The Carer Digital - Issue #126

Welcome to the latest edition of The Carer Digital!

In all my years of editing THE CARER we have never led with a story/headline that has made me so angry

I have never watched the TV programme “I’m a celebrity” and there was even less likelihood that I would ever watch it when I heard that the former Health Secretary Matt Hancock was taking part! Obviously the programme (lucrative though I understand it is) was a platform for the sale of his book recanting his diary entries during the pandemic

I’m reminded of a few years back when a celebrity (who shall remain nameless) was asked to comment on the tragic death of one of his bandmates and replied I was on my way to my book signing when I heard the terrible news confirming the adage never miss an opportunity to plug your book’

Which is what Hancock is clearly doing I have no issue with that If people want to hear his version of events, that is up to them However, he attempts to apportion blame to care home workers/providers who he claims in his diaries brought the infections into care homes and not to untested patients released from hospital into care environ ments This is utterly shameless

Mr Hancock who has today announced that he will not contest the next election was stripped of the Conservative whip after it emerged he was joining the reality TV show I’m A Celebrity, prompting speculation about his political future and whether he would stand again at the next general election which must take place before January 2025

I have to say this news comes as no surprise whatsoever!

The former Health Secretary is currently sitting as an independent MP in the House of Commons

The Care sector has reacted and rightly so with sheer fury at the remarks

In October 2021 I was invited to a Care Forum in Nottingham The compere a very talented care provider and motivational speaker invited members of the audience who either were care providers themselves or worked in residential care environment to share their experiences during the pandemic

He went round with a microphone table to table as people put up their hand to speak

It was as harrowing as it was heart breaking I truly cannot find the appropriate words to describe the traumatic experiences people were sharing and just how emo

tional that moment was

An entire sector was caught in the eye of the storm without any guidance advice or personal protection equipment, having to make do the best they can, in some cases staff having to wear binliners as PPE other staff choosing to sleep on made up beds so as to be on site and not take the virus back to their own families

To attempt to apportion blame onto providers and staff who worked so tirelessly and a great sacrifice is utterly shameful

What is more surprising, in my view, is that Mr Hancock is allowed to share these opinions prior to the forthcoming enquiry

I’m not for a moment saying that it is illegal but it is most certainly, in my opinion, wrong

Yesterday December 6 the government closed its Core Participant application win dow for Module 3 the government Covid Inquiry s third investigation which will look at the impact of the pandemic on healthcare Module 3 will, I understand examine how healthcare systems responded to the pan demic and the impact on systems and services including on patients doctors nurses and other healthcare staff in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Baroness Heather Hallett the Inquiry Chair is to review and determine the applica tions after which the enquiry will then inform applicants of the outcome of their appli cations and provide them with the Chair’s determination

The first preliminary hearing for Module 3 will take place on 28 February 2023 During the hearing, there will be an update from the Inquiry Counsel on Core Participant applications and the Inquiry will set out in more detail the plan for this module

The Inquiry will then begin hearing evidence in Spring 2023 for its first investigation into the UK’s pandemic preparedness and resilience

And I cannot, for the life of me, understand how the former Health Secretary is releasing his diaries prior to this formal inquiry

Hopefully one of our many contributors may be able to shed some light!

The festive season is now upon us so once again we urge you to send in stories of your festive celebrations (see page 5) for our Christmas hamper competition) and please do continue to share your stories of awards birthday celebrations fundraising sports events singing and dancing you name it we are receiving them at the moment All feelgood stories which highlight the dedication, commitment and devotion staff dis play in every day improving the well being of the residents!

I can always be contacted at editor@thecareruk com

Care Sector Fur y at Matt Hancock’s

Covid in Care Homes “Blame Game”

“The tragic but honest truth is we don’t have enough testing capacity to check anyway he wrote It s an utter nightmare but it s the reality “Under the circumstances, we must make sure that anyone going from a hospital into a care home is kept away from other residents I hope this message filters through and is followed ”

In May 2021 he wrote The vast majority of infections were brought in from the wider community mainly by staff ” quoting data from the UK Health Security Agency which found that 1 2% of care home cases between January and October 2020 were associated with hospital dis charges

He also wrote: The main takeaway is that the virus is primarily being brought in by staff, not by elderly people who’ve been discharged from hospital This explains a lot

According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS) between March 2020 and January 2022 there were 274 063 deaths of care home resi dents (wherever the death occurred) registered in England and Wales; of these, 45,632 involved COVID 19 accounting for 16 7% of all deaths of care home residents

Total deaths of care home residents in England increased by 16 5% between the first and second waves of the pandemic (85 305 and 99 380 deaths respectively) and decreased by 23 9% between the sec ond and third waves (75 664 deaths); the proportion of deaths involving COVID 19 was highest in the first wave (23 2%) and lowest in the third wave (3 6%)

REMARKS “DEFIED BELIEF”

However provider organisation The Independent Care Group (ICG) said the remarks defied belief

If this was the thinking at the time then those in Government have some very serious questions to answer to those who lost loved ones in care and nursing home and the staff who were fighting tooth and nail to protect their residents,” said ICG Chair Mike Padgham

When Covid 19 broke out the Government’s first reaction was that our homes didn’t need to so anything different They then starved us of proper PPE whilst they concentrated

resources on the NHS During this time people were being discharged from hospital into care and nursing homes without being tested and in my view bringing covid into those homes

“To suggest that the loss of life, heartache and serious illness caused by covid was in some way down to the homes and their staff is an out rageous slur on those amazing hard working and caring individuals who gave blood sweat and tears to keep people safe

If we assume that Mr Hancock s diary entry reflects the thinking of his department at the time then that poses some very serious ques tions about the Government s handling of Covid 19 in care settings

“It certainly makes a nonsense of his public comments about throw ing a protective ring around care homes during the pandemic “RIDICULOUS

AND UNACCEPTABLE”

Karolina Gerlich the chief executive of the Care Workers’ Charity described Hancock s comments as “outrageous, ridiculous and unaccept able

She said the spread of Covid in 2020 was due to the policy of discharging people from hospitals without knowing whether they had been infected a policy introduced by Hancock

“It was a horrific time There was late provision of PPE and then a total lack of guidance on how to use it At one point, we were so desperate that some staff were using bin bags as aprons and washing their hands until they were raw because of the government emphasis on handwashing Some staff even sourced PPE themselves just so they had some form of protection

Staff at care homes across the UK were making huge sacrifices including not seeing family and friends for weeks and working over time in order to protect care home residents

“We couldn’t say no to local authorities telling care providers they had to take people in so huge numbers of staff had to scramble to make do There were almost daily sometimes contradictory regula tions coming to us from Public Health England the Care Quality Commission Department of Health and Social Care and local authori ties ”

NO RESEMBLANCE TO FACTS

Nadra Ahmed the chair of the National Care Association which rep

resents small and medium care home providers, said the former Health Secretary s account bears no resem blance to the facts”, adding that his account of events are words which have been peddled by a man who “had no awareness of social care and its value then and this demonstrates he has learnt nothing since”

Those of us who lived through some of the most harrowing times in the history of social care can only see this as a deluded version He had no awareness of social care and its value then and this demonstrates he has learnt nothing since

“The sector was crying out for support which fell on deaf ears repeatedly We knew that testing and vaccinations were the key to containing the infection and both took their time to reach social care and the free PPE which was lauded as support some providers found to be faulty

At a time when he should be acknowledging the critical role of social care and its workforce he has chosen to condemn us once more to justify his own considerable failings and for his own financial benefit It feels like we lived in parallel universes

SEEMS TO BE A “PROJECTION OF BLAME”

Care provider Pearl Jackson, who runs multiple care homes across England said Our experience on the ground is very different she said "It was clear it (the COVID infection route) was from hospital and the pressure we were under at that time to take untested discharges was immense

I had senior members of staff within hospitals forcing me to take patients without tests And it seemed to me that the priority was to dis charge elderly without tests because they couldn't wait three or four days for a test to come back They wanted to clear hospital beds as quickly as possible

There seems to be a projection of blame on to care homes and that's not justified We had one person discharged from hospital Until that moment we were negative throughout Within a week 15 residents had COVID

"I was enraged watching the health secretary If he came clean and apologised we would support him We ve tried our best to recover But he still hides behind blame "

New BGS Report Highlights 10 Key Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic

The British Geriatrics Society (BGS) has published Lessons from the COVID 19 pandemic a report reflect ing on the experience of older people and the healthcare professionals supporting them during the pan demic

Further pandemics are predicted to arise in future and it is likely that those with long term conditions and frailty will be vulnerable again This report highlights both the positive and negative aspects of the handling of COVID 19 and draws out ten vital lessons for governments and healthcare organisations In early 2020 the World Health Organization Emergency Committee advised that it was still possible to contain the virus if countries put in place strong measures to detect it early isolate and treat cases trace contacts and promote social distancing i This warning was not heeded and the virus spread rapidly across the UK and most of the world, particularly affecting older people In the UK, more than 85% of the deaths from COVID occurred in the over 65 age group The report highlights how the pandemic exposed weaknesses in the UK healthcare system, from the fail ure to protect care home residents to the challenges of limiting hospital acquired infection Expert advice on the main group vulnerable to COVID 19 older people was not sought early enough in the pandemic Plans for rationing care and treating COVID exposed the limitations in evidence arising from older people not being included in clinical research trials There were also positive things to come out of the pandemic including more integrated working and speedy decision making within the NHS for the good of patients UK vaccine development demonstrated what properly funded and collaborative science can do while the quick rollout of the vaccine on the basis of need was highly effective This was particularly significant for care home residents who had been so neglected at earlier stages of the pandemic

Members of the BGS were at the forefront of the NHS response to COVID 19 caring for older COVID 19 patients both in hospitals and in the community Even taking into account their considerable training in end of life care BGS members experienced death on an unprecedented scale and the impact on their mental and emotional wellbeing was significant Lockdown had a major effect on older people’s wellbeing too with many reporting feelings of isolation and loneliness coupled with a decline in physical and mental health Care home residents were particularly affected by prolonged restrictions on family visiting This report high lights these psychological effects on both older people and those caring for them

As the COVID inquiry gets underway it will be important to acknowledge these important lessons in handling a public health emergency of this scale Dr Jennifer Burns President of the BGS commented: This report sets out key lessons from how the COVID 19 pandemic was handled with advice for what could be done differently in terms of older people’s healthcare should we find ourselves in a similar situation again We call on Governments and NHS decision makers across the UK to take heed of the lessons of the last two years, to ensure that avoidable harms are minimized in future pandemics

‘Tis The Season To Be Jolly At Glebefields Care Home

the Christmas spirit I really enjoyed meeting so many new people and wondering the various stalls with my family and grandchildren ”

Glebefields care home is run by Barchester Healthcare one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to deliv ering high quality care across its care homes and hospitals Glebefields provides residential and nursing care for older people on long term and respite care

Rotherham Care Home Launches Annual Appeal For Kids’ Christmas Charity

Residents of Moorgate Lodge care home in Rotherham are helping children in their community by launching a toy collection as part of the Cash for Kids Mission Christmas campaign

In what has become an annual event staff at the care home are asking friends and family to donate new toys at the collection point in the home’s reception, which the team will drop off in the week running up to Christmas Day

The toys will be delivered by the charity to children who may not receive gifts this year

Cash for Kids supports children and young people affected by poverty abuse neg lect, life limiting illness and those who have additional needs Mission Christmas encourages secret Santas to buy an additional new and unwrapped gift which will be distributed to those who may be going without this Christmas

Lisa Goodall home manager at Moorgate Lodge said: We re delighted to be doing the Mission Christmas appeal again this year Last year was a great success,

A Midlands care provider that specialises in providing support and care to people with learning disabilities and complex health needs

and we filled a huge box and two large bags with toys and games

This season there is a box in our reception Monday to Friday and we re encouraging visitors and staff, who want to participate, to buy an additional toy or game and to put it in the box to brighten the festive season of local underprivi leged children

The collection is open until the week before Christmas We d love to do as well as we did last year and put smiles on faces this Christmas ”

Irene Coggan 92 a resident at Moorgate Lodge said: “We love helping the local community and I m really glad that we re doing the toy appeal again this year Christmas is such a special time for children and it’s heart breaking to think some won t have anything to open I hope we get lots of lovely presents for them ”

technology to help reduce administrative time and costs The care provider which specialises in supporting people with autism down syndrome and other complex health needs partnered with Care Hires a staffing management provider to help it deliver elevated levels of care at a reduced cost

The move has seen the care group recently report annual savings of £10 000 a year on shift posting alone through the technology s time saving system, while also saving £11,000 on invoice processing Nizam Bata owner of iBC said: When we were feeling the squeeze as a result of the pandemic the decision to go out and utilise care technology proved to be a gamechanger with its implementation help ing us to continue delivering high quality care to those who use our services while enabling us to make big savings on our agency spend and admin burden We now have better visibility of our costs and are

able

Speaking of its partnership with iBC Healthcare Care Hires Director Suleman Sacranie said: We re incredibly proud that our success is something that benefits our clients and partners If we’re doing our job well then they are

sharing our ethos of staffing at a cost that works for the care provider the agency and the worker We’re excited to keep pushing forward and see what we can do not only over the next year but over the individual weeks and months too ”

Care Hires has one goal; to support the nation s care services through advanced technology and unpar alleled service Its AI powered system connects care providers to staffing agencies, providing care servic es with visibility and control of temporary staff usage as well as the fulfilment of vacant shifts at a price they control All the staff on its network are pre vetted for compliance criteria and can only be put forward for shifts for which they are fully qualified and available helping care providers access the temporary staff they need quickly

Government ‘Nowhere Close’ to Getting a Grip on the NHS Workforce Crisis, says BMA

Responding to the latest set of NHS vacancies data which shows that as of September 2022, 133,446 posts in secondary care in England are vacant Dr Latifa Patel BMA representative body chair said:

“The persistent quarterly increase in unfilled NHS secondary care posts which now stand at the highest number since June 2018 when the dataset began is a clear sign that the Government is nowhere close to getting a grip on the NHS workforce crisis

“When the NHS has been dealing with staffing shortages for as long as it has, there’s a danger that high vacancies come to be seen as inevitable and the norm They are not inevitable they mustn t be accepted and they pose serious risks to patient safety and staff wellbeing It s well within the Government s power to address them by paying staff fairly improving retention and investing in proper workforce planning

consequences of poor workforce planning Persistent staffing shortages have led to punishing workloads for staff and growing waiting lists for patients, many of whom are facing agonising waits to get the care they need The resulting rise in vacancies then force remaining doctors to stretch themselves even more thinly, further fuelling the cycle of burnout and poor retention

For years staff and patients have suffered the

The BMA has been at the forefront of campaigning for published workforce modelling so the Chancellor s recent announcement of a workforce plan to include independently verified modelling cover ing the next 15 years, is an encouraging step However, for the plan to be successful in its aims, pay, pen sions working conditions and other drivers of attrition cannot be ignored We will continue to see a haemorrhage of expert staff if no concrete action is taken to improve recruitment and retention

Christmas is Coming - Your Chance to Win a Luxur y Hamper

Yes, Christmas is coming and we here at THE CARER are offering care homes the opportunity to win a luxuRY SCoTTiSH HAmpER packed with festive good ies!

Remember afternoon tea week? We do! That won derful and quintessentially British tradition so loved in care homes This year we put up an Afternoon Tea Week” prize inviting care homes to share the celebra tions for afternoon tea week with us

We were overwhelmed with the response we received we are delighted to say care homes all over the country sharing their activities menus stories and celebrations which filled 5 pages in our digital issue at www thecareruk com/carerdigital114

With the lucky winner being Hutton view care home in Brentwood

So we are launching our Christmas competition and once again a delightful luxury Scottish festive hamper is waiting to be delivered to a care home who “pushes out the boat” to celebrate Christmas

All you have to do is briefly tell us what you did at your home to celebrate Christmas, menus and decora tions details of any festive events you held Christmas fundraising activities or details of the homemade tradi tional tasty delights you create with a couple of photo graphs and perhaps quotes from residents and we will pick a winner!

That s it! We will be picking a winner on Friday December 30, and hopefully will be dispatching a lux ury hamper to a lucky winner the very same day! Simply email your entry to nominate@thecareruk com

Six Plus Benefits to Support and Reward Staff in the Care Sector

In this time of austerity many employers, including those in the care industry are struggling to attract and retain staff Against this backdrop many employers are looking at ways in which they can support and reward staff without creating either huge costs for themselves or large tax bills for their employees

There are many ways in which to help staff which add value and at the same time give the employer a competi tive advantage in the market Understanding what could be available as well as the possible tax consequences is a good starting point for employers

Regardless of the amounts involve employers should remember that d giving employees cash will always give rise to a PAYE and Class 1 NIC liability This means that for many employers they must be innovative in their thinking Against that backdrop we consider what the possibilities are and how this may have an impact for employees These are just some of the ideas that employers may wish to consider There are potentially more areas for consideration but currently these are amongst the most popular

1. FESTIVE AWARDS

Topical now festive awards can be provided tax free if they meet the criteria for the trivial benefits exemption To meet the criteria the award must:

• Not be performance related

Not be a contractual entitlement

Be non cash

Not exceed £50 in value (including VAT)

Multiple gifts may be provided tax free if each gift meets the criteria for the trivial exemption For exam ple a gift at Christmas Easter and summer

2 DISCOUNTS

You may be able to provide discounts to staff without there being a taxable benefit in kind The sorts of things covered by this would be corporate discounts at gyms, food providers and retailers If there is no cost to the employer of obtaining discounts for staff there is no taxable benefit in kind

3 WELFARE COUNSELLING

In certain circumstances welfare counselling provided by an employer for its employees is exempt from tax

The exemption is tightly drawn and not all types of welfare counselling should be exempted from tax Examples of exempt counselling include:

stress problems at work managing finances alcohol and other drug dependency career concerns

4

FREE STAFF MEALS OR DISCOUNTED MEALS ON SITE

For some employers it has become important to ensure that staff are getting at least one meal a day be that breakfast, lunch or dinner The provision of free meals to staff could be tax free if the following conditions are met: Meals are provided on site

• Free or discounted meals are available to all staff on that site

Meals are provided on a reasonable scale

If this is something you wish to consider it would be worth confirming that the way in which meals are provided meets the exemption criteria

5. INTEREST FREE LOANS

Employees may have short term money issues To avoid the need for employees to enter into pay day loans some employers are offering interest free short term loans Employers can make interest free loans of up to £10,000 without giving rise to a benefit in kind However, if any part of the loan is written off no matter how small a taxable benefit arises and Class 1 NIC is due The granting of loans does of course mean that there are additional cash flow issues depending on the amount of time over which an employee is allowed to pay back the outstanding balance so any desire to help employees in this way must be balanced against the cost and administration associated with the granting employee loans

6 SALARY SACRIFICE ARRANGEMENTS ELECTRIC VEHICLES ETC

Salary sacrifice arrangements can help make benefits more affordable for employees be that pension salary sacrifice cycle to work and electric vehicles Such benefits can be very attractive for staff and employers alike but caution must be taken with any salary sacrifice arrangements as the amount sacrificed must be deducted from salary when considering whether National Minimum Wage (“NMW”) has been paid This is likely to mean salary sacrifice arrangements are not appropriate for many care home workers They may however be attractive for home manages or head office staff although it remains vital that employers continually assess salary including deductions salary sacrifice etc to ensure that they are paying at least NMW to their employees

As described there may be opportunities for you to offer additional benefits to support and reward your employees but caution must be exercised if these benefits are to be provided tax free

Boutique Care Homes Christmas Card Competition Winners Announced

The

This years competition featured a different

design from each of the three homes, The Burlington, Brampton Manor and Chartwell House

From The Burlington resident D Webber created a warm and moving scene that conveyed a message that Christmas is about feeling at home and celebrating at home Set to a beautiful win ter scene the card exudes the spirit of Christmas that left the judges suitably impressed

At

House,

Brampton

Head

The ‘African and Caribbean Dementia Toolkit’

as

Everyone living with cognitive decline is an encyclopaedia of knowledge but if we know very little about what's in their encyclopaedia, how can we possibly say that we are truly caring for them? asks Carl Case Operations Director of Cultural Appropriate Resources This was the thought along with his passion for elevating dementia care for Elders in his community that led to the creation of the multi sensory African and Caribbean Dementia Toolkit’

The Toolkit is comprised of a series of reminiscence exercises based on Elders early African and Caribbean childhood and adolescence experiences vintage physical objects aromatherapy and a large collection of heritage videos

Through the sharing and recording of individual s life stories it is designed to max imise the quality of life for people living with cognitive decline for as long as possible, simultaneously improving the competence and confidence of their care partners

Carl warns that, ‘African and Caribbean communities in the UK, are on the verge of a gargantuan dementia epidemic with far too few colleagues aware of the full extent of the oncoming rampage As it is projected that by 2051 the number of people living with dementia in these and including South Asian communities will increase by eight fold while the number of people from all backgrounds will increase only by twofold Our goal, Carl says, ‘is to empower healthcare partners with a user friendly, cultur ally appropriate person centred set of resources which enhances our Elders self esteem and identity, enabling meaningful two way engagements, maintains connections all combining in having a positive impact on African and Caribbean ‘Elders’ neuro cognitive decline’

One of the rewarding things for care partners is being able to share old rural photographs and vintage physical objects with Elders and comfortably being able to ask specific trigger questions and seeing the joy

Elders are

able

their ability of being able to do for and give back to others, rather than being on the receiving end of care, frequent ly being told what to do often being overlooked unheard marginalised and made to feel invisible by professionals and at times their care partners them selves

For Care Providers these culturally appropriate resources provides a Win/Win situation as they;

Improve the overall health and quality of life for African and Caribbean Elders living with cognitive decline

Develop the skills set of their caring staff along with job satisfaction levels

Build a more culturally inclusive care environment

With the projected oncoming ‘dementia rampage’ disproportionately impact ing these communities these three factors will be key to the decision making process, for both Elders and their families in ensuring peace of mind, that they will receive culturally competent care where they or their loved one chose to live despite of their cognitive ability

https://web sheffieldlive org/toolkit launched to support african caribbean dementia sufferers/ https://www facebook com/SheffCityCouncil/videos/522123192676805 https://culturalappropriateresources com/

NHS

Pressure Health Ser vice Leaders Warn

NHS mental health services are being left to fail with patients and service users routinely struggling to access both urgent and routine care, mental health leaders are warning

They say that a dearth of investment and a lack of government focus on mental health provision means that staff and services are stretched to capacity with many now under crippling and unsustainable pressure

The government is being warned that mental health services cannot respond to this challenge on their own and that ministers must urgently outline a new vision for the future of mental health care

This should centre on the publication of a long overdue 10 year cross government plan for mental health, which has been kicked into the long grass and is leaving mental health services exposed

The key elements of a new vision for mental health are laid out in a new report from the NHS Confederation and Centre for Mental Health

The report calls for action across funding workforce and delivering services in new and innovative ways including offering more open access services to the public all of which would help to provide faster access to care Without this action mental health leaders say their services will continue to deteriorate

Recent figures show a 16 per cent increase in people using NHS mental health services, and with a 30 per cent rise in use in under 18s

This alarming rise in demand is having a knock on effect across the rest of the NHS as evidenced in recent reports suggesting that almost four times as many people are waiting more than 12 hours in A&E before they can access mental health care compared to two years ago and more than 16 000 adults and 20 000 children who should be in receipt of community NHS mental health services not able to access the help they need every month

While mental health services have previously benefitted from additional funding which has helped enable innovation and progress against the NHS Long Term Plan this was set before the onset of the pandemic

Leaders are concerned that their services, staff and patients are now being side lined at the time when demand is at an all time high and when they are facing such huge and unsustainable pressure they are very close to breaking point

Commenting on the precarity of mental health provision across the country Matthew Taylor chief execu tive of the NHS Confederation said

“Mental health leaders are now very concerned of the real and present danger that the services they run are under unsustainable pressure With demand for mental health support outstripping supply and rising at a rapid rate, the government simply must do more

Estimates from Centre for Mental Health suggest that 10 million people will need extra help for their mental health as a direct result of the pandemic, and 1 5 million of those will be children With many people only now coming forward for help the explosion in demand set against current levels of investment and workforce capacity means the provision of adequate care is becoming quickly unsustainable

“This is not something that might happen in some far off dystopian future it is something that is already happening on our watch

“The pressure on mental health provision is also creating a domino effect on the wider NHS and, coupled with the impact the rising cost of living is likely to have on people s mental health services are getting clos er than ever to breaking point

Mental health leaders are calling on the government to urgently help alleviate the skyrocketing pressure and to bring forward a comprehensive 10 year plan as soon as possible

“They also want to see the comprehensive NHS workforce plan teased in the Chancellor’s autumn state ment include provision for a fully costed mental health workforce for the immediate medium and long term

Mental health leaders and their teams are pulling out all the stops in what are very constrained circum

stances but they cannot be expected to solve this crisis alone a mental health crisis is a crisis for the whole healthcare system and the country ”

This urgent call for a shift in the direction of travel comes as the NHS Confederation publishes a new report in partnership with the Centre for Mental Health setting out a vision for the shape of mental health autism and learning disability services in ten years’ time

Ifti Majid chair of the NHS Confederation s Mental Health Network and chief executive of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, added:

There is no hiding from the fact that demand for mental health services is rising very rapidly and we are seeing a clear impact not just on mental health organisations and their staff but across the NHS and care system as a whole

“We are now in the midst of a national crisis and to address this adequately we need to see a renewed focus from government accompanied by further investment NHS mental health organisations cannot be left to tackle this alone

Andy Bell, deputy chief executive of Centre for Mental Health and co author of the report, said: NHS mental health autism and learning disability services need to change We have produced a ten point vision of how they should look different in ten years’ time We know this vision can become a reality, because every element of it is already happening somewhere in the country

“But to make it a reality for everyone we need sustained and sufficient investment and a genuine com mitment to radical reform of what services offer and how they work ”

Care Home Sector Remains Resilient Despite

Forthcoming Inflationar y Headwinds

UK care home opera tors have seen a five per cent rise in occupancy levels and an increase in profitability as the sector recovers from the pan demic and demand for beds remains strong according to leading glob al property adviser Knight Frank s 2022 UK Care Homes Trading Performance Review

The report, which collates data from across the UK care home sector and surveys operators on their individual performance represents approximately 79% of the corporate market totalling over 100 000 beds across 781 towns and cities

It has indicated that occupancy within the UK care home market is improving towards a normalised state with some homes already trad ing at pre pandemic levels and occupancy rates across the UK up to 84 3% in comparison to last year’s 79 4% This is in addition to operators seeing increased demand for beds and average weekly fees increasing by 3 3% year on year to £980 per week

Sector wide EBITDARM[1] as a percentage of income has modestly

increased from 26 2% to 26 3% demonstrating the sector’s strong underlying fundamentals and resilience However the 2022 Care Homes Trading Performance Review also highlighted the significance of government and regulatory support in both the long and short term support of the sector

Whilst the sector has shown resilience with fee increases despite unprecedented circumstances amid a cost of living crisis the next question is to what extent the fee increases can continue to grow to absorb inflationary pressures particularly given there will be increased scrutiny on energy price rises labour costs and legislation

This comes as property costs and food costs have experienced cumulative rises of 40% and 15% respectively whilst according to the sample the average costs of utilities at a UK care home are around £58 000 annually Knight Frank therefore expects that more and more emphasis will be placed on how government intervention will be able to limit cost growth in this area

Knight Frank s research also highlights vast disparities between the profitability relative to care standards and size Homes with an ‘inade quate CQC rating traded at a margin of 22% in comparison to homes with an ‘outstanding’ rating which traded at a 34% margin In addition the most profitable size range is homes between the size of 60 to 100 which trade at approximately 29%

Julian Evans Head of Healthcare at Knight Frank said: Despite fur ther economic turbulence, we’ve seen further evidence of the

resilience of the sector as proved by rising occupancy rates and stabil ising profit margins However it would be remiss not to acknowledge the potential headwinds due to inflationary pressures with rising ener gy costs the cost of living crisis and staffing shortages and what extent average weekly fees can increase in line with these costs to ensure that the sector is best positioned to absorb these

There is no doubt that support from the government local authori ties and regulators is crucial in these challenging times and whilst we do remain optimistic on its outlook, the sector will be leaning on a combination of its operators investors developers lenders and local government to maintain its resilience through the next 12 24 months

Current projections indicate that the growth in the UK’s elderly pop ulation will potentially lead to a near doubling of demand for care beds by 2050 increasing by 350 000 beds against current levels of demand Care home closures and this growing elderly population mean that supply is failing to keep pace with demand despite a healthy new development pipeline The UK elderly care market is at risk of reaching capacity by the end of the decade heightening the need for new homes to be built and for existing homes to be futureproofed and modernised

[1] 1 Earnings before interest taxes deprec ation amort zation rent and management fees

Speedwell Court Residents Strut Their Stuff For Charity Fashion Show

together

Speedwell Court partnered with fellow charity the Murray Parish Trust (MPT) for the event The Trust raises money across the South of England to help ensure that children with major trauma can receive the best emergency care as close to home as possible

The Fashion Fundraiser is the second such event that Speedwell Court has hosted Originally intended as an annual show, the first was held in 2019, but COVID 19 restrictions have prevented it from being held in the last two years Abbeyfield Customer Relations Manager, Deborah Holmes, said, “It is wonder ful to be able to host a fashion show here at Speedwell Court once again which we hope will become a more regular tradition and one of various community events we will be hosting over the next 12 months We’re also proud to partner with the Murray Parish Trust and are grateful to our sponsors for enabling us to hold such a fabulous event

We ve been looking forward to the show for ages especially after having to cancel the last two years The evening was a tremendous success and a truly memorable experience for our residents especially Barbara who had a fashion makeover and joined the professionals on the runway ”

Barbara added It was a real surprise to be invited to have a makeover I was made to feel very special and I m so glad to have been involved

The Fashion Fundraiser is the second time this year that Speedwell Court and the MPT have worked

Sarah said, “After partnering so successfully with Abbeyfield during the Hares of Hampshire project we were absolutely delighted to have been chosen as their charity for the Devernois Fashion Fundraiser It was truly a fabulous night ”

The event which began with a prosecco and canapés reception was sponsored by French fashion label Devernois whose boutique in Southampton is one of just two in the UK selling their exclusive brand Speedwell Court residents joined pro fessional models on the catwalk to exhibit the latest pieces from the AW22 ranges from outdoor wear to evening dress Devernois also donated a £100 gift voucher and a silk scarf for the raffle

Guests were further entertained by a special live sponsored challenge during the show run by local business Always Glamorous by Susan with donations going to the two charities Sue has been hairdressing for 30 years and when she told a cou ple of her clients at Speedwell Court that she could do their hair blindfolded, they called her bluff! Sue was been challenged to put her boast to the test with resi dent Joan as her model

Barbara s daughter Diane who watched her mother on the runway commented “It was so lovely to see mum up there enjoying the moment She remembered Sharon [the Devernois owner] from the visits we used to make to the Devernois

it was nice for her to see a familiar face for her makeover and recall all the love

Lakeland Dairies and NAPA Launch Sur vey to Help Develop Food-Based Activities in Care Homes

Lakeland Dairies has teamed up with NAPA the UK s leading charity pro moting well being in care services In partnership the two organisations are inviting anyone involved in preparing food or providing activities in care homes to take part in a short survey The aim is to learn more about how catering teams and activity teams can work together, and then use these find ings to help create fun fulfilling food based activities for care home residents

As part of this, Lakeland Dairies and NAPA will develop useful materials for catering and activity teams to use when combining their skills The ultimate goal is to enhance the everyday wellbeing of people living in care homes and the survey will be crucial in helping improve understanding of what really makes a difference when providing food based activities

The questions for catering staff and activity providers will cover their expe riences of and views on working together to provide enjoyable activities involving food It’s easy to join in the survey online, and it will take no more than 15 minutes to complete Participants take part anonymously and all the information they supply

Jean Cattanach marketing controller Lakeland Dairies

Lakeland Dairies creates professional dairy products for chefs which have been carefully crafted and treated to have great taste and to provide a longer life for added convenience in busy kitchens With a proud heritage in dairy farming, Lakeland Dairies is a 100% farmer owned and managed dairy co operative whose products are made from high quality milk from the lush green pastures of its 3,200 family farms

Alzheimer’s Society Comment on ‘Breakthrough’ Alzheimer’s Drug

"Last week's exciting results offer our best hope yet for not only delaying symptom progression for peo ple with early stage Alzheimer s but significantly slowing the loss of quality of life for them and their carers

‘They highlight more than ever the need to prioritise early diagnosis through wider access to PET brain scans and research to get blood tests into the clinic so people can access these drugs when they become available

‘New early modelling data from this trial suggests the drug could delay decline of memory and thinking skills of people with mild Alzheimer s by over 7 months

‘We also heard new data shows lecanemab could slow down decline in quality of life for patients and car ers by up to 56% This is hugely promising and gives us hope that those affected by Alzheimer s disease could have more quality time as a family

Our research led by Sir John Hardy over thirty years ago seeded trials like this by discovering the impor tance of amyloid protein in Alzheimer’s disease It laid the foundations for billions of pounds of investment into many of the drugs like lecanemab with 117 other drugs currently in trials

‘This isn’t the end of the journey for lecanemab it’s being explored in further trials to see how well it works over a longer period of time and the difference it could to make to people before their symptoms have even developed

‘The safety of drugs is crucial and lecanemab did have side effects but they will be closely looked at when decisions are made about whether or not to approve lecanemab, to see if the benefits outweigh the risks

There is still a long way to go before we could see lecanemab available on the NHS and we await clarity for how and when the approval process will take place in the UK, and whether regulators believe it is cost effective We mustn t forget that lecanemab can only be given to people with early Alzheimer’s disease who have amyloid in their brain This means people with other types of dementia or in the later stages of Alzheimer’s disease, can’t benefit from this drug

‘We were excited to see a recommitment to the National Dementia Mission on Monday This crucial dou bling of dementia research funding must be delivered urgently With 900 000 people living with dementia in the UK this crucial investment must boost research for all types of dementia so no one is forgotten ’

Westgate House Supports Local Church Christmas Appeal

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In

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Case for Social Care Tax says Wales First Minister

Wales first Minister Mark Drakeford has said that an income tax rise to pay for free social care in Wales needs to be re examined, and that tax and public spending changes at a Westminster level “strengthened” the case for re considering a specific social care tax Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price said introducing a tax was an option to provide long term sustainable funding for adult social care social care

As part of a Labour Plaid Cymru Senedd deal both parties seek to provide a free National Care Service and aims to provide an implementation proposal for a free social service by the end of 2023 A joint effort between Plaid Cymru and Labour could see the creation of a free social care system in Wales by as early as late 2023

At a news conference at the Senedd in Cardiff Bay, Mr Drakeford also said he believes the case “has

strengthened for us going back” to look at options for a social care levy “to see whether it offers us an alter native way of resolving some of these dilemmas in Wales”

Speaking at the news conference Plaid Cymru s leader Mr Price said: “We’ve basically had Westminster for more than a decade continually moving in circles U turn after U turn no progress

What I think we have to conclude is if we wait for Westminster to come up with a sustainable solution to their social care challenges then we will be waiting possibly forever ”

Mr Price added: I do think we need to revisit some of the ideas which were proposed earlier stages by Professor Holtham to see if that is the way forward on a sustainable basis for the kind of National Care Service that we want to create ”

Solve Social Care to Fix the NHS, says Boss of UK’s Leading Care Home Group

If we want to solve the prob lems plaguing our NHS we need to fix the crisis in social care So says the boss of one the UK s largest care home providers With almost 7 1 million people waiting for treatment on the NHS* record demand for health care services and unprecedented pressure on the social care sys tem James Tugendhat chief executive of HC One which owns around 300 care homes tells the Voices of Care Podcast: Put really simply we re not going to fix the backlog in the NHS and manage the waiting lists if we're not able to ensure that we have the right discharges into social care And so if we can t have enough peo ple in social care we're not going to solve health care either ”

Later in the podcast Mr Tugendhat argues that the distinctions between health and social care have largely been arbitrary going all the way back to the creation of the NHS in 1947 adding: “So much of social care now involves supporting really complex needs, including frailty and dementia These are clinical conditions There isn t a real division between health and social care It s just one continuum

On the issue of recruitment, and the challenges for the sector on account of high vacancy rates Mr Tugendhat speaks of a crisis that the sector will have to contend with for many years ahead driven by long term trends towards ever more complex care:

“There's no doubt that this is one of the toughest markets and one of the toughest set of circumstances anyone has in their living memo ry

“So we’ve this really difficult combination of people now needing care after the disruption of COVID and so really strong demand for what we do and yet really few people to come and support us in giv ing that care ”

Elsewhere on the Newcross Healthcare Voices of Care podcast Mr Tugendhat shares his thoughts on wellbeing burnout within the work force international recruitment the impact of the cost of living crisis on care workers and the importance of delivering person centered care

Separately recent research conducted by YouGov for Newcross Healthcare, a leading provider of carers and nurses, found that 67% of those considering entering social care didn t know how to navigate their way into the sector while 38% of those working in the sector said their mental health has worsened over the last 12 months

Hosted by healthcare expert Suhail Mirza the podcast episode fea turing James Tugendhat is available now alongside previous episodes in the series on Newcross Healthcare website https://www newcrosshealthcare com/voicesofcare as well as onYouTube Spotify Apple and a range of other podcast platforms

You can see the full episode here: https://youtu be/rvfRDhz6kZc

Annual Learning Disability and Autism

Leaders’ List Winners Announced

This year’s winners celebrated at a virtual launch event hosted by BBC Radio 2 s Ken Bruce

Dimensions the UK’s largest not for profit that supports people with learning disabilities and autism has announced the winners of its Annual Learning Disability and Autism Leaders List Run in conjunction with Learning Disability England and VODG, it celebrates the extraordinary sto ries and achievements of individuals across the UK

The Leaders’ List gives people with learning disabilities and autism an opportunity to be recognised celebrated and represented in the main stream media Dimensions’ research has revealed that 75% of respondents feel that it is easy for people in the wider community to forget about peo ple with learning disabilities and autism Therefore providing individuals with a platform to share their stories on the national stage remains vital to increasing representation

Highlighting the stories and achievements of people with learning dis abilities and autism will not only serve to overcome harmful stereotypes but will inspire others in the community to achieve things they perhaps did not think would be possible for them Considering over 96% of respon dents Dimensions research felt that they have something to learn from people with learning disabilities and autism showcasing their talents successes and achievements will ben efit people from all walks of life

The 2022 Leaders were announced across four categories: arts and entertainment; local communities; work and education; and advocacy policy and media Recognising leaders across a broad spectrum of fields showcases the breadth of talents that people with learning disabilities and / or autism have Some examples of the 2022 winners include:

• Leanne Yeo a two time medallist at the Special Olympic games who has also singlehandedly raised over £4 500 for charity this year

•

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Thomas & Friends, and has overcome many anxieties that came with this amazing opportunity

Lewis Barlow a leader of a gardening project in Warrington that encourages friendships and confidence amongst people with learning dis abilities and autism

• Nigel Hollins founder of the charity Beyond Words that seeks to help disabled people experience stories by creating word free books and set ting up book clubs across the country

The Stop People Dying Too Young Group a group that is challenging the unequal treatment of patients with autism and / or learning disabilities throughout the pandemic

The celebration will be hosted by BBC Radio 2 s Ken Bruce and featured presentations for each category alongside a keynote speech from Leader and author Richard Keagan Bull and a closing speech from Dimensions CEO Rachael Dodgson

Rachael Dodgson CEO at Dimensions said: Dimensions is proud to present this award to all of this years Leaders’ The Leaders List is a reminder of the personal strengths and contributions that people with learning disabilities and autistic people make to the local community I am deeply inspired by all of their achievements and hope you will join me in celebrating them”

The Voluntary Organisations Disability Group said: We are proud to support the Leaders List 2022 Celebrating the work and contributions of people with a learning disability and autistic people is so impor tant we are looking forward to celebrating the 2022 winners Thank you to our partners who have made this fantastic event happen, and an even bigger thank you to all of those who have entered this year ”

Ken Bruce BBC Radio 2 DJ and Leaders List award ceremony host said: I have had the privilege of host ing the Leaders’ List Awards Ceremony for several years yet the achievements of the Leaders never cease to amaze me! I have been inspired by all the stories and am very proud to be part of an event that rightfully celebrates these achievements A huge congratulations to all the winners

Crosby Care Home Manager Retires After Dedicating 26 years to Her Beloved Care Home

Long serving local care home manager, Linda Johnson, has bid farewell to residents at her care home in Crosby Liverpool after 26 years of serving older people in the community

During her time at RMBI Care Co The Tithebarn Linda has delighted the residents celebrating milestone birthdays and fulfilling their dreams In 2019 she supported 104 year old Liverpool super fan Bernard Sheridan s dream to watch a football match at Anfield and to meet Liverpool FC manager Jurgen Klopp

Recently she received a British Citizen Corporate Award (BCA) in recognition of her leadership during the Covid 19 pandemic

Residents were full of well wishes and enjoyed sharing the celebra tion day with her Business Relationship Manager Sarah Gilligan said: “Linda’s dedication and spirit has been exceptional She will be dearly missed

Linda first started as a Care Assistant in a nursing home in York in 1974 and trained as a Registered Nurse specialising in paediatrics in York and Stockport Due to her former husband s commitment in the

The Excelcare and Guildmore Awards returned this year to bring people together and celebrate the achievements of team members across the family For the first time ever this year s event received a festive makeover as Braxted Park Estate was transformed into a winter wonderland

This annual event had been put on hold for the last two years due to the coronavirus pandemic but with restrictions eased and team mem bers able to socialise again Excelcare and Guildmore were able to join together once more to host this spectacular event!

On Friday 25th November team members from across the family arrived at Braxted Park in Essex to find it adorned with frosty decora tions and a magical walkway to the winter themed gardens

Each person was welcomed with a smile from themed characters and greeted by the Ertosun family; Ozzie his two children Sami and Leyla and his brother Engin who posed with the team for photos As guests made their way around the winter garden they helped them selves to canopies and cocktails all of which had a festive twist Excelcare’s Got Talent was the first order of service, where one tal ented act from each region was invited on stage to perform There were a variety of acts, from acrobatic dances to some wonderful vocal performances It was truly remarkable seeing talented people from across the group

The awards ceremony was a chance to bring team members togeth er and thank them for the dedication and commitment they show to Mr Bailey and his friends Celebrating the achievements of team members across the family was the main purpose of the day so making sure everyone felt valued and thanked for their efforts was a main focus

The awards started with a speech and touching video from Sam

Army, Linda spent time in Germany and had a career break for seven years to raise her two children She worked as a Practice Nurse in the Army medical centre

On returning to the UK Linda worked in hospitals in Wiltshire and Southport and completed her conversion course at Aintree University Hospital in Fazakerley to become a Registered General Nurse

Linda started working at The Tithebarn as a Nurse in 1996 while con tinuing to work at the hospital Over the years, she has been promoted to Head of Nursing Deputy Manager Acting Home Manager in 2003 and then Home Manager in 2004

Commenting on her time at The Tithebarn Linda said: Working for RMBI Care Co who are committed to supporting and developing their staff and providing high standards of care to our residents has been a privilege

“I will take with me wonderful memories of the residents and committed staff members that I have met over the years and look back at my time at The Tithebarn with great fondness

they knew had truly gone above and beyond to show ongoing commit ment and dedication to the Excelcare family This was won by Project Lead Simona Petrehus for always stepping up and helping out when ever she has been called upon

At this moment it was time to vote for the Winner of Excelcare s Got Talent which was decided by the loudest cheer when an acts name was called out It was a very close call but Essex’s very own Faith Jones was declared the winner and welcomed on stage to receive her award!

With the awards ceremony and entertaining acts now over it was time for people to head to out to a Winter Wonderland themed Bavarian village which had been kept hidden for the duration of the day People were amazed to see all the fairground rides, food trucks, the live band and other exciting venues to visit such as The Orangery which hosted a cinema room with a hot chocolate table tarot readers and face painters and the Breakfast Room which was showing the England VS USA World Cup match It was a truly spectacular evening which ended with music and drinks inside The Pavilion, which had been transformed into a winter wonderland style club!

It was a truly magical day filled with sparkle and celebrations, which was reflected by Sam in an email after the event she wrote Yesterday truly reflected how supercalifragilistic everyone is and how committed and dedicated you all are so thank you and we look forward to many more celebrations with you all OUR Excelcare and Guildmore family

This was a particularly special time of celebration for everyone in the Excelcare family, as the awards ended with an extra special award the Mr Bailey Award; a surprise award picked by Ozzie & Sam for someone

Excelcare and Guildmore would also like to thank the kind event sponsors VM Elevators Beaucare Furncare and Franklins Trainers alongside our wonderful event partner Cupid Creative for making the whole day so spectacular

1 in 3 Care Homes in Scotland Face Closure says Sector Leader

He said the collapse of care homes would damage the quality of life of elderly residents and added: We cannot allow, in the midst of the current crisis, the quality, care and provision of older people to be sacri ficed simply because people are not attending to the real issues that are facing the sector

Mr Macaskill also questioned the plan to create a national care service while the system is under such pressure He said: “We need to look at the now and we need to attend to the crisis of the moment rather than dreaming of the future which we all want to achieve and we want reform but we need to get to that stage otherwise there is nothing to reform

“I think we need to get our priorities right and the national care service is a priority but it’s not the imme diate one and I think we need to talk seriously about focusing our efforts on the now Depute SNP leader and Justice Secretary Keith Brown described the situation in Scotland as “serious” He said: “It s a serious situation and I think that’s been acknowledged by the health secretary The priority now is to try and get a pay deal over the line to make sure we can keep people at work “The structure of the situation in the UK whereby the health consequentials very much relate to what the UK government’s priority are mean that I think for years now we failed to match other European countries ”

Cygnet Health Care Launches New Carer’s Passport

Cygnet Health Care has launched a new carers pass port to improve the experience for car ers looking after adults with mental health and learning disabilities

The carers pass port, a record which identifies a person as a carer and sets out an offer of support will help to improve and embed identification, recognition and support for car ers

the support they provide We put service users at the heart of what we do but we also understand this can be a stressful time for families and carers in particular

“We want to work in partnership with carers and we want to make carers visible across our services Carers are essential partners in the care of the people they support, so across Cygnet we wish to involve them and support them wherever possible That is why we are very excited to be launching Cygnet’s first ever Carers Passport ”

The family and friend Carer Passport will not only help individuals identify themselves as a carer it will allow Cygnet Health Care staff to immediately recognise a carer The card is a credit card size and can be carried in your purse wallet or bag

charge of the patient or service user Carers should be involved with staff to devise care plans for their loved one and across the board staff are making a commitment to share information with carers in a timely manner That is why it is so important we are introducing a way for carers to readily identify themselves to staff

Cygnet also recently launched its Carers Network, a new initiative aimed at offering an increased level of support to carers involved with Cygnet’s national services

Through the network carers will be able to access practical support and advice from Cygnet professionals on the management and sup port of people with a learning disability and behaviour that challenges, as well as on managing their own health and wellbeing Carers will also be able to help shape the design and improvement of Cygnet services

at the company’s first Regional Carers Network

It was officially

held at Cygnet Churchill on Thursday 24 November

and featured presen tations from a range of expert speakers

The passport is part of a commitment made by Cygnet Health Care to involve carers in the Triangle of Care whereby carers service users and staff work collaboratively to promote recovery and wellbe ing Carers and the essential role they play will be identified at first contact with services or as soon as possible after and staff will be trained to engage with carers more effectively

David added: By introducing a Carers Passport we are better able to involve them in discussions about the care, treatment and dis

David added: “From a carers point of view it s important to have your voice heard particularly when it comes to improving and access ing services and in the long term we hope the network can also con tribute to the wider debate on the future of mental health care so that it effects real change for those carers looking after an adult with an enduring mental health condition or learning difficulty ”

The Care Cap Delay Shouldn’t Overshadow the Immediate Challenges to Social Care Ser vices

Over the past year local authorities (LAs) have been work ing hard with their supplier part ners to prepare for the October 2023 care cap deadline However after weeks of speculation the government’s autumn statement con firmed that it won t be introduced until 2025

While, understandably, this has been difficult for many citizen groups to accept for service providers the decision to relax the chal lenging timelines has provided some short term comfort The extra two years creates much needed breathing space and could give LAs the opportunity to plan in a more manageable way

However considering the longer term the delay has left some LAs in a precarious position There are feelings amongst certain councils that the level of resource committed to preparing for the reforms could have been prioritised differently And against the challenging economi cal backdrop, some LAs are reluctant to invest further While this is understandable it s important not to lose sight of the bigger picture Demand for adult social care is going to continue,

(www.theaccessgroup.com)

immediate pressures, the unprecedented workforce issues facing social care show no signs of abating

It means LAs will still need to manage citizens care provision with strapped resources As such it s important that the role technology can play in easing this burden is considered when investment decisions are being made Just a few examples of where digital can make real trac tion is by automating the needs and financial assessment processes, enabling online case management, brokerage of the appropriate serv ices for individuals and processing payments to care home and domi ciliary care providers

Laying the digital foundations now will enable councils to achieve efficiency benefits in the immediate term and bed in solutions that can be adapted for the reforms as and when they come into effect

It’s crucial that government also sets out a clear roadmap to October 2025 That way LAs can effectively build on their existing preparations have confidence in their delivery plan and use the time to best effect

And while the delay might not have been universally welcomed tak ing this approach makes it more achievable for LAs and hopefully eas ier for citizens to understand and accept

Local Care Home’s Charitable Foundation Donates To Local Partially Sighted Bowls Club

mats in action

Samantha Neal Customer Relations Manager said: “It was lovely to see the mats in play and how they help those who are blind or partially sighted Thank you to Mary and the groups for letting me have a go it was great fun We are delighted that the grant will make a big differ ence to the group I would highly recommend for people to join even if you are new to bowls like me They are a very friendly and welcoming group and will show you the ropes

Local

Nigel Brand, Chair at The White Hill Centre said “The Centre has been very fortunate to receive a grant for two brand new bowls mats Its means those who are partially sighted or blind can adapt their game and continue to play Thank you to Barchester s Charitable Foundation and Chorleywood Beaumont for the grant it will make such a differ ence!

Royal Star & Garter Residents and Staff Celebrate Christmas with Annual Ser vice

Royal Star & Garter residents past and present have been remembered during the charity’s annual Starlight service

The Christmas service was broadcast for residents and staff in Royal Star & Garter s Homes in Solihull Surbiton and High Wycombe on Sunday 4 December and is now also available online

The charity provides loving compassionate care to veterans and their partners living with disability or dementia

The service features residents remembering Christmases past piano playing by teenage Surbiton volunteer Jemima poetry recital from staff and a performance of O Holy Night by pupils at Pipers Corner School in High Wycombe

As is tradition with Starlight, viewers have the opportunity to hang a star on their Christmas trees in

tribute to a loved one Paper stars can be down loaded and printed off

The service also includes a poignant tribute to the charity s former Patron The late Queen Elizabeth II To watch the service or print off a Starlight star to hang on your tree, go to www starandgarter org/starlight

Care Providers Concerned Over Strike Action

Care providers are worried about the impact upcoming nurse and ambulance strikes will have on the care of older and vulnerable adults

The care provider organization, The Independent Care Group (ICG) says relevant health and ambulance trusts will need to have contin gencies in place to ensure continuity in care

ICG Chair Mike Padgham said: For the sake of the country our over all wish regardless of politics is that these disputes are resolved quickly as we place the welfare safety and wellbeing of our care and nursing home residents and our homecare clients first and foremost

“Looking dispassionately and objectively at the situation it is clear that the health service is suffering as we are within social care from a lack of sensible funding to properly recognize the contribution our teams make in maintaining the health of the nation “NHS staff worked side by side with social care staff during the pandem ic and deserve to be rewarded properly for the amazing work they do We have sympathy for health trusts who are up against financial difficulties and the Government has to face up to the fact that greater investment needs to be put into healthcare both NHS and social care to properly reward staff and to tackle staff shortages Setting aside the political arguments as social care providers we

have to deal with the practicalities and be aware that if a resident suf fers, say, a fall or another injury an ambulance might not be available And if we have residents who are having treatment of one sort or another at hospital, that the nurses’ strike might impact upon that We will hope that the health and ambulance trusts will make contingency plans to ensure a continuity of care and also make our own plans for whatever the situation is at the time ”

Matthew Taylor chief executive of the NHS Confederation said: The prospect of industrial action over Christmas is very concerning to health leaders Staffing urgent and critical care services will continue to be their number one priority and leaders will ensure their local com munities understand how their specific services will be affected as this may vary from region to region

“If ambulance staff 999 call handlers and nurses walk out on con secutive days over the festive period then undoubtedly this will affect patient care and ambulance response times despite everything the NHS is doing to prepare for these strikes Health leaders are also con cerned that the prospect of strike action may affect how people decide to engage with the NHS but the advice remains that if it is an emer gency it is vital they should still call 999

“While leaders are concerned about the impact of the strike days they understand how their staff are feeling NHS staff are running on empty and are exhausted after giving their all during the pandemic and have very little in the way of respite for several years now

It is time for the government and the trade unions to get round the table, begin negotiations as soon as possible, and be prepared to com promise

Care UK Celebrates 40th Anniversar y by Raising Over £43,000

From Edinburgh to Bournemouth Care UK care homes across the country have been celebrating the organisation s 40th anniver sary by raising funds for good causes

To celebrate forty years since the provider opened its first home Haven Lodge in September 1982 the Care UK family set a goal of raising £40 000 for charities across the UK in a campaign called ‘40 Days of Giving Back

Team members across the country organ ised daring challenges and fun events from abseiling down the O2 Stadium, community cake sales musical events and even a 400 mile cycle ride

to its garden for an evening of live

each

Elizabeth Lodge in Enfield raised more than £1 800 for St Clare Hospice in Harlow after team members grabbed the ropes to abseil down The O2 Stadium Staying firmly on the ground residents opted to grab a sponge and a bucket to take part in a community car wash Keen to pull their shell suits and shoulder pads out of their wardrobes residents and team members at Lonsdale Mews in Quorn, Leicestershire, and Lennox House in Islington, time travelled back to 1982 to throw eighties inspired parties where the local community enjoyed a live music with pop classics from the decade

Residents and team members at Armstrong House in Gateshead decided to step up to the challenge by walking 40 miles in 40 days and raised £325 for Big Local Gateshead Zimmer frames and wheelchairs

were no obstacle for the residents with some reaching as far as the historical landmark, the Dunston Staiths, and Newcastle s St James Park Stadium discovering all the local hot spots along the way

Joining the homes in their fundraising efforts was Care UK s head office team including CEO Andrew Knight who under took a 400 mile bike ride with fellow directors Tony Weedon and Jacqui White The route took a total of five days and saw the team cycle from the Care UK’s oldest home, Haven Lodge in Clacton on Sea to the newest Oxbow Manor which will open in Shrewsbury in January The team visited 17 other Care UK homes along the way receiving warm welcomes from colleagues and residents alike Inspired by the 400 mile cycle, residents, and team members at Silversprings walked a combined total of 40km just short of a marathon as well as holding a 40 day knit a thon to raise £180 for Brightlingsea Museum and Brightlingsea Lido

To mark the occasion the facilities team at Tippethill House Hospital in Armadale Scotland organised an amazing fun day for residents and relatives which included 60 raffle prizes home baking and tombola stalls along with live Facebook auction They raised a whopping £3,260 for local charity, The League of Friends

In the Midlands, residents at Sway Place, in Hampshire were joined by families and members of the Sway community for a day spent traveling through time back to the 1940s The home s Memories Matter fundraising event featured 1940’s classic cars a traditional sweet shop and live music from local singers Soda Pops who delighted guests with songs from throughout the decades The event raised £1 648 for Alzheimer s Research UK the leading dementia research organisation in the UK Commenting on the fundraising efforts, Andrew Knight, CEO of Care UK, said “We’re incredibly proud of all we have achieved at Care UK in the last 40 years all thanks to the caring hard working team members and the support of residents and their families I’m delighted with the fantastic amount we’ve raised for good causes across the country and am grateful to everyone who embraced this initiative with such enthusiasm We are all looking forward to seeing what the next 40 years will bring for Care UK "

Learning and Development Manager at South East Care Home

Championed as One of the Leading Women in Social Care

A South East care group is celebrating after one of its staff members was recognised with one of the highest accolades in the profession and championed as one of the social care sector s most influential indi viduals

Marisa Spice Learning & Development Manager at Nellsar a family run group of 13 care homes throughout Kent, Surrey and Essex, was crowned winner of the Talent Development Award category in this year’s Women Achieving Greatness in Social Care Awards (WAGS) an annual showpiece that highlights and celebrates incredible achieve ments of female leaders in all roles

Recognised for her unwavering commitment to resident and nursing practice Marisa received the highly sought after accolade during an awards ceremony at the Hilton Bankside London on Wednesday 30th November

The WAGS aim to highlight and celebrate the incredible achieve ments of female leaders from all corners of the sector, recognising accomplishments at all levels of leadership across the entirety of social care

As a recipient, Marisa now stands alongside a selection of remark able individuals helping to raise the profile of professional women leaders across the sector and serves as an embodiment of innova tion talent commitment and excellence throughout the industry and beyond

Having joined in 2013 Marisa has been an integral asset to the fami ly run operation at Nellsar helping the business go from strength to strength while implementing a care ethos built on compassion and empathy Her ongoing commitment to improving the interface between social care and other external professional bodies has been recognised as an industry example having introduced new skills for

carers and guidance on how to use nurse associate roles within social care

Speaking about her award, Marisa said: “I’m absolutely delighted to have received such incredible acknowledgement and to stand along side so many remarkable ladies who I consider to be the benchmark of excellence throughout our sector Having worked in care for many years I m humbled that my efforts have been recognised and this will only motivate me to continue doing a job I love doing each and every day I consider myself lucky to be surrounded by so many exceptional colleagues, who inspire me to implement a standard of care that improves the quality of life for everyone across the industry while cre ating a rich and diverse culture alongside people I consider to be not just friends but family too

Commenting on her acknowledgement Glenda Osmotherly Director

of Operations at Nellsar, said: “Marisa is a remarkable individual and we couldn t be more proud of her The dedication and commitment she continuously delivers to those around her is not just an example to everyone at Nellsar, but carers up and down the country, and we couldn t be more delighted to have Marisa representing the care cul ture we look to implement across the board at Nellsar ”

Having enjoyed a variety of roles with Nellsar over the last ten years from Registered Nurse to Registered Manager to Operations and Compliance Manager, Marisa now specialises in learning and develop ment of the care group s staff teams

Over the past few years, Marisa has been at the forefront of Nellsar’s care development scheme attending various conferences meetings and webinars regarding several areas of development Marisa has worked very closely with external professionals from various areas and has developed many of their attributes to bring knowledge into Nellsar’s workforce One such event that Marisa has and will continue to attend is the Social Care Nurse Supervision (Kent and Medway Nurse Clinical Supervision) group which is supported by KCC Skills for Care and a fellow Queen’s Nurse

Also representing Nellsar at the WAGS this year was Leni Wood Nutrition & Wellness Manager, who was shortlisted as a finalist in the Wellbeing at Work Award category for demonstrating her unwavering professionalism and specialism whilst dedicating a vast array of knowl edge to both staff and residents from a nutritional standpoint

When Leni joined Nellsar five years ago she cemented the company as one of the first UK providers to recognise the value of having a Nutritional Therapist onboard She has driven creativity and innovation in the nutrition arena imparting her wide ranging knowledge to both staff and residents alike

Research Looks at Making London Leisure Venues More Accessible for People With Dementia

New research released by the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC) looks at how the experiences of people with Dementia could be improved when using London arts sports health and wellbeing venues and services

The research looked at venues and services selected by people with Dementia including BikeWorks All Ability Cycling Club The London Eye River Cruise The Churchill Theatre and ZSL London Zoo and was funded by City Bridge Trust

People living with Dementia took part in research visits to the ven ues and services highlighting what works well and suggesting ways that people with Dementia might better access them

Ellen Fruijtier Senior Researcher at RiDC who leads on the project says:

“It’s vital that venues and services are accessible to all and with a growing number of people with additional access needs and Dementia, we wanted to explore what venues in London were impor tant for people living with Dementia and learn from their perspective about how access to these venues can be improved ”

As a result of the research RiDC has also developed tips and advice for people with Dementia and their carers wanting to make similar visits

A group visited BikeWorks All Ability Cycle Club in Wormwood Scrubs Park to investigate how cycling initiatives might be made more accessible for people with Dementia in order to contribute to their ability to be active and mobile within communities

Clare Morris from For Brian, an organisation that works closely with Bikeworks to ensure they are inclu sive for people living with dementia supported participants to take part She says

“These brilliant clubs are designed for people with learning, physical or sensory disabilities to enjoy cycling on different kinds of adapted cycles Participants found that they work well for people with dementia because they are drop in and they take place on the same day and time every week They provide a rare opportunity for increased independence mobility and help people access green space In west London there is a new Ride Side by Side cycle taxi It s exciting that a UK wide cycling club for people with dementia is beginning to take shape ”

When one of the participants arrived at the park in the cycle taxi she had been trying out she was glow ing, not only because of the attention she received on the adapted bike but also because she felt it was a real personal achievement

I had not been on the road since I had an accident years ago she said

She even had a chat with a lorry driver while they were waiting at a traffic light “I felt like the queen,” she says

The report recommends that the initiative is expanded to further enhance wellbeing relationships and quality of life for those with Dementia and their carers

The research also included the London Eye River Cruise which was visited by a group of people with Dementia from Ashford Place, a charity providing practical support to those with Dementia and their carers

Together the group looked at aspects of the experience including boarding the boat and the accessibility of the guide commentary as well as navigating the busy Southbank area of London where the attraction is located

Sally Long from Ashford Place, who supported a group on the trip, says:

“The visit was welcomed with much enthusiasm The group felt that the River Cruise worked well for people with Dementia and made recommendations to improve the experience even further as well as tips for people with dementia who want to make a similar visit For instance researchers noticed that inter active prompts like inviting those on board to wave at people on a bridge were a really nice way to get everyone to participate and enjoy the moment ”

One of the research participants said: It was really funny That made it for me listening to [the commen tator] The boat was lovely and clean, and nice and bright I loved it, loved it, all of it ”

Imran Tauqir General Manager at the lastminute com London Eye which runs the River Cruise said: “At The lastminute com London Eye we pride ourselves on being an inclusive attraction and for providing a memorable experience to all we welcome It s important to us to ensure the widest possible audience is able to enjoy a magical day out with us so we are committed to continually listening learning and adapting to the needs of our guests

We look forward to continuing to work with the RiDC along with other experts families and individuals to employ best practice in the way we accommodate guests with any disability and ensure we share our magic with everyone

Further information on the project, RiDC s tips, and the reports can be found here: www ridc org uk/news/research looks making london venues more accessible people dementia

Surrey-Based Care Provider Celebrates ‘Young Entrepreneur Of The Year’ In Its Ranks At Prestigious National Awards

business development and growth of all CHD Living s services from its care facilities to its rehabilitation centres and domiciliary care whilst completely rebranding the organisation

Shaleeza

The award recognised Shaleeza’s role in spearheading the charity ‘Adopt a Grandparent which launched during the pandemic to combat loneliness in elderly care home residents, while sharing their wealth of experience with a younger generation The charity has been incredibly successful and with almost 90 000 people signed up globally, it is now an independent charity Since joining the family business Shaleeza has also overseen the strategic

On the win Shaleeza said: It s such an honour to simply be nominated for an award and winning one is just incredible This award highlights the importance of giving back to older generations as well as the joy that we can all find in these interactions Adopt a Grandparent is a cause very close to my heart and I’m so proud of the work we do at CHD Living, delivering high standards of care and happiness to our residents

It was wonderful to celebrate alongside my family CHD Living col leagues and other members of the business community I truly love my job and the work we do so winning this award means a lot

Resident At Bognor Regis Home Has “Trip Down Memor y

Lane”

With Visit To Village Where She Lived With Husband

A resident at a Bognor Regis care home went on a “trip down memory lane” when she visited the village she lived in during her younger days

Joan Rollison lives at MHA Greenway and spent an afternoon in Emsworth the vil lage she and her husband lived in

Her Seize the Day initiative was to visit the Emsworth harbour which she did and then have some food at the Blue Bell Inn a pub where spent many evenings with her husband and indulged in some fish and chips

The Seize the Day initiative encourages residents to re experience activities or events from the past or to do something they would like to do for the first time Joanne Mitchell the activity coordinator accompanied her during the visit which began with Joan getting her hair done at the home

Speaking about the visit Joanne said: “Joan talks about the village of Bosham where she was born and Emsworth a lot

“When we asked her what she wanted to do for her Seize the Day initiative she was very excited and quick to say she wanted to go to Emsworth

“We had a lovely day, visiting some of the shops in the village was nice and we ended the day with a cup of tea and cake at a cafe

There was a flood warning and it was a very windy day so the tide had come in which meant we couldn't walk along the harbour

“We still managed to go down to the front of the harbour and just watched the water which was very relaxing I would like to thank our veteran volunteer Brian Vince who took us and then dropped us back off to the home

The visit was a real trip down memory lane for Joan who spent many years living in the village

Use of Hearing Aids Associated with a Decreased Risk of Developing Dementia

Researchers have published findings which suggest that the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants can reduce the risk of developing dementia by slowing down cognitive decline such as memory loss

The use of hearing aids and cochlear implants by people with hearing loss was found to reduce long term cognitive decline by 19% Furthermore the use of these devices led to a 3% improvement in cogni tive test scores, including an individual’s ability to problem solve

The results were published in JAMA Neurology using a meta analysis (a statistical analysis that combines the results of multiple scientific stud ies)

Dr Susan Mitchell, Head of Policy at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: There s increasingly clear evidence that people who lose their hearing as they get older are at increased risk of developing dementia This study

provides further compelling evidence of this link but unanswered ques tions remain

Dementia research has made great strides in recent months but there’s a long way to go and interventions that can reduce people s dementia risk must be a public health priority People must be able to access hearing tests if they are concerned about their hearing so suitable support, like hearing aids, can be offered at an early stage, and help maintain their brain health

“Going forward, researchers must unpick exactly how hearing loss influences the risk of developing dementia We also need to know who is most at risk and could benefit most from interventions like hearing aids Knowing this will help health services allocate resources and support those that need it

People with Learning Disabilities Star in Christmas Charity Single

Adults with learning disabilities autism and complex physical and mental health have recorded a festive music video and single to raise money for charity

Perfect Christmas’ is written and performed by colleagues at care group Home From Home Care and the individuals they support at care homes across Lincolnshire

Available on all popular streaming platforms and on YouTube all pro ceeds raise money for Say Hello a charity which organises inclusive and fun activities for adults with learning disabilities in the community Individuals from across Home from Home Care s 11 care homes and specialist integration facilities performed for the charity single and its music video singing and dancing alongside support workers and other colleagues

In keeping with the organisation’s aim of helping people live life to the fullest the single is a catchy song about coming together and spreading kindness this Christmas Band member and communications partner at Home From Home Care Sharna Mae Brown said We recorded the Christmas single last year as a tribute to key workers during Covid and this year we wanted to make it bigger and better by getting the individuals that we support across our 11 care homes more involved

“We invited the individuals to come and record a part for the Christmas single and they had a fantastic time It was so rewarding and fulfilling to see them singing along and having a bit of a boogie to the Christmas track and we can’t wait to share it with everyone ”

Founding director of Home From Home Care Hugo de Savary said: “At Home From Home Care, Christmas is a time of sharing joy with the individuals we support which you can see in the video and we wanted to release a Christmas single to get our individuals involved and raise some money for charity It s a great tune and every stream or download raises money for a charity doing important work to help adults with learning disabilities overcome loneliness in our communities ”

IT project partner at Home from Home Care David Taylor who per forms on the track said:

Everyone loved recording and producing this Christmas single and it s got us all feeling very festive This is all about celebrating individuals who have learning disabilities and other conditions so it was important to us that they were really involved with this song Plus it s a real Christmas cracker I honestly can’t get the tune out of my head ”

De-Institutionalising Dementia Care

dementia, using creativity and innovation at our daycare facility to stim ulate and care for those we support with compassion dignity and respect

By de institutionalising dementia care we are ensuring that people living with dementia can remain as independent as possible in their own homes keeping families together and communities intergenera tional while giving carers time to care for themselves maintain jobs and have essential respite even on weekends

There are massive issues around carers experiencing breakdowns and mental health issues have certainly increased However we offer a 24 hour advice line and we re open seven days a week from 6am to 6pm

In turn we want to provide a joyful work environment for the staff at Me2U Working on the front line of mental health nursing for more than twenty years I ve experienced environments where staff are burnt out turning on one another, retention is low, sickness is high, staff feel like a number not a person and they just don t feel valued

public such as nurses, doctors, lab workers, school teachers by way of caring for those who care for us

Our initiatives and practices have contributed to really good staff retention low sick rates and effective communication We ve created a personal culture that we’re proud of and we now feel that our values and foundations are strong and sound enough to expand to a second location in the north west so we’re currently fundraising to make this a reality to broaden accessibility to our flexible day support service and enhance the quality of life and well being of our clients

It will be a space to give more people the specialist care they need and promote participation from all aspects of community life by facili tating visits from young people, hosting social events, and spreading awareness of dementia its causes prevention and its challenges

Carers will be able to take advantage of holistic therapy sessions and carer support groups as well as receive expert advice on dementia care and diagnoses In addition, as a CQC registered facility, we will be able to provide domiciliary care to those above and below 65 years

Caring for a loved one can be a particularly challenging and stress ful experience, caregivers find themselves overwhelmed trying to keep up with their daily lives while caring for a loved one and respite for caregivers offers the chance to take a rest from caring for a loved one while they remain in a safe and supportive environment

“This break has many benefits for both the caregiver and the indi vidual in need of care

“We here at The Carer caught up with Rosie Whittington, (pictured above) founder and director at the me2u dementia daycare centre in Kirkby, liverpool (our editor’s home city) to get an insight of respite care for those living with dementia, and the value and support to caregivers Rosie explains:

At the Me2u Centre we strive to alleviate the pressures on carers by offering a joyful home from home for their loved ones living with

If care workers feel undervalued and underappreciated, then this is going to have a big impact on the care they give as the job itself can be both physically and emotionally draining So, if you’re not rewarded both financially and spiritually then it s going to cause low morale resentment and ultimately people are going to leave the industry

At the Me2u Centre we empower staff with the tools to be transpar ent speak their truth and to process things as a team with an open door policy it’s an intimate job which requires a personal culture

We provide mental health first aid training and the opportunity to train in yoga meditation reiki and mindfulness for our 35 strong team of volunteers apprentices university placements part time and full time staff members

Every four months one staff member and a plus one is awarded a free holiday, and one staff member gets a free place on a Me2U mind fulness retreat which offers a three day escape for members of the

Prevention is a massive part of what we do We have close links with primary schools and we re part of the health and social curriculum in local high schools to educate young people about healthy brains, lifestyle choices substance mis use and diet exposing them and car ers to an alternative and a better way of living to prevent the inevitable

We invite these young people into the Me2u Centre to be dementia buddies and to be part of our intergenerational choir To watch the exchange the energy the emotion between the older and younger generations who are both so innocent in different ways is magical and so beautiful

At the Me2U Centre we follow the Green Care Farm model prioritis ing exposure to the outdoors, fresh air, eating organic, healthy food and even encouraging people to grow their own produce

It’s ultimately about us being proactive as well as reactive and tar geting young people through education

Bushley Care Home Supports Seren’s Wish

Seren

In its first year Seren s Wish helped a total of 49 families Fast for ward four years and Seren’s target is now to try to help 250 families but the warehouse she had been using is no longer operating This is where James stepped in and offered Tewkesbury

as a location for Seren to use with help from an army of present wrapping residents who can t wait to get stuck in!

The team at Serens Wish have now officially finished for Christmas 2022 The final count was 203 sacks full of Christmas presents Covering an astounding 209 children and 85 families

James

commented: “We think Seren is an absolute superstar with a heart of gold, when we heard that she didn’t have space to take delivery or store her gifts we immediately knew we could help The results have been fantastic and we are so honoured to have been part of this years project

Tewkesbury Fields is run by Barchester Healthcare one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering high quality care across its care homes and hospitals Tewkesbury Fields provides nursing care residential care respite care

Canford Healthcare Staff Scoop Major Social Care Awards

The judges said: This system proved to be incredibly successful navigating

Donna Barks, manager of the care home group s Tunbridge Wells Care Centre won the WAGS Rising Star award She joined sister home Barty House Nursing Home as an agency nurse in January 2020 By June she had become Deputy Manager and when the manager left six months later Donna found herself in charge during an outbreak of Covid! In 2022 she became Home Manager of Tunbridge Wells Care Centre Donna is delighted with her award saying: “I was proud to be sharing the evening with so many wonderful inspira tional women It s not about the winning but being recognised for doing something that I love “Having worked in the sector for many years, Donna Barks is both highly qualified and experienced,” com mented the judges Her expertise was especially put to use during the pandemic where she passionately and effectively led the home through a very difficult time Under Donna’s leadership, staff feel supported and her calm demeanour ensures the very best for colleagues and service users alike She will continue to have a positive influence on those around her and the sector as a whole in years to come ”

Amanda Rae Canford Healthcare s Quality & Compliance Manager received a high commendation in the WAGS’ Women in Tech category During the pandemic with no budget or IT knowledge Amanda built an intranet type system using Microsoft Office 365 to remotely monitor quality identify areas of risk facilitate good governance and provide safe person centred care This is the only one of its kind to be used by a UK care provider and has been hailed with enthusiasm by the likes of Care England, the Department of Health & Social Care and others who have asked for Amanda s support in embedding it within their own organisations

Amanda has since innovated and adapted it to suit the ever changing demands of

noted by Care England and Microsoft her work is truly exceptional Laura Taylor, Barty House Nursing Home s Head of Activities won the Care Home Activities Organiser Award at the South East Regional final of the Great British Care Awards Laura and her team organise activities to stimulate residents and maintain their physical mental and emotional wellbeing

Wanting to make a bed restricted resident s 100th birth day memorable, Laura appealed to the community to send birthday cards The home received 723 from all over the world as well as balloons, cakes and hampers! Laura has also strengthened ties with the local community and spear headed the home’s efforts to raise money for charities such as Heart of Kent Hospice

The judging panel said: Laura showed the power of think ing outside the box and pushing the limits of what can be achieved She demonstrated her love for the role and the way what might be seen as small things can have an incredi ble impact on a person s life Her personality shone through during the interview and it’s not hard to see why she was nominated and now a winner!

Delighted by her win Laura said: “Nothing is ever ‘too much’ for my residents This is their home and why shouldn’t we try to make them as comfortable as possible? Just buying a piece of drainpipe so someone with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy can join in with boules or encouraging them to get involved in

is what should be done in EVERY home ”

Laura goes through to the Great British Care Awards final in

Nursing Workforce Crisis is at the Heart of Health and Social Care Challenges

Warns Royal College of Nursing

The latest statistics published today paint a worrying picture for the months ahead according to the Royal College of Nursing Scotland

Data from Public Health Scotland shows that the number of beds occupied by people who no longer require acute hospital care are at the highest level since 2016 with almost 1 900 people waiting to be dis charged from hospital

This lack of available beds in acute hospitals is having a significant impact on emergency departments and A&E performance continues to deteriorate Less than 68% of people were assessed treated admitted or discharged within the four hour target and over 6 800 people spent more than 12 hours in an A&E depart ment in October

The latest NHS Scotland workforce statistics published today demonstrate that the nursing workforce cri sis is at the heart of the problems facing Scotland s health and social care services this winter Despite final year nursing students joining the workforce over the summer the number of nursing and midwifery vacancies has increased and over 6 300 posts were empty at the end of September a vacancy rate of 9% across Scotland To put this into context that is 400 more posts than the total number of nursing and midwifery posts in NHS Grampian (5 892)

District nursing services play a key role in supporting people to return home from hospital and in prevent ing hospital admissions in the first place but the vacancy rate for district nursing reached 16% at the end of

September

Figures published by the Care Inspectorate and Scottish Social Services Council in November showed that 60% of care services that employ nurses reported vacancies The rate of WTE nursing vacancies for these services was 16 2%

Colin Poolman Director RCN Scotland said: “Scotland’s nursing workforce crisis is at the heart of the chal lenges facing our health and social care services We simply don t have the nursing workforce we need and it is patients and families who are suffering

Many of the hospital capacity problems are a result of a lack of health and social care resources within our communities For example district nursing teams are key to providing care for people at home prevent ing admission to hospital and supporting those who are in hospital to return home safely and quickly “Our previous warnings have not been listened to We must do more to value and retain our existing experienced nursing workforce and to attract the workforce of the future fair pay is a fundamental part of this

Scotland needs an open and honest discussion about the level of investment required to meet growing demand develop new ways of working and ensure we have the workforce we need to deliver safe and effective care across our hospitals and communities

Tripping The Light Fantastic at Parley Place Care Home

big tree This is our first Christmas and we are so grateful the community have joined us to mark this the first of many to come Iris resident at Parley Place care home said: “It feels properly Christmassy now all the lights are up the home looks so beautiful I can’t wait for my family to join me for some wonderful events the home is putting on!”

Our varied life enrichment programme keeps residents active and provides a daily choice of engaging physical mental and spiritual activities tailored to residents interests and abilities

when the local Reverend and local resident flicked the switch for the big reveal

General Manager Tracey Aldin said: “We absolutely love Christmas here at Parley Place it is such a special time and we all love decorating the home and having a lovely

Parley Place is run by Barchester Healthcare one of the UK’s largest care providers which is committed to delivering high quality care across its care homes and hospitals Parley Place provides residential care respite care and dementia care

HFT and Care England Partner to Analyse Challenges in the Adult Social Care Sector

Hft a national learning disability charity and Care England the largest and most diverse representative body for independent providers of adult social care in England have today announced their partnership to deliver Sector Pulse Check 2022 a report analysing the impact of challenges facing the adult social care sector with a focus on financial health

Since 2016, Hft has produced an annual Sector Pulse Check report Based on analysis of a survey for care providers the report provides a yearly snapshot of the financial health of the social care sector helping monitor trends in social care and providing vital data to illustrate ongoing challenges to Government Having previously focused on learning disability services Hft has this year partnered with Care England to expand the scope of the survey to include older persons’ care As a response to the unprecedented and mounting challenges facing care providers this year’s Sector Pulse Check will be the first to provide a com prehensive overview of the financial health of the entire adult social care system Hft and Care England are calling on adult social care providers to share their experiences and help ensure the true state of the sector can be represented to key decision makers

Aside from the regular focus on financial health, the themes in this year’s survey include an exploration into the state of the workforce and the implications of the rising cost of living two of the most pressing issues facing the sector

With the final report due for release in the Spring the latest edition of Sector Pulse Check will be a land mark publication for the sector Informed by representative data at a national level the findings will consti tute a valuable evidence base to support conversations with key stakeholders over the actualisation of immediate and long term financial sustainability

More information on the Sector Pulse Check 2022, including a link to the survey for providers of adult

social care can be found on Hft s website

Professor Martin Green OBE Chief Executive at Care England said:

“We are delighted to be joining forces with Hft on its annual Sector Pulse Check Having provided invalu able insight into the state of the learning disability sector for a number of years identifying the challenges facing providers and how these pressures have evolved, the expansion of this year s survey to include older persons care represents a landmark opportunity to understand the financial health of the entire adult social care system It is vital that we have data to help understand and illustrate the unprecedented challenges facing the sector and that is exactly what the Sector Pulse Check 2022 will deliver

Care England have repeatedly called on Government to deliver a sustainable future for the sector Without robust evidence however these conversations over improved funding settlements will only go so far We have a new Government and a new opportunity Care England are encouraging all adult social care providers to take part in this year’s survey to ensure it delivers the impact the sector so desperately needs ”

Kirsty Matthews Chief Executive of Hft said:

“We are thrilled to be broadening our important research to all adult social care providers this year The current financial uncertainty and the problems around workforce retention are compounded by increasingly rising costs coming over the course of the coming months

Without seeing a correlating uplift in Government support or Local Authority fees care providers will have to find a way to shoulder the cost With the 2021 Sector Pulse Check research highlighting that 43% of providers had to cease part of their offering or hand back care contracts due to financial pressures in 2021 we are highly concerned that the current circumstances will force more of this last resort action “Our new research within the sector will help to highlight the issues our sector is facing ”

New Care Home Launches with Support from BBC MasterChef Winner

Signature

Jane Devonshire, the 2016 winner of the BBC show, provided a full culinary demonstration to the home s first residents their loved ones and care teams which saw her prepare Thyme & Lemon Roast Chicken and Chicken Bon Bons

It builds on Signature Senior Lifestyle’s partnership with the chef who co designs the four seasonal menus that Signature serves each year to 2,000 residents its 37 luxury care homes across London and the south east

In keeping with other other Signature homes Farnham Common will provide specialist residential, nursing, dementia, and respite serv ices which are truly tailored to each individual resident

Commenting on the home s arrival Alex Alexandru General Manager at Signature at Farnham Common, said: “The weekend was

“Each one of Signature’s care homes is unique and has its own sense of community This event marked Farnham Common’s first opportunity to present ourselves to our residents who will write our care home’s first chapter and make up our very own community

“Our thanks go to Jane Devonshire for her continued support and for giving such a wonderful cooking demonstration!

Jane Devonshire, BBC MasterChef Winner and author, said: “It was a pleasure to visit Farnham Common to see the high class facilities that have been developed which I am sure will deliver excellent care as well as nutritious meals which support residents’ tastes and needs

Farnham Common is another example of Signature continuing its pursuit of excellence

deliver the care they need

we have taken in providing luxury care

Margaret Moore, a founding resident at Signature at Farnham Common said: I am looking forward to making my home at Farnham Common Today was a nice opportunity to bring together my fellow residents and their families, all while enjoying some lovely food!”

Care Home Resident Showcases Love for Art in the

of Exhibition at

A resident at an Aylesbury care home has been given the opportunity to showcase his love for art with an exhibition

Joao Lima has been living at MHA Hillside since 2018 and has been given an opportunity to showcase his skills with an exhibition at Aylesbury library

He is originally from Portugal and likes the work of Paula Rego a Portuguese British visual artist who was known particularly for her paintings and prints based on storybooks

Joao says painting is something that helps him relax and prefers acrylic paints as they dry quickly and don t

smell

The exhibition is held at Aylesbury Library in Walton Street and will be up until the 23rd of December

Speaking of his paintings Joao said: I enjoy painting a lot It helps me to relax and it s something I was inter ested in since I was a little boy

“It helps me to express myself, I like art in general, sculptures have always fascinated me but painting has to be at the top

I got in touch with the library who were more than happy for me to put my paintings up

I do visit the library when I get the chance and it s

nice to see my paintings on display for everyone to see

Grainne Wokes home manager said Joao or Mr Lima as he is known here at Hillside is a very talented individual

“I have one of his paintings in my office and the style in which he paints is very similar to his personali ty very bright and full of colour

It s great for him to show the work he does to the people of Aylesbury, and I am sure they will enjoy them just as much as we do

Bagpiper Makes Moira’s Wish Come True

Immy continued “We started off Moira’s special day by hanging up bunting and decorations to get into the Scottish spirit and then iced some cupcakes

“We used blue icing and added some Saltire flag cake toppers for decoration

We then moved onto colouring in pictures of Scottish flags and bagpipers to decorate the lounges and stuck them onto the windows

But the main event of the day was the visit all the way from Twickenham of pro fessional bagpiper Cliff Hall Pipe Sergeant of the City of London Pipe Band

Moira

every summer and told us of her wish to take a trip once again

Unfortunately a flight to Edinburgh and the further travel to the Highlands would be a bit too much for Moira now

“So we decided to bring Scotland to her ”

The timely prompt for all things Scottish was the celebration of patron saint St Andrew’s Day on 30 November

He came in full dress and played some traditional Scottish music that we all recognised and could tap our feet along to said Immy Moira was absolutely delighted and especially enjoyed having her photo taken with him

The visit also brought back lovely memories for another St Catherines View resi dent who was brought up in Glasgow and went to university there

She said: “As a fellow Scot, it was lovely to hear the bagpipes and some tradition al music that I remember so well ”

Urgent Support Needed for Underfunded Local Authorities to Improve Social Care Research Reveals

Older people s charity Independent Age has warned that complexities in the social care system and difficulties accessing information and advice from local councils in England are causing added distress to peo ple in need of care

New research shows that many older people and their families are not getting adequate advice on how to access social care The charity is call ing on the Government to provide further support to local authorities to help tackle the issues in social care and ensure councils can deliver their statutory duties

Independent Age has introduced a set of recommendations for Government and Local Authorities based on insights from calls to Independent Age s Helpline as well as in depth interviews with members of the public and social workers They include best practice principles for local authorities designed to make information on social care more readi ly available to the public The recommendations come after new YouGov polling commissioned by the char ity revealed that among those who had tried to contact someone at the council to seek advice about social care half (50%) said they had found it difficult to reach the person they needed Amanda, who was interviewed as part of the research, told the charity about her own experience with her local council She said: Someone needs to just make it a bit more straightforward really and [say] this is what you need to do’ Even if it’s just an easy to read, easy to understand [version] Because a lot of the sites that you read it s all in solicitor speak if you will YouGov polling commissioned by Independent Age as part of the research also reiterated the complexity of the current social care system and the anxiety and stress this causes for older people and their families Less than half of respondents in England (45%) were confident that they would be able to arrange social care support for themselves or someone they know The charity say that these findings show the need for local authorities to make information and advice more available and accessible THE POLLING ALSO FOUND THAT:

Only half (51%) of those who had sought information / advice from their local authority in the past five years felt the information they had been pro vided was helpful

Fewer than 1 in 10 (9%) recalled seeing information in their community about how the social care system works

Half (50%) of respondents who have spoken to the council found it difficult to get in touch with the person they needed to talk to about their care Morgan Vine Head of Policy and Influencing for Independent Age said “Most people need to access care at a time of real crisis for them per sonally or someone they are close to There is a risk that people in later life in this situation will be failed if they aren’t able to access information and advice when they need it If people in later life and their families don t know who to contact or how to find the information it can be very dis tressing Many people Independent Age speaks to face similar difficulties around accessing or understanding the information provided across different local authorities It is essential this changes

We recognise that local authorities across the country face severe financial pressures huge staffing shortages, and many other significant challenges, but our research shows that there are improvements that can be made We are calling on national Government and Local Authorities to act now to ensure information and advice around social care is improved for everyone who needs it The social care system desperately requires more funding all staff who interact with people in need of care need support to have a basic understanding of how the system works and clear and accessible information should be provided across the country ”

As part of the recommendations Independent Age has echoed the Local Government Association s call to invest £13 billion into adult social care The charity has also recommended that a national Older People’s Commissioner be appointed to give older people an independent voice at the heart of government and work across all departments to ensure older people aren t forgotten when key decisions are being made

Luxur y New Solihull Care Home Welcomes Centenarian as First Resident

A newly opened luxury Solihull care home that specialises in exceptional residen tial nursing, dementia and respite care has welcomed its first resident through its doors

100 year old Margaret has become the first resident at Blossomfield Rose a new state of the art care home situated as part of the existing Blossomfield Park in Solihull offering residents compassionate and supportive care within a unique set ting

The new home sits neatly within the wider Blossomfield Park development a mix of sympathetically converted historic and contemporary buildings set within five acres of mature private grounds offering privately owned accommodation to all ages Residents have access to all park wide amenities and grounds, proving to be Margaret s favourite part of her stay so far Margaret said: “I have made the most of the sunny weather since moving in espe cially as I know it s about to change I’ve loved spending time in the beautiful gar dens and seeing the donkeys in the field opposite but as it gets colder I ll still be able to see all this wonderful wildlife from the window in my room ”

Born and raised in Shropshire Margaret enjoyed an 80 year marriage to her won derful husband George, where they raised two daughters Margaret enjoyed a career with the Ministry of Food where she started out in the rationing department before working her way up to community inspections Margaret reminisced: “I enjoyed carrying out the street inspections where I would hang around chatting and being friendly but I would actually be watching for stalls selling illegal goods! I would then make a

purchase at these stalls for evidence to catch them red handed then they would be sent to court ”

Now residing at Blossomfield Rose Margaret and her fellow residents experience the use of unobtrusive integrated technology throughout the home which helps the dedicated care team deliver the highest quality and standards of dementia and nursing care Features such as acoustic listening devices and nurse call systems will offer families peace of mind as care can be delivered swiftly as necessary along side thorough digital record keeping and care planning

Margaret also said: “It is a beautiful environment here, and I feel lucky to be able to live in such a friendly space The staff have been very welcoming and the food is exceptional!”

On her first day we welcomed her with balloons and champagne to make it a really special occasion and hopefully everyday we continue to make her feel spe cial allowing her to express her independence within a safe and caring environ ment ”

Blossomfield Rose is one of thirteen homes in the Macc Care group which runs a collection of care homes in the Midlands The group prides itself on three core val

and Compassion The word ‘rose’ is used across the collection of homes to symbolise

Leading the Way in Innovation, Majesticare

Launch Alexa Smart Properties for Senior Living

ing

Collaborating with leading healthcare technology provider the Ascom Group the integration of Alexa Smart Properties is a pioneering advancement to improve serv ice levels and the resident experience

Alexa Smart Properties has been developed to enable care home residents to feel more informed independent and connected Through simple voice commands resi dents can use Alexa to easily connect with family, friends and those who care for them Empowered through independence residents can keep up to date with local and international news, research hobbies and interests, listen to the radio and funda mentally enjoy an easy way to call family and friends enquire what upcoming activ ities are in the home and even ask what’s on today’s menu!

Angela Boxall CEO of Majesticare commented “We’re so proud to be one of the UK s first care groups to introduce Alexa Smart Properties into our care homes Majesticare are dedicated to innovation in care, enhancing efficiency and providing independence and choice to our residents

It s so important when a loved one moves into a care home, that friendships remain, and families stay con nected which is why the introduction of Alexa Smart Properties for Senior Living at our Evesham home is so wonderful!”

Nicolas Vanden Abeele CEO of Ascom Group said: “We are excited to bring together Alexa Smart Properties and Ascom s state of the art Ofelia software to offer a game changing solution for senior living With Alexa Smart Properties we see the potential to further optimize operations and to reduce costs, ensur

calling bringing them peace of mind Alexa Smart Properties can also help home managers to tailor resident experiences and support engagement by displaying activities, menus, and reminders

We believe the intuitive and accessible nature of voice and Alexa has the poten tial to help and delight customers in many scenarios, in and outside of the home,” said Meryem Tom Director Alexa Enterprise EU Amazon We re excited to extend the experiences that customers already love to European care homes and assisted living facilities and give providers new ways to support their staff while delivering personalized care for their residents

To learn more about the innovative care and fulfilling lifestyle within Majesticare luxury care homes visit: www majesticare co uk ABOUT ALEXA SMART PROPERTIES

Alexa Smart Properties senior living solutions were designed with privacy in mind No personal informa tion is shared with Alexa to use the device, and voice recordings are not saved Every Amazon Echo device offers multiple layers of privacy protection and residents can disable Alexa s ability to respond to the wake word at any time by simply pressing the mute button on top of their Echo device To learn more, visit https://m media amazon com/images/G/02/ASp/ASp FAQs pdf

Care England's Action to Establish the Largest

Gas and Electricity Tender for Care Providers

Care England is concerned about energy renewal costs faced by care providers since the War in Ukraine and following feedback from our hugely successful energy webinars and our subsequent formal challenge into OFGEM around unduly onerous energy supplier practises Care England wants to support care providers to secure the best value for money possible for Gas and Electricity

As energy costs increased impacting the sector s financial stability Care England is mindful of another volatile year ahead, as some energy suppliers remain unreasonable with prices and deals available seek excessive upfront deposits and charge hefty risk premiums coupled with a low appetite to offer competitive deals The uncertainty around any extension of the govern ment s Energy Relief Scheme makes it increasingly challenging for care providers to establish energy solutions and stay ahead of the game

To keep 2023 renewal costs sustainable accessing the best possible advice will again be key, and to maximise energy supplier interest and offers are keenly priced whilst minimising excessive risk premiums Care England intends to offer care providers the opportunity to combine energy volumes to maximise significant economies of scale and is issuing an Exclusive Care England bulk tender for 2023 24 Gas and Electricity 2023 renewals tendered through not for profit consultancy Box Power to all energy suppliers in January 2023

Using Box Power data Care England has been feeding the DHSC BEIS the CQC iESE (CareCubed) and Local Authorities with critical energy consumption data built on a model of 55,000 care home beds in England to ensure they are aware of the real time impact of energy costs for the sector and believes a sec tor wide energy tender for all care providers will help to gather not only the best possible commercial arrangements for participants but to ensure BEIS receives the most relevant market intelligence and data to help ensure that any ongoing support has the necessary impact on the sector It is imperative especially for the

ly in anticipation of the optimum February to April renewal window, to secure the best possible energy contracts that can be offered to participants regard less of when they renew their energy in 2023

At this stage we are asking for expressions of interest no later than 16th December 22 to participate in the energy tender expected which will be facil itated in January 2023 This will enable completed tender results to be analysed and completed for each care provider/group to ensure they can make an informed decision and benefit from the lowest possible price for energy Further details of how the Tender will work along with FAQs will fol low in late December once we understand the total UK wide volumes

Who qualifies? Any care provider (members/non members) can qualify to participate and benefit from the bulk tender by choosing one of the 3 options available once they have expressed their interest:

Join our Healthcare Flexible gas & electricity baskets to access wholesale prices and trading advice

Join our full Exclusive bulk tender process and be guided to the best sup plier

• For single Care Home operators access to commission free advice and pricing options How do i apply? If you would like to be included in this exclusive tender and benefit from the crucial advice and guidance, at this stage please just register your interest by clicking the EXPRESSION OF INTER EST LINK and provide; contact information bed/capacity details the percentage of your Gas and Electricity due, and renewal dates and you will be contacted with the next steps to confirm your participation

Who is Box Power CIC? Box is a philanthropic not for profit consultancy that has donated £800 000 to charity in the last year They have just been awarded (30th Nov) at the TELCA’s the top award in their indus try for making a difference They are also the most experienced in our care home sector and already pro cure and manage the energy cost and usage needs for the very largest operators

For more information please visit the Care England website

Grant Helps Broughton House to Improve Health and Wellbeing of RAF Veterans

Broughton House Veteran Care Village in Salford has been boosted by a crucial grant of £18 000 towards the cost of care and com munity support services it provides to former RAF servicemen and women

The money from the RAF Benevolent Fund, is helping to fund nursing and residential care to veter ans living at Broughton House as well as counselling and welfare ben efits advice to veterans living in the community and their families through its Armed Forces Support

At Broughton House itself we have been able to continue to deliver a holistic and person centred approach to our residents, ensuring their safe care and so that they are able to live well and enjoy life in their later years ”

Hub

“We are incredibly appreciative of the support show to our home by the RAFBF providing vital financial aid to enable us to care for

as well as

in the community and their families who are in need of expert help and assistance

She added: “Many veterans of working age living in the community are struggling with significant men tal health problems The vital work of our support hub in providing counselling helps them to feel better able to begin employment or training

One veteran who had been homeless found a secure job as a result of the hub s support and got him self back on the right track

In addition by directly helping to improve the health and wellbeing of members of the RAF family and reducing their social isolation the additional funding has a beneficial impact on veterans’ wider families

Among those to benefit from the RAFBF s support is D Day veteran David Teacher 98 David signed up to join the RAF in 1942 at the age of 18 He was a mechanic with No 71 RAF Beach Unit which was among the first to land on Juno beach in Normandy on D Day in 1944 The unit stayed on the beach in a trench for three months repairing vehicles Later, David fought in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium

A double amputee David moved into Broughton House last year and has become an active member of the home He gets involved in outings and activities, including the cheese and wine club, baking and gar dening

Remembering his fallen World War Two comrades is very important to David and he has given talks about his experiences to groups of schoolchildren to ensure those comrades sacrifices are never forgotten

He was able to visit the Normandy battlefields in the summer of 2022 with his family and he plays an active role in Battle of Britain and Remembrance Day ceremonies at Broughton House

David said: The activities here are very good in fact they are excellent I also particularly enjoy trips out to places such as RHS Garden Bridgewater and Knowsley Safari I m very happy here, without a doubt ”

Irene Greenwood Welfare Programmes Manager at the RAF Benevolent Fund said: Partnership work ing is an essential part of the Fund s welfare support to the RAF family, allowing us to get the expert help to the people who need it The work that Broughton House undertakes is crucial and we re glad we re able to make a contribution ”

Care Award Recognises allmanhall’s Food Procurement Expertise

allmanhall, the leading independent food procurement specialist, has won the Catering and Nutrition Award at the Care Sector Supplier Awards

The Care Sector Supplier Awards celebrate the very best service and suppli er companies who look after clients in the care sector with the judges looking for innovation enterprise performance and any ongoing response to the Covid 19 emergency when making their decisions

allmanhall’s Business Development Manager, Rachael Venditti RNutr, received the award at the presentation held at the Royal Garden Hotel London I was delighted to accept the Catering and Nutrition award one of 16 award categories in recognition of our commitment to supporting care homes to reduce food costs so that quality can be maintained for the residents ” com mented Rachael “Food inflation is putting real pressure on homes during a time with escalating costs in other areas such as energy so we are happy to work

categories

Over the past few years allmanhall has seen substantial client growth within care and its support of this sector has resulted in it becoming a Premier Partner of the National Association for Care Catering (NACC) allmanhall s full procure ment offering includes foodservice consultancy with hands on catering and nutrition advice plus dietetics support These are particularly important for this sector and were a key reason allmanhall was recognised and selected as the winner

Dire Condition of UK Healthcare Estate Laid Bare in BMA Report

Crumbling outdated and poorly laid out buildings, in dire need of repair and modernisation are hampering the efforts of doctors to pro vide safe and quality care to patients, according to a damning new report from the BMA

The report based on research and analysis from the Association and feedback from its members lays bare the impact that underinvestment in the bricks and mortar of the health service is now having on the safety and wellbeing of patients and staff

In a survey of BMA members an alarming 38% of doctors said the overall physical condition of their workplaces is poor or very poor while critically 43% told the BMA that the condition of their workplace has a negative impact on patient care illustrating the extent of this crisis

This comes as new BMA analysis shows that the healthcare services’ maintenance backlog in the UK the cost of overdue repairs within the healthcare estate has reached an estimated £13 8bn This underlines the severe shortfall in funding for health service buildings with the entire capital budget for the UK (£12 6bn) not even enough to make repairs, let alone build new facilities and update or expand existing premises

In a series of shocking first hand testimonies3 doctors revealed worrying safety incidents at their work places, and how a long term lack of investment in buildings impacts them and their patients on a day to day basis

Alongside concerns about disrepair doctors told the BMA how old cramped and poorly designed hospi tals and GP practice buildings are incompatible with running a 21st century health service They said the layout and size of buildings prevented adequate infection prevention control (IPC) meas ures during the height of the pandemic, with almost 7 in 10 respondents to the BMA survey saying they felt that their place of work would not allow for appropriate ventilation and IPC measures in the event of a future wave of COVID 19 or another pandemic

Meanwhile a lack of space means doctors do not have suitable rest facilities room to accommodate addi tional staff or places where clinicians can discuss sensitive and confidential information with patients and next of kin

The BMA repor t makes a number of recommendations, including:

All UK governments must launch transparent and independently audited national reviews of the condi tion of the primary and secondary care healthcare estates in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales building on existing work where appropriate Doctors should be empowered to immediately raise concerns where building conditions present a risk to patient safety

UK governments should provide the necessary funding to urgently clear existing maintenance backlogs or decide to rebuild sites that may no longer be appropriate to repair in order to protect doctors and patients and to prevent any further growth in the already enormous list of outstanding and costly remedial repairs

As part of the independently audited review of their healthcare estate all UK governments and health systems must carry out an urgent review of IPC and ventilation across the primary and secondary health

care estate, with dedicated funding for improvements and retrofitting Dr Latifa Patel BMA representative body chair said It is a national scandal that a continued failure to invest properly in the bricks and mor tar of our hospitals and GP practices is threatening safe patient care

“While the Government’s claims there will be 40 new hospitals’ it can not even get right the basics of keeping roofs water tight

The scenes described by our members in this report are not what we would expect to see in a 21st century health service in one of the world s richest countries Yet for doctors the shocking accounts of leaking ceil ings, peeling walls and faulty electrics, will come as no surprise, as the state of disrepair is so endemic across the NHS

“Going to work every day amid these conditions grinds doctors down when morale is already at rock bottom Doctors are feeling undervalued underpaid and overworked Knowing that their working environment is stopping them from looking after their patients safely, and even prevent ing them from having somewhere to take a break only pours salt into this wound

“And with waiting lists for hospital treatment standing at 8 9 million in the UK, ensuring that buildings are fit for purpose must be a priority for ensuring that the health service has the capacity to care for such a large number of people ”

A second report reveals doctors frustration with another important part of safe healthcare delivery the health service s digital infrastructure Out of date slow and incompatible IT systems and hardware are cost ing valuable staff time and putting patient safety at risk

The BMA estimates that more than 13 5 million working hours are lost yearly due to delays as a result of inadequate or malfunctioning IT systems and equipment in the NHS in England alone This is the equivalent of almost 8 000 full time doctors or nearly £1 billion and is particularly shocking given how tight staffing and as a result capacity to treat patients already are

Again first person accounts revealed the daily struggles doctors face when it comes to poor quality IT and computer systems5

Dr Patel added “Alongside physical buildings digital infrastructure is way behind where it should be for a modern health service that can meet the needs of patients and staff

“Doctors face daily battles with outdated systems that do not talk to one another, unreliable connections and crashing computers that is if they can find a computer at all

“While this is frustrating for doctors, ultimately it takes them away from what they should be doing which is providing direct care to patients Within an understaffed healthcare system each delay is potential ly putting someone at greater risk of harm

“The Government lauds its commitments about digital transformation and data but without fixing outdat ed infrastructure and getting the very basics right these ambitions cannot be realised

“Funding reliable safe and secure technology is vital and this goes hand in hand with the need to invest in robust and well designed healthcare buildings By doing neither the Government risks further endanger ing patients and plunging staff further into despair ”

Anchor Signs Up To Age-Friendly Employer Pledge

Anchor England s largest not for profit provider of housing and care for people in later life has signed up to the Age friendly Employer Pledge a new nationwide programme run by the Centre for Ageing Better to make workplaces age friendly Anchor is one of the first organisations in the country to sign the pledge showing its commitment to older workers Anchor will be work ing with the Centre for Ageing Better to further improve its recruitment, retention and development processes to support people aged 50 and over Anchor is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and was awarded Silver Status in the 2021 Inclusive Employers Standard and has a range of colleague networks for under represented groups and individuals within the organisation

Anchor s recent Equality Diversity and Inclusion Annual Report also shows that the completion of colleague diversity data has risen from 76% to 81% And this year s colleague survey saw Anchor improve its colleague engagement score and achieve an 86 per cent positive response to the question: I believe Anchor respects individual difference Anchor s commitment to its EDI agenda also includes launching more learning and professional devel opment opportunities making various improvements to its recruitment processes and working to embed EDI across the organisation Joining the Age friendly Employer Pledge is a further extension of its commit

ment to creating an age friendly workplace

Sarah Jones Chief Executive at Anchor said: “We re really pleased to have signed up to the Age friendly Employer Pledge We are commit ted to being inclusive for all and are working hard to enable all col leagues to reach their full potential and feel valued at Anchor ”

Dr Carole Easton Chief Executive at the Centre for Ageing Better said: “The current labour shortage has been called the most urgent problem facing the UK economy with its impact driving up prices wages and inflation Workers in their 50s and 60s are a key, but cur rently overlooked solution to resolving the UK s employment crisis

Older workers can bring much needed skills and experience to an organisation Businesses with a 10% higher share of workers over 50 than the average are 1 1% more productive and multigenerational teams are the most innovative

We are delighted that Anchor has joined the growing number of organisations committing to helping their older workers to prosper by signing our Age friendly Employer Pledge

“The pledge has been designed to support businesses to go on a journey at a pace that works best for each organisation By taking manageable and measurable steps each employer will learn over time what steps are needed to make the biggest difference in their own organisation

Northamptonshire Care Home Welcomes Experienced New Manager As It Looks To Build On Its Outstanding Level Of Care

A Northamptonshire care home that provides nursing, residential and respite care has appointed a new manager to help focus on dementia training and invest ment into the care team

Meadow View a branch of Wellbeing Care that prides itself on providing the highest standard of person centred care for up to 53 people in Wellingborough, has welcomed Kathy Murphy as its new manager

Kathy joins the High Street care home with 42 years of experience in the indus try She has a wealth of knowledge working across many different areas of care including learning difficulties, post operative, mental health, old age, dementia and cancer

Starting as a nurse's aid Kathy spent 19 years working at a mental health hos pital in Ireland, before moving to the UK where she transitioned into management roles, and most recently landing herself a position at the Irchester home

Talking of her recent appointment at Meadow View, Kathy said: “I started work ing in the care industry when I was 15 and I can’t imagine being in any other line of work Nothing else is for me apart from care

“After a year off, I couldn’t think of a better project to come back to work on My overarching goal is to gain an Outstanding’ CQC rating here and from what I’ve seen already we certainly have the staff and resources to make that happen ”

A CHANCE TO LEARN FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS

Alongside

• ACUTE AND GENERAL WARDS

GOJO provides a straight ‘out of the box’ solution for hand hygiene, incorporating dis pensers products accessories and signage as well as training and on boarding support It also manages installations thereby reduc

ing the staffing impact of changing suppli ers

• COMMUNITY & SOCIAL SERVICES:

These environments often have radically different needs from what are traditionally catered for in healthcare packages GOJO takes these specificities into consideration and offers specially adapted products for example locked dispenser units and foam sanitiser so they can only be opened by trained personnel in demanding environ ments

Its train the trainer programme

hygiene compliance is to ensure that the right products are available in the right places at the right time We are constantly innovating to keep people and places healthy This means formulating products that are not only effective at killing germs but that won’t irritate hands that must be repeatedly cleaned throughout a shift

Ensuring that the products are available when and where they are needed be that personal bottles of hygienic hand rub or dispensers positioned in optimal locations And last but not least developing solutions with the environment in mind

“For example from 2023 we plan to move to RPT refills; all collapsible refills will be made from recycled materials as well as being recyclable ”

‘Widely used in the NHS, PURELL® is a trusted brand in healthcare facilities around the world Our solutions encompass fast active effective formulas that care for skin state of the art dispensers, and specialist support such as the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) accredited training making us the ideal healthcare partner

For a tailored effective, total solution for your setting or for more information on the benefits of partnering with GOJO please call +44 (0)1908 588444 email

CLEANING, HYGIENE & INFECTION CONTROL

For The Cuppas That Comfort

As

At

CUPPAS THAT COUNT

Current research shows that 20% of care home resi

Therefore,

At It’s Made For You, we believe that everyone should look forward to tasty safe and nutritious texture modified meals The It s Made For You range is designed for the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) framework standards and includes valuable nutrition It s Made For You are proud to be Gold Sponsors of IDDSI

Our range of meals have been developed to ensure the nutritional content will meet the nutritional

The autumn and winter months are a busy time for anyone in the care sector and it is important that all residents have a chance to enjoy warming nutritious food at every mealtime

Mary Wedge Business Development Manager at Anglia Crown com ments: “In our experience many of the residents look forward to the desserts They often represent familiar comfort foods and, even if they can not face the main course will often go straight for the pudding

Anglia Crown offer a wide range of hot and cold desserts that are ideal for a well balanced nutritional diet including choices that do not contain gluten Our Crown Choice and Advantage ranges include some fifty eight dishes, including our new, autumnal warming Ginger Chocolate Chip Sponge and delicious comforting custard that goes with almost any hot dessert

Our Crown Choice cold dessert includes the perennial favourites such as Chocolate Cake whilst our Crown Advantage range also offer reduced sugar desserts All individual Crown Advantage desserts come in packs of eighteen whilst the Crown Choice desserts come in packs of 3 and 6 allow ing accurate portioning and cutting down on any potential waste

Many of the Anglia Crown dishes can be teamed up with fresh fruit allow

ing for additional choice Items such as our Carrot Cake or Vanilla Cheesecake can be accompanied by whipped cream garnished with sea sonal fresh fruit

Our hot desserts are high in energy our hot portions of 170kcal and above provide energy and protein dense options and when served with custard provide over 250 kcal per serving Our cold desserts of 250 kcal and above also meet the energy guidelines in the British Dietetic Association (BDA) Nutrition and Hydration Digest (2017) requirements

VEGAN SUITABLE CHOICES

At Anglia Crown we pride ourselves with the array of vegetarian and gluten free dishes that we offer including an impressive range of desserts This was recognised with us being named at the Vegetarian Wholesaler of the Year 2022 at the VfL Awards for Excellence in Veg n Care Catering

All the Anglia Crown hot desserts are suitable for vegetarians Most of the Anglia Crown vegan products have been registered with the Vegan Society, including some thirteen of the dessert dishes ” Anglia Crown are here to help take the strain out of your menus throughout the year Visit www angliacrown co uk for further details

BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels for Drug-Free Natural Pain Relief

bination of natural ingredients including ethanol men thol eucalyptus peppermint and MSM Reported ben efits of BIOFROST® Relief include lasting pain relief, improved joint movements comfort during sleep fewer cramps calmed nerve pain reduced joint and muscle discomfort and faster post activity recoveries

Yeoman Shield Fire Door Ser vices Taking the Guess Work out of Fire Doors

BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels are natural drug free topical cold therapy gels for muscular and joint pain chronic arthritic pain, post activity muscle ten sion general aches and overuse disorders Easy to use and fast acting, BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels relieve pain reduce inflammation and swelling without drugs and drug related side effects

Gels:

BIOFROST® Active is a dual action fast acting cold gel with heat sensation for effective relief of muscular and joint pain Containing 10 natural herbal extracts (i e Arnica Burdock Roman Chamomile Garlic Watercress Ivy White Nettle Pine Rosemary Menthol) BIOFROST® Active relieves chronic pain releases muscular tension loosens stiff joints and effectively treats back pain Benefits of BIOFROST® Active include easier joint movements, effective pain relief in treated areas discomfort free sleep fewer cramps and reduced post activity muscular and joint fatigue

BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels are usable stand alone or alongside other pain relieving therapies (i e medication, physiotherapy, etc ) BIOFROST® Cold Therapy Gels are suitable for people of any age including elderly and disabled people living independ ently or in nursing care

BIOFROST®

Fire Doors are an imperative part of fire safety and are consider ations of the design and maintenance of any building but especially residential Article 17 RRFSO states fire safety provisions (includes fire doors) must be main tained in a suitable condition order

If you are the Responsible Person it s imperative you appoint a competent person to assist in meeting your duties under the fire safety order to ensure fire safety measures including fire doors are kept in working order

Yeoman Shield’s Fire Door Services can help to take the guess work out of fire door maintenance by providing fire door inspections condition reports remedial work and fire door installation all carried out by FDIS and/or FIRAS accredited team members Having a good maintenance routine will dispel some needs of fire door replacement therefore being more cost effective

ation of Yeoman Shield Fire ction products can also be in the long term finan cially beneficial by halt ing impact damage from the start eliminating many repairs in the future and again will extend door lifecycles Installing Yeoman Shield door protection products such as door protection panels door edge protectors and PVCu glazing bead units will not affect the integrity of the fire door as all products have been tested in situ to the current standard required

Vulnerable frames and architraves can also be protected from impact with Yeoman Shield to pre vent dangerous splintering and splitting as well as abolishing the time consuming, repetitive need for repainting

For a complete repair and protect service contact the team today frdp@yeomanshield com or visit www yeomanshield com or see the advert page 10

Care facilities typically exhibit significant but var ied hot water and heating usage patterns which con tributes to the current 40% tally of UK greenhouse gas emissions generated by the built environment

To help achieve climate neutral building stock by 2050 the industry is being challenged to reduce oper ational energy use over all other measures By increasing the use of renewable energy supply and prioritising on site renewable energy sources the hope it to reduce both carbon and bills

Sustainability comes with a cost Whether in the form of new build projects or and far more likely the refurbishment of existing yet ageing facilities under standing the necessary capital investment opera tional savings and payback periods is going to be key

Addressing the efficiency of domestic hot water (DHW) systems whether through the implementa

tion of heat pumps solar thermal direct electric water heating or even simple modernisation of exist ing gas appliances helps care facilities meet sus tainability goals in a practical and cost effective manner It also delivers improved year round condi tions for staff and clients in care providing access to spaces better suited to delivering medical care and assisted living

For buildings already on gas and that rely on large amounts of DHW a large proportion of current UK care and nursing home properties solar preheat is the preferable option For new build properties the expectation is for specification to default to a mixture of heat pumps and direct electric afterheat New sys tem approaches including prefabricated packaged plant rooms also provide for better use of the spaces that already exist without the need to undertake expensive and disruptive building projects This is especially valid as demands for beds continue to increase placing new demands on care facilities

Adveco can help achieve emission reduction tar gets With more than 50 years of specialised expert ise in designing, supplying, and servicing hot water systems to the nursing and care industry, Adveco is the single resource you need for independent expert technical guidance on choosing and developing bespoke sustainable applications today to get you on the right path towards net zero operation

Visit https://adveco co/sectors/healthcare/ or see the advert on page 15

Penile Retraction and

With

LAUNDRY SOLUTIONS

Facing Soaring Energy

Facing unprecedented energy costs and an increasingly pressing climate cri sis care home operators are all aiming to minimise energy consumption According to the Carbon Trust the care sector spends over £400 million on energy each year and after heating and lighting it is irrefutable that appliances are a main contributor to this figure For any care home, laundry is a key service area and one that is absolutely critical to maintaining infection control Thankfully, whereas you can’t turn down the heating in a care environment, or turn off the lighting there are ways in which you can significantly reduce the energy consumed by your laundry function Forbes Professional helps care home operators source the most energy water and user efficient laundry solu tions whilst advising on all relevant WRAS and industry requirements When choosing dryers, it is notable that care homes are increasingly turning away from gas appliances due to increasing running costs and safety concerns This is all the more notable now that changes to industry requirements are necessitating considerable investment in order for gas appliances to meet the current standards Forbes would generally recommend that electrical appliances should be the product of choice with heat pump dryers enabling astounding cost and energy savings Miele’s new heat pump commercial dryers are particu larly highly rated for their safety functionality and energy efficiency They employ a highly efficient and eco nomical filter system and heat exchanger to keep run times low and enable an energy saving of up to 60% when compared to vented dryers Additionally these heat pump dryers do not require any make up air

which enables the laundry function to be installed in the basement or in a cen tral location within the care home and saves on costly vent ducting Due to the effective interaction of the Miele filter system and the maintenance free heat exchanger fluff cannot clog the heat exchanger or adversely affect the excep tional drying efficiency

With regards to washing machines only a commercial washing machine will suffice in a care environment as only these machines will meet the WRAS requirements for Fluid Category 5 Forbes recommends using Miele commer cial washing machines as they are highly energy and water efficient whilst delivering both thermal and sluice disinfection As an illustrative example based on an electricity cost of £0 34/kWh and three machines being used four times/ day for five years, Miele machines can realise a running cost saving of £9 529 when compared to another industry brand

Auto dosing equipment also provides a great solution for ensuring that the right amount of detergent is dispensed for each cycle; minimising waste optimising the wash cycle and sav ing both money and time Forbes Professional provides a range of options for commercial laundry equipment including auto dosing equipment as well as Miele commercial laundry machines All of their products are available on a purchase rental or lease basis, with access to a comprehensive service that includes installation, commissioning, user training and a multi award winning repair and maintenance response

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combat counterfeiting and grey market activity

Our industry leading eCommerce system is designed to reduce cost improve effi ciency and streamline supply chain management and will fully protect the integrity and accuracy of critical business data The order entry process is very simple meaning suppliers and vendors can spend their valuable time on tasks other than ordering apparel labelling

Fall Savers - Affordable Fall Monitoring Solutions

Medpage Falls Management Products

Care technologies have advanced at an amazing rate over the past decade The digital age is a place where we all live and all use tech nology as a familiar part of our daily lives At Medpage we have har nessed these advancing technolo gies into products to support Social Care and Independent Living Medpage brand products are designed to provide affordable user friendly care support products for domestic and professional care Our new wristband activated door egress alarm is a perfect example of how advanced technologies are transformed into a system to safe guard people prone to wandering Simple to install suitable for single or multiple residents the system allows residents to remain mobile while providing an alert to carers if they attempt to leave the building through a monitored door Further details available at www easylinkuk co uk search Doorwatcher

Medpage have supplied Care, Residential Homes, and Hospitals with fall prevention and detection alarms for more than 25 years From basic bed and chair exit detection alarms to more complex cordless sensor pad systems with nurse call integration, we supply quality sys tems that deliver cost effective per formance

Our new sensor pad controller the MPCSA11 has been included into numerous falls management proj ects in Hospitals and professional care establishments The system already proven to reduce care costs allows a patient with mobility to transfer from their bed to their chair or to visit their washroom without alarm notifications to carers providing the transfer is completed within a selectable time Failure to return within the selected time will result in alarm notification to carers either by pager nurse call trigger or ward wall mounted alarm receiver

Quiet and calm care homes ensure that resi dents are able to live in a more relaxing and pleasant home environment Similarly carers and staff find that they too benefit from reduced stress when working in a home where noise levels are kept to a minimum There are many environmental factors that can affect those sensitive to their surround ings particularly those suffering from dementia these can be fluctua tions in ambient temperature light and of course noise Repetitive and high levels of noise can originate from a number of internal and exter nal sources for example telephones ringing loud conversations in cor ridors and call bells sounding, often one of the largest contributors to increasing the levels of stress and discomfort in residents

A published study by the University of Stirling stated that unan swered Nurse Call (Call Bell) alarms can be one of the most common causes of stress in dementia sufferers The University recommends “fit ting call alarms which alert nurses but do not resonate throughout the whole building Alarms can be particularly disconcerting as they may encourage the person with dementia to respond or investigate what the matter is At the very least the loss of sleep will compromise a per

son’s ability to concentrate It can affect their attention levels and capacity to cope as well as being detrimental to their overall state of wellbeing Personal paging systems are preferable to bells and buzzers Modern Nurse Call systems can incorporate a number of methods to reduce their impact in a care home These include zoning whereby there are separate alarm types used depending upon the location of the call In these circumstances dementia suffer ers and those vulnerable to noise can be located in one zone whist less vulnerable residents live in an alternative “zone” Each “zone” can operate different call tones warning lights or other methods to alert when help is required

Reducing noise levels is essential to create a tranquil envi ronment for residents Pagers have been around for many years are a relatively simple and cost effective measure in reducing the levels of noise, and can be added to most Nurse Call systems Smart Mobile Devices are now becoming more commonplace for care home staff and hold a variety of apps for care planning e medication etc Many Courtney Thorne clients are now utilising the “Go” app with their Nurse Call sys tem With the “Go” app nurse call alarms are delivered imme diately and silently straight to the handsets alerting the individual carers to all Nurse call alarms without creating any general alarm sound and rarely disturbing the rest of the resi dents in the home

Calmer residents ultimately means that staff are less

stressed also this creates a happier workplace

is greatly improved staff are retained and CQC

www.nursecallsystems.co.uk

How Data is Transforming Social Care: The Roundtable

The UK is embracing a new era of data driven social care reform Digitisation and datafication are enabling enhanced visibility, unlocking a new paradigm of proactive person centred care How is data enabling this transformation what are the stumbling blocks and what strategies are necessary to create a new digital roadmap that leads to better outcomes?

Stuart Barclay, uK sales director of fall detection and remote monitoring supplier Vayyar Care recently chaired a live roundtable discussion with key players in the social care sector to explore the power and potential of technology enabled care

Four of the field’s leading providers and thought leaders explored the key factors driv ing change in social care The conversation brought together Alyson Scurfield, CEo at TSA, paul Berney, Cmo at Anthropos, Claire Aldridge, Strategic Contract manager at millbrook Healthcare Group and Tim Barclay CEo at Appello to share their visions for the future and how they are leverag ing data to truly transform care

STUART BARCLAY:

Thank you all for being here Alyson, can you tell us about the need, demand and market readiness for data driven social care and digital transformation?

ALYSON SCURFIELD, TSA CEO:

First I d like to thank Vayyar Care for bringing us together for this important discussion I’m delighted to be here

As part of the advisory body for technology enabled care in the UK I’m passionate about the power of data to transform care, enhance lives and deliver better outcomes for people and communities Using data to provide better care is at the heart of what we do at TSA We’ve been talking about this since early 2019 pre COVID and identified three cornerstones data people, and partnerships as the key drivers of transformation to enable true preventative care We ve had a bird s eye view of the process of change that’s impacting services and communities across the UK

We learned that we’re data rich but intelligence poor We need to give people relevant data insights that they can use to make more informed decisions and carry out better care planning not only for family members and frontline workers, but also to allow care recipients themselves to play an active role in managing their own self care Technology is delivering better outcomes for people It’s the glue of transformation and we’re starting to prove it

Data can drive better outcomes, enabling people to live longer inde pendently in the place of their choosing The scene is set for true health and social care reform

STUART:

Let s talk about the journey from analogue to digital How are reac tive legacy solutions and devices falling short when it comes to falls management?

We recently conducted a survey of social care providers that identi fied falls management as the primary drain on resources 69% of respondents said that falls are the most common reason for responder visits But more than a quarter of those callouts turn out to be false alarms putting a huge strain on staff

A big part of the problem is that the vast majority of fall detection solutions on the market aren t practical Take cameras for example Most care users do not feel comfortable with video cameras invading their privacy at home

CLAIRE ALDRIDGE, STRATEGIC CONTRACT MANAGER, MILLBROOK HEALTHCARE GROUP:

In the past caregivers had to deal with so many false alarms espe cially when it comes to fall detection Reactive legacy solutions like buttons and cords are useful only if they re within reach and the resi

dent is conscious mats are often unreliable and break frequently and wearables have to be charged, while the care user must remember to put them on

At Millbrook we ve recognised that historically the sector hasn t been using data as smartly as we could and that’s something we’re keen to address That s why we re partnering with companies like Vayyar and Anthropos, who share our vision, so that we can start lever aging data to get the best outcomes for our service users and help them feel secure about using the technology

We ve adopted a digital first approach meaning that we re phasing out all analogue devices Our goal is to start leveraging data to get the best outcomes for our service users

We want to capture the full benefits of technology to overcome the problem of false alarms and use it to predict and prevent crises

It s an exciting time right now and there s plenty of new tech coming on board We want to be sure that Millbrook is at the forefront of change and innovation in the sector

ALYSON:

False alarms have made people weary and wary of technology that wastes valuable time and resources With all new technologies we need to give people confidence that they meet rigorous standards and have fully proven themselves

TIM BARCLAY, APPELLO CEO:

The transition from analogue to digital has been going on for the past seven years One of the good that the TSA and the industry s momentum have helped us to understand is that this isn’t just about replacing a device that signals analogue with a device that signals digi tal It s an opportunity for a step change to business models service models, and the outcomes you deliver because there is so much more power and capability in a digital environment We have more digitally connected customers than anyone out there and proven solutions to choose from We ve put digital infrastructure into more than 25 000 apartments and scores of case studies of people who were considering the journey and now have accessed proven innovative solutions

We ve gone out of our way to make ensure that we are as interoper able as possible We have transition models both commercial and technical to help the transition from analogue to digital We re not just moving from one box to another that would be missing the point The transition to digital can deliver services in a more effective person alised, and meaningful way for the end user, and that doesn’t mean at a higher cost You can deliver better services at a lower cost through more intelligent use of the digital capabilities that technology enabled care has to offer

STUART:

Our survey also revealed that 90% of service providers acknowledge that frontline staff are spending too much time on administrative tasks More data should really mean less paperwork for staff What s more 88% of providers agree that more data about how long users spend at home and their activity would help deliver more personalised care And that leads to our next topic: outcomes How can we use data smartly to reduce the burden on overworked caregivers and ensure bet ter care?

TIM:

It s worth contextualizing the word data It s not reams of information that need to be analysed It’s data delivered simply and sensibly Data is machine driven pieces of insight that can be easily shared in a digital form

We must be able to deliver single nuggets of information that care providers can act on

Simple messages like “I m OK”, clearly delivered on a dashboard, can make an enormous difference to the productivity of frontline staff

PAUL BERNEY, CMO AT ANTHROPOS:

It’s the job of the connected care platforms like Anthropos and oth ers to process manage and analyse the data Ultimately care providers are only interested in the intelligence that will allow them to make better informed care decisions

They re only interested in the end product the insights That’s our job and we do it best when we know the desired care outcomes Then we know what insights we need to identify We take the data and divide it into four basic categories: environment daily routine and behaviour patterns physiological wellbeing and safety and security Then we take all that data and turn it into intelligence But we can only do that when we know what the goals are what insights we need to provide and what actions are required When you have a platform can reveal behavioural changes you can step in and take preventative

action Then you can make a real difference to someone s life no mat ter stage of the care journey they’re at

STUART:

You touched there on the importance of the joined up care journey Ultimately, it s collaboration that enables the delivery of person cen tred predictive care According to our survey almost 80% of service providers agreed that sharing behavioural data is critical to unlocking personalised outcomes We need to change the norm so that we can start working together cohesively as suppliers to support service providers in collaboration with TSA But let’s get more specific

What insights have been unlocked by the behavioural data you gath er and how do you share them with key stakeholders?

PAUL:

We re good at integration and that s because we understand the importance of working together I’ll give you an example We got an alert that showed that a resident hadn t started her morning routine within half hour of her regular pattern, and then the data revealed she had been up several times to go to the bathroom This is a person with long history of UTIs so the platform could identify this wasn’t the norm for her and sent an alert It s then up to the care provider to decide if it’s necessary to take action or just to keep an eye on them

STUART:

You re absolutely right Data sharing is the key to cohesive meaning ful and fruitful partnerships between technology suppliers platform providers and frontline caregivers Sharing behavioural data that reveals mobility physical and mental health and potential medical conditions is critical to unlocking personalised care and optimising out comes That applies both to overall care management and to the risk factors of falls

PAUL:

Exactly and that s why our customers want Vayyar Care Managing falls more effectively through better communication is at the top of our priority list when it comes to care management

Passive falls monitoring is so important because we all understand the drawbacks of wearables

We want to give people confidence that they re buying into a system that’s gone through exhaustive evaluation and testing, because if you re going to make a care decision based on data you need com plete confidence in the quality of that intelligence

ALYSON:

Achieving the best results through focused insights and intelligent data sharing is all about partnering with the right people Collaboration is paramount in terms of providing better outcomes We want to help people feel secure about using technology as a reliable resource and that s a team effort We re partnering with leading tech and platform providers like Vayyar Care and Anthropos who share our vision and want start to using smart tech much more wisely We need to guaran tee that our partners deliver the best quality adhere to the highest safety standards and like us, are committed to putting the service user at the heart of everything they do Above all we re committed to the quality standards framework which includes ethics and continuous quality of care

Come visit the TSA website We ll put you in touch with organisations that have loads of case studies to show how we’re making this possi ble We also have a list of certified members that we can guarantee are delivering this partnership approach and are delivering quality service

STUART:

Well that brings us to the end of our roundtable on how data is transforming social care I d like to thank you all for being here and sharing your insights and experience As the social care sector expands, it’s clear that local authorities across the UK need to embrace new sensor technologies leading edge platforms and above all fresh best practices if they’re going to continue to put people at the heart of care

If you d like to discuss any of the issues raised in this roundtable or connect with any of the contributors please email Stuart Barclay directly:

10 Reasons To Go Digital With Electronic Care Planning and Medication (eMAR) Systems

TIME

More time to care

Carers never have enough time to care but going digital can provide more

There are so many time consuming tasks such as writing care notes completing paper assessments fill ing in charts preparing handovers and countless other administrative tasks

Going digital can automate many of these tasks and enable recording care interactions in real time ensur ing nothing is left undocumented and saving time that can be better spent providing care

CONTROL

Better Control

Digital care systems are safe and accessible main taining the security and confidentiality of your data

This is difficult to achieve with paper because sensitive information must be locked away when not in use per GDPR

Furthermore digital allows you to determine who can access and what via permission controls Staff only see what they need to see based on their role

PROTECTION

Protect your business

Going digital makes it easy and efficient to evidence

the quality of care you provide In addition as a digital system has a complete audit trail you can be assured the information you are providing is accurate and com plete

COSTS

Costs and environment

The most considerable cost saving that going digital can provide is time While the amount of time saved will vary between service types and roles this alone makes going digital worthwhile

RISK

Reduced risk

Using inbuilt alerts ensures that nothing is missed whether that s a care plan change or a fall report Using an eMAR will help reduce medication errors and ensure that the 6 Rs are always met

Going digital also allows the collection of data at the point of care which can be analysed to identify trends and risks and demonstrate corrective action

RETENTION

Improve staf f retention

Using electronic care systems to change the focus from the administration to the delivery of care helps

stage engage more with service users

Additionally providing smart tools like care planning and eMAR software to reduce the administrative bur den will decrease staff stress

QUALITY

Improved quality of care

With pre built assessments covering all aspects of health you can get to know your service users inti mately

But it s not just health; other characteristics such as emotion likes/dislikes and how they correspond to a wide range of activities can be recorded

EVIDENCE

Demonstrate quality of care deliver y

While the delivery of person centred care is para mount care providers must also provide evidence of the care they deliver and regulatory bodies actively encourage the use of technology

Digital care plans are the best way to achieve this!

VISIBILITY

Improved visibility

Electronic care systems ensure that managers have real time access to notes and information to instantly understand the care provided and help identify

changes that need to be made to improve the quality of care

AutumnCare con tains a customis able Dashboard to provide Managers with a snapshot of what is occurring across the care service at any point in time

WONDERING HOW TO GO DIGITAL?

AutumnCare provides specialist digital care planning and eMAR software enabling providers to migrate to a digital system and providing the foundations for out standing care We can walk you through what is required step by step as well as provide training and support every step of the way

To realise all of the benefits above plus many more get in touch with us today

Contact Chris Sharman

Email c sharman@autumn care Call 0800 009 2121 Website uk autumn care

Virtual Reality Technology Helps Residents Take a Trip To Some Of The World’s Most Beautiful Places

desire

Reminiscence therapy is proving to be particularly effective for people living with dementia and this is a fantastic example of how we can utilise modern technology to help them to unlock treasured memories and engage with others ” he further explains Advinia is one of the UK s largest care providers and has for some time now been engaging in groundbreaking technological advancements to provide the best care for residents With a vision to create a better every day life for its residents Advinia continues to explore the ever present opportunities that technology provides to make life for the elderly more enjoyable

Intelligent Care Software (ICS)

The CAREAudits System

administration driven by ever increasing legislative compliance requirements and controls and pres surised by ever increasing costs The CAREAudits apps evolved from their desire to give something back to the Care Sector; to develop systems that genuinely reduce costs and increase efficiency as well as improving accountability and quality And above all a system that would be easy to install and use by every one

THE CAREAUDITS SYSTEM

The CAREAudits app and Web Portal

now being

are thousands of

says “We were able to imple ment the system ourselves and are now benefitting from management having all the information we need at our fingertips in real time wherev er we are

The system allows care providers to audit or check just about everything and manage areas requiring actions (or non compliances) in it s Web Portal Encrypted date and time stamped evidence including photos is seamlessly auto attached and recorded in the system

Working in the Care Sector the team recognised in 2014 the sector was becoming overwhelmed with

Tool

everything from CQC Compliance and Safety to Medication Audits Training and Maintenance as well as service users quality and wellbeing and now Corona Virus Steve Smith regional manager at Care Homes UK

Natalie Lawrence at Yorkare Homes says It s a paperless system that runs alongside our existing client records system helping to make our whole operation paperless ” CAREAudits ensures manage ment and staff are aware at all times of what needs checking that it’s been checked actions required by whom by when including full resolution management Each CAREAudit also scores the answers so manage

ment can monitor improvement Steven Tegart from Talbot Group likes reporting and says “I wish all my other systems were as easy to extract data for management reports as the CAREAudits Excel links

The system has over 120 exam ple audits to select from CAREAudits apps are extremely easy to use and care providers can easily add or edit their own audits in minutes ensuring simple management of ever changing requirements App auditors can use CAREAudits with virtually no training it s that simple The Care Auditor s Hands Free Operation guides the user through each audit each question and answer with it’s own help text standard answers and standard actions required ensuring that the least skilled operative becomes the care provider’s expert Users can download the app for a free trial and be up and running with the full system in minutes

TECHNOLOGY AND SOFTWARE

Please mention THE CARER when responding to advertising. Please mention THE CARER when responding to advertising.

Christie & Co Analyses Transactional Healthcare Market In Inaugural ‘Care Market Review’ Report

Specialist business property adviser Christie & Co has today launched its first Care Market Review 2022 report which analyses the transactional healthcare market in the UK: looking at buyer appetite transactional activity and investor demand local authority fee increas es and the funding landscape It also includes an operator survey which gives an insider view on occupancy and agency staff usage from some of healthcare’s leading operators

TRANSACTIONAL ACTIVITY

Christie & Co reports strong demand for care home opportunities throughout the UK with a 78 per cent increase in completions from 2020 to 2022 and deal numbers significantly ahead of pre pandemic levels This year offers sat at an average of 101 per cent of asking price underlining that strong investor appetite with competitive bidding is commonplace Christie & Co noted however that with the changing macro economic landscape the trend moving forward will be driven by a number of factors including the availability of capital and the alignment of vendors pricing expectations relative to prevailing market conditions

New instruction levels increased by around 30 per cent from 2020 to 2021 and they continue to grow as operators capitalise on the buoyant market conditions and strong values achieved

The company notes that its most active buyer type over the past five years has been independent operators with one or two homes which, on average transacted on 41 per cent of deals in the sector So far in 2022, corporate operators and investors have made up 33 per cent of deals while first time buyers made up just 7 per cent a fall of 9 per cent since 2018 which is reflective of the increasing funding challenges for first time buyers the regulatory burden of the CQC and the increase in quality, higher value stock on the market

Thanks to a competitive marketplace and the increased use of tech nology in care homes which can allow for some operational work to be conducted remotely buyers are increasingly looking further afield with almost half (48 per cent) of deals in 2022 concluded to buyers who live over 100 miles from their target business A large number of deals were concluded in and around urban centres yet there has been an increase in the number of care homes transacting in rural and coastal areas

Over 1 500 care homes ceased trading between 2015 and 2020 This was not solely linked to CQC ratings, as over 40 per cent of care home closures in 2020 had ‘Good’ ratings and were closed for a range of rea sons, including margins and cost pressures

A record 31 per cent of the care homes Christie & Co sold in 2021 were on a closed basis 56 per cent of these were sold for ongoing healthcare use whilst 26 per cent were sold for residential conversion The number of closed care homes sold dropped to just 13 per cent in 2022 however an increasing proportion (80 per cent) of these closed homes were sold to care home providers

LOCAL AUTHORITY FEE RATE INCREASES

When analysing local authority fee rate rises across the UK in the fis cal year 2022/23 Christie & Co found that fee increases fall short of inflationary cost pressures in the sector There was a large disparity between fee increases throughout the UK from 3 1 per cent to 12 8 per cent with an average residential fee increase in England of 5 4 per cent and nursing fees rising by 6 8 per cent Going forward the com pany expects the burden on the self funded client base to increase

SENTIMENT SURVEY

OPERATOR

Christie & Co interviewed a cross section of local and regional

facing

With resourcing placing a huge strain on care home operators 52 per cent of respondents said that they have a widespread use of agency staff Those that have obtained a sponsorship licence to recruit staff from abroad have been able to tap into new markets for their recruitment needs and this has been successful for many However with over half of providers still having to use agency staff to fill their rotas business costs are increasing further

While 43 per cent of operators said occupancy has returned to pre pandemic levels for 57 per cent occupancy is still recovering There is a wide variation in occupancy trends across the UK with many smaller regional operators saying that their homes are largely back to pre pan demic levels and larger providers generally reporting lower overall average occupancy rates Positively though the majority report good enquiry levels which suggests that occupancy rates will continue to re build during 2023

FUNDING LANDSCAPE

The report concludes with a look at the funding landscape written by commercial finance specialist Christie Finance which has seen 8 33 per cent fewer funded deals in the sector this year as operators look to their portfolios to expand or restructure existing debt The average loan size increased by 5 8 per cent, which suggests that funding in the sec tor is evolving to provide more refinance to buy or expand

First time buyers making offers on care businesses fell from 48 per cent in 2021 to 45 per cent in 2022 due to the perceived difficulties in raising finance This area of the market has been more challenging as the recognised lenders retrench to service existing operators with proven track records

Rob Kinsman Regional Director Care at Christie & Co comments “The last couple of years have presented the sector with huge opera tional challenges but it is heartening to see that investor appetite has fully recovered We have confidence that the entrepreneurial nature of the sector will ensure the transactional market continues to thrive despite the growing economic headwinds ”

To read the full report visit www christie com/news resources/publications/care market review 2022/

PROFESSIONAL , TRAINING & RECRUITMENT

Care

Imagine a situation where you would have little or no worries about staff walking away and having a team that are very committed to your organisation

HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?

By hiring overseas staff through the Sponsorship Licences Government Initiative (We can help you if you don’t have a Sponsorship Licence yet)

WHY WOULD THE STAFF BE COMMITTED AND LOYAL?

According to the legal arrangement of their visa (right to work in the UK) all these overseas staff are obligated to stay at your organisation for 3 5 years otherwise they lose their immigration status and are liable for deportation to their country of origin

This makes them committed and legally bound to stay and work with you

PROBLEMS/SOLUTIONS

Someone might say this sounds too good to be true What happens if the staff is not happy? The reality of the matter is that a very small

percentage will not work out but that is where we come in

Firstly we preselect the staff that we feel will blend into the culture of your organisation Secondly we will supply you with the tips that ensures a better settlement procedure for overseas staff Finally we are at hand through the continual coaching and mentoring program to identify ‘sticky areas’ and work with you on getting a mutually benefi cial solutions

WHY WORK WITH US?

Purer Health Care Agency has been specially designed to help reduce the high staff turnover and its associated cost and disruptions as well as help overseas candidates obtain a better economically enhanced life This way we serve a business, social and economic pur pose

HOW WE DO THIS?

We have conducted a robust background screening conducting Criminal Checks Identity Checks Work Reference Checks and Family History Checks Hence all our staff have been prequalified and have

WHY DO THIS?

The Eden model is built on what people say they want in a Home or a workplace which therefore attracts residents and team members alike

As an Eden Home builds its reputation upon the quality of life it offers to the people that reside there it follows that occupancy improves

As a programme that empowers staff and focuses on their well being, It follows that staff retention improves

With a positive culture, a motivated and dedicated workforce, It follows that positive innovation becomes more possible sustain able and continuous

When demand for services increase it follows that viability improves

As a cohesive cultural progression programme it follows that innovation modernisation and positivity increase

The model is efficient cost effective and the training is deliv ered by experienced practitioners in Care Homes Homes are very busy places and the programme is therefore run on line for 1 hour per week for 6 weeks and people can do

this at work or at home

The 6 weekly sessions are run online with a workbook with links for further optional reading or viewing and should not be a burden to busy Homes teams and managers

It is however effective You can try without obligat on It is designed to make business sense to providers

It is designed to enhance viability

It is designed to support recruitment and retention It is designed to motivate Care teams and is open to any individ ual to add their CV

WHAT IS IT

It is a training programme which leads to accreditation and focuses in detail on 7 domains of wellbeing 10 principles and is particularly designed to address instances of loneliness helpless ness and boredom

Call today on 01626