Results of major CVD study presented at DPC2018
The results of the eagerly-anticipated DECLARE study into cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes was shared for the first time in the UK at Diabetes Professional Care (DPC2018). The research involved 17,000 people and showed how the drug Forxiga (dapagliflozin) reduced hospitalisation for heart failure or cardiovascular (CV) death with no increase in major CV events versus placebo in a broad population with type 2 diabetes. The session called Cardiovascular outcomes with SGLT2 inhibitors in type 2 diabetes – update from AHA conference took place on Wednesday, November 14, between 3.15pm and 3.45pm. DECLARE-TIMI 58 is the first CV outcomes trial (CVOT) in its class to include a majority of people without established CV disease. It is the first CVOT to include hospitalisation for heart failure as part of a primary outcome; heart failure in people with type 2 diabetes accounts for 1.25 million bed days per year in England and Wales Published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), results from DECLARE-TIMI 58 show dapagliflozin significantly reduced the risk of hospitalisation for heart failure (hHF) or CV death vs. placebo by 17% (4.9% vs. 5.8%; HR 0.83 [95% CI 0.73-0.95], p=0.005) in one of two primary efficacy endpoints1. The reduction in hHF or CV death was consistent across the entire patient population studied in DECLARE- TIMI 58, which included those with multiple CV risk factors and those with established CV disease. DECLARE-TIMI 58 also confirmed the well-established safety profile for dapagliflozin by meeting the primary safety endpoint of non-inferiority vs. placebo, demonstrating no increase in the composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as CV death, heart attack (myocardial infarction), or stroke (upper boundary of the 95% CI, <1.3; p<0.001 for non-inferiority). While there were fewer MACE events observed with dapagliflozin, this did not reach statistical significance for superiority versus placebo as the second primary efficacy endpoint (8.8% for dapagliflozin vs. 9.4% for placebo; HR 0.93 [95% CI 0.84-1.03]; p=0.17).1 Professor John Wilding, who leads diabetes and endocrinology research at the University of Liverpool, and is Lead UK Investigator and member of the Executive Steering Committee for DECLARE, said: “Heart failure is often overlooked as a complication of type 2 diabetes; however, these patients are 33% more likely to develop heart failure compared to the general population. The results of DECLARE show that dapagliflozin reduced the risk of hospitalisation for heart failure and CV death and, crucially, that this effect is seen not only in patients with established CVdisease, but also those who have not yet had an event but are at high risk.” Type 2 diabetes has been associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, but heart failure develops earlier than either of these complications and carries with it a high rate of death and a large cost burden. In 2015/16, 32% of all hospital admissions for heart failure in England and Wales were for people with diabetes, accounting for over 1.25 million bed days. By 2035, it is estimated that caring for T2D patients with heart failure will cost the UK almost half a billion pounds each year. Dapagliflozin is not indicated for prevention of CV events. In Europe, dapagliflozin is indicated for adults aged 18 years and older with type 2 diabetes mellitus to improve glycaemic control: As a monotherapy when diet and exercise alone do not provide adequate glycaemic control in patients for whom use of metformin is considered inappropriate due to intolerance. In combination with other glucose-lowering medical products including insulin, when these, together with diet and exercise, do not provide adequate glycaemic control. DECLARE-TIMI 58 is the largest CVOT in the SGLT2 inhibitor class of medicines and the first to include the composite of hHF and CV death as a primary endpoint. The study included a broad population of more than 17,000 patients with the aim of reflecting a large spectrum of T2D patients in clinical practice. The results of DECLARE showed no imbalance with dapagliflozin vs. placebo in amputations (1.4% vs. 1.3%), fractures (5.3% vs. 5.1%), bladder cancer (0.3% vs. 0.5%)or Fournier’s gangrene (1 case vs. 5 cases).1 The respective incidences of diabetic ketoacidosis (0.3% vs. 0.1%) and genital infections (0.9% vs. 0.1%) were rare. Although secondary endpoints were nominally significant, the DECLARE results also show that dapagliflozin reduced the rate of new or worsening kidney disease by 24% vs. placebo across the broad patient population studied (4.3% vs. 5.6%; HR 0.76 [95% CI 0.67-0.87]),1which is important because T2D is one of the biggest risk factors for developing chronic kidney disease.7 In addition, there were fewer all-cause mortality events with dapagliflozin vs. placebo (6.2% vs. 6.6%; HR 0.93 [95% CI 0.82-1.04]). For more information about the DECLARE study please visit www.diabetesprofessionalcare.com
Alexandra white entertainer captivating nostalgic in care – homes
Alexandra white singer and entertainer captivating nostalgic in care – homes west midlands and surrounding areas. Alexandra preforms a huge repertoire of songs and will dance and preform through narrative, triggering happy memories and wonderful feelings, She preforms songs from across the years including war – time sing along, rock and roll classics and a touch of Country and weston. There’s truly something for everyone – your request is her delight! A wireless mic is used, allowing full interaction with every audience member. All presented via a quality sound system that is adaptable to audience size. For more information please contact alexandraactivities@hotmail.com / 07793035432. References and video footage supplied on request. Alexandra white is DBS checked and has a full public liability insurance.
It’s time for social care to be bold when it comes to attracting younger talent
It is no secret that there is a recruitment crisis within the social care sector and recent statistics suggest that one million new care workers are needed by 20251to cope with the ageing population. Statistics show that currently, 800,000 young people are not employed or in education2, and evidence suggests that by attracting these young people to apply for a role within your care setting, it can bring new, fresh ideas and different perspectives on caring for others as well as helping to plug this gap. However, there seems to be a stigma around working in care which is preventing young people from applying for roles, this could be due to the lack of awareness and education around the career path available within care homes. This stigma really needs to go! So, what can you do to attract young people into roles within your care home? Will Shepherd, CEO at Cohesion, provides his top recruitment tips: Create a specific recruitment strategy solely focusing on young people –different aspects of the job attract different groups of people; therefore, recruitment plans should be tailored to various target audiences. Consider careers fairs, social media advertising and customise the recruitment process itself – tailoring your application process to be short and including language that appeals to younger people. Try removing barriers such as ‘minimum requirements’ and instead use ‘values-based techniques’ which better allows the candidates strengths to be recognised. Work closely with schools and colleges – consider approaching local schools and colleges, especially those that teach a health and social care course by offering to share presentations to the students. This can include, talking about the benefits of working in the care sector and the career pathways available in your organisation. Consider offering work experience, this provides a chance for you to welcome young people into your homes for several hours a week, allowing them to gain a positive experience and a taste for working in the care sector. If they impress, you could offer them a guaranteed interview upon completing their studies. Of course, interaction with youngsters can start much earlier, with some organisations engaging with those as young as 5-years old! A visit to one of your homes, which allows for interaction with residents is a great opportunity that it often over-looked. Occasions such as Harvest Festival, Christmas and Easter are a perfect opportunity. Engage parents and guardians – our experience of delivering early talent recruitment including sizable graduate and apprenticeship programmes has taught us how important it is to engage with parents and guardians. It is clear that parents have one of the greatest influences on their children’s careers – but do they know enough about the sector in order to encourage care as a rewarding career route? When recruiting young people, it is a good idea to create a section on your careers website for parents answering any typical questions they may have. Use case studies on your website and social media – unsurprisingly the internet is an amazing platform to use when trying to gain the interest of young people. Social media sites can be used to advertise and emphasise the benefits of working in care – demonstrating that this career isn’t only for older generations but that there are huge opportunities for young people too. Under 25-year olds who are already working in care can be showcased on your website, through videos, and social media to act as ambassadors and give positive examples of how successful and rewarding working in care can be. Having young employees featured on your website can be a real selling point for future talent. Make the job attractive to young people – highlighting the benefits of working in care is a great way to attract young people. Flexible hours, and the opportunity to earn a good wage are both great starting points. But from our findings, the most important element can be the opportunity of coming away at the end of a shift feeling that you have made a difference to someone’s day. Showcase your employees’ achievements – award schemes targeting your ‘star’ employees can really have an impact. Not only will you identify current young key players in your business now, but you’ll demonstrate that you mean business when it comes to recognising your team’s achievements and saying ‘thank you’ – no matter what their age. For more information about Social care sector or to engage young talent contact us at: cohesionrecruitment.com
Pioneering training programme provides job opportunities in care sector
A pioneering new training program, Dementia Matters Academy, is helping people to secure work within the North East’s adult social care sector. Dementia support charity and residential care provider, Dementia Matters (previously known as Dementia Care), has launched the new Dementia Matters Academy to help fulfil its recruitment needs while also encouraging more people, including school leavers, into roles in care. Delivered by qualified trainers and experienced health practitioners, the four-week long course covers all of the fundamentals of basic care as well as some specialist skills relevant to Dementia Matters’ field of expertise, including bed bathing, skin integrity, catheter management and how to communicate effectively with people living with dementia. Previous experience is not mandatory and course graduates are guaranteed jobs within the organisation upon completion. “Recruitment and retention is one of the biggest issues faced by organisations operating within adult social care,” said Hannah Stevens, head of HR at Dementia Matters. “A recent study conducted by Skills for Care showed that at any one time, there can be as many as 90,000 job vacancies for care roles advertised online. Over the years, we have tried to be creative with our recruitment process and simplify it as much as possible for potential employees, however we have still found it difficult to attract new candidates and retain those with existing skills and experience.By launching the Dementia Matters Academy, we have effectively widened our resource pool and opened up our job vacancies to all. Through comprehensive, bespoke training, we can mould candidates into ideal employees who have both a sound understanding of how we operate and the vital skills needed to enable them to succeed.” Dementia Matters has just recruited its second intake of Academy students following a successful pilot programme earlier in the year. To date, all of the graduates from the first programme are still employed by the charity. Dr Fraser Quin, chief executive at Dementia Matters, added: We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved so far with the Dementia Matters Academy.The care sector is notoriously difficult to find work in, especially with no previous experience, but skilled care workers, especially those who specialise in dementia care, are in short supply. The launch of the Academy has allowed us to address these issues head on and at the same time, develop a training and employment model that supports our business growth, instils our employment values from day one and increases the employability of young and untrained people within the North East.” Dementia Matters Academy provides a range of services from its centres in Newcastle and Hexham including residential, respite and 24-hour home care to people living with dementia, as well as practical support for carers and family members. For more information on the Dementia Matters Academy, visit www.dementiamatters.net.
Working with the Public Sector for more than 40 years
Fraser and Fraser have been working with the Public Sector for more than 40 years. We support Local Government department who need to identify and locate people, often next-of-kin of a deceased person and the reason for this can be vast and varied. Such departments would include: Our approach is to use specialist research skills to locate the deceased’s next-of-kin. There are many different ways our research services support Local Authority clients. They include: Public Health Funerals Some of our clients spend much of their time and the Councils money arranging funerals under 5.46 Public Health Act 1984 (Control of Disease). Our role is simply to support our client by identifying and locating the family of the deceased, so that they can arrange the funeral, saving the cost to the Council. In cases whereby the family are unable to take on the funeral costs themselves, they have the option to attend the funeral arranged by our Local Authority client and pay their respects. Empty Homes Empty homes can result in quite a challenge for Local Authorities. Left unoccupied for more than a few months, they can become dilapidated, attract vermin, vandalism and possibly even squatters. Sometimes, correspondence to the owners does not get answered, which may be due to the simple fact that they have moved out. ‘Gone-a-ways’ like these are easy to deal with where we can simply provide you with the new address. Our involvement leads to fewer homes being empty, more families being housed and improved Council Tax cash flow to the Local Authority. Appointee and Deputyships Where our Local Authority client is appointed as a Deputy by the Court of Protection, our client will sometimes need to apply to the Court for a Statutory Will. Our role is to support the application by identifying and locating the next-of-kin who are to be joined to the application. We may also recommend that our Local Authority client asks us to carry out a Will search in order to ensure there is no valid Will that need not be superseded, already in place. For more information or to talk to a Fraser and Fraser member of our team please contact us on 020 7832 1400 today.
Care home residents remember at Thornaby War Memorial
TEESSIDE care home residents, Mandale House Care Home, were among those to attend a Remembrance Day ceremony at Thornaby War Memorial. Residents and staff from Mandale House Care Home were joined by army, navy and police cadets, civic officials and pupils from schools across the town. Among the care home residents were Second World War Merchant Navy veteran Leonard Harnden, alongside Billy James and Peter Wilson. Peter said: “It was a lovely ceremony. My dad lost his leg in the war.” Jane Ewart, carer at Mandale House Care Home, on Acklam Road, said: “We like to bring the residents to the ceremony as they all appreciate it. Plus, the pleasure gardens are just near Mandale House, so it’s an easy stroll for them.” Julie Walker, customer relations officer at the Hill Care Group, which operates Mandale House Care Home, also attended the service in Thornaby. She said: “It’s so important to remember the sacrifices of our young men who marched off to war. And also the people who returned but continued to suffer from their experiences in the trenches of Belgium and France. My grandfather, John Godwin, and his best friend, Freddy Mennell, were conscripted in 1916. Through a great deal of luck, they both survived the war, but they could never speak of the horrors they had seen. We owe all to the people of those times a great debt. Not just the members of the armed forces but also the women who worked in the munitions factories and stepped into traditional men’s roles to keep the country going.” Mandale House Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net.
WW1 centenary marked by Ripon care home residents
RIPON care home residents, Sycamore Hall Care Home, have been creating poppy displays to commemorate 100 years since the end of the First World War. Residents at Sycamore Hall Care Home, on Kearsley Road, have also taken a trip to Ripon Cathedral to see The Remembrance Day exhibits. The activities brought back memories for many of the residents, who had relatives and friends who fought and died in the war. Doreen Ainsley and Ellen Knowles were among those painting poppies for displays in the care home. Doreen said: “It is a time to remember the people we have lost during the war.” Ellen added: “I think we all lost someone in the war and the poppy displays make you remember things.” As part of the First World War centenary, the home’s staff arranged a visit to Ripon Cathedral, where displays of poppies have been laid out for visitors. For one resident, Sylvia Nelson, the trip was a walk down memory lane. She said: “Mum and dad were married in the cathedral. I was christened in the cathedral and married there. Both my children were christened in the cathedral and I went to the cathedral school.” Chrissie Medway Steele, home manager at Sycamore Hall Care Home, said: “To commemorate 100 years since the end of the First World War the residents wanted to do something special. The centenary brings back a lot of memories for many of the residents and they were all very enthusiastic about making poppies for displays around the home. The trip to Ripon Cathedral was also fantastic and everyone really enjoyed it.” Sycamore Hall Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net.
Willowbeck proud to announce specialist neurologic music therapy programme
Specialist care home Willowbeck has partnered up with a unique music therapy organisation, Chroma to deliver music therapy workshops with care home residents. The partnership will see the organisations working with residents to support neurological development, physical rehabilitation and general well-being. The nurse-led home will play host to the music therapy which is a form of neurological and psychological rehabilitation process which uses music, sound, instruments, and music technology to support people. It is a regulated healthcare profession and one of the Allied Health Professionals (AHPs). Chroma’s experienced therapist Sally Watson will work with residents one day a week across a eight-week period to encourage them to get involved in playing a range of musical instruments, singing and song-writing. There will be eight individuals involved in the pilot scheme, receiving one-to-one sessions which will focus on their specific needs. In some cases, this will include improving functional movement and mobility through music therapy. In addition to the one-to-one sessions with the selected eight residents, there will be open sessions where any of the care home’s residents can participate in the music therapy sessions. The group environment will further encourage development of residents social and communication skills. Sally said: “I am looking forward to working at Willowbeck and with the home’s residents to support progression in their skills and development. I will be working with people who live with a wide variety of needs and conditions and due to this we’ll be developing their own individual goals and objectives.” The residents involved in the scheme have a variety of complex conditions and the sessions will be tailored to their needs – music instruments will be used to support functional, neurological and psychological rehabilitation while singing and song writing and singing sessions will be tailored for residents with communication and social needs. Sally is a qualified music therapist and neurologic music therapist, working in a variety of settings with people of all ages, including schools, hospitals and prisons. She currently specialises in working with adults and children with a range of complex needs. She added: “Music therapy is proven to increase self-expression, confidence and communication as well as improving social skills, co-ordination and concentration. I will be working with residents to assess their current skills and at the end of the eight weeks I will carry out the same assessment to monitor developments and positive changes.” Helen Baxendale, Clinical Director at Exemplar, said: “We are looking forward to welcoming Sally in to our home and seeing the development in our residents. Many of our service users enjoy arts and crafts so I’m sure that they will enjoy and make the most of the music therapy sessions. I look forward to seeing positive developments at the end of the eight weeks.” Daniel Thomas, joint Managing Director of Chroma, said: “We are delighted to work in partnership with Exemplar with this pilot programme. It is fantastic to work alongside other care professionals who understand the opportunities music therapy offers to enhance the provision of care for residents.” For further information about Willowbeck and Exemplar’s recent announcements, please visit exemplarhc.com
A quarter of councils have stopped offering Meals on Wheels
24 per cent of the UK’s local authorities have stopped offering a Meals on Wheels service since 2014. Just 42 per cent of local authorities now offer any kind of Meals on Wheels service to elderly and vulnerable people living in our communities. These are the findings of new research from the National Association of Care Catering (NACC) for Meals on Wheels Week 2018 (5-9 November). The survey of the higher tier authorities in the UK shows a steady decline in the provision of Meals on Wheels services since the NACC first commissioned the research in 2014, when 66% of UK local authorities provided a service, and again in 2016, when the figure was 48%. The research also shows that the number of councils subsidising the service financially has decreased from 80 per cent in 2016 to just 58 per cent in 2018. This reduction in the provision of Meals on Wheels is due to the drastic reduction in Adult Social Care budgets, estimated to be over £2 billion by the Local Government Association. The NACC is calling on the Government to increase funding to communities across the country to secure the future of the Meals on Wheels services, whether provided by a local authority, charity, voluntary group or private enterprise. The service brings considerable benefits to its users and is also proven to reduce the pressure on health and social care services by improving the overall health and wellbeing of service users and allowing people to continue living in their own homes. As highlighted in the research, the North West is now the worst area of the country for Meals on Wheels, with only 13 per cent of councils providing the service, down from nearly half of councils in 2014. It is also slim pickings in the North East, where just 17 per cent of councils offer meals to older people at home. In the East Midlands, nearly four in every ten councils have cut their Meals on Wheels service in the last four years. Meals on Wheels – more than just a meal The Meals on Wheels service enables the elderly and vulnerable to live independently in their homes for longer. It keeps them nourished and hydrated with a nutritious daily meal (in many cases the only one they will have each day) and provides an essential preventative service that reduces costly malnutrition-related admissions to hospital that are adding to the terrible strain on the NHS. For the majority of service users, Meals on Wheels is so much more than just a meal. It is a social lifeline that eases the devastating effects of isolation and loneliness. The delivery of a meal brings regular human contact, which for many may be the only interaction they enjoy. It also provides much-needed wellbeing and safety checks, again, crucial for those that may not see anyone else during the day. Meals on Wheels Week 2018 As well as raising awareness of the decline in essential Meals on Wheels services and the need to protect the service, Meals on Wheels Week activity champions the positive, innovative work of NACC members and social care providers that has enabled services to continue despite austerity. Meals on Wheels Week 2018 activities include: Food Poverty Conference at City Hall – organised by the charity Sustain, the NACC will focus on Meals on Wheels as part of a round table discussion on tackling food poverty, alongside London authorities, on Monday 5 November Innovative case studies – inspirational case studies from NACC members that show how innovation and alternative models have enabled services to continue to run and benefit the community will be released during Meals on Wheels Week, in partnership with Sustain. On Thursday 8 November, an interactive webinar will discuss the case studies VIP on Wheels – across the country Meals on Wheels services are inviting local dignitaries and celebrities to join a delivery round to see first-hand the positive impact the service has on service users and the community Neel Radia, national chair of the NACC, said: “Meals on Wheels is a vital part of social care and a lifeline that helps elderly and vulnerable people to keep a level of independence in their own homes. It’s therefore disappointing, if not unexpected, to see a further decline in service provision across the UK. The meals provided by these services are carefully tailored to meet customers’ dietary requirements, and their loss could lead to malnutrition, greater social isolation and loneliness. Meals on Wheels isn’t just about delivering a meal. Service providers regularly check upon elderly and vulnerable people to make sure they are fed and hydrated and that their health isn’t deteriorating. For many older and vulnerable people, the Meals on Wheels delivery might be the only friendly face they see from one day to the next. Just a few weeks ago, the Prime Minister asked postal workers to check on elderly and vulnerable people as part of her new loneliness strategy. Meals on Wheels already provides this vital contact, but when it comes to concrete action to support this efficient and beneficial service, we only see shrinking budgets. The Government has claimed they will bring about the ‘end of austerity’, but vulnerable people are seeing services they depend on disappear because of the squeeze in local authorities’ budgets. The Government should safeguard Meals on Wheels services by making sure councils have the funding and resources necessary to provide them. On a positive note, NACC members and providers across the country are not giving up on the Meals on Wheels service easily. We have seen exceptional examples of providers thinking differently and finding alternative approaches and models that have enabled them to continue to run the service, and most importantly, continue to benefit the community and the people they serve both today and in the future. This is what we are championing during Meals on Wheels Week and I encourage everyone to follow the event on social media and, where possible, take part.” For more information about the NACC and Meals
