The latest easing of Covid restrictions in care homes
John Ramsay, founder of social venture Social-Ability, comments: “The latest easing of Covid restrictions in care homes will come as incredibly welcome news to residents, particularly the 70% who live with dementia, for whom social interaction with friends, family, and fellow residents is a pillar of their health and wellbeing. “But make no mistake – this alone will not solve the problem of chronic loneliness that has blighted the care system since before the pandemic and has been overlooked for too long. “A third of those with dementia experience loneliness and isolation as a result of this condition. For many care home residents, opportunities for socially stimulating activity have been too infrequent, with dementia symptoms as well as their mental health worsening as a result. “We desperately need the care system to prioritise therapies that consistently deliver opportunities for social activity, whether it be communicating with loved ones via video chat, or playing interactive games with the rest of their care home community. Whether restrictions return or not, this will hugely improve the quality of life of those who have felt forgotten for far too long.”
Commercial Laundry: How to make your wash work for you.
Commercial Laundry: How to make your wash work for you. Over the past few years, the popular laundry slogan ‘if it’s not dirty, wash at 30’ has become something of a standardised phrase by numerous large brands. However, this is normally associated with household settings opposed to business environments. Because of this, most companies ignore the advertised energy saving strategy due to assuming the household products won’t be able to meet their needs. But could a lower temperature cut costs on washing, especially considering the rise in energy prices we are currently witnessing? Well, market leaders Ariel have recently brought out a new range of professional products aimed at targeting businesses with high volume washing requirements. The domestic washing national leader has new products including both liquid detergent and liquitabs which boast tougher cleaning credentials. The new formulation of these products allows them to tackle the toughest laundry tasks from commercial environments whilst helping businesses towards achieving their green goals. Ariel’s new range offers users brilliant cleaning on both colours and whites, even on cold washes. So, for industries such as the care and nursing sectors this new range can greatly help in removing tough and stubborn stains with ease in just one wash. This means your staff can confidently clean linens, towels, bed sheets and other such items for your patients and residents whilst also decreasing the carbon impact of your institute thanks to washing at 30°C. Really!? On Whites? You heard correctly, even on whites! We appreciate the sentiment is exceptionally cliched and over-used in advertisement, but Ariel’s professional range provides unbeatable brightness and stain removal on your whites. Additionally, the detergents formulas ensure whites stay looking white for longer too. Also, the range helps businesses save labour costs in terms of pre-soaking and pre-washing. Proctor & Gamble (P&G) are the manufacturers of the products, and they understand that time is money where businesses are concerned, as such Ariel professional has been designed to produce the same brilliant results in one, low temperature wash as you’d get when utilising a pre-wash strategy. But who cares about washing at 30°C? Energy usage during the laundry process is predominantly used when heating the actual water used in the machines. According to a study by Ariel1 if all households within the Greater London area were to change their washing temperature from the standard 40°C to 30°C for one year, the energy saved would be enough to rotate the London Eye 2.3 million times. However, we understand that for businesses this statistic is rather redundant and of little interest, allow us to rephrase. According to Home Energy Scotland2 (managed by the Energy Saving Trust), choosing to wash at 30°C opposed to higher temperatures can save you up to 40% on your energy usage for washing. At Alliance we promote the idea of businesses becoming greener and aim to do what we can to ensure our customers can be more eco-conscious. In turn, we believe it’s our responsibility as wholesalers to ensure our customers have access to a range of environmentally friendly products which may help them reduce energy consumption. A key benefit of the new Ariel professional range is along with reducing your energy usage it also helps you save money at the same time. Don’t believe us? Ariel professional liquid has been awarded the Efficient Solution Label by the Solar Impulse Foundation. The purpose of the award is to highlight products which help the environment in a manner which also reduces costs. To learn more about the award, click here: https://solarimpulse.com/label Still don’t believe us, then listen to the scientists Dr Paul Campbell, the leading research and development scientist behind NEW Ariel Professional, explains how the right detergent and a cold wash can give efficient and professional results in record time: “New Ariel Professional liquid is designed to give breakthrough performance on all laundry even at 30°C. It contains a range of technologies specifically designed to deliver outstanding cleaning and stain removal. New Ariel Liquid also contains a new whiteness booster technology which makes it perfect for washing your white items, helping make them whiter and brighter for longer.” Hopefully the above will help convince you to consider revisiting your current laundry options and potentially changing to a more eco-conscious option. Equally, if you have questions about what options are available to you regarding green products download our environmentally conscious guide or visit our eco-shop at Alliance Online. Ariel – https://www.ariel.co.uk/en-gb/about-ariel/sustainability/your-commitment-how-you-can-save-energy Home Energy Scotland – https://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/reports/EST_11120_Save%20Energy%20in%20your%20Home_15.6.pdf
BALLROOM DANCING ENTHUSIAST’S 101ST BIRTHDAY IS FULL OF SURPRISES
At Friends of the Elderly’s Little Bramingham Farm care home in Luton, Bedfordshire, the care team has been celebrating Blanche Fromenton’s milestone 101st Birthday with gifts, balloons, cards and a special birthday afternoon tea treat in the home’s beautiful tea room with her family and care home friends. Blanche, who has been a resident at Little Bramingham Farm for just over a year, grew up in Camberwell, South London, a place which appears in the Domesday Book as Cambrewelle, meaning ‘Well of the Britons’. Blanche enjoyed growing up in the area and has many happy memories of attending St. John’s School, where English was her favourite subject, taught by Miss Garrett. The eldest child of six, Blanche always looked after her siblings so it’s no surprise her first job was as a Nanny, caring for a two-year-old toddler. Blanche met her husband whilst she was working in a grocery store on Drury Lane in London. They married at St. Mary’s Church in Hornsey and had two sons and is now a proud Grandmother to three grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Emma Lawrance, the Care Home Manager at Little Bramingham Farm said: “Blanche is a quiet lady who is kind and considerate. She’s very independent and her intelligence shines through. She loves her family dearly and is an absolute pleasure to be around.” Blanche said: “I decided to come to Little Bramingham Farm as it’s close to where I was living and I really liked the look of it. I’ve lived a very active life, with a love of ballroom dancing, so liked that there’s always something going on at the home. I particularly enjoy playing Scrabble and taking part in Musical Bingo.” Emma added: “All the care team wanted to make sure Blanche had a fantastic and memorable 101st Birthday. She’s such a lovely lady who always has a smile for everyone, she’s such a well-loved, friendly and caring member of our Little Bramingham Farm family. We’re so glad Blanche has enjoyed her special day, we wanted to make it as special for her to show just how special she is to us.” Blanche concluded: “I have had a really wonderful 101st birthday, it’s been a lovely day. Seeing my family and care home friends, having a smashingly delicious afternoon tea, chatting and laughing, it has been wonderful. It’s definitely a day I’ll never forget. “The other day I was asked what was my secret to a long and happy life? Thinking about it, I’d have to say it must stem back from my school days when I was rather athletic, no alcohol and eating a healthy diet – and perhaps all my ballroom dancing has helped too.”
Holmes Care Group recognises colleagues for going the extra mile
The national ‘Going the Extra Mile’ competition, run by Holmes Care Group and Impact Healthcare to recognise care workers’ tireless hard work to deliver the best standards of care, celebrates five colleagues at four homes with awards: Sarah Keeton, Senior Carer at Baytree Court Care Home in Scunthorpe Helen Miller, Activities Coordinator at Beechwood Care Home in Wishaw Linda Williamson, Deputy Service Manager at Heatherfield Nursing Home in Armadale June Shields and Jacqueline Knox, Care Assistants at Larkfield View Care Home in Greenock During the initial phase of the pandemic, when shielding advice meant Service Managers at Baytree Court and Heatherfield needed to self-isolate at home for their own safety, Sarah and Linda stepped in to manage their homes. Working closely with Public Health and Clinical Commissioning Groups, they made sure ever-changing health and safety advice was implemented across care, food, hygiene and maintenance teams, while caring for residents and organising video calls with their loved ones. When Beechwood was closed to everyone but essential visitors, Helen sewed costumes, decorated lounge areas, gathered props, and baked delicious treats to launch the Beechwood Airlines and Bus Tours. Her engaging activities programme saw residents ‘travel’ to London for afternoon tea with the Queen, ‘jet off’ to Dublin on St Patrick’s Day with a Guinness and ‘attend’ Wimbledon for a tennis match. Larkfield View’s June and Jacqueline stepped up to take over food preparation over a week when COVID-19 restrictions meant kitchen staff were forced to self-isolate. They quickly got to grips with preparing a care home’s full menu safely, taking into account the food textures and dietary requirements of meal plans in a 90-bed home. Each home will receive £1,000 to spend on the welfare and wellbeing of all staff members, which so far has included the purchase of garden benches where colleagues can socialise, a bike rack to encourage cycling to work and indoor plants or radios to boost wellness at work. Stella Brackenbury, Service Manager at Baytree Court Care Home said: “It’s always difficult to choose just one of our team for an award like this. When I, and the home, needed her, Sarah was 100% there for us, keeping me informed of everything going on when I needed to self-isolate, and managing risk assessments, care plans and testing in the home. She made sure people were as happy and safe as possible despite really challenging circumstances. When I returned to work, we promoted her to Deputy Manager, and she has continued to go the extra mile.” Cathy Togneri, Service Manager at Beechwood Care Home said: “Helen’s efforts to keep the people we support engaged and entertained are admirable. Her activities empower some of the most vulnerable people in our community to choose how they spend each day, and her conversations with them help unearth all the memories of childhood, family life and holidays, so that they can relive them while creating many more in the home. She goes the extra mile and I am grateful to her for making all of us smile and laugh through a difficult time.” Hazel McFie, Service Manager at Heatherfield Nursing Home said: “I could tell from the minute I joined Heatherfield that Linda is known as a trusted, upbeat and highly skilled member of the team. All of us are very grateful for the work she did to keep everything running over a difficult time and ensure no disruption to the care provided in the home. When the home needs her, she is there for us, so this award is well deserved.” Elsie MacLennan, Service Manager at Larkfield View Care Home said: “Nominating June and Jacqueline for this award was my way of making sure they were recognised for all their hard work over the last two years. They go above and beyond to make sure everything runs smoothly. I thought that we would be forced to reduce our menu, but they worked so hard to offer a full one with options for our residents – and even managed to bake treats and a birthday cake. We are very lucky to have them.”
Social care opens doors for Jane
A nurse looking after Crewe residents is encouraging people to consider the numerous professional pathways available in the care sector, having built her own successful career in the field after ‘falling into’ a job caring for others. Jane Hughes, 35, never thought she would dedicate her life to nursing older people at dementia care specialist, Belong Crewe. But over a decade ago, fresh from finishing a degree reading Criminology and Psychology, she unwittingly embarked on what would turn out to be the first day of a fulfilling vocation. She explains: “Like many graduates, I didn’t know what sort of job I wanted or even where to start. I applied for a role as a care assistant and, to be honest, it wasn’t really what I wanted to do, and so it surprised me when I fell in love with it straight away – I hadn’t anticipated how gratifying it would be.” During the subsequent years, Jane worked hard to progress through senior care assistant and care team leader positions, before pursuing a nursing degree. Once qualified, she worked in local hospitals but felt something was missing and eventually returned to the Belong village on Brookhouse Drive, having secured the Registered General Nurse (RGN) post. “I came back to social care because I missed the closeness and the relationships you can build with people, over time,” Jane continues. “Working in hospitals, you help patients get better; but then you never see them again. Nursing at Belong enables me to support older people’s physical health needs, as well as their social and psychological wellbeing, on a long-term basis, and so I can get to know them.” “I’m now the village’s lead nurse which affords me autonomy to influence and implement my ideas, coach and train my own team, and continually learn whilst networking with local GPs and nurse practitioners. The best part is being able to work with and help our customers thrive independently in a compassionate setting – it’s a lovely way to spend your career.” Cheryl Davies, general manager at Belong Crewe, commented: “We’re very pleased to have supported Jane’s development and congratulate her on what she’s achieved. It goes to show the opportunities that social care has to offer and how rewarding the profession can be. We provide extensive on-the-job training, meaning people can join us without care qualifications and go on to realise their ambitions, just like Jane.” www.belong.org.uk
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If you are one of the millions of people affected by incontinence, you will know that choosing the right product is absolutely vital for your comfort and security. Whether you are looking for disposable or washable items, pads or briefs, mattress or seat protection, we specialise in supplying a range of high quality continence care products to help with toileting, bathing and other aspects of day-to-day life. As a company with over 20 years of experience, we are very happy to advise you by telephone or email, discuss your needs and recommend the best product for your condition. We take great pride in our discreet, confidential and personalised service; we don’t use a call centre, and we never put you on hold! If we are busy, just leave a message and we will call you back. Calls are free from landlines and most mobiles. Alternatively you are welcome to visit our website to view our range and place an order. Most orders will arrive to you on the next working day. If you already use incontinence products, we are highly confident we can supply equivalents or better. And if our products do not meet your expectations, then, subject to terms and conditions, you can return them and receive a full refund. So why not give us a call and try us out? We’d be delighted to send you a brochure and a free sample of one of our disposable products. In summary, we offer: Quality products: we only stock high quality products which are more effective, with an improved fit, offer better comfort and with higher eco-credentials than their cheaper counterpart. Excellent value: quality products mean you will need fewer of them because they will work more efficiently – ultimately saving you money. Greater choice: we have a wide range of products to manage different types of incontinence and cater for all different sizes. Multi-buy offers: buying in larger volumes means you get the lowest prices for the products you use the most – as much as 15% off, usually with free postage! Personal service: if you need any help in choosing the right product for you, please do give us a ring 0800 389 3597. For friendly advice and support, call us on Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm or visit www.arelle.com for more information. We are here to help.
A groundbreaking report by Quality Compliance Systems (QCS) has revealed an increased reliance on electronic systems during the pandemic.
The study, which sought to garner a real-world picture of the lives of professional carers in order to establish what they required to deliver the best care possible, revealed some interesting findings and trends. The ‘Building a Better Workforce’ survey, which was created to identify key challenges that frontline care workers face, found that technology improved the way that care workers did their jobs. The study also revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic has driven a technological seachange, which has highlighted the need for better communication in the way care is dispensed. As for electronic tools, the survey revealed that technologies – that made care planning, medication management, audit and risk assessment easier – were in great demand. However, it was those systems that delivered guidance and best practice – such as policy management tools – that they valued the most. Over 75 percent of people polled said they had come to rely on them and would continue to do so. Despite a recruitment and retention crisis in the sector, 90 percent of respondents said they were “happy and satisfied” in the work they do, while nearly half of those who were interviewed stated that they had worked in the social care sector for more than a decade. What’s more, 70 percent reported that they enjoyed a good work life balance – a finding that is perhaps at odds with the national trend. Maybe this is due to working in a profession where carers are making a genuine difference to those they support each day. The survey identified several findings, however, that care providers should not ignore. Career development was an area that it was felt could be improved for social care staff with 14 percent reporting that they felt that opportunities to further their career in social care were very limited. Nikki Walker, QCS’s Chief Executive Officer, said, “At QCS, our number one priority is to support and empower people working in social care. To achieve this, we need to provide them with tools to deliver the best care possible to those they support regardless of the setting they work in or the challenges they face. Only by listening to the views of frontline carers and their managers, can we truly understand their ‘painpoints’ and respond to their needs. The findings from this survey and the others that follow will ensure that we can continue to make a difference in the products that we provide.” You can download the report for free here. For more information on QCS, contact our compliance advisors on 0333-405-3333 or email us at sales@qcs.co.uk.
RSM UK warns healthcare providers in England to take steps now as Covid-19 vaccination deadline looms
Leading audit, tax and consulting firm RSM UK is urging employers in the NHS and private healthcare to take steps now to fulfil their legal responsibilities, as time is running out to meet the requirements of the government’s Covid-19 vaccination programme as a condition of employment. In England, it is already compulsory for all adult care home staff and volunteers to be fully vaccinated, unless medically exempt. This includes third parties visiting care homes such as tradespeople, hairdressers and beauticians. This requirement will extend to anyone working in health and social care who has face-to-face patient contact, including doctors and nurses, dentists, receptionists, porters, cleaners and domiciliary care workers from 1 April 2022. As jabs must be given at least eight weeks apart, this means employees currently have until 3 February 2022 to get their first vaccine. The Government has stated that there will be a 12-week grace period between the regulations being passed by Parliament planned for 6 January 2022, and their coming into force. This will allow time for those who have not yet been vaccinated to have both doses. At present, the planned regulations will not require evidence of boosters, but employers are strongly advised to encourage workers to have their booster vaccine when eligible. All care providers regulated by the CQC (Care Quality Commission) will need to include the Covid-19 vaccination requirements in recruitment processes, including job adverts, ensuring all applicants fully understand the requirements. Carolyn Brown, employment legal partner and head of Client Legal Services at RSM said: ‘The government’s Covid-19 vaccination requirement for healthcare workers in England who have direct patient contact puts added pressure on the sector at a time when it is already feeling the strain. We want to support healthcare providers in navigating their new employment legal obligations, ensuring they can continue providing safe, high-quality care. Inevitably the vaccination compulsion for healthcare workers in England will mean further staffing challenges, as those who choose not to be vaccinated may well leave their roles. We have already seen this happen in care homes, and some of those who have moved to other types of caring roles to avoid vaccination may now leave the care sector entirely. ‘Where employees working in a CQC regulated setting refuse to get vaccinated, employers can consider removing patient contact through redeployment, although in many cases this may be difficult to implement in practice. In some cases, termination of employment may be considered as the last resort. Carers wanting to avoid job loss will need to get their jabs or seek an exemption certificate from their GP, so its essential employers make all those affected aware of this requirement.’ The new rules are also expected to put further pressure on GPs as care home workers, who until now have been allowed to self-certify as exempt from vaccination, will need a GP certificate to verify exemption after Christmas. Although form MATB1 will give automatic exemption for pregnant employees, this is not provided until the later stages of pregnancy, therefore pregnant workers who prefer to remain unvaccinated will still need to seek a GP exemption certificate. Employer’s checklist RSM UK is recommending healthcare employers in England take the following steps now to ensure they remain compliant from an employment law perspective as compulsory Covid-19 vaccinations are introduced.
