chair Enterprise House Cranswick Industrial Estate Driffield YO25 9PF Tel 01377 271700 sales@carechair.uk.com www.carechair.uk.com Crombie and Paul Belle View Barn Mansergh Kirky Lonsdale Cumbria LA6 2EJ info@crombieandpaul.com www.crombieandpaul.com

Holidays/ Excursions The Bond Hotel 120 Bond Street Blackpool 01253 341218 karen-dixon@bondhotel.co.uk www.bondhotel.co.uk

Home Care Providers Caremark Domiciliary Care Providers Unit 4 The Colonnades 17 London Road Pulborough West Sussex RH20 1AS Tel 01798 873770 info@caremarkuk.com www.caremarkuk.com

Laundry Miele Fairacres Marcham Rd Abingdon OX14 1TW 0845 3650555 slawrenson@themediashop.co.uk www.miele.co.uk

Legionella Testing Aquacert Sentinel House 11 High street Long Buckby Northants NN6 7RE Tel: 0800 7835226 info@aquacert.co.uk www.aquacert.co.uk

Sensorcare Systems TP House Prince Of Wales Business Park Vulcan Street Oldham OL1 4ER 0870 4214288 Paula.matsikidze@tpgroup.co.uk www.sensorcare.co.uk

Safety & Security Universal Hardware Direct UK Ltd Unit 202 Kingspark Business Centre 152 178 Kingston Rd New Malden Surrey KT3 3ST

Fireco 31-32 High Street Brighton BN2 1RP 01273 696007 Alan.buckle@b3partnership.co.uk www.firecoltd.com

Solicitors/ Legal Services Bates Wells & Braithwaite 2-6 Cannon St London EC4M 6YH 020 7551 7652 020 7551 7741 s.marchant@bwbllp.com d.tuck@bwbllp.com www.bwbllp.com

Nurse call/Patient Turnkey Safety Systems Solutions Safety Systems Distribution Ltd Unit 11B Hobson Industrial Estate Newcastle NE16 6EA neilrobson@safetysystemsdistribution.c o.uk www.safetysystemsdistribution.co.uk 0800 3282951

Simplicare PO Box 410 West Malling ME6 9EY Tel: 01622 605 099 www.simplicare.co.uk

15/6/10

16:55

Page 1

CARINGNEWS

Tarkett selected for new Birmingham hospital TARKETT was selected to supply the vinyl flooring throughout the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham. The company is working closely with constructor Balfour Beatty’s partner Tyndale Flooring, who are carrying out the installation, in order to ensure a ‘closed loop’ recycling system is operated. The first step in the process is for Tyndale to request collection of full waste bags. Tarkett logistics co-ordinate collection of the bags with the next delivery to site and they are then returned to the company’s factory in Kent. The product is then sorted and consolidated to ensure all material sent for recycling is suitable for processing. Materials are then loaded for transportation to Clervaux in Luxembourg. Tyndale Flooring has installed over 120,000m of Eclipse vinyl flooring, while Tarkett has collected over 55 tonnes of waste for recycling. The bulk of this has been reprocessed into backing material used in the manufacture of Safetred safety flooring, of which 16,000m has been installed in various washrooms and toilets. Enquiries: Telephone 01622 854040.

Award winning waterproof fitted sheet and mattress cover in one SPECIALIST contract furniture suppliers to the care home industry Crombie and Paul are the exclusive distributors of B.Sensible waterproof fitted sheets and pillow cases to the contract market in the UK. The B.Sensible bedding provides a comfortable sleeping experience, and is soft, waterproof, breathable, bedding which uses Tencel® (pulp of the eucalyptus tree). The totally natural fibre makes the waterproof element virtually undetectable . Available in 15 colours, the fitted sheets and pillow cases complement all surroundings, with no additional bedding protectors required. All bedding is hypo-allergenic with an anti-mite barrier, and is made in an eco-friendly manufacturing process. They come with a five-year guarantee, have a maximum temperature of 90 degrees and can be tumble dried, with no ironing necessary. Enquiries: Telephone 015242 73334 , email info@crombieandpaul.com or visit www.crombieandpaul.com

Knightsbridge launches innovative Lexie NEW to the Knightsbridge furniture healthcare collection is Lexie, a range of innovative armchairs and settees created exclusively by designer Catherine Hawcroft. Describing herself as a ‘problem solver’, Catherine was briefed to create a new suite for healthcare environments which combined versatility with comfort. Distinguished by good ergonomic design and a compact footprint, the initial Lexie family comprises settees in two-seat and three-seat configurations plus an armchair. All feature webbed seats and sprung backs for a comfortable sit and good lumbar and upper back support, and exude a contemporary domestic feel. Either single or stylish two-tone fabric options are available, and Knightsbridge offers vinyl upholstery for use in hygiene-critical areas. Feet are in either polished chrome or solid wood in natural beech, oak, cherry, bleached beech, walnut or wenge finishes. The Lexie is also available to Knightsbridge Reinforced or Extreme specifications for use in healthcare facilities where residents demonstrate challenging behaviour. Enquiries: Telephone sales on 01274 731442.

Birmingham home visits hotel annually BOND Holidays welcomes over 20,000 guests per year to its range of hotels and holiday homes. Based in the popular resort of Blackpool and neighbouring St Annes, the ever expanding hotel chain plays an integral role in the lives of many people with its specialist facilities, accessible rooms, and even a fully accessible transport fleet. The Bond Hotel in Blackpool is the flagship and welcomes a varied range of new and returning customers with varying degrees of disability. Westbourne Care Home in Birmingham have visited annually during the summer months for the past five years, and their group includes a range of service users with learning disabilities and their carers. “Our service users love the entertainment, it’s always varied and engaging. They also love Blackpool,” said Kylie Seymour.“The hotel provides a valuable service at great value, and we are always impressed by their courteous and friendly staff as well as their fantastic range of affordable trips.” Enquiries: Telephone 01253 341218.

‘Free Trial’ offer is a success IN response to our feature in Caring UK last month quite a number of care homes are taking up the ‘Free Trial’, offer to try out the industry standard Blanca ironing press from Fast Systems ltd. Safe, simple and sturdy, the Blanca press has been designed for years of continuous hard use. Sheets can be folded and ironed up to four layers at a time, tablecloths and napkins the same, plus shirts, trousers, blouses and uniforms can be pressed in half the time of normal hand ironing. Easy to keep clean, the Blanca press uses a Teflon heating plate and apart from occasionally changing the cover, it is virtually maintenance free. At around 10p per hour to run and taking half the time of hand ironing the Blanca press keeps those overheads in check. Contact Fast Systems on 0800 528 3278 to arrange your free trial.

Zest a market leader of IT products ZEST Care Systems is a market leader in the provision of IT products and services to the care sector. We have experience and knowledge which can provide our clients with some unique selling points, enabling increased occupancy and efficiencies, resulting in lower costs per resident. Our goals are the provision of superior quality computer services and support with a highly personal touch to fulfil the computer and technology needs of the industry. We assist the professional care operator in moving forward with technology, thereby helping them to grow and outshine their competition. Our services range from the latest computer hardware and software installations to state-of-the-art networking, broadband and telephony solutions. At Zest we take pride in our commitment to business and, with experienced leadership and highly skilled technical ability, we maintain a loyal client base by striving to go the extra mile for our customers. Enquiries: Visit www.zestcare.com or telephone 0844 504 4883.

Healthcare professionals choose Bella laundry range BEAUCARE Medical Ltd has re-introduced its Bella range of efficient, cost effective and eco-friendly laundry cleaning products. The range is specifically formulated with healthcare establishments in mind. It is cleverly designed to provide superb cleaning performance at lower temperatures, shorter wash cycles and kill bacteria at just 30°C, providing a more sustainable laundry cleaning process in terms of overall running costs and for the environment.

Bella professional comes in powder or liquid form: 10kg tubs, 5lt or 20lt liquid containers. When combining the laundry liquid with automated dosing systems, it creates one of the most efficient laundry solutions available on the market today. Beaucare also offers full advice on the most efficient way to run all healthcare laundry needs and provides expert fitting and maintenance of automatic dosing systems by its own service engineers. Enquiries: Telephone 01423 878899, email sales@beaucare.com or visit www.beaucare.com

Sensazone - the washroom water saver THE latest product from Cistermiser is a method of controlling water supply to all the appliances in a washroom. Sensazone is an intelligent infrared sensor located on the ceiling that dictates the activation of solenoids to allow the supply of water only when it detects the movement of someone entering the washroom. It continues to monitor the user as long as movement is recognised and, after that the length of time allowed for the continued supply of water is pre-set, either 15 or 30 minutes being the norm. All inflow then ceases once more, preventing water loss due to faulty appliances, negligence or vandalism. To take a defective WC valve as an example, Cistermiser has calculated that the use of Sensazone would save nearly 900 litres per week for a mere drip, and nearer 85,000 litres a week if the valve were to be fully open. Convert that into pounds and pence in a metred system and the figures are alarming. Enquiries: Telephone 0118 9691611.

18/6/10

15:28

Page 1

CARINGPRODUCT NEWS

Creating right ambience

Protection against spread of infection

BUYING art for your healthcare interior is crucial in creating the right ambience for the comfort of your clients and patients. From Easyart.com’s online shop you are able to browse through and select subjects, styles and sizes to suit your requirements. You can set up your own gallery and see images framed from a wide choice of frame options. Easyart offers a free consultancy service to its business customers advising on all aspects of selection the art, framing it and hanging. Easyart has worked with many healthcare organisations and provided art for a variety of different interior spaces from reception areas, communal spaces and individual rooms. Its in-house art specialist will work closely with the client from initial enquiry right through to installation.

TOUCHSAFE Nursecall ATX5000 is the new wireless alarm system from Aid Call which can also help users in the battle against the spread of infection. Residents in a home have close contact with each other and staff due to them sharing living accommodation, facilities and care equipment. The risk of acquiring and spreading infection in these environments is therefore high. Older people are at greater risk of developing infections as their immune systems are less robust. All elements of Aid Call’s Touchsafe Nursecall system which are touched or handled are embedded with powerful antimicrobial additives to help combat the spread of infection. This provides lifelong protection against the spread of infection. The ATX5000 has an LCD screen which enables the nurse to retrieve the next message without touching the screen and without having to return to the central alarm system station or touching screens.

Advice and solutions THE Care Show London has been designed to give the best possible advice and solutions to help with the latest CQC requirements. There will be a series of seminars designed to answer the many questions that care home owners and operators have in regard to the CQC regulations. These will be free to attend and run throughout the two-day event. In addition, there will be a CQC check-up clinic, which will be a drop-in centre for visitors seeking personal advice from industry experts. So that visitors can quickly and easily identify exhibitors that offer relevant products and services, they will be grouped together and highlighted according to the essential standards they help deliver. Visitors will also be able to take away a series of factsheets, checklists and information packs from the CQC library. Care Show London is free to attend and takes place at Olympia on October 6 and 7.

Specialist team here to help WM HEALTHCARE are a team of specialists who provide management or consultancy services to owners of care homes. We are experienced in working in many different types of care homes. Our key strengths are our ability to swiftly assess your care home against The Care Standards and Care Home Regulations. We have experience of immediate requirements, POVA’S, DOLLS, inspection reports, crisis management and offer good advice to care home owners who just don’t know what to do next.

Unique programme

Tony Banks with managers at the graduation ceremony

Care home managers ‘graduate’ CARE home managers who took part in their employer’s inaugural management development programme have officially ‘graduated’. Fourteen of the Balhousie care group’s managers, who joined the scheme last July, graduated at the ceremony in Dundee. The programme aims to help staff develop their leadership and professional management skills, and give the group the highest quality of personnel to lead its homes. Founder and chairman Tony Banks

said the management programme was an important part of continued personal development for each of the managers. He added: “We have clear plans for growth over the next few years and our aim is to become the most admired and respected provider of residential care in Scotland. “In order for us to be the best, we recognise that investing in our best asset – our people – is key, so we introduced the management development programme to help our

Beds, hoists and slings are this year’s top selling products from Beaucare BEAUCARE Medical Ltd has achieved record sales of its electric profiling beds, hoists and slings. The company has been supplying beds to the healthcare sector for over 10 years, with the majority of customer purchases still being in good working condition after seven years of use. The electronic profiling beds are designed with end user comfort and safety in mind; are easy to operate for healthcare professionals; meet EN 12530 standards (casters); include an MRSA resistant coating on the headboard and are purchased with free assembly by fully trained Beaucare service engineers. The Beaulift hoist range has also proved to be a top seller, with increased sales in the mini, maxi, stand up and bath hoist. In addition, Beaucare slings compliment both the beds and hoists as being in some of this year’s most wanted products to date. Enquiries: Telephone 01423 878899, email sales@beaucare.com or visit www.beaucare.com

senior managers to hone their existing skills and ultimately provide an even greater service.” The programme was delivered through a mix of classroom work, workshops and role play, along with coaching and self study on subjects including managing staff, negotiating and selling skills, communication and presentation.

A WELSHPOOL care home is taking part in a unique all-Wales programme to improve the lives of people in care homes. Barchester Healthcare’s the Rhallt Care Home is involved in the ‘My Home Life Wales’ programme, which is run by the older people’s charity Age Cymru and funded by the Welsh Assembly Government’s Health Challenge. Manager Nick Oulton: “We’re going to be sharing our ideas with the My Home Life Wales programme about the things that we do at The Rhallt.”

Open day marks refurbishment WINSTON Churchill’s grandson Nicholas Soames was the guest of honour at a West Sussex care home’s open day to mark the completion of extensive refurbishment work. The renovations at Caring Homes group’s Walstead Place included giving the communal areas a fresh modern look and the bedrooms an upgrade. Each has new furniture and the showers were changed into wet

rooms to improve safety and ease-ofuse for residents. Other work included a new roof for the redecorated conservatory, which also has improved disabled access, while a new serving area has been created in the dining room. The home also has a new manager, Jacquie Ferguson, who has more than 25 years’ experience of nursing care.

Conference aimed at care providers MJM Events’ series of conferences for care providers has begun with events in Cornwall and Somerset. This year’s series is themed around Personalisation, and delegates have already heard from Linda Nazarko, Martin Green and Des Kelly, while other presenters include a lawyer and a pharmacist.

A trade exhibition, with 25 stands covering all kinds of goods and services, operates throughout the day, giving delegates lots of opportunities to pick up helpful advice. Further events are planned for other regions of the country during the summer.

15/6/10

16:38

Page 1

CARINGNEWS

‘Investing in the care home Sue bows out after 27 years environment delivers massive benefits’ FINANCE should not be a barrier to achieving significant improvements in the quality of dementia care. Increasingly, improvements are dictated by a drive to spend as little as possible. Some operators will not spend any money on improving the environment unless they have an imminent CQC inspection. Clearly this is highly motivating and many of Find’s clients receive improved star ratings. Where addressing the environment, failure to invest is false economy so we need a new maxim – more is less. The fact is, investing in the care home environment delivers massive benefits. Within a year any investment will be recovered and continue paying dividends. An Alzheimer Society study concluded the cost of incontinence is between five per cent and 10 per cent of a home’s running cost. Assuming typical performance of Find’s incontinence strategy, rough

calculations on a home with a gross income of £1.2m suggest annual savings between £16,000 and £40,000. This does not take into account secondary savings associated with improved staff retention, nutrition and reductions of drug use. Financial benefits of many aspects of environmental improvements now possibly need to be quantified. Find is commencing studies of a range of improvements to establish the valuable statistics of the impact of new environmental approaches. The company has a vested interest in a positive outcome, so to eliminate any bias that could be present, the resultant data will be collected independently by the participants, and audited by a department of the NHS. The study will be conducted in a number of locations, involve at least two major care home operators, and a university will make cost/ benefit analyses from the resultant data.

A CARE group’s quality assurance manager has retired after 27 years’ service. Sue Helliker is one of the founder members of Somerset Care, having worked for the organisation since it was formed in 1991 when it became independent from the county council. During her years with both she held a number of roles, and has been in her current one for the last seven. Sue said: “I first became interested in care through my mother, who was a nurse for many years. I started working nights in a care home before moving on to become a member of management. “I then became a care home manager, area manager and director of the group’s domiciliary care sector before my most recent role. “Over the years I have met and worked with the most incredible peo-

ple you could imagine, and I have had the most fulfilling career.” Sue, who plans to spend more time with her family as well as her husband at her holiday home in France, said she is proud to leave the group knowing all of its homes are rated at least 'good'. She added: “My last role was a pressure one as it involved auditing all of the group's sites and ensuring the right policies and procedures were in place. “I also spent a lot of time talking with the residents and it has always been really important to me to ensure that all of them were being treated as individuals. “All residents should be treated with dignity and respect, and I always would like to think the staff were looking after them as if it were their parent or grandparent.”

Management

Signs

Uniforms

Keys

Transport

Ammerhurst Keys

Fax: 020 8275 5368 • Tel: 020 8275 5360 Email: sales@keysplease.co.uk • PO Box 3020, Barnet, EN4 8ZP

The Key Replacement Service HELP!

We’ve lost our keys

Key Number 67004

No problem!

‘‘

Simply quote the numbers and letters stamped on the lockface and we will post the keys today.

’’

Visit our website for more details: Order Keys Online www.keysplease.co.uk Simple and Secure

No.1 in used Wheelchair Accessible Transport ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORT AT AFFORDABLE PRICES • We specialise in the sale and purchase of quality used wheelchair accessible and ambulance vehicles. • They can be bought as seen or refurbished and signwritten to your own requirements. • 12 months MOT Class 5, and 12 months warranty. • Independent engineers report supplied FOC. • Delivery service available. • All buses fitted with seatbelts and comply to seatbelt legislation.

Always wanted late wheelchair accessible vehicles Gardiners Lane North, Crays Hill, Billericay, Essex CM11 2XE Tel: 01268 521033 • Mobile: 07860 894331 • Fax: 01268 284951 • sales@hwpickrell.co.uk

Visit our website for photos of current stock www.hwpickrell.co.uk

15/6/10

13:49

Page 1

15/6/10

13:51

Page 1