Get to know your neighbours with a Big Lunch
Live-in care provider celebrate their community by treating residents to a Big Lunch with their neighbours. The Big Lunch is the biggest annual get together for neighbours and aims to bring communities together whilst enjoying food. This year on 1-2 June, Promedica24 supported the campaign, organised by The Eden Project, by providing clients with gift vouchers to hold their own Big Lunch. Edgar Moss, a Promedica24 resident from Fordingbridge, Dorset, thanked the team for his voucher and said the offer was one he could not refuse. He added: “You will see from the photos that I had five good friends, my care worker and daughter, Rozalind at my Big Lunch. You can see me cutting the decorated cake and the single candle is for the first time we have had such a party. Maybe next year we will have two candles? Once again, many thanks for our very enjoyable party!” Promedica24 treated clients across the country to Big Lunch vouchers and also held a Big Lunch at their head office in Watford, for staff and invited clients to enjoy a sociable feast. Earlier this year, The Big Lunch commissioned research that showed more than half of people in the UK (36 million people) feel distant from their neighbours, and 75 percent felt there were barriers to getting closer to them. Kerry Stevens, care manager at Promedica24, said: “Last year, 4.5 million friendships were formed because of the Big Lunch and with loneliness and isolation on the increase in the UK, we want to be able to be a part of reducing this whenever we can. “We strive to ensure those we support are able to maintain their independence and links to the community.” Promedica24 is Europe’s largest provider of live-in care. The support on offer helps to preserve people’s independence for as long as possible and each care package is tailored to meet an individual’s needs with staff trained to provide more specialist support when required. For more information, call 0800 086 8686 or visit www.Promedica24.co.uk.
Care homes choose the Meiko 3 and 5-year “No-Bills” guarantee
Care homes increasingly choose Meiko’s 3 and 5-year “No-Bills” guarantee, available on warewashing and washer/disinfector appliances. Meiko UK is a specialist supplier of warewashing equipment. Our all-inclusive ‘No Bills’ ‘peace of mind’ package includes Meiko’s proven technology combined with planned maintenance and a guarantee of “No extra Bills” for 3 or 5-years. Maplehurst Nursing Home in Haywards Heath explains why they chose a Meiko Topic bedpan washer. Maplehurst is one of a group of homes providing high quality nursing care, with a focus on the challenges posed by dementia. Campbell Lyle, the Director of Maplehurst Nursing Home commented, “One of the big selling points for us was Meiko’s comprehensive 5-year warranty package. “Knowing that we will have a reliably functioning and maintained machine for years to come is one less thing to worry about. “We found the sales process with Meiko proactive and the installation team professional and knowledgeable. Our care team has provided good feedback about the washer, specifically with regards to its ability to fit different sized pans.” Meiko’s latest M-iClean H automatic hood dishwasher brings big improvements to care home kitchens. The hood just needs a simple tap to raise itself automatically, removing the need for kitchen staff to stretch or lift the hood manually when loading or unloading the dishwasher, reducing excessive movement and the incidence of back and shoulder pain. M-iClean H also comes with Meiko’s 5-year warranty on the hood system – uncompromising assurance of quality German engineering. Find out more from our Regional Sales Managers who provide one-to-one advice nationwide, covering everything from machine selection to our award-winning technical support and our GiO reverse osmosis water treatment that eliminates water softeners while delivering washing results that sparkle right out of the machine. Find out more
The Control of Legionella in Care Homes
Introduction The term ‘care home’ may be used to describe a wide range of properties of varying size and complexity catering for people with a wide range of needs. Whilst care providers tend to specialise in a particular group or type of residents, the common factor is that these establishments provide residential accommodation in an environment that caters specifically for those who are less able to live independently and care for themselves. These include homes for the elderly, physically disabled, children with special needs and those with mental health needs. Nursing homes are a special type of care home with the ability to provide more advanced levels of medical care. Care homes may be run independently or as part of a group. There are many commercially run homes but there are also homes run by charities and local authorities. Often care home managers are very specialised in the type of care provided, alternatively they may also have a more generalist managerial skill set. In both cases they are unlikely to possess a specialist knowledge in water systems safety. Like other businesses and service providers care home operators have a duty of care to protect residents, staff, visitors and anybody else who may be affected by their undertaking from foreseeable risks to their health, safety and wellbeing. Vulnerable Residents Due to the nature of care homes residents are often vulnerable to a wide range of risks. This includes the risk posed by waterborne pathogens and scalding by hot water. Legionnaires’ disease and other waterborne pathogens are more of a threat to older people and those with underlying health concerns. With respect to scalding, guidance from the HSE tells us that “those at risk include children, older people, people with reduced mental capacity, reduced mobility, a sensory impairment, or people who cannot react appropriately, or quickly enough, to prevent injury.” Complex Water Systems Care homes often require bigger and more complex water systems than typical households due to the number of residents and the components and services needed e.g. size and complexity of the building, multiple en-suite facilities, assisted bathrooms, commercial grade catering facilities, high rate of hot water consumption during periods of peak demand. Larger and more complex water systems can be more difficult to keep under control and represent a greater potential for problems. Standards? The HSE’s Approved Code of Practice [ACOP] “Legionnaires’ disease, the control of Legionella bacteria in water systems”, L8 [4thEdition], applies to all duty holders that own or operate equipment or systems where there is a reasonably foreseeable risk of expose to Legionella bacteria. Due to the vulnerable populations and more complex water systems the standards and the control measures applied to care homes may need to be more involved than those applied to other establishments such as schools and offices, for example. Of course, any organisation that undertakes medical services or procedures should look to the specific healthcare guidance contained in the Department of Health’s Health Technical Memorandum [HTM] 04-01. It could be argued, however, that most care homes occupy a middle-ground between general-needs accommodation and healthcare. What needs to be in place? Regardless of the level of care or the standards to be applied, the key to managing the risk is the implementation of five key steps, as advocated under the HSE’s Approved Code of Practice [ACOP] L8: We have looked at these requirements in previous blogs, please follow the links provided for more information. It is the risk assessment that identifies the level of risk and therefore informs the written scheme and the control measures defined within it. The assembly of a competent risk assessment team is therefore of paramount importance. The team should comprise both care professionals and water hygiene specialists to understands not only water system installation but also the operational requirements and user profile. What can go wrong? A quick round up of related news articles reveals that water hygiene problems are not uncommon in care home environments. The summary below links to some interesting articles and highlights the deficiencies reported in each case: Failure to appoint a ‘Responsible Person’: Reports stated that the management at St Christopher’s Hospicein Sydenham had failed to appoint a competent person to manage the risk from Legionellosis. A patient died from Legionnaires’ disease and a worker at the hospice who also contracted the disease spent 18 days in a coma. This is a poignant reminder that Legionnaires’ disease does not only affect the most vulnerable individuals. Inadequate Risk Assessments: A water treatment company were prosecuted for providing inadequate risk assessments to care homes in Wales. Nursing homes were rated as low risk, and there was no evidence that regular temperature readings were taken. DEBA UK were fined £24,000 and ordered to pay full costs of over £17,000 In another unrelated example a care home failed to comply with an improvement notice that required a risk assessment to be carried out. Mother Redcaps Care Home Ltd were ordered to pay over £40,000. Devise, implement and manage a scheme of control measures: Following the death of a resident in an elderly persons’ care home run by Reading Borough Council, an HSE spokesperson indicated that the council’s failings were “systemic” and that “the control and management arrangements were not robust, and the legionella training of key personnel fell significantly below the required standard”. Similarly, in this report BUPA were fined £3m after failing to implement measures to monitor and control hot and cold water systems during refurbishment works. Selecting and monitoring contractors: In this final example, Four Seasons Healthcare had engaged a specialist contractor to maintain the hot and cold water systems, however, they admitted to not having undertaken any checks on the contractors “level of technical expertise” and were fined £600,000 for safety breaches. Click here to read another article that provides further details.
The 25th Moving & Handling People conference: all new programme for 2019
Moving and Handling People 2019 returns for its 25th year on 7th and 8th August with an optional. New Products Showcase on the evening of the 6th. Moving & Handling Peopleis a CPD-accredited event focussing on positive solutions for practitioners and clients organised by the Disabled Living Foundation (DLF). This year’s conference includes a new line-up of speakers and fresh up-to-the-minute talks along with plenaries, seminars and hands-on workshops. For those interested in paediatrics, new opportunities to attend a workshop more relevant to their field have been added; half the workshops will have a separate adult’s and children’s strand to enable further specialisation. DLF also celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2019 and is inviting delegates to reflect back on the past 50 years by looking at the developments of equipment and techniques within the world of moving and handling. What lessons have we learnt from past techniques and how this has informed our practice for the future? Practical equipment-based workshops include: Seminars include: The keynote speaker, Michael Mandelstam, is a long-time supporter of DLF’s work. In his talk, Where we started, where we are, what we have learnt, he will review developments over the years, highlighting concerns for the future of moving and handling people. A new seminar, presented by Andrea Williams, will focus upon a completed 16-month pilot study aimed at reducing risks to family carers. The study was commissioned by Telford & Wrekin Council and Clinical Commissioning Group and led to the permanent funding for a Moving and Handling Advisor for family carers. Andrea’s talk will aim to highlight the importance of support to this essential group of informal care workers and will provide an update detailing the current level of service. June Heayes and Danella Taylor, Practice Managers working for Dorset County Council, will present Promoting Safe Practice: A Moving and Handling Competency Framework where theywill share why they needed a framework, how they developed it and how it has benefitted both staff and service users. The popular interactive Open Forum will launch with a case study prepared by the panel of speakers. This will be followed by an open session in which cases tabled by the audience will be shared and debated by everyone. New evening sessions for networking and knowledge development will be run to welcome delegates into the conference. There will be a poster zone for new areas of research and techniques along with a separate space for new or bespoke equipment solutions in the field of moving and handling. This year’s conference will be held at De Vere Beaumont Estate, Burfield Road, Old Windsor, Windsor, SL4 2JJ. A two-day ticket costs £375 + VAT. Groups of three or more pay only £295 + VAT per person. For more information and to book a place visit: https://training.dlf.org.uk/moving-and-handling-people-south-2019/
More NHS care workers essential for a brighter future
Advances in healthcare and higher living standards means the UK’s over-65 population is set to increase by almost half by the mid-2030s and the number of people living with complex care needs continues to grow. New roles and skills are needed therefore to meet this increase in complex care with an extra focus on person centred care. This will have a direct effect on the number of NHS Health and Social Care workers needed on a scale never seen before and this cannot be ignored. In England there are more than 80,000 vacancies in Health and Social Care at any one time. The industry is already at tipping point but with the increased number of people needing complex care and a significant lack of highly-skilled carers, action must be taken now to attract and retain more talent. The issues with recruitment are only made more prevalent by low retention rates and considerable upheaval within the sector. The Health Foundation found in a report in 2017 that 900 social care workers were estimated to leave the sector every day. It also found that 27 per cent of workers left the industry citing better pay and less pressures in industries such as hospitality. Incentives like training, which offers opportunities for progression, a clear career path and the skills to deliver outstanding care, can be part of the solution to retain care workers. BB Training is an award-winning education provider in the care sector, and part of the Busy Bees Group. Gary Pluck, BB Training Director of Communications and Business Development, said: “The state of the Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce in England report, published by Skills for Care last year, revealed around 390,000 people have left the sector over the last 12 months. Upskilling an existing workforce is as important as hiring new recruits as it has been proven to improve productivity and increase staff retention. Apprenticeships are integral to the future of the sector providing a continuous pipeline of qualified-talent. We facilitate an ongoing personal development programme that extends beyond the completion of an apprenticeship through short courses, additional qualifications and higher-level apprenticeships to ensure an upskilled, happy and motivated workforce.” BB Training currently works with NHS Trusts and Health and Social Care Services to provide qualifications that enable the services to entice new staff and upskill current staff, keeping them within the Care Sector. Bolstering retention and creating new opportunities within the sector. Gary Pluck continued: “Apprenticeships are appealing to people as they represent an opportunity to ‘earn while you learn’, gaining recognised industry qualifications as well as the skills and knowledge employers require. Utilising the popularity of the apprenticeship model and providing an entry point and clear progression pathways in the Care Sector will help facilitate long term growth within the sector and secure a brighter future for the NHS.” By promoting both Clinical Care and Health and Social Care apprenticeships to school leavers and providing them with the best training and qualifications available, BB Training is securing raw talent for the Care Sector; moulding apprentices into the next generation of committed specialist staff. Each individual is assigned a dedicated assessor, who has industry recognised experience and qualifications. Monthly assessment visits take place at the learner’s workplace with bespoke action plans set each month, this includes individualised support for learning styles and the leaner’s individual needs. Every learner has access to a bank of resources to support their learning and development; plus the opportunity to take part in online delivery sessions. BB Training offers a variety of Care Sector Apprenticeships from Levels 2 to 5, covering areas such as Clinical Care and Adult Social Care. The courses support a number of roles within the Care Sector and have been designed by sector specialists to be innovative and flexible, preparing learners for their role and for future career progression. Entry requirements do apply to apprenticeships for the Care Sector due to the nature of the work undertaken. However, for those that have a mathematics and English qualification within them, BB Training has dedicated, trained and experienced staff to support individuals to achieve functional skills qualifications. These qualifications will, in turn, support Continuing Professional Development and progression within the sector. All elements of the programme require current employment within the Care Sector, mainly working with adults.
PHVC Minibus & Fleet Suppliers
PHVC Minibus & Fleet Suppliers Van & Car Leasing Minibus, Van & Car Rental Minibuses for the Community PHVC’s Community Minibus Team are dedicated to providing vehicles for care homes, charities and other organisations in the UK. Supplying accessible versions of minibuses and vans is an important part of our business and we arrange bespoke solutions for groups and individuals, with most manufactures. We operate our own fleet of minibus demonstrators, which can be viewed at your premises throughout the UK without any obligation. Accessibility Options PHVC are pleased to offer bespoke conversions for all vehicles at a competitive price, along with industry leading finance options. We offer a wide range of accessibility options, including: Services and Benefits to you: Pre-Owned Vehicle Stock At PHVC we stock a large selection of hand picked minibuses prepared to the highest quality and supplied with an extensive 12 months ‘Warrantywise’ Platinum Cover level. Please see our website for the latest stock availability. www.phvc.co.uk sales@phvc.co.uk Tel: 01489 580333
Garden Project for Dementia Clients
Anastasia Barnes, a senior occupational therapist at the Emerald Centre in Colchester, was the proud winner of the Cosyfeet OT Award 2018. The £1000 award helped to fund the creation of a sensory garden where dementia clients and their families spend quality time, gardening and relaxing together. Here she reports on the project. We recently celebrated the official opening of a very special garden at the Emerald Centre. Clients and their families, supported by staff, worked very hard to create the sensory garden, which was officially opened by the Mayor of Colchester. The Emerald Centre is part of the Essex Partnership University Trust. The centre houses services for people with a diagnosis of dementia. These services include initial memory assessments, consultant reviews, medication monitoring, crisis intervention assessments, home treatment, occupational therapy, psychological assessment / treatments and a 24-hour helpline. The centre also houses group therapies and activities, including cognitive stimulation therapy and a vascular wellbeing group. An individual suffering from dementia, whether the cause be from Alzheimer’s disease, vascular problems or any other brain injury, have in common a group of symptoms associated with an ongoing decline of the brain and its abilities, including thinking, memory, language, understanding and judgement. Although the most common is Alzheimer’s disease and is generally diagnosed in people over 70, there are individuals who have a diagnosis before the age of 65. This is referred to as early-onset dementia and can have a profound effect on the individual, their family and friends. It is important that whatever age a person is diagnosed with any form of dementia, they continue to feel worthwhile, useful and understood. With this in mind, when the opportunity arose, we decided to create a garden where people could enjoy being together in a creative way, using and maintaining the skills and creativity they might have, giving them a sense of purpose and pride. The Garden At the Emerald Centre there is an enclosed garden area that was little used and only maintained by Trust gardeners to prevent overgrowth. The project was started when a volunteer offered to decorate the four very large clay pots in the garden with mosaic tiles to add some colour. We decided to expand on this and invited our clients and carers to become involved in creating a sensory garden which would be a therapeutic space they could enjoy. The garden project for our client group was designed to encourage and promote the following: A sense of achievement / building confidence / self esteem To boost energy levels and help with sleep difficulties Working with others to promote social interaction / reduce isolation To create a sense of purpose /meaningful activity Exercise to promote physical health and wellbeing / help to maintain mobility and flexibility To help maintain skills / encourage memories Enjoyment / pleasure / reminiscence A place to share experiences and create new memories with their family and friends It is well documented that gardening is beneficial for mental health and wellbeing. Studies have found that the mental health benefits of gardening are extensive, reducing problems such as anxiety and depression. It can also reduce stress, help combat high blood pressure and help improve overall physical fitness. According to Ulrich (1999)* being involved in garden activities can help improve memory and assist with maintaining rational thinking and cognitive function. The activities in the garden help to arouse the five senses of sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. Garden activities can also promote a feeling of calmness and reduce problems associated with dementia such as boredom, depression, aggression, agitation and increased stress. It was a huge undertaking and hard work to begin with. We were fortunate to have the help of a group of volunteers from the university and an enthusiastic group of Girl Guides to clear the space and ready the garden for our clients to begin their project. Fliers were sent out to our clients and their families or carers informing of a start date for the group and requesting donations of old unused garden equipment or any spare plants. We applied to the Trust for funding to enable us to purchase gardening tools and entered the Cosyfeet OT Award programme. We were overjoyed to win, and the £1000 award enabled us to purchase, paint, plants, arbours and seating. The client group was divided into two, with the clients who wanted to work outside in the garden busy designing areas, painting benches, planting, weeding and generally creating the garden. The ‘inside’ group were busy creating artwork for the garden that included making bird boxes, painting pots and using household items to create various sculptures. The project has grown since the opening and we now have a very well attended group who are enthusiastic, creative and motivated to continue developing ‘their’ space. The project has proved to be an enormous success. We have observed the benefits first hand with our clients forming relationships, talking, laughing, being physically more active and best of all inviting their families and friends to enjoy the garden with them. Case Study A – Maria Hinch, aged 63 Maria was diagnosed with vascular dementia six years ago. She also has a diagnosis of depression and arthritis /spondylitis, which causes Maria chronic pain. Maria lives with her husband Norman, who is supportive, but Maria likes to remain as independent as possible and continues to cook and bake. When the garden project started, Maria joined and it quickly became apparent that Maria’s skills in art and craft would be a huge benefit to the group, as this is an area that Maria excels in. In the past, Maria has found it difficult to be in groups but now she reports she enjoys the interaction in the group. “For me it’s a source of social interaction and an outlet for my creativity. I also paint and do art and crafts at home, but I love seeing my work on display in the garden. It makes me feel proud”, says Maria. “The garden group has
Local MP officially opens SRS Care Solutions’ new Carluke office
A Scottish company specialising in providing home-based care solutions has opened a brand-new office in Carluke to reach people requiring help outside of hospital in the region. SRS Care Solutions, a complimenting business arm of Group SRS (Scottish Recruitment Solutions), welcomed Angela Crawley, local MP for Lanark and Hamilton East, along with local businesses, members of the community and service users for the special opening. During her visit, Ms Crawley judged a ‘Bake Off’ competition which was embraced by several businesses in the area, including Carluke Development Trust, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and LG Lash & Wax, who brought their bakes to the event. Providing exceptional home-based care services across Carluke and the surrounding area, SRS Care Solutions’ new Carluke team is already providing over a thousand hours of home care to service users in Carluke and the surrounding villages every week, from Lesmahagow to Forth. The new team have plans to continue to grow the number of hours of care provided over the coming months. Led by Service Manager and trained nurse Lisa Milne, the new premises will act as a base for a group of Team Leaders who are reaching people with a range of care needs in the area. With word spreading about the home care provision offered by SRS Care Solutions, Lisa has plans to keep building on the number of hours of care provided in the region and reach more service users. Lisa said: “As someone who is Carluke born and bred, it is wonderful to ‘come home’ and work closely with so many people in the local community and make a real difference to our service users, helping many of them regain some of the independence which they could lose without the option of home-based care which we can help with. I’m delighted to be leading our newly formed Carluke team who are doing a fantastic job delivering the highest standards of care. “It’s been lovely officially opening our new office and welcoming so many people from the local community, including Angela Crawley MP, who very generously has taken the time to meet us and judge our highly competitive ‘Bake Off’ competition.” Angela Crawley, Member of Parliament for Lanark and Hamilton East, commented: “I am delighted to welcome SRS Care Solutions to my constituency and wish them every success in their new office. “They have a great track record of supporting some of the most vulnerable people in society and I look forward to working with them in the future.” Employing 180 staff, SRS Care Solutions is the largest arm of Group SRS providing 4000 hours of care every week across Scotland. Group SRS also includes SRS Training which specialises in training staff in multiple sectors including the care industry, and SRS Partnership which provides recruitment solutions. To find out more about SRS Care Solutions visit www.srscaresolutions.com For more information about Group SRS visit http://www.groupsrs.com
PolyCoversDirect
PolyCoversDirect is a UK based manufacturer of High Impact PVC radiator covers. Established in 2006 and now part of the Oadby Plastics Group of companies, PolyCoversDirect provide a range of cost effective, easy to install, low surface temperature radiator covers. Designed to be used in a variety of environments such as Care Homes, Hospital, Schools, Nurseries and Doctors Surgeries the PolyCovers product offers a commercially viable solution to the protection of both the service user and service provider. Manufactured here in the UK, each cover is bespoke to each customer’s requirements and can be easily retrofitted over existing radiators. Made from High Impact PVC our covers are easy to clean, impact absorbing, low maintenance, Class 1 fire rated and resistant to rusting, bending, denting and scratching. All our cover designs ensure no individual can be exposed to a surface temperature greater than 43°c in line with NHS and HSE guidelines and also protect against impact injuries from falls. By completing a simple survey sheet, which can be downloaded from our website, we can provide customers with quick and easy quotations. Alternatively, PolyCoversDirect staff are very happy to attend site and survey to establish the required size of your covers. If you have any further questions regarding our product and services or would like any further information please do not hesitate in contacting us on the details below. PolyCoversDirect Gallan Park Watling Street Cannock Staffordshire WS11 0XG Tel: 0800 246 5704 E-mail: sales@polycoversdirect.co.uk Website: www.polycoversdirect.co.uk
