Bluebird Care celebrated Book Month to mark the importance of reading
Back in April, Bluebird Care celebrated Book Month to emphasise the power of reading and the joy it can bring to so many. The Franchise Support Team encouraged staff and customers from across the Bluebird Care network to share their favourite books with the world, using the Bluebird Care social media channels. The network were asked to do any and all of the following: Share on social media, photographs of your favourite book and why you love it, using the hash tag #BookMonth Create a ‘reading corner’ in the office where people can enjoy reading on their breaks Set up a ‘book swap table’ where people can bring in books they have finished to share with others for free Host a charity book sale Start a #BluebirdCareBookClub with your staff and customers. The network jumped at the opportunity to share their current reads and promote the importance of reading. Many of the franchises got involved by hosting book swaps and setting up reading corners too spread the message. One of the Supervisors at Bluebird Care Shropshire, Amie Stone shared a picture of her with her newest book ‘The diary of a young girl’ – Anne Frank. Amie Stone, Supervisor at Bluebird Care Shropshire said: “I read this book when I was a young girl and have always been fascinated with her story. After booking a holiday to Amsterdam I decided to read her diary again to refresh my mind on her courageous journey before I visit the Anne Frank Museum”. Katie Holloway, Social Media Manager at Bluebird Care, said: “This was such a fun topic to get the network engaged with. Reading is so important and is a great way to improve memory, reduce stress and alleviate anxiety and depression. The network fully embraced taking part, as always and seeing their photos was lovely”. You can see the full collection of pictures on Bluebird Care UK’s Facebook page here.
The NACC Awards 2019 open for entries
The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) is calling for nominations for the NACC Awards 2019. The prestigious awards recognise and celebrate teams and individuals from across the care catering sector that demonstrate innovation, excellence and dedication in their field, creating real benefits for the people they cater for and their colleagues. NACC members are invited to nominate the unsung heroes within their organisation by the deadline of Friday 5 July 2019. The NACC Awards categories are: The winners will be honoured at a gala awards dinner on the evening of Thursday 10 October 2019 at the East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham. Here, the recipients of the Pam Rhodes Outstanding Achievement Award, sponsored by Robot-Coupe, and the National Chairman’s Award will also be revealed, plus the winning region in the hotly contested NACC Region of the Year Award category, sponsored by Meiko. The NACC Awards 2019 nomination brochure can be downloaded at www.thenacc.co.uk/events/nacc-awards-2019 Neel Radia, National Chair of the NACC, comments: “The NACC Awards are very special to the association. They allow us to step back and reflect on the incredible work care caterers do every day to enhance the life quality of those in a care environment through good food and enriching mealtime experiences. “Mealtimes are at the centre of quality care. Through good nutrition and hydration and person-centred, enjoyable dining we can help improve the physical and mental wellbeing of individuals. Every year, the award entries we receive demonstrate that up and down the country people are going above and beyond to make a difference to the lives of residents and their loved ones, and to wellbeing of their colleagues. There’s an abundance of innovation and creativity, teamwork and leadership, and dedication, professionalism and flair within care catering and we want to celebrate it. We urge everyone to download the nomination brochure and enter!” Entry to the NACC Awards is open to members of the NACC. For more information about how to become a member visit www.thenacc.co.uk.
Care home residents cast their vote in European election
ELDERLY care home residents have taken to the polling booths to cast their votes in the European election. Staff at Ingleby Care Home, in Ingleby Barwick, Stockton-on-Tees, wanted to ensure residents could exercise their right in the European election to vote despite their mobility issues. Those keen to cast their vote were taken to their nearest polling station in wheelchairs by their carers. Resident Sheila Colburn was among them. She said: “I couldn’t thank the staff enough for taking me to vote. “I’ve always voted and didn’t know what would happen after moving to Ingleby Care Home, with my family working. I really appreciated the staff taking me.” Resident Charlotte Stephenson added: “It’s nice we can still get to vote.” Cassie McCloskey, unit manager at Ingleby Care Home, said: “It was great to be able to take residents to the polling station and they were really happy to be able to vote. “Moving into a care home, either due to lack of mobility or other issues, should not mean the end of their right to vote. “Many residents still want to take part in elections and we are only too happy to support them to do so.” Ingleby Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net.
Improving the Processes Behind the Care
Fastroi are gearing up to deliver our Real-Time Care (RTC) product to Leeds County Council this Autumn, as we do this, we wanted to share some thoughts from our latest White Paper. In it we try to understand the reasons why so many care companies have struggled to improve or even maintain their CQC ratings in the 2018 State of Care report. We believe that many companies are still using pen and paper with no form of care management software. However, we don’t think it is that straightforward either. Care Management Software is a tool that if used properly can help to improve the levels of care quality, but underneath the bonnet of any organisation are the quality processes and continuous improvement strategies that really affect a company’s ability to deliver that quality care. These are completely separate from the job of looking after our service users. In the White Paper we look at some of the ideas surrounding lean health and highlight the different forms of waste that can hamper quality if they are allowed to flourish. We also examine some practical examples of how these ideas could be implemented in the care industry. The Flaws of Inspection The CQC inspection system may seem effective at grading care services, and the reports do provide a lot of valuable information, but in fact, they only give a snapshot of the care being provided in that organisation on a particular day. We would argue that real quality can only be achieved by embarking on a journey of continuous improvement across all levels of the organisation. By involving the whole organisation we can bring about a more sustainable and lasting improvement in the quality of care. Simply put, if you want to achieve the highest levels of quality, you must first identify the areas where you need to improve, then you must fix them so that they cannot return. Keep doing this every day. If you are awarded ‘Outstanding’ status by the CQC, great, keep going. If you win national awards, keep going! Quality Comes From Within RTC is a tool that allows care companies to focus on improving their processes by taking the pressure off of the individual and putting it into the tool. By automating activities such as care planning, reporting and alerts, a company can spend more time focussing on making sure that the care they give the service users is of the highest quality. RTC enables care companies to add consistency to their business while also making it easy to demonstrate best practice when necessary. It must be very disheartening to have worked so hard to achieve a good grading only to see it get worse at the next inspection. RTC when used in conjunction with the ideas of lean health, continuous improvement and waste, gives a care company everything it needs to provide efficient, world class care without being burdened with the pressure of poor processes.
Oakham Grange, named Ardale’s first nursing home
Ardale, a new name to the residential and nursing care sector have named Oakham Grange as their first home. This 9 million bespoke 60 bed new build home is planned to open in early 2020, creating 200 new jobs. ‘Ardale may be a new name to the healthcare sector’ said Lesa McAnulty, Ardale’s Chief Operating Officer ‘but behind the name is a senior team with many years nursing care and expertise. Ardale are on a mission to deliver care and support that is meaningful to each individual; with the warmth and personality that only a family owned company can create.’ Ardale will provide nursing care and support underpinned by a care ethos of; promoting independence while maintaining friendships and interests. One of Oakham Grange’s first visitors was Brabham, Ardale’s Therapy Dog. ‘My pets are really important to me’ said Lesa ‘so Brabham represents Ardale’s home from home, family approach to nursing care. Oakham Grange is going to our resident’s home, for them to live their lives as they want, enabled by our well trained care team. Oakham is a new place for me and I am really looking forward to meeting local people and learning more about the uniqueness of Oakham and Rutland. Oakham Grange is certainly going to be a special place and I am very excited about Ardale’s ability to create a very different kind of care service.’
Shetland Ponies are Mane Attraction at Inverurie Care Home
Residents at a care home in Kemnay have been horsing around this week thanks to an in-house visit from some new equine friends. Meallmore Ltd’s Grove Care Home welcomed two Shetland ponies into the home to give residents the chance to meet and interact with the animals. They were encouraged to get to know the ponies who have been highly trained to handle any situation. Animal-assisted therapy has been shown to be very beneficial in elderly care, as physical contact with the animals encourages communication, can reduce stress and anxiety and even improve motor skills and self-esteem. Karen Paul, Care Home Manager at Grove Care Home, said: “It’s not every day you get ponies wandering through the home, so it was lovely for the residents to have the opportunity to enjoy their company. “As well as being fun and interesting, animal therapy is also hugely important for our residents as it’s relaxing and can also be a very social activity. The ponies really lifted everyone’s spirits and were adorable. “At Meallmore, we’re committed to delivering exceptional standards of care to the elderly and frail and animal therapy is just one of the ways in which we try to enrich the lives of our residents.” More information about Meallmore Ltd can be found at www.meallmorelodge.co.uk.
Assistive tech and the legal implications
Article from Jennifer Johnston, associate at insurance risk and commercial law firm BLM The background and the benefits Increasingly, assistive technology is being adopted to support those living with various debilitating conditions to improve their quality of life. An impressive variety of aids can be used to help with those living with dementia, ranging from everyday technologies that you can find in your smartphone, to specific medical aids. For example, those living with dementia can utilise aspects of popular technology to improve their daily lives. Phone calendars can be set with daily reminders to take medication or attend appointments, and location finder apps are a clever way to track a person’s whereabouts. There’s also a selection of new technologies created specifically for those with conditions such as dementia. These are being adopted by care providers, both in care homes and for domiciliary care. Technologies include movement sensors that play a message to remind people to perform an activity such as turn the oven off, water isolation devices that turn taps off if they’re left running, and fall mats which are placed near the bed to alert staff if a service user is out of bed. The possible drawbacks Although these aids can be very helpful, they also present a whole new set of challenges for care providers. Firstly, a large number of these technologies rely on the user being able to understand and interact with them comfortably. However, more often than not, the elderly or cognitively impaired can struggle with technology, making it more of a hindrance than a help. Secondly, it’s important to properly risk assess the use of such aids. It’s possible that as more assistive technology is adopted, care providers and their insurers may see an increase in claims where people have been incorrectly assessed as being capable of using or interacting with an assistive aid. Caution should be used to ensure over reliance is not being placed on technology. And thirdly the benefits of assistive technology rely on the aids being correctly used by the care staff and the service user. For example we have dealt with a nursing home claim where a fall sensor was being used in a resident’s bedroom to alert night staff if they got out of bed. One of the care staff unfortunately switched off the fall sensor in error, which meant that following the resident’s night time fall, care staff weren’t alerted. No matter how far technological development takes us there will always be some human involvement. Whether it’s the third party that installs the technology, the care staff who recommend its use and monitor it, or the manufacturers who create it, one of these parties could be held liable by the claimant if something goes wrong. It’s the responsibility of each of these parties to be thorough in the way the assistive tech is created, fitted and used, to ensure it will always benefit the user and the likelihood of any problems is reduced. Preventative measures There are some steps that care providers can implement to ensure they’ve done everything in their power to prevent any issues occurring, and that if the worst-case scenario does happen, they’re not liable. The most important step is a thorough assessment. Whether using assistive technology or not, it’s essential that care providers undertake plans and risk assessments to understand the needs of those in their care. The person performing the assessment must be able to confidently say that the technology is usable and will improve quality of life in some way. With conditions such as dementia, where a person’s condition can change frequently, it’s essential that care providers constantly reassess the needs of those in their care. It’s not enough to simply review a care plan annually or bi-annually, for example. Instead, constant evaluation needs to be implemented to ensure that the best care is being given and that the most appropriate technology is being used. And it’s not just about assessing the resident to ensure optimal care, but also looking at the technologies available. There is a constant stream of innovative care aids being created and developed, and it’s the responsibility of care professionals to explore these options and keep pace with technological development to ensure they’re providing the best care possible. Ultimately, assistive technology can be hugely beneficial as an aid, but it’s essential it remains an aid, and that care professionals don’t become dependent on it or lose sight of the human touch. We must remember that human error will always be a factor. To avoid legal ramifications and ensure the best care is being provided, constant and thorough assessment of both the service user and the available technology is paramount.
Hft awarded Centre of Excellence status for exemplary training
The national learning disabilities charity, Hft, has been awarded Centre of Excellence status in recognition of its exemplary training provision by Skills for Care. Hft is only the third charity to receive the accolade and one of just 24 organisations to have the bespoke quality mark which is awarded to the providers with the best learning and development programmes within the adult social care sector. Since 2016 Hft has been accredited as an endorsed provider in recognition of the significant difference training makes, both to the learner and the people being supported. This has now been superseded by the Centre of Excellence status awarded for going above and beyond with training provision. This required providing robust evidence of the charity’s innovative and continually evolving approach to the delivery of learning opportunities to ensure the needs of learners are met. The examples cited by Hft included: Sue Hill is Hft’s Head of Organisational Development. She said she is delighted that Hft’s commitment to developing its workforce has been endorsed at the highest level by Skills for Care. “I am so proud Hft has been recognised as a Centre of Excellence,” she said. “Our team constantly strives to offer exemplary learning and development opportunities to everyone in the organisation; they work tirelessly to offer excellent customer service and to help deliver learning that ultimately improves the lives of the people we support. I have always believed that what we do is excellent but having the endorsement from Skills for Care is such an honour and a testament to the dedication and commitment of the team in creating an engaging and innovative learning experience. I am thrilled we have achieved this.” Lori Barber-Field, Skills for Care Project Manager said: “It has been great endorsing Hft as a Centre of Excellence. They’ve demonstrated dedicated commitment to the core requirements, such as effective leadership and management, robust quality assurance, ensuring staff development is based on equality of opportunity, and finally that working with learners is a central feature of all learning and development. We look forward to working with Hft in the future.”
Learn how to be CQC Outstanding at Care Roadshow Birmingham
Following the success of the events recently held in Glasgow and Liverpool, the Care Roadshows team are gearing up for the show’s return to Birmingham on Tuesday 2nd July at Villa Park Stadium. Attracting care home providers from across the Midlands, this free event offers the ideal opportunity to source new products and services, attend CPD seminars and workshops from industry leaders, and network with the care community. One seminar that is guaranteed to prove popular on the day will be provided by Director of STORM Consultancy, Jonathan Cunningham, who will present his five-stage plan for achieving an Outstanding CQC rating. During the session, Jonathan will discuss his top tips and advice based on his own experience as Owner of Rosebank Care Home, which followed the same strategy over 18 months and was graded Outstanding in December 2016. Additional seminars throughout the day will include an update from the CQC by Inspection Manager, Jon Ibbotson, a discussion about human rights and wrongs by Ed Watkinson from Quality Compliance Systems, and a session exploring ways to improve wellbeing for those living with dementia, delivered by Paul Gaskell, Director of Dementia Services for Runwood Homes Senior Living. Creative Minds will also be hosting two interactive workshops at the show, where visitors will have the chance to get hands-on with arts and crafts; learning fun and easy techniques for incorporating more creative activities into care settings. Leading industry suppliers at the event will be showcasing everything from catering and cleaning equipment, pharmacy services, and care management systems to staff training programmes and the latest innovations in care technology. Exhibitors confirmed to attend include OM Interactive, apetito, Midshire Business Systems, everyLIFE Technologies and many more. All visitors who attend Care Roadshow Birmingham will also be automatically entered into a prize draw to win £100 in cash on the day. The event runs from 9.30am – 3pm and is completely free to attend, so register today by visiting www.careroadshows.co.uk, or by calling 01425 838393. Improve the lives of the people in your care and get inspired on 2ndJuly – save the date in your calendar today! Care Roadshows will also be coming to Cardiff and London later on in the year – for further information about the event dates and venue locations, visit the Care Roadshows website.
