Christmas card appeal for Huddersfield’s elderly
Make an elderly resident’s Christmas by sending them a card, care home staff have appealed. The festive holidays can be a lonely time for those with no family and friends to celebrate with, says Aden Lodge Care Home manager Kim Hardy. So the home, on Long Lane, Clayton West, is asking the community to consider sending a Christmas card. Kim said: “Staff do everything they can to make Christmas a special time of year for residents, while providing the care they need. “A simple Christmas card to our residents will help make their Christmas that much more special. “Many of our residents don’t have family and friends anymore and a card will make all the difference. “We’d like to receive as many cards as possible to show our residents they are not forgotten this Christmas and are still part of the wider community.” Anyone interested in sending a Christmas card should address it to: The Residents, Aden Lodge Care Home, Long Lane, Clayton West, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD8 9PR. Aden Lodge Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net.
Volunteers reduce pressure on frontline NHS staff
Volunteers in hospitals play a vital role in improving the experience of patients and relieving pressure on frontline staff, according to a new report from The King’s Fund. The report, commissioned by Royal Voluntary Service and Helpforce, is based on a survey of nearly 300 hospital staff in England including nurses, doctors and support staff – the first time that NHS frontline staff have been surveyed for their views about volunteers. It finds very strong support for volunteering among frontline staff, who report that hospital volunteers provide vital practical help such as picking up medicines and doing tea rounds, as well as companionship, comfort and support to patients – ‘bringing human kindness to a busy ward’. This frees up time for pressurised frontline staff to prioritise clinical care, improving staff experience as well as the patient’s experience of care. Key survey findings include: 90 per cent of staff believe volunteering adds a lot of value for patients and 74 per cent said they also add value for staff a third of respondents said volunteers provide essential reassurance and company to patients almost one in three frontline staff felt volunteers free up their time to focus on clinical care 82 per cent nurses stated they enjoy working with volunteers a high proportion of frontline staff interact with volunteers regularly – half had done so in the past week. The report follows the recent announcement of a partnership between Royal Voluntary Service and Helpforce to explore how to scale up the number of volunteers in the NHS to ease pressure points. Interest in the role of NHS volunteers has grown in recent years, and volunteering alongside other forms of social action, is expected to feature in the NHS long-term plan due to be published this month. The authors also identify a number of challenges hospital staff face when working with volunteers, the biggest of which is a lack of clarity regarding the boundaries between the roles of staff and volunteers. Some staff raised concerns about the potential to rely on volunteers too much in services that are increasingly under pressure. Staff also felt volunteers would have more impact if they themselves were provided with better training and better knowledge of the role of volunteers. The report makes a number of recommendations to NHS trust leaders to help them maximise the impact of volunteers in their hospitals, particularly those at board level with a strategic responsibility for decisions about volunteering. It calls for all NHS acute hospital trusts to have an adequately resourced volunteering strategy and to ensure frontline staff are trained and empowered to develop supportive working relationships with volunteers. Richard Murray, Director of Policy at The King’s Fund said: ‘Despite the growing focus being placed on the value of volunteering in NHS hospitals, we still have much to learn about how frontline staff feel about volunteers. Understanding this is critical if the welcome step-change in health policy and support for volunteering is to translate to practical success on the ground. We found that frontline staff clearly appreciate the human kindness volunteers bring into busy hospital life, provided they are not being used as a substitute for paid staff. We encourage NHS bosses to sit up and take note of the critical role their staff say volunteers play in enhancing patient experience.’ Catherine Johnstone CBE, Chief Executive of Royal Voluntary Service said: ‘Our volunteers have been gifting their time to support the NHS since the very beginning. We know the difference they make, from improving patient experience to allowing more time for doctors and nurses to concentrate on clinical care. But the perceptions of frontline NHS staff on the issue have, to date, been largely overlooked. The report highlights both opportunities and challenges, which we need to embrace and tackle if we want to successfully scale up voluntary service in hospitals. Supporting Trusts to develop effective volunteering strategies, providing greater clarity around the role volunteers can and should play, providing the right training to help volunteers perform those roles and developing bespoke service offerings to get more volunteers on to wards, are all areas where we can add significant value.’ Sir Tom Hughes-Hallett, founder of Helpforce said: ‘This is a very important report from The King’s Fund. The findings show what we have long suspected, that staff in hospitals find great value in having teams of trained volunteers ready to support them in a greater number of roles. As the needs of our ageing population grow, and the NHS is asked to provide more care for more people, it is vital that NHS leaders take the role of volunteers seriously, invest in them, and integrate them into the heart of their organisations. I hope this report will galvanise the executive level support necessary to create a step-change in volunteering in our NHS.’ Anna Chadwick, Lead Dementia Nurse at Mid Cheshire Hospitals, which manages Leighton Hospital said: ‘The support Royal Voluntary Service offers people on the wards of our hospital is greatly valued by all involved - staff, families but most importantly patients in our care. The impact of volunteers giving their time to offer meaningful support to people who are unwell and often lonely and frightened, is immeasurable. The hospital environment can be overwhelming and a friendly face and chat can make the world of difference to a person’s experience. More recently, some of the volunteers have undertaken additional training to assist with supporting people at meals times and also to use the Reminiscence Interactive Therapy Activity (RITA) unit with people on the wards who might benefit. Staff too greatly value the input that Royal Voluntary Service volunteers provide which further improves care and outcomes. They regard them as an important part of the ward team and miss their presence when they are not there. Family members who have met volunteers have also given positive feedback about the difference their input has made to their loved one.’
Why Should I Invest in Care Management Software?
You have probably heard about the ways that technology can improve the way you run your care business. So what are the things you need to consider when choosing Care Management Software? It might be best to start by asking yourself what you want the software investment to achieve? Many factors will affect your decision, from inspection ratings, GDPR readiness to staff retention and morale. The desire to improve quality of care within the organisation must drive everything. What Do You Need from the Software? Understanding the drivers is probably the best place to start. In other words, what parts of your business do you need to improve? For example: Operational efficiency Better care environment Regulatory compliance Inspection performance Information management Staff turnover Get Creative! Start by reviewing the basics – scheduling, rosters, staff & client management, invoicing or payroll. It might be worth getting creative and asking – Wouldn’t it be great if we could…? This gives you the opportunity to start a relationship with the software provider. They should want to work with you and develop their products to suit you. It is also good to engage your staff and get a picture of where software could help improve things for everyone. This will give you buy in from the organisation, which will help with implementation. Change is easier to implement when driven by the whole organisation not just the management. Juggling the Benefits Moving from a paper based system to a digital care management system, gives significant business improvements. But how broad can the range of improvements be? Some will have clear financial benefits while others improve quality of care. A key advantage is the possibility to measure improvement. Every action can be recorded in a single digital record. Tasks can be marked as done and reports filed instantly. Every driver can be measured. By measuring, it can be improved. This goes for CQC inspections, financial performance and efficiency. It all adds to a better care environment. A comprehensive system should give you benefits across the whole business, so it is important to understand where you are and what needs improving. Less functional software may need to be replaced early while many vendors may not have the experience when bringing new products to the market. Do your homework, ask questions and above all, understand what you need. Jim Ward, UK Director, Fastroi UK https://fastroi.fi/en/
Sara Livadeas appointed Chief Executive at The Fremantle Trust
Sara Livadeas has been appointed Chief Executive at The Fremantle Trust, a registered charity and not for profit organisation providing care and support services for older people and adults with a learning disability. She will take up her position on 23rd January 2019. Sara has extensive experience working across social care, health and housing and has held executive roles in a large local authority and a national charity. Sara started her career in health and social care with a range of posts in commissioning, operational management, strategy and service development. She is currently consulting, having previously been the Strategy Director for the Orders of St John Care Trust, leading on the care home development programme. Before that she was the Deputy Director, Adult Social Care with Oxfordshire County Council, leading on the commissioning of services for all age adults and children. In addition to her executive roles she is a Trustee of The Disabilities Trust – a national charity providing services to people with brain injuries, learning disability and autism, where she chairs the Quality and Governance Committee. Sara has recently written a guide to successfully opening a new care home, sponsored by Care England. Sara said: “I am thrilled to have been given this opportunity to lead The Fremantle Trust. I’m looking forward to meeting residents, service users, colleagues and friends of the Trust and working with them to make a real difference to the lives of the people we support and those that care for them.” Ian Shepherd, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at The Fremantle Trust, added: “We are delighted to welcome Sara to the Trust and we are certain that she will lead the organisation to deliver our strategic plans and objectives in improving the lives of all of those we support. Her vast experience and knowledge will certainly bring a broad and guiding vision to the organisation.” www.fremantletrust.org
Best ancillary worker in the North East care industry is…
HANDYMAN Chris Sogorkski has been named the best ancillary worker in the North East care industry. The Oaks Care Home maintenance man picked up the award at The Great North East Care Awards 2018 gala dinner at the Hilton Hotel, in Gateshead. The accolade recognises Chris’s person-centred service, excellence and pride in his work and the dignity and respect he shows residents and staff at the home, in Blyth, Northumberland. He said: “I can’t believe it. I love working at The Oaks. The residents are lovely and the staff are wonderful. “I can’t thank home manager Ann Mielnik enough for nominating me. It’s a great honour to have been given this award.” After winning the regional Ancillary Worker award, Chris is now shortlisted for the national award, with a ceremony taking place on 8th March 2019, in Birmingham. The Oaks Care Home staff were also shortlisted for four other awards at The Great North East Care Awards 2018. The home’s housekeeper Lesley Russell and domestic assistants Maureen Ord, Colleen McDougal, Diane Nesbitt and Christine Roddum were up for The Care Team Award. Speaking on behalf of her team, Lesley said: “We all think it’s great. It’s good to be recognised after 24 years of service to the home.” Activities coordinator Paige Gallagher was shortlisted for the Activities Coordinator Award. She said: “It’s great to feel what you are doing is good and to be recognised for it.” Cook Yvonne Gibson was shortlisted for the Chef/Cook Award. She said: “I am very honoured and proud to have been nominated.” And former deputy manager Julia Rose was shortlisted for The Good Nurse Award. The Oaks Care Home manager Ann Mielnik and Hill Care Group regional manager Jane Mack attended the awards ceremony with the nominees. Ann said: “I cannot put into words how proud I am of such a wonderful proactive team of people. “They truly deserve this recognition as they have worked so hard. They are all winners in my eyes.” The Oaks Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net.
NACC Care Chef of the Year 2019 competition opens for entries
The National Association of Care Catering (NACC) has begun its annual search for the nation’s best care chef. The NACC Care Chef of the Year 2019 competition is now officially open for entries. The prestigious culinary competition is open to all chefs and cooks working in the care sector, from care homes, day centres, lunch clubs and meals on wheels services to local authorities and other care organisations, including hospices. The entry brochure can be downloaded at https://www.thenacc.co.uk/events/nacc-care-chef-of-the-year-2019 and the deadline for entries is 1 February 2019. Now in its twentieth year, the NACC Care Chef of the Year competition, which is proudly supported by the main sponsor Premier Foods and the Worshipful Company of Cooks, recognises the excellence of chefs working in the care sector. The competition is specially designed to showcase the talent, innovation, specialist skills and specific knowledge of nutrition and dietary requirements required by care chefs, whilst challenging them and encouraging them to push the boundaries. It also raises the profile of the care sector as a rewarding, dynamic career choice. Entrants must create new, exciting menus, following the competition rules, that adhere to a strict budget and meet the nutritional and dietary needs of their clientele. As people age their dietary needs change and a wide variety of special diets must be recognised and catered for safely. From food intolerances to dysphagia and dementia, it is vital that care chefs can confidently deliver the right nutrition and hydration to ensure quality of life and prevent unnecessary malnutrition-related illnesses. They also need creativity and flair, as older people often experience a reduced appetite or decreased sense of taste, which can also undermine their intake of essential nutrients. It’s therefore vital that the food presented to them is attractive to the eye and full of flavour. Neel Radia, national chair of the NACC, said: “We’re thrilled to launch NACC Care Chef of the Year 2019. The competition has a strong reputation for showcasing the culinary excellence that the care sector exudes, so we’re very excited to see what this year’s talented entrants produce in their mission to join the exclusive club of NACC Care Chef of the Year title holders. “This competition is a valuable and important platform for raising the profile of care catering and the fantastic opportunities the sector offers, which is very important in the current climate of uncertainty where we are all facing recruitment challenges. It also helps motivate and develop chefs, which is beneficial to all – from the chef and their place of work to, crucially, the people they are feeding and their loved ones. The standard of meals produced by competing chefs is incredible; in flavour, texture and appearance. In the care sector, food can enhance the quality of someone’s life and this understanding is at the heart of what the competing chefs, and care chefs across the country, are producing daily. “I urge all care chefs to enter the NACC Care Chef of the Year competition and reap the many benefits it offers. I look forward to watching this exciting competition unfold.” The NACC Care Chef of the Year competition challenges entrants to create a nutritionally-balanced, two-course menu (main and dessert) that is suitable for service users in a care setting. The combined food cost for both courses should be no more than £2.25 per head based on three portions and it must be nutritionally balanced. The menu must also incorporate one of the Premier Foods products listed in the competition entry brochure. Participating chefs will have just 90 minutes to produce their dishes and the judges will be looking for clear nutritional understanding of the foods they are using and how they benefit their clientele, plus culinary flair through flavours, menu balance, execution and presentation. All paper entries will be judged by a central judging panel and the successful entrants will be invited to compete at the regional heats in March 2019*, where they will have 90 minutes to produce their dishes and demonstrate their skill set under the watchful eye of the competition judges, when their working practices will also be under scrutiny. The two highest-scoring competitors from each regional heat will secure a place in the national final on Wednesday 5 June 2019 at Stratford-upon-Avon College. Here they will compete for the coveted title NACC Care Chef of the Year 2019. For more information on the NACC Care Chef of the Year 2019 competition and to download an entry form visit www.thenacc.co.uk/events/nacc-care-chef-of-the-year-2019
Hospice To Open £500,000 Satellite Unit
A HOSPICE is on course to open a £500,000 satellite unit that will create 15 jobs and provide vital end-of-life care for patients in isolated areas of north west Wales. St David’s Hospice plans to unveil the new four-bed inpatient complex in 2019, with building work set to start next April at a converted ward at Penrhos Stanley Community Hospital, Holyhead. The opening will mark a year since the Llandudno facility was merged with Hospice at Home to form one charity covering Conwy, Gwynedd and Anglesey. St David’s is also exploring opportunities in south Gwynedd with the aim of further extending its footprint in the region, meaning patients and their families will not have to travel as far for a bed and access to first-class palliative care, symptom control and respite care. They are also confident of achieving £1million income from their charity shops for the very first time and have a clear vision to put an end to the postcode lottery which means that some people in areas of Gwynedd and Anglesey cannot access inpatient hospice care. As St David’s Hospice prepares for its 20th anniversary in the Spring, Chief Executive Trystan Pritchard said the revamped organisation – which employs more than 150 staff – is laying firm foundations for the future. “The merger only took place in April but already we have seen everyone come together with one thing in mind, to improve our service and extend the care we offer to communities in the west,” said Mr Pritchard. “Architects are currently working on designs to convert the ward into a satellite unit for the hospice before building work begins in the coming months. “In Gwynedd and on Anglesey there are no inpatient hospice beds at present and we are going to change that.” St David’s has been supported throughout by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which provided them with the space. They also received a £450,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund. The grant will help fund staff at the satellite unit for three years, including nurses and fundraising officers trained by the hospice’s vastly experienced and skilled workforce. Derek Preston-Hughes, Funding Manager at the Big Lottery, congratulated St David’s Hospice on their future plans. “We were happy to support St David’s Hospice with a grant of £450,000, made possible thanks to players of the National Lottery,” he said. “The project has been developed to respond to the wishes of the people who use it, they wanted a more local option and asked for the hospice to offer respite care and facilities for people to be near their loved ones – the planned unit delivers on these requests. “Many local people volunteer for the hospice and it is clear it is important to the communities it serves. We are looking forward to seeing the unit up and running.” Mr Pritchard added: “Opening in Holyhead will take our capacity to 17 beds, and we have one eye on finding a suitable location in south Gwynedd to increase that further. “As the hospice approaches its 20th year we have a new vision but the same dedication to our communities. “The warmth and goodwill we receive is extraordinary, which has been reflected by the record numbers of people visiting our shops across the region, and we are truly thankful for that support.” Those words were echoed by St David’s Hospice Matron, Glenys Sullivan, who believes too many people find it too difficult to access a hospice bed for vital end of life care. “We want to deliver our services to as many people as possible so that people get control back over their lives and can exercise choice on the things that are important to them, including where they are cared for,” she said. “St David’s will continue to work with and support the at-home service, which strives to give supportive and end of life care to patients in the comfort of their own home throughout Gwynedd and Mon. Ms Sullivan added: “We will continue to work with our NHS and social care partners to offer our patients and their families a range of services, so they are able to make their choices on how they want to receive care and support at the end of their lives. “Hospices make a huge contribution to their local communities and we are extremely grateful for the incredible level of support we receive form individuals, groups and businesses, which enables us to continue to care for local people when their needs are greatest.” For more information, visit www.stdavidshospice.org.uk
Etac R82 Meerkat achieves Best Product at BHTA Awards
Etac R82 has achieved success at the annual British Healthcare Trades Association Awards – winning a ‘Highly Commended’ Best Product accolade for its paediatric R82 Meerkat dynamic stander. A strong proposal was submitted to the BHTA Best Product category as the Meerkat has proven highly successful since its 2017 launch. It is a fully adjustable, ergonomic simple stander that offers posterior and anterior support with the option to add a rocker under the base. This rocker provides a dynamic element for disabled children, so they can move forwards and backwards – challenging their balance and improving core stability. Following eight years of research and development by R82, the Meerkat now delivers a significant development in paediatric standing frames as it bridges the gap between static and dynamic therapy. The Etac R82 submission detailed why the Meerkat excels and deserves official recognition of its design excellence. The demand and clinical benefits of the product were clearly identified along with evidence-based results and a compelling case study. The associated marketing plan was illustrated which includes a variety of media including therapist-led videos, social media content and a Meerkat ‘work book’ – the all-encompassing information package concept pioneered by Etac R82. Awareness of the Meekat continues further with inclusion in Etac R82’s ongoing educational programme. These factors amongst others resulted in the ‘Highly Commended’ Best Product accolade being awarded by Simon Weston CBE, at the BHTA’s annual black-tie awards dinner which was held at the Alton Towers Hotel, Stoke-on-Trent. Nicky Hogg, Etac R82 Marketing and Business Development Manager, comments: “We are delighted to have achieved this Best Product Highly Commended accolade from the BHTA. The Meerkat fully deserves official recognition of its design effectiveness and the clinical results it achieves. With targeted and adaptable support, the Meerkat facilities the opportunity for children who require assistance standing, to accelerate their postural control and motor skills through measured instability, whilst optimising therapist intervention. It has been designed to allow children to learn through movement and we are proud to witness the positive outcomes our Meerkat achieves on a daily basis.” As part of the evidence based entry to the award category, the following professional testimonials were submitted: “What we have seen is quite amazing. All three children who have rocker bottoms have been using the Meerkat at least once a day for 10 minutes. Faisal can now sit independently on a standard school chair and his sit to stand from this position is much improved. Elena, who could only manage pronated with the tray is now just using the hip and knee fittings supinated. Jibreel has had massive changes and when standing and walking is gaining active extension in his lower limbs and over all his trunk is hugely improved.” Sarah Swingler, Physiotherapy Assistant Park house Child and Family Centre “The Meerkat is the first piece of equipment on the market that all physiotherapists can access to provide movement-based stability training out in the community. It can mimic where a physiotherapist may give support on the child to challenge their muscle control. It is easy to set up and use and I can’t wait to see the results with my patients.” Angela Wing, Clinical Lead Operations Physiotherapy* www.etac.com/en-gb/
Music all in a day’s work at Balhousie Care Group
It’s not a bad day at work when you spend a large part of it listening to your favourite song tracks. But that’s just how Balhousie Care Group employees spent a day recently when they learned the benefits of music to people living with dementia. Sixteen care home staff from across the award-winning group gathered in Balhousie Monkbarns in Arbroath – one of Balhousie Care’s 25 homes across Scotland – to receive their latest training in the popular Playlist for Life, a programme launched by broadcaster Sally Magnusson for use in care homes, hospitals and the community. Sally founded Playlist for Life after seeing the positive effect music had for her mother, who was living with dementia. For Yvonne Manson, Balhousie Care Group’s dementia consultant, the effects of music on people living with dementia are “powerful”. Yvonne, current RCNi Leadership Award Winner and a UK leader in dementia in care homes, said: “I have seen several people with dementia with word finding and communication difficulties singing full songs, much to the shock of those around them. I have also seen people with dementia who are restless and walk sometimes at a great pace, getting comfort from the songs and sitting down to listen to them or slowing their pace as they walk. She added: “Family members have reported that their wedding song came on and the person with dementia reached out for their hand. There are too many examples to list but safe to say the effect of music on these residents is powerful, just as it is on all of us.” At Balhousie, Playlist for Life and personalised music are used in lounge areas and played individually to residents, using iPods and mp3 players. The playlists are created with the help of residents, family members, friends and staff and the programme is put in place by ‘dementia ambassadors’ – dedicated staff members who are trained to make sure Balhousie Care’s dementia strategies are delivered in each care home. When Paula Balfour, activities coordinator at Balhousie St Ronans in Dundee, used music therapy with resident Patsy Anderson recently, the results were immediate. Said Paula: “We played some of her favourite Elvis songs and in a matter of minutes Patsy, who has dementia, went from being tearful and anxious to engaged, talkative, playful and happy. She even joined us for a boogie around the office!” Yvonne Manson said: “Balhousie Care Group staff have taken the playlist idea and run with it. That includes all the people in the care home, from carers to domestic staff and volunteers. We’ve even had help from schoolchildren helping put together the playlists. I can’t say I’m surprised because music puts a smile on everybody’s face.” Paula Bain, training officer at Playlist for Life, said: “We’re delighted to see that Balhousie Care Group are having such great results using Playlist for Life with their residents. Introducing playlists can improve the experience of care for residents, families and care workers alike, and it’s clear that Balhousie are doing great work rolling it out across their homes.” To find out more about Balhousie Care Group visit www.balhousiecare.co.uk More on Playlist for Life is at www.playlistforlife.org.uk
