November 2015
incorporating
no.233 • £4.75
The Number One magazine for the care sector
Guidance for care homes published By Dominic Musgrave NEW guidelines to improve the quality of care for people with diabetes living in care homes have been released. They provide a series of indicators that can help inspectors to assess whether a service is meeting the particular needs of people with diabetes. The guidance has been published by the CQC having been developed in collaboration with Professor Alan Sinclair, from Diabetes Frail, and the Joint British Diabetes Societies task group. Entitled ‘Guidance for CQC staff: Inspecting the quality of care for residents with diabetes mellitus living in care homes’, the publication also explains why people living with diabetes in care settings can be particularly vulnerable and dependent. An assessment and support framework has also been included so that care home nurses are able to determine that the residents’ diabetes needs are being met thoroughly in a way that protects their dignity and rights. Professor Alan Sinclair said: “Diabetes affects up to one in four care home residents whether they
are residing in residential or nursing homes. “People with diabetes are vulnerable to chest and urine infections and are often frail. When their health deteriorates it means there are high rates of admission to hospital, which is why it’s so important to monitor their healthcare, making sure they’re receiving the right level of care.” JBDS chair Professor Mike Sampson, who is a consultant diabetologist at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals, said: “This publication is long overdue and will be hugely welcomed by the diabetes community. If we can help care home workers to understand diabetes management better, then standards are going to improve.” Dr Rob Gregory, chair of the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists, a diabetes consultant from the University Hospitals of Leicester, added: “This valuable guidance will hopefully drive up the standard of care received by residents of care homes who have diabetes. The inclusion of diabetes in CQC inspections of care homes follows the commitment by the CQC to include diabetesspecific questions in its inspections of Acute Trusts.
Home hosts a groovy open day celebration
Television personality Carol Smillie helped to launch new technology which combines with independent monitors to raise standards and confidence in care settings. Following a successful trial in Birmingham of the technology, the new health and social care surveillance and monitoring system was given its UK launch at the Royal Society of Medicine. This system combines the use of technology with the judgement of professional experienced people, in order to safeguard vulnerable adults in all care settings. It will employ many monitoring personnel, each with relevant high level experience in the health or social care sector and licensed by the Security Industry Authority. It has been founded by Philip Scott, former CEO of the Priory Group.
A NEWCASTLE Nursing home has spread plenty of peace and love throughout the community after hosting a fun-filled 1960s-themed open day. Hillfield, which is operated by Akari Care, showcased a raft of classic cars for the event – ranging from Volkswagen vans and Beetles to Hillmans and Triumphs – on the grounds, as well as treating its residents and guests to live 1960s entertainment, from a vintage 45 record player. Staff from Hillfield wore 1960s fancy dress and residents, guests and members of the community were treated to 60s’ styled food and refreshments. Kevin Mulvey, home manager at Hillfield, said: “It was nice to have such a fun event. We had plenty of activities organised for the day and the classic cars on the grounds looked fantastic, which really added to the event and allowed our residents to reminisce about their lives in the 1960s.” Hillfield provides nursing care for 42 residents.
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Winners at the annual NACC Awards ceremony with their prizes and national chair Neel Radia.
Catering excellence honoured
Publishers
By Dominic Musgrave
Editorial
THE National Association of Care Catering and the care sector honoured excellence, dedication and inspirational achievements in catering at its annual awards ceremony. The prestigious accolades spotlight the continued exceptional work undertaken by care providers and caterers. Neel Radia, national chair, NACC comments: “Once again, all the finalists demonstrate the fantastic standards of catering within the care sector. “Every individual and team has pushed
the boundaries to deliver excellence and give service users the very best catering care available. “We should all be very proud of the talent within our sector and the intrinsic commitment to doing the best job possible for those in our care. “Catering in care environments demands specific knowledge and skill. From nutrition and hydration to special diets and feeding limitations, care providers and caterers must consistently deliver at all levels, whilst also ensuring the dignity of every individual.” The awards were presented at a special
dinner at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham. Winners were: Care establishment – Sunrise Senior Living of Eastbourne; Community meals marketing – Monmouthshire Meals Service; Catering team – Four Seasons Health Care – Christine Hamilton and David Richards; Sustainability – Contract Services London Borough of Tower Hamlets; Catering manager – David Blackwood, Meallmore Ltd; Regional award – Northern region; Pam Rhodes outstanding achievement – Stuart Long; Chairman’s award – McCullough Moore.
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
Script Media 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS. Email: info@caring-uk.co.uk 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
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Top rating for London home By Olivia Taylor
Residents of Edward Moore House Residential Home in Gravesend made the most of the sunshine by putting on their gardening gloves and spending a morning digging and planting. With the sun shining, the residents decided to spend a morning helping staff to spruce up the garden with some new plants and flowers. There were plenty of flowers to be planted, plants to be potted and fresh fruit and vegetables ready to be picked, so everyone got stuck in, helping one another with the tasks at hand. John Ogbe, home manager of Edward Moore House, said: “We find that a number of our residents like to be involved in the running of their home, whether that’s doing a spot of gardening, helping with the laundry, or preparing the tables for mealtimes. We are of course more than happy for them to assist with these things, as this is their home after all.”
A THAMESMEAD care home has been rated as outstanding by the inspectorate. Following an inspection, the CQC awarded Marlborough Court an overall rating of outstanding. The inspectors also rated it as outstanding against specific inspection criteria of providing effective care and for being well led. They said the home is caring and responsive. So far across the country only 19 care homes have been rated as outstanding. Maggie Candy, the home manager, was also regarded as outstanding by the inspectors for promoting high standards of care and support for people using the service. She said: “I am so pleased that the CQC inspectors included Marlborough Court among the highest rated homes in the country. This is an endorsement of our care team who always ensure that our residents come first. I am grateful to our residents and relatives who commented so favourably to the inspectors about the care we provide.” The CQC inspectors said that staff treated people with care and
kindness, dignity, respect. They were knowledgeable about people’s needs, likes, interests and preferences. Care plans were personalised to meet people’s individual needs. Staff engaged with residents to help them take decisions regarding their care and understood how to support the residents in a way that ensured individual preferences were met. Innovative approaches were used when delivering care including a variety of activities which residents were able to participate in based on their own choices. Staff regularly sought feedback from the residents in order to make sure care was always being improved where possible. A dementia care unit has been accredited as a Positively Enriching And Enhancing Residents Lives (PEARL) dementia service. Staff had received additional specialised training in dementia as part of this accreditation process and were proud of the service being provided on the unit. The inspectors said that this unit had lots of interaction, conversation and activity going on and they saw numerous signs of people’s wellbeing. Staff also offered support to the families of residents living with dementia in order to help them better understand the condition.
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Kung fu lesson gives residents their kicks By Dominic Musgrave
Going, going gone ... Chloe Nicholas had her long, blond hair shaved off to raise money for MacMillan Cancer Support.
Chloe ‘braves the shave’ THE daughter of a homecare worker decided to come out and support her mother’s brave battle against cancer by shaving off her golden tresses and sport the bald look as part of the “Brave the Shave” challenge. Earlier this year Adel, a care worker with Caremark (Mansfield), was diagnosed with breast cancer and has been stoically coping with the necessary treatments. To support her mum and those battling the disease, daughter Chloe Nicholas decided to take the radical step of having her head shaved in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support. She also hopes to raise £1,000 for
the organisation. In front of a crowd of supporters and well-wishers at the Golden Eagle public house in Mansfield, Chloe had her golden locks removed. Her long, blond hair has been donated to the Little Princess Trust, a charity that provides real-hair wigs to boys and girls across the UK and Ireland who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment. Caremark (Mansfield) provide personalised care and support to people of all ages, abilities and ethnicities in their own homes, enabling them to continue living safely and independently.
CARE home residents in Wrexham have found a new way to get their kicks – after being taught how to do kung fu. The residents from the Highfield care home, which is part of the Pendine Park organisation, were treated to a martial art masterclass by Shaolin Monk Pol Wong. Dad-of-three Pol is a regular visitor to Highfield where his father, Jimmy Wong, 97, is a resident. He is one of only three genuine ordained Shaolin Monks in the UK. His Kung Fu School, Hafan Shaolin Cymru is based in Ruabon and offers training to adults and children. Pol said: “I’ve been teaching the residents to use breathing techniques to relax and get rid of strain. If you do these before physiotherapy they can help you get the best out of it. “Breathing is one of the best practices and then combining that with movement. It can make your body stronger, improve your immune system, and help reduce stress levels. “When your muscles are relaxed it improves the blood flow, and that can make a big difference because it help you if you have high blood pressure. I’ve also been teaching them basic arm movements. “I wanted it to be fun and useful.
Pol Wong with his father Jimmy and Pendine staff Susie Owen, Olivia Thomas, Danielle Roberts and Nicky Clarke. I’m glad everyone at Pendine Park enjoyed the lesson.” Enrichment and quality of life coordinator Olivia Thomas said: “This is an interesting addition to our enrichment programme and fits in well with what we do in terms of music and movement. “It’s really good, because Pol adapted it perfectly for our residents at Pendine Park. They found it really relaxing and they absolutely loved it. It’s something different for them. “Putting on interesting activities is a big part of what we do at Pendine Park. It’s part of our enrichment programme. We also put on lots of art and music classes for the residents. We even have the world-class Hallé orchestra come down to conduct workshop with them.”
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Home creates kids’ play park in garden By Olivia Taylor
The eight members of staff from Broomgrove who have headed to university.
Staff land university places EIGHT members of staff from Broomgrove care home in Sheffield have landed places at university this autumn. Residents and staff organised a party to say farewell to the individuals that are leaving to pursue a number of different roles in the healthcare industry. Donna Pierpoint, the home’s manager, said: “We’re always keen for members of staff to better themselves but this year has been record – even for us. “Thankfully we already have staff to take their place, as we have a rolling programme of students joining and leaving us.
“Three of the people leaving are going to medical school, three to nursing, one to midwifery and one to radiology”. Many students continue to work at Broomgrove Nursing Home and do ‘bank’ shifts in between their studies. “It really is a win win situation,” Donna added. “The students gain valuable experience and we gain a highly educated and enthusiastic member of staff. Residents love to watch them grow into the amazing people they become by the time they leave us.” Broomgrove is the only home of its kind with charitable status in the city and surrounding region.
A DUNDEE care home has taken the unusual step to ensure youngsters enjoy a visit to their grandparents – by creating a children’s play park in the garden. The project is one of a number of new features to be created at Bupa’s Balcarres facility, in Broughty Ferry, thanks to the help of the local community. The home has introduced a putting green and bus stop cafe, both designed to help people living with dementia to connect with previous memories, as well as an internet café to allow residents to Skype family members across the world. The new garden features have been provided with help from the Dundee community, with one local individual constructing the putting green by hand, and Dundee City Council donating the bus stop. Lynn McLean, home manager at Bupa’s Balcarres Care Home, is thrilled at the difference the new features have made. She said: “The residents could not be happier with the new features in the garden. “The play park in particular is a great addition. It is such a clever and simple idea that I’m sure other care
homes will want to adopt the feature too. It means any grandchildren and great grandchildren who come to visit with their families can see their relatives, and before they get too restless, as any youngster does, they can go out to play while their parents continue their stay. “The creation of the bus stop cafe and putting green is also so important to help people living with dementia. It allows them to reconnect with previous memories or recognisable social environments in a safe and familiar environment. “We always aim to provide the highest level of care to all our residents, and particularly for those with dementia, it is important to ensure they are provided with cognitive stimulation which relieves any feelings of anxiety and confusion “The residents have already been making good use of the new facilities. Plus the internet cafe is also really useful for our residents with families abroad as they can now get in touch over Skype. We are very thankful to all the kind and generous people who have lent a hand to date. “We have plans to continue with this project and to provide the residents with even more beneficial facilities and features in the near future.”
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Mayor of Pendle, Councillor Nawaz Ahmed, enjoys afternoon tea with residents and staff at Stocks Hall Andrew Smith House.
Mayor has afternoon tea at home RESIDENTS living at Stocks Hall Andrew Smith House, plus family, friends and staff, shared afternoon tea with the Mayor of Pendle. Councillor Nawaz Ahmed, accompanied by Patricia Judson, the Mayor’s escort, gave everyone an afternoon to remember. He began his visit by chatting to individuals living at the home, then sharing afternoon tea together, accompanied by singing and dancing. Finally the Mayor visited one of his
former colleagues, Anthony Beckett and his wife Mary. Tony was a former town crier, councillor and mayor of Pendle in 2010/2011. Val Lawson, manager of the home, said: “We feel very privileged that the Mayor has chosen to visit Stocks Hall Andrew Smith House. “It makes people living here feel very valued and not forgotten. The celebratory afternoon was excellent, people living there said that their only criticism was that it went over far too quickly.”
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Move to cut red tape is welcomed THE Registered Nursing Home Association has welcomed an announcement by the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, Sajid Javid, that the government will be seeking to cut red tape that unnecessarily diverts care staff from looking after patients. CEO Frank Ursell said: “We are pleased to hear from the Business Secretary that he recognises the negative impact made on care homes when different public agencies keep asking for basically the same information. It is timeconsuming and wasteful of scarce resources for our managers and staff to have to fill in forms for all these organisations. Anything that can be done to reduce the administrative burden will be highly beneficial. “Less paperwork, especially when that paperwork is more or less a duplication of previously completed paperwork, means more time to spend on delivering high quality care. That, after all, is what really matters.” Frank added that the RNHA would be happy to collaborate with Sajid’s department in developing a more rational approach.
Elderly care ‘heading for crisis’ in Sussex, claim By Dominic Musgrave THOUSANDS of elderly and vulnerable people in Sussex face a “catastrophic failure” in their statefunded home care, a leading care provider has warned. Reflecting on the dire situation, Sue Hills, managing director of homecare provider Caremark (Mid-Sussex and Crawley), said: “Ongoing council cash shortages combined with impending higher minimum wage rates and tougher restrictions on recruiting staff from outside the EU could push local services to melting point. “Recruitment of local community care workers is already a major issue across the county and many other parts of the UK and needs to be addressed urgently, but new measures are likely to make the care crisis worse. “The Government gives with one hand and takes with the other. It rightly introduces measures so people are not forced to sell their homes in order to meet residential care costs, but at the same time it is taking money from local councils, who then cannot afford to pay us a viable amount in order to pay our care workers the money they need and deserve. The new National Living Wage, due to be introduced in April,
Sue Hills will only push up the costs further.” Sue’s comments follow the launch of a national campaign by the United Kingdom Home Care Association, urging the Government not to introduce a National Living Wage without first taking steps to protect the sector. A letter from the homecare provider’s managing director will be sent to local councillors and MPs, echoing the UKHCA’s warning of a “serious risk of catastrophic failure” in state-funded care, leaving the elderly without much needed care and support at home and councils facing a crisis. Caremark (Mid Sussex and Crawley), which employs 60 carers,
pays well above the existing minimum wage plus benefits, including private healthcare and pension. But, like many, it will be under pressure to increase its starting pay when the National Living Wage comes into force. At the same time, new restrictions mean non-EU care workers must earn at least £35,000 from next year to remain in the UK. Sue added: “That will put extra pressure on recruitment and retention in a sector that struggles to find staff and then often loses them to better funded areas of public health that can afford to pay more. The issue still comes back to funding. “Already there is evidence of local councils failing to find organisations to take on community care packages, because the providers just can’t recruit enough staff to deliver the service. “Health and social care is an incredibly rewarding profession and UK employees would always be our first choice but increasingly we are having to go abroad because if we cannot find the staff, we could find ourselves turning down care packages - and that doesn’t help anyone.” The problem is particularly acute in Mid-Sussex and Crawley, where care workers are more likely to seek employment at Gatwick.
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Sherbrooke Lodge appoints manager LAMBHILL Court Limited has appointed Iain Ballantyne as home manager at Sherbrooke Lodge in Glasgow. The home is one of five owned by the group in and around the city, and is located in the quiet, leafy suburb of Pollokshields. It can accommodate a smaller number of people under the age of 65. The accommodation includes opportunities for recreational and social activities, a range of dining options and services which range from occasional domestic assistance through to personal or even nursing care. Iain is a registered mental health nurse who has a strong association with Lambhill Court Ltd that dates back to 1996 when Lambhill Court first opened its doors, Iain has continued to work on and off for the group since then, and had an eightyear spell between 2002 and 2010 when he was involved in all the homes’ services at a senior level. Iain has worked for larger corporate providers of care as a home manager, and has now combined all these skills and experiences to good effect and has developed an enviable reputation within the sector. He said: “Sherbrooke Lodge has a really homely feel about it and I am looking forward to my new role here
Dozens of teenagers have volunteered their time to help elderly Teesside care home residents. The Gables welcomed over 30 volunteers from Middlesbrough FC Community Foundation. The group – all aged between 16 and 18 – spent two days at the home renovating the garden furniture and socialising with the residents. They played music, painted nails, took part in games, shared stories and sold cakes to visitors and staff. Naaila Rehman, activities coordinator at The Gables, said: “We’re extremely grateful to the Middlesbrough FC Community Foundation for visiting the home. Our residents had a brilliant time and really enjoyed the company of the young volunteers. We hope to see them again in future.” Iain Ballantyne and hope that I can improve on what is already an excellent service provided to residents. “My previous roles have helped me to develop the skills which I will use to manage staff and ensure that everything at Sherbrooke Lodge runs as smoothly as possible.” Iain will be responsible for the day to day running of the home including resident care, staff management and admissions, and aims to use his experience to ensure the care home maintains its high level of service for all the residents.
Chester East Reads reader in residence Laragh Gillen with Belong Crewe resident Sheila Jones.
Crewe care village launches weekly listening book club BELONG Crewe community care village is inviting members of the public to take part in a new shared reading project. A varied selection of short stories, novels and poems are read out loud by a trained facilitator, over tea and biscuits, and among friendly company. The group is open to people of all ages, backgrounds and interests, and held on a weekly ‘drop in’ basis. The sessions are delivered by award winning charity, The Reader Organisation, which aims to bring communities together and improve individual’s wellbeing through reading.
During an initial taster session, Belong Crewe customers enjoyed listening to The Wild Duck’s Nest by Michael McLaverty and poems by Emily Dickinson and Thomas Hardy. Belong Crewe experience co-ordinator Lee Edwards added: “Shared reading is a great way of bringing people together to enjoy some time out and benefit from each other’s company, as well as listen to great stories. “Research has shown it can help improve people’s social, mental and emotional wellbeing; all factors that lie at the very heart of what we value most here at Belong, so we’re delighted to be hosting our own Book Break club.”
Residents enjoy menu sampling day RESIDENTS of Rogers House enjoyed an afternoon sampling plenty of culinary delights as part of a taster day to help the chefs develop a new seasonal menu. When asked what they would like to include in their new menu, residents of the Wigmore residential home had plenty of ideas of dishes they would like to try. With that in mind, the chefs of the home hosted a tasting day for the residents, with a range of dishes for them to sample, ahead of the latest
menu change. The residents tried lots of dishes from game pie, haggis and celeriac mash to baked apples and poached pears. The game pie and the haggis were clear winners. Gillian Pemble, home manager, said: “As an organisation, we believe choice is incredibly important, which is why we ensure our residents are offered choice in all elements of their care while living with us, whether that’s choosing lunch or choosing the month’s activities.”
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New staff member honoured A MEMBER of kitchen staff at a Wellington care home has been recognised by his colleagues for his work at the home. Kitchen assistant Tim Garner joined Nynehead Court, which provides residential care for 44 people, last October and has already made a great impression on the other staff at the home. Nynehead Court makes the ‘Hathaway Award’ on an annual basis, with the recipient being decided by staff members in a secret ballot. The award is named in recognition of a former manager and is made to a member of staff who ‘goes the extra mile beyond the call of duty’. Tim was presented with the Hathaway Award by Alyson Martin, director of Nynehead Care Limited. Home manager Angela Watkins said: “The Hathaway Award is our way of thanking a member of staff who has gone beyond what is expected for the benefit of the residents. “Tim only joined our team last year and has become very well regarded by staff and residents. He is a worthy winner of this year’s award.”
Home blooms after winning horticultural competition By Olivia Taylor GREEN fingered residents and staff at a Sunderland care home have been celebrating after winning a national horticultural competition which encourages facilities to get creative when decorating their gardens. The grounds at Barnes Court have been taken over by flower pot people. These cute and eco-friendly decorations have been hand made by the residents and staff, who formed teams to make their own unique creations by up-cycling cans, yoghurt pots and plant pots. A flowerpot family, wheelbarrow baby, fairy and even the Minions from ‘Despicable Me’ are just some of the colourful characters created for the display. Alongside the flowerpot people, the home’s gardens are in full bloom with a variety of flowers, hanging baskets and potted plants. Thorburns of Hendon provided expert advice on the types of plants to use and supplied flowers to Barnes Court. The display was then created by residents and staff at the home who potted plants, planted seeds and helped to plan the layout. Julie Haram, activities coordinator at Barnes Court, said: “We were
Freya Abernethy, daughter of maintenance man David, poses with the flowerpot creations. absolutely over the moon to have won the competition. A lot of love and effort went into creating our flowerpot people and it’s wonderful to have the hard work of our residents and staff recognised.” “Our entrance has been attracting a lot of attention from passers by and we’ve had some lovely comments from families and visitors. “Barnes Infant School is just opposite the road so we can’t wait to see the reaction of the children when
they get back to school.” The annual gardening competition, known as ‘The Doorstep Challenge’, is held by UK care providers The Maria Mallaband Care Group and Countrywide Care Homes, with their 68 residential and nursing homes across the UK, Scotland and Northern Ireland participating. The aim of the challenge is for each home to make the entrance to their home look bright and colourful, creating a 'wow factor'.
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MP visits provider’s new site CLIVE Lewis MP visited Caring Homes’ newest facility Ivy Court for afternoon tea with residents. He met new residents that had moved in since the building officially opened in early July, and was escorted on a tour of the new building by manager Amanda Bell and the first resident to move into Ivy Court Judith Rundle. Ivy Court provides residential, nursing and dementia care to the people in Clive’s constituency in Norfolk. Alison Lovelock, regional manager for Caring Homes, said: “We are very proud of Ivy Court and are keen to ensure positive experiences for our residents. It’s really valuable for local leaders to see the reality of the quality care we provide.” Ivy Court was officially opened by former Norwich City footballer Paul McVeigh. It has 71 bedrooms providing residential, nursing and dementia care. The modern new building features a wonderfully landscaped garden, cinema room, hairdressing salons and dedicated coffee lounge for residents and visitors to enjoy. All bedrooms are en-suite with balconies.
Charitable group’s events and activities raise over £2,300 By Olivia Taylor MORE than £2,300 has been raised by nursing home staff, residents and their families and friends following a series of fundraising events and activities. Czajka Care Group’s Fairmount Nursing Home, Brookfield Care Home and Staveley Birkleas Nursing Home, which are all in Nab Wood near Shipley, held three summer fairs raising £720 for the residents’ fund – a fund for residents that has previously been used to buy everything from karaoke machines to Nintendo Wii’s. Czajka Care Group’s Beanlands Nursing Home, which is located in Cross Hills, hosted a summer BBQ on Yorkshire Day raising £800 and Currergate Nursing Home, which is located in Steeton, raised £600 from its summer fete. All of the events included a wide range of events including a raffle, tombola, cake stall, treasure hunt for children and a number of other stalls. Refreshments were also served throughout. Konrad Czajka, managing director of Czajka Care Group, said: “It’s staggering how much time and effort went into our annual summer fetes and BBQ’s, and to raise so much money is the icing on the cake. “We always open our doors to the families and friends of our residents
Polyflor flooring helps create stylish café at care village HIGH design and high performance Expona Design luxury vinyl tiles from commercial and residential vinyl flooring manufacturer Polyflor were used to create a modern bistro at the Belong Warrington care village in Cheshire . The £9.5million state-of-the-art Belong Warrington care village, designed by Pozzoni Architecture Ltd, is a community facility, including village centre amenities, households for residents who require 24-hour dementia and nursing care, and independent living apartments. The bistro on the ground floor is open to the public and provides a family friendly environment serving food, drink and snacks. Wood effect Expona Design luxury vinyl tiles in Light Elm were installed in the bistro, reception area, corridors and also in the village exercise studio. This grey toned wood design features authentic swirled grain detail and a textured surface emboss for added realism. Natural material effects are popular flooring choices for care environments as
they are familiar and help create a homely rather than clinical look. The use of the same flooring design throughout the ground floor also aid residents in navigating around the building and ensures they perceive the flooring as a continuous surface. Enquiries: Call 0161 767 1111, visit www.polyflor.com or email info@polyflor.com
One of the summer fairs hosted by Czajka Care Group. and also invite people in the local community to these fun-filled parties, and it’s a delight to see how popular they are.” In addition to the money raised for the residents’ funds, Czajka Care Group’s area catering supervisor also raised £114 for McMillian Cancer Support when he hosted a pizza and BBQ open afternoon at his home. Konrad’s wife Jasia and granddaughter Kallie then raised a further £100 for Cancer Research UK by taking part in Bradford’s 5k Race for Life.
He added: “Despite mixed weather conditions the turn-out for these parties across all of our homes was fantastic. “They show just how much our staff, residents and their family and friends enjoy spending time together working towards a common goal. The fundraising efforts of everyone for both the residents’ funds and the cancer charities is incredibly worthwhile, and we like nothing more than to support and reward everyone involved by supporting these sterling fundraising efforts.”
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Provider to collaborate with Musica SOMERSET Care has announced a collaboration with Musica, who provide engaging music workshops for people of all ages, including those in care settings. Following confirmation from the Big Lottery Fund, the group has been offered a grant to support this relationship, which will allow each of their care homes to receive a group music session each month. Musica franchisee Frances deBosdari will be managing the project and facilitating the sessions along with a team of musicians. Sue Harvey, operations manager and project lead, said: “We are delighted and extremely grateful to have received a grant from the Big Lottery Fund, which will support our continued investment into the health and well-being of our residents. “Somerset Care is delighted to be working with Musica, and the staff and residents in our care homes are looking forward to organising their first workshops.” Rosie Mead, founder of Musica, added: “Participating in musical activities can have beneficial activities for older people as it is a good form of stimulus for the brain.”
Ellen Brown, care homes divisional manager at apetito, shares her top tips on how to make mealtimes special for residents this Christmas ...
Are you ready for Christmas? 1. Involve your residents: We urge the care homes we work with to regularly seek feedback from residents on their menus throughout the year. With Christmas often such an important time in family calendars, asking them about their own traditions will go a long way to helping them feel at home, as will encouraging them to invite their families to join them for meals over the Christmas period. 2. Create your own traditions: If residents share any particularly popular suggestions, incorporate them into your own celebrations and make them a part of your Christmas routine for years to come. For example, at one home we work with, a resident enthusiastically talked about how they used to round off Christmas Eve with a warm mince pie and glass of whisky while playing board games and it’s now become an annual tradition there. 3. Get creative: As well as adorning your home with festive decorations, this is a great opportunity to get imaginative with your food presentation. Festive garnishes needn’t be complicated – a sprinkle of icing sugar can add a layer of ‘snow’ to a
care to keep presentation uncluttered. For residents prone to confusion, such as those with dementia or memory problems, anything too fussy can detract from their enjoyment of food.
Ellen Brown chocolate cake, for example. (But don’t forget to avoid using garnishes on dishes prepared for residents with a texture-modified diet). 4. Create a restaurant-style atmosphere: Make meals special by introducing simple, festive centrepieces – but take
5. Plan ahead: Finally, it sounds obvious, but with Christmas being such a busy time of year, anything you can do to plan ahead will keep stress to a minimum. Again, ask your residents in advance about what they enjoy eating at this time of year so you can order what you need ahead and use preprepared ingredients where possible to leave minimal preparation on the big day itself. To make life as easy as possible for care home caterers, apetito has created a range of menus for Christmas, from traditional turkey roasts, through to party buffet favourites and selections for Boxing Day and New Year celebrations. As always, this includes options that take into consideration cultural and religious influences, as well as special dietary needs and appetite levels. For advice on planning your Christmas menus or to book a FREE tasting session with the apetito Care Homes team, visit www.challenge apetito.co.uk or call 0800 542 2631.
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Assessing value for money in interior design and fit-out By Ed Middleton
Residents Joan Richman and Phyllis ‘Jean’ Wilkins with head of care Dean Palfrey, activities co-ordinator Elena Hallett and acting CEO Dan Hayes.
Residents compete in annual flower, veg and craft show MORE than 100 Wiltshire care home residents came together to share their wares as the Orders of St John Care Trust, one of the UK’s largest not-forprofit care providers, hosted its sixth annual flower, vegetable and craft show at Trowbridge Rugby Football Club. As part of the afternoon, residents from 17 of the Trust’s Wiltshire care homes displayed a selection of home grown vegetables, baked goods, crafts and flower displays. Entries were judged by Gill Acornley and Colleen Russell from Seend Women’s Institute, Marilyn Mills from Busy Bees Patchwork and Quilting Club, and OSJCT volunteers Norma Payne and Maureen and Bob Nix. Over 25 awards were presented by assistant operations director, Robin Khokhar and head of volunteering Lee Palmer. Categories included best
vegetable awards, best floral display and best bakes and makes. In addition to the prestigious resident awards, Melksham care home Brookside, was named winner of the annual Trust in Bloom competition for having one of the best care home gardens in the county. Karen Johnson, OSJCT Wiltshire volunteer and activities manager, said: “Our residents enjoy this annual event, as it’s an opportunity to not only socialise and showcase their hard work, but to also get back involved with an old hobby, like gardening or baking. “Last year’s event was fantastic, and this year’s was even better. The residents worked really hard to create their displays, and it was great to see them all on show at the event. A lot of time and effort definitely went into each entry.”
Home hosts cheese and wine event RESIDENTS of The Dynes enjoyed a cosy cheese and wine evening at the Kemsing residential home. Staff treated residents to a slightly different activity and hosted a cheese and wine evening. Organised by Kay Hawkins, a carer at The Dynes, the evening consisted
of a variation of wines and soft drinks and plenty of delicious cheeses to sample. She said: “We are always looking for innovative and entertaining activities for the residents to do and a cheese and wine evening was something we haven’t done before.”
A holistic approach: “A belief that the parts of something are intimately interconnected and explicable only by reference to the whole” ‘Value for money’ is a term used to assess whether or not an organisation has obtained the maximum benefit from the goods and services it both acquires and provides, within the resources available to it. Some elements may be subjective, difficult to measure, intangible and misunderstood. Judgement is therefore required when considering whether VFM has been satisfactorily achieved or not. It not only measures the cost of goods and services, but also takes account of the mix of quality, cost, resource use, fitness for purpose, timeliness, and convenience to judge whether or not, together, they constitute good value. To properly assess VFM in the field of outsourced healthcare interior design and fit-out it’s essential to step back and consider the whole picture, from initial engagement to outcomes enjoyed way beyond the final fit-out. A good way to make an accurate assessment is to breakdown the whole and consider VFM within three distinct sections. These sections, together with some considerations for each are as follows: 1. The procurement of products: a. Does the procurement process focus beyond cost price and on VFM principles as a whole? b. Is there open market procurement or are products limited mainly to those manufactured in-house? c. Are benchmarking and comparison procedures in place? d. Is there sufficient scrutiny of new suppliers and the VFM being delivered by current suppliers’? e. Is procurement monitored and managed to ensure maximum VFM is being achieved? f. Is there an awareness of new products on the market and advancements in design and
innovation? 2. The design and project management process: a. From first contact to final delivery, is the process efficient and effective? b. By outsourcing, how much time will clients free Ed Middleton up for staff to focus on their own specialist roles? c. Are the designers and project managers qualified experts in their specialist field? d. Do the designers and project managers have extensive experience integrating their work with that of architects and contractors? e. If consulted at an early stage, can the interior designer help add VFM to the building’s design? f. Are there previous examples of successfully delivered work which can be inspected? 3. The outcome: a. Having inspected previous work, has the desired look/feel or wow factor been achieved? b. Does the quality and suitability of the products meet expectations? c. Have the working lives of the staff been improved and their ability to deliver care made easier? d. And most importantly, have the lives of the people in care been improved? e. Have the company’s previous designs won any awards? Perhaps yours could too. f. What added value outcomes can be gained by outsourcing to a specialist interior design and fit-out firm, either commercially or otherwise? Overall value for money achieved by outsourcing healthcare interior design and fit-out can only be properly assessed when the VFM in all the processes, products and outcomes are combined and considered as a whole. Ed Middleton is business development director at the Catalyst Group.
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Care support worker celebrates 26-year anniversary with group By Olivia Taylor A CARE support worker in Tredegar has celebrated her 26th anniversary working for health and social care provider Shaw Healthcare. Angela Holland, 45, originally joined the team at Sunnybank Nursing Home as a junior cook in 1989 at the age of 19 having completed a college course in catering. After gaining years of experience and supervising the preparation and cooking of meals for up to 24 residents every day, she progressed to being head chef which involved managing a team of catering assistants. In 2011, after 22 years in the kitchen, Angela’s career changed direction when she transferred to Maes-y-Dderwen Care Home, a specialist facility in Tredegar, to work as a care support nurse for a trial month which soon became a permanent role. Angela provides specialist care and support to mostly younger service users with mental health issues, as well as day-today caring for elderly patients. She was presented with the ‘Longest Service Award’ certificate by Jeremy Nixey, chief executive of Shaw Healthcare, at a national staff awards presentation in Oxfordshire. Angela said: “From my early career working in the kitchens at Sunnybank to my current position as a support nurse, I’ve loved every minute at Shaw Healthcare and
Angela Holland (centre) is presented with her long service award by Jeremy Nixey, CEO of Shaw healthcare, and deputy CEO Suzanne Hughes. the last 26 years have flown by. “Through the support of my manager, Emma, and everyone I work with, I’ve really been able to progress my career and am proud t of what I have achieved. “The regular training and courses that Shaw sends us on has given me the confidence to grow professionally and
personally. I found the transition from cook to carer very daunting initially, but once I got started the guidance I had was fantastic. “The most rewarding part of my job is the interaction I have with residents and the best part of my day is being able to chat to them over a cup of tea. My job is to ultimately support residents in their transition to living as independently as possible - it is so fulfilling to see how much they can achieve with help and encouragement. “I was really touched to be honoured with an award for my services and look forward to many more happy years with Shaw Healthcare.” Emma Watkins, manager of Maes-yDderwen,added: “The whole team would like to congratulate Angela on her fantastic achievement of 26 years of service at Shaw Healthcare. “Whether cooking or caring, she has been a key member of staff both at Sunnybank and here at Maes-y-Dderwen. “Angela has a wealth of experience and is a great asset to our close-knit team. Her determination to progress and develop her career is testament to her commitment to our service users. “She is a familiar face for vulnerable residents and really helps to build their confidence when they are on their journey to independent living. We are very proud to have her as part of our team.”
Recruitment service launched A CARE and home services company has launched its own recruitment service. SureCare franchisees and companyowned branches as well as other providers in the sector are now able to take advantage of the newly launched SureCare Recruitment, which specialises in finding people for permanent and contract positions (typically between three and 12 months in duration). The company will recruit for a wide range of roles including nursing and residential care home managers, care co-ordinators, nursery managers and deputy managers and regional branch managers. There is also continual demand for care workers either looking for a new position or considering beginning a career in the sector. SureCare recruitment director Vikki Donnachie is heading up the new division, with day-to-day operations being run by recruitment manager Tracy Banks. Both Vikki and Tracy previously worked extensively in the recruitment industry before joining SureCare.
Vikki said: “Finding the right people with the right experience is the biggest challenge facing those running companies in the care industry. “Because there is a shortage of people wanting to pursue a career in our sector, it makes it more likely businesses will make a mistake when taking people on. “By making SureCare Recruitment your recruitment partner, you are able to tap into our extensive knowledge of the sector. “Our aim is to match the right candidates with the right clients. “This is not just about a person’s CV but also about whether they are the right fit with your work culture and ethos.” SureCare has been providing a range of care services for local authority and private-paying clients since 1994 with a network of more than 30 franchises and companyowned branches across the UK. SureCare was acquired by Chesterbased managing director Gary Farrer at the end of last year from Housing & Care 21.
Looking to progress into care management? ARE you a registered care manager, deputy, or looking to progress into care management? Access Skills is the official training partner of the National Care Association and is offering government funded Level 5 Diplomas in Leadership for registered care managers and deputy care managers seeking CQC registration and compliance. Our courses are designed to be flexible to your circumstances with course activities and resources designed by our sector experts specifically around the duties and tasks you are required to do in the
role as a registered care manager. Enquire and start as soon as you are ready for the next step in your care career. Enquiries: Visit www.accessskills.co.uk to find out more or call our training advice line on 0121 510 2169 today to discuss your career goals in adult social care.
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Home’s residents raise a glass to ‘pop-up pub’ By Olivia Taylor RESIDENTS at a care home in Worcestershire, are raising a glass to a new dementia therapy area that has recently been installed: a ‘pop-up pub’. The Hawthorns in Evesham, Worcestershire has installed the ‘pub’, which recreates a traditional bar setting in which residents can immerse themselves, with the aim of providing dementia residents with a more familiar environment to talk about their memories. The pub was created by innovative dementia therapy business, RemPods. Short for reminiscence pods, the company provides rooms designed to remind individuals with dementia of past decades, complete with authentic furniture, interiors and memorabilia. The pub, which has been named The King Canute after the former owner of a manor house on the same street as the care home, includes a pull-up backdrop covered in authentic adverts, a solid wooden bar complete with working pumps, vintage tables and chairs and old-fashioned table top pub games. The business received a £100,000 joint investment from Dragon’s Den dragons Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden after its founder, Richard Ernest, appeared on the
Resident June Ladbroke with service manager Mary Tasker and support worker Danielle Print at the ‘pop-up pub’ at The Hawthorns care home. programme in 2012. Mary Tasker, manager of The Hawthorns, said: “The pop-up pub has been a real hit with our residents since it was installed. “It allows residents to socialise and interact with others within a recognisable and safe environment. This interaction, as well as the bar games, encourages them to communicate and stimulates the mind. The pub has also had a positive impact on their
physical wellbeing by encouraging fluid intake. “People feel they are actually in the pub socialising with friends and are actively participating in the pub games, regardless of their physical ability. It has shown what a powerful effect reminiscence can have. We have seen a hugely positive impact so far, and would certainly consider installing further pods in the future, such as a shop.”
Health and happiness: combining modern technology with traditional activities RECENT years have seen an increased emphasis on improving the wellness and wellbeing of residents beyond their immediate and longterm medical needs. Providing fun and engaging activities that meet the ability of residents, from the very active to those with reduced mobility, has become a key focus for care homes. The need for innovative activity ideas is recognised as crucial to enhance the health and wellbeing of everyone in the care home environment. For residents living with dementia, for whom cognitive and psychosocial therapies are proven to be highly effective treatment methods, activities focusing on reminiscence have proven to be very important. Recent research by UCL[2] suggests that Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) can be a highly effective intervention which leads to the improvement of the memory and quality of life of people living with dementia. Care home staff can complement such therapies with activities that are designed to stimulate memory. The creativity and imagination of
‘Activities coordinators can use television in ever-more innovative ways to create immersive, sensory experiences and facilitate group discussion that stimulate residents physically, mentally and emotionally’ Sky’s James Tweddle activities coordinators are important to achieving this, as Sky’s James Tweddle explains: “We know that activity coordinators are passionate about what they do and hold an unwavering commitment to devising inclusive activities’ programmes for everyone at the home. “Television is an important tool at their disposal. Activities coordinators can use television in ever-more innovative ways to create immersive, sensory experiences and facilitate group discussion that stimulate residents physically, mentally and emotionally.” Reminiscence activities should
focus on the individual and their experiences but classic scenes from movies such as Easter Parade, High Society and White Christmas can open doors that are often otherwise closed. For all residents, regular exercise improves cardio-respiratory and muscular fitness, bone and functional health and reduces the risk of unhappiness and cognitive decline. Whether it’s setting up a game of chair football to get residents in the mood for the next live Premier League match or coordinating a lively sing-a-long to their favourite
musical, television can help get residents motivated and active. As the population ages, the way we approach activities, entertainment and exercise, and adopting integrated approaches to all three, is becoming increasingly important. Sky’s tailored subscription packages for the social care sector can help deliver a range of options for innovative activities. Creativity is required but by combining modern technology with traditional activities, health and happiness in care homes can continue to evolve.
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Care home takes its residents on a summer holiday By Olivia Taylor
Paul Ratcliffe, Morris Care executive chef and Julie Rogan, head cook at Corbrook Park.
Corbrook Park’s residents enjoy sun, fun and frolics RESIDENTS of Corbrook Park care home in Audlem relaxed in vintage style with a traditional garden party in the sunshine. Classic cars, vintage tractors and summer fun and games filled the gardens at the care home, with residents’ friends and families visiting and enjoying the day together with their loved ones. The traditional English fayre of fresh scones, cucumber sandwiches and cream teas were served on the lawn. The entertainment was arranged by staff at the care home, and the cars were provided by members of the local community. Home manager Carolyn Farmer
said: “We like to take every opportunity for residents to invite their families and close friends to spend a special day together and it’s always fun to get outdoors. “The tractors and cars provide a great talking point and many residents really enjoy reminiscing about their old cars.” All proceeds from the refreshments and games have been donated to St Luke’s Hospice, where a total of £364 was given. St Luke’s Hospice care for people whose illnesses are no longer curable, enabling them to achieve the best possible quality of life during the final stages.
MORE than 60 care residents and staff visited a Lincolnshire farm for a short summer holiday created to encourage the reminiscence of past holidays. Residents of the Orders of St John Care Trust’s Apple Trees Care and Reablement Centre made Honeysuckle Cottage in Grantham, Lincolnshire home for a week full of summer holiday activities, including a BBQ, meals at local pubs and leisurely walks around local gardens. A highlight of the holiday was a horse-themed day, where residents had the opportunity to groom, stroke and walk horses at the farm’s equine learning centre – a type of therapy the Trust has found to be beneficial to those living with dementia and will conduct further research into. Val Taylor, activities co-ordinator at Apples Trees, said: “The main idea behind the trip to Honeysuckle was that everyone should have a summer holiday, so our goal was to get as many of our residents out of the care home for some fresh air and time away. “Our hope is that taking in the sights and smells of a summer holiday has provided residents with concrete experiences that help trigger reminiscence of past holidays. Simple things, like packing, sleeping away from home or even a game of Monopoly, hopefully brought back fond memories, which, in turn, will make our residents happier and more content.”
A resident enjoys the horse-themed day. Denise Booth, general manager of Apple Trees, added: “As a Trust, we strive to offer a person-centred care approach to our residents. So, in this instance, we’ve put together a holiday that meets the needs of each individual. For example, some residents stayed away overnight and others just went out for the day, depending on the level of support they require. “Our activity co-ordinators are focusing less on activities like bingo and more on person-centred, daily activities – like cooking, baking and maintenance. By encouraging residents to help around the home and make decisions with us instead of us making decisions for them, a greater sense of independence and confidence can be achieved. “We hope this holiday break helps expand that notion by allowing residents to gain further independence by making decisions outside the care home setting, like what to eat at the pub or how to spend their evening away.”
Volunteers share their stories A GROUP of volunteers who give up their Wednesdays to do flower arranging at Watling Court, shared their story of why they are more than happy to help out. Phylis Aitchison, Marion Holden and Robert Sparks have been running their weekly flower arranging sessions at Watling Court for nearly three years, around 20 tenants attend each week, keen to get creative with their beautiful bouquets and spend a morning nattering over a few cups of tea. Phylis said: “We started off at a local club, a few of the tenants would attend but as more interest developed, we decided to move into the activity room available at Watling Court but we outgrew that
so now we use the conservatory. “It’s like our second home, we love it and it’s great for the tenants too, one of the ladies used to be so shy and quiet but she’s really come out of her shell and now she’s really chatty. “It’s just such a sociable activity, the tenants all love chatting with one another and they notice if someone misses a session. “We’re in our sixties so volunteering is great for keeping us busy too, we work as a team and have such a laugh together. I do think more people should volunteer; just an hour here and there can make such a difference to the lives of older people and to your own lives.”
RMBI care homes celebrated British Food Fortnight with an array of foodie events including visits from local chefs, harvest festivals and coffee mornings for charity. Staff at Prince Michael of Kent Court in Watford recreated their very own farmers’ market scene in the home’s lounge with local produce including vegetables and patisseries, while local chef David Bassett joined residents and staff at Albert Edward Prince of Wales Court in Mid Glamorgan, to share his top tips on how to make the perfect beef burger. Several of the homes marked the event by giving back to the local community including Ecclesholme in Manchester who held a harvest festival service, inviting residents’ families and staff to donate tinned and dried foods which were collected and taken to a local charity.
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Care sector research reveals laundry contamination risk OVER a quarter of care home staff in the UK do not feel their laundry is managed in a way which completely avoids contamination, according to a recent report on the sector. The survey of over 160 care home professionals was conducted by leading commercial laundry solutions provider, Electrolux Professional ahead of the launch of its in-depth report on the important role laundry hygiene plays in care homes across the UK and Ireland. Infection Prevention, the white paper from Electrolux Professional, details the collective attitudes of care workers from both the public and private sectors towards how cleanliness and hygiene are managed through their laundry processes. As well as revealing that many laundry departments are not managed in a way which completely avoids contamination, the survey also found that nearly a third believe staff at their care facility do not fully understand the difference between visual and hygienic cleanliness. Five per cent of the survey’s respondents even recalled having knowingly experienced an instance where an infection outbreak could be traceable to laundry procedures. Arguably as worrying are the inconsistencies between care home operators’ attitudes towards laundry processes
compared with their managers’. 33 per cent of operators do not feel their laundry system is managed in a way which completely avoids contamination, compared to just 25 per cent of managers. Meanwhile, just 14 per cent of managers see contamination through linen as their prime concern when managing cleanliness, compared to 24 per cent of those operating the equipment. The results of the research has led Electrolux Professional to publish its own guide to Laundry Cycle Management – an eight-step process which ensures every element of the laundry cycle is monitored in order to significantly reduce the risk of contamination. This validation-based system offers guidance on some of the processes which can often be forgotten by operators, such as the proper packaging and transportation of dirty laundry via dedicated routes, and the correct storing of clean linen to protect it from damage by micro-organisms. Crucially, the process can be applied to traditional laundry operations as well as those with a barrier system in place. Amanda Dufrane, care ssegment manager at Electrolux Professional, said: “With 19,000 care homes in the UK, the industry has a growing respon-
sibility to ensuring all staff are fully aware of how to guarantee their residents are protected from the health risks which can result from a laundry which is managed improperly. “The fact that nearly half of operators admit they don’t think staff at their facility understand the difference between visual and hygienic cleanliness is a huge concern that the industry needs to address. There is a high probability that residents within a care environment are being put at risk of serious illness and this is a risk that needs to be eliminated before a severe outbreak occurs. “The latest laundry concepts certainly go some way to offering complete hygiene assurance whilst playing their part in helping care homes to achieve positive resident wellbeing ratings, but can only do that if staff have a full understanding of how to use these systems to their full capabilities. In this respect, it is vital that care home managers invest in the appropriate levels of training to ensure all staff are able to keep hygiene firmly front of mind.” To download a copy of Electrolux Professional’s report, Infection Prevention: A report on the important role of laundry cycle management in UK Care homes, visit www.electrolux.co.uk/professional
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Special solution for disabled paediatric toileting ACCORDING to research, using functional roomsincluding the bathroom- is the second biggest problem faced by the 0.75m families with a disabled child. In an effort to help alleviate the issues surrounding going to the toilet, Clos-o-Mat has published a new white paper – Guidance & Considerations in the Provision of Toilet Aids for Disabled Children. “The ability to go to the toilet with less, or no, help, has a huge impact on any child’s independence and self-care skills,” said Mark Sadler, sales director at Clos-o-Mat. “Assistive technology needs to be carefully and properly selected, so it provides the appropriate support, ensuring the child can go to the loo safely, achieve effective bowel and bladder evacuation, be hygienically clean after, and will not be outgrown within a matter of months. “The new white paper aims to provide an easy to
follow reference point for obvious- and not so apparent- considerations in choosing paediatric toileting technology.” Enquiries: The white paper is available for download from Clos-o-Mat’s website www.clos-o-mat.com under its download section.
Armstrong equip laundry for sheltered accommodation site near Watford CAPEL House is a block of 34 mainly single occupancy sheltered flats in South Oxhey. Residents are able to live independently with some support from the manager, who is on site during normal working hours and a ‘warden call’ system out of hours. Among the on-site facilities is a laundry equipped by Armstrong Commercial Laundry Systems where residents can do their washing. The laundry, which consists of two Horizon 8kg washers and two matching tumble dryers, was installed in 2013 on the increasingly popular Armstrong fixed price hire arrangement which covers labour and parts on any repair, and replacement when it is required. The manager of Capel House said: “I think we’ve only had one minor problem, and they came out really quickly to fix it. We had a laundry before but it was always a major problem if anything went wrong getting someone to come out and put it right. “The machines are also really easy for the residents to use – simple to follow instruction
posters were supplied by Armstrong.” Enquiries: Call 01635 263410 or visit enquiries@armstronglaundry.com
The one step solution for labelling clothes IF YOU ask a relative of someone in a care home if they have any concerns, fairly soon they will tell you that they find it distressing to see their loved one in the wrong clothes. Lost, unnamed, and incorrectly labelled clothing is a timeconsuming problem for care home managers, and care home staff spend a huge amount of time ensuring they have correctly identified each resident’s clothing: after all our choice of garments is a vital part of our identities. Over the past 12 months more and more care homes have seen the benefit of using Snappy Tags to label their residents’ clothing. Snappy Tags are discreet and resemble small buttons, making them comfortable and unobtrusive to the wearer. Names are permanently laser etched into the tag, ensuring that they will never fade, even in multiple harsh industrial laundry conditions. Snappy Tags are simply snapped onto the garment seam or laundry label using the Snappy Tag applicator, and although they will not fall off in the laundry process they can be easily removed using the applicator and reapplied to a new item of clothing. Care homes who have implemented Snappy Tags agree.
Dale-Jaimé Matthews, from the St Cloud Care group, said: “Snappy Tags have made it so much easier to keep track of all of our residents clothing since introducing this product throughout our care homes. “We have for years been trying to find a product just like this, everything else we have tried has failed! “Now nothing gets lost and the staff, relatives and residents have one less thing to worry about. “The little tags have given back hours of time to our laundry staff and have provided peace of mind with the residents and their families for their items of clothing.” Vida Hall care home in Harrogate also recommends Snappy Tags. Operations director Jill Young added: “I am very happy to continue to support Snappy Tags in our home. We always recommend them to our residents because they are the best product of the type on the market. “They stand up to our washing process which many of the fabric style tags do not and they are easily applied to clothing which is important as it saves time for the staff.” For more information, and to purchase Snappy Tags visit www.snappytags.co.uk or telephone 0844 5611994.
The answer to the age old red bag dilemma What is the red bag dilemma? THE red bag arrives in the laundry, tightly sealed, containing foul and infected clothes that are ready to be washed at 65°C. The laundry assistant notices that there is a cardigan in the bag. This is the dilemma! The operator can’t open the bag and remove the cardigan, as this would contravene the Department of Health code of practice which states that foul and infected linen should be sealed in a red alginate bag, which should first be washed at a minimum of 65°C, without being opened. However, the operator knows that if the bag is put in the washing machine and washed at 65°C, then the cardigan will be ruined, this will upset the resident and the resident’s relatives, who will then demand that the cardigan is replaced at the care homes expense, which will further upset the manager and the care home owner. Halo Commercial is the answer to the dilemma! Our unique Halo products combine low temperature bug kill and odour elimination, with the ultimate in cleaning performance. This next generation laundry detergent range is designed to
deliver results in the most demanding laundry environments. The active ingredient, Hygienilac, inhibits transport of nutrients, leading to death of microorganisms. Halo Commercial is scientifically proven to destroy: H1N1 flu virus. C difficile spores. MRSA bacteria. Within five minutes contact time at a temperature as low as 30°C. Halo should be used instead of conventional laundry detergent, because it decontaminates and disinfects the linen at reduced temperatures further reducing laundry costs. Enquiries: Contact Shorrock Trichem on 01942 875325 or speak directly to Paul Robinson on 07771 928196 or email paul.robinson@shorrocktrichem.com
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Care company searches for more staff as it pilots new technology A SHROPSHIRE care company is looking to take on eight new members of staff to enable it to pilot a new technology which would revolutionise the care industry in the UK. Carewatch (Mid Shropshire) is vying to become the first care firm in the UK to introduce personalised care tablets to each customer who can request help at the push of the button. The technology, which does not yet have a name, means elderly and disabled people who need domiciliary care are not restricted by the schedule of their care worker. Steve Harris, director of the company based in Stafford Park, Telford, said so far it has proved successful – but they need more people to take it to the next step. He added: “We have held a very small pilot but it has proved that the technology works. “The functionality of it works well, but now we want to test it for real with a view to offering it to every one of our customers. “We need a pool of eight members of staff who can, in essence, be on standby to react to any calls for help made through the tablet technology. “It will work in the same way as a pull cord for people in sheltered accommodation – but our customers will still live independently and press a button to call for assistance.” Steve said the social care portal would also provide a way of reminding customers when to go to the pharmacy or take a prescription, holding video calls with family members, view favourite websites or join in with exercises classes streamed online.
Steve Harris He is buying the software from an American company and will be the first care provider in the UK to purchase the hardware and configure it for customers. “This is a way to look at a customer’s well being, making sure they are not isolated in their own home,” Steve added. “It is not just telehealth – which exists in a different format. “This scheme turns the homecare system on it’s head and puts the needs of the customer at the centre of everything and builds the system around them, rather than what the company is able to provide at a certain time. “We hope it will be the end of the stories you hear of someone only being able to go
to the toilet in a 10-minute period at 9am when their care worker comes in the morning. If they need the toilet they can press the call button and someone can come and help them then.” The easy-to-use tablet has a simple interface and allows seniors to communicate, search the web and message with ease. It has features such as clear, large bold writing to ensure the user can easily navigate their way around the device. It is hoped that the staff to enable to pilot project to proceed will be taken on shortly and the technology can be rolled out after Christmas. This is the second type of new technology to improve the industry that Steve has introduced in his company this year. For the past two months his staff, who cover Shropshire and Staffordshire, have been using a mobile app to document their work. The paper-free working was developed by Mobizio with his input. “We were one of the first few companies to introduce this app and so far it has been stable,” Steve said. “Family members are now taking it on board and using the app to share information about their family, our customers. “It is expanding very quickly and has enabled us to make about 10 per cent savings on administrative costs. “Staff have adapted to it very well and it has streamlined the way we communicate with our staff, improving our quality of care as a result.”
Resident Rory O’Dowd and carer Lianne Fudge present flowers to Kate Adie.
Kate opens sensory garden BBC journalist and presenter Kate Adie opened a new sensory garden in the grounds of Somerleigh Court retirement community in Dorset. The legendary journalist and presenter opened the new garden, intended for use by the residents, particularly those with a diagnosis of dementia, in the presence of the retirement community’s team of nurse and care staff. LifeCare Residences, the owner operators of Somerleigh Court, started planning and fundraising for the 14-month project in summer 2014. Since then donations have flooded in as a result of the efforts of residents, relations and staff that have helped organise fundraising events, including a garden fete hosted by the residents and a bingo evening. Twelve local companies generously donated materials and services during the project.
The day’s proceedings were marked by a double celebration; thanking all those involved in the funding and building of the garden, and also applauding Somerleigh Court Nursing Home’s latest achievement. The retirement community’s nursing home has just received the Gold Standards Framework’s Quality Hallmark Award at Beacon Status, with a score of 50 out of 50, for their end-of-life care. Manager Beverly Lockhart said: “The sensory garden project will provide Somerleigh Court residents with their own quiet, safe and tranquil haven, where they will be encouraged to spend time enjoying all the wonderful scents and sounds that nature has to offer. “This is all part of the care and support we provide residents with, in order to constantly improve their well-being through new initiatives.”
Stephanie Carolan, a senior carer at Edmund House care home in Scunthorpe, has gained a NVQ level 5 diploma in Leadership and Management for Health and Social Care. Stephanie joined Edmund House as a care assistant four years ago and had gained a level 3 NVQ in health and social care before being promoted to senior carer in February. She said: “I always wanted to do further study and this qualification has fitted around my job and my family commitments. It involves study in your own time as well as a project to make a change in your work setting.” Stephanie Carolan (right) is pictured receiving her certificate from Edmund House manager Lisa Odlin.
The new CQC Essential Standards – call now to arrange your free trial ALL our Policy/ Procedures have been brought into line with the new 2014 Legislation and to make it even easier to demonstrate compliance we have developed a module that shows you how to meet each of the five new categories. Enquiries: To find out more call 01236 782477 or visit
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New extra care scheme opens in rural Cumbria
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‘Topping out’ is celebrated at Portsmouth care home
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Minimum wage – counting the cost for care providers
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Pupils inspire designs at new home LOCAL school children have provided the inspiration for names of the different areas of a multi-million pound care home redevelopment currently underway in Chirk. Award-winning contractors Anwyl Construction have been engaged by Clwyd Alyn Housing Association, part of the Pennaf Housing Group, transforming the existing Chirk Court home at Maes y Waen, in partnership with Wrexham County Borough Council. As part of the £5.9million transformation, two sections of the original building have been refurbished to include one of five accommodation ‘household areas’ for residents and, following demolition of other parts of the original building, work is underway on four new purpose-built household areas of accommodation with the first phase of the new builds due to open next spring.
Lisa Johnson, manager of Chirk Court, said: “We really appreciate the co-operation and understanding of the local community during this construction period and as we already had excellent links with Ysgol Y Waen, the nearby primary school, we asked pupils there to inspire us with suggestions to name each of the different house areas.” “Anwyl kindly donated five £30 vouchers for each of the children whose suggestions inspired the new names which all reflected the local area, and we’re now working with our specialist interior designers to turn their ideas into signage throughout the scheme. “We’d also like to thank Ysgol Y Waen for all their help so Clwyd Alyn has also arranged for a £150 to be donated to the school.” All of the youngsters along with Kath Eccleston, head teacher of Ysgol
Competition winners Nathan Lucking, Erin Roberts, Adam McCoy and Ethan Gilbert with headteacher Kath Eccleston and Lisa Johnson. Y Waen, were invited to Chirk Court for a prize presentation ceremony. The winning suggestions, which have been adapted to provide five final household names; Myddlelton,
Dyffryn, Ceiriog, Berwick and Castell, came from ideas suggested by Nathan Lucking, Adam McCoy, Lewis Morgan, Erin Roberts and Ethan Gilbert.
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New extra care scheme opens in rural Cumbria EDEN Housing Association’s new extra care scheme in Kirkby Stephen was officially opened by parish councillor Joan Johnstone. Mill Gardens was originally a sheltered housing scheme built in 1977, but its bedsit accommodation became dated and was becoming no longer fit for modern day living. After considering whether to refurbish and remodel the existing building it was decided that it would prove far better value to provide a brand new facility. In 2013 the old building was demolished to make way for a new, modern, and future proofed extra care scheme for the benefit of not only residents but the local community. At a cost of £3.1million, the new ‘Mill Gardens’ scheme features 19 self-contained apartments as well as communal facilities and gardens that meet the support, care and housing needs of local residents. Work on the old site began in September 2013, once the remaining residents of the sheltered scheme had been found alternative accommodation. The cost to create the Mill Gardens scheme allowed for three one bedroomed and 16 two bedroomed apartments over three floors. They have been designed to be ‘lifetime homes’ that can be adapted as personal needs change. The build
Parish councillor Joan Johnstone presents fruit baskets to residents. cost was met with grant funding of over £500,000 from the Homes and Communities Agency and £250,000 extra care funding from Cumbria County Council to help build and fit out additional floor space and provide extra care facilities like assisted bathing, specialist laundry equipment, secure door entry and flexible space and rooms for health and wellbeing use. Henry Barker, chairman of Eden Housing Association, said: “Standards and expectations in older persons living have changed over the years and Eden Housing Association has adapt-
ed to those needs, firstly in Carlisle with the Heysham Gardens Extra Care scheme, and now in Kirkby Stephen with Mill Gardens. “It is a great example of collaborative effort and I would like to extend a big thank you to the whole team forgetting the scheme to this stage, and also to those taking it forward and running it on a daily basis.” Residents living in the extra care scheme environment that Mill Gardens provides will benefit from the presence of an on-site care team, 24/7 thanks to the investment commitments made by the Council.
Farnham care home is given the go-ahead PORTHAVEN Care Homes has successfully obtained planning consent for a new care home in Farnham, Surrey on the site of the former Brethren’s Meeting Hall. The home will be built to Porthaven’s award winning specification, and will provide 24-hour residential and nursing care for the elderly, including residents living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. The home will comprise 64 spacious bedrooms, each with its own wetroom, and residents will benefit from numerous communal facilities including a café, hair salon and nail bar, cinema room, leisure and wellness room, a private dining room for special family occasions, as well as several lounges and dining rooms, with each room designed to incorporate the best of current innovation in care home design while maintaining a warm, safe, comfortable and homely environment. John Storey, chief executive and founder, said: “Not only will we be providing a much needed service for the residents of Farnham and the surrounding area, but the home will also directly employ up to 80 local people as well as, we anticipate, become a valuable part of the local community.”
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Deprivation of Liberty By Hilary Cragg AS A care professional, have you considered what the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards mean for the day to day running of your business? The DoLS regime was written into law as part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and came into effect on April 1, 2009. Its purpose is to ensure that an assessment is made as to a) whether a person lacks the capacity to make their own decision about whether to be accommodated in a hospital or care home and b) whether it is in the person;s best interests to be detained. The Local Authority, is the supervising body responsible for authorising any deprivation of liberty. In many care home scenarios, it may appear that a resident is free to come and go as they choose – perhaps to leave unescorted for short excertions. You may wonder if DoLS has any relevance in such a situation. In March 2014 the Supreme Court made a ruling in a matter of this type. The Cheshire West and Surrey cases involved mentally incapacitated young adults who were resident in supported living and foster care. The fact that these individuals were not trying to leave their accommodation was considered by the court to be irrelevant. The key consideration was “whether the person concerned is under continuous supervision and control and is not free to leave”, which means free to choose to go to live at another place of their choice, if
Hilary Cragg they wished. And, if so, to ensure that such a deprivation of liberty was properly authorised, so that it had oversight and periodic review. The argument that the care arrangements are necessary, that the individuals are compliant, and that the placements are relatively 'normal' does not make them any less of a deprivation. When should an authorisation for DOLS be made? You need to consider whether there is a “deprivation of liberty” or merely a “restriction on the liberty of movement”. ie, can an individual go anywhere or do things for themselves without the “support and assistance” of carers? The difference between the two can be hard to define and is a matter of
length of time, intensity and degree (confinement in a particular restricted place for a not negligible length of time). If it is considered a deprivation rather than restriction, you then need to ask whether they can validly consent to such a deprivation. If the answer is that they cannot consent, then this is a situation of Deprivation of Liberty and authorisation is required. The authorisation gives an opportunity for oversight, periodic review and independent consideration of the least restrictive regime for that person. In today’s era of personalised care this is a prudent safeguard of the rights of the individual. Independent scrutiny of the care regime also assures the care provider that this is the correct approach for that person. According to the Supreme Court, the DoLS regime is enormously underused, which may be partly due to a dislike for the word “deprivation”. For this reason, the Law Commission is proposing to rename DoLS as “Protective Care”, as part of the package of reform. In the meantime, it is important to remember that depriving someone of their liberty may be in their best interests, in which case proper procedure needs to be followed and authorisation obtained. Human rights are for everyone, not just the able! Hilary is a Partner Head of Elderly & Vulnerable Client at Nash & Co Solicitors LLP.
Firm acquires Council-run care homes
RUNWOOD Homes Group has acquired seven care homes that were due to close in Doncaster. Doncaster Council decided that continuing to run a group of care homes was no longer a viable proposition. It was a difficult decision for them to take and in an endeavour to keep a valuable facility, caring for older people and those living with dementia in the Doncaster area, the Council sought buyers for the group of homes. Their preferred bidder was Runwood Homes who had recent success in acquiring and absorbing into their portfolio the care homes previously run by Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire County Councils. Acquisition of the Doncaster homes brings to 67 (4,228 beds) the number of homes in the Runwood Group covering nine counties of England and in Northern Ireland. Gordon Sanders, chief executive of Runwood Homes, said: “The company looks forward to cooperating with the Council having agreed to take the homes forward with investment and improvements in line with the successful model for which Runwood has made its name.”
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‘Topping out’ is celebrated at Portsmouth care home By Dominic Musgrave
Alcyone Healthcare managing director Darren Taylor.
Manager wanted for facility A NEW purpose built luxury care home and day care facility in Northumberland is creating more than 50 jobs and is on a quest to find an experienced home manager to head up the team. With building work having recommenced, Baedling Manor in Bedlington is set to open its doors early next spring after an initial interruption following an unforeseen variation to planning. The 50-bed home is looking for a dynamic manager to lead the team and help with the ongoing recruitment process to find a full team of new recruits. With 30 years’ experience in the healthcare industry, Alcyone Healthcare managing director Darren Taylor says he is committed to finding the right home manager and
is dedicated to providing ongoing training and support for the new staff members across each of the positions. He said: “With any new home, it is essential that we get the right manager in place as a priority before recruiting the best quality of staff throughout all other areas of the home. We have shortlisted some of the other positions already from application forms that we kept on file previously. We are looking for more individuals who feel that they can make a difference to our residents and help us to create our vision of providing an environment that promotes choice, dignity, independence and most importantly, fulfilment within a luxurious environment and the wider community.”
HARTFORD Care celebrated its new home in Portsmouth being one step closer to completion with a traditional ‘topping out’ ceremony. The ceremony took place on site at Hartford Court. CEO Sean Gavin and brand director Jo Gavin were joined for the ceremony by the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Frank Jonas, TV personality Fred Dinenage MBE and Guy Hayward, managing director of Highwood Construction. The Lord Mayor and Fred marked the occasion by placing the final roof tile in place. Construction of the new state-ofthe-art 60 bed care home, which will offer residential and dementia care for older people in the local area, began in March. The new home represents an investment of more than £6m. Work is progressing well and the project team are still on track to open the doors to the first residents next spring Sean said: “We are delighted with the progress being made at Hartford Court and really looking forward to opening the home next year. “Our ethos at Hartford Care is simple – we seek to provide a caring, comfortable and happy environment where our residents can enjoy life to the full. An integral part of this is developing and maintaining strong links with the local community. We
TV personality Fred Dinenage MBE with Hartford Care CEO Sean Gavin, Lord Mayor of Portsmouth, Frank Jonas and Guy Hayward, managing director of Highwood Construction. have already received a very warm welcome into the Portsmouth area and are looking forward to ‘moving in’ during the early months of next year.” Hartford Court will also bring considerable employment opportunities to Portsmouth. In addition to the high levels of economic activity generated locally during the construction phase, once complete, the home will create in the region of 80 new, long-term jobs. As part of this, Hartford Care will also work with local colleges to offer apprenticeships for young people within the home.
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Whitecliffe Nursing Home.
Blackburn nursing home sold on behalf of PrimeLife Ltd DC Care has completed its first disposal on behalf of operators PrimeLife Ltd. Simon Van Herrewege, developments director for PrimeLife, instructed DC Care to market Whitecliffe Nursing Home in Blackburn, Lancashire. The 22-bed former care home provided personal and nursing care for residents aged 55 or above with a mental disorder and/ or dementia. The property was openly marketed and introduced to North West based
domiciliary care providers who were looking for their first venture into owning a care home. Clare Jones, senior sales negotiator for DC Care, said: “We were delighted to find the purchaser for the home early on in our marketing period. “Simon and his team were a pleasure to work with and we very much look forward to acting on behalf of PrimeLife in future disposals.” The asking price for the home was £350,000, but the sale price was undisclosed.
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Minimum wage – counting the cost for care providers By Julia Gray LAST autumn’s budget announced a £3million increase in HMRC’s spending for enforcing the law on the minimum wage. So far, the government has ‘named and shamed’ 285 firms for having failed to pay the required wage. Each published list of offenders has included at least one care provider, so now may be a time for other providers to review their own pay structures and ensure that staff are receiving what they’re entitled to. This October, the National Minimum Wage will increase to £6.70 for those aged over 21. Next April will see the introduction of a new compulsory National Living Wage of £7.20, which will apply to those aged over 25. Although we don't yet know how the National Living Wage will be implemented, it seems likely that it will effectively operate as a new minimum wage for the over 25s. The health and social care sectors are faced with increasing demand from an aging population and are required to provide care where and when it is needed. This means it has a high proportion
of staff required to be on call or available for set periods, and who may need to travel significant distances to provide care. While there are a number of rules on what time can be taken into account when calculating whether an employee has received the hourly minimum wage, the following points are important for employers in this sector: Travel time between work locations is counted for the purpose of assessing whether a worker’s pay reflects the time spent on the job. A care worker travelling between a number of service users should be paid for the time spent travelling – not just for the time they’re actually with the service user. Time spent travelling to and from work is not counted. The time actually spent working must be paid – not just the time the employer allocated to the task. As many service users have multiple and more complex needs, care provision can overrun the time allocated. Providers should actively monitor how long staff are working and make sure that their pay reflects the time being spent. Where staff are required to be on
Julia Gray standby and at or near the workplace, they are entitled to be paid for this time. This is of particular importance with residential care, where overnight care needs to be available. Again, making sure the time on-call staff spend providing care is recorded will help ensure that minimum wage legislation is complied with. The position is more complicated where staff are provided with sleeping facilities and permitted to sleep whilst on duty, but developments in
case law mean that 'sleep-in’ payments are more likely to form a part of the minimum wage calculation. Care providers have difficult choices to make. The UK Home Care Association warned in an open letter to the government in July that unless extra money was put into the sector, the new National Living Wage would leave services 'unviable' as payments from councils for care seem set to fall short of the cost of providing the care. A similarly stark warning was issued by the five largest care home providers last month, who said that the National Living Wage could result in a 'catastrophic collapse' in the number of care homes. It remains to be seen whether the sector will receive any boost in funding to compensate, so it is incumbent on providers to take steps to minimise the impact and I would always suggest seeking professional legal advice on these matters. Early efforts to examine the impact and prepare a strategy may save care providers from adverse publicity, as well as from significant extra costs. Julia Gray is an associate and employment law specialist at Hempsons.
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Great expectations ... By Christine Cooper CARE home design has moved on a long way from the converted Victorian properties that were so closely identified with the care home market in previous decades. LNT Construction has been building care homes for 25 years and it has been a fantastic journey watching how expectations of care settings have changed. For the majority of us, it’s hard to imagine checking into a hotel that doesn’t offer an en-suite. It has become a basic facility that we’d not remotely consider a luxury. These expectations follow through to the minimum standards people require from care for their loved ones. If I wouldn’t check into a B&B without an en-suite, why would I expect my loved one to live somewhere without private wash facilities? This wasn’t so just a few decades ago and we still see a lot of care homes having to play catch-up with the modern purpose-built facilities like ours that have en-suite wet rooms throughout. But it goes even further than that. Plush surroundings with welcoming décor and a warm ambiance are de minimis expectations. The new generation of providers are going further than ever in their care home design, shrewdly considering the community and social well-being of their clients through facilities that will encourage fullness of life, day-to-day enjoyment
Christine Cooper and motivation. The inclusion of an activity coordinator amongst a home’s staff, tasked with producing a range of activities for residents to do within the same setting is no longer enough to achieve that end. Increasingly, developers such as ourselves are looking to incorporate bespoke rooms and areas within the home. Each are themed to provide specific stimulation around reminiscences, a subject or lifestyle. What would have previously been a standard corridor, with pleasant seating areas, are now purpose driven – for example, decorated like a street with front doors and street lamps or perhaps depicting a seaside scene with relevant memorabilia and reminiscence aids. Not only attractive but a vital addition to the activities of the
home and of specific significance for dementia care. Cinema rooms, cafes and libraries are fantastic areas for residents to enjoy an active lifestyle within the home. They even act as a point of interaction with the local community as a central point to pull in interest and engagement within the home from locals. Care homes are now places where lifestyle expectations are met and active social lives pursued. As a specialist developer of care homes, we therefore spend a lot of time working with our partners to produce a suite of options for our set piece turn of key developments. We are constantly looking at the lifestyle of residents in our homes and asking ourselves how we can utilise good design to improve their experience? That all said, the temptation with modern expectations is to go down the route of creating a hotel which is something a care home is not, nor should it be. A care home can have the luxury touches and facilities of a hotel, and be built to hotel like spec, but fundamentally providers must never lose sight of the fact that a care home is the residents’ home. There is therefore a careful balance to be played to keep a homely feel whilst creating something that inspires and entertains residents, meeting the ever greater expectations of residents and their families. Christine Cooper is Managing Director of LNT Construction
Free online recruitment and HR tool
Mycareadmin has launched its new online HR, recruitment and marketing tool for care homes and domiciliary care agencies. The system provides a professional mobile-friendly website and HR system which can then be easily updated with no technical IT skills required. The software automatically scores and ranks job applications using criteria that the care provider can customise. This saves time by reducing the need to manually screen applications and helps identify the most promising candidates more quickly. Further features to support competency assessment and training and development are being currently being tested. Mycareadmin offers web applications and outsourcing services to the care sector. Its software can be used by care homes, domiciliary care agencies, training providers and care associations and is currently being used by Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire Care Association to manage its membership database, marketing and online bookings. It is also being used at Berkshire Care Association to support a collaborative recruitment campaign. Mycareadmin is currently signing up care providers to pilot the system for free.
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Care businesses must be profitable to be viable By David Waters
Launching the Nottingham franchise are managing director Karl Overton and care manager Sally Wells and Respectful Care co-founders Mark Docherty and Scott Marsh.
Provider celebrates ‘remarkable’ two years with growth A NOTTINGHAMSHIRE domiciliary care provider has celebrated two years in business by embarking on further growth and expansion. Respectful Care, based in Mansfield Woodhouse, has opened a new branch in Nottingham – little more than two years since starting life in its co-founder’s dining room. It marks a ‘remarkable’ rise for the business, which provides personalised home care to elderly and vulnerable clients. Launched in September 2013 by business partners Mark Docherty and Scott Marsh, the company has gone from employing three members of staff to more than 50 – delivering 1,200 hours of in-home care and support to almost 100 clients per week. Now, following sustained growth and growing demand for its services, the firm has launched Respectful Care Nottingham North. The franchise is headed up by managing director Karl Overton, a former police detective and childhood friend of Mark’s, and registered care manager Sally Wells, who has more than 12 years’ experience in the industry. After retiring from Nottinghamshire Police last year following 20 years’ service, Karl spent seven months working voluntarily at Respectful Care to gain an in-depth knowledge
and understanding of the care sector – speaking to service-providers, care professionals and clients, as well as conducting his own exhaustive research. Determined to repeat the success of the parent company, he has ploughed his life savings into launching the new branch at The Old School Business Centre in Arnold. “I call it the ‘ripple-in-the-water’ effect,” Karl said. “If we can shake-up the industry a little bit by offering clients and care workers another option, that can only be good for raising standards across the board.” He added that key to this is the company’s policy of only employing people with a “genuinely caring and compassionate nature”. “There are many aspects of the role you can train somebody to do but, essentially, you’re either a caring person or you aren’t. “Our robust recruitment procedures are designed to establish whether the person applying for the job is a caring individual. Because if they are, we can then give them the skills to provide high-quality care. “Some clients don’t see anybody other than their carer from morning until night, so it’s our job to ensure they get the care and support they deserve – because receiving care isn’t a life choice.”
SOCIAL services directors have recently warned that care home owners are increasingly threatening to sell up to developers. Frankly, this is unsurprising. The fact is that businesses must be profitable to be viable, otherwise they close and who are we to argue? The funding crisis means existing care home owners want to exit the business and puts others off entering it, a dangerous situation given the country’s increasing need for care. We need to look at how we can reduce the Government’s direct involvement in the funding of care. Could more people self-fund if they prepared earlier in life? Could banks and insurers provide long term care funding, payable only when somebody needs it? Could the Government utilise budgets more efficiently by joining health and social care together? Could personal budgets be given a greater impetus? Care home owners are not just ‘crying wolf’, they are in serious
David Waters financial peril. We all need to join the funding debate to ensure those working in the industry are proud of what they do and are adequately rewarded, as well as provide high quality care to those who need it. David Waters is chair of Howden Care (CHIS and PrimeCare).
Caring Homes has acquired three homes – located in Suffolk, Aberdeen and the Isle of Man – to add to its portfolio. The group now has more than 60 elderly care homes, with Cotman House and Lodge on the Suffolk coast at Felixstowe, Hawkhill House in Aberdeen and Castle View on the Isle of Man, joining the company recently. Laird MacKay, managing director of Caring Homes, said: “I am extremely pleased that these three new homes have joined our family of Caring Homes. They will strengthen our quality care provision for families in the east of England, Isle of Man and the north east of Scotland.” Castle View on the Isle of Man is pictured above.
CEO cuts the turf at new village Experienced provider buys well-established home MANCHESTER City Council CEO, Sir Howard Bernstein, has officially launched the development of a new £12m Belong care village in Didsbury, performing the ceremonial cutting of the turf to mark the occasion. The project sees specialist care operator Belong collaborate with the Morris Feinmann Homes Trust, an organisation providing financial support for the residential and nursing care of the Jewish community, to develop the new Belong Morris Feinmann care village. Having decided to replace the former care home previously on the site with modern facilities, the Trust identified Belong as a partner whose model would deliver the vision of 21st century care facilities
it was looking for. The new village will provide a range of accommodation, care services and facilities in an innovative, vibrant and supportive environment for the Jewish community in later life. Belong chief executive, Nick Dykes, added: “Our partnership with the Morris Feinmann Homes Trust is an exciting development for us, and we are looking forward to providing access to Belong’s awardwinning services to more people in the local community.” Belong Morris Feinmann is due to open in summer 2017. It will comprise six specialist households providing 24-hour nursing and dementia care, each designed to accommodate 12 residents in private en-suite facilities.
LAVENDER Lodge, a well-established high quality care home has been purchased by experienced provider Shelina Amershi and Ariz Asaria. Shelina has many years’ experience providing professional care to the elderly in a safe, friendly family atmosphere. She believes that a care home is driven by the needs, abilities and aspirations of the residents, they should be allowed to live their lives the way they choose and that attention to detail is paramount. At Lavender Lodge carers offer quality residential care to people living there in a safe, cheerful, homely environment. The team pride themselves on a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Shelina said: “Chandler & Co are
definitely the experts in securing finance at competitive rates. “Throughout the transaction the level of service was excellent and they have provided us with invaluable advice. I would highly recommend them and I am sure I will be back soon trying to buy another home.” Finance was successfully completed by senior broker Sean Hurden. He added: “This transaction was by no means straightforward, however, with Shelina’s experience and determination, we were able to secure finance for this transaction. I am sure Lavender Lodge will prove to be a successful addition to Shelina’s current care home operations and we very much look forward to working with her again in the future.”
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CARINGINDUSTRY NEWS
Gainsborough to launch new assisted bath range at Show A NEW range of assistive baths will be unveiled by Gainsborough Specialist Bathing at the Care & Dementia Show (stand D10, NEC, November 3 and 4). As Europe’s foremost provider of specialist bathing products, Gainsborough delivers the optimum solution so that bathers can bathe safely and in complete comfort in residential care and hospital environments. Being showcased at this year’s Care & Dementia Show, the latest range of baths promise to deliver impressive clinical and operational advantages for care providers. Gordon Farmiloe, MD of
Gainsborough Specialist Bathing, said: “We believe it is the perfect platform to showcase how these world-class products will redefine assisted bathing. These baths, along with our comprehensive maintenance and service programmes, will ensure healthcare providers have the capability to continue delivering high quality care for many years to come.” Gainsborough’s new range of baths have been designed to meet a variety of user needs. Combined, the new Gentona, Ezara, Sentes, Torin, Alera and Talano baths now offers healthcare providers more choice than ever before.
New campaign aims to tackle issue of medication non-adherence OMNICELL UK, a leading provider of medication adherence packaging and automated healthcare solutions, has launched a new campaign ‘Adherence: Let’s take care of it’ to throw the spotlight on the sheer scale of the waste caused by prescription or medication non-adherence. The campaign coincided with the first ‘National Medication Adherence Week’ which aims to raise awareness of the issue in the hope that it might focus the attention of all those in a position to instigate change. Results of Omnicell’s national opinion poll on patient attitudes to medication and adherence found one in five adults (21 per cent) admit that they have missed a round of medication that they are meant to take every day, yet it also found that alarmingly only around half of British adults are
telling their healthcare professional when they fail to complete a course of medication. By highlighting the issue, Omnicell hope to bring together the healthcare community to work together to start to address the issue and push adherence to the top of the health agenda. They are appealing to everyone to show their support for the adherence campaign by signing up to a pledge at www.letstakecareofit.co/pledge Enquiries: Contact 0161 413 5333.
New – SuperFast Thermapen® 4 thermometer THE SuperFast Thermapen is the UK’s number one selling food thermometer measuring temperature over the range of -49.9 to 299.9 °C. Used by hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, it offers a combination of speed, accuracy and convenience of use. Electronic Temperature Instruments Ltd, the UK manufacturers of the Thermapen thermometer have now made it even better. Advanced technology makes the new Thermapen 4 even more intuitive than previous models. The patented 360° self-rotating display automatically turns so the user can read the thermometer in any position — in either hand, left or right. The Thermapen 4 knows when it’s dark and turns on the backlight for you, making it easy to read in poorly lit areas or complete darkness. Alternatively, just touch the sensor window with your finger and the display lights up.
APEX Medical Corp, a leading player in the pressure area care and respiratory therapy sector, is delighted to announce it has completed its largest acquisition to date in procuring Westmeria Healthcare Limited (Westmeria) a leading UK provider of pressure area care therapy. This acquisition sees Westmeria join the APEX Medical Group in Europe forming a new company – APEX Medical Ltd, launching at the Care and Dementia Show (November 3 and 4). APEX looks to increase its service capabilities and widen its distribution network across the UK; including expanding into the acute sector. Westmeria’s current Dynamic and Static Mattress ranges will benefit from a rebrand to carry APEX’s visual identity. APEX will strive to maintain the high standards of service and product development pioneered by Westermeria and will become a market leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of pressure area care equipment, medical beds, and manual handling equipment. Bringing together Westmeria’s extensive knowledge of the UK healthcare market and history of producing innovative service based solutions, enhanced by APEX Medical’s
experienced manufacturing capability, APEX believes it can deliver the ideal support to clinicians in reducing pressure ulcers throughout the UK. Pressure ulcers are estimated to occur in between four and 10 per cent of patients admitted to acute hospitals in the UK, resulting in pressure ulcers costing the NHS between £1.4billion and 2.1billion each year, four per cent of the total NHS budget. As a result of the ‘Your Turn’ campaign, a national movement working to reduce the number of pressure ulcers in the UK, APEX’s ultimate aim is to eliminate pressure ulcers in the UK market place. Enquiries: For more information visit www.apexmedicalcorp.co.uk
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. Enquiries: Call 01233 640985 and ask for Howard to find out more.
Simple solutions
The Thermapen 4 is powered by a single AAA battery with a life expectancy of 3,000 hours in normal use. Both low battery and open circuit (broken probe) are displayed, when applicable. Enquiries: Call 01903 202151, email sales@etiltd.com or visit www.etiltd.com
Medicines Management Guide from Rosemont Pharmaceuticals A GUIDE to medicines management and older people is available from Rosemont Pharmaceuticals. Called ‘Medicines management and older people – a guide for healthcare professionals’, the booklet aims to help healthcare professionals learn more about how medication works, how the ageing process affects medicines, common adverse drug reactions, the definitions of compliance and concordance as well as to give an overview of some of the legal aspects of medicines management. The content of the guide is based on current best practice and the most up to date evidence about medication management. The focus is on the care of older people, who have a higher prevalence of illness and take around 50 per cent of all prescribed medicines (Kelly 2011). Four in five people over 75 take at least one prescribed medicine, with 36 per cent taking four or more medicines (NSF 2001). To receive a free copy of ‘Medicines management and older people – a guide for healthcare professionals’, just email marketing@rosemontpharma.com Enquiries: Call 0113 244 1999 or visit www.rosemontpharma.com
APEX makes largest acquisition to date with Westmeria purchase
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.
Beaucare launches comprehensive new medical catalogue OUR most comprehensive catalogue to date is packed full of all the everyday medical equipment and consumables a care home requires. We have broadened our product offerings within a number of ranges, including introducing new nursing profiling beds, which were showcased at the Birmingham Care Show last year, and dementia care products to mention a few. We guarantee a one-stop shop policy, with orders placed by 5pm being delivered next day at no extra cost. Beaucare® Medical Ltd, established since 1992, is the UK’s premier supplier of hygiene, medical supplies and equipment to individual care homes, care home groups, hospitals and NHS Trusts. Enquiries: To obtain your copy call 01423 878899, email sales@beaucare.com or visit www.beaucare.com
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Delegate places demand high DEMAND has reached new heights for delegate places at the annual Care England conference and exhibition, which this year will address the changing landscape of the social care sector and the challenges facing every care provider. The ‘What’s New? A year of Change’ event will take place at the Church House Conference Centre in London on Thursday, November 12 and feature a powerful line-up of informed and influential speakers, all of whom are well positioned to make a significant contribution to the debate. The political background will be
covered in the main address from Jane Ellison MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health. She will be followed by Dr Jane Martin, the Local Government Ombudsman, who will set out a new vision for good complaint handling in health and social care, and by Dr Clive Bowman, the distinguished gerontologist. The provider perspective will be offered by Ian Smith, chairman of Four Seasons Healthcare and a prominent Care England member. For conference details and to book your place online, visit www.careengland.org.uk
MILLERS (UK) Ltd has been established for over 23 years and is a national organisation providing a dedicated service to the commercial and domestic catering and laundry industry. 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 are committed to continuous improvement and positive innovation within your industry and are confident in providing all new and existing customers with a reliable,
courteous and value for money service. Millers offer a wide range of products and appliances and are now very proud to be able to also offer Miele appliances having been awarded the Miele professional dealership.
Turnkey service covers Firm provides a dedicated service everything for owners
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Installation: We offer full installation service for each of our machines. Design service available for all laundry rooms and kitchens. We also offer a ‘start to finish’ service on re-fit or new builds.
SHACKLETONS has provided a full turnkey care environment package for purpose-built 40-bed specialist elderly and dementia residential care home, Woodlands Care Home in Mansfield. Tailored specifically to meet with the residential needs and usage, Shackletons provided a complete personalisation of design and manufactured items to create an environment that would encourage social interaction and evoke happy memories. Designed specifically to enhance the quality of life in the elderly, and those living with dementia, Shackletons worked closely with the owners to develop a complete ‘move in to’ care home. Eight months of design consultation resulted in not just a range of bespoke seating, manufactured to specific heights, back supports and fabric requirements but absolutely every component needed to complete the home. From bespoke designed bedroom furniture to skirting boards, carpets, curtains, and soft furnishings, to specific crockery and cutlery; designed for ease of use and
handling, Shackletons worked through a comprehensive inventory of items that would bring the whole project together. Sarah Thompson, regional sales manager for Shackletons, said: “Our experience and in depth knowledge of working with new build care developments meant we could guide the owners through the whole process of care home functionality and visual appeal. “Being mindful of the need to create belonging for the residents was a major part of our involvement. From replicating newspapers from eras that relate to their residents, to sourcing ornaments and the design and manufacture of dementia specific signage for wayfinding; we worked really hard to provide an allencompassing residential and dementia care environment.” Elizabeth Sohawan, owner of Woodlands, added: “The support and level of service we have received from Shackletons is out of this world. Sarah’s knowledge really helped us create a home that will fully support our residents and carers needs in a positive environment – we’re very impressed with the results.”