YPO launches nationwide public sector apprenticeship framework
YPO, one of the UK’s leading public sector procurement organisations, has launched an Apprenticeship Framework that will allow the UK public sector, including the health and social care sectors, to access apprenticeship training from a range of local and national suppliers. The framework – the first and only one of its kind in the UK – has been developed by YPO to help all public sector organisations make better use of Apprenticeship Levy funds. Launching ahead of the government adult social care recruitment campaign in autumn, which seeks to raise the image and profile of the sector, the framework will be vital for many organisations trying to fill their proportion of the 90,000 (approximate) social care vacancies that are currently unfilled. Over the past three months, YPO has built relationships with more than 78 apprenticeship providers to create a national database of compliant providers across a wide range of sectors, this provider list will constantly grow each quarter dependent on market needs. The resulting YPO Apprenticeship Framework is intended to reduce administration costs and enable apprenticeship levy created funds to be spent more effectively. Every quarter, the framework will also be updated as new apprenticeship standards come into effect, ensuring new providers can bid with ease for live and new standards. Lizzy Grayson, Category Manager for Corporate Services at YPO, said: “The Apprenticeship Levy has been in effect for well over a year now and continues to be a contentious piece of legislation for the public sector as the government looks to meet its target of 3 million apprenticeship starts by 2020. All public sector organisations must purchase their goods and services via compliant procurement regulations and apprenticeship schemes in health and social care sectors are no different. Following the launch of the YPO Apprenticeship Framework, all public sector organisations will have access to a range of compliant providers. Using a framework like YPO’s ensures a high standard of apprenticeship provider with a simple route of procurement. It is commonly known that sectors such as health and social care have resources stretched to their limits and that has been the motivation for us building this framework – to support and enable sectors to utilise the funds they are accruing in a way which makes it more plausible for teams that are already struggling under the pressure of intense workloads.” The YPO Apprenticeship Framework will launch 1st August across the public sector. For more information about the YPO please click here.
Innovative care home near Bristol achieves rare ‘Outstanding’ rating
A care home business, Grove Residential Home, has hit the headlines across the world for its pioneering work creating a ‘Memory Lane’ of fifties-style shops to help elderly residents fight the devastating effects of memory loss and dementia is celebrating its latest achievement. Grove Care has been informed that its Grove Residential Home in Winterbourne near Bristol has been awarded an Outstanding rating following an unannounced Care Quality Commission inspection in May. Across the UK, just one per cent of care homes achieve an outstanding rating. Director Christopher Taylor is thrilled with the overall rating – which looked at the home’s safety record, the effectiveness of its care, responsiveness and leadership. He said: “At our previous inspection we were rated Good – it’s great to see the new report registers the improvements we have made across our service in the meantime. The Grove is directly next door to our Nursing Home, Blossom Fields, which has been rated as Outstanding for the last 18 months. To have two homes next door to each other both with an outstanding rating is pretty special.” Christopher Taylor said Blossom Fields and the Grove had added a new shop to their successful ‘Memory Lane’ shopping rank. “Sun Records is our record shop in which residents can go inside and select an LP and then play it on the record player – very much in keeping with the original Memory Lane concept which included a Post Office, shop, bus stop a pub and even a fifties phone box, complete with the original telephone exchange instructions.” The inspection, carried out by Inspector Wendy Kirby, found that people were relaxed, comfortable and confident in their home. The report went on: “There was a strong sense of empowering people wherever possible and providing facilities where independence would be encouraged and celebrated. People’s Health, well-being and safety were paramount.” Christopher Taylor went on: “We have always tried to be innovative in improving the facilities or our residents. Memory Lane helps people suffering with Dementia interact with their friends and families.” For more information about Grove Care Residential Home please visit www.waltoncare.co.uk
Firefighters and ambulance crews practise obese rescues with 40 stone Ruth Lee dummies
Firefighters and ambulance crews are using 40 stone manikins, from Ruth Lee Ltd, in training exercises to practise rescuing obese people. The bariatric dummies are being used by crews across the world to replicate the weight of unconscious people in response to rising obesity rates. Produced by Ruth Lee Ltd, Europe’s leading manufacturer of rescue training manikins, the dummies come in three sizes – 90kg, 180kg and 260kg – and are filled with a stone core and steel ball bearings. There is also a water-fillable bariatric suit which allows teams to position their manikin in a difficult spot to access, such as the high cab of an articulated lorry, and then add the weight using water. The demand for a range of bariatric dummies comes as the number of morbidly obese people has dramatically increased. A quarter of British adults are classified as obese. Sarah Hampson from Ruth Lee Ltd said: “Events like Grenfell have highlighted the need to come up with a good evacuation plan. There’s no point having a plan if you’re not sure you can carry it out. For example, a hospital could have an operating theatre on the fifth floor. If there’s a fire, the lifts close and you’ve got somebody who’s morbidly obese, what do you do? As a company, we aim to make manikins which provide teams with a realistic challenge. With the obesity levels rising, it’s important that the emergency services learn how to safely manoeuvre heavier people from difficult access areas.” As well as providing the British emergency services with bariatric manikins, Ruth Lee Ltd have had orders from Australia, the USA and Germany. They have also sold bariatric manikins to the RAF, universities and specialist healthcare equipment manufacturers too. Ruth Lee Ltd was established 60 years ago and it’s very first customer was Merseyside Fire Service. Today, the company supplies 100% of the UK’s Fire & Rescue Services as well as Funeral Directors and Care Homes. For more information about Ruth Lee Ltd please click here
Care home staff pack shopping bags for Stroke Association
CARE home workers have been helping Chester-le-Street supermarket shoppers to raise funds for the Stroke Association charity. Pelton Grange Care Home collected almost £200 in donations from generous shoppers after helping to pack their bags at the town’s Tesco store. The money adds to the £55 raised at the home’s coffee morning for the Stroke Association in May – taking the home’s total to £251 for the charity so far this year. Chris Hogan-Hind, home manager at Pelton Grange Care Home, on Front Street, Pelton, was one of those on the Tesco checkouts. He said: “The Stroke Association is the chosen charity of Hill Care, which owns Pelton Grange Care Home, so we’re doing everything we can to raise as much money as possible for them this year. It’s a charity close to the hearts of everyone at the home, as they support survivors and their families to rebuild their livesShoppers expressed their admiration that we’re supporting the Stroke Association this year and that we gave up our time to raise funds for the charity by helping them with their packing. We’d like to thank Chester-le-Street Tesco for their support and shoppers for their generous donations and kind words.” Photo captions: Pelton Grange Care Home manager Chris Hogan-Hind, activities coordinator Lindsay Sale-Thorn and administrator Margaret Flower helped supermarket shoppers with their bag packing to raise funds for the Stroke Association. For all media enquiries please contact Sam Schofield on 07895 127353 or email sam@schofieldcomms.co.uk.
Tyneside care home gets “Good” from watchdog CQC
A TYNESIDE care home, Waverley Lodge Care Home, has been rated “Good” by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – after residents and relatives told the watchdog “staff were lovely, caring and friendly”. Waverley Lodge Care Home, in Lemington, achieved a “Good” rating in all five categories of safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led. Home manager Julie Booth has said they will now strive for the top rating of “Outstanding”. She said: “Everyone at Waverley Lodge Care Home is delighted to get “Good” across the board following our recent CQC inspection. We work incredibly hard to provide the highest quality of care for our residents and we are hoping that will be recognised in future with an “Outstanding” rating.” The report was published in July, following an unannounced June inspection. Among the CQC’s findings, the report stated: “Staff received regular training, supervisions and annual appraisals to support them in their roles. They also received specialised training, specific to people’s needs. People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible; the policies and systems in the service supported this practice. “People and relatives spoke highly of staff and felt the service was caring. Staff treated people with dignity and respect when supporting them with daily tasks. There was a range of activities available for people to enjoy in the home. People were also supported, where necessary, to access activities in the local community including going for walks and shopping.” For more information about Waverley Lodge Care Home please visit www.hillcare.net/our-homes
Upcycled tyres and beach mural brighten care home garden
A BEACH mural and new planters have added a splash of colour to a Rotherham care home garden thanks to green fingered teens from National Citizenship Service (NCS). Volunteers from the Rotherham United F.C. National Citizenship Service (NCS) spent a week at Broadacres Care Home carrying out the work. Old tyres were upcycled by brightly painting and filling them with compost to create colourful flower beds. A stunning seascape, depicting waves lapping on a sandy beach, was painted on one of the home’s walls. The 15-to-17-year-olds also planted a memory tree, made from handprints from the NCS group, as well as residents and friends of the home. They also sang happy birthday to one resident who turned 92 during their time at the care home, on Naylor Street, Parkgate. Luke Owens, home manager at Broadacres Care Home, said: “They wanted to get involved because some of their family are suffering from dementia and they wanted to help improve the lives of the elderly. They have done an amazing job in the garden and the residents love the new look. We’d like to say a massive thank you to the two teams from Rotherham United NCS.” For more information about the NCS group please visit www.ncsyes.co.uk
Game, Set And Match For Borough Care Residents
Wimbledon fortnight inspires many people to pick up a racket, and not-for-profit older people’s care provider, Borough Care, is giving its residents the chance to do just that. As part of its regular sports and exercise programme, Borough Care has set up Kung Fu Squash sessions. Kung Fu Squash is a dementia friendly sport where participants hit a weighted balloon with a racket, with the aim of not letting it touch the ground. A Borough Care staff member stands in the middle of a circle of chairs, at which the people taking part in the game sit. They are each given rackets of varying sizes with which to hit the weighted balloon and keep it in the air. Edward Coverley, Activities & Lifestyle Facilitator at Borough Care, says: “Since we recently introduced Kung Fu Squash to our activity programme, it has proved particularly popular with our residents who used to enjoy tennis, badminton or other racket sports in their younger days. The game really brings out people’s competitive nature, as the balloon is literally thrashed around the group. Nobody wants to be responsible for not hitting it.” Borough Care is looking to further increase the competitive element, by linking up with other care organisations to put on Kung Fu Squash matches. Kung Fu Squash is one of a number of different sport and exercise activities organised by Borough Care. The company is also signed up to programmes provided by Life Leisure, including SMILE – Simple Movements Improve Life Every Day – a new low impact and gentle exercise concept. Sophie Gardiner, Area Support at Borough Care, comments: “Participating in sport and exercise has many physical and mental health benefits for older people, including helping them become stronger, reducing stress, socialising and boosting self-esteem. At Borough Care, we are keen to enable our residents to experience all the wellbeing benefits of staying active by organising lot of different activities for them.” For more information about the Kung Fu Squash sessions at Borough Care please visit www.boroughcare.org.uk
Runcorn care home workers achieve end of life care award
TWO Runcorn care home workers, Simonsfield Care Home, have enhanced their end of life care skills and knowledge after passing a rigorous programme of training. Carers Alexandra Groundwater and Alison Clifton, from Simonsfield Care Home, have completed the Six Steps to Success in End of Life Care programme. Based on national frameworks, the programme was developed in the North West by the Cheshire and Merseyside Clinical Network and the Greater Manchester, Lancashire and South Cumbria Clinical Network. The aim is to enhance end of life care provided by care homes through supporting staff to develop their roles. Alexandra and Alison are now certified to train their colleagues in the Six Steps programme. Debbie Smith, home manager at Simonsfield Care Home, on Boston Avenue, said: “I’m extremely proud of the girls in achieving this award and they can now train and support the rest of their colleagues here at Simonsfield Care Home.” The Six Steps programme involves a series of workshops, including: Step 1 – Discussions as end of life approaches Step 2 – Assessment, care planning and review Step 3 – Co-ordination of end of life care Step 4 – Delivery of high quality care Step 5 – Care in the last days of life Step 6 – Care after death. Debbie added: “End of life is a difficult subject to talk about but it is so important that our residents and their families feel comfortable, looked after and supported through what can be a very distressing time. At Simonsfield Care Home, we pride ourselves on the quality of care we provide, including end of life, and the Six Steps certification is another mark of excellence we are extremely proud to have achieved.” For more information about Simonsfield Care Home please visit www.carehome.co.uk
Super heroes of the care sector recognised at awards ceremony
The next generation of care workers have been recognised at the national training provider the BB Training Academy annual awards ceremony graduation of the 132 apprentices who have recently completed their course. Learners arrived from cross the UK to the event, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Milton Keynes, with families in tow to celebrate their achievements together. The ceremony had a super hero theme to acknowledge the amazing work and training the apprentices have completed over the last 12 months. Kamal Hyman, one of the UK’s youngest professional speakers and Spoken Word Artist, gave a lively talk to inform, entertain and inspire the young learners. His aim is to prepare students for the real world, and he explained why he was particularly excited to address the audience at the BB Training Graduation. He said: “I’m here today to act as a big brother to the students and my aim is to pass on some of the same self-believe that my parents gave to me. Apprenticeships are often overlooked and viewed as being below the standard of degrees, but I believe that apprenticeships provide students with practical experience that prepares them for the real world of work.” Having a two-year old daughter, Kamal commends the work the childcare apprentices do; “The subject the students have chosen is close to my heart, having seen first-hand the effect is has on children and their families and how much the care means to them. They have one of the most important jobs in the world and I would like to say to them: keep doing what you’re doing because it has a huge impact on the lives of the children you look after.” At the event, individual accomplishments were also highlighted, with awards given to those who have demonstrated best practice within their sector. There were ten different categories up for grabs, covering everything from Catering Apprentice of the Year, won by Maria Rowley, to Higher Management Apprentice of the Year, awarded to Hayley Sinclair. Winner of Management Apprentice of the year, Amy Lee from Battle Abbey School in East Sussex said: “It’s great to be recognised by BB Training Academy for my achievements. It has been a challenging year as I have juggled my studies with my main priority, which has been caring for my daughter while she has been poorly in hospital, but I was determined to complete my management course and I’m proud to say have. I’m pleased to say my daughter is now out of hospital and I’m really excited about the plans for the future. It’s a significant time for our nursery at Battle Abbey School, as it is expanding and there are plans for a new purpose-built setting and a brand-new baby unit. I’d like to say thank you to BB Training Academy for this award and for the amazing training and support I have received throughout my course. BB Training Academy CEO, Fay Gibbin, said: “Every year I am so proud of the talent we produce and this year was no exception. It’s important to acknowledge everyone’s hard work and I hope everyone is as proud as I am of all their dedication over the last year. Upskilling and developing new talent is fundamental to a businesses success. Young talent provides the next generation of business leaders and I fully believe we have some of the best and the brightest apprentices here at BB Training Academy.” For all BB Training Academy press enquiries please contact Rebecca Cousins on rebecca@papillonpr.co.uk or call 01543 898 195.
