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Staff shortages putting NHS patient safety at risk, warn healthcare professionals

The majority of independent healthcare professionals (85%) are concerned that ongoing staff shortages will cause a decline in NHS patient safety, a survey has found.

The research by the Independent Health Professionals' Association (IHPA), questioned 537 independent healthcare staff on a range of issues affecting their working lives.
When asked what they felt is putting the biggest strain on care provision in the NHS, staff shortages topped the list.

A further 64% of respondents believe that funding cuts are responsible, with 54% stating that management, internal bureaucracy and wastage is to blame. Over one in five (21%) believe that a decline in patient care standards is being driven by the number of patients using the service without genuine need.

Taking care to marathon lengths

The chief executive of a Hull-based care organisation, Hica Group, has marked 25 years with the company by walking 25 miles in one day, taking care to marathon lengths.

Penni Brown, chief executive of the not-for-profit Hica Group, completed the walk raising at least £3000 for the SHINE fund, used to benefit the users of the Hica Group’s services.

Margaret Shares Exotic Travel Stories Thanks to Innovative Care System

A pensioner who enjoyed her first ever foreign trip has been able to share her holiday photos with the boss of the charity who developed the innovative new care support system, CleverCogs, that allowed her to travel to Vietnam.

Margaret Sancken, 65, felt confident enough to book her first ever holiday to Vietnam thanks to Blackwood’s CleverCogs system, a digitally enhanced product which aims to keep people as independent as possible. Blackwood has a commitment to push the boundaries of technology to allow property adaptations which make a huge difference to people with disabilities.

Rescue dog Teddy joins the team at Eastbourne residential home

A two year-old Yorkshire Terrier/Jack Russell cross who was adopted by a residential home, Oak Lodge, for people with physical and learning disabilities last November is brightening their lives with his infectious enthusiasm for life.

The idea of finding a pet for the people who live at Oak Lodge came to one of their senior support workers Geraldine Bird when she noticed how much they enjoyed the company of a dog which regularly spent the evenings with them in the holiday accommodation in Devon where they stayed last summer.

Geraldine said:

Hertfordshire care home rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has found the quality of care provided by Tenterden House Care Home in Bricket Wood, St Albans, to be Outstanding following an inspection in January.

Tenterden House Care Home is run by Bupa Care Homes (BNH) Limited. It is registered to provide accommodation for up to 40 people who require nursing care.

Inspectors found staff were caring and compassionate and people were being provided with safe, responsive, caring, effective and well-led care.

New range of qualifications for the health and social care sector

A new range of qualifications that will bring clarity and structure to the training landscape in the health and social care sector has been launched by Highfield Qualifications.

The 13 new qualifications, which sit on Ofqual’s Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF), are designed to support learners in roles within the healthcare, adult care and other related environments.

Areas covered include principles of care planning, safeguarding and dignity in adult care, prevention and control of infection, and nutrition and health principles. Also covered are safe handling of medication, understanding diabetes, autism, challenging behaviour and mental health problems.

New online resources for older adults struggling with mental illness

MindEd for Older People is a new online educational resource that explains a range of mental illnesses commonly experienced by older people, and offers practical advice for dealing with them.

A team of older people and professionals are the authors behind the new MindEd resources which cover a range of common problems such as insomnia, depression, medications to be aware of, anxiety and alcohol-related problems.

The resources are a vital crutch at a time when demand for mental health services is increasing whilst supply of the mental health workforce for older people is falling. The number of Old Age psychiatrists has declined 8.5% since November 2013.

Balhousie Forth View Care Home celebrates latest Care Inspectorate grading

Staff and residents at Fife-based Balhousie Forth View Care Home celebrated achieving two Grade 5 ratings after a recent Care Inspectorate visit by throwing an extra special party.

Forth View in Methil was awarded a ‘very good’ rating of Grade 5 for both ‘Management and Leadership’ and ‘Care and Support’ after introducing a number of initiatives including a drive for more ‘person-centred care’ to enable residents to be more supported and involved in decision making within the home.

The Care Inspectorate’s visit found that residents and their relatives were very happy with the level of care provided and enjoy many of the home’s activities including a Residents Committee, while staff felt well supported and ‘listened to’ by their managers.

Abbotswood Court promotes healthy lifestyle choices among the elderly

To promote healthy lifestyle choices amongst its elderly residents, Abbotswood Court is providing an eclectic mix of events for Nutrition and Hydration Week.

Abbotswood Court is marking Nutrition and Hydration Week with a program of events aimed at raising awareness about the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle, especially for those aged 80+. Nutrition and Hydration week is a national campaign celebrated between 12th and 18th of March. Its mission is to create a movement that will reinforce nutrition and hydration as a vital part of quality care and safety improvement in social care settings.

Care home sponsored walk raises funds for Stroke Association

HUNDREDS of pounds have been raised for the Stroke Association by a charitable Peterlee care home.

Staff, relatives and friends of Bannatyne Lodge Care Home collected over £300 in sponsorship for a five mile hike around the town.

The home now aims to continue raising funds for the Stroke Association with a cake and coffee morning.

Lynn Chapman, home manager at Bannatyne Lodge Care Home, on Manor Way, said:

Rotherham community charity boosts creativity at care home with Art sessions

A community charity has been holding regular Art sessions at a Rotherham care home to boost elderly residents’ creativity.

RotherFed has been visiting Broadacres Care Home, in Parkgate, twice a month to run the sessions

The latest was over Easter, when residents, relatives and children of the home’s staff all took part making and decorating bonnets, posters and eggs.

An Easter egg hunt was also held for the children, with chocolate hidden around the home’s garden, while residents enjoyed cake and tea.

Art sessions Luke Owens, home manager at Broadacres Care Home, on Naylor Street, said:

PickaShift strikes group deal with leading NI Care Home provider

PickaShift, the innovative new app and software designed to help providers of nursing and residential homes make significant savings, has struck its first group deal with Wilson Group.

The deal will see the App rolled out across its 5 nursing homes with around 300 staff accessing the platform. Their homes are based in Belfast, Bangor, Whitehead and Larne in Northern Ireland.

The App which connects Nurses, Care Assistants and Ancillary Staff directly with their employers in residential and nursing homes, informs staff quickly about shifts that have become available at short notice and encourages them to pick up those shifts at an increasingly favourable rate until the shift is claimed.

Bupa calls on startups to boost innovation in aged care

Small business from the UK, Australia and New Zealand have chance to pilot their programmes across Bupa’s network of care homes

Bupa is calling on startups in a bid to bring further innovation to the aged care sector. As part of its Bupa B Table programme, pitches need to be designed to benefit older people, either by supporting nurses and carers working in Bupa homes, or through supporting independent living.

Applications are open now, and successful candidates will be mentored by senior Bupa business leaders and technology experts. They will also have access to space in Bupa’s offices to develop their ideas, and potential investment from Bupa to help develop their products.

The Lifesaving Medical Equipment Necessary for Nursing Homes

Medtree say due to the nature of the industry, it is impossible to avoid emergencies in a care home. However, you can be prepared for emergencies when they occur, with proper provisions and protocols in place. While nurse call buttons and intercoms are essential equipment, there is a variety of medical requirements to ensure the safety of the residents. Medtree, leading suppliers of medical equipment, are sharing the lifesaving equipment for care homes.

The nursing home has a duty of care to those who are residents, staff and, of course, visitors. Employees have a right to work in a safe and healthy workplace, and residents should receive care that is safe, taking their rights and freedom into account.

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The countdown to Care Roadshow Glasgow has begun

It has nearly been one whole year since Care Roadshow visited Scottish soil. If you work in the care sector and are looking to maintain your knowledge of the industry then Care Roadshow Glasgow taking place at Hampden Park Stadium on Tuesday 17th April is the place to be.

The first of the five national events will host a mix of suppliers covering a wide range of products and services for all areas for the care sector. Exhibitors including apetito, Boots, Citation and Disclosure Scotland will be on hand to offer advice and information on how they can help your care setting flourish.

Widnes brothers call on celebrity friends to help raise over five thousand pounds for disability charity

TV comedy producer, Stu Mather, was able to use his connections to attract some of Britain’s top comedy talent, including Jon Richardson, Josh Widdvicombe, Suzi Ruffell, James Acaster and Chris McCausland, for a comedy fundraising night, at 2Northdown in Kings Cross, London.

Two brothers, Tim and Stu Mather, from Widnes, have raised over five thousand pounds for the national disability charity, Sense, enlisting the help of family and celebrity friends to put on two very special fundraisers.

Over a hundred people attended a wine tasting evening, organised by the brothers’ parents, John and Carole Mather, at Widnes Cricket Club on the 16th February. The wine was supplied by John Stott, via the International Wine Challenge, and raised over three thousand pounds.

Grand Opening of New Luxury Care Home

Buntingford’s brand-new care home, Layston Grove, has been officially opened this week by honoured guests Town Mayor, Councillor John Noades and Councillor Jeff Jones. The home opened its doors to local healthcare professionals, councillors and business owners, giving them the opportunity to view the state-of-the-art facilities.

The purpose-built home, which is located at the Southern End of Buntingford, will provide a home for 66 elderly people requiring residential or dementia care on an ALL-INCLUSIVE basis. Home Manager, Sam Campbell, and her team had already welcomed local residents to view the luxury facilities at their busy open day on Sunday 18th March.

Residents praise for MHA care homes in national survey

Residents at MHA care homes are celebrating the results of a nationwide survey of care home residents after one of its homes scored a perfect 1,000 out of 1,000.

Top scorer Mayfields Care Home in Ellesmere Port achieved a perfect 1,000 out of 1,000, while Willesden Court Care Home in London got 985 and Bankhouse Care Home and Lower Johnshill Care Home, both in Auchlochan Garden Village in Lanarkshire, got 978 and 977 respectively, meaning the residents highly rate the standard of care they receive.

Care Boss Pays Tribute to Hero Staff Effort During ‘Beast from the East’

THE BOSS of one of the country’s leading housing and care providers has paid tribute to staff who went ‘the extra mile’ to ensure that vital services continued during the Beast from the East.

Fanchea Kelly, Chief Executive of Blackwood, was so amazed by stories of staff dedication during the recent weather emergency that she took the time to send a letter thanking them for their heroic efforts.

Care workers braved blizzards, shovelled snow and dodged drifts to ensure that customers were safe and sound during the red weather warning which brought large parts of the country to a standstill.

Fanchea said:

Care firm pioneers company-wide recycling scheme

One of the UK’s largest private care providers The Regard Group has launched an initiative to recycle half of the waste it produces.

The Regard Group, which provides supported living, residential and day services for people with learning difficulties and mental health needs, is hoping to increase recycling by 50% in 6 months.

“In the past we used different bin providers across the country,” said Regard’s building compliance officer, Stuart Cockle, who heads the efficiency drive. “We are now able to rationalise this by going through one central procurement point.”

Regard is working with national waste management company UKWSL who took over all bin collections at the group’s residential care homes, offices and some supported living services in January.

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