Safelincs Dorgard
Did you know that wedging your fire door open with an object could be a breach of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005? If you are the responsible person in your setting you could face prosecution, which could lead to a heavy fine or even imprisonment, if you allow fire doors to be held open in this way. Fire doors form a vital part of your fire safety provision and help protect residents and staff from the spread of a fire. For elderly residents fire doors can become a barrier to their free movement, reducing their independence, which can also have an effect on their mental well being. Dorgard have been providing care and nursing settings with a legal solution for holding their fire doors open for decades. Through ongoing development there are now three different types of Dorgard fire door retainers; Dorgard, Dorgard SmnartSound and Dorgard Pro. All three types offer you a solution to being able to hold open your fire door legally, allowing staff and residents to move around the building with ease, whilst giving management of the premises the peace of mind that fire doors will close automatically on the sounding of the fire alarm, maintaining safety and preventing the spread of fire. Your type of setting will determine which of the Dorgard fire door retainers is right for you. If you are a small to medium setting with normal or low noise levels, then the original Dorgard will suit your needs. For settings where the noise level is louder you may benefit from the improved sound recognition of the Dorgard SmartSound and for large sites the Dorgard Pro is ideal. Dorgard Pro gives you the possibility of managing up to 500 fire doors in one system and has the option of wiring into your fire alarm panel, it also provides a ‘one glance’ check that the entire system is functioning correctly. Dorgard fire door retainers ensure that you allow maximum independent mobility of residents, whilst also ensuring that you stay compliant with the legal requirements. If you would like to discuss your needs further with one of our knowledgeable customer care team please contact them on 0800 978 8746 visit www.safelincs.co.uk.
How will the new Information Age Affect Health and Care?
Is the information revolution going to transform Care situations? We all spend our days with smartphone apps and chatbots on line, but the healthcare industry seems to be still largely wedded to paper in the UK. I recently had occasion to have an examination in an NHS hospital. The process was handled with great professionalism and efficiency and all the people I interacted with were friendly, motivated and competent. What struck me was that the entire process of recording information was almost entirely paper-based. As a “data plumber” of more than 25 years’ standing, I find it paradoxical that almost everyone has a smart phone with many applications but joined up information and being able to use the devices we are all now familiar with has not had the effect in healthcare as in other industries. In The Times today (19th March) I see a headline “Computers beat doctors at spotting cancer” talking about using artificial intelligence software to analyse prostate biopsy results. Crunching numbers and looking for patterns is something computers are good at. People are naturally concerned that their jobs might be replaced by software robots (softbots?). Personally, I don’t see it; although things will change. A robot might be more efficient at making a consistent cup of tea, but human contact is not going to be replaced by an Alexa on steroids anytime soon in my view. With the NHS reportedly short of tens of thousands of clinical posts (and several £BN) and other care providers struggling to find staff, let’s focus on where humans do best – personal contact and engagement – rather than crunching numbers, filling in forms and retyping data into spreadsheets. Let’s talk about transparency. You will already be familiar with the new approach to inspections from CQC. How is this affecting your services? Like the regulator, you’re looking for consistent reporting against known quality and performance measures and visible progress against action plans. You want to be confident that an inspection isn’t going to cause a crisis. Good leadership and management drive continuous improvement. Having a consistent system for care quality management where standards and performance across a set of services is known, monitored, driven and auditable/evidenced 24/7 is what enables managers – “from Ward to Board”. Otherwise it’s a hard slog. You don’t know when you will next get that panicked call saying, “an inspector arrived – help!!”. Now where were those forms…? Regulatory Matters CQC closed its second phase of consultation with the industry on its inspection and monitoring approach. Some very important planning points for providers with multiple services come out which should be a focus for leadership: “We will be able to undertake inspection at relevant headquarters for organisations owning multiple providers where this is appropriate.” “We will still be able to focus enforcement action at any level of a group or organisation, but will also be able to hold overall leadership to account.” From April, it’s going to be increasingly important for you to manage the regulator’s expectations with effective reporting on quality management. How are your plans for meeting the challenge? Some Care organisations reports are based on paper or spreadsheets acknowledged as being out of date by as much as 3 months!! Let’s get rid of some of the paperwork and use something that gives a coherent and consistent view of quality. Make sure you really know Rob Anderson Managing Director IPROS CUBE Ltd. Tel: 01483 688 000 Mob: 07979 598742 randerson@iproscube.com
Care Roadshow – Are you prepared for an outstanding day?
Whether you’re coming to Care Roadshow Liverpool to create valuable connections, generate new business, acquire the latest products, learn new skills or visualise the future of the care sector then you will not be disappointed. Coming to Aintree Racecourse, Liverpool on Tuesday 15th May, Care Roadshows anticipates yet another informative and inspiring day for all those who attend. As the industry continues to develop and adapt, Care Roadshows offer a platform for care workers within the area to collaborate for one day to hear from associations and companies in the know. Care Quality Commission will be in attendance with the local inspection team to provide an insight into the next phase of inspections. Sheila Scott OBE, an established name in the sector, will develop upon what was discussed in the CQC seminar and talk about the second round of CQC inspections including the areas where CQC is likely to be focussing their attention on. The sessions hosted by Oomph Wellness will show how we drive social interaction and mental stimulation, which will ensure a truly person-centred programme of activities within care settings. An interactive afternoon of physical activities is planned for participants with slipper soccer, clock cricket and seated volleyball on the agenda. If you work within the care sector in and around Liverpool, then pop the date in the diary. Tickets are free – simply visit the website www.careroadshows.co.uk or call 01425 838393 to claim yours. 2018 dates and venues: Care Roadshow Liverpool 15 May 2018 Aintree Racecourse Care Roadshow Birmingham 3 July 2018 Villa Park Stadium Care Roadshow Cardiff 23 October 2018 Cardiff City Stadium Care Roadshow London 13 November 2018 Epsom Downs Racecourse
Bertie Boater celebrates 1,000 Shows this Summer!
This summer marks 3 years since Bertie Boater began a new career as an entertainer, after working 30 years in software development. Bertie sings the classic songs of the Great American songbook, accompanying himself playing baritone ukulele. Specializing in the care industry, Bertie now has over 200 clients. These include residential homes, nursing homes, day care centres and sheltered accommodations around Sussex, Kent and Surrey. During summer 2018 Bertie will be performing his 1,000th show ! Bertie takes his audiences on a nostalgic musical journey with his extensive repertoire of over 100 timeless classic songs. Interaction is paramount to Bertie and he encourages involvement by all, with a personal approach and banter that brings lots of smiles and laughter. At Bertie’s nursing home clients, in addition to shows, Bertie also offers “private serenades” to bed bound residents – which are always a winner! Bertie serenading Winnie in her room at Coxhill Manor Bertie can be contacted on 07517 071488 and his website is bertie-boater.com
M8 Bespoke Live Entertainment
We know that you provide your residents/customers with very high-quality care, so we believe the entertainment should meet that level. M8 understands that live entertainment is important so we provide quality solo performers at affordable prices. We supply care homes, retirement homes and sheltered housing. As part of its first class service, M8 goes the extra mile and does the searching, organising and booking of the artists for its clients. This is all included as part of the service and fees. There are no hidden charges M8 can supply vintage singers, backing track singers, classical crossover singers, country, Irish, violinists, harpists, Bollywood dancers, acoustic singers, Spanish, jazz, tributes, magicians, comedians and more. All artists have public liability insurance, their own equipment and many years of experience. This is what some homes have to say….. “I am really pleased that I came across Jen at M8 bespoke care home entertainment. That is exactly what they are, We don’t like to use the “mainstream ” care home entertainers we want our residents to have different and classic entertainers perform in our homes. We have a wide chose to choose from which is why they are entertainment and not the same repetitive acts, variety being the key. I can book groups, singers, motivation speakers, comedians and even magicians all adding to the magic of the experience for our residents. The best thing is the cost, I really thought that using an agent would be expensive but how wrong I was, It’s very time consuming having to find and support all the entertainment requests we get as well as last minute bookings for ad hoc events. All this stress is taken out of my hands by the amazing support that Jen gives me on the end of the phone. Nothing is ever a problem and I always receive the best service, at the same time the reassurance I will have a brilliant act for the most important audience our residents. Thank you for all you do for our homes, and the fantastic work you do”. Mrs Natalie Ravenscroft Regional Activity executive Northwest Ideal care homes Hi Guys, Just wanted to say a massive thank you again to Fletch for his amazing performance last Saturday 2nd December at our Elderley/Isolated Xmas Party at St Sebastians. Thank you to Jeannette for choosing him for us and to you both for coming to our rescue at such short notice. I have been singing your praises to everyone and we will certainly be using you again in the future should we be holding any more events. Many Thanks Debra As a wellbeing coordinator at a care home, I regularly use M8. Jeanette will sort out entertainment fitting for whatever occasion I have planned. They have ample choice of acts which our residents love, and haven’t been disappointed yet. M8 is definitely worth a try! Sandon House A massive thank you to all at M8, a fantastic and uncompromising standard of service that provides our care home with exceptional top class acts, Jen will go that extra mile to help us find the best acts they never fail to deliver we would not go anywhere else and I would certainly highly recommend using M8 without a shadow of a doubt it’s nice to know we have a service we can trust and rely on Thank you M8 from Mandy and Donna (activity organisers) Clare Court, Avery Care Homes It is Simple to Enquire Contact Jen or Abi on 07515789837 or simply visit our website
Recover lost time with Snappy Tags!
Across the UK, busy care home staff spend over 6,000 hours a week rummaging through lost property and residents’ rooms looking for mislaid clothing. That’s a lot of hours spent on this fruitless task! With this in mind, one company has identified a quick, easy, and cost-effective solution to labelling residents’ clothing. Snappy Tags ® are discreet and resemble small buttons, making them comfortable and unobtrusive to the wearer. Care Homes who have implemented Snappy Tags® agree: Robert York, CEO of Nazareth Care Charitable Trust, said: “I was so impressed when I first saw Snappy Tags that I bought them for my own mother, who is a resident in one of our Houses. We have never had an issue with Snappy Tags falling off in the laundry and I am very happy to recommend them to families of residents in all our locations”. The team at Snappy Tags laser-etch either names or room numbers into the tag, ensuring that they will never fade, even in harsh industrial laundry conditions. Tags are simply snapped onto the laundry label or garment seam using the applicator. The brilliant thing about this product is that they are re-usable and they can be re-applied to a new item of clothing quickly and easily. Dale-Jaimé Matthews from St Cloud Care also said: “Snappy Tags has made it so much easier to keep track of all of our residents’ clothing….everything else we have tried has failed….The little tags have given back hours of time to our laundry staff and have provided peace of mind with the residents and their families for their items of clothing”. Prices start from Ј9.95 (inc VAT) for 25 tags. Snappy Tags® offer single kits for individual resident’s right through to packages for your whole home. For further info or to order call 0344 5611994. www.snappytags.co.uk
Immedia and Molift assistive solutions from Etac to support Naidex Moving and Handling Lab
Etac R82, the UK’s leading specialist in Scandinavian-inspired assistive equipment for disabled children and adults, will be supporting Naidex seminars wth Immedia and Molift products. New for 2018, Naidex will be offering a ‘Moving and Handling Lab’ which provides CPD-acreddited equipment demonstrations for healthcare professionals. These workshops will provide an invaluable opportunity for physiotherapists, carers and moving and handling specialists to learn the latest techniques for safer people transfers. To enhance the experience for all attendees, Etac R82 is loaning a selection of products from its world-class range which will include: Molift Raiser with Raiser Belt Immedia SatinSheet in-bed system Immedia 4wayGlide in-bed system for complex needs Immedia Cloverfoot Immedia Positioning Wedge Immedia MultiGlide Glove These solutions are highly regarded within the field of Moving and Handling as they encompass outstanding ergonomics, design and quality. Each educational sessions will outline the effective use of this equipment so that comfort, dignity and support is maximised for service users. Equally, safe working practices for carers will also be highlighted so that the risk of musculoskeletal injury is minimised. The Moving and Handling Lab session featuring Etac products will be: Enabling independent movement of the plus size person Anita Rush, Heath Consultancy Moving & Handling Lab (Theatre 11), 15:30 – 16:00, Wednesday 25th. Meeting personal care needs on the bed Kay James, OT4Independence LtdMoving & Handling Lab (Theatre 11), 12:30 – 13:00, Thursday 26th. Unable to step round – how rotating products can assistCarol Hucknall and Joanne Keating, Arjo Moving & Handling Lab (Theatre 11), 15:30 – 16:00, Thursday 26th. Single-handed care and challenging behaviour practical solutionsDeborah Harrison, A1 Risk Solutions Moving & Handling Lab (Theatre 11), 11:45 – 12:15, Wednesday 25th. Moving & Handling Lab (Theatre 11), 15:30 – 16:00, Thursday 26th. You can find out more about Etac here: www.etac.com
Care Roadshows : The place to inspire care professionals
Care Roadshows, the leading event tailored to the care sector, returns to Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool on 15th May. This year’s event promises an interactive and hands-on experience for visitors along with informative seminars brought to you by the experts in the field. The Care Quality Commission will kick-start the mornings programme providing an update from the CQC to gain a better understanding of the next phase of inspections due to take place. Headline Sponsors, Quality Compliance Systems will focus on the increasing importance of auditing, governance, sharing information, self-awareness and providing robust evidence to the regulator on the quality of the service being provided during their seminar. All seminars are free to attend, simply turn up on the day and take your seats. The popular Oomph! will be present hosting two free interactive workshops for visitors to take part. In the afternoon, they will host a mini Oomph! sport workshop, which will include sports such as slipper soccer, clock cricket and seated volleyball, showcasing the fun side to physical activity, whilst improving strength, mobility, flexibility and balance. To see the full programme, please visit the website. Top industry exhibitors at the event will showcase a range of the latest products, services and technologies, including training, activities, care management systems, health and safety and much more. Throughout the one-day event, visitors have the opportunity to make lasting business connections and have their trade questions answered by industry experts from a variety of specialisms. For more information on the Care Roadshows and to register for your FREE tickets for yourself and colleagues, visit www.careroadshows.co.uk or alternatively call 01425 838393 today.
Sean Hodder – professional vocalist
Described as “A first class showman” in his reviews, Sean Hodder is a consummate professional vocalist who has been performing around Devon for many years. A self tought vocalist Sean has a wealth of experience in singing, from formal choral singing with award winning choir Rejoice, to social club,pub,restaurant entertainer! Sean Hodder is a very positive crowd pleaser, performing at several weekly hotel spots on the English riviera at Torquays Sherwood palm hotel,where he projects a light hearted fun atmospheric evening of covers of all genres,styles and decades,as well as his amusing Elvis cabaret. Sean has an eclectic singing style and can perform a mix of both the old and new. Sean’s voice has the most gorgeous tone which has been described as “spine tingling”. In 1990-1992 Sean studied music at Poole and Bournemouth,receiving certifications in musicianship. He has performed in local theatre and has written his own material,as well as being trained by award winning South west vocal coach,Veronica Layne, who has coached X factor finalists. “I don’t try to be funny as a singer, but it seems to amuse people, the way I come across”! Sean Hodder provides wonderful care home singalong and music for every taste and will perform elvis shows and frank sinatra tributes. Hour shows are reasonably priced and it’s lively and fun or moderate for the kind of audience…Sean has sung in hundreds of homes all across the country. www.sean-hodder-vocalist.co.uk
