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New recruitment event launched in bid to tackle social care staffing crisis
A specialist job events specialist is staging its first ever UK show which is solely dedicated to recruitment in the social care sector. Hosted by pioneering brand Jobshows, Health & Social Care Jobs Live is taking place on June 16-17 at Westfield Shopping Centre in White City, London in a bid to help reduce the unprecedented staff shortages in the social care sector. Social care organisations can book stands which include the full shell scheme, back wall graphics, power, Wi-Fi, a table with cloth, two chairs and two spotlights. Exhibitors will also have their profile and current vacancies added to the event website, their logo listed in a special Health & Social Care Jobs Live Newspaper as well as on all leaflets and posters as well as social media promotion. Staff shortages in social care are even in greater than the NHS with 165,000 vacancies in England – a 52 per cent increase in one year as care homes struggle to recruit and retain staff who could earn more at working at a local supermarket. However, Jobshows aims to provide social care organisations with a tailor-made solution with this new recruitment show. For over a decade, Jobshows has hosted ‘regional’ recruitment exhibitions, heavily frequented by many public sector employers including NHS Trusts, the Metropolitan Police, London Fire Brigade, councils, colleges, universities and even the British Army. However, Simeon Jackson, event organiser at Health & Social Care Jobs Live, says that in response to a growing number of requests from social care providers, the new show has been set up to serve them exclusively, as well as NHS Trusts. Jackson said: “It’s well documented that social care is vastly under resourced with staff vacancies so upon speaking to lots of providers it was clear that they were crying out for a solution to promote in-house recruitment. “Health and Social Care Live is our first to be totally dedicated to healthcare and we’ve already had a number of social care organisations sign up as they are so desperate to recruit staff. We have an 83 per cent re-booking rate at our regional recruitment shows so we’re expecting this new show to be really successful. “Westfield W12 is considered the UK’s most prestigious shopping destination and has a natural footfall of around 250,000 every Friday and Saturday. By taking the show to the main hub of a busy shopping centre, we take social care providers into the heart of the people, making it even more accessible for job seekers. “Rather than having to buy a ticket and get yourself to Excel London or London Olympia, holding the event at Westfield removes all geographical barriers. We will also have 15,000 pre-registered candidates who will be ready for interview with CV or certificates in hand. “The show will give social care providers the chance to stand out offline, meet thousands of jobseekers face-to-face, create a talent pool, network and share ideas with other health organisations and even interview pre-screened candidates immediately and hire them directly.”
Care Show Organisers Announce New Retirement Living Show, to Take Place in Birmingham This October
CloserStill Media, are excited to announce their latest social care event launch, the Retirement Living Show, taking place on 11-12 October 2023 at the NEC Birmingham. The Retirement Living Show will be a trade show for professionals working in the rapidly growing sector, to come together, network and discuss key topics. From raising finance, finding land, construction, looking at how to market business models to attract clients, understanding legalities, architecture to affordable living. Attendees will hear from retirement living providers, major developers, legal firms, banks, suppliers, and many other experts. The show will include two conference theatres, 16 sessions, and will be free to register and fully CPD accredited. Co-located with the Care Show, by registering for the Retirement Living Show, attendees will gain access to both events incorporating 150 conference sessions and hosting over 200 suppliers in the joint exhibition hall. Michael Corbett, Portfolio Director, Closerstill Media said: “With the care sector ever evolving and learning best practice from other countries, we see the increasing demand of retirement communities in the UK. As a natural extension to our current elderly care offering, within the award-winning Care Show, we believe the Retirement Living Show will invite another community of this amazing industry to share knowledge and experience and improve the lives of every UK resident as we grow older.” Prospective delegates can sign up to receive the latest information and news on the Retirement Living Show by registering their interest at: https://bit.ly/43ZgfTk The CloserStill portfolio includes some of the fastest growing and multi award-winning events, including such as the Care Show, the Occupational Therapy Show, Clinical Pharmacy Congress, The Dentistry Show, The Pharmacy Show and Acute & General Medicine. The Financial Times FT1000 Index has named CloserStill the fastest growing exhibition organiser in Europe. For more information please contact –
Mr Trax Curtain & Blind Solutions
Mr Trax Curtain & Blind Solutions aims to provide a first class service across a wide range of products and bespoke fittings thanks to its two decades of experience, with many previous clients in the care sector. The company was launched in May 2003 as a mobile fitting service and has developed into a full retail operation for south east England with many ranges of curtains, blinds and shutters, as well as specialist tracks and poles for bay and straight windows. Prior to launching Mr Trax, co-owner Douglas Coe worked in various aspects of the furnishings industry giving him an impressive 40 years of experience of working with people to help them to achieve the “look” or “feel” they desire. Mr Trax has a range of NHS compliant fabrics for use in care homes, including ‘blackout’. They can supply and fit a wide range of flame retardant curtains and blinds in various fabrics to be made to your sizes and fitted using heavy duty fittings and rails. Curtains can normally be made and installed within four weeks and blinds in two weeks.Fire retardant blinds on heavy weight systems are readily available and can be manually controlled or electrically operated. They also have antimicrobial options as well all at varying prices all normally available in two-three weeks. Faster times are available on some products. The company is affiliated with Checkatrade where you can see customer reviews, including this recent comment: “Douglas did a fantastic job fitting our shutters and curtain rail. He even fitted an extra rail for us which we had bought ourselves! Friendly and efficient service, plus great looking results. Very pleased – would definitely recommend!” Based in Hailsham, East Sussex and owned and run by Doug and Carol Coe, the firm also provides a number of corded and motorised options for blinds as well as curtains, and offers a comprehensive range of shutters. Doug says: “We stock two ranges of silent gliss corded curtain tracks and two ranges of silent gliss uncorded curtain tracks the fitted prices for which are available on this website. All of the aluminium silent gliss tracks stock can be shaped and fitted into bay windows, as can some of the poles. We also have ready access to many more ranges of both tracks and poles, most of which we can get in one working day. “For more information or to arrange for us to call on you, please contact us and we will arrange to visit you as early as possible, at your convenience and free of charge. We are available to receive calls from 8am to 9pm Monday to Saturday, and are able to do installations on Saturdays as well as during the week. “To read more of what our customers say about us please do look us up on Checkatrade: checkatrade.com/mrtrax” Call now to speak to one of our team on 0800 3345114 or 07968 242004, email us at: doug@mrtrax.co.uk
Dementia home team raises over a £1000 to fund touchscreen tables
A team of motivated staff from a Wellington care home has raised over £1,000 in sponsorship to help them realise their dream of buying two high-tech touchscreen tables for use by residents living with dementia. The home had a week’s free trial of a ‘table tablet’ to see if the people who live at Camelot House and Lodge would enjoy it, and the kit was such a huge success the staff decided they had to have their own. Issued with photo: L-R Sophie Carter, Csilla Barabás, Karen Kerslake, Richard Dempslake, Paul Dempslake, Jenny Nutkins, Isabelle Nutkins Camelot Care activities co-ordinator Richard Dempslake said: “Ideally we’d like to buy two of them, so seven of us underwent some pretty gruelling training in the hope that we could smash the sponsored 5k inflatable fun run in Exeter on 22 April to raise the money we need. “The kit will, for example, allow residents to check in with Google Earth to revisit the town or city where they are from and look up the street and house where they grew up, which is something they love to do again and again. “The tablets have big screens so residents can clearly read what’s on the screen. They’ll allow us to download games and puzzles to suit individual residents, and also enable them to enjoy video calls with friends and family, access websites offering community involvement and so much more. “One of our sponsors has said how much her husband, who lives with us, will love looking at films of trains on heritage railways, which is exactly the kind of passion we want to help nurture for as long as possible. “We’ve raised £1,100 in sponsorship so far and are hoping that more may still be pledged – we need £2,000 in total. “The team trained really hard to make sure we were fit to tackle the inflatable fun run which features 32 gigantic inflatable obstacles over a 5k circuit. “I told a few residents what we were doing, and their first reaction is “You’re mad!” but when I explain why they’ve wished us luck and said they hoped it would go well. “We are now feeling the aches and pains but it was worth it. I’m so proud of the team who committed to do this with me. Huge thanks to Paul Dempslake, Karen Kerslake, Sophie Carter, Csilla Barabás, Jenny Nutkins and her daughter Isabelle Nutkins – they were all fantastic!” Details for people wishing to add to the sponsorship money raised are on https://bit.ly/41ktATN Camelot House & Lodge is run by award-winning dementia care providers Camelot Care who have other homes in Bridgwater, Yeovil and Plymouth.
Average CQC fine increased by 242% post-pandemic, new analysis reveals
The healthcare watchdog is prosecuting and fining care homes and registered providers more now than pre-pandemic, new analysis[i] from full-service law firm Shakespeare Martineau has revealed. When comparing pre-pandemic (2017-2019) with pandemic and post-pandemic (2020-2022), prosecutions by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) increased by 50% – from 30 to 45. The research also found that the average fine amplified by 242% to more than £550,000. In comparison, the average fine pre-pandemic was just over £160,000. After a downturn in activity during the lockdowns and some cases taking more than three years to be brought forward, experts from Shakespeare Martineau expect this to increase further. Jordan Glackin, healthcare partner at Shakespeare Martineau, said: “After conversations with clients over the past couple of years, these findings are not surprising. “The CQC had virtually stopped all inspections – except in emergencies – during the pandemic and so, as a result of the backlog, an increase is prosecutions once normality started to resume was to be expected. “With more catching up likely to be done and the sector being placed firmly under a microscope during the pandemic, particularly in the eyes of the public, we expect this activity to increase further – especially as some cases have taken more than three years to be brought forward. “However, there are cautionary measures care homes and registered providers can put in place to mitigate the risk of persecution, limit the impact of prosecution and, in some cases, prevent it from proceeding to court.” The largest fine handed down pre-pandemic was £225,170 in 2019. During and post-pandemic, this was £2.5 million, which was delivered in 2021 – an increase of more than 1,000%. Prosecutions in the southern regions have doubled, and in the North and Midlands, they have increased by a total of 54%. The data shows the most significant increase in prosecutions by region is in the South East, where the number of charges have risen by 267%. Regulation 12 (safe care and treatment) was the most breached over the past six years, accounting for 63% of all prosecutions. Jordan added: “As the CQC is using its powers more than ever, it is vital providers ensure compliance with their regulatory and legal obligations; keep detailed and accurate records; stay up-to-date with any legal or policy changes; and seek specialist legal advice at the earliest opportunity.”
CWC response to the government’s social care announcement
We are outraged to see the social care announcement, from DHSC today that it will invest only half of the £500 million promised in 2021 towards workforce development and reform, just £250 million over the next two years which takes money away from care workers. The workforce will not be fooled by this cut and reshuffle of previously announced funds. They will be extremely upset to find out that they are expected to make even more sacrifices so that the government can appear still committed to social care reform. This announcement proves yet again that it is not. When the government promised “at least £500 million” for the social care workforce in 2021, this was nowhere near enough to address the crisis facing the sector in the first place, but it was at least a glimmer of hope and commitment to the workforce. It is completely unacceptable to reduce the amount allocated to wellbeing, recognising and training care workers at a time when over 10% of jobs in social care are unfilled, and people are reported to be leaving the sector to find better paid work in supermarkets and other sectors and when unmet need is on the rise. The public is not satisfied with social care. We know from the latest survey that pay, working conditions and training for social care workers was one of their main reasons for feeling unhappy with services. We do not understand why the government would choose to take money away from the social care workforce so that they can invest in other parts of social care. It’s robbing Peter to pay Paul – it doesn’t make sense and will only result in higher vacancies, lower quality of care and ultimately, the loss of lives. They need to find money from elsewhere, not from social care, and especially not from a workforce that is already on its knees. When last month they managed to find a new pot of money to provide a welcome bonus for childminders, we asked why this couldn’t be found for care workers. Cutting down on reform funding is quite the opposite of that. We need the government to make further financial commitments to the social care workforce not to cut down on previous ones. Today’s announcement is a kick in the teeth to those who hoped that social care would be a priority for this government. We urge the Health and Social Care Secretary to reconsider this disastrous decision and remember that unless you look after people in the social care workforce, you will lose staff and ultimately, lose lives of the people who draw on social care. We are still waiting for the day that our politicians wake up and start valuing lives of people who draw on social care and those who support them to live the lives they want to live the same way they value their own.
Sleep – Sorted?
What does poor sleep cost you? Your family? Your staff and care home residents? Poor sleep makes us unhappy and affects our mental and physical health. It is the biggest reason why people go into residential care. And within care homes, it costs. The Zeez Sleep Pebble prompts the natural brain activity of good sleep, gently and safely. Its tiny pulses match the alpha, theta and delta brainwaves of a good sleeper, at appropriate times in the sleep cycles. Most people respond by adopting the same pattern. We have users aged 20 –90 and hundreds of reviews averaging 4.8*. Pre-pandemic, we worked with people with dementia. An NHS Dementia Assessment unit saw the sleep of its poorest sleeper transform from “very bad” to “very good” in three weeks – from 2-5 to 6-9 hours/night. We are now looking for care home partners to trial the Zeez and expect to deliver more night-time sleep and better daytime energy for users. Contact us for info. We also have a £50 reduction on purchases of the Zeez Sleep Pebble until April 30th 2023 (code “care” via our website). info@zeez.org.uk www.zeez.org.uk/care t 0208 3478734
National charity supporting Corrie portrayal of terminal disease
For several weeks speculation has been growing around what’s causing Coronation Street builder Paul Foreman’s clumsiness. At first his symptoms were blamed on a recent car accident, but doctors have now ruled that out and insisted Paul undergo more tests. In tonight’s episode (Friday 24 March) Paul, played by actor Peter Ash, will be referred to a specialist and in April he will be given a diagnosis of motor neurone disease (MND). In a first for the television soap, a well-loved character will receive a diagnosis of the life-limiting disease, and the storyline will follow the progression of his disease, the impact it has on him and his loved ones, and the challenges he faces as he loses his mobility, and his ability to eat and speak. The Coronation Street team has been working on the storyline for months, supported by experts from the Motor Neurone Disease Association. The charity’s team has been advising researchers, scriptwriters and the actors involved. Peter spent time with Mike Small, who like Paul worked in the building trade, who has MND, hearing how the early symptoms had affected him physically and emotionally. He’s also followed the story of Rob Burrow, our patron and rugby league legend who was diagnosed with MND more than three years ago. Peter said: “Real people’s stories are so inspirational, and I feel a responsibility. We act it but there will be people watching who are living with it – it’s very important to get it right.” Paul’s on screen boyfriend Billy Mayhew is played by actor Daniel Brocklebank whose grandfather died of MND 20 years ago. He is an MND Association ambassador. He said: “We have a huge opportunity to educate – we are in people’s living rooms for three hours a week – it will evoke conversations and questions within families. This is going to reach a new audience and hopefully will increase awareness and discussion.” The Association will continue its involvement with the Coronation Street team and is putting in measures to support the MND community as the storyline progresses. Director of External Affairs Chris James said: “We are really grateful to the team at Coronation Street for choosing to tackle this subject – putting MND in front of six million viewers every week will raise incredible awareness and help educate people who have never come across the disease – showing the day to day reality of those living with it and the impact on friends, family and the wider community. “Our teams are working to ensure there is support in place for anyone who may be affected by the programme. And we are continuing to work closely with the Coronation Street team to understand when the MND storyline will be given prominence, and when particular issues will be highlighted on screen so we can be prepared.” Support is available. The MND Connect helpline offers information and support on all aspects of MND and can signpost to other organisations when required. MND Connect is available Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, and 7pm to 10.30pm. Calls are free. Tel: 0808 802 6262 Email: mndconnect@mndassociation.org For more information about MND and the MND Association please visit www.mndassociation.org
