Caring UK March 2019 by Script Media

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no.269 • £4.75 incorporating

March 2019

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Homes forced to turn away obese people By Dominic Musgrave LESS than half of care home staff say they have the bariatric facilities to look after obese residents, with one in 10 (12 per cent) having to turn them away due to lack of resources and equipment, it has been claimed. The figures were sourced from a survey completed by 2,803 care home owners, managers and staff for review website carehome.co.uk Bariatric facilities can include larger, reinforced beds and baths and mechanical lifts and hoists. Sue Learner, editor of carehome. co.uk, said: “The number of obese, older people has been rising in the UK for the last couple of decades and care homes need to ensure they are inclusive and that residents who are severely overweight are treated with dignity. “Some care homes have built bariatric rooms, but more than half are unprepared and have no specialist facilities. This inability to provide care for obese people who often have associated medical needs means they are left stranded at hospital or at home. “The Government needs to be aware that care homes face higher costs if they care for bariatric residents, due to installing special equipment and needing specialist care workers who are trained in moving and handling

obese people. “It is much more expensive caring for morbidly obese people and care homes should receive more funding from the local authority for residents over a certain weight.” Severely obese people are more likely to suffer from complex conditions such as cardiac disease, hypertension, respiratory disease and diabetes. In addition, they often require specialist management of their skin as severely obese people have an increased risk of pressure ulcers, wounds and reduced prognosis for wound healing due to their immobility. Mike Vaughan, owner of Red Rocks Nursing Home in Wirral, Merseyside said: “I think there should be extra funding for providing care to obese patients as this currently requires specialist and expensive equipment or adaptions, without which we would be unable to provide care to this sector. “However, it is also vitally important that we do not institutionalise our equipment and functions to suit this care category alone, which might then make clients who do not require these extra services feel as though they have to put up with a more institutional feel to their care than is absolutely necessary. I am aware this may lead to a two-tier system with all that come with this.”

Sir Martyn Lewis CBE officially opened the new £12 million Foxhunters luxury care owned by Dormy Care Communities in Abergavenny, South Wales, declaring it as “world beating.” The legendary television news presenter, who famously delivered the first bulletin on Princess Diana’s death, said the state-of-the-art home situated on the town’s Westgate development, “sets the standard” for new care homes in the UK. Martyn is pictured with Dormy Care Communities CEO Helen Davies-Parsons.

Resident joins interview panel TOM Ryan, who lives at Hillcroft House in Stowmarket, has been helping the manager undertake a number of job interviews as part of the home’s recruitment programme. Tom, who was originally from Sudbury and has lived at the home since September, asked to help the team by giving a resident’s perspective on life at the home during interviews. Amanda Atkins, manager of Hillcroft House, said: “Tom is the life and soul of the home and we were more than happy to have him join our interview panel. It provides a great new perspective to our interviews, as he is able to questions that are important to residents, and, from a candidate point of view, they really get a feel for the home and the people who live here.

“The interviewees got the opportunity to gain a valuable insight into our home, facilities, staff and life here at Hillcroft House. It proved very successful with our candidates and it was clear that Tom really enjoyed himself too.” As a former painter and decorator, Tom likes to keep busy and joins in all the activities at Hillcroft House, including helping the maintenance team, taking deliveries and also helping with viewings when people come to find out more about the home. Amanda added: “Tom did such a splendid job; he was very professional and took notes. I knew exactly what he wanted to ask and say. We think he might need to become a permanent member of the recruitment and marketing team.”

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Memory of Jo Cox MP inspires new service A PIONEERING new service will be launched in Manchester that uses arts, creativity and reminiscence to transform the lives of people living with dementia, thanks to a charitable grant in memory of Jo Cox MP. Reminiscence charity Age Exchange has been awarded a £97,500 grant from the ‘Building Connections Fund’ to establish a new arts-based dementia day care service at the EachStep Blackley care home, which is part of the charity Community Integrated Care. The Fund is a partnership between the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, the Big Lottery and the Co-op Foundation, which aims to tackle loneliness and isolation in response to the findings of the Jo Cox Commission. Mark Adams, CEO of Community Integrated Care, said: “We are incredibly grateful for the support of the Building Connections Fund. This service builds upon our strategic aims of ensuring that our care homes are at the heart of local communities and that we deliver the most ambitious models of support.” “We hope this is the first of many exciting projects to be developed through

enable people to stay independent for longer, relieve the pressure faced by family carers, and help to overcome the isolation that a diagnosis of dementia can create. The ‘EachStep Club’ will be delivered in collaboration with Community Integrated Care, one of Britain’s biggest social care providers. The service will further enhance Community Integrated Care’s EachStep Blackley care home, which is based in North Manchester, enabling it to support people at the early stages of their journey with dementia.

our partnership with Age Exchange.” The ‘EachStep Club’ is set to open in March. The service will use arts, reminiscence and creative approaches to engage people living with dementia, and their family carers, supporting them to lead fuller, more active and sociable lives. In doing so it provides vital respite, support and assistance to families affected by dementia. The charity has been awarded funding to operate the Club for 18 months, supporting up to 15 individuals – and their direct family carer, for one day a week. It is hoped that the service will

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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www.caring-uk.co.uk Advertising Healthcare Product Manager: Bev Green Tel: 01226 734288 Email: bg@scriptmedia.co.uk National Sales Executive: Louise Bristowe-Harrison Tel: 01226 734480 Email: Cuk3@scriptmedia.co.uk National Sales Executive: Rebecca Gill Tel: 01226 734692 Email: rg@scriptmedia.co.uk Sales and Marketing Director: Tony Barry Tel: 01226 734605 Email: tb@scriptmedia.co.uk Publishers Script Media 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS. Email: info@caring-uk.co.uk Editorial Group Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia.co.uk Group Production Editor: Dominic Musgrave Tel: 01226 734407 dm@scriptmedia.co.uk Studio Manager: Stewart Holt Tel: 01226 734414 sth@scriptmedia.co.uk Database enquiries to: 01226 734695 E-mail: circulation@ scriptmedia.co.uk Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of all content, the publishers do not accept liability for error, printed or otherwise, that may occur. Follow us on Twitter @caringuk

CARINGNEWS

Care group gets Disability Confident Employer status

Home receives funding from Mayor’s project PARKFIELD House has received funding to begin a new creative arts project at the nursing home. The funding comes from the Mayor of London’s Culture Seeds project. This project is part of the Mayor’s draft strategy for culture, with the ambition to put culture at the heart of the community. The ‘Creating a Pride of Place’ project will see Parkfield House residents working with professional artists to create new artwork to be displayed in the home. In addition to mural making, residents will try their hand at ceramics and weaving over the next six months. The exhibition, which opens in

June, will be the place to be to help celebrate the residents’ artistic achievements. Home manager Wendy Bristow said: “This is a great opportunity for our residents to express their creative side. Art is a big part of our activities programme here, and this project enables us to introduce our residents to a whole range of new mediums and techniques.” The residents have already started working with professional ceramicist Jeanne Lewistiff, making clay hens with jazzy patterns, with the final pieces finished off with lots of different colours. These will be displayed in frames throughout the home.

SPRINGHILL Care Group has been certified as a Disability Confident Employer following a successful assessment. The Disability Confident Scheme aims to help employers make the most of the opportunities provided by employing disabled people or those with health conditions. Virginia Perkins, associate director of people and organisational development, said: “The scheme aims to assist our business to attract, employ and retain disabled people and those with health conditions. “We do this by identifying and addressing any barriers that may prevent or deter disabled people from applying for jobs, in addition to assisting those employees currently employed within the business by making reasonable adjustments as required.” The group has successfully built upon its relationships within the

community and the company is now recognised as being at the forefront of care for its staff as well as its residents. Accrington’s Springhill Care Home regularly welcomes students from Broadfield School in Oswaldtwistle on work experience. The school specialises for those with generic learning difficulties. Virginia added: “Not only are we a Disability Confident Employer, but we welcome those from the wider community, for example young people on work experience, who wouldn’t necessarily be able to cope in other demanding situations. “We are proud to have achieved the next level on our journey. We aim on becoming a Disability Confident Leader in the future, which again reaffirms our commitment to achieving our vision of becoming an employer and service provider of choice.”

Alpha Health Care has appointed Felicity Somerville as the new manager of Lakeview, its complex dementia care and nursing home. Felicity, a trained general and orthopaedic nurse, brings a wealth of clinical and management experience having worked as a home manager, clinical and operations director, director of care and in quality assurance roles. “I am pleased and honoured to have been chosen to manage Lakeview Care Home and look forward to supporting this amazing team in providing the highest quality care to our residents,” she said. FR CH EE P YO EC OS UR K. O TC S RD OD NO E E W R

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CARINGNEWS

Campaign puts a career in care in the spotlight

Residents from Zest Care Homes Ltd’s Bramley Court facility in Birmingham, which specialises in frail elderly and dementia nursing care, went to see Bohemian Rhapsody at the cinema. Before Christmas residents went to watch Mamma Mia! 2 ‘Here We Go Again’, and it is hoped that it will become a regular activity. Manager Ann Willey said: “We always aim to do new and engaging activities and I’m sure this will be a regular day out in the future.”

Improving palliative care in homes LANCASTER University is running a Massive Open Online Course on improving palliative care in care homes for older people for three weeks in April. The MOOC will offer participants an opportunity to learn about palliative care in care homes and how it can be improved using the PACE Steps to Success programme. It has been developed as part of an EU funded study called PACE and the intervention tested in a clinical trial

across seven countries. Professor Katherine Froggatt and professor Sheila Payne will lead the course. This free online course will draw upon evidence on how to improve care using an educational and development PACE Steps to Success programme. It will be suitable for staff working in palliative care in care homes, as well as others with an interest in palliative care.

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THE Minister of State for Care has officially kicked off a provider’s latest campaign to encourage more people to consider a career in care. MP Caroline Dinenage has pledged her support for the Home Instead Senior Care ‘You Can Care’ campaign which raises awareness of the opportunities to work in care and highlights how fulfilling a role it can be. “Care work is a hugely rewarding career which has a real impact on people’s lives, supporting them to enjoy their later years,” she said. “It’s great to see a homecare business which is so passionate about helping older people age well. Quality care like this plays a crucial role in enabling older people to stay living healthily and happily at home for longer.” The rollout of ‘You Can Care’ 2019 follows the success of last year’s campaign which saw hundreds of people using the hashtag #YouCanCare on social media to share inspirational stories about caring. It culminated in the first UK awareness event called ‘You Can Care’ Week which aimed to dispel the myths around working in care and celebrate those working in the sector. Since launching the campaign in January 2018, Home Instead Senior Care has recruited 5,500 CAREGivers across its 195-office strong franchise business.

Caroline Dinenage MP. The company specialises in caring for older people at home and is expert in dementia care plus end-of-life and respite care. The charity Skills for Care estimates that eight per cent of adult social care roles are vacant, which equates to approximately 110,000 vacancies at any one time. Home Instead managing director, Martin Jones, added: “As our population continues to age, more older people will need support to live well at home for longer. In turn, we need more kind and compassionate people to care for them which is why we are working hard to attract new people into the role of caring.” The second #YouCanCare Week will be held between February 25 and March 3 with a different theme on care each day.

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Richmond office gains firm’s 40th ‘Outstanding’ rating HOME Instead Senior Care has been awarded its 40th Outstanding rating from the CQC, giving the home care provider more of this rating than any other care company. The latest has gone to Home Instead’s office in Richmond, south west London, run by Mike Jefferies. Managing director of Home Instead Senior Care, Martin Jones, said: “Our mission to change the face of ageing and be the employer of choice in the sector informs everything that we do and allows us to focus on quality elderly care. “Achieving 40 Outstanding ratings bears testament to the commitment of our franchise owners across the network and the absolute dedication of our wonderful CAREGivers.”

In its report, the Richmond team was praised for putting people at the centre of the personalised care they received and was complimented for the community initiatives developed by them to minimise social isolation. The inspector made particular mention of the various not-for-profit events that Home Instead run in the local community. These are open to anyone and include monthly supper clubs, quarterly tea parties and a gentleman’s lunch club which allows older men to enjoy a pint in a local pub. The report also highlighted a twicemonthly memory café with activities for people living with or supporting someone living with dementia.

Homes break record for dementia care

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BALHOUSIE Care Group has raised the bar once more, with two of its homes achieving record levels of care. Rumbling Bridge in Kinross and North Grove in Perth achieved the care home group’s best scores yet for dementia care, after displaying excellent staff communication and individualised activities for residents. Each care home in the 25-strong group is tracked by a process called dementia mapping, which is integral to Balhousie Care Group’s personcentred philosophy. Residents with dementia are closely observed over a period of about eight hours to see how they are treated, their demeanour, how they react to staff, and deal with different situations. Rumbling Bridge and Balhousie North Grove scored the highest yet in the group, beating a previous record held almost a year ago. Rumbling Bridge includes a purpose-built Huntington’s unit as well as the care home for the elderly. Yvonne Manson, dementia nurse consultant at Balhousie Care Group, said: “Because of the nature of dementia mapping, I spend a lot of time watching things from a resident’s point of view. It gives me

an important insight into how our residents receive the care plans and dementia care practices we have in place, and what we need to do better. “It was fantastic to see such a high level of choice being given, excellent communication skills, and a range of different activities going on, each adjusted to the needs of individual residents. “Staff at both Rumbling Bridge and North Grove are an absolute credit to Balhousie Care Group, taking time to not only respond to residents’ needs, but to treat them with dignity and respect.” Claire Docherty, head of operations at Balhousie Care Group, added: “These mapping scores show that Yvonne and her team of dementia ambassadors, who make sure our good practices surrounding dementia care are properly implemented across all of Balhousie Care Group’s homes, are doing things right. “Our Rumbling Bridge and North Inch North Grove care homes are excellent examples of our philosophy, which is to teach our dementia ambassadors the tools and allow them to spread good practice throughout each home.”

CARINGNEWS

New manager wants to forge closer links with community THE owners of a Wyre Forest nursing home have appointed a new manager who plans to maintain its high quality care and forge closer links with the community. Experienced care specialist Jackie Huckvale, who has more than 20 years’ experience in the care and nursing sector, has joined Brookdale Nursing Home in Kidderminster. Jackie, who moves from Brookdale’s sister home near Telford, has already set about making changes which will make the Blakebrook-based home ‘the best it can possibly be’. She said: “Care is all about quality and I am looking forward to delivering the best standards for our residents at Brookdale. “We have a first-class team who work so hard to make a difference every day here at Brookdale. It has such a homely feel and my aim is not only to maintain the high quality of care we provide, but to make further improvements and get the local

community and families much more involved. “The home also does tremendous work in caring for those suffering from dementia so when the spring arrives areas like our own dementia garden, which we launched four years ago, will be so important.” “Overall, I want Brookdale to be the best it can be for residents, their families and our staff.” Brookdale Nursing Home is part of the privately-owned Redwood Healthcare Group. It is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide accommodation for 40 older people who require personal care. It is one of only a few nursing homes in Worcestershire to hold the Gold Standards Framework’s ‘Platinum’ status, which recognises how staff at the home consistently support residents who are nearing the end of their lives with the highest possible care. Monarch Healthcare’s masquerade party and awards ceremony took place at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham. This was the eighth consecutive year the operator has held the awards to celebrate and thank its staff for the amazing work they do. The evening’s celebrations also raised £350 for ‘The Care Workers Charity’.

Home doesn’t take the Mickey with fundraising

A SPECIALIST nursing and residential care home in Durham has raised more than £400 for a charity close to its hearts. Staff at St Aiden’s Cottage in Bearpark were delighted to help raise much needed funds for the Children’s Heart Unit Fund based at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital when they discovered their manager’s new born granddaughter was being treated in the specialist heart unit. Manager Amanda Cavanagh’s granddaughter was born in November with a rare heart condition called Left Hypoplastic Heart Syndrome which basically means she was born with just half of her heart. The unit has performed many open-heart procedures on her and is currently monitoring her progress and recovery. “I’m delighted at the support that our staff have given to CHUF,” Amanda said. “One of the team

suggested that instead of having a dress down day on payday that we dress up in our favourite Disney character pyjamas and onesies and donate a fiver to the charity. “It was great to see Eeyore and Tigger working with numerous Minnie and Mickey Mouse’s. Our residents loved it. We also had a tombola, brought in a singer to entertain everyone and held a raffle too. We’ve raised more than £400 for CHUF and everyone has been so supportive. I’m very grateful.” Chief executive officer of the home’s operator Careline Lifestyles, Rahul Sharma, who is based in its Newcastle head office, said: “We care for people with a complex range of specialised needs. I know how much we care for our residents and it’s great to see our team at Bearpark helping other caring organisations by donating in this way. I’m very proud of them.”

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CARINGNEWS

Watchdog praises care home service The artists at Belong Crewe, from the left: Philip Jeck, Roger Hill, Alan Dunn, Mary Prestidge and Brigitte Jurack.

Groundbreaking art partnership to launch at new care village BELONG has partnered with Liverpool’s centre for the contemporary arts, Bluecoat, in a unique three-year research project to explore how the arts can improve the lives of those with dementia. The collaboration, called ‘Where the Arts Belong’, will see Belong Birkdale, currently under construction in Southport, become the first of the operator’s villages to benefit from permanent staff trained in specialist arts provision when it opens later this year. Six critically acclaimed artists are involved in the project, which launched at Belong Crewe earlier this month. They will be taking up pilot residencies in the village to explore how the arts can be effectively embedded into new care

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environments ahead of moving to Birkdale in the autumn. Over the next four months, Belong customers and staff will take part in an array of creative workshops, ranging from storytelling and sculpture to song and dance. The work produced across the project will feature at the Atkinson in Southport and the Grosvenor Museum, Chester, running for six to eight weeks at each venue. Belong deputy chief executive, Tracy Paine, said: “Bluecoat is a highly respected organisation and we are thrilled to be working with them to bring the arts to Belong Birkdale. “It is a great opportunity to explore how the arts can improve the lives of our customers living with dementia, and we hope to make a real contribution.”

A SKELMERSDALE care home has been highly praised by an independent health watchdog for the level of its care, its people and its services. Birch Green was assessed by representatives from Healthwatch Lancashire to gather the views of residents, staff and relatives on standards of care and services. The health watchdog gave the home its highest possible overall assessment of Green in its ‘traffic light’ system – that it would recommend the home to a loved one. In summary, the Healthwatch report concluded: “Representatives considered the environment of the home to be friendly, clean, light, spacious and homely with easy navigation points throughout the home. “The interior has recently been refurbished to create a ‘hotel comfort’ ambience. Residents were consulted on the décor for their home and were shown mood boards to help make decisions. Representatives observed a calm but energetic environment on their visit.” Other positive comments in the report included Birch Green “going the extra mile,” with “emphasis on health and wellbeing for staff,” and the “extensive information”

available. It added that the home – part of the Springhill Care Group – seeks to invest in its staff and create community links. It follows a recent good rating from the industry assessors the Care Quality Commission, with inspectors making particular note of the commitment of staff. The report from Healthwatch added: “Representatives evidenced a variety of activities were taking place inside and outside the home with relatives having the opportunity to join in such as attending for the Sunday roast. “Residents told us they enjoyed the activities on offer. Residents and relatives, we spoke to considered Birch Green Care Home to be a good place to live with good caring staff, good food and good activities.” Vicky Sudworth, general manager of Birch Green, said: “Our staff are committed to providing the very best levels of care and this kind of positive feedback is thanks to their hard work. We are only too pleased to welcome any independent assessment and to understand how we might improve even further.” Healthwatch Lancashire gathers the views of service users, especially those that are hard to reach and seldom heard, to give them the opportunity to express how they feel about a health service.

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Southend United defender pays lifelong fan a visit in care home A LIFELONG Southend United fan was treated to a special visit at his Colchester care home from club defender Ben Coker as a way of saying thank you for his 89 years of loyalty. Arthur ‘Vic’ Vichers, 97, has been a fan of the Shrimpers since he was eight years old when his father took him to see his first match at Roots Hall against Colchester United. He is believed to be the club’s longest surviving supporter. Foxburrow Grange’s activity coordinator Margaret Brodie contacted the League One club to see if they would come and visit Vic. She had noticed that his eyes would light up whenever he talked about the football team. Defender Ben Coker jumped at the

chance to take a trip down memory lane and they spent a good hour chatting about how Vic used to go to matches and watch the team train as a boy, reeling off names of players of yesteryear. Margaret was delighted that Ben was able to visit Vic as part of Foxburrow Grange’s ‘Wish Come True’ campaign. She spends time with residents, getting to know their wishes and then arranges activities and events to help them recall their most fond memories. “I couldn’t believe how quickly Ben replied, it was almost the same day,” Margaret added. “He was absolutely lovely, listening to Vic talking about his memories. It made Vic’s day.”

CARINGNEWS

Harpist swaps Albert Hall for care home ONE of the UK’s most talented young harpists treated care home residents to a virtuoso performance. Elfair Grug swapped the prestigious Albert Hall in London for Pendine Park’s Bryn Bella in Wrexham where she put on an hour-long concert. Her repertoire included classical music, some Irish, Scottish and Welsh folk tunes and some pop songs from the likes of Elton John and the Beatles, as well as numbers from musicals such as the Sound of Music. The concert came about as the result of a partnership between the Pendine Arts and Community Trust and Arts and Business Cymru who provided additional funding via its Culture Step programme and the music teaching centre, Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias in Caernarfon. It was the first in a series of 15 concerts at Pendine Park’s care homes in Wrexham and Caernarfon and at other venues in the community. Pendine Park’s musician-inresidence, Nia Davies Williams, said: “It’s an important part of the Pendine Park ethos that we use the arts to enrich the lives of people across the generations. “Our enrichment programme involves art in all its forms including music, poetry, storytelling and painting.

Elfair Grug at Pendine Park’s Bryn Bella in Wrexham. “The arts are embedded in all our staff training programmes to ensure that enrichment is a part of daily life for everybody here. This project will enable Canolfan Gerdd William Mathias and Pendine Park to build on its relationship following Pendine’s sponsorship of the 2018 Wales International Harp Festival. “Students will also have the opportunity to attend some of the concert sessions to have a taste of music in community settings and be mentored by Elfair.” She added: “It’s a wonderful project

and we know from past experience how much residents enjoy these concert events. “It’s only been possible to put the project together thanks to the Arts and Business Cymru Culture Step Funding.” The project will culminate with a concert by former royal harpist Catrin Finch at Pendine’s Bryn Seiont Newydd centre of excellence for dementia care on April 18, ahead of her performance at the 2019 Wales Harp Festival concert at Galeri in Caernarfon.

Lincoln care home grants salon wish

A LINCOLN care home resident had her wish come true when she was surprised by a new hair salon at the home. Yvonne Radford, who is a longterm resident at Bernadette House, in South Park, has always enjoyed visits to the hairdresser and a dream of hers was that the home would have its own salon one day. After undergoing refurbishment, Bernadette House wanted to fulfil Yvonne’s wish, so they decided to build a salon in the home. Elizabeth Stephens, owner of Bernadette House, said: “We’ve wanted to build a hair salon for some time, but it was always a question of space. “Adding en-suites to all the bedrooms enabled us to convert a communal bathroom into the salon.” Staff and residents at Bernadette House chose the colour scheme. They opted for grey brick effect walls and wood effect vinyl flooring, giving the salon a contemporary feel. Bernadette House has recently been extended with three new bedrooms and a lounge. The 35-bedroom period care home is situated in an acre of gardens to the south of Lincoln city centre.

CARINGNEWS

Suites open at new £8m care home

THE show suites are now open at Banstead Manor, a new 77 bed care home which will provide residential and dementia care and create 100 jobs locally. The luxury development is being built at a cost of £8m across a one acre site by specialist contractor Lawrence Baker. The building will be leased by family-run care provider Hallmark Care Homes. Opening in May, Banstead Manor will feature award-winning design innovations and home comforts. Facilities will include a stateof-the-art cinema, luxurious hair salon, therapy room and café. Each bedroom will be elegantly furnished, have an en-suite bathroom and those on the ground floor will have access to their own patio. Other communal areas will include an interactive kitchen where residents can assist in the preparation of meals and landscaped gardens designed by the late, award-winning landscape architect David Fountain. Customer relationship manager at Banstead Manor, Melissa Jorgensen, said: “We have years of knowledge and experience of building industry-leading care homes and we are excited to be able to create an engaging new care community at Banstead.”

Seafaring double success for award-winning Royal Alfred BANSTEAD based maritime charity the Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society is celebrating a double win for its staff from the recent Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards. The charity, which caters for retired seafarers, their families and dependents, as well as residents living with dementia at its care home, Belvedere House, scooped awards for housekeeping manager Shirley Campbell and chairman Captain Duncan Glass for their contributions to the Society, home, its staff and residents. Duncan, who was awarded the Beyond Governance Award, has been a Trustee with the charity since 2003 and was described by the judging panel as ‘demonstrating an outstanding and sustainable contribution to the Royal Alfred’, overseeing its widespread development since taking on the chairmanship role in 2009. He has overseen a raft of improvements to the Royal Alfred’s Weston Acres estate, including the building and creation of a specialist dementia unit, landscaping of the extensive grounds for staff, resident and family recreation as well as several royal visits and the Society’s 150th anniversary celebration in 2015.

Housekeeping manager Shirley Campbell was recognised with the Leadership Award and has been instrumental in the smooth-running of the Society’s home for more than 10 years. She was commended by judges as ‘kindness itself’, as well as being committed and driven. Shirley covers a range of duties, from helping new residents settle in to the home to spending time with families, managing a team of 15, handling rotas and supporting and managing her team to keeping the home looking spotless. Brian Boxall-Hunt, CEO at the Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society, said: “We are incredibly proud of

the achievements of both Shirley and Captain Glass, both of whom thoroughly deserve their awards for their dedication to our home and for leading by example. “The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ Society would not be what it is today without the commitment and care of every single member of staff who all give so much to making our home a comfortable and supportive place for residents to enjoy life.” The Markel 3rd Sector Care Awards celebrate the unsung heroes that have made a huge impact in the care sector, as well as recognising the achievements made by registered providers and community groups.

CARINGNEWS

Care Providers Conferences 2019

Double celebration at Worcestershire home AN Evesham care home has two reasons to celebrate after its manager won a prestigious award shortly after it marked its 15th anniversary. Mary Tasker, manager of The Hawthorns, was nominated for the University of Worcester’s Hennell Award by her colleague and the home’s activity champion, Alison Edwards, for her outstanding work in making a significant contribution to promoting person-centred care. The award was created by June Hennell MBE in memory of her late husband and celebrates the achievements of an individual or team that has demonstrated an ability to implement positive change for people living with dementia. June joined the judging panel along with other dementia specialists, all of whom felt Mary had shown outstanding person-centred care, impacting positively on residents, their families and the community. In addition to Mary’s award win, the home recently threw open its doors to welcome guests, alongside residents and staff, to celebrate The Hawthorns’ 15-year anniversary.

The occasion was marked with a hot buffet lunch and a cake, with musical entertainment from Gaynor Walker. VIPs included local MP Nigel Huddleston, mayor of Evesham, councillor Mark Goddage and the vice chair of Wyevale Council, councillor Sital Harris. Mary said: “I was completely overwhelmed when I heard I had won the award and can’t thank Alison enough for taking the time and effort to nominate me.” “The win is topped off by coinciding with our anniversary and it’s been wonderful to see our residents, their families, staff and special guests come together to recognise and celebrate the good work we do here. “It’s also an opportunity to say a huge congratulations to my team who give their very best to ensure that we provide a high standard of care, day in, day out.” The Hawthorns care home provides care for up to 40 older people for those living with a dementia and also has seven self-contained apartments for people with an acquired brain injury in their Belleview Suite.

The way to ‘Outstanding’ care

Delivering the latest care news and information that will enable your managers and homes to be at the forefront of ‘Outstanding’ care Listen to National speakers and experts, network with like minded operators, enjoy demonstrations in the exhibition hall of the latest products and technology that are designed to enhance your home, join us for lunch to debate the speakers notes and achieve practical solutions to roll straight out on your return. Ashford International Hotel, Kent -10th April Bournemouth Football Club - 11th April

St Mellion International Resort Hotel - 9th July

Webbington Hotel & Spa, Weston Super Mare -10th July Colchester United Football Club - 23rd October York Racecourse - 6th November

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Residents enjoyed live music, food and drink as they marked Founders’ Day at The Royal Star & Garter Home in Solihull as the charity marked its 103rd anniversary. Royal Star & Garter Homes was founded in 1916 to care for the severely injured young men returning from the battlegrounds of the First World War, opening its doors to residents on January 14. The Hipcats provided the entertainment, playing Big Band classics from the likes of George Gershwin and Glenn Miller, while residents were also treated to a celebratory glass of wine and canapés. The Royal Star & Garter Homes also has a home in Surbiton, Surrey, and a third will open this year in High Wycombe.

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CARINGNEWS

CQC chief executive Ian Trenholm praised the best practice demonstrated at a Greater Manchester care village which was recently awarded the inspectorate’s highest ‘outstanding’ rating by inspectors. Ian, who took over at the helm of the CQC last summer, was accompanied by Jon Rouse, Richard Preece and Jo Chilton from Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership when he toured Belong Atherton. The group met with team members and residents, as well as seeing first-hand a number of pioneering initiatives launched at the specialist dementia care village, including its state-of-the-art exercise studio and multi-sensory equipment.

Chief executive to leave role BRIAN Logan is to leave his position as chief executive of Bield to take up a new challenge as the chief executive of Capability Scotland. Brian, who has been with the provider for 14 years, said his decision was extremely difficult and that he has been proud to play a leading role in developing the organisation into one of Scotland’s leading housing and care providers. He added: “From the minute I

stepped across the door I have been both humbled and inspired by the commitment of Bield’s staff to improve the lives of older people. “Leaving Bield has not been an easy decision for me to make, but this is a rare and excellent opportunity for me to make a contribution to another sector and one which I am genuinely enthusiastic about.” The Board will make a decision on a successor in due course.

Home’s residents star in new educational video A COLCHESTER residential, nursing and dementia care home held a red carpet event to premiere a film educating professionals about epilepsy awareness. Foxburrow Grange, which is part of Outlook Care – a not-for-profit health and social care provider which has been operating for over 25 years – was the setting for the video, and its residents and staff were among the stars of the film. It was filmed by Altura Learning, who produce videos of people receiving and providing care for educational purposes. Outlook Care has worked with Altura Learning previously. In 2016 Outlook Care customers and staff featured in a video about supporting people with severe learning difficulties. Altura Learning, who film with older people and care staff, spent three days filming, speaking to residents at the home and some people from two of Outlook Care’s learning disability services in Havering about the neurological condition. The film premiere coincided with Essex Dementia Day, and Frank Sinatra tribute act David James came along to serenade the 40-plus crowd. Janice Fenner works in Outlook Care’s learning and development department and was deeply involved in the project. She said: “Epilepsy can be quite

difficult to deal with, depending on how severely it affects the individual. “The video is about raising general awareness and understanding the condition, helping people to identify the early signs and what can be done to support people. “The video is aimed at everyone – those working in older people services, learning disabilities services and also people in the mental health sector. “There will be thousands of people in the UK within the Altura Learning group able to watch it and the film will also be shown in Australia so Foxburrow Grange will be exported there too.” The screening was special for an additional reason as it was also the grand opening of the home’s plush cinema room. Guests were encouraged to dress up in black tie and pearls for the occasion.

CARINGTRAINING & RECRUITMENT

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Advertiser’s announcement

Best practice at your fingertips IF YOU’RE looking for a way to provide your staff with training support without having to pull them off the floor, you should take a look at clinicalskills.net The clinicalskills.net website is brimming with highly illustrated step-by-step procedures showing you “how to do it” while following national guidance and best practice. You’ll find topics ranging from mouth care and nutrition, through to standard precautions and care after death. There’s a whole section on the Care Certificate, which has modules on all the Standards of the Care Certificate, as well as checklists for HCAs and CPD tools for your nursing staff. The accompanying online assessments will allow you to verify training completed. You can download data showing how many staff have passed particular tests,

and convert your own paper tests to online. Ben Marote, sales executive at Clinical Skills Ltd, said: “Whenever I show clinicalskills.net to care home managers, they are always blown away by the range of content on the website, the quality of our illustrated guidelines and how easy the website is to use. “They are then pleasantly surprised by the incredible value of an annual subscription, often allowing them to replace many expensive and timeconsuming face-to-face training sessions with a more flexible and cost-effective option.” Peter Gardiner, managing director of Clinical Skills Ltd, added: “clinicalskills.net is already used in more than 120 NHS Trusts, universities, and hospices, and it has given us a real buzz to hear such good feedback from care homes, too.”

Bristol branch is named best in the region

AMIT Tayade and Dominica Dordi were celebrating after Caremark Bristol was crowned the best in the region. The ‘Best Regional Business Award’ was given to the team at a gala event at the Marriott Forest of Arden Hotel

in Warwickshire. Caremark Bristol demonstrated a commitment to the care they provide clients, supported staff with comprehensive training and maintained a professional approach at all times.

In-house academy to create leaders of tomorrow, today STAFF of Rapport Housing & Care’s 2018 Academy: Centre of Excellence, an in-house leadership & management programme, have successfully completed their course. Recruits of the Academy, who work across the organisation’s care and housing scheme’s, have successfully completed the 2018 leadership course, gaining a qualification, confidence and the opportunity to develop their career. Rapport Housing & Care launched its in house Academy programme, ACE, in 2013, giving staff who wanted to develop their skills and further their career the opportunity to undertake a course and gain leadership and management skills. The academy has already had many success stories, with several members taking on senior roles and some moving in to a leadership role. Katrina Levett, director of operations, said: “We created the academy because we recognised that we had a lot of extraordinary

talented employees within our services but maybe they didn’t have the confidence to explore promotion or undertake leadership and management training. “The Academy enables those that want to, to undertake learning and development in a supportive and compassionate environment. “The academy has grown since 2013 and now we are delighted to be offering a wider variety of courses which are open to all staff, not just those working in care. We are looking forward to continuing to support our graduates and welcoming our 2019 intake in February.” The graduates gathered alongside training staff and the management of Rapport Housing & Care at head office, to receive their certificates and share feedback. The group expressed their gratitude at being given the opportunity and all agreed that their confidence had increased significantly since starting their course in March.

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CARINGUNIFORMS AND WORKWEAR

Innovative technology, quality care and Outstanding CQC ratings ... By Anne Graham and David King BEING awarded an Outstanding CQC rating is a highly sought-after badge of excellence for any care home. And, since the inspection process changed, few have achieved this status. We have gained the award for both our care homes, and our mission is to provide our service users with the best possible life. As part of this we place a strong emphasis on continually striving to improve, and we are forward thinking in how to develop our services further. Smarter, more efficient processes Our positive attitude towards innovation and service improvements means we pursue the latest developments to ensure the delivery of quality care. The ability to plan, record, analyse, and present evidence on the care provided to service users aids compliance, and we recognised this was an area that could be greatly improved through the use of technology. At the time our case management processes were largely paper-based, which led to inefficiencies. It was highly time-consuming, labourintensive, required extra storage space, and of course hand-written notes are not always easy to read. Our next step was to replace

Anne Graham, a qualified social worker, and David King, a qualified nurse. this manual approach with a face-to-face time with residents. comprehensive online system with They now play a greater role in their a view to provide even better service own care plans, as ECLIPSE enables user outcomes, as well as time and them to sign and input, as well as cost savings. We implemented store photos, videos, and audio ECLIPSE from OLM, which has had recordings of their activities. a positive impact on staff, managers Involving service users and their and residents. families in the entire process, A shift in working practice has listening to their views and opinions, meant all paper-based records and responding quickly is very were removed, now everything is important because relationships are automated. Staff update service user key to the Resolve way of working. records directly onto the system on As owners of the businesses, greater their tablets, which they undertake visibility of our services is imperative anytime and from anywhere, and by getting on board with the generally on the move around the latest technology developments we care homes instead of having to be in are able to identify and respond to the office. changes quickly and efficiently, rather This has speeded up the process than trawling through endless paper of recording care notes, and the records. reduction in the time staff needed We also now access real-time for administration duties has been information for commissioners and reallocated to spend more quality purchasing authorities detailing what

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our service provides, which again is much quicker and easier than before. Recording and evidencing all aspects of care at both homes has had a big impact on our inspection outcomes, and the inspectors were clearly impressed with the new system and how we are using technology. Staff recruitment and retention is another key focus, and essential to the delivery of quality care. Our service has a positive culture, one that is person-centred. We only recruit staff who have a strong fit with our service users and are good role models, and the stable and dedicated core team that we have built facilitates strong relationships with service users. Every single member of our team is bought into the premise of always looking at what we can do better. We are not ones to rest on our laurels, and really want to influence national practice. Innovative technologies and quality care at our homes have been fundamental to receiving Outstanding CQC status, and have strengthened our care model. Technology is an integral part of the way we deliver care, and by keeping pace with innovation we are successfully addressing the challenges that every care provider faces. n Anne and David own Resolve Care.

CARINGUNIFORMS AND WORKWEAR

Advertiser’s announcement

Wearing the right clothing is important in care homes WEARING appropriate clothing in the workplace is particularly important when it comes to Residential Care Homes. It sounds obvious, but ensuring that your staff are comfortable, look smart and are easily identifiable is as important for your staff as it is for your residents. All healthcare garments should be able to withstand industrial washing for infection control purposes and incorporate special features for wearer comfort and flexibility such as action back pleats. You may also want to consider specifying a fabric such as Flexi Stretch which has more ‘give’ than some more rigid fabrics. Lightweight tunic fabric options are typically around 140gsm whereas standard fabric weights are 195gsm to 220gsm, so it’s worth considering this when choosing tunics and dresses for your staff.

It’s also worth checking that the fabrics used have been independently tested to ensure that they meet the rigours of the role and can withstand a minimum of two years normal wear. Meltemi are specialists with over 30 years’ experience in the design and manufacture of uniforms for healthcare and administration. We are a key provider to the NHS, residential care homes and the private healthcare sector. We offer a great selection of healthcare tunic designs and styles from stock. We offer a sampling service so you and your team can review the quality, colours and styles of garments and a comprehensive logo embroidery service to increase identity. Meltemi is a full member of the ETI (Ethical Trading Initiative) and has been audited to meet the demands of the NHS for ethical trading throughout our supply chain. Residents at a care home in Stockport dusted off their binoculars to celebrate 40 years of the Big Garden Birdwatch. HC-One’s Newlands was joined by St Thomas’ CE Primary School to prepare for the event. Children from year five, together with residents, built their own bird boxes, read stories and played a variety of nature board games. During the weekend, staff and residents found a window spot and spent time spotting different species of birds in their garden.

Home thanks staff for 125 years’ combined service A GROUP of 11 staff members from Fornham House residential home in Fornham St Martin near Bury St Edmunds have been officially thanked for their long and dedicated service to the home which totals more than 125 years. A special presentation was held at the home to formally recognise the staff members for their continued work at the home. Each staff member was presented with a framed certificate, Prosecco and chocolates by Healthcare Homes’ group finance director Matt King, alongside Fornham House’s manager Stuart Coleman. Valerie Crascall, a member of the activities team, was recognised for dedicating 30 years to the home, and Madonna Devereux was thanked for 20 years’ service as a general assistant. A further nine members of the team were thanked for dedicating between five and 15 years each. Those recognised conduct a wide range of roles at the home, including care assistants, activities coordinators

and domestic staff. The staff thanked were: Valerie Crascall – activities coordinator – 30 years; Madonna Devereux – general assistant – 20 years; Kendra Radford – laundry assistant – 10 years; Anca Ungureanu – care assistant – 10 years; Nadine Elston – domestic – five years; Jackie Everitt – senior care assistant – five years; Samantha Turnbull – head of care – five years: Janet Cox – care assistant – 15 years; Magdalena Nowalinska – head housekeeper – five years; Connie Banham – cook – five years; Daniel Phillips – head chef – 15 years. Stuart said: “Our home is a wonderful place for our residents, and that is entirely down to the fantastic team of staff that work so hard every day, creating a home from home environment for them. “We’re extremely proud to have a team of staff that have dedicated so many years to supporting our residents and it was very special to recognise them in this way. I’d like to thank them all on behalf of the home, for everything they do.”

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CARINGNEWS

Fire safety failures in more than half of care homes audited in new report By Chris Callow THE impact of a fire in any type of property can be devastating – but the vulnerability of residents in care homes requires attention to ensure complex fire protection arrangements are effective, and staff actions in an emergency are clearly understood and implemented. A number of fires in 2017/18 raised concerns that fire safety arrangements in care homes may need review. The London Fire Brigade carried out a detailed inspection of 177 properties in late 2018. These inspections identified a number of fire safety failures and 57 per cent of the care homes inspected received a formal notification from London Fire Brigade to address these issues. It’s likely that these issues are common to other care homes across the country so London Fire Brigade has shared some of its findings below with care home operators so they can consider these factors and consult with their Fire Risk Assessors. 1. Fire Risk Assessments Many fire risk assessments were found to have been carried out by in-house managers and demonstrated a lack of understanding about fire safety. However, it was also worrying that some had been completed by a Fire Risk Assessor but didn’t sufficiently cover the issues

of evacuation and numbers of staff required in a comprehensive way. The assessors didn’t always recognise the importance of a comprehensive survey of the premises compartmentation and fire resisting separation. It’s worrying that some care home operators, which have complex fire safety challenges (Progressive Horizontal Evacuation), don’t understand the need for their fire risk assessment to be carried out by an assessor that is competent and experienced in these fire safety challenges. A guidance note on selecting competent Fire Risk Assessors can be downloaded from: https://www. london-fire.gov.uk/safety/theworkplace/fire-risk-assessmentsyour-responsibilities/ 2. Emergency Plan and staffing levels There was also widespread confusion

among managers and staff, over the premises emergency plan. In these cases it was difficult to align the emergency plan with the staffing levels, actions and responsibilities. There was also evidence in some cases that management underestimated the importance of sufficient staffing levels, particularly during night shifts, to carry out a safe evacuation. The emergency plan must take full account of the location of immobile residents, and detailed methods of carrying out evacuation of residents in a planned and managed way. The emergency plan should also document the minimum staffing levels and responsibilities that are required to carry out the evacuation. 3. Training for staff Fire safety training was found to be ‘online’ only in some cases, rather than in-house practical training (where evacuation drills may be included). The use of equipment to assist in evacuation (evacuation chairs/blankets/skids) was still misunderstood in some of the care homes visited. All staff should be fully aware of how to use these in an emergency and more practical training and drills will provide staff with the necessary skills. 4. Fire doors Fire doors on bedrooms, corridors

and staircases are all critical in keeping residents and staff safe from fire and smoke during a progressive evacuation, which can take some time to complete. They should be checked by the Fire Risk Assessor, and regularly by staff to ensure they are effective. The common failures associated with fire doors were excessive gaps around doors, missing or broken door self-closing devices and warped doors that are not closing properly in their respective door frame. A number of premises also had fire doors that have had their fire resistance compromised by large vents being inserted in the door (e.g. boiler rooms, laundries and computer server rooms). Conclusions As our report found there is a need for owners, managers and operators and to stay focused on fire safety protection and management arrangements to reduce the risks and ensure the safety of residents and staff in case of fire. Further guidance on the national guide is available in the Fire Safety Risk Assessment – Residential Care Premises available from https://www. gov.uk/government/publications/ fire-safety-risk-assessmentresidential-care-premises n Chris Callow is head of policy for fire Safety regulation for London Fire Brigade.

CARINGDEMENTIA, CARE AND NURSING HOME EXPO Advertiserâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s announcement

Meeting individual care needs and promoting sustainability COMING to the NEC on March 26 and 27, Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo is the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most dynamic event for the care sector. Recognising the need for development towards a more sustainable social care business model, this event is a tremendous opportunity for social care business owners to gain free CPD accredited training into key areas of the care profession. Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo will have 300 cutting edge exhibitors for visitors to navigate their way through, experiencing first-hand the innovations that will aid in business growth and implementing a sustainable care model. With the NHS budget last year providing some reprieve for the industry to enjoy, there still needs to be an effective plan for the future. Also, with the Age UK survey showing 97 per cent of Brits over 50 would prefer to receive care in their own home, there remains a clear demand for a more sustainable home care service. Across the 300 exhibitors at

Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo, visitors will find everything they will need to help meet this growing demand. From cutting edge technology that makes managing paperwork that much easier and stress free, to catering services that ensure the complex, personal dietary requirements of each individual are met. The sensory and environmental experts exhibiting will be able to offer their services and insight into how effective and beneficial having a good living environment can be for people living with dementia. This all contributes to the generation of consistent, personalised care for everyone. As well as this, the Home Care Theatre will give dedicated information for any home care business owner looking to grow and benefit from the established public want. For all visitors, the Business Growth Theatre will be a space of quality business advice, with seminars led by professionals who have firsthand experience in generating

strong business growth in the face of increased need. For every seminar and masterclass attended visitors will receive CPD points. Given how difficult it can be for social care business owners and managers to allocate the time and budget, this is a perfect opportunity to gain the essential training. The seminar programme will be hosted by exceptional thought leaders including Alison Murray from CQC, Vic Rayner from the National Care Forum, and Bridget Warr CBE from UKHCA. Amongst others, the topics will include the integration of modern technology, preparing for CQC inspection, and the integration of health and social care services. Each speaker is recognised for their outstanding contribution to the progression of the social care industry. This is an unprecedented opportunity to learn directly from the people developing the industry towards sustainability. Dementia, Care & Nursing Home Expo will be the premium platform in 2019 for care home and home

care business owners to experience how best to grow their business, better their care, and work towards a sustainable future. The expo is dedicated to creating positive change within the care industry. As well as this, the Virtual Dementia Tour will be a key feature at the event, creating an exclusive opportunity for visitors to experience. Using contemporary technology, the Virtual Dementia Tour will give visitors an empathic experience of how it feels to live with dementia. This is an invaluable tool to further the continued improvement of care, truly pushing the industry towards outstanding care throughout the industry. Tickets for the event are completely free, and are now available from carehomeexpo.co.uk,where you will find more information on every feature at the show! To enquire about the remaining exhibiting opportunities please contact Nick Woore at Nick.Woore@ prysmgroup.co.uk or call 0117 990 2109.

, EXPO â&#x20AC;¢ 2 0 1 9 26 & 27 MARCH | NEC, BIRMINGHAM

EXPAND, EVOLVE & INNOVATE YOUR SOCIAL CARE BUSINESS

100 300 CPD SEMINARS

MASTERCLASSES

VIRTUAL DEMENTIA

OFFERING COMPLIMENTARY TRAINING

EXHIBITORS

ALISON MURRAY

BIG IAN DONAGHY

Care Quality Commission

Bigian.co.uk

CAREHOMEEXPO.CO.UK | @CareHomeShow

TOUR

VIC RAYNER Executive Director National Care Forum

For exhibiting enquiries please contact: Nick.Woore@prysmgroup.co.uk 0117 990 2109

RUNNING ALONGSIDE:

FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING

SCAN ME using the camera on your phone for COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS

CARINGDEMENTIA, CARE AND NURSING HOME EXPO

Planning and home management system suitable for any setting WOULDN’T it be wonderful if you had a care management system that showed at a glance if any details were missing or records needed updating? CareDocs is an innovative computer-based care planning and home management system suitable for any care setting. The core function of CareDocs has always been the unique three-step system that it uses to produce the most comprehensive, person-centred care plan on the market but now that it is available on the cloud, CareDocs can provide an extended range of value-added features that make care management, accessible from anywhere: CareDocs Portal is accessible from any device, tablet or computer system and with no restriction on the service staff simultaneously using it, you enable all your care staff with an ability to deliver a real point of care recording approach. CareDocs Management Portal is an in-depth view in to the care settings KPI’s from Occupancy Levels, to the detail of overdue or outstanding actions and with a customisable dashboard of

performance figures that you can suit to your immediate focus this service is a wholesome aspect in to how your business is performing. Enquiries: If you would like a free demo visit us at Stand D750 and receive a sample care plan. Alternatively, visit www.caredocs.co.uk or call 0333 500 5115.

Dynamic and innovative company launches online booking service EAST Point Care Ltd has been successfully supplying the UK healthcare sector since 2013 with registered nurses, healthcare assistants and support workers supporting: n Mental health services. n Learning disabilities hospitals. n General hospitals. n Care homes, including learning disabilities and supported living. n Nursing homes for the elderly. They have recently become accredited with REC, and have an impressive client portfolio including The Priory Group, Fitzroy, Jeesal, Southern Hill, Four Seasons Health Care, Papworth Trust, Crystal Care, Dimensions, Empanda, Crystal Care, Omnia (Mind) and East Anglian Care Homes groups. East Point Care Ltd is a dynamic and innovative company operating within the healthcare sector and will be launching its new online booking service. This will provide clients with real-time availability

for booking registered nurses, healthcare assistants and support workers, saving time and money and ensuring staffing requirements are fully met. Enquiries: Call 0330 123 5399 or visit www.eastpointcare.com

New interiors company launches Expert buying support in challenging times CAREFUL menu planning and making the best use of buying power are essential in helping care home operators trade through the uncertainty caused by Brexit, says buying specialist Lynx Purchasing. With concerns continuing over supplies, Lynx’s specialists will be at the Dementia Care and Nursing Home Expo to offer operators advice and support on their purchasing. Rachel Dobson, managing director of Lynx Purchasing, said: “We work with well-established, trusted suppliers, and our customers also benefit from insight into what’s genuinely happening in the market.

“Operators will need to be nimble when it comes to monitoring prices and menu engineering, in order to get the best deals in terms of cost, quality and availability, and we’re here to support them.” Lynx is also advising care operators to develop menus and dishes that can be changed quickly and cost-effectively using produce in season, when it’s at its best in terms of quality, value, and availability. Enquiries: Lynx Purchasing is on stand D772 at the Dementia Care and Nursing Home Expo. For more information call 01325 710143, email savings@lynxpurchasing.co.uk or visit www.lynxpurchasing.co.uk

Technology saves organisations up to 49 per cent on catering costs SoupedUp Catering software is rapidly changing the most labour intensive and costly parts of running a care home business. Imagine a commercial kitchen where the chef has access to per portion recipe costs, recipe yields and scale up information at the touch of a button. With the SoupedUp Catering Software this can be your reality. SoupedUp provides a smarter way to manage costs and can save you 49 per cent on catering while at the same time boosting care and quality. Digitising menu planning and costing streamlines administration work and Soupedup’s cloud-based platform allows for the instant sharing of this information across catering, care and clinical teams. Staff have access to resident dietary requirements and preferences right at their fingertips with both computer and tablet compatibility. With new IDDSI standards set to launch in April, SoupedUp’s latest online training platform offers

WELCOME to Sommer Rose – the new interiors company from Sarah Thompson. With more than 12 years’ experience in creating beautiful and practical interiors for the care home industry, we understand just how important your business is and we believe that it’s what’s inside that really matters. Working side by side with our clients we lovingly handcraft the most rewarding living experiences for their residents and their families. We are Alzheimer’s Society accredited and dementia care trained to provide the full package of furnishings, fixtures and equipment, all sourced from the UK’s most trusted manufacturers of quality, bespoke dementia products. We carefully balance aesthetics and experiences with durability and cost so that all our interior solutions are truly fit for purpose. From creating sensory stimulus through colour, style and texture to ensuring comfort through correct posture and physical support, everything we do is designed to create beautiful spaces that live and breathe and last for years to come. Our clients include independent and corporate care homes, plus interior designers and architects

across the UK for whom we provide consultation and project management services for both new build and refurbishment projects. Sarah looks forward to welcoming you inside our bespoke designed stand at D251 Enquiries: Call 07495 471038, email Sarah@sommer-rose.com or visit www.sommer-rose.com

a convenient and cost-effective way to train care home staff in best practice and industry specific catering topics, without ever leaving the kitchen. Enquiries: To learn more about our complete range of care catering solutions, come see us at the Dementia, Care and Nursing Home Expo or visit www.soupedup.com

Dignified, waterproof adult bibs from Care Designs – 15 per cent off CARE Designs creates high quality adult bibs in range of styles and materials including the Pashmina Scarf Style Clothes Protector which combines the look of an elegant ladies’ scarf with the waterproof practicality of a bib and so and can be worn all day with a high level of dignity. For mealtimes we offer the PRO80™ Tabard Bibs made of super-durable, long

lasting waterproof fabric plus Neckerchiefs and Cross Scarf clothing protectors for comfortable wearing throughout the day. Get 15 per cent OFF; use code CAREDESIGNS-CUK5 at the webshop checkout. Call 01223 840236, visit www.caredesigns.co.uk or email purchasing@bibetta. com for a brochure.

CARINGNEWS

Spa members embrace Loch Ness challenge

Group announces Harry Patch award winners SOMERSET Care Group has unveiled the two winners of its Harry Patch Outstanding Manager Award. Ross Isbell and Andrea Bacon were presented with the accolade at a recent quarterly managers’ meeting. The Harry Patch Award was first presented 10 years ago following the death of the last surviving Tommy, who spent his final years at Fletcher House, Somerset Care’s home in Wells. The award, a Bristol Blue Glass bowl, is presented annually to an outstanding manager within the group who has demonstrated exceptional service. The original bowl sits on a wooden plinth, which has the names of all the winners engraved since it was first

awarded. Ross and Andrea were each presented with a certificate and their own individual bowl. Ross is the manager at Grovelands care home in Yeovil and is one of three Somerset Care managers to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ CQC rating. Andrea is the operations manager for My Willows and Realise, the provider’s specialist learning disabilities service. Gary Ridewood, group finance director and interim CEO, said: “I was delighted to present this year’s Harry Patch award to Andrea and Ross. “They are both worthy winners of this award and inspire and engage their teams in their shared vision to provide the best possible service to those they support.”

INTREPID gym-goers at a North East retirement village have set out to swim or pool-walk the length of Loch Ness in the next few weeks without having to stray too far from their home. Members of Middleton Spa at Middleton Hall Retirement Village, at Middleton St George, near Darlington, are also covering the distance of the Coast to Coast route and not even setting foot outside the Spa. Almost 50 Spa members and Middleton Hall residents have signed up to the challenges and are now busy tackling either swimming or pool-walking 3,622 lengths to cover the 36-kilometre length of Loch Ness, or clocking up the equivalent of the 210-kilometre route between Workington and Tynemouth using the Spa’s gym equipment. The challenges have been created by the Spa to help members and residents to stick to any fitness resolutions they made at the start of the year, or to provide a new target for those already using the facilities on a regular basis. Michael Hodgson, Middleton Hall’s healthy living manager, said resolutions can easily tail off within a matter of weeks. He added: “Tackling our challenges is giving residents and members the encouragement to keep going longer

than maybe they would have without an added incentive. “It is also giving them a bit longer to get into a regular routine. “For those who use the facilities on a regular basis it is providing a challenge and sense of achievement to keep going and striving to improve. “They love it. They make sure we are noting down their kilometres each session and often want to do a little extra to increase their distance.” Middleton Hall’s Spa-goers are no strangers to challenging themselves. Last January, swimmers completed a ‘Swim the Channel’ initiative and a collective Spa challenge to mark last summer’s World Cup was also enthusiastically embraced. Michael said: “From June 1 to 18 everyone travelled from Middleton Hall to Russia, around the grounds where England would be playing and back again in time for the kick off of the first game for England in the World Cup against Tunisia. A total of 9,048 kilometres was completed with time to spare. “By helping to maintain and enhance fitness, it supports Middleton Hall’s central philosophy of ‘Living Well’. “This aims to enable residents to live active and fulfilling lives by giving them choices about keeping fit, eating a balanced diet and doing activities that are sociable and stimulating.”

Advertiser’s announcement

Care home adopts innovative software to improve management efficiency SET near the idyllic Dumfriesshire countryside, in the town of Lockerbie, you will find Dryfemount Residential Care Home. Like many care homes, Dryfemount has lots of data to manage. They wanted to reduce the amount of paperwork, printing and scanning their team had to process. The team wanted a solution that would save time and get the information they needed as quickly as possible. As a result, they were one of the first providers to jump onboard with care home management software CoolCare4 in 2018. We caught up with home manager Melanie Wilson and her colleagues to see how the new system is helping their home’s efficiency. Melanie informed us that she has used many different systems in her previous roles, so she’s got lots of points of reference. Going for a new piece of technology was therefore a bold move but she was extremely pleased with the decision. “I absolutely love CoolCare4: the way it looks and feels is great. The dashboard makes getting key information quick and easy and features like Occupancy Management are unique and useful. “Using this kind of system really

speeds up our work and means getting the data is really easy. “We’re really benefitting from using the enquiry management, it makes following up and keeping track of our enquiries so much easier.” Consulting director Sandra Cooke could not help but jump in to contribute. She added: “Can I just say that as a director I absolutely love the

front page, I love how it highlights any overdue tasks so they can be addressed without delay. “It’s just so easy to use and I can see exactly what I need to with ease in regard to service delivery to our residents, occupancy, finance, everything is at your fingertips and can be accessed where ever I am – I don’t need to be in the office.” They admitted that bringing in the

new system had proved daunting, especially being early adopters as they weren’t sure what to expect. Getting all the data into the system proved to be really easy and the support they have received from the CoolCare team whenever they had a question meant they got everything set-up quickly. As a result, the team have found it “tremendous” for evidencing. Melanie concluded: “We love the way you can access everything so easily, there’s no going through boxes and boxes. “It’s really easy to use and intuitive. Using CoolCare4 saves us a lot of time and admin is so much easier. “It is so great to evidence information and have it to hand when we need it, we can see straight away what needs doing or updating – no more guesswork.” It’s clear that for Dryfemount, the ease of use of CoolCare4 has really helped their operations. Melanie said she was keen to recommend CoolCare to other companies. “It’s a great tool, it’s user friendly and it helps so much with auditing. It pulls several of the systems you have into one, especially the HR side. “CoolCare4 looks and feels great, it’s nice to use and simple even if you’re not that tech-savvy.”

CARINGNEWS

New manager for Inverness home AN Inverness care home has strengthened its team with the appointment of a new manager, who brings over 30 years of experience in nursing care. Denise Scott is responsible for the day to day management of Meallmore’s Culduthel Care Home. She is well established in the industry, having moved to the Highlands at the age of 19 to study nursing and midwifery. During this time, Denise became passionate about working with and caring for the elderly and went on to work as a staff nurse and then in management roles across both the NHS and the private sector. She now takes on the role of care home manager at Culduthel, where she will focus on developing staff skills and knowledge and ensuring residents have fulfilled lives while receiving care that is tailored to their individual needs. Denise will also drive forward the care home’s community outreach programme and has already engaged with the local schools as well as local community groups to organise outings. She said: “I’m very excited to have taken on this role with Meallmore as I feel that the company values its employees and invests heavily in their career progression. Everyone has been hugely supportive already. “I believe I bring a wealth of

Two football fanatics from Shrewsbury and Wellington nursing homes were taken to watch their favourite football teams battle it out recently. Residents Gordon Millington and Anna Magarthy were accompanied by Laura Robinson and Katie Hickman, both care assistants from Morris Care, as they cheered their team on at the Shrewsbury versus Wolves FA Cup game. Gordon, from Morris Care Centre in Wellington, has supported Wolverhampton Wanderers since he was a boy. Anna, from Radbrook Nursing Home in Shrewsbury, who is an equally passionate fan, has supported her home team for as long as she can remember. n Care assistant Katie Hickman is pictured with resident Anna Magarthy.

Gowns keep residents warm Denise Scott experience, as well as kindness and compassion, and I will be focusing on residents’ wellbeing as a priority. It’s hugely important that those in our care are given the support that they need to live as independently as possible. “I look forward to developing relationships with residents and their families and empowering my team members to be the best they can be.”

JOSEPH’S technicolour dressing gowns were knitted by care home residents in Saltburn-by-the-Sea. Residents at Hazelgrove Court created the gowns for elderly people to keep warm this winter in their own homes. They were taking part in a Knit for Peace UK initiative, which encourages knitters to produce items for those in need. The residents chose to make dressing gowns by knitting six by six inch squares and then attaching them together to create the finished piece. The gowns take 114 squares to produce, as well as a knitted belt to match.

Residents described the finished gowns as “Joseph’s coat of many colours”, according to manager Tina Temple. She said: “It’s really important for us to continue to involve residents in activities that help the wider community. They all love to knit and were very impressed in the finished dressing gown.” The home’s activities coordinator, Sharon Lewis, found out about Knit for Peace UK when she was looking for a community project to involve the residents in. There are many keen knitters living at the home, so the residents were pleased to get involved with the initiative.

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CARINGNEWS

Developing care workers is vital for the future of social care ... By Melanie Weatherley

THE Department of Health and Social Care recently launched the national adult social care workforce recruitment campaign. Walnut Care for one are looking forward to using this initiative as part of our spring campaign to attract new entrants to our workforce. Recruiting the right people with the right values is vital but it is only the start of the journey. Care staff have an important highly-skilled role, especially if they work on their own with vulnerable adults living in their own home. In addition to the everyday practical tasks, they are also expected to be excellent communicators and motivators; carers are required to notice when individuals are not themselves and to know how to access clinical support when needed. To do this they need to be competent and confident, recognised and rewarded. Care managers know the importance of staff recognition and development, but it is often overlooked when competing with the needs of service users and commissioners, not to mention the stresses that arise from the health and care system. If, as a sector, we do not prioritise the needs of our staff, we will

Melanie Weatherley continue to have higher rates of sick leave and staff turnover than we should. Care staff are underpaid for the level of skill and responsibility that they are expected to demonstrate, and as leaders we need to keep the pressure on the government for better funding of social care. In the meantime, there are other things that we can do to show that we value our staff: Recognition – I have recently been privileged to take part in the judging and presentation of local and national care awards, which recognise and celebrate the fantastic work our care staff do every day. It is a very humbling and rewarding

experience. If you have never been on one of the judging panels, I highly recommend it. Nominating staff members takes time and there may be a small cost if they are invited to the gala celebration evening, but it is much more cost effective than a recruitment campaign and demonstrates to all staff how much they are valued. None of these awards ceremonies have the media profile they deserve, so if you do nominate a member of staff make sure to celebrate this locally. For example, get in touch with your local press, radio and TV news stations if you have a winner. Development – many care providers are of the belief that there isn’t enough time to release staff to attend training and development sessions. However, there does seem to be time to recruit replacements for staff who feel ignored or to answer serviceuser complaints that arise when staff are asked to undertake tasks which are not totally understood. Growing and developing our staff enables us to provide high-quality care to customers, as well as retaining our best people. At Walnut Care we have invested significantly in staff development, using our practiced staff to support newer members of the team and celebrating the staff members internal successes, such as afternoon tea with our local

mayor for those who complete the Care Certificate. This has not only improved our retention of new staff but has also given the experienced staff an opportunity to share their passion for the job that they do. For smaller organisations, or at more senior levels, why not join with other local care association providers to celebrate staff development. If you don’t have access to a care association, why not start one? The Care Association Alliance would be happy to help. Support – winter can be a particularly difficult time for domiciliary care staff. Often leaving for work in the dark and frequently getting cold and wet as they move from house to house. Cars are also more likely to breakdown in cold weather, and as road quality deteriorates the cost of repairs can soar. Providing staff with appropriate clothing and helping with vehicle costs can be the difference between individuals continuing to do the job they love or starting a simpler line of work at the local supermarket. Most CQC-regulated providers have business continuity plans in the event of major disruption, but have they been shared with staff so that they know that they will be supported? n Melanie Weatherley is CEO of Walnut Care, chair of Lincolnshire Association and co-chair of Care Association Alliance.

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CARINGNEWS

Spring into the next season with a fresh environment

MAYBE you are one of the lucky few that have a little budget left from the last budget year or are looking forward to allocating new budgets. Whichever and whatever your budget we can help you to make it go further. It is better to spend money on one room and to do it to a good standard then to do several rooms on a low budget. If however your budget is low then new curtains and cushions can really transform a room. Some lovely new collections are available in a range of styles and colours to suit all. Involving residents is always good and a further activity for them but whilst it is good to offer choice be careful not to offer too much as this can

be daunting and tiring. If buying upholstery fabrics also look for the Martindale Abrasion Test which should be shown on the reverse – basically this tells you how many ‘rubs’ the fabric can take, the higher the number the more durable it is. Also check that fabrics are fire retardant or can be treated and also meet the various industry standards. If you would like help with your project, or would find a free 90-minute consultation helpful then please contact Eda or Terry as shown, or visit our website www.access21interiors.co.uk Enquiries: Call Access 21 Interiors on 020 8339 6133 or email info@access21ltd.co.uk

Oak Hall

Home opens in Haslemere ELIZABETH Finn Homes has opened Oak Hall in Haslemere, Surrey. This is the 10th and latest addition to the portfolio of homes the group operates across England. Since becoming responsible for the property, Elizabeth Finn has commissioned a comprehensive refurbishment, with the old merging seamlessly into the new in the Grade II building. Oak Hall offers 51 luxurious rooms, all individual in design, and all with en-suite wet rooms; some rooms are available for double occupancy. In addition to a fully-licensed bar, restaurant-style dining is a key feature, with a three-course lunch prepared every day. Meals can be enjoyed in the vaulted dining room, residents’ own room, in the Bistro or outside when weather permits. Oak Hall offers a range of care

options: residential, full nursing care, convalescence, respite and specialist palliative care are all available. Staff are led by general manager Karen Williams, assisted by a clinical lead manager and a team of nurses and carers. CEO Richard Hawes said: “I am delighted Oak Hall has opened on time and on budget; it is a welcome new addition to our growing portfolio of care homes. “Karen, who was the registered manager of the first nursing home in Surrey to receive an Outstanding CQC rating, has brought her extensive experience of operating high-end care facilities to Oak Hall and we are delighted to see the first residents safely welcomed. “I am also pleased that we have created new jobs in the area, and that we are able to source many of our supplies locally to ensure we contribute to community life.”

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CARINGPRODUCT NEWS

Relax under the stars ...

Care Home Murals launches new beach hut wallpapers WHEN a customer recently asked Care Home Murals to help them create a seaside theme for a corridor, they jumped at the opportunity. Specifically, the customer wanted to use their wallpaper murals to convert a row of bedroom doors into multicoloured beach huts. This would provide a vivid backdrop for the inclusion of all sorts of holiday memorabilia and reminiscence objects for the benefit of residents. Design director Michael Potter said: “We are very happy to work in this way, responding to the ideas of

care professionals and helping them achieve their vision for their care environment. “As a business specialising in mural art, we are well set up to develop exciting wall imagery that really works for our individual customers.” Inspired by the wider possibilities this type of mural design will offer their customers, Care Home Murals has developed a new range of colourful beach hut wallpapers and prints to add to its established collection of wallpaper murals, all designed exclusively for care homes.

IF YOU are looking for a quick and easy way to transform a room, with minimal disruption, adding a star panel by Starscape Star Ceilings is worth considering. The Northumberland-based firm manufactures ready-made fibre optic star panels in a range of shapes and sizes. Among its products are its Infinity panel, a modular system based on panels of 1000 x 1000mm which can be built up into arrays of any size. Originally conceived for the home cinema sector, the Infinity panels are widely used in other applications. They’ve been specified, for instance for use in “quiet rooms” for residents with dementia. Or, they can be used to instantly brighten up a dark corridor. While the Infinity is a modular, multi-part system, other Starscape products are designed for standalone use. These include the Galaxy and Corona star panels. The Galaxy is rectangular while the Corona is elliptical. Because they’re manufactured in aluminium composite they’re suitable for use in humid environments such as bathrooms, spas or indoor swimming pools.

Time required to install will vary according to the specifics of the existing ceiling construction, but a Galaxy or Corona might typically take two people an hour to install. The Galaxy is 2.34m x 1.12m, while the Corona is a reshaped version of those dimensions. The standard Galaxy and Corona panels each has 300 stars, but it’s possible to upgrade to a version with 500 stars, and colour changing LED tape, providing a halo of coloured light around the panel, is also a popular optional extra. The panels themselves are available in a range of colours.

New collections for 2019 SHACKLETONS celebrates 60 years of manufacturing furniture in 2019. Drawing on the changes and accomplishments of last year; 2019 is shaping up to be an exciting one. Let’s begin the celebrations of this milestone with our new collection pieces. Our new collections signify the need for quality designed furniture for the care home market. The Mijas, designed by Shackletons’ in-house design and development team. The beautiful Mijas range is perfect for enhancing lounges, receptions, and restaurant and bedroom areas. The Mijas is available in a wide range of styles. The Girona is a stunning signature chair. The beautiful curved back and button detailing which adds a touch of alluring style which is exceptional. At the heart of the Girona lies our commitment to quality, comfort and design. Shackletons will celebrate its anniversary year with exciting

Placement scheme for students is launched product launches, events and much more. Make sure to watch this space and follow #ShackletonsSixty on social media. Join Shackletons at the forthcoming Caring UK conferences this April to see the new collection and celebrate this amazing milestone.

New Zerolon® Barrier Cream

NEW Zerolon® Barrier Cream from Thornton & Ross Dermatology, is the latest addition to the Zeroderma range. Zerolon® Barrier Cream is specially formulated to prevent irritation from bodily fluids including urine, faeces and exudate. Zerolon® Barrier Cream moisturises and protects intact, damaged or inflamed skin and is suitable for use with incontinence pads. Similar in formulation to leading barrier creams, Zerolon® Barrier Cream offers cost savings of up to 29 per cent without any compromise on patient care. Zerolon® Barrier Cream is part of the Zeroderma range of emollients and barrier creams and is listed on the Drug Tariff and Nurse Prescriber’s Formulary. Enquiries: For further information about Zerolon® Barrier Cream call 01484 842217, email zeroderma@ thorntonross.com or visit www. zeroderma.co.uk

SUNRISE of Sonning has launched a scheme to give nursing students an opportunity to train and learn in a hands-on environment, in addition to their university studies. This marks the first placement student that Sunrise Senior Living UK has taken on, and the company hopes to start introducing the scheme across its other care homes in the UK over the coming months. Annegy Mataso, who is in her third year at the University of West London, is the student now working at the care home. Following an assessment and a lot of paperwork to get the process signed off, Sunrise of Sonning was considered a suitable place for student placements and started looking for their first candidate.

The community will now offer these placements to students, and has the capacity for two placements at a time. Sunrise of Sonning has also already organised for two students to follow on from Annegy. Carmela Magbitang, general manager of Sunrise of Sonning, said: “I am really pleased to have been able to get the placement programme off the ground. “This project has been a personal passion of mine and I am really looking forward to working more closely with Annegy and all future students. “These individuals will be exposed to a whole new side of nursing and will have the opportunity to gain real practical experience, to enhance what they are learning at the University.”

Zeroslip Anti-Slip DIY tile kits

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CARE HOME SALES NATIONWIDE

New owners bring care home back to life A STOKE-on-Trent care home has been taken on by new owners following a £9million HSBC UK finance package. Trentham House had fallen into difficulties and required significant improvements. Using the £9million HSBC UK finance package, the new owners, the Twigge family, bought the property in November. The business will invest £1million to renovate the home and improve the facilities for both the staff and residents. The family, who own Bradwell Hall in Newcastle-under-Lyme, will use their wealth of knowledge and strong management team to restore Trentham House and expand the nursing spaces, as they have already done at their other home. The renovations, which have begun and are expected to last for 12 months, will include 60 new en-suites, new carpeting across the whole property, installation of new

Michael Twigge, James Twigge, Edward Twigge and Julie Carson, new owners of Trentham House, with Andy Wyeth from HSBC. specialist beds, mattresses, hoists and of the renovation. The business the complete re-fit of 60 rooms. hopes to create up to 200 jobs, Trentham House is already home including nurses, carers, kitchen staff, to 20 residents and will see a further maintenance workers and domestic move in following the completion staff, and increase turnover to

lamontjohnson.com Hart Care Essex Ltd.

£3.5million. Edward Twigge said: “Trentham House used to be an outstanding care home and we are committed to returning it to its former glory. “The renovations planned for the home will provide a warm and welcoming environment for residents as well as create job opportunities for the local community. “The support of our relationship manager at HSBC UK, Andy Wyeth, has been key in helping us put the renovation programme in place.” David Ramsden, corporate banking area director in the West Midlands for HSBC UK, added: “The Twigge family has successfully run Bradwell Hall for the past 30 years and saw an opportunity to take on Trentham House and replicate this success. “We are always inspired by businesses which play such an important role in the community and strive to ensure they can develop and expand their presence in the market.”

SOLD

Providing & Promoting Rehabilitation & Recovery In Mental Health

Head Office. PO Box 2347, Woodford Green, Essex IG7 5WH Tel: 020 8501 5002. Fax: 020 8500 9339. Email: info@hartcare.co.uk

Totally Conﬁdential No Obligation

To whom it may concern We have recently sold our group of three Essex care homes through Lamont Johnson Ltd and were very impressed with the professional service they provided. The service provided by Grayson Taylor was exceptional and he was contactable at all times through a quite tricky and delicate process. The sale was a quick process from start to finish but did involve some extremely complicated matters which Grayson would deal with in a quick and professional manner whilst dealing with our buyers. We had previously used a different company to try and sell another care home of ours, who charged us upfront fees and then provided a really poor service without any sale taking place. Lamont Johnson Ltd charged us NO upfront fee, worked efficiently to make a sale and took a well earned fee at the end of the sale.

LAMONT

‘‘WE DON’T NEED TO BLOW OUR OWN TRUMPET....

OUR CLIENTS DO IT JOHNSON FOR US”

I can fully recommend Grayson Taylor at Lamont Johnson Ltd, as you will get a great service and will only pay a fee if they actually sell your care home, so there is a big incentive there and they will earn it.

Kind regards

NO SALE

NO FEE

Mr S Hart Company Director

IF YOU ARE THINKING OF SELLING THIS YEAR PHONE US TODAY

OVER 01937 842 758 38 YEARS EXPERIENCE

LamontJohnson

P R O P E RT Y ADVISOR S

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CARE HOME SALES NATIONWIDE

A growing skills gap could be accentuated by a no-deal Brexit and its impact on foreign workers in the care sector. James Herbert, CEO of Hastee Pay, explores the ways care businesses can increase their appeal to skilled care workers.

Attracting staff after a no-deal Brexit THERE is growing concern over the impact of Brexit on staffing in the care sector. Chief executive of Care England, Martin Green OBE, has said the prospect of a no-deal Brexit could only accentuate the fragility that already exists within the sector. With many care homes struggling to retain staff in the current environment, the prospect of a no-deal Brexit means attracting staff to the sector could become an even greater challenge. The care sector already heavily relies on foreign workers. In the event of a no-deal Brexit, the rights of foreign workers staying in the UK may come under threat and many are leaving already. Even if their stability is guaranteed, businesses may struggle to attract skilled workers to work in the UK due to tougher visa processes. Care businesses should be worried considering that the demand for staff is set to increase by 650,000 by 2035, more needs to be done. In care homes, the quality of care can depend on the wellbeing of the staff. UNISON cites sleep-ins, tough rota schedules, zero hours contracts and unpaid travel time as some of the top challenges for care workers. Both Mind and the NHS have highlighted the link between financial

James Herbert worries and mental health. This can lead to poor workplace performance, and recent research from Hastee Pay revealed that 25 per cent of workers suffer from poor concentration at work as they are worrying about their personal finances. The ‘Struggle Is Real’ research report into pay cycles has found

that workers paid monthly are twice as likely to use short-term credit compared to those paid weekly, suggesting more frequent access to pay helps people manage their finances better and avoid falling into a debt cycle. Flexible payment solutions that work as an optional perk alongside traditional payment methods enable workers to access their earned pay when they wish, rather than waiting weeks for pay day. The Care Quality Commission has a specific set of requirements on which care home inspections are based. To comply with each of these requirements, care home leadership must ensure members of staff at all levels have the right support they need to perform their role to the best of their abilities. In recent years workforce wellbeing has risen higher up the HR agenda, resulting in a variety of solutions that can help improve the wellbeing of workers. In turn, this can improve recruitment, retention and affect the quality of care provided. Public services union UNISON cites impossible rotas and unpaid travel time as two of the top challenges for care workers. In care homes, the quality of care

The HPC Location Report Assess the feasibility of proposed care home development Used by investors, operators and developers In depth market analysis Highly visual data provision and analysis Interactive map offering Target Area options Additional Micro and Macro market identification and comment Concluding Director comment to each report

Contact HPC today on 01937 222107 Email enquiries@healthcarepc.co.uk Visit www.healthcarepc.co.uk

can depend on the wellbeing of the staff. A recent survey also unveiled that 32 per cent of workers admitted to missing work because they can’t afford to pay for their commute. Everyone in the care sector knows how demanding a single shift can be. With rotas cited as a key challenge by UNISON, care home operators should consider implementing smart shift scheduling software to help provide fairer rotas that are more manageable for staff, fitting their work around the demands of their lives. Care home workers are often thanked by a resident’s family members, but empowering them to express that gratitude in other ways could further boost staff morale. Online websites offer opportunities to donate towards hot drinks and other treats through donation widgets such as ‘Buy Me A Coffee’. By implementing a similar concept of care home reception areas, guests could put their words of gratitude into action to the home’s staff and thereby boost staff morale. By considering these workplace perks, care home operators could increase motivation, engagement, employment and retention, thereby in turn achieving a higher quality of care for their residents.

Anchor Hanover Group is created from merger ANCHOR Hanover, England’s largest provider of care and housing for older people, has been formed from the successful merger of Hanover Housing Association and Anchor Trust. With more than 60,000 homes across 1,700 locations supported by more than 9,000 colleagues, the new organisation has formally launched. Anchor Hanover Group, usually shortened to Anchor Hanover, operates in more than 90 per cent of local councils in England. Both Anchor and Hanover started out in the 1960s. Together, the new organisation formed from them provides rented and leasehold retirement housing and residential care homes across England. Anchor Hanover chair Dr Stuart Burgess CBE said: “More specialist housing and care will be needed going forwards, with new types of services. “Anchor Hanover can offer more options, have a stronger voice with government and local councils, operate more efficiently and build more properties for older people. “We have ambitious plans and want to provide more services, driven by the needs and aspirations of our ageing society. “This could include social rented, shared ownership and outright sale new homes.”

Architects design community focussed accommodation SAUNDERS Boston Architects has utilised its experience and skills in the retirement and care housing sector to provide both architectural and interior design solutions for Reynolds Court – a 42 apartment refurbishment in Newport, Essex that aims to improve facilities for over 60s – which is now officially open. The sheltered housing scheme project was designed for Uttlesford District Council in partnership with Lovell and Henry Riley. The contract for the project was awarded to Saunders Boston Architects in 2014 following a highly contested design competition. Darren Heffer, director of Saunders Boston Architects, said: “We are delighted to have been a part of this exciting project from inception to culmination. “Uttlesford District Council is a fantastic client that shares our passion for providing stimulating, safe and secure accommodation to local elderly residents.” The flagship building, officially opened by Kemi Badenoch MP, contains 42 self-contained one and two bedroom apartments that prioritise space and lighting. Many of the new flats have balconies, and all flats contain wet rooms and fitted kitchens with builtin ovens, fridge freezers and laundry amenities. Darren added: “The design not

We can visit and offer advice on selling your Care Home

7 DAYS A WEEK

Grayson Taylor (Managing Director, Lamont Johnson) Dawn Taylor (Director, Lamont Johnson)

•1981 FOUNDING PRINCIPAL of Taylor National •2001 FOUNDING PRINCIPAL of DC Care •2012 FOUNDING PRINCIPAL of Lamont Johnson IF YOU ARE THINKING OF SELLING IN 2019 PHONE US TODAY

“UPFRONT” FEES or INFLATED COMMISSION RATES! For a no obligation appraisal and advice on how we can help sell your home phone us on 07920 475 440 or mail us at lamontjohnson @btinternet.com

Our success in the sale of Care Homes has been achieved through the 38 years experience of principal directors, Grayson and Dawn Taylor, specialising solely in the discreet sale of Care Homes and sites/developments nationwide. for C2 use nationwide

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CARE HOME SALES NATIONWIDE

only focussed on the apartments as individual units, but the social element of the building as a whole; there is a communal lounge, garden room, hairdressing salon and guest apartment, allowing the residents to become a community. “The scheme was delivered within budget, showing that quality does not have to be sacrificed for cost as long as a project is managed efficiently. “The building has already been submitted for a number of awards; but, more importantly, is a win for residents, the local community and the sheltered housing scheme as

whole.” The building received planning permission in 2015 with a grant of just over £900,000 from Homes England and was built in two phases, during which residents of the existing building were able to stay on site for the 21-month build programme. The development not only aimed to create improved, modern living conditions for residents, but also focuses on sustainability through the use of sedum roofs; which encourage biodiversity and improve drainage and thermal qualities, allowing for reduced energy use.

Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards – what is going to replace them? By Neil Grant THERE is general agreement that the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards are a bureaucratic nightmare. The President of the Court of Protection described the experience of writing a judgment in a case involving DoLs as feeling “as if you have been in a washing machine and spin dryer.” There is also a backlog of around 125,000 cases with many going back several years. The Government has decided to replace DoLS with a new framework which will be called the Liberty Protection Safeguards. These will not just apply to care homes and hospitals, which is the current position with DoLS, but to wider settings including supported living and people’s own homes. To bring about the change, the Government introduced a Bill before Parliament in July 2018 – the Mental Capacity Act (Amendment) Bill – which has now passed through the Lords and Commons and is awaiting Royal Assent. It has had a difficult passage through Parliament with many objections being raised about a perceived watering down of protections for cared-for people. An area of controversy has been in relation to new responsibilities placed on care home managers to undertake the assessments. Concerns have been raised about

conflicts of interest. The Government has had to back down so that now care home managers and their staff will not be the ones undertaking the assessments. Mental disorder and mental capacity assessments will normally be arranged through a person’s GP, while in most social care cases, the local authority will be responsible for organising the ‘necessary and proportionate’ assessment. Care home managers will still need to collate all the assessments into a statement to be supplied to the local authority and they will also be responsible for consulting with interested persons about the proposed arrangements, including the cared-for person. Even after the Bill becomes an Act, there will be time needed to prepare the sector for the changes. The Government has not yet issued a draft Code of Practice. This is not expected much before the autumn. The Code will provide guidance on how the legislation should be applied to the various settings, with clarification as to what may constitute a deprivation of liberty. Finally, there is the major issue of training across the sector. It is difficult to see the Act coming into force much before April 2020 and possibly not until 2021. n Neil Grant is a partner at Gordons Partnership LLP.

The contracts division of Mactaggart & Mickel has signed a contract with Meallmore Ltd to build a 52-bed, two storey care home set within landscaped grounds following a competitive tender. It will be traditionally built with a modern design and a number of design features including an attractive roofline. The development programme spans 16 months and is likely to create local jobs throughout the construction period. Once complete it will offer personalised care for older people, including the frail elderly. Construction of the care home is due to be completed in spring 2020.

Preparing to sell? SELLING a care business is a complex process, requiring assistance from various care industry professionals along the way. For due diligence, it would be prudent to appoint a solicitor specialising solely in healthcare as they can ensure the smooth progression of a sale. Due diligence involves potential purchasers looking at your business in detail, examining everything from accounts to rotas and leases. To simplify the process ensure your accounts are up to date and in order, before instructing an agent. Any preparation through addressing the following key areas will reap benefits: n Upgrade or refresh your facilities. n Ensure you’re on the best possible energy tariff and consider solar power or LED lighting. n Valuations look at the maintainable earnings rather than ‘price per bed’.

Do your accounts make it easy to establish this? n Prepare historical data showing trends in occupancy levels, fees and rates. n If you are an owner-manager do you have a qualified management team to replace you? n Strong relationships with key referrers such as local authorities and GP practices can help maintain occupancy levels. n Does your business outperform other local providers? If not, identify and improve those areas that fall short. If there are any risks, the purchaser may require an indemnity, to cover their costs in resolving a problem. By identifying and resolving risks and concerns, before the sale proceeds, you can confidently give warranties, have control over resolving problems and limit indemnities.

Independent expertise, nationwide knowledge

specialist healthcare business agents

Let’s face it, most statistics are usually quite boring... ... but at DC Care we’ve got some exciting stats we’d like to shout about!

£44M

SOLD

worth of deals currently under offer or sale agreed

34%

increase in viewings during the quarterly period October to December 2018 vs previous year

£64M

worth of deals with high interest or offers pending

Just a selection of healthcare businesses sold by DC Care in the last quarter!

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

SALES | ACQUISITIONS | APPRAISALS | CONSULTANCY

01937 849 268

www.dccare.co.uk sales@dccare.co.uk

CARINGPRODUCT NEWS

Iceland Trade launched for independent businesses

Have you considered leasing a minibus for your care home? BEING able to take your residents out for day trips enhances their experience of being in your care. Ensuring you have a suitable vehicle will be top of your priority list. Minibus Leasing UK supply care homes across the UK with minibuses of all types. We offer a personal service to all customers, ensuring specific needs are met. You have one point of contact throughout the process. Our experienced team have a full understanding of the needs of care homes. We have mature relationships with minibus conversion companies, who install wheelchair lifts and other special requirements. We can arrange for your minibus to be branded with your care home logo. And importantly, we can guide you through all the legal requirements.

What to consider when leasing a minibus for a care home To ensure every specific need is met, we will ask questions such as: 1. What will the minibus be used for? 2. How many seats are needed? 3. What is the ratio of carers to care home residents that is required to be carried in the minibus? 4. Will there be a requirement for disabled access either now or in the future? 5. How long will the minibus be needed for? Our latest leasing offers can be found at www. minibusleasinguk.co.uk Enquiries: To have an informal chat with one of our team or to get a quote on a specific minibus please call us on 01491 615516 or email sales @minibusleasing.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.

ACCOUNTANCY SAVVY!

Our goal is to work with you to carefully assess your personal or business requirements with the ultimate aim of reducing your tax liability – evaluating your needs and offering expert advice where and when you need it in a professional albeit informal environment.

RETAILER Iceland has launched Iceland Trade, which will cater to independent food-serving businesses across the UK. The frozen food expert is bringing its high-quality food at fantastic value direct to vendors, eliminating the hassle and delivering bespoke arrangements. Providing trusted, quality foods at low prices, with no fixed contracts and free delivery on orders over £35, Iceland Trade is hoping to bridge the gap between inflexible wholesalers and the standard retail offering. Iceland Trade is already supplying both smaller independent proprietors, as well as multi-site, national chains; aiming to grow this already thriving brand of the business. The Street Food Live trade show on November 26 and 27 is the prime event for Iceland Trade to exhibit its latest venture. Sponsoring the demonstration kitchen, Iceland Trade will allow vendors to test, and taste, the retailer’s products; showcasing how they too can adapt and enhance their own offerings. As a market leader in sustainability, Iceland Trade will be part of the events’ Sustainability Trail. In line

with today’s sustainability focused consumer climate, in January 2018, Iceland pledged to end the use of plastics in its own-label range by 2023, following on from the removal of all palm oil from its own brand food by the end of 2018. Anthony Howard, for Iceland Trade, said: “As food experts, we are thrilled to be bringing our expertise to this sector. Our food is perfectly suited to the needs of the business buyer and we offer the best of both worlds in terms of ultimate convenience and the trusted quality of almost 50 years’ experience. “We’re looking forward to furthering this new challenge for the business and celebrating our success at the Street Food Live trade show.”

Are you thinking of solutions to staffing your residents’ holidays? HOLIDAYS With Care may be the ideal solution with tailored support for your residents’ holidays at The Bond Hotel, Blackpool. The Bond Hotel has been providing holidays for guests who live in care home and residential settings for more than 30 years, with everything you need to ensure your residents have a wonderful break away. On-site you will find accessible accommodation with all of the mobility equipment you use at home coupled with live cabaret shows every night of the year. “We use Holidays With Care every time we book a holiday, for one group they provide me with a second person for hoisting and on another group they support me with waking watches so I keep my staff levels high at home.

“I am confident in the provision of care as they are regulated by the CQC. “Every time my residents return home I love hearing what they got up to, it is a very person focussed service.” – Barbara, Stoke Provision from one hour right up to 24 hour packages can be tailored for you. This flexibility allows your home to run fully staffed knowing your residents are having a fantastic holiday away.

With our unique understanding of the Care Home Business, we can assist in the following ways:

• Start-up business advice • Advice & assistance with the purchase or sale if applicable. • Tax • Preparation and analysis of financial statements. • Bookkeeping and payroll services • Sales invoice preparation and monthly analysis for credit payments • Tax planning strategies. • Understanding service user funding • VAT (if applicable) • Business succession planning.

JER ACCOUNTS SERVICE

7 St Pauls Yard, Silver Street, Newport Pagnell, Bucks, MK16 0EG tel: 01908 210666 Email:jane@jeras.org.uk mobile: 07956 917591

Beaucare launch CareClean™ Premium Laundry Range BEAUCARE® Medical announces the launch of their CareClean™ premium concentrated laundry range, the new lines include bactericidal laundry detergent, fabric conditioner, destainer and sanitiser dedicated for use in professional environments including the care industry. The range is a cost effective solution which incorporates a powerful bactericidal action, along with the capability to work at low temperatures and deal with severe soilage problems. The detergent incorporates a spring fragrance

for long lasting freshness. All of the range is designed for use through Beaucare’s automatic dosing machines, ensuring ease of use for the care home laundry staff. They are available in 20, 10 and five-litre durable plastic tubs with secure screw lids for safe storage. Full product information literature is available on the range. Enquiries: For further details on the CareClean™ Laundry, contact the sales team on 01423 878899.

CELEBRATING 60 YEARS OF INNOVATION IN FURNITURE DESIGN

THE NEW MIJAS WING BACK To find out more call: 01924 868 470 For more information visit: shackletonsltd.co.uk