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no.286 • £4.75 incorporating
August 2020
The Number One magazine for the care sector
Bodies should join to lobby for change A CAMPAIGNER has called on the leaders of other groups to revisit the possibility of joining together and with a single voice press the Government for reform of the social care sector. Mike Padgham, chair of the Independent Care Group, said organisations like Care England, the National Care Association, United Kingdom Homecare Association and the National Care Forum had been amazing during the pandemic. “These organisations have proved during coronavirus what amazing support they offer the sector and what an incredible job social care does,” he added. “Now we need to put back on the agenda the idea of joining together to ensure that that momentum and the greater recognition social care has gained in recent weeks is not lost and that we get the total reform we are crying out for. “This is something that has been called for previously and while I accept it isn’t easy to achieve, now may be the right time to merge and create one strong national body with local links to lobby the Government for change with a single voice. “It has been looked at before and there would be challenges to overcome, but let us at least have discussions.
“A strong, unified body would speak more loudly and clearly than many smaller voices, and would be harder for the Government to ignore. We are all united through a desire to see social care reformed and we need to press for that. “For example, we have been promised a Green Paper for too long, now is the time for action.” He paid tribute to senior figures in those organisations for leading the way. These include Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, Nadra Ahmed, chairman of NCA, Dr Jane Townson, chief executive of UKHCA and Vic Rayner, executive director of the NCF. “These leading voices, along with many others from similar organisations and charities, have been instrumental in gaining social care huge respect in recent months and deserve to be recognised,” Mike added. “What we need going forward is to somehow unite all of our groups together so that we speak with a single voice on the need for reform.” He said the exclusion of social care in the extra £3bn to cope with a second wave of coronavirus, and social care staff not qualifying for a new visa for EU and nonEU nationals to work in Britain showed there was work to be done.
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Walk raises £1,628 for care charity
Barnes Lodge in Tonbridge has received letters from the children at a local primary school. For almost two years the care home’s residents and the children at Bishop Chavasse have come together every fortnight to do activities and have a catch up. Home manager Nicky Pett said: “We always notice such a difference in our residents when the children come and visit, we have really missed seeing them. Getting these letters was so lovely for not just our residents but the staff as well. Thank you so much to Bishop Chavasse, it really made our day.” Resident Barbara Timms is pictured reading a letter.
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JEFFREY Long MBE, a military and fundraising veteran from Yorkshire, has raised £1,628 for The Care Workers’ Charity after a gruelling 100-mile walk. The challenge, named ‘Jeffrey’s Walk for Carers’, saw the 88-year old visit care homes in the Bradford District to raise awareness of the heroic efforts of social care workers. At each care home he visited, Jeffrey was welcomed with enthusiasm and support by team members. One home noted how his campaign was deeply impactful and that staff were amazed by his continued efforts. Receiving £1,628 through online and offline donations, Jeffrey says he will continue walking if donations continue to stream in. Jeffrey said: “It has been wonderful to visit so many amazing care homes to see firsthand the high-quality care they provide. I was always received with enthusiasm and everyone I met was so friendly.” Starting his charitable activities when he was 75, Jeffrey has gone on to raise more than £300,000 through daring challenges, such as walking from London to Switzerland while carrying a 30kg backpack. Jeffrey’s fundraising efforts were recognised after he was awarded an MBE in 2010 for his voluntary services and received praise from former Prime Minister Theresa May who said Jeffrey had “inspired millions of people”.
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CARINGNEWS
Carers take ‘Covid pledge’ as lockdown continues to ease AN operator’s carers committed to protecting their residents from Covid-19 have made a ‘promise’ to be leaders in the fight against the virus. Staff at Hamberley Care Homes are signing up to the ‘Hamberley Hero Promise’ which recognises the unique responsibility social care workers have, not only in care settings but in the wider community, to stop the spread of the virus. Staff at Hamberley wanted to show that they will do all they can to ‘Stay Alert’ as the rest of the country starts to return to normal. Head of operations Charlotte Quartey said the ‘Hamberley Hero Promise’ showed that staff wanted to do everything they could to keep residents safe and well. She added: “While it’s wonderful that we are seeing an easing of the lockdown across the country, with pubs and restaurants opening, this could present an elevated risk of virus transmission. “Our staff wanted to show that they were alert to these increased risks and would be an ambassador for their community, reminding people that we must all remain vigilant – now is not the time to let down our guard. “The ‘Hamberley Hero Promise’ is not some legally binding document, it is an
www.caring-uk.co.uk Advertising Healthcare Product Manager: Bev Green Tel: 01226 734288 Email: bg@scriptmedia.co.uk Assistant Sales Manager: Tracy Stacey Tel: 01226 734480 Email: cuk3@scriptmedia.co.uk Sales and Marketing Director: Tony Barry Tel: 01226 734605 Email: tb@scriptmedia.co.uk Publishers Script Media 47 Church Street, Barnsley, South Yorkshire S70 2AS. Email: info@caring-uk.co.uk Editorial Group Editor: Judith Halkerston Tel: 01226 734639 jh@scriptmedia.co.uk
Nurse Cosmin Cionca and head of operations Charlotte Quartey sign the ‘Hero Promise’. Hamberley Care Homes launched the inspiring reminder that we all have our Hamberley Hero Promise across all 11 part to play in the fight against Covid-19. of its luxury care homes in time for the “Our colleagues have been proud to Government’s easing of the lockdown in sign this as they want to be part of the England on July 4. movement that works to keep people While the company fully supports the safe.” opening of more businesses and services The Covid commitment states that in the local community, they are keen each care worker will ‘do all that I can to do all they can to ensure care homes to protect myself, my family and my community from the spread of Covid-19’. remain Covid-free.
At Script Media, we try to get things right but occasionally, we make mistakes. If you have a complaint about a story featured in our magazine or on our website, please, in the first instance, contact us by email: dm@scriptmedia.co.uk We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice as demanded by the Independent Press Standards Organisation. For details on the code and what to do should you be unsatisfied with the way we handle your complaint, please visit www.ipso.co.uk
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CARINGNEWS
5
Two thirds of people in England are ready to help improve care A NEW campaign from the Care Quality Commission and Healthwatch England called “Because we all care” has been launched as research shows that more than two-thirds (67 per cent) of people in England say they are more likely to act to improve health and social care services since the outbreak of Covid-19. The two organisations have joined forces with other health and care partners to call on all people who access services to help shape future health and social care. According to the research, close to two thirds (57 per cent) of people said they would be more willing since Covid-19 to support NHS and social care services by actively providing feedback on their care. The results also show that people say they are more grateful for the healthcare services they receive – particularly GP and hospital services – since the outbreak. This sentiment was strongest among young people (aged 18-34), who are now even more likely to take more action to support the work of health and social care services than other age groups. With the public already giving generously to health causes, the polling suggests that this age group is now significantly more likely to feedback on care (72 per cent), and to
Kate Terroni donate to or fundraise for a relevant health cause (52 per cent). Kate Terroni, chief inspector for adult social care at the Care Quality Commission, said: “People working in health and social care have been going to extraordinary lengths to deliver good, safe care during this global crisis. “They have never had a more crucial – or a more challenging – role to play. “This research clearly shows the public’s appreciation for the care and support they and their loved ones have received and it’s inspiring that
people are now looking for ways to channel this into practical action. “Now more than ever, every voice really does matter. “It’s only by hearing what’s working and what’s not, that health and social care providers can improve the quality of care and support that they are delivering.” The research findings include: n Three-quarters (76 per cent) of people surveyed said that feedback is an important way to improve services, yet despite greater public willingness to contribute, some barriers do remain. n A third of respondents (36 per cent) said they would be reluctant to provide negative feedback in case it increases pressure on services or staff. n A fifth (18 per cent) of people now consider themselves even less likely to provide negative feedback on care. Among the key reasons cited were a recognition of the challenging circumstances health care staff face (56 per cent) and not wanting to cause further issues for services to deal with (42 per cent). The new campaign, which will run extensively on social media, aims to help services identify and address quality issues and support patients by encouraging people to share feedback on individual experiences of health and social care services in England.
Staff and residents at HC One’s Brandon House care home in Coventry have gone the extra mile to transform their main corridor in ‘Remembrance Way’. They came up with the idea of changing the whole appearance of the upstairs corridor into an outdoor street. Residents started helping out by choosing a colour for their own ‘front door’. The street even has its own Post Office for residents to write out letters to loved ones or send postcards. Home manager Sheryl Davis said: “It’s something we have wanted to do for a while. It makes the corridor feel like the residents own little community and much more homely.”
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CARINGNEWS
Families join forces for charity’s £10,000 bid
Resident Florence Dunbar with staff member Terri.
Home’s staff serve an ace
RESIDENTS at The Manor House of our residents really enjoy watching in Little Weighton have been Wimbledon on the television each served an ace by staff who laid on a year, so we wanted to plan an Wimbledon-themed afternoon. afternoon of fun to make up for them The home planned an afternoon missing out. of Pimms and tennis, not forgetting Everyone had a lovely afternoon, the iconic strawberries and cream, so but I think the highlight of the day for residents could still show their ‘love’ most was the strawberries and cream for the sport despite the tournament and the Pimms.” being cancelled this year. The1 home has15:55:08 remained 100 per Arquella_Marketing_CaringUK_Final01_CMYK_OL.pdf 17/03/2020 Manager Leanne Hatch said: “Many cent free of Covid-19 throughout.
FAMILIES from across Brunelcare, a Bristol-based charity supporting older people in the South West for nearly 80 years, have grouped together to create a Crowdfunding page for the charity in a bid to help them raise £10,000 for wellbeing equipment and classes for its residents. After a Q&A video call, arranged by Brunelcare specifically for the friends and family of the people living within the charity, it was brought to the attention of Tessa Holmes and her Mother Hilary Green the vast amount of money in which the charity has had to spend on PPE and safeguarding equipment across its five homes. The twosome then teamed up with other family members to create a Crowdfunding page to help the charity inject donations into the homes where their loved ones now live. Tessa said: “My Mother and I joined a relatives Q&A call where we heard that Brunelcare has had to spend more than £1,200 per day, projecting a spend of half a million by the end of this year on PPE and specialist shielding equipment during the pandemic. “For years we have witnessed the hard work and dedication of the carers at Saffron Gardens and we couldn’t just sit there and do nothing, so we decided to set up and launch
Andy, Tessa and dog Reg. a Crowdfunding page supported by other relatives.” With the money raised, Tessa, her Mum and other relatives are hoping to fund essential wellbeing activities such as exercise, music therapy, cookery, day trips and volunteering visits all when safe to do so. The page, which has for now just been shared with friends and family of the charity, has already managed to raise a massive more than a tenth of its £10,000 target. Tessa added: “My Dad Andy has lived at Brunelcare’s Saffron Gardens for just over four years. He’s living with dementia and is one of many residents who’ve been unconditionally supported and cared for by the team at Brunelcare. “We couldn’t ask for Dad to be in a better place. We particularly appreciate the quality of activities that are put on at the home to support the wellbeing of everyone.’
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CARINGNEWS
Project sees care home bring families together
Home marks milestone RESIDENTS and staff at Handley House have been celebrating the care home’s first birthday. Named after the Handley Page RAF aircraft repair site in York on which it sits, Handley House in Clifton provides residential care for 66 residents and in the past year has created more than 50 jobs for people in the local area. The home has welcomed many special guests since opening its doors. These include the city’s Lord Mayor, Councillor Keith Orrell and Lady Mayoress, Judith Orrell, who planted a commemorative blossom tree during a ‘topping out’ ceremony, and former Minister of State for Care Caroline Dinenage MP, who met with staff and residents during the 2019 Care Home Open Day. Home manager Rachel McNally, who has worked in the care industry
for 14 years, said: ‘It has been a real honour to commission Handley House. “I am very proud of all of my staff, they are positive, compassionate and thrive on making a difference to the lives of our residents and that is hugely reflected in how much they go above and beyond to put smiles on our residents faces. “When I reflect on our achievements within our first year, I feel such joy and I cannot wait to see what we can achieve over our second year in business.” The team at Handley House has actively worked to raise funds for charities and organisations close to their hearts, including a 6km memory walk for Alzheimer’s UK and a ‘waxathon’ to raise money for York District Hospital during the Coronavirus pandemic.
A NORTH East care home is gearing up for a summer of singing and digital arts sessions despite its weekly faceto-face creative workshops unable to take place . For the past year creative ageing charity Equal Arts has supported The Oaks in Blyth with its HenPower Project, combining hen-keeping and workshops to help improve wellbeing and reduce loneliness. But with Covid-19 stopping all face-to-face sessions the charity has been looking at ways it can keep supporting 94-year-old Nancy Forsyth and 93-year-old Florence Cole and The Oaks residents through lockdown. This July, thanks to funding of almost £10,000 from the Coronavirus Community Support Fund, distributed by The National Lottery Community Fund, the group can get back to the watercolours with artist Sam Burgess. Entitled Now More Than Ever, the six-month project sees residents and staff redesigning the outdoor spaces, having garden gigs with the Singing Hinnies, weekly online creative sessions with artists and the opportunity for families to join in virtually. Activities coordinator Angela Hedley said: “The Singing Hinnies visits have gone down really well. “Residents were moved to tears at
Artist Sam Burgess and Nancy Forsyth painting during their online session. being able to see familiar faces and join in. “It’s been lovely for everyone at The Oaks, including the staff. It’s fantastic to receive the funding, allowing us to get back to enjoying regular art workshops with Equal Arts, which have inspired residents to explore their talents. Additional funding from Blyth Town Council provided the group with extra iPads for online workshops which will be one-to-one or in small groups. Not put off by technical hurdles and a new way of working, staff and residents at The Oaks have embraced the challenge of finding creative ways to keep connected with Equal Arts and artist Sam Burgess. Equal Arts’ Jos Forester-Melville said: “This project is testament to the dedication and hard work of care staff who continually strive to bring new opportunities to residents during this hugely difficult time.”
10 CARINGNEWS
CARINGNEWS
Maritime as charity cuts Anger Government excludes its carbon footprint care staff from fast-track visa
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CAMPAIGNERS say ahome Government SURREY-based care The Royal decision to deny Society overseasiscare Alfred Seafarers’ reaping the workers to work in Britain has rewards a ofvisa its green initiatives after robbed theplastic social usage care sector of vital cutting its by 74,000 staff look after older and vulnerable itemstoper year to dramatically reduce people. its carbon footprint. The Government recently setfor maritime charity caters out further details on the UK’s 68 residents at its Belvedere House points system. These new nursingbased care home and has prevented arrangements will take 52,000 plastic cups and effect 22,000from wet January 1 once freedom of movement wipes from reaching landfill by rolling with the European Union has ended. out an environmental plan, fronted Independent Care Group said byThe staff. the Government hadBoxall-Hunt, ignored the vital Commander Brian role care of staff and the chiefsocial executive theplayed Society, recruitment crisis the sector is facing. said: “Although public awareness ICGwillingness chair MiketoPadgham said: “In and reduce carbon the last fewismonths social has emissions currently highcare on the demonstrated theidentified vital role it plays news agenda, we the need in for people this country. to caring begin investing inin green technology But that hasago been ignored in today’s many years and are experiencing announcement. the benefits every day. “In this visaorganisation, to NHS “As granting a not-for-profit workers not to social care we have but to manage the challenge of workers the Government again keeping costs down wherehas possible demonstrated how treats social while delivering an it outstanding level care as the poor relation. Weresidents hoped of innovative care to all our that might have changed but clearly depend on us for a good quality ofhasn’t. life. it “While in green “For theinvesting Government to say that technology washere a bigcan investment for people already remain and the home, not only are wecare beginning provide “really important to the to reap and the financial rewards, but can elderly the vulnerable” but then be proud of our reducebelief. our say no more canefforts come,to beggars carbon footprintthe as need muchtoasmerge possible. “This hastens “Our have so been pivotal to this the twostaff together that both can be and theequally.” fact they have prevented treated
thousands of unnecessary single-use plastic objects from being thrown away demonstrates our ability as a collective society to drive meaningful environmental change.” In addition to this, the senior management team has been working to reduce the home’s reliance on fossil fuels over the last three years by installing solar panels, which have cut electricity bills by around 15 per cent. The site’s sustainable pellet-fired biomass boiler has reduced gas usage Mary Wimbury by around 20 per cent and a 135m The ICGhas saysalso there aresunk currently borehole been to supply more than 100,000 care vacancies fresh water at a projected saving ofon any oneper day. It warns thatthe demand £8,000 year, allowing charity will outstrip supply very soon. to invest in facilities for the home and we cannot recruit from within its“Ifresidents. and outside its thework EU, then where are Alongside to reduce waste the fill the vacancies and andpeople carbonto emissions at its care meet demand going to come home,future The Royal Alfred Seafarers’ from,” added. SocietyMike has also produced a top tips “Thisfor has not been thought through guide like-minded businesses to and is another in the teeth for reducing plastickick waste: social care.” n Prevent waste contamination by Around 1.6m people work in social using a second bin to separate noncare, but estimates suggest that the recyclables. country will need an extraat650,000 n Recycle contact lenses your by 2035, to opticians. cope with demand. nearest Martincloths Greeninstead OBE, chief nProfessor Use microfibre of executive Care alsoand wet wipesof that canEngland, be washed expressed his disappointment. reused added: “Despite repeated calls nHe Use recyclable paper straws rather from both adult social care and the than plastic. NHS’ representative bodies, n Useown compostable cups as opposed to single-use including theplastics. Cavendish Coalition,
the Government has failed to pay any dues to the sector’s specific needs thus leaving us out in the cold. “This is particularly worrying given the wider context of the instability which Covid-19 has placed upon the adult social care sector. “The impending threat of the international workforce supply being turned off has the potential to de-stabilise the sector even further with potentially disastrous consequences”. According to Skills for Care, some 115,000 EU nationals work in care and 134,000 people from outside the EU. Martin added: “We must ensure that all efforts are made so that adult social care is perceived as a good career choice on a par with the NHS. “In order to do this we need to see substantial investment from Government rather than short term sticking plasters. “There will be a continuing need for overseas staff until the Government delivers a proper workforce strategy for social care and also the money required to give the staff the salaries and conditions they richly deserve. Our staff are our best resource and we want to reward them as such.” Mary Wimbury, the chief executive of Care Forum Wales, said the decision to exclude social care workers from the new fast-track
health and care visa was a “betrayal”. She also accused Home Secretary Priti Patel of “sheer hypocrisy” when she and other members of the UK Government had been clapping for carers in appreciation of NHS staff and other key workers, including staff working in care homes and domiciliary care, during the coronavirus crisis. Mary added: “This decision is a betrayal of the magnificent contribution of social care staff, many of them who came from other parts of the world, in shielding social care and saving lives. It is sheer hypocrisy. “When they were clapping for carers, they made the point that it was important to have parity for health workers and care workers. Now we know this was absolute nonsense. “Sadly, I’m not that surprised but I am really disappointed. This is one of the things we knew going into this crisis is that social care is seen as a Cinderella service, not on a par with the NHS. “One of the things that I hoped that would come out of this was that social care was considered equally part of the nation’s fabric. “Of course, we need to recruit people to fill vacancies in social care but going into this crisis it was already hugely difficult to recruit staff.”
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Keate House in Lymm, Cheshire enjoyed a grand reopening of its pub The Keate Arms following refurbishment. They waited until the ‘Super Saturday’ rush was over when all the other pubs reopened following lockdown. Proprietor Malcolm Clarkson cut the ribbon and raised a glass to everyone. The rain did not stop everyone enjoying themselves and the party carried on. The men loved having a beer and a game of darts, while the ladies chatted and drank Prosecco and discussed when they will be holding high tea afternoons at the pub.
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CARINGNEWS
Personalised cushions bring residents comfort RESIDENTS of a state-of-the-art care village in Wigan are able to feel closer to friends and family thanks to specially made cushions featuring photographs of loved ones. Every one of Belong Wigan’s 66 residents has been presented with a personalised cushion, each one bearing a picture of a friend or family member, including husbands and wives, sons and daughters and friends. The initiative was spurred by Katie Wilde, a support worker on one of the care village’s households for people requiring 24-hour care, who set out to raise £100 to purchase a cushion for each of the household’s 11 residents. When she raised more than four times her target, she decided to make one for every resident at the village, collaborating with SKILS CIC, a social enterprise based in Wigan, who produced the cushions. General manager Gill Menguy said: “The ability to see and hold an object with a picture of a loved one on has brought a huge amount of joy and alleviated some of the feelings of isolation during lockdown. “Restrictions to stop the spread of coronavirus have forced us to find creative ways of maintaining residents’ physical and mental wellbeing, including using technology to allow people to stay connected with family and friends and enjoy a range of activities.”
Memory care coordinator Natalie Gribben in the new pub.
Resident Mary Gwinnet kisses a cushion featuring a picture of her family. Belong Wigan went into lockdown on March 16, meaning that for a three-month period all but essential visits were suspended as part of infection prevention measures. Gill added: “Following blanket testing earlier this month and the end of the difficult period when residents couldn’t see their relatives, we are pleased to confirm that we have no active cases of coronavirus in the village. “We are welcoming new residents into our community, subject to screening and testing, who can be assured that we have rigorous procedures in place to minimise the risk of infection.”
Antimicrobial medical trolley for care homes and clinics GRATNELLS Medical products have been at the forefront of NHS and hospital storage for more than 40 years. The wide range of products available includes trolleys, frames, trays and multiple optional accessories that can be used to make up the ideal solution for medical environments. Also ideal for use in the health and social care sector, the Gratnells Medical range would fit suitably into care homes, dental practices and other surgeries. The popular Gratnells Medical Compact trolley boasts a small footprint and can easily fit into working environments that are challenged for space. The trolley system is fully mobile, can easily be moved between working environments and is treated with BioCote® offering maximum protection against infection. The complete Compact Range is compatible with all standard sized Gratnells trays which are also antimicrobial in translucent or kiwi jelly tint. In addition to the favoured Compact trolley, the new Gratnells Callero Shield Range is fully antimicrobial and is increasing in popularity throughout the education and medical sectors. Boasting double and treble width trolleys, as
well as the Gratnells Rover, the entire range is flexible and moves with ease. Some uses of the Gratnells Medical range include, but aren’t limited to: n Safely store and move important records and files with reduced risk of cross contamination within care homes or surgeries. n Offers a protected storage solution for essential PPE equipment, as well as a solution for transportation and distribution. n Trays are a suitable alternative for storage of uniforms and can be used by staff to transport clothing and equipment between work and home. n Organise, move and administer medication to patients. n Organise, move and store essential surgical equipment and tools. n Protected home for personal effects including clothing, personal hygiene items and electronic devices. n Add antimicrobial lids for extra protection, particularly when transporting materials. Enquiries: Browse the full Gratnells Medical range at https://www.gratnellsmedical.com/ or call 0800 169 6854.
Home opens pub for dementia residents SUNRISE of Hale Barns care home has opened a bar within ‘Reminiscence’, its Memory Care Neighbourhood. The new bar has been set up to emulate a traditional pub with bottle fridges, a working jukebox and beer pumps. The Sunrise of Hale Barns team in ‘Reminiscence’ run the bar, and the residents have ‘happy hour’ from 7pm to 8pm. Sharon Parkes, director of community relations at Sunrise of Hale Barns, said: “Our new bar has been such a success amongst the residents, it’s so lovely they can use it to socialise.
“This also means they can re-live the days when going to their local pub was a real source of enjoyment, something that for many was embedded in their weekly routine and remembered with great fondness. “The option of a bar onsite exemplifies the values we look to achieve for residents. “Enabling choice and nurturing their spirit is hugely important in all the activities and facilities we provide.” The bar was custom built and serves a range of drinks in pint glasses, gin glasses and wine glasses. Residents also enjoy listening to their favourite songs on the jukebox.
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CARINGNEWS
Operator supports awareness week ‘Artist-in-resident’ brings creativity to care home BRINGING a whole new meaning to the idea of an artist-in-residence, a care home resident has been getting creative in Auchterarder. Gordon Webster, who lives at Balhousie Ruthven Towers, has always had a love of creating art. But since retiring, and especially since moving into the care home in 2017, Gordon has been getting extra creative. He has produced pieces on canvas, sculptures from clay, and decorated furniture. Kirsty Smith, home manager at Balhousie Ruthven Towers, said: “It’s clear Gordon gets so much pleasure from his art, and the fact he can share it with others. “We would like to say a big thank
you to him for the work he has donated to the home. “And here’s to many more of his masterpieces.” Gordon, 89 and originally from Glasgow, started painting when he was 14 years old. He would use up old pots of house paint and paint in his dad’s shed. He went on to be manager of an engineering company in Cumbernauld, living in Lenzie then Cupar with his wife Nan and daughter Carole. Gordon and Nan moved to Perth, where Nan still stays, to be beside Carole. Following a consultation with residents and relatives, Gordon’s next work will be a painting of residents’ favourite bridges.
BOROUGH Care has thrown its support behind Glad to Care (#Gladtocare), an awareness week showcasing positivity within the industry and celebrating the amazing work done by those employed in the sector. Glad to Care week was an opportunity for people to show their appreciation for the contribution that carers make to the lives of the people they care for. During Glad to Care week, staff and residents at Borough Care’s homes for older people participated in a different activity each day, to highlight what goes on in the homes and to promote the positive aspects of care. Dr Mark Ward, CEO at Borough Care, said: “Glad to Care week was a great opportunity to celebrate the wonderful work done by everyone in the care industry. “The last few months have been incredibly difficult for everyone in the care sector, yet our staff have continued to work tirelessly to ensure residents are supported emotionally and physically. “I am so proud of all the Borough Care team and the incredible work our carers do, to enable our residents to continue to live their lives in colour.” The week kicked off with Monday Motivation, which saw residents and staff taking part in an armchair
Lindsay Hadfield, activity lifestyle facilitator at Silverdale in Stockport. exercise session via Zoom. During Thankful Tuesday, staff chatted with residents about why they are glad to care and what they love about their job. On Thoughtful Thursday, residents shared stories about the things they have got up to since moving to a Borough Care home. Carers and residents came together on Feel Good Friday to participate in group activities, demonstrating the close relationships that develop between them.
DESPITE THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES
ANOTHER DISCREET SALE BY LAMONT JOHNSON The Shelley, Worthing, Sussex. 32 beds with
SOLD
OUTSTANDING CQC RATING in all 5 categories
Residents reunited with loved ones for first time
Grayson Taylor (Managing Director, Lamont Johnson)
•1981 FOUNDING PRINCIPAL of Taylor National •2001 FOUNDING PRINCIPAL of DC Care •2012 FOUNDING PRINCIPAL of Lamont Johnson
Dawn Taylor (Director Lamont Johnson)
Our success in the sale of Care Homes is second to none in the care sector, and has been achieved through the 40 years experience of principal directors, Grayson and Dawn Taylor, specialising solely in the discreet sale of Care Homes, Learning Disability Homes and sites/developments for C2 use nationwide.
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RESIDENTS at a Buxton nursing home were overjoyed to be reunited with their loved ones for the first time since the start of lockdown. The new measures in place at Portland enable families to visit their loved ones face-to-face in a safe environment. Like many other care homes, Portland closed its doors to all but essential visitors at the start of the pandemic to protect its residents. It is following strict safety procedures, with all visits being carefully organised by manager Kaye Fogarty in the garden, observing the two-metre social distancing rule. She said: “This has been an incredibly hard time for everyone, so it’s wonderful to be able to introduce socially-distanced visits into Portland. “Residents have really missed seeing their relatives face to face regularly, so we’re overjoyed to
make this happen again in a safe environment. “We can already see the positive impact it’s having, and it has given a much-needed boost to many of our residents and their families. “Residents have told us how much they appreciate still being able to go about their daily routines and spend time with each other and now with their families, albeit still at a distance.” Staff have worked hard to ensure that residents have had regular contact with their families by phone or video call, but close up, face to face conversations have not been possible. Portland is also now welcoming new residents. They have specific procedures in place, to continue to support families who are looking for care for a loved one while minimising the risk for residents and staff.
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Director of Operations & Care Developments PRESTIGE GROUP
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14
CARINGTECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE
Welcome boost for care home
A COMMUNITY-minded Dorset care home has thanked a resident’s daughter for landing some extra help during lockdown. Jenny Cottrell nominated Colten Care’s Newstone House in Sturminster Newton as a worthy recipient of a free Huawei computer in a national charity initiative. She put the home forward for the AJ Bell ‘tablet giveaway’ hoping it would be a fitting reward for the way staff support family and community connections. Jenny said: “Newstone is already very well resourced and has been enabling Skype contact since March but an extra tablet will mean even more family contact time for someone. The idea is that it’s used to connect people. “I thought AJ Bell’s offer to distribute tablet devices to care homes was admirable so I gave the application a shot on the basis that if you don’t ask, you don’t get.” AJ Bell, a Manchester-based investment platform, launched its tablet initiative for care homes and hospitals to help people who may be feeling isolated during lockdown. It was part of its Wage War on Covid campaign that saw employees give up part of their wages and customers make donations to help people affected by the Covid crisis.
Advertiser’s announcement
Cura launches comprehensive billing module for care sector CURA Systems, a well established, care management system has just taken another leap forward with a new invoicing module designed specifically for the social care market. The system with its highly configurable modules cover an extraordinarily wide spread of functionality and makes Cura a truly comprehensive product. The invoicing module has been carefully designed to support even the most complex invoicing situations and incorporates processes to highlight errors and omissions, even providing a special interface to enable speedy resolution. Its workflow has been optimised to provide a logical sequence of processes that give flexibility for different invoicing situations and ease of tailoring the process by home fees, services, funders or ad-hoc items. Comprehensive and sophisticated funding plans are all user-definable, ranging from multiple local authorities, self-funders, family funders and unlimited ‘other’ funders, with each providing sharing or offset arrangements with various limits, calculations and ratios across selected funding streams. Unlimited services with associated care types give the facility to build detailed fee structures. This enables a ‘shopping list’ of services that can be selected for funding streams. This is particularly useful in complex care environments where fees are tailored to client needs. Cura will validate the entry of fee items on entry to ensure the invoicing plan ‘balances’ with the selected home fee by client. Cura has an innovative invoice query tool that not only provides analysis and reports on completed and pending invoicing but will also highlight client accounts where invoicing may have been missed for one reason or another
and a handy direct link to enable this to be resolved. Invoices for local authorities or CCG grouped contracts can be produced on a group or individual basis and when payment arrives a single entry will allocate to all the relevant client accounts appropriately. Cura will handle the debtor support for all accounts and provide the infrastructure to permit account payment from a variety of sources. The module, due to its enhanced features and streamlined workflow is equally applicable to the smaller care home at is to the medium to large care home group, Integration into existing accounting systems is provided via an export facility using Microsoft’s Excel, XLS or CSV format. The invoicing module allows the user to specify the nominal codes for all items to be exported. Additional specific export routines are provided for Sage50 accounting system. Ready to get started? Find out what you’re missing, call us on 020 3621 9111 or email john.rowley@cura.systems if you would like to book an online demonstration.
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16
CARINGTECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE Advertiser’s announcement
Why the care sector needs trailblazing AI technology By Chris Cox PANDEMICS are a time of great tragedy and uncertainty, but they also present a rare opportunity to create a fairer and more compassionate world. As the UK’s leading provider of compliance tools for the care sector, QCS strongly believes that nextgeneration AI-based technology can be a key enabler in striving for such a world. At QCS, we have been using technology during the Pandemic to deliver hundreds of new policies, procedures and guidance tools, not just for our 87,000 subscribers, but for the entire sector through our free-toaccess Coronavirus Hub. Technology has also helped our policy and research team to identify some major challenges around guidance. Throughout the pandemic, in addition to providing outstanding care, carer workers have had to grapple with a tidal wave of shifting guidance, which has sometimes been contradictory and overly complex. The value of compliance in a pandemic During this challenging time, QCS has helped to fill this compliance void. As various government agencies have issued guidance, our policy writing team has been busy disseminating, summarising and simplifying guidance so front line care workers can focus on dispensing outstanding care. Over the course of the last six months, our customers have consistently fed back that the
collection teams has also revealed another hurdle. They found that while many of our providers value compliance, they don’t always know exactly which areas of policy they need to strengthen. Our findings have made us determined to think of ways in which we can transform customer user experience in the future.
Chris Cox pandemic has really highlighted the value of timely and well written content. Since May, for example, our COVID19 Hub has been downloaded more than 122,000 times, while we have seen our user base increase by 28 per cent in the last six months. Why AI can help But an increased appetite for up-todate guidance has presented QCS with a positive opportunity to utilise technology to effect positive change. Firstly, it is our duty to ensure that providers are not only aware of policy changes, but are always getting exactly what they need, when they need it. While we do this well, the pandemic has magnified that task. Our policy writers have sometimes had to update hundreds of policies several times a day. Research carried out by our data
How AI can make the difference Having carried out much research, we believe that the solution lies in sophisticated AI-driven technology. Coincidentally, at the same time that we reached this conclusion, an opportunity to create a new AI-centric system emerged in the form of a government competition, which QCS entered in April. Run by Innovate UK, the Innovation Funding Service was established to fund technology-based endeavours which sought to restore normality in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our idea, which was to create an Augmented Intelligence Guidance System for Carers, was one of a handful of applications (there were 8,000 in all) which won an Innovate UK Grant Award. The benefits of AI-led technology But what is an Augmented Intelligence Guidance System and, more importantly, how when it is launched in October this year, will it add additional value for QCS customers? The state-of-the-art technology, which will be embedded in the QCS
App, uses leading-edge algorithms to build up an accurate picture of who the customer is, what challenges they face and, most crucially, how they use the system. The algorithms then take into account the type of content they download, the format they like to receive it in and the they time spend reading it. It then pro-actively sends them policy updates. Over time, as the system becomes more refined, it will be rolled out on all of QCS’s platforms. It will enable QCS to produce a selection of personalised content for each individual customer, instead of the customer trawling the system to find updates and new polices themselves. Not only will this revolutionise customer user experience, but having access to structured data will enable QCS to spot key trends and monitor change in real-time. We believe this will help our customers, but the industry as a whole. Most importantly, however, the new software will mean that frontline carers will be able to spend more time delivering outstanding personcentred care, and less time searching for compliance guidance. While very few shafts of light have broken through the murk of the pandemic, perhaps embracing leading-edge AI tools to improve efficiency in the sector is one of them. n Chris Cox is chief technology officer at Quality Compliance Systems.
Third CareDocs Covid-19 update available
WE’RE happy to announce our third Covid-19 focused software update in under three months. Our latest release introduces new tools to help manage coronavirus in your care setting and improves upon existing features so you can enter even more useful data. Easily check and log consent before recording Covid-19 symptoms in residents, staff and visitors, as well as keeping track of test samples and results through our dedicated forms. There is also a range of detailed reports to help you manage the situation and policy and procedure documents to provide official guidance. CareDocs can help give you a clearer overview of who may have coronavirus, who has been in contact with that person and whom it may have originated from. CareDocs Connect is another new feature designed to help
your residents’ loved ones become more involved in the care process and encourage support and contact. With social distancing measures making it a challenge for people to see each other, family, friends and GPs can stay up to date remotely with the care being logged on the system. They can also send personal messages and photos back to your residents, and GPs can send health updates or instructions over the internet, protecting everyone involved. To help our customers use our features efficiently by providing daily support, we also release new training videos and user guides each month and have regularly scheduled live webinar demonstrations to make sure everybody can learn the software in a way that suits them. Thank you again to the hardworking care staff and keyworkers keeping this country moving forward.
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£15m dementia centre build continues CONSTRUCTION is continuing on a new £15million facility in Harrogate to develop a third centre of excellence for dementia care. The multi-million pound facility is the latest development of care group Vida Healthcare and is expected to open in summer 2021. The state-of-the art care home will house 100 residents in eight self-sufficient houses with en-suite bedrooms and include a collection of communal areas such as a newsagent, coffee shop, private cinema and sensory gardens. James Rycroft, managing director at Vida Healthcare, said: “Over the last decade we’ve designed buildings around the needs of our residents and we’ve seen first-hand the positive impact that good design can have on people’s lives. “The health and wellbeing of our residents and staff has always been our first priority and through the Covid crisis we’ve invested in
central core. The reinforced concrete beams are also in place to allow the ground floor brickwork and blockwork to commence. Although the build has experienced challenges due to Covid-19 with a current delay of three weeks, Vida Healthcare and the Caddick team have worked together to ensure progress can continue safely. Full PPE has been provided across the site, temperature testing stations have been installed and full signage, and social distancing is in place and being adhered to. The next stages of the construction are already on track with the external brickwork and concrete floor slabs currently being installed. Alongside Caddick Construction, Vida Healthcare has partnered with a range of suppliers including Leedsbased Den Architecture and Projex Building Solutions to ensure the project is completed successfully.
A CGI of the completed reception area at Vida Court in Harrogate. a range of measures to ensure our community is safeguarded from this and any other health crises we might experience. “Vida Court is a culmination of everything we’ve learned over the years and our trademark features will be included, such as the self sufficient houses, to enable us to offer care for residents who are at different stages
with their dementia.” Caddick Construction is leading on the build and has so far marked a number of milestones including the installation of the foundations, completion of the internal block work and external brickwork along with the retaining wall between the lower ground and ground floor, and the progression of the steelwork for the
lamontjohnson.com
DESPITE THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES
ANOTHER DISCREET SALE SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED BY LAMONT JOHNSON
SOLD
The Gables Bristol
A really lovely home in existing ownership since 1999, and offering a CQC rating of “Good” in all 5 categories. Registered for 20, offering all single, all ensuite accommodation. Sold on behalf of the long time owner Mr David Cooke to the Yeovil, Somerset based Dr and Mrs Paul Edwards.
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20
New care home set to officially open
Longridge Care Home near Stafford.
Specialist operator buys home DC CARE has completed the sale of Longridge Care Home near Stafford on behalf of David Green. Set in more than an acre of wooded gardens amidst open countryside, the listed Georgian farmhouse was converted to a care home in 1980, with purpose-built extensions being later added. The home, which was previously registered for 32 within the category of dementia care, was offered to the market on a vacant possession basis. It has been acquired for an undisclosed sum by Gary Parker and
Greg Watson from specialist childcare operators New Reflexions. DC Care northern region director Alison Willoughby appraised the property and the transaction was managed by senior sales negotiator Lisa Rushworth. Alison said: “It was felt Longridge Care Home offered redevelopment potential or change of use, which attracted interest from a wide range of buyers. “We wish New Reflexions all the best with their development project for the home.”
A RESIDENTIAL care provider’s new luxury care centre will officially open on July 31. Located amongst mature landscaped gardens in Alsager, Lovett Care Group’s Twyford House will provide residential, respite, day, and memory care for up to 70 residents aged 65 and over. The newly renovated building offers a range of spacious social areas and high-end facilities, including an on-site beauty clinic, terrace bar, gin lounge and private dining spaces. Home manager Sally Latham said: “We are so looking forward to welcoming residents to Twyford House at the end of this month. “The whole team has put their heart and soul into creating a welcoming and luxurious care centre, even throughout these challenging times. “Community means everything to us, and that is reflected in Twyford House, from the luxury facilities to our commitment to fostering strong relationships with both our residents and the world beyond our care centre.” Twyford House is set to become the third care centre run by Lovett Care Group, joining both Goldendale House and Hilton House in Stoke-onTrent. Director of Lovett Care Group, Carl Scarlett, added: “Twyford House is the embodiment of our commitment
to creating care homes driven by community and high-quality facilities. “Over the last few months the coronavirus outbreak has been the catalyst for many changes in care homes across the country. “I am in awe of our team, who have stepped up to the mark in this trying period and selflessly put our residents first. “At Twyford House social distancing will be in place for as long as necessary, which will be made easier thanks to the open plan layout and outdoor areas Infection control will also be a top priority, as it is across all of our care homes, as we strive to ensure each and every one of our residents stays safe, comfortable and happy.”
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We are keenly watching the advice for care homes from the Government. We know banks have stated their commitments and we are hopeful for the industry as it begins its recovery. We have been humbled by your professionalism and your grit and determination. We have always been proud to specialise in healthcare, now more so than ever. As we begin to see the roots of recovery you may be having thoughts about your longer- term plans. If these plans include the selling of your care business, or perhaps an acquisition we will gladly discuss with you confidentially and absolutely without obligation.
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Contractor appointed to complete £19m village CONTRACTOR Cruden Construction is set to complete the work on Birkdale’s new £19million stateof-the-art care village following its appointment by care operator Belong. With a strong background in care sector construction, Cruden takes over the reins from original contractor Pochin, who had been working on the development when it went into administration last year. Once complete, it will be the fifth Belong village built by Cruden in the last decade, including sites in Didsbury and Crewe. Managing director of Cruden Construction, Ian Woolrich, said: “We are thrilled to have secured a fifth project with Belong and look forward to resuming work on the Birkdale development. “We take pride in the fact that every village we build together is creating a place that will deliver real benefit to the local area and its people.” Expected to open in 2021, the Birkdale village will provide dementia care and accommodation for more than 100 people, including 24-hour support across six extended family sized households and 30, one and two bedroom, independent living apartments, which are available to buy or rent. At the heart of the village is a vibrant hub with a range of amenities, such
21 A CGI of the care home
Approved site for home sold
An artist’s impression of the new care village in Birkdale. as a bistro, hair salon, exercise studio wider community.” and function rooms. Architects for the scheme Outreach services will also be are Altrincham-based Pozzoni available to people in the wider Architecture, who have designed the community, including homecare village to feature distinctive details offering Belong at Home and a and materials inspired by the West specialist day care service. Birkdale Conservation Area, including Belong chief finance officer Chris Reigate Medium Multi brickwork, Hughes said: “Cruden has a sound stone cladding to apartment track record working with us on balconies and feature window previous villages and we are delighted surrounds. to be partnering with them again to The healthcare team manages the complete Belong Birkdale. development of state-of-the-art care “With a new timetable for a 2021 home facilities, and also creates village opening confirmed, we are strategic partnerships with leading confident our award-winning services operators in the market. and facilities will quickly prove an The project is backed by Octopus asset to both older people and the Real Estate.
SPECIALIST senior living developer Charterpoint has completed the sale of a care home site in Louth, Lincolnshire to LNT Care Developments Ltd. East Lindsey District Council approved plans for the two-storey, 66-bed care home in April. Adrian Goose, chief executive of Nottingham-based Charterpoint Group, said: “We are delighted to have completed the sale of this superb site on the edge of Louth. “It is in an ideal situation – the perfect place to build a modern care home offering excellent facilities to residents. “Operator demand for care home development opportunities has proved resilient pointing to an accelerating trend for purpose-built facilities.” Plans for the purpose-built residential care home on the 2.2 acre site include individual rooms with en-suite facilities, communal spaces for socialising, dining and recreational use, car parking, landscaping and a secure bike store.
Recent deal completions… On behalf of the purchaser – Harrogate • Acquisition of care home from RNIB • Established service on 1.28 acre site • Currently 39 registered beds including 2 flats • Joint venture with investor and new operator
On behalf of the vendor – South Yorkshire • Purpose built care home • Sold to new market entrant • Sixth sale on behalf of client • Successful home with good occupancy
Whether you are selling or buying, contact HPC today to find out how our experience gets results. Tel 01937
222107 Email enquiries@healthcarepc.co.uk Visit www.healthcarepc.co.uk
22
CARINGPRODUCT NEWS
New DSE Assessment Tool aids health and safety compliance
Dorgard lets you move around ‘contact free’ APPROXIMATELY 80 per cent of infections are spread by touch, including touching contaminated surfaces such as door handles. In care homes ensuring residents adhere to strict sanitising guidelines can be very difficult and can cause stress and anxiety for them too. Removing the need to open doors as residents and staff walk from room to room is an easy solution to eliminate the need to touch door handles and hand plates. The elderly are one of the most vulnerable group of people with regards to infections like flu and Covid-19, finding ways to reduce the spread of these diseases is therefore paramount. Dorgard offers a solution to legally hold fire doors open so staff and residents can move around the building ‘contact free’, reducing the
risk of cross-infection with germs and viruses. These battery-powered door holders are easily fitted to a fire door by a handyman. The device ‘listens’ for the sound of your fire alarm and when the alarm goes off the Dorgard automatically releases the door and allows it to close, preventing the spread of fire and toxic smoke. Hence, not only is the risk of cross infection reduced, the fire safety of the building is also maintained. With a range of Dorgards to choose from you will find a solution that is ideal for your setting. The original Dorgard is perfect for small to medium settings with normal or low noise levels. For noisier environments, where enhanced sound recognition is beneficial, Dorgard SmartSound offers a great solution.
iHASCO has developed an updated version of its Display Screen Equipment assessment, which is provided alongside its IOSH approved DSE training course. Employees will be prompted to undertake the online assessment on completion of their training. Fully interactive, the assessment can provide advice and record any outstanding concerns with DSE set-up so issues can be simply resolved by an employer, while keeping a historical record of any communication. This avoids the need for unnecessary paperwork and filing, as well as allowing employees who are working from an alternative location to the workplace to easily undergo an assessment. Users will be able to complete the online assessment in around 10 minutes by selecting answers on important questions to ensure their safety when using DSE. It consists of eight topics including work equipment, chairs, screens and devices and the environment around their workstations. Full integration with a Learning Management System ensures employers are instantly notified of any issues raised by employees, while keeping employees updated with any responses. During this process employees are able to revisit the full training course or specific sections of the programme, to help reinforce their understanding of DSE set-up to ensure they are working safely. This interactive assessment allows organisations to work towards DSE compliance with ease and
help prevent absenteeism from these types of workplace injury. “The interactive assessment has been developed to provide a simple and quick solution to the necessary DSE assessments that employers must carry out,” said Nathan Pitman, director at iHASCO. “It also allows employees to confidently raise any issues and avoid unnecessary injury and fatigue from improper setup. “We would highly recommend any returning employees to the workplace as a result of Covid19 to refresh their DSE training and complete the interactive assessment. “This proactive approach will help ensure they use their equipment correctly and remain healthy and productive.” iHASCO’s DSE training course and interactive assessment can be completed in just 45 minutes. It is suitable for new starters and as refresher training for existing employees. DSE assessments should be carried out at least every two years or sooner if there is a change in circumstances, such as the use of new equipment or a change of workstation or location (including remote working). This also applies to returning employees after a period of absence. iHASCO is encouraging employers to get in touch to find out how the interactive assessment tool can support them with DSE compliance. Enquiries: Email hello@ihasco.co.uk or visit www.ihasco.co.uk
Elizabeth Sturges, a resident at Gracewell of High Wycombe, has celebrated her 100th birthday. Activities coordinator Alex Vasile organised a time capsule full of pictures of her family and her best memories from the past 100 years to mark the milestone. Elizabeth’s family put together a video to wish her happy birthday and surprised her with a socially distanced visit. She also received a special telegram from the Queen. Elizabeth was also treated to afternoon tea and some Prosecco. The home’s head chef and in-house dining team then prepared Elizabeth’s favourite meal, salmon with steamed vegetables, to round off the day.
Warewashing company leads the way for Covid-19 testing SPECIALIST warewashing company Crystaltech is leading the way in providing safe services to the UK healthcare industry by implementing a rigorous monthly testing scheme for its entire nationwide engineer workforce. All 60 Crystaltech engineers will be required to undertake a virus test every 28 days and will then be issued with a Covid-19 photo ID badge to show sensitive healthcare sites when they had the test and when the next one is due for renewal. This new assurance comes into place as the company has been asked to provide support to one of the largest care home providers in the UK. MD Derek Maher said: “Over the last few months our engineers have been working within strict safety guidelines when they have attended particularly sensitive sites including nursing homes, hospitals, public sector sites, supermarkets, MOD and production kitchens. “Our monthly testing scheme will provide those sites with added assurances that all our engineers are working to the highest safety standards to
prioritise the health and safety of those that they come into contact with.” Crystaltech is the only company in the UK to specialise in delivering a full maintenance and installation service for all makes and models of machine. The company has the technical resource to detect the most obscure glass and dishwashing issues, enabling rapid solutions with impressive wash results. Enquiries: Call 0370 350 2424 or visit www.crystaltech.co.uk
Carehomeshopping.com launched to solve the PPE crisis in social care WE had the following problems when sourcing PPE for our care clients: 1. Overpriced products because of price gouging. 2. Poor quality or fake products. 3. Hours wasted with unreliable suppliers. That is why we created carehomeshopping. com The marketplace brings genuine PPE suppliers and buyers together. We vet all suppliers so you can trust what you are buying. We have multiple suppliers per product to give you more choice and cheaper prices. We are a team of care home managers, PPE verification specialists, and technologists. And our mission is to help the social sector access the PPE it needs in a cheap and reliable way. Our vetting process We have a strict vetting process to ensure
product quality and reliable delivery. We verify company details, products meet UK regulations, and products were delivered reliability through customer feedback.
The team behind it Issac Theophilos, author of the Amazon bestseller ‘How to get outstanding?’ Issac was frustrated with the government’s broken promises about supplying PPE to the social care sector. He set up the marketplace to solve the problems managers across the UK are having. If you would like to help us, please share this with those who need it or contact us. Let us together help the social care sector to solve the PPE crisis. Enquiries: View our products at carehomeshopping.com or call 333 577 8599.
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