July 2016
no.241 • £4.75 incorporating
The Number One magazine for the care sector
Country’s care homes should be ‘cherished’
By Dominic Musgrave
A LEADING social care spokesman has urged the country to cherish its vital network of care homes as they face an uncertain future. Speaking ahead of the recent National Care Home Open Day, Mike Padgham says the country has wonderful care homes that are envied the world over. But he fears that serious underfunding and spiralling costs means that some homes are facing a struggle for survival. “National Care Home Open Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and cherish the fantastic work that care homes do, up and down the country, 365 days a year to look after frail and vulnerable people who can no longer look after themselves,” he said. “But we must cherish and protect them as their future looks increasingly uncertain.” This year’s fourth open day had the theme celebration and was an opportunity to showcase the work care homes do and dispel the myths that exist. Mike, chair of the Independent Care Group (York and North Yorkshire), added: “We are truly blessed in this country to have such a wide variety of wonderful care homes, staffed by excellent, dedicated and committed staff who
work round the clock to provide outstanding and compassionate care to people who cannot live without it. “The open day demonstrated that to the country as homes opened their doors to the public to put on show the care they offer. “But at the same time we have to face up to the fact that the future for our care homes is uncertain to say the least. Unless we wake up and properly fund social care, because of funding pressures and rising costs, we will lose some homes altogether. When they are gone and people are struggling to find places for older and vulnerable adults to live, it could be too late to do anything about it.” According to recent research, a quarter of care homes in the UK are in danger of going under within three years. From a market of 20,000 homes (run by 6,000 operators) – some 5,000 are at risk because of debt, difficulty covering loan repayments and rising costs. Laing Buisson say in the 12 months to September 2015, more than 7,700 care beds were lost in England, against 6,100 new beds being opened – a net loss of 1,600 beds. By the end of summer 2016, a further 2,500 care beds will be lost, suggesting a loss of more than 4,000 care beds in just two years.
Line-up of conference speakers is confirmed
UKHCA chief executive Bridget Warr has been recognised in the Queen’s birthday honours list. She was awarded a CBE in recognition of her contribution to social care and the voluntary sector. Bridget said: “I was delighted and humbled to receive this nomination. It is so encouraging that social care in all its guises is becoming well recognised as a vital service. It is essential that people in vulnerable situations can be confident that their health and wellbeing is valued by society.”
THE third of this year’s Caring UK care providers conferences takes place at York Racecourse next month. Featuring a stellar line-up of speakers talking about a range of topics, as well as an extensive exhibition showcasing all the latest products and technology, Elderly Care: Leading the Way is a must-attend event for the region’s care home and domiciliary care operators/ managers. Taking place on Wednesday July 13, speakers confirmed for the event include Nadra Ahmed OBE, chairman of the National Care Association, Angela Thompson, locality manager for Skills for Care, Ros Sanderson, head of inspection for the CQC and Lynn Kennedy, learning and development officer at Stirling University (DSDC). Also speaking will be FISC Healthcare managing director Eddy Fishwick, Care Protect MD Philip Scott, OOMPH! heading of training Steven Gardner and Active Minds founder Ben Atkinson-Willes. n Full details of how to book your place at this event or our conferences later in the year in Plymouth on October 5 and Cheltenham on October 6 are available on pages 25 and 26.
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‘Twiddle muffs’ comfort elderly with dementia By Olivia Taylor TWIDDLE muffs are providing a “calming and relaxing influence” for elderly residents living with dementia at Barnfield Care Home, in Chesterfield. The furry hand warmers have been adorned with ribbons, buttons and textured fabrics for residents to twiddle in their hands. The creations have been a hit – as those living with dementia often have restless hands and respond well to keeping them occupied, according tot he home’s manager, Andrea Broadhead. She said: “The twiddle muffs provide a source of visual, tactile and sensory stimulation and, at the same time, keep residents hands snug and warm. “They have proved hugely successful and had a calming and relaxing influence after friends of one of our residents
provided the first as a gift.” Shirley Belcher and Janis Allen are friends of 63-yearold Barnfield resident Jill Stapleton. Shirley has known Jill for over 35 years. Janis is a neighbour and member of the Wessington and Brackenfield WI, where Jill was a secretary. The pair first created twiddle muffs after both responded to a Derby Hospital’s charity appeal for patients with dementia. Following the appeal, the pair had separate ideas of knitting twiddle muffs as gifts for Jill, who was diagnosed with dementia at 58 years old. They provided the gifts to husband Peter, who visits Jill at Barnfield daily. He said: “I was shocked when they both had the same idea, but really grateful. “The twiddle muffs have been so beneficial for Jill. She’s always enjoyed
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Editorial
Shirley Belcher and Janis Allen with carer Lisa Bown. twiddling things in her hands so when Shirley and Janis gave me the muffs to hand over to Jill she was very happy. She has enjoyed hours of time playing with them.” Following the success, Shirley and Janis have teamed up to knit twiddle muffs for all the home’s residents living with dementia.
Andrea added: “We are so grateful to Shirley and Janis and cannot thank them enough. “Something as simple as twiddle muffs can provide enormous benefits for those living with dementia and their generosity will have a huge impact on the lives of our residents.”
At Script Media, we try to get things right but occasionally, we make mistakes. If you have a complaint about a story featured in our magazine or on our website, please, in the first instance, contact us by email: dm@scriptmedia.co.uk We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice as demanded by the Independent Press Standards Organisation. For details on the code and what to do should you be unsatisfied with the way we handle your complaint, please visit www.ipso.co.uk
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How Alex brought the title home to the manor ALEX Morte, chef de partie at Signature’s Coombe Hill Manor in Kingston-upon-Thames, has been crowned the National Association of Care Catering Care Cook of the Year 2016 following a thrilling national final. At the age of 21 he is also the youngest champion in the competition’s history. At Barking & Dagenham College’s Technical Skills Academy, 12 finalists pushed the boundaries to showcase their exceptional knowledge, talent and flair in the specific field of care catering. Alex and his winning menu of grilled hake, charred asparagus, pea purée, crispy dill potatoes, crispy bacon and grilled vine cherry tomatoes followed
CARINGNEWS
by dark chocolate and salted caramel delice with a chocolate tuile claimed the title after 90 minutes of intense competition. He said: “I am absolutely blown away to have won. This is my first ever competition so to be the winner is amazing and unbelievable. The final was a great experience. It was nerve-wracking at first but once I started cooking I relaxed and I actually enjoyed it. For the judges to say there was a ‘clear winner’ is a great feeling and I am very proud.” Martin McKee from The Hawthorns care home in Aldridge took second place, with Alan Cash of Mildenhall Lodge care home in Mildenhall taking third place. Alex was also awarded highly
commended main and Martin McKee took highly commended dessert. Neel Radia, national chair, NACC, added: “Every year this fantastic competition just gets better and better. That was an exciting and closely-fought final and Alex should be incredibly proud of his title. “I applaud every single finalist for an exceptional display of culinary excellence. They all impressed the judges with their innovation, creativity and skill, and also the expertise and understanding of the complex nutritional, dietary and dining needs of those in a care environment that they demonstrated. “I am thrilled to see the NACC Care Cook of the Year competition grow year on year. It is testament
to the high standards and genuine talent within our sector and to the dedication of care chefs to continuously deliver excellence on behalf of those entrusted to their care. All of the competitors are great ambassadors for the exciting and rewarding care catering sector.” The NACC Care Cook of the Year competition seeks out the best care cook in the UK by challenging entrants to create a nutritionallybalanced, two-course menu (main and dessert) that is suitable for service users in a care setting. The combined food cost for both courses must be no more that £1.50 per head based on four portions and it is to be produced in just 90 minutes.
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Train treat is just the ticket ... RESIDENTS from a Stockport care home received the red carpet treatment as they enjoyed an outing on the East Lancashire railway, which is reminiscent of the Orient Express. Upon arrival, the residents from Brinnington Hall were greeted with a champagne reception before embarking on the Pullman style steam train. Passing through the East Lancashire countryside, with scenic views of rolling fields with seasonal bluebells and lambs, the residents received a full afternoon tea provided by award-winning Slattery Patissier and Chocolatiers with first class service. Natalie Ravenscroft, regional activities executive for Brinnington Hall, said: “I was expecting Poirot to walk through the carriage at any moment – luckily the journey went with no murder-mysteries to solve. “When planning trips and events, I listen to our residents’ feedback and whilst they love the memories evoked by a trip to a local museum, it can be tiring. “I stopped and thought, what better way to remember the past than to relive it? “For many, a journey on a luxury train like this was a life-long dream so I am tremendously happy that we made that happen for them. Their faces said it all.”
Roni blooming thrilled by garden party treat By Olivia Taylor
A CARE home worker from Glasgow was royally rewarded for her service to the community when she attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace with the Queen. Roni Allen, a care assistant at Norwood Care Home in Barrhead, was recognised, not only for her contribution to the home, but also as a member of the board of trustees for Toc H – an organisation which seeks to ease the burden of others and unite communities. The garden party at Buckingham Palace was attended by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and featured three tea tents to cater for the guests, as well as two royal military bands that played a selection of music for the entertainment of the attendees. Roni made the trip to London with her daughter. She said: “It was of course a huge honour to be invited to join in such a prestigious event and being able to share it with my daughter made it extra special. “The whole experience was incredibly exciting, being surrounded by the ceremony of a royal occasion
and getting the opportunity to speak to many people who have achieved wonderful things.” Roni first discovered the work of Toc H while working with her husband at the biker café they previously owned and has been involved with the charity ever since. She added: “Though I’m English by birth, I’m very proud to live in Scotland and to have had the opportunity to represent the work that both Bupa and Toc H do north of the border. “I made sure my outfit represented that with a bit of tartan and a thistle as well, though I did stop short of a leather jacket from my biking.” Staff and residents at Norwood were just as happy to see Roni gain this well-earned treat. Liz Campbell, home manager, added: “Roni always goes above and beyond in her work. “That is clear from the charity work she undertakes on top of her duties here at the home. “Everyone was delighted to see her get this surprise invitation, which she very much deserves, and we loved hearing all about the event and her time at the Palace.” Patronised by the Queen, Toc H was
Roni Allen founded during the First World War as a soldier’s club. It has now developed into an international charity committed to bettering the lives of others.
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CARINGNEWS Advertiser’s announcement
Right dose for the right resident at the right time, every time By Paul O’Hanlon EVERY year care homes in the UK dispose and waste over £50m worth of medicines1 and 69 per cent of residents have had a least one error to their medication regime2. In the absence of an automated medication management and administration process this isn’t really surprising when you consider that the average care home occupant takes on average seven medicines a day3. With each additional medicine comes an increased risk of errors in prescription, monitoring, dispensing or administration, as well as adverse drug reactions, impaired medicines adherence and compromised quality of life for patients4. The CQC’s annual State of Care Report found that the issue of safety was the biggest concern for homes, with one of the main factors being poor medicines management. Omnicell UK believes the answer to all these issues lies in the launch of Omnicell eMAR, an automated medication management system which replaces MAR sheets in a managed care environment. The system gathers information, provides prompts and accurate instructions for staff and gives
managers real-time administration data at the touch of a button ensuring the right patient, receives the right dose at the right time, every time with a clear audit trail. The entire medication management and administration process is automated, making it safe, simple and compliant for everyone involved. The ‘carried forward’ feature allows homes to use up the medication from previous cycles instead of throwing them away and works alongside the simple stock report which shows how much product needs to be ordered, avoiding a surplus or lack of stock. With Omnicell eMAR, each individual medication is identified through a bar code applied in pharmacy, which can then be tracked at all stages from checking in at the care home through to administration to the resident, to unused items which are disposed of or returned to the pharmacy. The system uses on screen photograph identification, provides important medical history for each patient and includes a simple alert and verification system to minimise the risk of medication administration errors in the home. Omnicell eMAR will also provide care homes with peace of mind in the lead up to CQC inspections,
as managers will know all patient medication has been administered safely through easy to follow processes for care home staff. Reliable and accurate data will show that everyone received the right medication and dose at the right time. Initial trials and research of the system have demonstrated some impressive efficiency results for care homes including reducing medication checking-in time by 50 per cent5. References 1. www.medicinewaste.com
2. Medication errors in nursing & residential care homes: CHUMS 2009 3. The Right Medicine: Improving Care in Care Homes, Royal Pharmaceutical Society, February 2016. 4. Medication errors in nursing & residential care homes: CHUMS 2009 5. Omnicell UK research evidence based on 40-bed care home & 340 items n Paul O’Hanlon is managing director of Omnicell for UK and Ireland.
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‘Inadequate’ homes improve ratings at re-inspection By Dominic Musgrave NEARLY three quarters of care homes originally rated Inadequate have improved their ratings following re-inspection by the CQC, it has been revealed. As a result, over 12,000 people across the country are now experiencing better and safer care from these services, according to the regulator. Analysis has revealed that out of 372 care homes rated as Inadequate, 73 per cent (273) have improved their overall ratings following the most recent inspection. From these re-inspections, three quarters (205) have gone from Inadequate to Requires Improvement and a quarter (68) have gone from Inadequate to Good. 99 of the care homes did not demonstrate sufficient progress to have their overall rating amended. 34 care homes that were Inadequate and re-inspected have subsequently become inactive – either following enforcement action taken by CQC or due to the provider choosing to close the service. The findings come at a time when the regulator has rated over 14,700 adult social care services across the country since its new approach of monitoring, inspecting and rating
services was introduced just over 18 months ago. Examples of how the re-inspected care homes were able to demonstrate that they had improved the quality of their care include: investing in training so that staff understand the needs of the people they are caring for and the required safeguarding procedures; cleaning and making sure rooms and communal areas present a homely and welcoming environment at all times; developing activities that match the interests of residents and involving them in decisions about their care, and; empowering staff to suggest ideas of how to do things differently. CQC’s chief inspector of adult social care, Andrea Sutcliffe, said: “Real change does not happen overnight – the improved ratings are a testament to the time, effort and determination of providers, their managers and their staff. “This is good news for the people who use their services who have every right to expect care we would be happy for a loved one to receive. “While services that have moved to Requires Improvement are heading in the right direction, I am clear that this is still not good enough and providers cannot afford to be complacent. Evidence of consistent practice and
sustainability is what we are looking for, to ensure people always get the Good care they deserve. “Ultimately, if services cannot or will not improve for the benefit of people they are paid to support, then quite frankly there is no place for them in the care sector. As the regulator, we will be vigilant and will not hesitate to use our powers to put a stop to poor standards of care being provided if necessary.” Chief executive of Care England, Professor Martin Green, added: “I am very encouraged to see the latest report from the Care Quality Commission and this clearly shows that despite the care sector facing significant challenges, there is clear evidence that improvements in the quality of care are being sustained.” Stephen Burke, director of Good Care Guide , the independent TripAdvisor style website for the care industry, said the improvement in care homes has been reflected by better comments left by families over the last year. He added: “Reviews have shown that fewer families are dissatisfied with the quality of residential care for older people. “Clearly CQC’s tougher inspection regime has had a real impact, along with increased public expectations
CQC’s chief inspector of adult social care, Andrea Sutcliffe. and vigilance. “The challenge now for CQC is two-fold. First to sustain the improvements in care homes. And secondly, CQC needs to be a lot tougher in its inspection of homecare services. Reviews on Good Care Guide show consistently that homecare services are rated worst of all care services for older people and children. Homecare is key to supporting our ageing population out of hospital and needs to get much better.”
Getting the right cover at the right price By Simon Bentley CARE homes face a range of specialist risks. Insurance brokers can help to understand individual exposures and arrange comprehensive cover at competitive rates. Care home owners are faced with a unique and wide range of risks that they need to take into consideration when arranging insurance, from administering medication to keeping residents secure and visiting relatives and staff safe. Consequently it is unlikely that an off-the-shelf insurance policy will provide the cover they need – no more and no less – or the best value for money. Insurance can offer care managers the freedom to prosper, safe in the knowledge they are covered and in a position to continue trading if and when the worst happens. On the other hand, if a care home is under-insured, it can cause significant financial and emotional distress and, in some circumstances, could even put it out of business. So what should you expect from an insurance broker? 1. Specialist knowledge The care sector is very diverse, from small individual homes to emerging groups and big chains. No matter the size of the organisation, all care businesses need specialist support from a broker who understands their needs. What we call “the risk environment” never stands still. A
broker needs to be in touch with all of the current issues to provide the right answers.
palm you off to a third party claims handler, you may want to consider moving to another broker next year.
2. Choice New products and services are coming into the market all the time. A good broker will be researching these to secure the most appropriate deal, demonstrating how and why they have identified a certain product. If they can’t, ask why - it could save money or reduce the risk of being under-insured if circumstances have changed.
6. Transparency around charges Fees should be very transparent between the broker and their client and discussed from the outset. With smaller businesses or individuals, more often than not the arrangement is done on a commission basis, whereas with larger clients, one-off fees are often more appropriate. Brokers can usually offset their charges by securing excellent deals on your insurance premiums because of their buying power and strong market relationships. You may find that you are paying the same – or even less – than you were previously, for more extensive cover. While insurance can be very transactional and completed on a standalone renewal date every year, the best insurance brokers can bring much more to the table. An insurance broker can help improve your bottom line, protect you, your people, your property and your reputation – often saving you money at the same time. That is a lot of things to protect or manage so it’s vital to find a broker you can trust and who has the expertise and appetite to do it effectively. n Simon Bentley is joint divisional director of Howden’s Care division – an insurance broker specialising in the care sector. www.howdengroup. com/careandmedical
3. Negotiating power A leading broker can access numerous different insurers in order to find the right solution and offer more choice. If they have long standing relationships with insurers, this may also have a direct bearing on the terms they can negotiate. A strong broker will have earned the trust of insurers and their underwriters, so even if the market or sector is challenging, they will be able to secure terms that others perhaps couldn’t. 4. Independent advice Insurance brokers are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, which means they have to follow strict protocols and demonstrate they are always acting in their client’s best interests. The cornerstone of that is providing genuinely impartial advice that is appropriate for each individual’s or
Simon Bentley company’s set of circumstances. A broker acts for the care home, not the insurer. If renewal premiums have gone up significantly or, say, cover for water damage has been withdrawn following a series of claims, a broker can often negotiate to secure the right balance between premiums and excesses. 5. Hands-on claims support Claims are the real moment of truth – the moment care managers know whether they have the right cover in place, with the right provider. A good broker should act as your champion, proactively working with you and your insurers to get claims resolved promptly and fairly. If they
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New partnership to offer student nurses front line work experience By Olivia Taylor CARE provider Belong is hoping to attract the next generation of nurses into the care sector with the help of a new partnership with the NHS and North West Placement Development Network. As part of the scheme, student nurses in the second and third years of their training will be given the opportunity to gain practical experience, working alongside staff at one of Belong’s five care villages in the North West. The partnership will equip student nurses with practical skills to complement their academic training and will also form part of Belong’s longerterm recruitment strategy by raising awareness of the work its staff and nurses do. Nurses at the care specialist’s villages in Atherton and Wigan are now undertaking university accredited mentorship qualifications so they can take a lead role in providing educational support to students. Julie Washington, general manager at Belong Atherton, said: “We are very excited about what this partnership between
Belong Atherton’s RGN mentor Louise McMullen (left) with student nurse Kirsty Durkin Belong, the NHS and the North West Placement Development Network will mean, not just for our current staff, but for our recruitment prospects in the future. “Nurse recruitment is a major issue for the care sector and we hope this partnership will expose the next generation of nurses to a new kind of working environment, and inspire them to consider a career in this area of the care sector.” Belong Atherton recently welcomed its first student nurses at its village prior to the scheme being rolled out at Belong’s
other villages in Wigan, Crewe, Macclesfield and Warrington. It is expected that students studying at Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Manchester, UCLAN, the University of Chester and the University of Salford will benefit with placements. Phil Orton, head of people at Belong, added: “We have been looking for some time how to respond to the shortage of nurses in our sector and how we can attract new nurses to take up the career, but also how we can provide a good learning experience for nursing staff when they are with us so they are more familiar with the sector and the kind of work we do. “There is quite a bit of stigma from outside the sector about what nurses do and it’s got an out-dated image of working in old care homes. We want to show that the work we do is much more about getting residents and customers involved in activities, especially through our Experience Day programme, and give them opportunities to get involved in the community and interact with people who live in the community.”
Steve Harris and Molly Nock.
Firm appoints coordinator
A NEW care coordinator has been appointed at a Shropshire company after following in her mother’s footsteps to go into the industry. Former chef Molly Nock has been appointed to the role at Sentinel Care Services, based at Stafford Park. The 21-year-old has been working as a community care support worker for seven months. She said: “I love care work and this is the best of both worlds, being in the office and still doing care as well. “I also get to work in a much wider area and meet so many new people as well. Molly originally completed a catering course and has previously worked as a chef at Wall Heath Tavern and the Kingfisher Club in Wall Heath. But when she first started working in care she was continuing to be a chef as well. Molly has since completed training in care work and will now begin an NVQ level three in health care and a business admin course.
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Medication guidelines launched for nursing home care assistants Caryn Innes
By Olivia Taylor
BIELD has appointed Caryn Innes as its new head of development. With more than 20 years’ experience in the public and private sector, Caryn will oversee the company’s growing portfolio of property developments in Edinburgh and St Andrews, as well as identifying opportunities for growth. Having spent the last seven-anda-half years as development and regeneration manager at Four Housing in the North East of England, she is making a return to Scotland. Caryn said: “I’m delighted to be making the move to Bield, particularly at such a pivotal time for the organisation. “I hope to bring a fresh eye to the fantastic work already being done and see if we can consolidate and improve on the great position we are in, in terms of our provision of housing options for older people, care services and the standing of the organisation. “On a personal level, it’s a great move for my career. I’m excited to be back working this side of the border and for Bield.”
THE University of Leeds has teamed up with the Department of Health to launch new guidance on whether care assistants can administer medicines to residents in nursing homes. This guidance, which has been welcomed by key sector organisations, provides clarity for care home providers and staff about the legal and safety issues of care assistants administering medicines to residents in this setting, following confusion about the issue within the sector. In some nursing homes, trained care assistants can administer medications. In others, care assistants do not. This is often due to concerns about whether this is legal, or appropriate, if there is a registered nurse present in the home. Professor Karen Spilsbury, Investment Chair in Nursing from the School of Healthcare at the University of Leeds, wrote the guidelines in collaboration with colleagues from the Department of Health and the School. She said: “The guidance and review make it clear that it is legal for care assistants to undertake this
Group makes appointment
Professor Karen Spilsbury. enhanced role as long as they have been appropriately trained and their competence is regularly assessed. “This will free up time for registered nurses so they can engage with residents and spend time on other important areas of work. “This can include caring for, assessing and managing residents who have the most complex care needs, focusing on managing complex therapy and medicine
regimes, or supervising care delivered by other staff. Supervision is vital so that the highest quality of care is delivered and so staff feel supported and confident in the work that they perform.” There is no evidence to suggest that the administering of medicines by care assistants increases the incidence of medication errors, as long as the correct training, assessment and support are provided, alongside procedures for reporting any errors. Professor Spilsbury added: “In the last 30 years, the number of people aged 90 and over has almost tripled. People admitted to nursing care homes are entering them later, older and frailer, with complex needs due to living with long-term conditions, including dementia. “The challenge of meeting the demand of caring for more people with higher levels of need is going to require innovative solutions. “It makes sense to use the human resources available in the care home to best effect, and care delivery models should evolve to meet the changing demands of society.” The guidance can be found at www. gov.uk/government/publications/ administration-of-medicine-in-carehomes
MediEnlist can fix your summertime staffing problems SUMMER is here and the sun has finally awoke from hibernation and is shining down on us through wispy columns of charcoal induced BBQ smoke. It’s also the time of year when it seems like the entire workforce wants to jet off to exotic lands to sip cocktails while leaving the remaining already overstretched staff to pick up the extra workload and push through the painfully slow moving 12 hour shifts. With operational costs getting higher month by month it makes sound financial sense to reduce your agency staff bill. MediEnlist can help. They supply UK care providers with high quality nurses and healthcare assistants sourced from within the European Union. Pay only an affordable one off fee and avoid those crippling monthly agency fees. MediEnlist stress they are not an agency, they continually develop a network of high quality skills talent from across the European Union. This, in combination with active training and development of potential candidates ensures that their placements have the necessary skills, qualifications and professional registrations required to integrate
seamlessly within your team. MediEnlist understand that swift time-scales are extremely important and they have a remarkable average of only 30 days from interview date for nurses to commence employment Mihaela Calota in the UK (this figure includes nurses without a PIN commencing initially as a senior nursing care assistant). They currently supply nurses and healthcare assistants to some of the biggest names in the UK private healthcare sector and have recently expanded their operations to include further key locations throughout the EU, ensuring they have the capacity to supply even the highest demand. A welcome new addition to the MediEnlist team is Mihaela Calota, who has recently joined the ranks to fill the position of business development manager (UK).
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In the wake of apetito’s recent industry leading white paper on dysphagia, Lee Sheppard, director of public policy and external affairs at apetito, calls for action to help care homes cater for this increasingly prevalent condition.
Dysphagia – the hard to swallow truth DYSPHAGIA affects as many as 75 per cent of UK care home residents. This relatively unknown condition can affect the ability to swallow, chew and enjoy food. Despite this, there is a worrying lack of accessible information available to support care home owners and operators as they work with residents to combat this debilitating and potentially life threatening disorder. apetito, the UK’s expert in providing meals for the health and social care sector, is encouraging those who have responsibility for caring for elderly residents to be aware of dysphagia and the problems is can cause by releasing ‘TheKnowledge: Dysphagia – The Hard to Swallow Truth’, a new white paper exploring the prevalence and complexities of the condition. Limited awareness, lack of training and resource, plus inconsistent use of national standards, all mean it’s not a surprise that many care homes find catering to residents with dysphagia among their biggest challenges. And it’s a challenge that is set to grow to in years to come. The UK population aged 65 and over grew by 47 per cent between mid-1974 and mid-2014 to make up nearly 18 per cent of the total population1 and this number continues to rise. With dysphagia largely affecting people over 65 it is clear that its prevalence will also
increase proportionately. Faced with such an imminent challenge, action must be taken now to support care homes. apetito is calling for the following:w Consistent use of standards The Dysphagia Diet Food Descriptors were introduced in 2011 in response to ongoing concerns relating to the inconsistency of language used to describe the range of textures required for people with dysphagia. However, there is still a huge variation in the use of the descriptors, making it critical that an accepted national framework is used by all homes, both to reduce any risk of choking and raise standards in catering to those with dysphagia. A greater focus on dignity Catering to residents with dysphagia must focus on dignity as well as safety and this must be reflected and upheld by the CQC. Meals that do not allow residents to eat with dignity – that are not visually appealing – are not acceptable and the regulator has an important role to play in promoting this as part of its assessment.
Better diagnosis An assessment by a speech and language therapist is needed to make an accurate diagnosis of which stage of dysphagia a resident has reached. However, many homes struggle to get access to a SLT and instead
Lee Sheppard rely on an untrained and informal ‘prescription’ of the texture category required. Access to SLT’s has to be improved. Training Over 70 per cent of healthcare professionals we surveyed from across the health and social care sector identified a lack of help and education around dysphagia. This is unacceptable and continuing professional development must address this issue. Signposting In today’s digital age, we all turn to
the web in search of information. As dysphagia is so strongly associated with certain conditions (such as dementia, stroke and Parkinson’s), charities and support organisations shouldn’t be expected to become experts on dysphagia, but need to clearly signpost to expert sources that can help carers. In conclusion, dysphagia is a long way down the health and social care agenda despite up to 75 per cent of UK care home residents suffering to some extent. Many care home caterers struggle to provide meals that are both safe and appetising, the result of which is often bland, unappealing food that is both unsafe and nutritionally inadequate. Those living with dysphagia deserve not only to receive a safe meal, but one which also allows them to dine with dignity. apetito believes everyone should have the right to enjoy mealtimes. ‘TheKnowledge: Dysphagia – The Hard to Swallow Truth’ is the first in a series of industry defining reports by apetito exploring some of the key health and wellbeing challenges facing the health and social care sector. Download the report from www. apetito.co.uk or call 0800 542 2631. 1. Ageing of the UK population Part of Population Estimates for UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, Mid-2014 Release released: June 25, 2015.
Residents takes part in project to explore musical creativity
RESIDENTS at HC-One’s Aspen Court Care Home in east London are taking part in an exciting new project conceived by musician Julian West and music charity Spitalfields Music, in order to explore and celebrate their creativity. The project, entitled LivingArts, involves Julian and a small team of Spitalfields Music artists and musicians coming to Aspen Court each week since early February to work with Residents to create art, dance and music. The idea behind Living Arts is to enable Residents to
express themselves through music, movement and visual arts. During these weekly visits, Julian West, artists and musicians have been leading Residents through creative activities including playing musical instruments, singing, moving and dancing and offering words and stories, as ways of enabling them to be creative in the present moment. The response so far from Residents has been extremely positive and they have loved taking part in the project which has allowed their creative flairs to flourish. LivingArts has also
been an invaluable opportunity for all of the home’s Residents to come together to create something as a group. Spitalfields Music is a renowned east London music charity that aims to strengthen the local community through their pioneering learning and participation programme. As part of their commitment to innovation within the arts sector the project is being observed and reviewed by gerontologist, Dr Hannah Zeilig, as part of her ongoing academic research into age and ageing.
Aspen Court home manager, Christen San Pedro, said: “Residents have thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the LivingArts project and always look forward to the artists’ visit on Wednesdays. It has been a great opportunity for Residents to show off their creativity and display their hidden talents.” Julian West, Spitalfields Music and HC-One hope to extend this inspirational initiative following the Aspen Court project, empowering care home Residents through further creative experiences.
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Caregivers to help target scammers A NEW partnership between the National Trading Standards’ Scams Team and Home Instead Senior Care will place the home care provider’s 8,000 caregivers at the forefront of a new scambusting initiative. This will see Home Instead’s caregivers trained to combat mass market scams and arms the company’s caregivers with the ability to report suspected fraud directly to the NTS Scams Team. Home Instead, which was recently awarded the Queen’s Award for Innovation, has been involved in a public education programme on mass marketing scams since 2013. The new public/private partnership will help the company’s caregivers and clients to identify and fight mass marketing scams which each year claim 3.2 million victims with £5 to £10billion lost to scammers. Speaking about the new partnership, Trevor Brocklebank, CEO of Home Instead, said: “We are delighted to be working with National Trading Standards’ Scams Team to help disrupt mass marketing fraud
perpetrated by faceless criminals who prey on the elderly. “The amount of money lost to these criminals is quite shocking. The damage they inflict is not simply financial; it can have a devastating effect on an elderly person’s wellbeing.” Working with the NTS Scams Team, Home Instead has created a new e-learning hub which allows its caregivers to undertake online scam awareness training. The training resource, which standardises and formalises the training delivered, educates caregivers on the different types of scam and the particular risk to the elderly. It also highlights the potential damage to a person’s health and welfare. In addition, Home Instead has created a ‘Report a Fraud’ website which allows its teams across the country to report suspected fraudulent activity directly to the NTS Scams Team. This enables any suspected fraud to be investigated in a timely manner, and will also help alert the NTS Scams Team to the types of fraud being perpetrated and where.
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Lucky trio win their wishes THREE lucky care home residents watched Cardiff City play and had the opportunity to meet current and former players after winning a wish-granting competition. Charlie Criddle, Brian Miller and Michael McCarthy from Hallmark Care Homes’ Regency House and Shire Hall facilities in Cardiff and Greenhill Manor in Merthyr watched the game against Birmingham City from the luxurious Captains Lounge, which included a delicious brunch, and the opportunity to meet Aron Gunnarsson, Gary Bell and Derek Brazil. Brian had previously worked for Cardiff City as a football scout, while Michael and Charlie had been avid football fans for many years, with the latter having a season ticket with the club for nearly 65 years. Debby Roose, general manager at Regency House, said: “Charlie had a wonderful day out and we were very excited to make this wish come true for him. “Since we launched this competition in December, we have found out some great things about our residents and it’s fantastic to make some of these wishes come true.”
David Martins, customer relations manager at Care UK’s Colne View, with youngsters from St. Andrew’s Primary School.
Lesson in living with dementia By Olivia Taylor PUPILS at St. Andrew’s Primary School in Halstead, Essex had a lesson in what it’s like to live with dementia. A member of the Care UK team from the nearby Colne View care home dropped in to the school during Dementia Awareness Week. David Martins, customer relations manager at Care UK’s Colne View, led two interactive sessions for year five children at the school. As well as giving everyone information on the condition and how it can affect people, he also set out to make the pupils Dementia Friends. An initiative from the Alzheimer’s Society, Dementia Friends is all about
learning more about dementia and turning understanding into action. From telling others about Dementia Friends to visiting someone living with the condition to offer support. St. Andrew’s Primary School was also presented with copies of David Walliams’ children’s book ‘Grandpa’s Great Escape’, which focuses on the adventures of a beloved grandpa who is living in a care home and who has dementia. David said: “As a Dementia Friends Champion, Dementia Awareness Week provided the perfect opportunity for me to visit key groups in the community. My aim was to pass on my knowledge, and the benefit of my experience working with older people, to help more
people understand what it’s like to live with dementia. “During the week I’ve helped more than 130 people to become Dementia Friends. “ To achieve this I have worked closely with James Taylor from Greenfields Community Housing who is also a passionate supporter of Dementia Friends. We both feel it’s important to speak to the younger generation, so together we visited local schools. “The pupils at St. Andrew’s Primary School were incredibly enthusiastic and eager to learn and I’m sure ‘Grandpa’s Great Escape’ will prompt further thought and discussion beyond the classroom.”
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Closure threat grows amid cash struggles CARE homes are increasingly at risk of closing down due to rising costs and a lack of cash, it has been claimed. A recent BBC Radio 4 survey revealed that unless new cash was injected into the care home sector by local authorities, many beds would have to close to the elderly and infirm. More than a quarter of UK care homes are in danger of closure within the next three years, according to the BBC survey, reflecting a rising trend of care home operators closing their doors due to pressures such as the National Living Wage, pension auto-enrolment, restrictions on migrant labour and the increasing costs of inspection and regulation. Accountants Bishop Fleming, which has specialist insolvency and care home teams, is warning that care homes in trouble need to take advice about their options before it is too late and they become another statistic. Nearly 50 care homes went insolvent in 2014/15. The BBC research also revealed care homes were carrying too much debt and were not making enough profit to cover loan repayments. This has led to many increasingly having to be more creative over how they continue to offer social care for local authorities in the face of increasing pressures on resources.
Many are freezing recruitment plans or fundamentally changing their business models to survive. Head of Bishop Fleming’s care homes team, Tim Godfrey, said: “Although local authorities can levy an extra two per cent council tax this year to help pay for social care, this money has yet to reach care homes and may not get there at all where cash-strapped local authorities have more pressing financial priorities. “It is arguable as to whether the two per cent rise in council tax is enough anyway.” Jonathan Williams, a partner with Bishop Fleming and a licensed insolvency practitioner, echoed Tim’s warning. He added: “Where a care home is struggling but seeks advice sooner rather than later, it is possible to devise a rescue plan that will enable the care home to carry on trading. “With increasing staff costs – particularly with the final roll-out of auto-enrolment pension obligations – it is critical that businesses have accurate accounting and forecasting information. “At a time of static or possibly falling revenues, care homes must be sure that they have sufficient funds to meet a growing cost base.”
Jonathan Williams
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Phillippa joins Skelmersdale care home EXPERIENCED care professional Phillippa McGrath has joined Skelmersdale’s Birch Green Care Home as general manager. Phillippa is a registered general nurse who has spent the last 17 years in senior management positions, working either as home manager or regional manager roles across the private sector. Her last role was care quality manager for regional group Flightcare, which operates seven homes across the North West. In her new role Phillippa will oversee the day-to-day running of the home, and will ensure that there are high standards of care across the service. She said: “Since joining Birch Green I have enjoyed getting to know the staff, residents and their families here and I’m looking forward to leading the team as it continues deliver the highest quality care. “I have always believed that one of the keys to quality care is working with the residents and their families to deliver truly personal care, tailored to the individual and I want to make sure we are doing this in the best ways possible.” Birch Green cares for adults and older people with a range of needs.
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Coffee morning raises £750 A TENANT at a Bield Retirement Housing development in Dundee has brewed up a storm by organising a coffee morning that raised £750 for charity. Mary Thomas, who lives at Kingsburn Court, held the morning in the sitting room at the development for the second consecutive year, with the money made being donated to MacMillan Cancer Support. On offer were homemade cakes, Mary’s own handmade sandwiches and tea and coffee, as well a raffle and tombola with a range of prizes donated by local businesses and tenants at Kingsburn Court. These included hair treatments at a local salon and some luxury camping equipment. Any leftovers were delivered to other
Bield developments to ensure that nothing was wasted and no one left out. The event was well attended by Bield tenants, family and friends, while those unable to make it on the day were encouraged to buy raffle tickets in advance, ensuring that the donation made to MacMillan was as generous as possible. Mary said: “It’s fantastic to give something back to the community, and to have beaten last year’s donation is testament to the hard work of everyone who helped out in the run-up and on the day. “People are already asking what we’re going to do to beat that target at the next one. We always keep an eye out for good prizes to give and the local businesses are very generous.”
Residents at a care home in Paisley have been getting wise with wildlife thanks to an in-house visit from Scotland’s largest owl display team. Bupa’s Braemount facility welcomed Owl Magic into the home, giving the residents the chance to hold and touch the birds and learn about their new feathered friends. They were encouraged to interact with the different breeds – from the smaller scopus owl to the much larger snowy owl – all of which have been highly trained to handle any situation. Kate McConville, home manager, said: “It was a really entertaining day for everyone involved and all the residents adored having the owls with us at the home. As well as being fun and interesting, animal therapy is also especially beneficial for our residents as it is relaxing and can also be a very social activity.”
Resident Janette Banks cradles Primrose the rabbit while Jerry the goat says hello to pupils from Pennington Infant School at Belmore Lodge’s farm experience day.
Animal magic wows care home residents and young visitors By Olivia Taylor CHILDREN at a Hampshire primary school teamed up with care home residents to say hello to some furry friends. Alpacas Casper and Champers, Jerry the goat and Primrose the rabbit were among the special guests as Colten Care’s Belmore Lodge home in Lymington held a farm experience day. Residents were joined in their garden by pupils from nearby Pennington Infant School. Together they spent time stroking, grooming and playing with the animals. The collection, brought along by Alton-based Mill Cottage Farm, also included lambs, turkeys, chickens, ducklings and guinea pigs. Colten Care activities organiser Jackie Fergusson said: “Some of our residents have farming experience and so visits such as these are a chance to rekindle memories. “Others simply enjoy the gift of animal companionship, especially if they had pets when they were younger. It was a real delight to see the smiles on the faces of the residents and children as they were introduced to the animals.” The children’s visit is the latest
in a series of partnership activities between the school and the care home designed to strengthen community links. In recent months, pupils have given a concert at the home and a group from Belmore Lodge have staged a pantomime at the school. To help prepare for the farm experience, children in class two took part in an animal drawing competition. Two winners were picked by Tom Main of Mill Cottage Farm. The day also featured live music by the Romsey-based folk band Innominata, while plants grown by a residents’ gardening club were sold to visitors who popped in. Proceeds will go to the wall paintings appeal at St Mark’s Church, Lymington – one of the charities the home is supporting this year. A stall of merchandise in aid of the disability assistance dog charity Canine Partners was also on display. Mill Cottage Farm specialises in educational and recreational animal visits to care homes, schools and other venues. On the same day they also went to Belmore Lodge, the Mill Cottage team visited Colten Care’s Linden House dementia care home in Lymington.
Alison Hearle, group social life coordinator, with three social life coordinators and Helen Prosper, massage instructor.
Provider introduces new therapeutic approach MORRIS Care is introducing massage therapy for its team as part of its ongoing commitment to providing quality care for its residents across Shropshire and Cheshire. Its team of 10 social life co-ordinators have been trained by leading massage therapist and instructor Helen Prosper from East Sussex, who has over 25 years’ experience in therapeutic massage for the elderly. The course focused on sensitive hand and forearm massage, to promote the importance and the need for touch in human physiology and how it can be implemented appropriately and sensitively in the healthcare sector to support recovery and reassure, amongst the elderly. Morris Care will perform these massages to residents on a one-toone basis as part of providing social
activities that all residents can enjoy, where they can have some one-toone quality time with their social life coordinators. Alison Hearle, group social life co-ordinator, said: “Ensuring staff are trained and up to date on the latest industry findings and innovations is vital, and this type of person-centred training benefits both residents and their social life co-ordinators. “With touch being the first sense developed, it is clear to see how and why it has such an impact on our lives and the interactions we share with others. Therapeutic massage is well known for relieving tension in the body and can also improve and enhance the resident’s quality of life. It also provides a medium through which we can effectively communicate and connect with our residents at an emotional level.”
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Balhousie staff and relatives raised more than £1,000 with a hike up Glen Clova.
Group’s staff raise money for residents with climb MORE than 40 staff and relatives at Balhousie Care Group, a leading Scottish care provider with 25 residential care homes across the North East, have raised over £1,000 for the Residents’ Comfort Fund with a hike up Glen Clova. The heat made conditions tough, but the group completed the 10 mile-round climb, ‘bagging’ both Mayar and Driesh Munro’s along the way. The hike rounded off a week of fundraising activities at Balhousie Care Group as part of Dementia Awareness Week, organised by Alzheimer Scotland. Staff organised the fundraising effort in support of their Together We’re Great initiative, which
focuses on how staff, residents and the wider community can come together and go that extra mile to create exceptional care across all of the group’s homes. Louise Barnett, operations director at Balhousie Care Group, said: “Everyone at Balhousie is exceptionally proud of those who took part in the Munro Hike and I’m thrilled by the fantastic effort from those who took part. “The money raised will provide residents with the chance to do something special – whether it be a day out or fish suppers all round. We look forward to seeing them enjoy whatever they chose to do with the money raised.”
Poetry book breaches barriers of dementia at Lymington home By Olivia Taylor A BOOK of poetry written with the help of people with dementia has been published by Lymington’s St Barbe Museum & Art Gallery in Hampshire. The Sharing Shorelines anthology was created as part of the Sharing Shorelines community engagement project, which ran alongside the art exhibition Shorelines: Artists of the South Coast. Colten Care, the Lymington-based family owned care home provider, sponsored the Sharing Shorelines project. The Shorelines art exhibition took place at St Barbe gallery between September 2015 and January 2016. It explored how artists from the 18th century to the present day have drawn inspiration from the cliffs, harbours and beaches of southern England. St Barbe invited people affected by dementia to visit the gallery and take part in a series of ‘conversations’ about some of the paintings, with poet and storyteller Chris Bennett. Chris then recorded their observations, interpretations and feelings about the artwork. He said: “At the beginning of this project we had no idea how people
with dementia would respond to the paintings. “But people from throughout the community, with varying stages of dementia came along, and we just took things slowly, looked at the art and chatted about what we saw. “The participants’ reactions and observations were very interesting, sometimes giving glimpses of their memories, including holidays they’d spent by the sea. “I then simply took those memories and observations and moulded them into poems.” Colten Care arranged for residents from its Linden House and Kingfishers care homes in Lymington and New Milton to attend some of the gallery conversations. Marketing director Tim Wookey added: “The Sharing Shorelines project has been a huge success across the community and we were very proud to sponsor it as part of our overall commitment to community initiatives around our homes. “I attended some of the sessions at the gallery and saw for myself the inspiring way in which local people with dementia responded to the paintings. We were also very pleased to host the St Barbe team at Linden House, for a celebration to mark the finale of the project.”
Using television to help promote healthy ageing WITH Britain’s population continually ageing and our technology continually evolving, it is only natural that experts are looking at how tech can help promote healthy ageing. While many futurologists will be tempted to look at the effects of new innovations such as virtual reality and wearable tech to promote healthy old age, some are arguing that we should actually be looking at established technologies in the first instance. Professor June Andrews of Stirling University recently published a report looking at the role TV plays in promoting a healthy lifestyle in older age, including people with dementia. The report looked at the use of ‘integrated TV’, which would see activity schedules planned around TV programmes. Professor Andrews argues that this approach will help TV become a key driver of social activity that older people can take part in and would provide a form of entertainment, which is a core part of feeling happy and orientated. Sky has been working with care homes up and down the country to help develop vibrant activity schedules, centred around it’s content, and they’ve been heartened to see great creativity from activity co-ordinators who have been instrumental in ensuring healthy ageing. Below are three top tips on how your care home can use TV to promote healthy ageing: 1. Get active TV plays a vital role in helping keep residents fit and active. One home recently engaged residents in a chair aerobics session using Sky’s music channels, which gives the home access to a collection of some of the world’s best musicians such as Dutch violinist Andre Rieu. Or,
whilst watching the Women’s Tennis Association tour, residents can indulge in a game of indoor tennis to keep fit and healthy! 2. Use TV to help residents reminisce It’s well known that older people and those living with dementia respond well to reminiscent therapy. Sky’s comprehensive entertainment packages coupled with activities can be a great way to stimulate fond memories and promote wellbeing. For example, whilst watching Premier League games or classic films on Sky Movies such as Marilyn Monroe’s Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, residents can be engaged in activities that complement enhance existing therapies for residents with dementia and open doors that are often otherwise closed. 3. Promote intellectual stimulation Sky has a great roster of documentaries and films that are thought-provoking. Use these programmes to engage residents in conversations and debates that stimulate residents and help them ‘exercise the mind’. For example, after watching Restrepo, a documentary on Sky that sees film-makers Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington’s dig in for a year with the US Army’s Second Platoon in Korengal, Afghanistan, activity co-ordinators can host a debating society-style conversation on the themes raised in the documentary. Overall, TV can be a great tool for activity co-ordinators in doing new and innovative things to promote healthy ageing. To find out more or to discuss how Sky can help your care home, contact Hannah Williams, National Account Manager at Sky for Business. hannah. williams@sky.uk http://business.sky. com
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Extension includes nail bar By Olivia Taylor
GLAMOROUS care home residents in their 90s are enjoying some Hollywood-style glitz at their new nail bar. Age is no barrier in the beauty stakes at the Pen-y-Bryn care home, in Bagillt, in Flintshire, where the women are booking themselves in for a weekly file and polish. The professional nail bar is proving so popular with the elderly residents that 10 members of staff have now had to be trained in beauty therapy – just to keep up with demand. While pale pinks and peaches are clearly a favourite, some residents have grown fond of the ‘rock chic’ look – raising eyebrows among their friends and family. And it’s not just the women who are benefitting from the new pampering facility; many of the home’s male residents are partial to a hand or foot massage – minus the polish. The nail salon is just one of the additions to the home’s recently completed £1million extension, which has been designed to expand the social space in the home and create a community feel to the property. Owner and manager Pam Bochenski said it signalled the birth of a new ‘person-centred’ approach at the home. She added: “When I bought the home 10 years ago there was an old farmhouse with 11 bedrooms and a
bungalow in front with six bedrooms. It was like two separate businesses and it was always our aim to try and join them together. “It came to fruition 18 months ago when we created a link from the old part of the building to the new and added bedrooms. “The original bungalow is now the social area of the home with a hairdressing salon, nail bar, sensory room, new kitchen and nurses’ station. There’s also a lounge diner and conservatory. “Care has to change. We all want to get away from the institutionalised care homes of the past where people sat in their rooms all day. I did a lot of research during the building work and really liked the idea of more holistic care. “The residents really like being pampered but who doesn’t? It’s open every day and there’s no need to book, we just open the door. “We’ve always offered hand and foot massages but we wanted to ensure residents could go along to a salon rather than just sitting in the lounge.” Staff no longer wear uniforms and are instead encouraged to come to work in bright colours and flowers to brighten the feel of the home and promote interaction between residents. They also carry sensory items like feathers and musical instruments in their aprons to encourage residents to engage in communication.
Pen Y Bryn Care Home in Bagillt has recently completed a £1m extension and have created a ‘nail bar’ for residents. Senior Carer Rebecca Hughes does the nails of Joyce Hughes while her friend Brenda Wareham and owner/manager Pam Bochenski look on.
Over £17k raised at bridge event AROUND 140 people attended care home organisation Nightingale Hammerson’s 29th annual bridge event at NWRS, Alyth Gardens. The evening was organised by Nightingale Hammerson supporter Peter Hasenson and raised over £17,000, which will be put towards maintaining the high standards and range of facilities offered to residents at the charity’s three care homes, Nightingale House, Hammerson House and Belmont
Lodge. Peter Hasenson, chairman, Middlesex County Bridge Association, said: “It was wonderful to see many friends, old and new, enjoying an evening of fabulous food and competitive but friendly bridge.” The guest of honour was David Stern, a long-standing supporter of Nightingale Hammerson, who started organising bridge tournaments for the then Nightingale House, some 60 years ago.
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Virtual reality tour rolled out
By Dominic Musgrave
A PIONEERING staff training programme about dementia will be rolled out across a national group of care homes. PrimeLife commissioned Training2care’s virtual reality tour in response to David Cameron’s pledge to boost dementia research last year. The Prime Minister also said he wanted to provide better access to help, advice and support for people who have the condition and their carers. The virtual reality workshop was piloted at PrimeLife’s head office in Leicester where staff and people affected by dementia attended. Vicki Shaw, PrimeLife’s director of quality matters, said: “We are committed to ensuring our high standards of care are not only maintained but improved. “We wanted to develop a deeper understanding of what our clients who have dementia go through every day. “We are committed to delivering quality care, which is why we felt this training day would be hugely beneficial to our members of staff. “The feedback we received was hugely positive so we’re rolling it across the rest of our care homes.” Participants were asked to conduct a series of tasks while wearing specialist equipment which were designed to stifle their senses. Attendees wore goggles to blur their vision, spiky inserts in the bottom of their shoes to impair movement, large gardening gloves to replicate loss of nerve endings and headphones with loud music to increase
Participants Rachel Hough, Michelle Smith, Hannah Panter and trainer Alison Clarke. disorientation. Rachel Hough, a PrimeLife carer,added: “It wasn’t easy to understand what we were being asked to do by the course leaders and most of us just ended up guessing and walking around helplessly. “Afterwards we were told some of the instructions we were given had actually been things like ‘match a pair of socks on the bed’. However, the glasses we were wearing were so bad you couldn’t even tell where the bed was. “I think what we’ve learnt today has definitely helped me understand dementia
better. I think the tour will be hugely beneficial to the rest of our staff as it really does change how you see the condition.” Lesley Hartshorne, whose mother has dementia, also participated in the workshop. She said: “I’ve learnt more about the daily struggles my mum encounters in eight minutes than I have in the past 20 years, thanks to taking part in this workshop. “The tour made me feel like I was living her life and I experienced the frustrations she must regularly go through. I have a much better understanding of dementia now and what it feels like.”
Manager blazing a trail for Third award for Julie nursing standards in Wales A MANAGER at a care home in Newport, South Wales, who came to the country from the Philippines 10 years ago, is doing his bit to raise nursing standards in the social care sector after completing a groundbreaking training programme that has just been shortlisted for an NHS Wales Award. Edgar Bautista is clinical lead and deputy manager at Capel Grange, a 72-bed purpose-built facility owned by Linc Cymru Housing Association. Edgar recently received a commendation from Aneurin Bevan University Health Board after completing a five-month NHS Improving Quality Together Silver programme, as part of which he conducted a study on how nurses are trained and supported in delivering end-of-life care. Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has been running the IQT programme with NHS staff for just over two years, but is the first health board in Wales to open up the programme to nursing home managers working outside the NHS. The initiative is one of three shortlisted in the Improving Quality category of the high-profile NHS Wales Awards scheme, with the winner announced in September. Melanie Laidler, assistant director of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board’s Continuous Improvement Team, said: “The not-for-profit sector has such an important role to play in the overall delivery of care for the
Edgar Bautista elderly in Wales that we felt it was important to build on our experience of delivering IQT in the NHS and open it up to a wider audience. “There is so much knowledge and experience that can be shared between managers and care providers in the two different arenas and when we talk about continuous improvement there are real benefits in ensuring that we are all talking the same language.”
CARE practitioner Julie Wright, who works at Barchester’s Drummond Grange Care Home in Edinburgh, picked up her third award at the Edinburgh News’ Local Hero Awards. Julie won ‘Carer of the Year’ in both Barchester’s Care Awards and the Scottish Care Awards in 2015. She has now been awarded a third accolade for the work she does caring for the people who live at the home. Julie said: “The ceremony was very glamorous, the presenter was lovely and they had some great music and entertainment during the evening. “There were 12 of us from Drummond Grange who attended the awards ceremony. We were all made to feel very welcome – everyone there was really friendly.” Julie was up against two other finalists in the Carer category. When it was announced that she was the winner, she couldn’t believe it. She added: “People keep asking me how it feels to win and it’s hard to find the words. I still can’t believe I won. I had to give a speech on the night and I tried to explain then how
Julie Wright it feels. “I’m honoured and very thankful to Eleanor for nominating me. It’s amazing to know my colleagues felt I had a chance of winning. “I think this achievement is largely thanks to the good mentors I have had and the amazing colleagues I’m surrounded by. I have developed a lot and hopefully there is even more learning and development to come.”
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Mayor helps Coppice Lodge celebrate its new facilities ‘Caring about Dementia’ is theme for conference DEVON Care Kitemark Group with Southern Healthcare and the Devon Care Association are hosting a ‘Caring about Dementia’ conference on July 1 at Exeter Racecourse. This is an event they believe to be the first of its kind in the county, and what makes this conference different, is that they are attracting families and relatives as well as people with a dementia, to learn more about supporting people with the condition, regardless of setting. The conference is working in partnership with voluntary and charitable organisations to promote all types of support networks and the work they are doing – some of which may not be as well-known and could be beneficial to both families, health workers and people with a dementia. Geoffrey Cox, managing director, Southern Healthcare, said: “This is a really exciting conference
organised in collaboration with a number of different organisations and individuals, many of whom are volunteers, who are giving their time to help support those affected by a dementia, to deliver really positive messages aiming to make a positive difference to the lives of others.” The conference seeks to provide useful information on a range of messages about helping and supporting people. It will encourage collaborative working and aims to help break down any boundaries between health and care professionals, the people and who are actually affected by and living with this condition and the public at large, It will also aim to give families a chance to hear about developments in dementia care and support that are happening across Devon, and to learn how they can gain support for themselves and their relatives.
THE Mayor of Gedling officially reopened Coppice Lodge in Arnold after the home has recently undergone a series of renovations. Councillor Sandra Barnes chose to visit the home as one of her first official engagements as Mayor, and was overwhelmed by the facilities on offer. She cut the ribbon outside the doors of Coppice Lodge and announced the home officially open. Sandra was treated to a tour of the facilities and stopped for refreshments and a chat with staff and residents. She said: “It is a pleasure to be invited to officially reopen Coppice Lodge. The facilities at the home are second to none and it was great to meet with the people who live there, and are obviously enjoying the active lifestyle that the home provides. “I will certainly visit again to sample some more of the delicious cakes
from the coffee shop.” Many local care professionals also attended the event and were bowled over by the new café area in reception, which is already turning out to be the social hub of the home. They were delighted to see the authentic pub complete with piano and gave the innovative reminiscence room, which is styled as a 1950s living room, their stamp of approval. Home manager Samantha Kavanagh added: “Coppice Lodge really is a great place to live. The residents are already enjoying using the café area as a lovely place to welcome their family and friends. We also have a brand new activity room, plus a cinema room with popcorn machine. “There is so much to do at Coppice Lodge, and along with fantastic trips out, our residents are spoilt for choice. It really is a pleasure to show visitors round our beautiful home.”
Initiative launched for businesses CARE provider Home Care Preferred has unveiled a free new dementia awareness initiative for businesses. The scheme, piloted as part of Dementia Awareness Week, involved experts from Home Care Preferred delivering free interactive workshops to businesses in the local area. The workshops provide an insight into the challenges posed by dementia and how companies can make themselves dementia-friendly environments
– benefitting both employees and customers. Ken Waterhouse, managing director of Home Care Preferred, said: “A dementia diagnosis doesn’t have to lead to feelings of resignation and despondency. “With more people of working age living with dementia, we hope this initiative helps employers to provide better practical support to their staff and customers.”
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Home sold on behalf of liquidators Page 33
Homecare business is shortlisted for award
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MP opens marketing suite as recruitment drive under way
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Dewsbury care home to create 70 jobs A NEW purpose-built care home will open its doors shortly, creating up to 70 full and part-time jobs for the West Yorkshire economy, thanks to a £3m development package from Yorkshire Bank. Oak Park care home will specialise in care for the elderly and, once complete, will host a residential, dementia and dedicated nursing unit. Serving the needs of the community around West Yorkshire, Oak Park, part of Darrington Healthcare, will contain 66 beds when it opens. The funding package was delivered by Jonathan Russell, relationship manager at Yorkshire Bank’s Business and Private Banking centre based in Leeds. The new home is being built on the site of derelict a council building, and will cost £4m in total. It’s the third care home Darrington Healthcare has built in the region and the group is currently looking at other sites in
West Yorkshire. Additional homes could bring between 60 to 80 jobs each to the local community, while also providing the local supply chain with a significant number of contracts in the coming years. Eric Dixon, managing director for Darrington Healthcare, said: “Oak Park’s modern facilities and structured care are designed to enable us to provide top quality services to all residents at all stages of their stay with us. “We will see our first patients in a few months, and look forward to serving Dewsbury and surrounding area for the foreseeable future. “We’re currently looking at other potential sites in the region and we hope to confirm plans for additional care homes in the near future. Yorkshire Bank has been fully supportive in our vision and is working in partnership to help us achieve our goals.”
Eric Dixon, Iain Murphy and Amanda Woolford from Oak Park with Jonathan Russell and Darren Owers from Yorkshire Bank. Darren Owers, head of Yorkshire the new care home in Dewsbury. Bank’s Business and Private Banking “It is extremely rewarding to know centre in Leeds, added: “Darrington that through our funding, there will Healthcare has been providing be a real and positive impact for high-quality care for the elderly for the local community and economy, more than five years and looks set to through the creation of a significant continue to do so with the opening of number of jobs.”
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Lansdowne Care Home in Lindford.
Home sold on behalf of liquidators THE Winchester office of leading specialist business agent, Christie & Co has sold the former Lansdowne Care Home in the Hampshire village of Lindford on behalf of its liquidators, Chris Parkman and Lisa Alford of Purnells Insolvency Practitioners based in Dorchester. A strong level of interest was expressed in the site from applicants looking to re-register the property as a care home, as well as interest from residential developers looking to obtain change of planning. However, due to the size of bedrooms and cost of upgrading
and refurbishing the property, re-registering the building was deemed unviable by those potentially looking to re-open it as a care home. The eventual purchaser was a residential developer who plans to convert the property for residential use. Charles Phillips, director at Christie & Co, who handled the sale, said: “We received a large amount of interest in Lansdowne Care Home, showing strong demand for opportunities like this across the south of England from both care operators and residential developers.�
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Homecare business is shortlisted for award
Summerfield House in Halifax.
Target purchases 106-bed home HPC has completed the sale of a care home in Halifax to Target Healthcare REIT Limited and its subsidiaries (“the Group”). The deal completed for approximately £7.2million. The home, Summerfield House, is a modern purpose-built facility with 106 beds over three floors, having been opened in 2012. Situated in a prominent position near the centre of Halifax, the home sits in pleasant grounds and benefits from a number of lounges, dining rooms, a coffee shop and a hairdressing salon. Upon acquisition, the home was let to a subsidiary of the Bondcare Group, the national care operator founded in 1996. Bondcare Group
is an existing tenant of the group, operating homes in Birmingham and Nottingham in the group’s portfolio. It is subject to a 35-year lease with RPI-linked cap and collar. The net initial yield on the transaction is consistent with the overall average of the Group’s portfolio. Ian Wilkie, director of HPC acted on behalf of the vendor, Ideal Care (North) Ltd. He said: “We are pleased to have concluded another successful transaction in the care home sector. “In spite of the challenges facing social care at present, this demonstrates there is still appetite for good quality assets and well managed businesses.”
HERITAGE Healthcare, a homecare business with its head office based in Darlington, County Durham, has been shortlisted for the Emerging Franchisor category at the prestigious British Franchise Association’s HSBC Franchisor of the Year Awards. The British Franchise Association recognises the UK’s most exceptional operators in a range of categories, for their business growth and development, service excellence and ethical franchising practice. The awards are the oldest and most prestigious in the franchise sector, running for nearly 30 years, and recognise franchising at its best across the UK’s £15bn franchise sector. Heritage Healthcare provides expert care at home to individuals who have been assessed as needing support to enable them to continue to live independently at home. The company, which has a board
of Directors with over 80 years of experience in the care sector, began franchising in 2013 and currently has 11 franchisees across 12 territories. Heritage healthcare director, Michelle Fenwick QFP, said, “We are delighted to have been named finalists for Emerging Franchisor of the Year. We have worked incredibly hard to ensure that our franchisees have all the support they need to be able to own and run a successful homecare business. “We feel that Heritage Healthcare as a franchisor, has made huge improvements since the launch of our franchise. “We pride ourselves on our ability to adapt to the needs of our franchisees and the Heritage Healthcare support team continues to grow in line with our expanding franchise network. We are extremely proud of everything our network has and continues to achieve.”
Cumbrian care centre has new owners THE Knight Frank Specialist Property investment team has sold Amathea Care Centre in Workington, Cumbria. The property was sold on behalf of real estate investment company Aprirose to clients of Knight Frank Investment Management for £3.48million at a net initial yield of 5.75 per cent. The 40-bed care home property is tenanted by Methodist Homes,
with 26 years unexpired, at a rent of £212,257 per annum. Gary Jones, chief operating officer at Aprirose, said: “The Amathea Care Centre offered a strong performing asset for Aprirose and, while we have exited this asset, we continue to be active in the care home sector, looking for the right assets in the right locations that fit with our acquisitions strategy.”
MP opens marketing suite as recruitment drive under way By Olivia Taylor NORTH Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson officially opened the marketing suite at Abbey House, a new specialist dementia home being built in the town, as a major recruitment drive gets underway. The launch comes as Milestones Trust, the charity which is behind Abbey House, celebrates its 30th anniversary and long history of providing care and support to vulnerable people with learning disabilities, mental health needs and dementia in the South West. Due to open in June, Abbey House will provide for 73 people over three floors with a particular focus on providing specialist care for people with dementia. John Hoskinson, CEO of Milestones Trust, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a new team that will deliver an exceptional service designed to change the face of eldercare and dementia support in Swindon. “If you are passionate about working in a team to provide high quality and personalised care, then we want to hear from you. “These are highly rewarding roles that make a real difference to
people’s lives and bring with them a huge sense of achievement and satisfaction.” Abbey House has been designed to be a state-of-the-art care home that will allow residents to stay in a familiar environment as their needs change, thanks to its offering of a mix of both residential and nursing services. The design of Abbey House has been carefully thought through to meet Stirling dementia care standards, a framework that ensures the needs of those living in the home with dementia are met. Examples include ensuring that beds are positioned so residents can see bathrooms; using transparent panelled wardrobes and the use of enhanced, mood-appropriate lighting. “With Milestones Trust approaching its 30th anniversary, it is indeed a time for reflection on the high quality care and support we have provided for thousands of vulnerable people, as well as an opportunity to look ahead to the future,” added John. “Care workers are the unsung heroes of the industry, doing a job that requires a huge amount of skill and dedication to help vulnerable people with complex needs. With the nation’s
Justin Tomlinson MP cuts the ribbon to open the new marketing suite with John Hoskins, CEO of Milestones Trust and Sheila Jolly, registered general home manager at Abbey House. care sector facing unprecedented The facilities include landscaped challenges including funding, the communal gardens, activity rooms, recruitment and retention of staff and hairdressing facilities, community an ageing population, I hope that in café and coffee shop, lounge future we see the incredible work of and dining rooms, and assisted care workers recognised and valued bathrooms. by society.” The care home will have specific Abbey House will specialise in areas to enable community providing both residential and involvement to help combat isolation, nursing care for people across the while all bedrooms have en-suites dementia spectrum, from those and ground-floor rooms have direct who are physically active, to people access to the gardens. who may have medical conditions The entire building will be equipped complicated by living with dementia with wi-fi, a nurse call system and requiring nursing care and those who secure door entry to manage the safe require end of life care. care and support of residents.
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Phil Hill from S Harrison and Graeme Lee, group CEO from Springfield.
Firm clocks in to former factory A CARE provider has leased one of two character filled office suites in the former Time Office of Terry’s chocolate factory, one mile south of York city centre. The Springfield Healthcare Group has taken 1,470 square feet of space at the recently refurbished Stanley Harrison House development, which S Harrison has developed and owns. Graeme Lee, group CEO at Springfield, said: “We are developing the Terry’s Chocolate Works HQ building, which is adjacent to Stanley Harrison House, into a unique care village for older people with dementia. “It therefore made complete sense for us to locate our York sales team in this iconic office building next door. “Our office has a unique interior
and is partitioned using wood oak panelling that was a prominent feature in the old chocolate works. “This same wood has also been used to create a stunning feature reception desk. “The office is modern, sustainable and energy efficient, yet it has maintained lots of the factory’s original character. “It’s a really exciting time for this part of York, which is undergoing extensive regeneration, with the whole area being carefully modernised to ensure the history of the place is respected. “We are delighted to be a part of that change, and to be located in an office that has undergone such a stunning and ground-breaking transformation.”
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Planning permission for two new homes secured By Olivia Taylor
People in Sutton are now able to get a glimpse of what life will be like at the newest care home in the area. The new care and nursing home, which is being developed by specialist care provider Gracewell Healthcare, will combine state-of-the-art facilities and services of a high quality care home, with the design and feel of a boutique hotel. Each room is modelled after a star from the golden age of Hollywood cinema. Residents can choose from interiors styled on actors including Cary Grant and Marilyn Monroe. Once completed, Gracewell of Sutton will be able to care for more than 80 residents and will provide around 90 jobs to the community.
The Elms sale completed THE Elms residential home is a first class facility registered for elderly people on the outskirts of Yeovil in the village of Yeovil Marsh. The Elms’ two acres of land includes gardens and a paddock with stables. It boasts wonderful views of countryside reaching the Mendips on a fine day. This is Andrew Pickup’s first care home purchase, although he has been involved in almost every aspect of the care sector at a senior/directorship level. He has identified the potential within the home to expand and create more single en-suite rooms, hopefully taking the home’s registration up to the mid-twenties. Funding for the purchase was successfully arranged by Jonathan Read, broker at Chandler & Co. He said: “The Elms is a great
opportunity for Andrew, he is a very driven and hard-working individual. “I am sure he will make a success of the Elms and continue to thrive in the sector. There are still uncertainties around new entrants to the sector, however we are regularly securing competitive funding packages for buyers with the right banks.” Of Chandler & Co’s services, Andrew added: “Thank you for all your help with my purchase of The Elms. You did a great job with the banks and I was impressed with both your professionalism and customer service approach. On to the next one.”
LNT Care Developments has received planning permission to build two 64-bed care homes – one in Welwyn Garden City and the other in St Neots. Once complete in September 2017, Country Court Care will own and operate the Welwyn home providing residential and dementia care for those aged over 65 years. Al-karim Kachra, corporate finance director at Country Court Care, said: “We’re very excited to be opening a home in Welwyn Garden City. “There is a lot of development need in the sector and we believe now is an excellent opportunity to add some high quality care beds. “The data shows an undersupply of beds in the area and we want to meet that demand.” Anchor is set to become the owner and operator of the St Neots
residential and dementia care home, due for completion in April. Dominic Hayes, director of property development and procurement at Anchor, added: “We are delighted to be working with LNT on developing a care home in St Neots. “The new home is part of Anchor’s ambitious plans to develop lots more retirement housing and care homes in England over the coming years. “For our care homes, we want sites of one to two acres, for our extra care /assisted living, two to three acres and for our villages, we need sites of five acres and above.” Both homes will be strong community facilities, integrating with the nearby local facilities of shops, churches and schools. They will provide accommodation with fully en-suite bedrooms, spacious communal areas and state-of-the-art amenities and gardens.
Banking help for care home owners SPECIALIST banking firm Butterworths Solicitors is going from strength to strength, reclaiming hundreds of thousands of pounds for care home owners caught up in yet another banking scandal. As the fixed rate loan mis-selling saga rumbles on, Butterworths Solicitors banking consultant, Simon Jaquiss, said: “This is a real problem for the care home owning community.
“We are challenging extortionate breakage fees and unwarranted interest charges levied by the banks on a daily basis in a bid to provide vital cash flow lifelines to struggling businesses.” As part of the banking service analysis, Butterworths carry out a thorough review of all business finance and supplier agreements with a view to negotiating more flexible and generous repayment terms.
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Pioneering care service launches in Blackburn A PIONEERING specialist dementia care service opened in Blackburn during National Dementia Awareness Week. EachStep Blackburn is a £5m state-of-the-art dementia care home that provides specialist residential, nursing and respite care. It has been developed by awardwinning national social care charity Community Integrated Care. The home was opened by guest of honour David Behan CBE, chief executive of the CQC, along with Neil Matthewman, chief executive of Community Integrated Care and Coun. Mohammed Khan OBE, leader of Blackburn Council. The 64-bed care home will serve as a centre of excellence for dementia care, applying a leading model of person-centered care combined with stunning dementia-friendly design and a significant commitment to community engagement. It features a number of facilities, such as a cinema, vintage tea rooms, a hair and beauty salon, and a number of nostalgic spaces – including a special football themed room, which has been created in partnership with Blackburn Rovers Community Trust. EachStep Blackburn has formed a number of thriving partnerships with local community groups including colleges, schools, community centres, and carers services. It has provided training and
vocational opportunities to college students, and worked closely with Blackburn’s South Asian community to ensure the support it delivers is inclusive of all, partnering with the leading community group One Voice. At the ceremony, Community Integrated Care recognised a number of these partner organisations who have contributed to the success of the home, awarding them ‘Friends of Community Integrated Care’ status. This is the charity’s highest honour, and is gifted to organisations that have made an outstanding contribution to its services. Neil Matthewman, chief executive of Community Integrated Care, said: “EachStep Blackburn stands as a national model of excellence for dementia care, so we were delighted to open this pioneering home during Dementia Awareness Week. “It brings together modern dementia-friendly environment design, leading person-centred care approaches, and a significant focus on community engagement, and will change the lives of many people in the local community.” EachStep Blackburn has been developed by Community Integrated Care in partnership with Blackburn with Darwen Council, with the aim of modernising local care provision in the town. It has created more than 100 jobs and has brought significant investment to the borough.
VIP opening at £6m home A LUXURIOUS £6million residential and nursing home in Chester has been officially opened by Sanctuary at a VIP reception. Upton Dene Residential and Nursing Home, which is positioned alongside the Countess of Chester Hospital, was officially opened by Lord Mayor of Chester, Councillor Hugo Deynem, who was given a guided tour to see the facilities available to residents. This was followed by a reception with live music and the ceremonial cutting of a ribbon by Hugo and two of the home’s first residents, Jean Capner and Gill Hunt. The home, managed by Sanctuary Care, features 74 en-suite bedrooms and provides residential, residential dementia, nursing and palliative care, as well as intermediate care where patients recuperate following a hospital stay before returning home.
The nursing home is Sanctuary Group’s first care operation in Chester and is the latest of a series of significant investments in the area which include the regeneration of Blacon Parade and new residential housing in Avonlea, Malpas and Lache. Mark McCarthy, managing director – Sanctuary Care, said: “We believe in providing kindness at the heart of our care, so it means so much to me to see that we already have residents happily settled into their new home, being cared for by our dedicated team.” The home also boasts light and airy lounges and dining rooms, a cinema room, hairdressing and beauty salon, a treatment room and a private dining area for residents and their loved ones to enjoy special family occasions, as well as sensory gardens, under floor heating and wi-fi.
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CARINGINDUSTRY NEWS
NAO calls for changes to hospital discharges THE health and social care system’s management of discharging older patients from hospital does not represent value for money, according to the National Audit Office. The spending watchdog estimates that the gross annual cost to the NHS of treating older patients in hospital who no longer need to receive acute clinical care is in the region of £820million. The report found that, while some efforts to rectify the situation have been made, an ageing population and more older people being admitted to hospital means there needs to be a step change in performance to resolve the problem. Data on delayed transfers of care substantially under-estimate the range of delays that patients experience. Over the past two years the official data shows there has been an increase of 270,000 (31 per cent) in days in acute hospitals when beds have been occupied by patients who have had their discharge delayed unnecessarily, to the current figure of 1.15 million days. These figures, however, only account for delays after clinicians and other professionals deem a patient to be ready for discharge, and does not include all patients who are no longer in need of acute treatment. Based on evidence gathered by the NAO, the true figure for patients aged 65 and older who are no longer benefiting from acute
care could be as high as 2.7 million days. In 2014-15, the percentage of older people admitted to hospital after attending A&E was 50%, compared to 16 per cent for those aged under 65. Although overall length of stay for older patients following an emergency admission has decreased from 12.9 to 11.9 days in the last five years, suggesting improved efficiency, the overall number of bed days resulting from an emergency admission has still increased by nine per cent from 17.8 million to 19.4 million days. Amyas Morse, head of the National Audit Office, said: “The number of delayed transfers has been increasing at an alarming rate but does not capture the true extent of older people who should not be in hospital. “While there is a clear awareness of the need to discharge older people from hospital sooner, there are currently far too many older people in hospitals who do not need to be there. “Without radical action, this problem will worsen and add further strain to the financial sustainability of the NHS and local government.” Among the NAO’s recommendations is that the Department of Health, NHS England and NHS Improvement should set out how they will break the trend of rising delays against the demographic challenge of growing
Society enjoy their stay at Llandudno care hotel DAVE Wilson and The Manx Blind Society have been coming to the New Mayfair Hotel in Blackpool for many years. This year it was time for a change and to try out Safehands’ new location in Llandudno. Operations manager Karen Dixon caught up with the group during their stay. Dave said: “The group really enjoyed their stay. The food was fantastic and the staff were so friendly – they could not do enough to help. “Shirley and Saskia expressed how spacious the rooms are. “Shirley said having the extra room for her canine companion had been great and she was hoping they could
return again next year. “One of the support workers commented how nice it was to stay somewhere that had been decorated to a high standard with modern fixtures and fittings while still catering for individuals’ special needs.” Karen added: “It’s no good just predicting what people with disabilities want; we continually ask our guests what they expect from an accessible hotel. “We believe disabled people, their friends, family or carers should be guaranteed ‘the best’ in terms of equality, adaptability, accessibility and first class standards of customer service.”
false economy for the NHS. Older people are getting a raw deal owing to short-termism, and a lack of understanding of the costs of care and the route to timely discharge. “This is depriving older people of their health, independence and dignity.” Professor Martin Green OBE, chief executive of Care England.
Professor Martin Green OBE numbers of older people. Industry responses “Older people should not face the risks of deteriorating independence or reduced mental wellbeing because the system traps them in hospital. “A properly resourced homecare sector could reduce unnecessary stays in hospital by up to 314,000 bed days a year – a saving of over £95million for the NHS.” Colin Angel, policy director of UKHCA. “The National Audit Office’s report highlights, yet again, the blockages in the system. It estimates that 85 per cent of patients subjected to delayed discharges are aged 65 and over. “As we have always maintained, shaving money off social care is
“Many of these patients could and should be discharged to nursing or residential care homes, according to their specific needs. Yet the system appears to be preventing this from happening in many instances. This may be due to hospitals not having enough information about available places, delays in needs assessments by social workers, or local authorities simply lacking the money to meet the care costs of individuals eligible for public funding. “All these factors are contributing to a system that is manifestly not fit for purpose. We, in the RNHA, echo the NAO’s conclusion that radical change is needed. We want closer co-operation between hospitals and care homes, better and more consistent exchanges of information between the two sectors, improved performance by councils in matching needs to services, and a reversal by central government of its punishing cutbacks in social care funding.” Frank Ursell, chief executive officer, RNHA.
Duplex does the double at annual AHCP awards DUPLEX Cleaning Machines is proud to announce that at the recent Association of Healthcare Cleaning Professionals annual awards dinner at the Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth, southern business development manager Barry Wilmot won individual branch supplier on behalf of Duplex and northern business development manager Mike Conroy scooped the AHCP lifetime achievement award. The AHCP represents managers involved in all aspects of healthcare cleaning in all public and private sector services with members drawn from many fields. It assists in the development of standards and protocols used by the NHS and the UK Department
of Health with the goal of delivering cleaner, safer healthcare environments. Duplex is a leading industry expert in the supply of commercial cleaning machines into the healthcare, care home and public sector markets to name but a few. Recognised throughout the UK and globally, Duplex supplies machines that deliver an advanced cleaning performance. Both Barry and Mike joined Duplex in 2009 following many years in the cleaning industry so have a wealth of experience and knowledge which they put to good use educating, training and delivering the right cleaning solution to discerning customers who demand outstanding results.
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CARINGINDUSTRY NEWS
Staff go ‘nautical’ for charity MEMBERS of the head office team of home care franchisor Caremark Limited discarded business dress for one day to don garments with a distinctly nautical theme in aid of two Sussex charities: The Chestnut Tree House and LifeCentre. The home care provider is, for the third year running, supporting the two charities through various fundraising enterprises, the main one being the Great Sussex Bath Race which takes place next month.
To launch the fundraising effort, head office staff donated funds for a dress-down day and wore something reflecting the general nautical theme, in preparation for their team paddling in the Bath Race. The Chestnut Tree House supports sick children and their families, while LifeCentre provides support to men, women and child survivors of rape and sexual abuse, with both charities working for the needs of children and adults across the county.
Jaga case study – Moreland House MORELAND House care home in Hornchurch, Essex, is a part-new build, part-renovated building owned by London care home operator, Abbey Total Care Group. The building is one of a number of safe, comfortable, and sustainable care homes run by the company in the area – the latter demonstrated by Moreland House winning the prize for Commercial Air Source Installation of the Year at the National Heat Pump Awards 2014. In order to translate the efficiency benefits of the air source heat pump – which was installed as part of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) – into comfortable temperatures for the building’s residents, Abbey Total Care Group sought out Jaga to supply its safe, energy efficient radiators for the building. The wall-mounted Jaga Strada DBE was installed throughout Moreland House’s bedrooms, corridors and communal lounge areas, accommodating the need for heat pump compatibility, high outputs and to ensure the safety and well-being of the building’s residents. The Strada works efficiently with low flow
Countess of Wessex attends tribute to nurses on International Nurses Day THE Countess of Wessex joined a moving ceremony at Ascot Priory on International Nurses Day, the annual celebration of the care that nurses provide around the world. The Countess, who is the Colonel in Chief of Queen Alexanders Nursing Corps, delivered a reading and took the time to meet every resident present at the event, of the Ascot Priory care homes St David’s and St Christopher’s. Residents and staff were delighted and honoured to meet the Countess, who was presented with a posy of flowers by a retired nurse and resident before leaving.
The ceremony was attended by the High Sheriff of Berkshire, Mayor of Bracknell, Lord Lieutenant, residents, relatives, volunteers and friends of St Christopher’s and St David’s Ascot Priory care homes and church congregation, nursing staff, and choir parents and grandparents. International Nurses Day is an opportunity to celebrate the contribution nurses make every day. The celebration takes place annually on May 12, the anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. Enquiries: Call 01344 884079 or visit www.ascotresidentialhomes.co.uk
Simple solutions
SINCE 1982, Colne (Lancs) based, Richards Residential Supplies have concentrated upon supplying simple solutions to common nursing home problems. The new WACMAT® adheres strongly to this tradition. With its ultra absorbent cotton pile and 100 per cent waterproof backing, the remarkable WACMAT® is an ideal accessory where spills may occur. Used as a commode mat, in bedrooms or bathrooms, the WACMAT® ensures full carpet protection. Then, after use, simply machine wash and tumble dry! It’s that simple... The WACMAT® will then be clean and odourfree, ready to perform time and time again. Alternatively the flat-laying WACMAT® can be used as an entrance mat, saving you hundreds of pounds in rental costs alone. Enquiries: Telephone 0800 074 3749.
temperature heating systems, such as air and ground source heat pumps, due largely to the extra output capacity generated through Jaga’s Dynamic Boost Effect technology. This consists of small fans being attached to the heat exchanger which draw air over the element – working quietly to improve the radiator’s output, efficiency and responsiveness, as and when an extra heat boost might be required. In addition to this, the radiators feature Jaga’s sustainable Low-H2O technology. This means that the radiators are low mass and low water content, requiring just a tenth of the water required by standard steel panel radiators, and reducing energy costs by as much as 16 per cent. To ensure the safety of the residents should they come into contact with the radiator, the Strada DBE features cool-to-touch panelling and was installed without any exposed components. In elderly care homes – where physical frailties and conditions such as dementia make occupants extremely vulnerable to potential risks – the coolto-touch radiators provide the peace of mind to care staff and the residents’ families that the risk of burn injuries is minimised. Enquiries: Visit www.jaga.co.uk or call 01531 631533.
Market leading pressure care technology ALERTA Medical is a new leader in the design and manufacture of innovative alternating pressure relieving mattress systems, delivering solutions for care providers to proactively prevent and treat the development of pressure ulcers. Developed and proven with the end user over many years, Alerta Medical alternating pressure relieving mattress systems have been designed to overcome common flaws in other alternating mattress products on the market. Alerta Medical pride themselves on innovative functionality, superior quality and reliability – resulting in improved patient outcomes and peace of mind for care providers. The Alerta Medical alternating pressure relieving mattress systems incorporate SensaCare Truflo Technology™ – constant auto pressure sensing through an air sensor and microcomputer regulator to provide ultra-low interface pressure and promote an even ambience for natural sleep patterns and stable blood circulation with UltraSilent™ pump operation. Alerta Medical offer a comprehensive range of alternating pressure relieving mattress systems, covering all risk levels, complimented by the addition of an alternating cushion system. The key benefits of the Alerta Medical range include:
n Multi-stretch PU cover to avoid searing. n Ventilated air cells to control moisture. n Auto pressure sensing for consistent distribution of air. n Multiple cycle time control for efficiency. n Digital 2-Panel LED display for ease of use. n Ultra-Silent™ pump operation to avoid disturbance. n Power failure and air loss warning. n Panel lock to prevent tampering. n Static and seated function with auto-firm. Enquiries: Call 08452 088 097, email sales@alertamedical.com or visit www.alertamedical.com
New dryer from Armstrong in almost constant use at Oaklands Care Home
Beaucare’s Beauwash™ range
BEAUWASH is an efficient, cost effective and eco-friendly laundry cleaning products range, specifically formulated with healthcare establishments in mind. It is cleverly designed to provide superb cleaning performance at lower temperatures, shorter wash cycles and kill bacteria at just 30°C, providing a more sustainable laundry cleaning process in terms of overall running costs and for the environment. Available in powder or liquid form: 10kg tubs, 5lt, 10lt or 20lt liquid containers. When combining
the laundry liquid with automated dosing systems, it creates one of the most efficient laundry solutions available on the market today. Beaucare also offers advice on the most efficient way to run all healthcare laundry needs and provides expert fitting and maintenance of automatic dosing systems by its own service engineers. Enquiries: Call 01423 878899, email sales@beaucare.com or visit www.beaucare.com
OAKLANDS Care Home in Waterlooville is a privately owned care home with capacity for 31 residents in a mix of single and shared rooms. Its specialist registration categories include dementia, stroke, bi-polar and visual impairment and it has an excellent reputation locally for the quality of care it provides. Originally a single farm house it has had two large extensions and also taken over the next door house to increase its capacity. The laundry handles everything in the home – bed linen, towels, table linen and all the residents’ personal clothing and is in use pretty well continuously according to manager Marilyn Collins. Last year the tumble dryer needed to be replaced and the owner contacted Armstrong Commercial Laundry Systems who supplied and installed a Huebsch gas heated stacked tumble dryer, allowing them to dry two loads simultaneously. The laundry is operated by a specialist member of staff during the day, but often care staff will need to do additional loads at other times.
Enquiries: Call 01635 263410, email enquiries@armstronglaundry.com or visit www.armstronglaundry.com
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Stourbridge care home sold DC CARE has finalised the acquisition of Field House Rest Home in Clent, Stoubridge to experienced care operators Blackadder Corporation. DC Care was instructed by the owners Mr and Mrs Lane to sell the Grade II* listed home as a genuine retirement sale, having originally purchased it themselves in the early 1970s. Set in approximately 10 acres of
grounds this particularly attractive care home is well known in the area and enjoys an excellent reputation. After a somewhat protracted sale process, DC Care’s Andy Sandel, said: “It may have taken longer than the average time to sell a care home, over two years in fact, but we never gave up and in the end this was possibly one of the most satisfying completions I’ve been involved with.”
Dorgard is an easy to install solution WITH the summer now here care facilities are often confronted with the dilemma of maintaining a flow of fresh air through the premises for residents and staff as well as adhering to fire safety regulations. How can you legally hold fire doors open to allow the air to circulate and be confident that in the event of a fire the fire doors will close, maintaining compartmentalisation in order to protect lives and the building? Safelincs’ Dorgard can provide an
easy to install solution for all care facilities. This battery operated unit fits to the bottom of your fire door, on hearing the fire alarm Dorgard releases the plunger holding the door open and allows the door closer to automatically close the fire door. The use of Dorgard ensures that you will not be prosecuted for breach of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, which could otherwise lead to a heavy fine or even imprisonment.
Fiona Phillips officially opened Anchor’s new Bishopstoke Park retirement village in Hampshire. The journalist and broadcaster, best known for her 12 years on the GMTV sofa, enjoyed a tour of the luxurious retirement apartments and village facilities, which include Orchard Gardens, a 48-bed care home on site, a bistro, gym, spa, swimming pool, salon, library, café, shop and landscaped gardens. She then joined the Mayor of Eastleigh, Jane Walsh, Anchor chief executive Jane Ashcroft CBE and over 200 guests from the village and the local community in raising a glass to Bishopstoke Park and cutting the cake to declare the village officially open.