The Sound Doctor receives accreditation for online course
The Sound Doctor receives national accreditation for new online diabetes course. The Quality Institute for Self-management Education and Training (QISMET), has given health educator, The Sound Doctor, national accreditation for its new online diabetes course. The structured and educational diabetes course has been created for people newly diagnosed with diabetes. Rosie Runciman, Co-Founder of The Sound Doctor said, “This online course is truly innovative. It focuses on film rather than text, providing an engaging and effective experience. It includes fun and interactive questions at the end of each section and uses attractive visuals to keep the viewer watching and learning. Having this accreditation is testament to the quality and deliverables of our course.” QISMET is the not-for-profit body supporting self-management providers and commissioners achieve the highest possible quality service for people living with long-term health conditions. NHS England’s current Long-Term plan emphasises the importance of education in the improvement of diabetes outcomes. The NHS offers structured education to anyone in England who has been diagnosed with diabetes. Traditionally, this has been done by face to face sessions over a period of weeks. This course is an alternative for those who are unwilling to take time off work to attend the classes. Rosie adds, “We understand that people need choice and flexibility. The Sound Doctor is providing the tool to do just that. We anticipate this will improve the take-up in structured education and outcomes.” The Sound Doctor course, which is now available at scale, will provide the means to reach and educate more people with diabetes. Diabetes UK states that if nothing changes, in excess of five million people will have diabetes in the UK by 2025. Professor Vinod Patel, a Professorial Clinical Teaching Fellow in Diabetes and Clinical Skills at Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick believes that “The Sound Doctor diabetes course is an excellent structured education option. It should help improve the quality of life for many patients.” The online course can be viewed anytime, anywhere and multiple times if required. This flexibility could be an important milestone in the education of patients. The Sound Doctor aims to create the very best film and audio content available to help people look after themselves better with long term conditions and improve outcomes. For more information, visit www.thesounddoctor.org.
Orchard Care Homes confirmed as finalist in industry awards
Orchard Care Homes, one of the UK’s leading providers of specialist residential, dementia, nursing and short-term respite care, has been confirmed as a finalist in this year’s LaingBuisson Awards, in the Residential Care (larger organisations) category. The LaingBuisson Awards are the Oscars of Health and Social Care. Now in their 14th year of recognising excellence, they are judged independently and objectively and focus on the people providing care as well as advisors. The judging rounds will take place from 2nd September until 27th September to allow the panel of judges’ time to scrutinise every finalist nomination carefully for each category, with the Awards ceremony taking place on Wednesday 13th November 2019 at Park Plaza Westminster Bridge, London. A spokesperson from LaingBuisson said: “This year has seen a record-breaking number of nominations for every single category, with over 400 entries in total. The competition was extremely tough, and decisions were very hard, but we are thrilled to announce the finalists and look forward to the Awards evening.” Tom Brookes, CEO at Orchard Care Homes, was delighted to receive the news, saying: “I am delighted for Orchard Care Homes to be shortlisted as one of the finalists. Over the past 12 months, we have invested heavily in providing a range of meaningful activities for our residents, in a warm and homely environment. In addition, we have provided training and career pathways for staff and introduced new technologies to ensure we provide the very best quality of care across all our homes. Our quality objectives for 2019/20 are designed to develop and promote the highest quality of care, which we believe is at the heart of everything we do.” For more information please visit https://orchardcarehomes.com
Kare Plus secures £910,000 loan to expand care network
Kare Plus National Limited has received a £910,000 loan, to expand care network, from MEIF Maven WM Debt Finance, part of the Midlands Engine Investment Fund. Kare Plus delivers care and support services through residential establishments including large private hospitals, local councils and to private clients within their own homes, providing them with medical and care services. The funding package will allow the firm to expand its network of care facilities across the Midlands and also bolster its homecare services. It is also expected to create 20 new jobs. The rapid growth of the ageing demographic in the UK is projected to be more than five times the growth of the working population by 2024, where the number of people over 65 is expected to comprise more than 20% of the total population. The increase in demand for elderly care is resulting in a strain on public sector healthcare services and increasing the demand for private provisions. Kare Plus also provides temporary and permanent clinical staffing solutions to the private and public health and social care sectors.CEO, Steve Welsh, was originally a franchisee who purchased Kare Plus in 2010. Steve Welsh CEO at Kare Plus said; “The MEIF Maven WM Debt Finance will assist in the growth of our homecare services, which will continue to expand and develop alongside our national network of franchise businesses. Our focus is the delivery of outstanding nursing, care and support to local communities, nationally and we look forward to continuing to do just that.” Raj Minhas, Investment Manager at Maven Capital Partners, said, “Kare Plus is an established business with ambitious growth plans to expand the business and create new jobs in the region. We are delighted to have provided the management team with this loan facility from the MEIF Maven WM Debt Fund to help propel their growth journey.” Grant Peggie, Director at the British Business Bank, said, “The Midlands Engine Investment Fund seeks to boost growth in smaller businesses across the region with finance to support new jobs and expansion. Funding such as this, highlights the important role of external finance as well as the positive impact the MEIF is having on Midlands businesses. We would encourage other small businesses seeking to grow to see what funding support is available from MEIF.” The Midlands Engine Investment Fund project is supported financially by the European Union using funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020 and the European Investment Bank.
Timperley resident urges others to unite against dementia
Maddy Haren, from Manchester, who lives in Timperley, is calling on others to join her and unite against dementia at the Cheshire Memory Walk, which will be held at Arley Hall and Gardens, Northwich, Cheshire, CW9 6NA on Saturday 12 October 2019. Maddy, whose mum has dementia, is urging people to register for the event to help the charity raise money to improve the lives of people affected by the condition. Maddy’s mum Mary, who is 81-years-old, has vascular dementia and no longer knows who Maddy is. She was diagnosed a few years ago but Maddy believes the dementia started a long time before that. Maddy is also in remission from triple negative breast cancer and decided to hide her illness from her mother Mary so as not to upset and confuse her when she was diagnosed with the cancer last year. Despite only just finishing her chemotherapy weeks before, Maddy also took part in the Cheshire Memory Walk at Arley Hall last October, and loved every moment of it. Maddy says: “I was still a little poorly when I signed up for the Memory Walk last year. I hadn’t even finished my chemo treatment but it was something I really wanted to do for mum and also for myself as a challenge. It’s such a great day and atmosphere, even in the rain! I really would recommend other people signing up for one of Alzheimer’s Society’s Memory Walks by going to memorywalk.org.uk or join me at Arley Hall in Cheshire and do your bit to raise awareness for a really important cause.” Steve Green, Alzheimer’s Society Area Manager for Cheshire, said: “Dementia is now the UK’s biggest killer with someone developing it every three minutes – yet dementia research still trails far behind other health conditions, after decades of underfunding. We are calling on family, friends – and furry four-legged supporters – to unite against dementia this autumn. Dementia devastates lives. Walk with us at Memory Walk and dementia won’t win. Every pound raised will help Alzheimer’s Society provide information and support, improve care, fund research and create lasting change for people affected by dementia.” “Unite against dementia and register now at memorywalk.org.uk” Alzheimer’s Society has pledged to invest £150 million in the next decade to search for better treatments and work towards a cure for dementia. Every penny raised through Memory Walk will help Alzheimer’s Society find a cure, improve care and support people affected by dementia – register now at https://www.memorywalk.org.uk.
Family-run company works with region’s ambulance service
Harrogate-based Yorkshire Care Equipment has supplied Yorkshire Ambulance Service (YAS) with over 50 Raizer emergency lifting chairs that are now being used by first responders, falls teams and care homes in the Sheffield area. YAS and NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) have started a project in the city that aims to get people who have fallen back on their feet as soon as possible. The Raizer chairs are part of this joint project which provides staff with appropriate lifting equipment and focuses on residents having an improved experience. The results will be shared with other ambulance services, some of which are also trialling the equipment. Yorkshire Ambulance Service responds to nearly 800,000 emergencies every year with around 10% of these related to people who have fallen. Many of these calls come from care homes where staff are either physically unable to lift the person back to their feet or are unable to do so because of lack of training and access to appropriate equipment. Karen Owens, Director of Urgent Care and Integration at Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust, said: “Feedback from the care home staff and residents in the project described the Raizer chair as something which will help staff move people safely and with dignity and will give staff the confidence to assess injury prior to making the decision to moving someone. We very much appreciate the collaborative working and funding provided by the CCG on this project.” The Raizer is completely unique from other falls lifting products because it only takes one carer to operate it. In turn, this saves money and time for care staff. Steve Ellis, Yorkshire Care’s Raizer Specialist, said: “When we worked with YAS last year, we knew that the Raizer could make a real difference to the level of care they were providing. Even when I’ve carried out training with their staff, you can see how much more confident the staff feel when they know they have a device that will genuinely improve the quality of care they provide.” For more information about Raizer please visit https://www.yorkshirecareequipment.com/product/moving-handling/fall-assists/
Bluebird Care Mid Essex is one of the best care providers
Bluebird Care Mid Essex has been rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of health and social care services in England. Only 1% of home care providers receive this rating. The CQC rating was awarded following a comprehensive inspection in May 2019 and is a significant achievement, making Bluebird Care Mid Essex one of the best home care providers in the area. Bluebird Care Mid Essex provides flexible and high-quality homecare and support services to people living in their own homes in the community, including older people and those with mental health, physical disability or sensory impairment needs. The team provide a variety of services, including Dementia Care, Respite Care, End of Life Support, Live-in Care, Night Care & Support and Specialist Care services for a wide range of other medical conditions. The CQC’s report showed the service provided by Bluebird Care Mid Essex was widely praised by clients, their relatives and the healthcare professionals working for them. Those receiving the service said the staff went above and beyond expectations, remarking that, “They [staff] make me feel human, worth something and feel valued”. Similarly, relatives had confidence in the ability of staff, with one remarking: “I couldn’t praise them highly enough. They are brilliant, wonderful [and] they go far and beyond what they need to”. The inspectors also praised the staff noting that they ‘spoke with compassion when referring to the people they cared for’ and carried out their roles with ‘people at the heart of the service’. They were commended in particular for their continuity of care, with relatives receiving a weekly rota that is strictly adhered to. Daily communication in relation to the service was described as excellent by people using the service, relatives and the healthcare professionals involved. In addition, Bluebird Care Mid Essex were described as ‘exceptionally proactive’ in recognising social exclusion and isolation in the community and for their work to collaborate with other local services, including the fire service and the police. You can read the Bluebird Care report in full on CQC’s website at https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-730988372. The report found that the service provided an ‘Outstanding’ quality of care – the highest accolade they can award. This is an endorsement of not just the quality of care, but the systems they have in place and their treatment of staff. The CQC noted all the correct systems were in place to monitor the delivery of care audits, spot checks, staff observational supervision and quality assurance questionnaires. Additionally, lessons that were learned to improve levels of care were documented and shared with the management team and in staff meetings. Moreover, the wellbeing of care assistants is viewed as key by management and care assistants in turn said they felt ‘valued and supported’. Fundamentally, the CQC viewed Bluebird Care Mid Essex as an excellent service with a ‘people first’, caring ethos. Key to their service is the delivery of person-centred care and the overriding view of their relationship with people using the service as a ‘partnership’. Lucy McCormack, Director of Bluebird Care Mid Essex, said: “I am really proud of this rating and I am so pleased that the CQC has seen all the hard work and dedication of our team. The team work so well together and always go above and beyond for their customers. “The whole Bluebird Care Mid Essex team will continue to work every day to maintain this ‘Outstanding’ service and put our customers and their needs first. It is a great privilege to work with staff and customers who are such wonderful people and I am so grateful for their continued support.” Yvonne Hignell, Managing Director of Bluebird Care, said: “It’s wonderful to see such a glowing endorsement of the Bluebird Care Mid Essex team. They are a really hard working group of individuals and the leadership at this office has a lot to do with its strong success. I would like to congratulate everyone involved in the delivery of our outstanding services in Mid Essex and look forward to seeing what is to come from this team in the future.” For more information about Bluebird Care Mid Essex visit https://www.bluebirdcare.co.uk/mid-essex or call 01245 263 962.
All Borough Care Homes Rated Good By CQC
All of Borough Care Homes for older people are rated as ‘good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of health and social care in England. This follows inspections at Bamford Close, Bruce Lodge and Cawood House, which all recently received a ‘good’ rating. Borough Care is the largest not-for-profit provider of care for older people in Stockport and has eleven homes in the borough. The CQC said of Bamford Close in Cale Green that: “The service had an open and supportive culture.” The CQC noted that: “People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their own lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests.” In its report for Bruce Lodge in Offerton, the CQC states: “Staff talked to residents with respect and attention. People’s dignity and privacy was respected by staff.” At Cawood House in Brinnington, the CQC observed that: “Staff displayed caring values; they treated people with kindness, dignity and respect during care delivery. People were cared for by staff who knew them well.” Dr Mark Ward, CEO at Borough Care, says: “It’s great that the hard work and dedication of all our teams has resulted in each of our homes now being rated as good by the Care Quality Commission. We have been working hard to achieve a good rating across all of our homes and I’m pleased everyone’s effort and commitment has been rewarded. We will continue to strive to deliver the very best care for every resident. We understand choosing a care home is a big decision and it’s important to make the best choice for a loved one. At Borough Care we recognise that every resident is unique and should be treated as such. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all option, our staff take time to find out what each and every person loves so they can deliver the care and support residents need to continue to live fulfilled and valuable lives.” For more information about Borough Care Homes please visit https://www.boroughcare.org.uk
CLOSED – WIN a dementia books package worth over over £75!
Thanks to Jessica Kingsley Publishers we have four books to give away as part of a dementia books package, worth the total of over £75. The titles you could win in this dementia books package are: Reducing the Symptoms of Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias by Jackie Pool (14.99) A practical guide for people with dementia, their families and carers on reducing the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias. Applying a ‘rementia’ based approach to dementia care, the author shows how therapeutic cognitive rehabilitation techniques can be used to reduce symptoms of dementia and ultimately improve quality of life for people living with dementia. Dementia, Sex and Wellbeing by Danuta Lipinska (£16.99) Tackling the ‘last taboo’ in dementia care, this book demonstrates how professionals can support the sexuality of people with dementia. It includes advice on safeguarding and accessible explanations of how cognitive changes affect sexual behaviour and expression. CLEAR Dementia Care by Dr Frances Duffy (£24.99)The CLEAR Dementia Care© model is an effective method of assessing behaviour that challenges, through an understanding that such behaviour may be a way of communicating unmet needs. This book explains the many factors that contribute to challenging behaviour and how a greater understanding of this can enhance quality of life and lead to better care for the person with dementia in both hospital and residential settings. Practical Nutrition and Hydration for Dementia-Friendly Mealtimes by Lee Martin (£18.99) This research-informed book explains how to make the most of mealtimes for increased nutritional intake, socialising, and food enjoyment, in a range of care settings. It covers topics such as the physical act of eating and drinking, creating a comfortable and friendly dining environment, using appropriate tableware, and dealing with common issues such as problems with swallowing and choking. To be in with a chance of winning this dementia books package, worth over £75, click on the Rafflecopter link below: a Rafflecopter giveaway *The administrator of this competition is the Care and Nursing Essentials Magazine (“administrator”). By participating in the competition, each Entrant unconditionally accepts and agrees to comply with and abide by these Official Rules and the decisions of Administrator, which shall be final and binding in all respects. The administrator is responsible for the collection, submission or processing of Entries and the overall administration of the competition. Entrants should look solely to Administrator with any questions, comments or problems related to the Competition. The administrator may be reached by email at socialmedia@euromediaal.com during the Promotion Period. * This giveaway will close at 12.00am, 12th August 2019.* The prize is a dementia books package worth over over £75!. The prize is non-transferable, non-refundable. There is no cash alternative.* Open to UK residents aged 18 or over, excluding employees of the Administrator, the sponsor, their families and anyone else professionally connected with this promotion. * There is one compulsory entry which requests that to enter the competition you answer a question based on the dementia books package. Additional entries are available. * The prize winner will be asked to provide their email address so that contact can be made to arrange prize delivery, and their name and county be published in the next issue of the magazine * By entering the competition, you grant the Administrator permission to add your details to the mailing list, share your email address and any other personally identifiable information with the other competition Entities for the purpose of administration and prize fulfillment, including use in a publicly available Winners list.* Entries will only be accepted as instructed and any entrant that does not complete the qualifying requirements will be disqualified * The winners will be chosen using the random entry selector built into the widget.* The winners will be informed by email within 5 days of the closing date, and must respond within 5 days to claim their prize. If there is no response within the 5 days and new winner will be drawn at random.*This prize draw is governed by English law and the courts of England shall have exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute arising in connection with it.For further T&C and our privacy policy please see here Euromedia Associates Ltd: Privacy Policy https://www.iubenda.com/privacy-policy/66331438/legal
HC-One enables Resident to stay with her fury companion
A HC-One Care Home has enabled a Resident to live with her beloved cat of 13 years after fears they may be separated. Beryl, a Resident at Berry Hill Park Care Home had her world turned upside down when her partner of 30 years passed away in January. The 81-year-old, was forced to relocate 75 miles to Mansfield, Nottinghamshire to be closer to her sister, but was faced with the prospect of being separated from her cat George. Beryl’s sister contacted Berry Hill Park Care Home in Mansfield, who were only best pleased to accommodate both Beryl and George into the home. Sally Tebbett, HC-Ones Berry Hill Park Care Home Manager describes how both Beryland George are now settling in perfectly to their new surroundings. She said: “We’re so pleased to have welcomed both Beryl and George into the home, they’ve adapted to their new surroundings quickly and are fitting in perfectly. They have a beautiful bond and we’re proud to have kept that, ensuring they both live a happy and fulfilled life.” Beryl added: “We have to be together because George needs me and I need him. Nobody loves me like he loves me. It’s great that I’m sharing this story as hopefully more cats will move into the home and George will have more friends.” Berry Hill Park has recently been rated Band 5 Premium by Notts County Council (NCC) following their recent inspection. NCC found that Berry Hill Park met high standards throughout all five categories, with Residents receiving quality care through an effective and professionally managed service. The managers take responsibility, are appropriately registered and accountable for their actions, and have an effective system for identifying, assessing and monitoring complaints and the quality of the service provision. Talking about the NCC rating, Sally said: “It is a great achievement for Berry Hill Park to receive such a high rating from our County Council. Our priority is to deliver the highest level of care and support to our Residents.” Located in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, Berry Hill is a purpose-built care home offering short and long-term stay to members of the community needing nursing and dementia care. The home provides a dedicated care plan for each Resident, working with them and their families to ensure that their wellbeing needs are met. For more information about HC-One Care Homes or to arrange a tour, visit www.hc-one.co.uk or call 0333 999 8434.
