October 2019 specialist healthcare business agents If you're thinking about selling, talk to us. We only sell care businesses. That's what makes us specialists.
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no.276 • £4.75 incorporating
The Number One magazine for the care sector
Serious fire risk worries home staff CARE homes are believed to be at alarming risk of a fire, with three in five care home workers admitting to serious concerns according to new research. The study, which was conducted among 1,000 current and former care home employees, found that three quarters believe more could be done to prevent or manage a fire, with three in five workers having reported fire safety concerns – but half (51 per cent) say unsatisfactory action was taken as a result. There was also a worrying lack of clarity among care home workers around fire doors. Nearly half (47 per cent) said they did not understand the role a fire door plays in keeping a fire contained for a specified time, while more than eight in 10 (82 per cent) admitted to deliberately keeping a fire door open – defeating its purpose. One in five care workers incorrectly believed that painting a regular door with flame proof paint made it a legitimate fire door, and the same proportion stating that the gap between the fire door and door frame doesn’t matter. Almost three quarters (72 per cent) said they had witnessed or were aware of fire doors being tampered with, including removing the door
closer to make doors easier to open. Not only does this make the door closer redundant, when combined with other adjustments it could leave the fire door not fit for purpose in the event of a fire. Fire doors placed on the market should withstand fire for 30 minutes and have test evidence to validate this. Respondents said that on average that it would take 25 minutes to evacuate the care home where they worked, with a quarter saying that it would take longer than 30 minutes – highlighting the vital importance of fire doors in holding back fire and smoke for this time Helen Hewitt, chief executive of the British Woodworking Federation, which organised the recent Fire Door Safety Week, said: “These highly concerning findings underline how crucial fire safety is, and the fundamental role that fire doors play – especially so in light of recent instances of damaging care home fires which have threatened the lives of residents. “Evacuation strategies in care homes are very specialised, accounting for the fact that many residents will need assistance. These strategies rely on the ability of fire doors to perform their function in holding back fire and smoke to allow adequate time for rescue.”
NATIONWIDE CARE ASSISTANTS, NURSES AND CARE MANAGERS WITHIN 48 HOURS
Care homes celebrate reaching shortlist
A cross border 100-mile bike ride was completed by a care home quality manager to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. 60-year-old Lynn Walter cycled from Carlisle, Cumbria, across the border to Scotland and finished at Cramond Beach, Edinburgh. She raised £550 for Macmillan Cancer Support, the chosen charity of her employer, the Hill Care Group, based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. Lynn was joined by 11 members of her cycling club, DOBS and FOBS CC, in The Wirral, for the ride, which took seven hours and 45 minutes.
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EXCITING plans are well underway for the third Caring UK Awards, as homes around the UK celebrate making this year’s shortlist. The awards evening will celebrate excellence throughout the industry, with trophies in over 20 categories up for grabs on the night. More entries than ever before from homes as far afield as Aberdeen and Exeter, have made the finals, now progressing to the next stage of the judging process; a visit from a member of the Caring UK team to take a look around their facilities and chat to members and staff. Following the visits, comprehensive reports will be complied to then be passed on to an expert judging panel. Nadra Ahmed OBE, executive chairman of the National Care Association, Raj Kapoor, head of training and consultancy at the Alzheimer’s Society, Hilary Cragg, a Partner at Nash and Co Solicitors and Michele Board, a Principal Academic in Nursing Older People at the Faculty of Health and Social Science at Bournemouth University, will choose the winners in 21 categories, which will be presented at a glittering ceremony at The Athena in Leicester on November 15. Details start on page 15
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