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no.221 • £4.75
The Number One magazine for the care sector
CQC reveals new rating guidelines By Dominic Musgrave THE regulator has set out what Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement and Inadequate adult social care would look like across each of the key areas it will routinely inspect services against. The CQC has recently rolled out its new approach to regulating adult social care in England. Specialist teams, including trained members of the public (experts by experience), will inspect services against what matters most to the people who use them – are they safe, caring, effective, responsive to their needs and well-led? CQC will then rate these services as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement and Inadequate so the public has clear information to help them make choices about their care. Following its public consultation and testing earlier this year, CQC has published the questions (called ‘key lines of enquiry’) that its inspection teams will use to guide them on their visits, as well as descriptions of what care would look like for each of these ratings. The guidance will be used by CQC’s inspection teams when they inspect care homes and community services
to help them be consistent when making their judgements. For care providers, it can help them to understand the sorts of things that inspection teams will be focusing on and help to know what CQC will be looking for when awarding its ratings. Andrea Sutcliffe, chief inspector of adult social care, said: “The key lines of enquiry and ratings characteristics are an important part of our new approach to inspecting and rating adult social care in England, which we will roll out formally from next month. “They will allow our inspectors to really get under the skin of adult social care services across England so that providers know what we are expecting and families and how we will consistently rate their services. “The key lines of enquiry and ratings characteristics have been developed after extensive engagement, testing and consultation with people who use services, carers, providers, commissioners and national partners. I am very grateful to everyone who has been involved in helping to shape and design the questions we will ask and the characteristics of the ratings.”
Advice is served up at home’s new cafe
Actress Natalie Anderson, who plays Alicia Metcalfe in the ITV soap Emmerdale, officially opened Elm Park Care Home in Doncaster with Councillor Pat Haith. The 75-bed facility offers residential, dementia and nursing care over three floors. It offers residents en-suite bedrooms, lounges, a beauty salon, café, bar and cinema room and three dining bistros. It is the second in what is planned as a series of homes being built by care home entrepreneur Eric Dixon, who set up Willow Park care home in Pontefract in 2011.
A CARE home is serving up a regular helping of advice to families, friends and interested parties on the issues surrounding dementia. The initiative has been set up at Birch Green in Skelmersdale, Merseyside, to help share information and expertise on dementia for those interested in learning more. By dropping in for a coffee or a tea and sharing experiences, the care home is helping families of those people with dementia come to terms with the disease and its effects. Birch Green general manager Carol Nickeas said: “We want to share our learnings with those who want to understand more about dementia and what it means. “For many families who have never experienced it, the journey can be difficult and we help to de-mystify some of the myths as well as provide information and support. An informal setting such as our cafe is ideal and is becoming a source of comfort for them.”
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Care workers honoured at annual Star Awards By Dominic Musgrave CARE workers from across the UK have been honoured at Shaw healthcare’s annual Shaw Star Awards. More than 150 people gathered at The Crowne Plaza Hotel in Oxfordshire for the annual awards ceremony, which celebrates excellence across the group’s services from its 4,600 care workers. The team from Cwmcelyn care home in Blaina in Gwent was awarded the title of best care team for its commitment to improving standards at the home and developing better relationships with its key stakeholders across the whole community. Maitland Park in Camden received the best care home for dementia award in recognition of the home’s work in developing person-centred care, which improves the quality of life for residents with dementia, as well as the hard work and dedication of its staff, all of whom are highly trained to care for dementia patients. And Jen Lovegrove, manager of Kennedy House, a direct access hostel in Leicester, was presented with the care innovator award in recognition of her ‘visionary’ approach to developing the hostel’s services. David Salotti, a staff nurse at Surehaven Glasgow Hospital, was presented with the
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The team at Cwmcelyn, winners of the best care team at Shaw healthcare's annual Star Awards. registered nurse award, a new category at this year’s ceremony. The award recognises excellence in nursing practice, including demonstrating commitment to providing personcentred care that respects the values, needs and desires of residents. Jeremy Nixey, chief executive at Shaw healthcare, said: “Our annual Star Awards seek to recognise the individuals across all of Shaw healthcare’s services who have demonstrated excellence in their day-to-
day work during the course of the year. These individuals are people who inspire others and deliver beyond expectations. “Now in their sixth year, we are proud of the contribution that our staff across the company make to the quality of life for the vulnerable people in our care. “The nominations for the awards come from colleagues, but more importantly from the people we care for and from their relatives and friends. This makes the awards all the more special.”
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
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New self-service letting agency for care homes By Dominic Musgrave A NEW website is being launched focused on allowing care home providers to fully manage their latest room availability. Care Homes Now – www.carehomesnow.com – is the first dedicated self-service letting agency for 17,000 plus care homes across England. It provides a platform for owners and managers to advertise, as well as for people researching room availability. “I have personal experience of dealing with the care system and I know what a tortuous and stressful process it can be – anything aimed at making the process easier is to be welcomed,” said the site’s founder Clare Fraser. Site founder Clare Fraser
“In the current financial climate we know that up to 20 per cent of a
care home’s profit can be lost when the last few rooms are unoccupied. We also understand that it can be a struggle to fill them, so we’ve designed a site that is specifically tailored for care providers who need to fill these spaces. “We also recognise the need to find suitable accommodation at sometimes very short notice, so Care Homes Now will be a quick and easy way to find up-to-date accommodation for families, friends and the NHS looking for good quality care for loved ones within their chosen location.” The site is offering a three-month free trial to all care homes in England, and Clare has also pledged to donate five per cent of the site’s profits each year to charities for the elderly. She added: “There are thousands of brilliant, caring establishments out there, working around the
clock, every day of every week, delivering superb care and showing huge commitment to residents and their family members – they just need to be found quickly and easily. “Recommendations can also be left on the site to help others make a more informed decision, although nothing can ever take the place of visiting the care home itself – our website is just one of the first stepping-stones to help along the way. “This is often an emotional time for all involved and it is definitely not a ‘one size fits all’. “Our aim is to be the go-to website, providing the latest room availability across the whole of the UK. The site has a clean, modern feel and is designed for today’s technology, being fully responsive to all mobile devices.
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Home that almost never was By Dominic Musgrave
succeed in securing a loan.
AN AWARD-winning care home which employs around 90 people was nearly never built when bank lenders suddenly pulled out, the owners have revealed. Building was almost brought to a halt on the Baylham Care Centre, whose replica 1950s village high street made headlines earlier this year, when the recession hit and capital funding dried up. Adrian Fairburn and mum Prema Fairburn-Dorai, who had put £150,000 of their life savings into the project, were left devastated. Adrian said: “We had a number of interested lenders before the recession, but the collapse of Wall Street bank Lehman Brothers changed everything – they all pulled away, saying the existing plans wouldn’t be profitable enough. “My mother and I were really passionate about this development and were devastated at the thought of not being able to see our dream through.” But then Kerseys solicitors, where Adrian works as part of the business development team, worked on meeting lender NatWest’s needs by changing the original plans. Ten extra bedrooms were added to the development – so it would be seen as a more sustainable venture. The law firm put forward a case for the family to reapply and ultimately
Adrian, who has worked part time at Kerseys since leaving university 12 years ago, said: “Kerseys played a big part in making sure the development got the go ahead. It actually ended up as a much better scheme. It was obviously meant to be.” He said the company allowed him to work part time while he worked on the family-run care home. Adrian, who visited the site in 2007 with Kerseys partner Kimat Singh said: “It was just a field, but we had faith in our vision of what could be done. “Kerseys have helped get this project off the ground in more ways than one and have been there from the beginning. “There have been challenges along the way, but the care home has been a real success story.” Kimat, whose specialism includes development and planning, said: “We’ve known Adrian for a long time and knew how important this project was to him and his family. We were happy to play our part in getting it off the ground.” Cardinal Healthcare Group also has residential and nursing care homes in Baylham and Barham in Suffolk. The Baylham Care Centre includes a post office, butchers, sweet shop and greengrocers, was built to help people suffering with dementia to help bring back some of their memories.
Adrian Fairburn and his mum Prema Fairburn-Dorai
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Fleur reaches new heights ACTIVITY co-ordinator Fleur Parratt from Avante Care & Support’s Court Regis care home in Sittingbourne completed the Ben Nevis Midnight Challenge to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society. Climbers begin the challenge in the early hours by torch and moonlight, with the sole aim of reaching the top of Ben Nevis. After reaching the top, climbers were treated to the spectacle of the sunrise as they gathered for the descent back down. Fleur, who works at the Avante Care & Support care home, trained hard ahead of the event with long beach walks and swimming almost every day to make sure she was ready for the climb. She said: “It was the hardest thing I have ever done. It was 10 miles up and down and took eight-and-a-half hours, five up, three-and-a-half down, in dreadful conditions. “The mist came in thick and fast and it was difficult to see more than a few feet ahead. By half way the weather really began to turn, heavy sleety rain and even an ice plateau to cross about an hour from the summit. “We finally made the summit at about 3am. Coming down was almost harder than going up, as the rocks were so slippery, and again it was impossible to see more than a few feet ahead.”
Salisbury home celebrating a blooming double ... RESIDENTS and team members at a Salisbury care home are celebrating prestigious wins in two separate gardening competitions. Colten Care’s Braemar Lodge has won Gold in the annual City Gardens awards run by Salisbury City Council. It has also seen off the challenge of 18 other Colten Care homes to win the title of Best Overall Garden at the operator’s own in-house gardening contest. The City Gardens success followed a Silver Gilt runners-up award last year which praised the involvement of residents in the garden design and the choice of flowers and plants. Home manager Alison Bremner said: “We had a residents’ meeting the day after the Silver Gilt and talked through how we could win Gold this year based directly on the judges’ feedback. “We’ve spent a year doing it, introducing water butts, a wildflower area, butterfly walk, bug houses and fruit trees. The judges said it was clear we had taken on board their comments from last year.” The judges awarded the home a clean sweep of Gold grades across
Braemar Lodge resident and keen gardener Betty Winter, seated, with some freshly picked produce. With her, from left, are: Colten Care head gardener Charles Hubberstey; director Rick Otten and home gardener Lesley King, with the in-house prize for Best Overall Garden; Sylvie Rodulson, actvities organiser; and Alison Bremner, home manager. nine distinct categories including garden as a ‘picturesque beauty tidiness, layout, atmosphere, spot, worthy of high award’. He provision for wildlife and praised its development over the environmental practice. years by gardener Lesley King, with In their citation, they wrote: “This others at the home playing their garden is a joy to be in. Each resipart too. dent must feel it is their garden as Runner-up for the Best Overall every aspect has the residents in Garden title in the Colten Care mind.” competition was Abbotts Barton in In his comments for the in-house Winchester, while Best Floral award, Colten Care head gardener Welcome went to Abbey View in Charles Hubberstey described the Sherborne.
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Long-serving foursome lead the celebrations Life Style Care’s Sandown Park Care Home has become the first in the royal borough to benefit from reminiscence artwork which was officially launched by Mayor Councillor Richard Kellaway. The art was installed as part of a series of projects made possible by an £847,000 central grant to the council last year. The care home commissioned local artists to produce pieces of work with a special meaning to the residents of the facility. Manager Shahnazz Mohamad said: “The idea was to promote happy memories, especially happy childhood memories.” A sensory garden will also be created in the near future.
Group completes £500k extension SHEFFCARE, the not-for-profit organisation that operates a chain of 11 residential care homes across Sheffield, has completed work on a £500,000 extension to one of its most popular sites. The work on Grange Crescent residential care home in Nether Edge has created 12 new rooms, bringing the total number to 52, all with full en suite facilities. “Grange Crescent has a bright,
light and airy feel, which our residents love,” said Sheffcare chief executive Belinda Black. “The bedrooms are extremely spacious with plenty of room for personal items of furniture and providing a high degree of privacy. However, as most of our residents enjoy company, there are individual dining rooms and sitting rooms for each unit, providing the opportunity to eat, meet and socialise.”
THERE were celebrations all round at Bupa’s Rutherglen care home as it celebrated its 22nd anniversary with four care assistants who have each been there since it opened. Margaret Balandis, Rita Docherty, Jean Meanan and Julian Sidebottom, started working with Bupa back in 1992 when Rutherglen was formerly two separate homes, known as Rowantree and Rodger Park, and between them, they have collectively clocked up almost 90 years with the firm. To mark the occasion, staff joined residents at the care home to shower the four with gifts of cards, flowers and chocolates. A presentation of thanks from the management team to the four employees and other members of staff who have helped the home celebrate its 22nd anniversary was also given, expressing appreciation for their hard work, devotion and dedication. Home manager Karen Watson said: “It’s really a remarkable achievement by our four employees. “They have shown unrelenting loyalty to our residents which is incredibly admirable, especially considering that a
care assistant role requires lot of hard work and commitment. “Their milestone is truly amazing. We want people to love working for Bupa, so we’re always keen to ensure that our people feel appreciated and enjoy coming to work every day – and we believe this is why they have stayed with us for so long. “Having four people with this length of service and who really know our residents and their preferences and requirements means they make a fantastic contribution to the care we provide.” Margaret Balandis, speaking on behalf of the long-serving quartet, said: “We all can’t believe it has been 22 years. I guess time flies when you are having fun. I have loved working at Rutherglen Care Home and plan on continuing my long employment with them for some years to come. “It has been an incredibly rewarding place to work. There is a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere at the home and Bupa as a company have been brilliant to work for over the years which is why I have stayed with them for such a long period of time.”
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Care group’s customer service named the best By Dominic Musgrave AWARD-winning Springhill Care Group has scooped two more major awards in recognition of its customer service. The company was awarded Service Business of the Year (joint winners) and Excellence in Customer Service winners at the prestigious Be Inspired Business Awards (BIBAs), cheered on by more than 1,000 guests at Blackpool’s Tower Ballroom. The group, which operates three care homes in Lancashire and Bristol, along with a supported living service for young adults, triumphed despite stiff competition for two of the most coveted awards at the ceremony. Ken Nolan, chairman of Springhill Care Group, said: “I was proud to accept the awards on behalf of all our amazing staff, the people who consistently go the extra mile to add quality and ensure people who choose our services enjoy a much better experience than would otherwise be the case. “Against what all too often feels like a constant media diet of bad press about care, I feel proud that the judges who came to visit could see for themselves that Springhill Care is very different and provides excellent facilities and top quality person-centred care and support services, including to family members.
“We never forget our unsung heroes – our staff – who make this happen 24/7. We don't take anything for granted, nor sit on our laurels, as we are committed to continuous improvement for the benefit of each person who chooses our services and their loved ones.” TV celebrity and pop star Pete Andre was the surprise guest topping the entertainment, who received a rapturous applause, while celebrity DJ Neil ‘Foxy’ Fox, best known as a judge on hit reality talent show Pop Idol provided the entertainment later. The awards were hosted by Kevin Roberts, the global chief executive of creative agency, Saatchi and Saatchi, who jetted in from New York City for the night, with former Radio One DJ Simon Bates as the ‘Voice of God’ for the ceremony. The Service Business of the Year award was presented by Tony Raynor representing sponsor Abbey Telecom. The other joint winner was Preston Bus. The Excellence in Customer Service award was presented by Stuart Davison of sponsor Virgin Trains. In all, Springhill triumphed against more than 1,200 nominations for 19 categories, the largest in the awards history. Springhill was also shortlisted as finalists in two further categories, Employer of the Year and Inspired Business of the Year.
Claremont residents with the two residents.
Care home keeps residents hoppy RESIDENTS at Bupa’s Claremont Care Home in Ayr are hopping with delight over the arrival of two pet rabbits. The care home, in High Thornyflat Wynd, Whitletts, held its annual summer fete in July with a local pet company providing visitors, staff and residents with the chance to meet and greet a range of animals from ducks to chicks and rabbits. Carers and relatives noticed how well the residents responded to having the animals within the home, especially the rabbits, and decided it would be a fantastic idea to purchase
a pet. Staff also rallied together to buy a hutch for the rabbits, which was built by the care home’s maintenance man, who dedicated his own free time to ensure the pets had a comfortable living space. Home manager Carol Barr said: “All the residents adore the rabbits we’ve bought for the home. I think they find it quite therapeutic having pets here – the feedback has been great. “It’s also great when the resident’s family and grandchildren come to visit, it just gives people that extra something to enjoy together.”
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Mayor visits site of new care home MAYOR of Rochdale, Councillor Carol Wardle, visited the site of Beechwood Lodge Care Home as LNT Construction and Berrycroft Care celebrated a landmark stage in the build with a topping-out ceremony. On its completion, the 64-bed care home will provide the area with a new standard of care provision for older people. The home will be operated by Berrycroft Care, who already have long-established care homes in the Greater Manchester area. Richard Odell, managing director of Berrycroft Care, said: “Everyone is really excited to see Beechwood Lodge taking shape and the topping out ceremony brings us one step closer to the opening of the home. “We are really looking forward to showcasing the great facilities we have on offer when the home opens – it is a great home in a great location that will create over 50 jobs for local people. We are sure it will soon become a key part of the local community.” The luxurious home from home facility will provide residential and dementia care for 64 older people with 100 per cent en-suite accommodation, landscaped sensory gardens and its own hairdressing salon.
Home forms innovative partnership with local students Karleigh Sterritt and Fiona McIlroy with Bannview House resident Kevin Loughlin. BANNVIEW House in Banbridge has formed an innovative partnership with a nearby college by becoming part of its students’ enrichment programme. New-Bridge Integrated College, in Loughbrickland, offers its sixth form students an extensive enrichment programme, where they can choose from a range of activities that are designed to develop their personal qualities, interests and talents. The Amore Care facility has been selected to contribute to the personal development initiative with the care home providing work experience and volunteering opportunities. The college’s enrichment scheme includes learning sign language, cookery classes, a raising aspirations programme, Zumba and dance sessions, and leisure
activities to help enhance participants’ fitness and wellbeing. John Rafferty, manager of Bannview, said: “Forging relationships with organisations in the community contributes to the quality of life residents enjoy at Bannview. “It will bridge the generation gap by allowing the students to mix with older people. “We are delighted to be selected to contribute to the college’s enrichment programme. We are looking forward to helping and supporting students become more aware of career possibilities and life outside of college.” The work placements will contribute to the students compiling a university personal statement, help them acquire knowledge of care values and skills required for working with older
people, prepare them for job or university application interviews and enhance their personal development. During their time at Bannview, students will help arrange parties and events, build a portfolio of training experience, learn about caring, work with visually impaired people, and assist with the entertainment including playing music or singing. John will involve the students in the educational support systems available to the staff and this will be add to their learning portfolios. Bannview already had established a relationship with the college, which has previously included art students producing a short film based on a conversation they had with a resident and painting festive scenes on windows at the home at Christmas.
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Janie is ready to forge more links to local groups
Janie Pearman (right), the new home manager of Colten Care's Belmore Lodge in Lymington, is welcomed by outgoing home manager Chris Dimmick.
COLTEN Care has appointed an experienced care professional to grow and develop its nursing and residential home, Belmore Lodge. Janie Pearman said she was looking forward to building more links between the Lymington home and local families and organisations. She added: “We want people in our community to feel comfortable and familiar with Belmore Lodge, so I’ll be meeting as many individuals and organisations as I can and, where appropriate, offering space for community meetings.” Janie has been a community midwife and casualty nursing sister, and used to respond to acute emergencies worldwide as a nurse for an
air ambulance company. She was head of midwifery at the Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust for seven years and has also managed a care home for another private sector provider. Norwich-born Janie knew she wanted to work in nursing from early childhood. “When I was four I was very badly burned by an open fire,” she said. “I survived against the odds with 65 per cent burns and spent most of my early life in hospital. That’s where my love of nursing comes from. “When you are feeling vulnerable, what people say to you and how
they treat you can make or break your day. Because of the excellent, inspiring care I received, all I ever wanted to be was a nurse.” As a teenager and college student, Janie did voluntary work in elderly people’s care homes before going on to her various professional roles in midwifery and acute care. She helped set up the first domestic violence unit in Norfolk, training care team members in a multi-disciplinary setting. Working for the air ambulance firm, she responded to holidaymakers whose insurance covered medical emergencies. She flew to destinations such as Bali and Canada at extremely short notice to provide
acute care to policyholders. Looking to her new role at Belmore Lodge, Janie said: “It’s all about a team of people working together to give residents the best experience possible. Care homes should be seen as a new beginning, a new chapter, not the end of anything.” Janie takes over the reins of Belmore Lodge from outgoing Home Manager Chris Dimmick who is joining the care team at Linden House, Colten Care’s new purpose-built dementia care home in Lymington. Chris has spent 19 years at Colten Care, 17 of those in management roles.
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New-look for Newcastle home
Resident Jean McMullen (87) with manager Lynne McCarron in the refurbished lounge.
Stylish diversity of cabinet furniture extends Knightsbridge collection A STYLISH diversity of cabinet furniture for bedrooms and living spaces heads an exciting array of newcomers in the extended Knightsbridge Furniture Collection. The new cabinets augment an already comprehensive portfolio of seating, tables, upholstered furniture and sofa-beds which Knightsbridge has created for all types of healthcare and residential facilities – from hospices and care homes to welfare and educational environments. The new cabinet furniture comprises wardrobes, drawer chests, bookcases and desks alongside cupboards, dressers, sideboards and TV cabinets: in styles ranging from contemporary to classic, all are designed to look as at home in bedrooms and guest suites as they do in lounge areas and activity rooms. Based on a sturdy 18mm MFC carcase, all six styles are offered with three different handle designs and in a wide selection of wood finishes.
Further optional features are soft-closing drawers/hinges, locking castors and additional lockable compartments. Other newcomers to the Knightsbridge Furniture Collection include three distinctive dining chairs – the shapely Sadie and Bella plus the more formal Canto – together with the range of versatile Sorrento 2 desk-chairs. These are available with either an elegant timber or contemporary wire frame, or on a castored cruciform base, and sit perfectly amongst the current Sorrento upholstered chairs and sofas. Complementing the new seating are Dixie tables: distinguished by a traditional profile, the line-up includes four coffee tables, two occasional tables and a console table. Enquiries: Call 01274 731442, email enquiries@knightsbridge-furniture.co.uk or visit www.knightsbridge-furniture.co.uk
HILLFIELD Nursing Home in Elswick, Newcastle has undergone a major refurbishment as part of Akari Care’s £12m investment programme in its homes throughout the UK. The facility has a fresh new-look following a complete refurbishment and redecoration. To help make the surroundings more comfortable for residents, the inside of the home has been completely re-decorated, with new furniture, carpets and curtains installed in all bedrooms and communal areas. All bathrooms have had fresh new suites fitted. Externally, the home now has a well maintained driveway with a private garden to the rear.
Members of the community were invited to an open day at the home and were given a tour of the facilities on offer and enjoyed refreshments with members of staff and residents. There was also the opportunity to meet manager Lynne McCarron to discuss the quality care on offer at Hillfield. She said: “We are absolutely thrilled with the refurbishment at Hillfield. The environment of a care home is so important to the wellbeing of the residents and the home looks fresh and is a very comfortable and safe place for residents and visitors.” Hillfield Nursing Home provides nursing care for 42 elderly residents.
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Home celebrates refurb A FELMINGHAM care home has celebrated the launch of its newlyrefurbished facilities. The Old Rectory has recently undergone a major refurbishment and redecoration as part of Akari Care’s £12million investment programme in its homes throughout the UK. Senior management and VIP guests attended the official launch and were given a tour around the premises and chatted with both staff and residents. The work that has been completed includes a re-decoration both internally and externally to improve the environment for residents and visitors. Communal areas and some of the
residents’ personal spaces have been re-decorated to make the surroundings more relaxing and appealing, with all lighting upgraded, new carpets fitted and furniture, curtains and soft furnishings replaced. In addition, two bathrooms have been fitted with fresh new suites to make bathing more comfortable for residents. Manager Tracey Warnes said: “The redecoration and refurbishment, together with the addition of two bathrooms, have made the surroundings even more relaxing and appealing for both residents and visitors and will further enhance their experience at the home.”
Geometric brings ‘flair to care’ GEOMETRIC Furniture is a leading UK commercial furniture manufacturer. Founded more than 40 years ago, the family owned and run business prides itself on innovation, quality and excellence. It supplies many hospitality companies, corporate clients and accepts bespoke commissions. Geometric Furniture has vast knowledge and experience of furniture requirements in the retirement village sector and has found that the demand for functional furniture has long been replaced by a demand for stylish, aestically pleasing
furnishings whilst retaining the comfort and durability. With this in mind, Geometric’s range offer the look, whether contemporary or classic to suit all needs. Whether you choose from current collections or commission bespoke items, Geometric has the manufacturing capabilities to supply soft furnishings, joinery and case goods in standard or made to measure options. So if you can’t find exactly what you are looking for on the website or in the brochures, give them a call. Enquirieis: Call 0161 653 2233 or visit www.geometric-furniture.co.uk
If you’ve got a story for Caring UK email it to Dominic Musgrave at dm@scriptmedia.co.uk or call him on 01226 734407.
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Group chooses Shackletons for its purpose-built facility PACIFIC Care has chosen Shackletons to furnish its £4.2million purpose-built and designed care home; Mosswood Care Home in Linwood, Scotland. John Brawley, director at Pacific Care, said: “We wanted to create a homely environment, a place that residents can call their own. Shackletons certainly created this for us; it’s just what we were looking for.” The newest development from Pacific Care, Shackletons provided bespoke furniture for the home’s bedrooms, lounges and dining areas with special attention given to furniture that would help support residents with dementia maintain their independence.
In total, 700 individual items of furniture were manufactured and installed. From high seat chairs, to divan beds and occasional furniture, all 71 rooms were tastefully furnished to reflect the high standards of care received. Jason Bloom, national sales manager at Shackletons, added: “Mosswood has been designed with the dignity and privacy of each resident in mind. Our role was to consider and provide furniture that would fit with that ethos and complement the high level of care provided. “We’ve definitely achieved that and hope the furniture will be enjoyed and shared by residents and their families for many years.”
Take the hassle out of your new build IF you are looking to remove the hassle from your new build or refurbishment project, while saving time and money then we can help. Good design ensures that your bedrooms are easier to market, increases the value of your home whilst improving the environment and comfort for your residents or service users. We work exclusively for the care sector providing interior design, project management and procurement services including all aspects of your interior covering furniture, curtains/blinds, carpet, artwork, tableware, towels and bedding. Our recommendations are tailored to your pre-
cise needs and client group. There is no deposit to pay and no minimum order and we work anywhere within the UK. If you think we can help then please contact us for further information or to request a free consultation without obligation. Come and visit us on stand C62 at the Birmingham Care Show. Enquiries: For further information visit www.a21careinteriors.co.uk or call 020 8399 3091. Our new address is The Sanctuary, 23 Oakhill Grove, Surbiton, Surrey, KT6 6DU.
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Fire safety – a burning issue for managers By Tom Welland THE latest government statistics show a 10 per cent increase in fire incidents in England, with 170,000 incidents recorded in 2013-14, 275 of which resulted in fatalities. Ensuring compliance with the latest fire safety legislation will help avoid costly repercussions and ultimately save lives and should therefore be top of the agenda for care home managers. Care homes represent one of the most high-risk establishments when it comes to fire safety, with a dangerous combination of frail occupants and older buildings. The strategies for these buildings are therefore more complex than others. Fire safety regulation Care home owners and managers need to be aware of the Fire Safety Order (FSO); the current law in England and Wales. The FSO nominates one individual as the ‘Responsible Person’ for a building – generally deemed to be the owner, occupier or employer. The ‘Responsible Person’ has a duty to fulfil the requirements of the FSO. Those requirements all stem from having a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment. The care home manager will need to prove they have reduced fire risk as far as is reasonably practical and show that they have taken precautions to protect its residents and employees.
Non compliance with the FSO can have serious consequences, as Richard Dickinson, former owner of a care home in Knutsford, found out in December 2013. Mr Dickinson pleaded guilty to three counts of breaching the FSO, and was sentenced to a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work. He also had to pay costs of £68,362.05. Fire doors and Rosepark Nursing Home Doors are one of the most important fire safety features in a building and also, sadly, the most commonly abused. Research carried out by Fireco found that 64 per cent of premises visited by the fire service found fire doors wedged open. A practice that can prove devastating as the case of the Rosepark Nursing Home in South Lanarkshire showed. A fire broke out at Rosepark in a cupboard on 31 January 2004 and ripped through the building. The Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) conclusion for this case listed a catalogue of precautions that could have helped prevent the fire becoming as destructive. One of these precautions was for all bedroom doors to have door closers and smoke seals fitted to them. Simply put, the loss of life would have been significantly reduced had the bedroom doors been closed. The Fireco product ‘Dorgard’ was actually quoted in the trial of this case as it
offers a solution, as does the awardwinning ‘Freedor’. Installing a free-swing door closer such as Freedor on each bedroom door will allow care home residents to Tom Welland safely keep their bedroom doors open, but rest assured that the door will automatically shut when a fire alarm sounds. Freedor also takes all weight out of the door, meaning it can be opened with minimal effort. Staff training Providing adequate training to care home staff on how to identify and report fire risks will give the owner or manager the power to reduce and remove those risks. Training should start as part of an induction, with regular updates from then on. Top tips: Ensure that the fire risk assessment is kept as a live document. Regular checks of the building need to be made, e.g. that fire doors are still closing properly and the
means of escape routes are clear of obstacles. Spread out fire training throughout the year and keep an online diary of fire safety training with a sign-off for employees. Make sure everyone who comes into contact with the building is also trained in fire risks including agency staff, builders, cleaners and gardeners. They also need to understand the importance of keeping a fire door closed and not wedged open. Evacuation strategy There should be a personal emergency evacuation plan (PEEP) in place for each individual resident, detailing their needs and requirements. It can be useful to set the fire alarm off and record each resident’s response and reaction to it. In some cases, a loud continuous noise can provoke unexpected reactions including violent outbursts or even seizures. All staff should have access to, and be made aware of, these PEEPs. Employees also need to have faith that fire doors will actually resist fire for 30 minutes. In the event of a fire, they will have the hard task of going around and informing the residents. Faith in the doors can help instil a sense of calm and this will help save lives. Tom Welland is conformance and regulatory affairs manager at Fireco.
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CARINGNEWS
Scottish home praised for dementia approach THE Care Inspectorate has praised staff at a Scottish care home for its new approach to dementia care that has had positive effects on their health and wellbeing, even reducing the amount of medication being administered to some residents. Kincaid House in Greenock has introduced a number of simple but effective changes such as introducing ‘destination stations’ – informal seated areas in corridors where residents can gather and chat. Hand rails have been painted to make them more prominent and to make it easier to move around the 90-bed care home, while bags and scarves on coat racks encourage interaction and help them reminisce. Snack boxes were introduced for those who do not like to sit down at meal times and brightly coloured trays and cups were placed around the home to encourage residents to drink more, which has helped to increase their levels of hydration. Empathy dolls have helped soothe residents and reduce the need for medication and art work around the home has been replaced with images more familiar and meaningful to residents. In a recent Care Inspectorate newsletter, Isabel Purdue said: “Kincaid House is out to do its best to
Many of the changes are simple and straightforward, but they have had a tremendous impact on the quality of care residents receive.” look after people with dementia. Many of the changes are simple and straightforward, but they have had a tremendous impact on the quality of care residents receive.” Barbara Lawson, deputy manager of Kincaid House, added: “Some of our residents have significant dementia care needs and although the home’s practice was already good, we decided on introducing a new approach that’s been hugely beneficial to our residents. “We have introduced dementia ambassadors with advanced knowledge of the condition and its treatment. Instead of white tunics, staff now wear colourful polo shirts which has reduced agitation levels and created a sense of togetherness between staff and residents. “We’re seeing a difference in our residents who are now more likely to reminisce and share fond memories of their lives. They are also more likely to move around the home and chat to other residents.”
Opening marked by donation AVERY Healthcare marked the opening of Spencer House care home in Northampton by donating vital specialist diagnostic equipment to the neighbouring Northampton General Hospital. The new purpose-built facility is the sister-home to the nearby Cliftonville care home and will deliver residential, dementia, nursing and respite care. Spencer House manager Marius Feeney approached Northampton General Hospital staff to decide what best use could be made of the several thousand pound donation. Nurses on the Brampton Ward at NGH, a multi-disciplinary short stay elderly facility, decided they would most welcome, and make best use, of a moveable bladder scanner. The scanner is a non-invasive, portable ultrasound device, which allows medical staff to get a virtual 3D image of the bladder. This indicates the volume of urine retained within the bladder and something that can alert medical staff to urinary tract infections, problems with the prostate and can, in some cases, warn of the presence of kidney stones. Along with the piece of specialist moving and handling equipment, a return rotary stand, the donation is worth over £7,000.
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CARINGLAUNDRY AND HYGIENE Advertiser’s announcement
Group chooses Forbes’ Complete Care Solution for its two new homes FORBES Professional was delighted to be recently commissioned to provide commercial laundry equipment to two care homes under the Sohal Healthcare Group. Hardwick Dean in Cambridgeshire and Weald Hall in Essex both occupy large country homes and are set in beautiful surroundings Sohal approached us as they needed to replace older washing machines, a dishwasher and a tumble dryer. We were happy to offer a complimentary on-site survey and to work closely with care staff to ascertain their bespoke requirements. Obviously, as with any healthcare environment, hygiene was a paramount consideration. The Miele Professional PW6080 was the optimum washing machine for this assignment. It is economical and leaves a small footprint yet provides an exceptional wash quality, with the required sluice and thermal disinfection. The Miele PT8303 slim-line dryer was also installed, once again offering a high load capacity without being too intrusive in the room. We also provided the latest freshwater Miele PG8059 Hygiene dishwasher which offers healthcare specific pro-
grammes to ensure stringent standards of infection control are maintained, in accordance with CQC guidelines. After installation and user training, we returned 10 days later to ensure the machines were operating to their maximum potential, and to assist with any extra programme configuration that may have emerged. Our aim with Sohal Healthcare, as ever with our Complete Care package, was to work consultatively to find the correct solution. We provide a full installation and user training, with ongoing sevenday-a-week backup service by our nationwide fleet of trained engineers, with no costly initial capital outlay and simple monthly payments.
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CARINGLAUNDRY AND HYGIENE
Personal touch the secret Windsor assistive bath delivers to Fowler UK’s success enhanced bathing experience THE origins of Fowler UK go back to 1966 when the father of the present owner, David Fowler, set up a business to supply and service white goods in the local community. When David took over the running of the business he decided to focus exclusively on the supply and maintenance of commercial laundry and catering equipment. The business continues to trade on family values such as reliability, care for others and trustworthiness. The secret to Fowler UK’s success lies in building a personal connection with each customer. The most important element in this is recruiting people who fit with the company
values, and who demonstrate these to customers and colleagues on a daily basis. The results of Fowler UK’s determination to stay true to its family roots are impressive; the business has seen annual turnover double in the last four years. Fowler UK is undoubtedly a local business making a national impact.
Energy saving laundry dryers from Girbau UK HIGHLIGHT of the Girbau UK stand (C32) at the Birmingham Care Show will be the latest ED Series energy efficient laundry dryers with load capacities ranging from 13kg up to 33kg. Representing a new generation in tumble drying technology, durable Girbau ED Series dryers are typically as much as 25 per cent more energy efficient than conventional laundry dryers. The highly reliable and accurate built-in humidity control system automatically senses when clothes are dry and activates the cool down process maximising energy efficiency and quality care of all fabrics including delicates. ED Series dryers feature Girbau’s TRANSFLOW technology, which combines radial and axial airflow for maximum efficiency, reduced cycle times and lower energy costs. Cabinet insulation and a double-glazed door further optimise energy efficiency. Care and nursing homes looking to reduce laundry energy bills and lower their cost of ownership
immediately can upgrade to Girbau’s new ED Series dryers by taking advantage of the companys Compete Laundry Care package. There is no upfront capital cost as equipment rental, service and maintenance are all included in an affordable fixed monthly payment. Enquiries: For more information visit www.girbau.co.uk
WITH over 25 years of specialist knowledge focusing on bathing needs, Gainsborough Specialist Bathing is the proven leader in the design, installation and support of assistive baths for the care environment. Its popular Windsor Series 3 bath includes integral transfer seat and unique leg-raiser which provides full leg support throughout the transfer. This eliminates the problem for carers who may struggle to lift a bather's legs over the side of the bath, and ensures greater levels of comfort and safety during entry and exit. Available in 1,500mm or
1,700mm lengths, the Windsor series, comes with a range of options and is suitable for ambulant or semi-ambulant bathers. An extra deep bathing depth and easy to clean surfaces for improved infection control, make it the ideal solution in high traffic, multiple occupancy settings.
Firm provides a dedicated service MILLERS (UK) Ltd is a family business that has been established since 1991. As the years have progressed we have become a national organisation, travelling from our offices in Accrington all the way down to London, or as far up as Inverness in Scotland. We provide a dedicated service to the commercial and domestic catering and laundry industry. We are a single point of contact for the customer – managing all aspects of electrical or gas catering, laundry equipment, detergent sales, service and repairs throughout the UK.
We offer full start to finish service on all re-fit or new builds covering cad design, cladding, electrics and stainless steel work. We can even provide a mobile kitchen on site while the work is being carried out. Millers (UK) Ltd prides itself on being able to repair any make or model of catering, laundry or refrigeration equipment. We have highly trained engineers on hand for all domestic and commercial units. Millers (UK) LTD is local authority approved and NHS and housing association approved. We have also been awarded the Miele Professional dealership.
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DEMENTIA SPONSORED BY Staff at Stroud-based DoCare are creating a memory box for each client with dementia, which will contain things like photos, or ornaments, with information and ideas about the person and what interests them. When a support worker visits, they will look through the memory box together with the client, which will stimulate conversation.
www.active-minds.co.uk
Campaign to turn Wales into first dementia-friendly country A CAMPAIGN to turn Wales into Europe's first dementia-friendly country has been backed by a senior member of the Welsh Government. Wrexham AM Lesley Griffiths, who is also Minister for Communities and Tackling Poverty, is urging the rest of Wales to sign up to the Purples Angels project launched in her home town last year. Purple Angels aims to raise awareness of the spread of dementia and at helping people to know how to respond to sufferers. Denbigh and Caernarfon have already followed Wrexham’s lead, and Lesley said: “Dementia is a growing problem, particularly in the older population, and it needs to be treated with care, consideration and sympathy. “We know dementia is increasing and clearly people’s awareness of it is as well and the idea of Purple Angels is that people can recognise those who have health issues. “It’s good to see Wrexham leading the way in this area and I welcome the fact that other towns are joining this campaign and hope it continues and grows to cover all of Wales s that those who suffer from dementia are treated with tolerance and respect.” Wrexham MP Ian Lucas, whose mother suffers from Alzheimer’s Disease, the most common form of dementia, has also been a prominent supporter of the Purple Angels campaign. He has urged businesses to sign up to the
campaign which was launched by Alzheimer’s sufferer Norman McNamara from Torquay who was diagnosed six years ago and in Wales has been promoted by Wrexham-based care organisation Pendine Park. Ian added: “Awareness of dementia is nowhere near as widespread as it needs to be, and unless you have first hand experience of what it is through your own family, as I do, then there is a great lack of understanding. “If you haven’t seen what it’s like and how it presents itself then it can lead to misunderstanding and upset, but it is something we can do something about by making more people aware of what it is. “That’s very important in areas like hospitals and shops, and for organisations like the health service and the police where a misunderstanding of a person with dementia could lead to all kinds of difficulties.” Mario Kreft, the proprietor of Pendine Park, is also an enthusiastic supporter of the scheme and with the group due to open a £7 million dementia care centre in Caernarfon next year he is hoping shops, businesses and other organisations in the area to follow suit. Caernarfon’s Galeri theatre and arts centre has been the first to do so and Pendine Park’s specialist staff will carry out dementia-awareness training for shops and offices which can then display “Purple Angel” stickers and posters to show that staff understand possible problems and know how to respond.
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Baycare integrate into the local community By Dominic Musgrave BAYCARE Domiciliary Care Limited has expanded into new premises in a central location in Paignton thanks to a six-figure loan from RBS. Baycare is the established business of four directors who share significant experience in the healthcare sector and have built up a £600,000 annual turnover. Operating across South Devon, the company has witnessed steady growth since 2010 providing a care service to meet and exceed the needs of people that require personal care, domestic care, live-in care through to end-of-life care. The 52 fully qualified care staff were previously managed from smaller premises, but as the demands are on the rise for their services, Baycare required larger premises to grow.
Nick Connors, healthcare relationship director at RBS, worked with Alan Baker and the management team to structure a six-figure funding package that has allowed them to purchase premises on the high street in Paignton to raise its profile in the local community. Alan said: “It has been an exciting time for us and is a real landmark for the company’s next phase of expansion. Being so visible in Paignton will serve us well and we are confident this will assist job creation and new business. “Nick is extremely experienced in this sector and we are pleased he could support our aspirations. Our long-term focus is to expand our business locally and the surrounding area, while continuing to provide the highest standards of care.” The fit-out is now complete and
Baycare directors Karena Roper, Alan Baker and Kat Green with Nick Connors from RBS. Baycare has opened its doors and look to the future with great confidence. Nick added: “The new premises are 100 per cent bank funded and will assist Baycare to expand across
South Devon, giving them a visible identity in Paignton. This expansion is testament to our commitment within the healthcare sector and I’m delighted RBS were able to help them achieve their short-term goals.”
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CARINGCOMMERCE
Couple open doors on second home THE husband and wife partnership behind Pontcanna House care home in Cardiff have opened the doors on their second home in South Wales. Dr Shirwan Al-Mufti and his wife, Nasik, have opened a 28-bed care home in Newport after acquiring and renovating the former Newport Lodge Hotel. The couple acquired the property last year and have spent the past 12 months renovating the building at a cost of £600,000. HSBC’s Cardiff and South East Wales commercial team provided a finance package to support the acquisition and renovation in a deal managed by senior international commercial manager Andrew Coles. Arcadia Care Homes specialises in providing care for elderly people with dementia. It has run Pontcanna House in Cardiff for over 20 years, which is one of the most highly rated homes in the UK, and is looking to replicate its success with its Newport venture. In addition to 28 rooms, 20 of which are already occupied, the care home boasts a cinema room and ancillary room. Nasik said: “We have been a family business for 20 years and were happy with just our Cardiff home. However, our son, Ali, encouraged us to expand the business and we are pleased to have done so. The location of our Newport home is beautiful with fantastic views towards the sea.”
Trust unveils £4.5m care home in Chesham THE Fremantle Trust, in partnership with Buckinghamshire County Council and Housing Solutions, has developed a £4.5m nursing and dementia care home in Chesham. Chesham Leys will care and support for 62 people who require nursing or nursing dementia care. The three-storey purpose built home features spacious rooms all with ensuite facilities, separate lounge and dining areas, an on-site hair salon and landscaped gardens. Chesham Leys is the last of eight care homes to be built under the ‘Project Care’ partnership agreement. Project Care has been successful as well as ambitious, designed to significantly improve the quality of accommodation for older people and people with learning disabilities across Buckinghamshire. Patricia Birchley, cabinet member for health and wellbeing at Buckinghamshire County Council, said: “I’m delighted to see the completion of Project Care. Having visited all the care homes in the project, I’ve seen first-hand how working in partnership with Fremantle and Housing Solutions has given our residents such wonderful homes and facilities as well as a firstclass service to very vulnerable people.”
Chesham Leys will employ around 80 staff, and vacancies will include management, nursing, care, housekeeping, kitchen, activity coordination and administration roles. Sue Green, director of operations at the Trust, said: “This is a very exciting time for Fremantle, with the opportunity to add to our existing network of care homes across the
region, to provide care for more people and to complete the Project Care agreement. “Our friendly and dedicated team are looking forward to welcoming the people who will make Chesham Leys their home. We are confident that Chesham Leys will become a valuable asset to the local community.”
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CARINGCOMMERCE Advertiser’s announcement
Committed to making a difference THOSE who have signed up to the Social Care Commitment are already reporting the positive impact it has on the quality of care they offer and the training and development of their staff. A recent evaluation revealed that 85 per cent of those who had made the commitment have already have seen , or expect to see, an increase in the quality of care they provide, whilst 83 per cent said that it has led, or will lead, to improvements in how staff are trained and developed. The commitment simply involves signing up online to a series of ‘I will…’ statements online, which are backed by tasks that put those statements into practice. It is a Department of Health initiative that has been developed in consultation with the sector, making sure it is fit for purpose and has a real practical impact. It can improve the quality of care provided in a variety of ways. Firstly employers and employees who sign up are making a statement that they are going to commit to a defined standard of quality. For example, taking responsibility for the standard of care delivered, and promoting and upholding the privacy, dignity, rights, health and wellbeing of people who need care and support. For some providers these may already be standard but making the commitment provides employers
with an opportunity to publicly declare the quality of the care they provide, and acts as reminder to employees about what defines quality care day to day. The Social Care Commitment also maps directly to the key lines of enquiry and fundamental standards of care used by the Care Quality Commission. Therefore you can use the evidence generated by completing the tasks to
help you demonstrate how you are meeting the CQC workforce standards. Use of the Social Care Commitment as an action planning and supervision tool also supports preparation for and delivery of the Care Certificate. The statements focus on the key issues that are important to all care providers, no matter how big or small they are, including recruitment,
induction and retention of staff, and equality and diversity. It is being backed at the very highest levels as Care and Support Minister Norman Lamb has called for ‘every employer and every employee working in adult social care to go online and make the commitment.’ For more information and to sign up to the Social Care Commitment, visit www.thesocialcare commitment.org.uk
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CARINGCOMMERCE
Rates have fallen – are you paying too much? IF you’re seeking to restructure or increase your existing mortgage, Chandler & Co.’s status as an independent healthcare specialist means we have strong links with a comprehensive range of lenders. The combined experience of the partners including financial, management and care home ownership offers first-hand knowledge and expertise in the healthcare sector. As existing operators, you can consider the whole range of options available to you, including: Restructuring of existing loans. Equity release and debt consolidation. Purchase of additional businesses. Refurbishments and extensions of existing business. Land purchase and new build schemes.
Sale and leaseback finance. By combining finance for improvements with a restructure of your existing borrowings, it may be possible to enhance your business without increasing your monthly loan repayments. Terms include: Monthly repayments as low as £4,361.31 (per £1m borrowed). 75 per cent loan to value. No arrangement fees. 25-year loan commitment Make an informed decision with a FREE financial review from Chandler & Co.
Firm helps borrowers with complaints THE banks’ regulator is still dragging its feet over a mis-selling scandal hundreds of care homes suffer from. SWAPS, cap-and collars and fixed rate loans were marketed eagerly by high street banks to care homes wanting to expand as demand grew over the last 10 years. Allegedly, they would ‘protect’ borrowers from rising interest rates. Only when rates fell did owners discover the true costs hidden in their loan contracts which often had 10 or 20
year terms. Sometimes these hidden charges came to half the value of the loan. Businesses either had to pay a huge exit penalty or go on paying excessive interest each month. CLAIMS (London) Ltd. is currently helping many commercial borrowers with complaints against their banks. They show up unfair conditions, reduce monthly payments, win compensation and get exit penalties waived saving care home owners a small fortune.
Quality staff breed quality care IN recent years, a media spotlight focused on the level of professionalism of a small minority of staff has brought the healthcare sector under intense scrutiny. However, not all companies have waited for this information to come to light, before understanding the importance of first-rate, highly trained healthcare staff. Take Blue Rock Healthcare for example. As a nationwide healthcare staff provider, Blue Rock Healthcare supply anything from healthcare assistants through to RGNs, but their real USP and beliefs come from the investment they put in to each and every candidate’s training.
A mandatory comprehensive training course designed for all staff, is where their professionals acquire the necessary skills needed to succeed in a healthcare capacity. Here, Blue Rock Healthcare ensure each professional has passed and completed all sections of their intensive induction course prior to placement. Operations manager Rebecca Scales said: “Taking into account the factors of time and money, we understand that hiring less qualified staff can resolve short term issues, but we also understand that this may cause long term problems. We cover both angles by providing only highly qualified staff, even at short notice.”
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CARINGCOMMERCE Advertiser’s announcement
Connect 2 Care – specialist training in the heart of the care industry ALL healthcare workers have a duty of care to their service users and there are a number of skills required to form part of that duty. In order to offer the optimum level of care, staff must be well trained and be confident in carrying out all elements of their role. That’s the message from Sara Goldie, operations director of national care skills development and training provider Connect 2 Care (C2C). “Gaining new qualifications can be a real confidence booster and investing in improving the skills and knowledge of your workforce is investing in their future,” said Sara. “We offer a comprehensive range of professionally recognised apprenticeships, traineeships and short courses. Each course is tailored to build the knowledge and expertise of those working in care homes and additional healthcare settings, including cleaning, domestic and catering services. “Using their practical knowledge and experience in the care sector, our trainers help learners gain specialist skills that give them the opportunity to climb the career ladder, whilst also ensuring care homes are meeting statutory requirements.”
To meet the growing need to upskill staff, C2C has recently launched two new one-day short courses in Understanding the Safe Use of Medicines and Moving and Handling, which aim to teach approved techniques, raise awareness of correct procedures and build learners’ confidence. Each short course leads to a recognised qualification. There are no prerequisites for either of the new short courses, making them ideal for anyone currently working in a health and social care role with the willingness to learn and interact in group activities. Case study: Connect 2 Care lends a helping hand to Zoe School life had always been a struggle
for Zoe Wales, who suffers from dyslexia. But with the help of C2C, Zoe successfully completed her Cleaning & Support Services Apprenticeship –together with a Level 1 Functional Skills in Maths and English course – and now has a permanent job at the Sussex Downs Care Home in Storrington, West Sussex. “I was delighted to gain a recognised qualification and to overcome the significant learning
barriers that I’d faced throughout my school life,” said Zoe. “My trainer was really supportive and helped me with my dyslexia, and through a combination of their support and my determination to achieve, I’m living proof that work-based learning really works!” To find out more about the courses on offer, or to arrange a training needs analysis for your facilities, contact Connect 2 Care on 0800 954 2803 or visit www.connect2care.net
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QUALITY IN CARESPONSORED BY
New director of care for Abbeyfield Kent Society THE Abbeyfield Kent Society, a charity and housing association for the older people of Kent, has appointed Paula Evans as its new director of care, who will oversee the wellbeing and care of over 500 residents living in the group’s homes. Paula qualified as nurse at the East London School of Nursing in 1985 and subsequently as a district nurse, where she cared for patients in her home county of Essex. Developing her interests studying for a post qualifying degree in nursing and then a higher degree in Health Services Management, this led Paula into more senior roles focused on quality, leadership and management and service development. She has worked in a variety of settings across the public, private and charitable sectors ultimately accepting executive director positions in the NHS and charitable sectors. Paula said: “I am particularly looking forward to meeting the people who deliver our care services and our residents. “Our staff do a brilliant job every day of putting our personal, family approach to care into action.
Paula Evans Getting out and about and meeting residents face-to-face just highlights the fact that we have a whole care team dedicated to delivering the best possible care and companionship we can.”
www.requiredsystems.com
Firm celebrates its 15th year by giving out gifts A SHROPSHIRE domiciliary care company has celebrated 15 years in business by handing out gifts to its 15 longest serving clients. Carewatch (Mid Shropshire) managing director Steve Harris launched the company on October 9 1999 and is thrilled with what it has become today. “It is great to have come this far,” he said. “We want to celebrate with everyone in the company as each and every person - staff and clients - is important to us and keeps us going. “At one point we lost 70 per cent of our work in Staffordshire following a rethink by Staffordshire Council on how they would commission social care. To have built the business back up from that is something I am very proud of and now we are even expanding as well.” Carewatch (Mid Shropshire) is working towards doubling the number of staff this year from 70 to 140. It provides care to about 200 people across Shropshire and has recently won the contract to deliver home
care services on behalf of Telford & Wrekin Council, and also serves communities in Staffordshire and the West Midlands. Steve left a job as an IT director to launch his franchise and has twice been named franchisee of the year by the Carewatch head office. He added: “When I worked in IT gaining work was the goal, I gave that up to make a difference to people’s lives. “Knowing that what I do can help people to receive good quality care is just brilliant. “It has not been plain sailing though - it is a constant battle with local authorities to try to get people the care they need and deserve, even though it may not meet the criteria of their limited budgets.” To celebrate the 15 year anniversary co-director Sally Harris handed flowers to long-serving clients such as Julia Davies, from Bridgnorth. The celebrations will continue throughout the month as bosses give out gifts to clients and staff.
Society launches new courses ALZHEIMER’S Society Training and Consultancy has launched an innovative, training portfolio including shorter, more accessible and flexible training across all learning levels and skill areas. The outcome-based courses have been developed in response to research, developments in adult learning and economic pressures on the care sector and reflect Alzheimer’s Society’s expert knowledge. Taking a person centred approach, the new courses include the intro-
ductory Step Inside, along with Responsive Behaviours and Meaningful Occupation. All courses realise staff’s potential to enable compassionate and high quality support to people affected by dementia. The Alzheimer’s Society Training and Consultancy has also joined forces with Royal Society for Public Health and is set to launch a new Ofqual approved qualification: The Level 2 Award in Understanding Dementia.
Helping you to comply with the regulator IT IS not just CQC that require services in the care sector to be able to evidence compliance. Your bank and local authorities placing service users are becoming more demanding. The two major failures in CQC inspections are poor record keeping and drug administration. Required Systems Ltd has all the quality systems you need to be compliant, incorporating all the forthcoming changes from CQC. To find out more call 01236 782477 or visit www.requiredsystems.com
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CARINGPRODUCT NEWS
Solutions for Brighton care professionals ... FOR care professionals, finding ways to continue to develop and improve upon your business is an ongoing task which requires endless research taking up lots of valuable time. Whether you are looking to give your care setting a complete revamp, wish to discover innovative products and services that can help your business or just want to keep up to date with changes within the industry, Care Roadshows could be just what you are looking for. Care Roadshows will be coming to
Brighton Racecourse on November 18, where care professionals can meet with a range of suppliers to discuss the individual needs of their setting, network with leaders from the sector and visit seminars and workshops running throughout the day. Entry into Care Roadshow Brighton is free, along with entry to the seminars and workshops taking place at the show. There is also complimentary on-site parking along with the chance to win a £100 cash prize draw on the day.
Care about dignity and independence HOME managers can cost-effectively improve their clients’ dignity and independence, staff effectiveness, and comply with Care Quality Commission regulations by changing toileting equipment. Outcome one of the Essential Standards of Quality & Safety/ Regulation 17 of the Health & Social Care Act 2010 require that, as far as reasonably practicable, suitable arrangements should be made to ensure the dignity, privacy and independence of service users, and, where appropriate, provide opportunities for service users to manage their own care. Clos-o-Mat – Britain’s leading provider of toileting solutions for disabled and elderly people, has developed a bespoke package for care and nursing homes, enabling them to deliver that dignity, privacy and independence when going to the toilet. It simultaneously achieves consistency and quality of toilet care. The package encompasses Clos-o-Mat’s Palma Vita automatic shower (wash and dry) toilet and Aerolet toilet lift.
“Simply by installing either or both pieces of equipment, the home ‘frees’ care staff for duties other than taking clients to the toilet, and gives clients their independence and dignity in an area of very personal care,” says Claire Haymes, Clos-oMat’s care and nursing home specialist. “Even if used by just one resident, the equipment can pay for itself in under three months*, and can potentially be offset as a capital allowance against tax.” Enquiries: Call 0161 969 1199, visit www.clos-o-mat.com or email info@clos-o-mat.com
esemtan® – effective skin cleansing for residents with incontinence
Beaucare’s Beauwash™ Range BEAUWASH™ is an efficient, cost effective and ecofriendly laundry cleaning products range, specifically formulated with healthcare establishments in mind. It is cleverly designed to provide superb cleaning performance at lower temperatures, shorter wash cycles and kill bacteria at just 30°C, providing a more sustainable laundry cleaning process in terms of overall running costs and for the environment. Available in powder or liquid form: 10kg tubs, 5lt, 10lt or 20lt liquid containers. When combining the laundry liquid with
automated dosing systems, it creates one of the most efficient laundry solutions available on the market today. Beaucare also offers advice on the most efficient way to run all healthcare laundry needs and provides expert fitting and maintenance of automatic dosing systems by its own service engineers. Enquiries call 01423 878899, email sales@beaucare.com or visit www.beaucare.com
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.
esemtan Cleansing Foam to clean the skin of all our incontinent residents; it’s hygienic and discreet to use, gentle on the skin and has a very pleasant fragrance. “The foam mousse is very easy to use, particularly at the bedside or where quick and tactful cleaning is required.” esemtan® 500ml spray can be ordered from www.broschdirect.com/ personal-care/personal-care/esemtanskin-cleansing-foam/prod_4019.html Enquiries: To try a sample, call 0114 254 3500, email mail.uk@schuelke.com or visit www.schulke.co.uk
CME Medical to exhibit at Care Show Birmingham CME Medical, a market leader in the specialist infusion therapy field, is delighted to be exhibiting at the Care Show Birmingham. Through its work across therapy areas, in both acute and community settings, CME Medical has built excellent relationships with health care professionals. CME Medical will be talking to delegates to understand their needs and challenges and help customers in the care home sector to deliver safe, efficient and quality compliant clinical practice and consistency of patient care. CME Medical’s T34TM Ambulatory Syringe Pump is the market leader in the field and has been widely adopted around the UK. The lightweight and compact syringe pump meets all of the National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) requirements for Safer Ambulatory Syringe Drivers. The pump offers a range of features designed to maximise safe and simple administration of medication.
The NPSA deadline for all existing Ambulatory Syringe Drivers to transition to Ambulatory Syringe Drivers with additional safety features is set for December 2015. Enquiries: Call 01253 206770, email customerservice@cmemedical.co.uk or visit www.cmemedical.co.uk/T34
Easy reference for client quality of care and compliance in the bathroom
Claim VAT back on your home even if you are not VAT registered IT is true, care providers can reclaim VAT worth about £3,000 per bed for any residents who stayed in your home between 1993 and 2002 paid for by the local authority. You don’t have to be VAT registered to make a claim. We can usually find the information required with minimal disruption to your business. How is this possible? Well in 2002 a care provider called Kingscrest challenged the view held by HMRC and won. There is no cost to you unless we are successful. Typical claims: 50 beds – £240,000; 40 beds – £170,000; 287 beds – £1.25m. And the best part is that you get the money in your bank account before you pay us. Don’t forget the tax repayment is free of tax – it is extra profit.
esemtan® Cleansing Foam is a gentle, quick and effective skin cleanser designed particularly for the skincare of incontinent or bedbound residents. Containing antimicrobial active ingredients, esemtan® helps protect the skin from infection, while also having a gently moisturising action. esemtan® Cleansing Foam is easy to use and should be sprayed onto the skin, left for 30 seconds, then wiped with a disposable cloth. The foam has a discreet but fresh scent. Jan Buckley, manager of a Surrey care home, said: “We always use
Enquiries: Call 01233 640985 and ask for Howard to find out more.
NURSING and care home management and owners know that one of the most time-consuming activities is taking residents to, and helping them, toilet. And people handling – including helping them on and off the toilet – is the most common cause of injury to staff. Good use of toileting aids can address both issues at the same time. A new white paper – Considerations & Impact of Toileting Aids in a Care Environment, published by Clos-o-Mat- provides unbiased guidance on equipment selection, taking into account all relevant legislation, guidance and ‘good practice’. The guide is available for free download from Clos-o-Mat’s website www.clos-o-mat.com and can be used independently, or alongside a similar white paper covering design advice for an accessible bathroom/washroom. “There is much talk about delivery of dignity and independence to residents,” says Claire Haymes, nursing/care home specialist for Clos-o-Mat. “Choosing toilet aids can make a huge difference to not only fulfilling that, but reducing staff exposure to risk of injury through client handling. “But an effective solution needs to be properly thought through: our white papers aim to give useful, informative advice that enables a compliant
solution to be achieved.” Enquiries: Full details of Clos-o-Mat’s care package is available on the company’s website, supported by technical information and case studies.
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With the need to operate sustainably becoming a key priority for all businesses, Mark Lovett, sustainability manager at apetito, explores options for homes to work in a more environmentally friendly and energy efficient manner.
How important is sustainability for care homes? The sustainability challenge IN recent years, sustainability has become a hot topic and we’ve seen it become increasingly important to consumers. So much so, that we can expect a care home’s credentials in this area is likely to be of even greater influence for future residents and their families when choosing a home. Many people in the care industry are aware of the importance of sustainability but may feel daunted by the challenge. One step at a time Some aspects of improving your sustainability may take longer to introduce – such as encouraging a shift in the mindset of your colleagues. However, there are some fast and straightforward actions you can take to minimise environmental impact by ensuring best sustainability practices are in place. Take, for example, your catering services. How do you cut back on waste? We all know that huge amounts of food are wasted every year. However, people may not be aware that the most important issue in food
sustainability is simply good old fashioned avoidance of food waste. Any food that isn’t used has to be grown again, which will in turn double the impact this has on the environment. There are some easy ways in which we can cut down on food waste all the way through the supply chain. For example, frozen foods are a great way of controlling waste as it allows food to be stored for longer periods as well as meaning that you can cook what you need, when you need it. This reduces the problems of wastage associated with the shorter shelf life of systems like the cook-chill system. It’s essential to look at what is done not only with your own food waste, but also to have a conversation with your suppliers about what systems they have in place to either avoid it or make good use of it. Over the last few years, apetito has managed to reduce food waste by 50 per cent and has also diverted remaining waste away from landfill to anaerobic digestion – producing electric power and fertiliser. We use excellent schemes such as ‘FareShare’ in which any surplus food is given to help those who need it.
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Ethical Trading Initiative Base Code is a good indicator here) as well as if they have an environment and an energy policy.
Mark Lovett Ask the right questions – you are only as sustainable as your suppliers An easy step is to ask your food suppliers if they are getting the basics right. A good question to ask is whether fish is sourced from sustainable sources in line with the Marine Stewardship and Marine Conservation Society “Fish to Eat” list? You should also check if they make sure labour rights are as they should be through the supply chain (the
ID Cards
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Accountancy
Moving forward While some homes are already making great strides in operating sustainably, for others it will be a relatively new journey. However, it is only likely to increase in scale as the benefits become evident and families of residents, and residents themselves, demand more alignment to this key area. At apetito we have a very strict procurement policy that aligns to all the above. For example, we support the British food and farming industries. Indeed – we spend millions of pounds per annum with British farmers and processors and buy from British (and Irish) sources whenever we can – always provided it represents best value (in terms of quality, cost, food safety and sustainability). Fundamentally, sustainable business is good business, and it's the right way to operate for the wellbeing and sustainability of today's catering operations as well as tomorrow's future.
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