Naidex Returns This Summer!
Registration is now live for the flagship event of the disabled community, which takes the stage this summer on 6th & 7th July at the NEC Birmingham. Naidex is Europe’s most established event dedicated to supporting people with disabilities. An interactive two days showcasing a wide range of solutions and technology to improve mobility, accessibility, and independence. Naidex is for everyone, and welcomes anyone who is living with a disability, as well as anyone caring for or supplying to this amazing community. Expect over 9,000 visitors experiencing the latest independent living solutions and daily aids, meeting with hundreds of innovative exhibitors & awe-inspiring speakers, and most of all having fun! All this, along with interactive features such as the Mobility Test Track and Accessibility Summit, make Naidex the go-to event of the year. For those working within healthcare, there is also the opportunity to enhance your professional development with the CPD accredited seminar agenda, making the event not only enjoyable, but informative and educational too. Running alongside the Neuro Convention, the event brings together the industry’s top educators and thought-leaders for you to meet and learn from. If you are a trade professional supplying to the healthcare, mobility, and independent living community, then Naidex is the place to be. Explore and discover the latest technology and innovations in the marketplace, find new suppliers in the exhibition hall, plus talk directly to key manufacturers, retailers and distributors serving the sector in the Naidex Trade Lounge. The Naidex team can’t wait to welcome you to the NEC once again for what is set to be a fantastic event for the community, helping people understand that anything is possible. Register your free tickets here.
What is Connected Health?
Connected Health is a model for the delivery of healthcare that harnesses the power of technology to enable care to be delivered where and when it is needed most, making more efficient use of available resources. It connects patients and clinicians, providing insight which enables more proactive, preventative and person-centred care, reducing costs, improving outcomes and enhancing the patient experience. Connected Health solutions combine software, hardware and pathway redesign to support individuals in the community and help clinicians to manage caseloads more effectively. The benefits of Connected Health Connected Health technology can support patients to manage their condition at home, helping them to understand the effects of their behaviour on their health and stabilise their condition. It can also enable any deterioration in health to be identified and treated at an early stage, avoiding the need for more complex interventions. There are a number of connected health benefits for managing heart failure including the early identification of and response to deterioration, the provision of objective information to improve clinical decision making, contribution to the stabilising of patients and reduction in the number of hospital admissions. Connected care also supports timely discharge and reduces delayed transfers of care, identifies trends over time to aid proactive care planning, provides patients with the confidence to self manage and aids medication and activity compliance with reminders and coaching. Connected Health in reality In my role as Lead Clinical Application Specialist, I work with a number of Trusts around the UK, helping them to include RPM in pathways to improve the patient experience and support better outcomes. This kind of monitoring can be useful for a wide range of cohorts, including patients with long term conditions such as COPD, and children with eating disorders. For patients with heart failure, criteria for selection includes high risk patients, patients who are decompensating, patients who need prompting to act on the exacerbation of their condition, patients whose medication is titrated, and patients who may have difficulties with transportation for clinic-based care. In a typical telehealth service for heart failure, patients use peripherals to take their vital signs readings each day, and these results are reviewed daily and triaged for action by nurses at the Heart Failure Unit at the local hospital. Results outside of the set parameters for that patient will raise an alert, enabling a specialist heart failure nurse to be notified and take appropriate action such as advising the patient to take diuretics, clinic review or a home visit. Nurses can also view individual patient’s results over time, enabling them to identify trends. Feedback from nursing staff is that they find digital health monitoring to be a really useful tool, helping them to see at a glance who needs them the most, and treat patients who are decompensating before they deteriorate to the point of needing admission to hospital. Sadly, some patients have a life limiting condition, and the service helps to keep them stable and at home with their loved ones as much as possible. The digital service has enabled a number of positive outcomes for both clinicians and patients including the easy prioritisation of care, the close monitoring of patients with a reduction in the need for face-to-face meetings, and early intervention to prevent deterioration and the need for more complex care. Results have been more objective than patients reporting their own symptoms, supporting informed clinical decision making and avoiding the issues of patients who delay reporting any deterioration in their health until they are very ill. Patients find it reassuring to be monitored every day, and many become more aware of their condition as a result and better able to manage it. The initiative is in line with Government objectives to increase the use of technology and work innovatively to address some of the challenges facing the NHS. For more information on Connected Health services and the support available for people living with cardiovascular disease, www.tunstall.co.uk.
Why your care facility needs to consider Cyber Insurance
Why your care facility should consider Cyber Insurance As our reliance on the digital world increases it is no real wonder that cybercrime is on the increase, and this has been clearly evident in the last two years. For the opportunistic cybercriminal, it’s been a good time to commit cybercrime, as the pandemic has forced us to move away from our usual routines and reliable systems, leaving an exploitable gap in our security as we quickly adapted to new ways of working. Between April and June 2021, the ICO reported that there were 2552 data security incidents in the UK with 688 of those related to a cybercrime. The healthcare sector was one of the most affected with 607 data security incidents in total – 108 a direct result of a cyberattack. According to Police data analysed by cyber security company Nexor, there was a 31% increase in cyber related cases over May and June 2020. The most common attack occurred through email or social media, and accounted for 53% of all attacks on businesses, leading to substantial multi-million pound losses. Healthcare, financial institutions, manufacturing, real estate, and education were the most targeted industries. Whether a big or small-scale event, a cyber-attack is likely to have serious consequences for any business – shutting systems, deleting data, preventing data access or stopping them from trading altogether. Dealing with the fall out of a cyber-attack can be complicated and stressful, not to mention time-consuming and potentially expensive. Not convinced you need it? Read on to find out more about the types of cyber incidents that could affect your care facility. Types of Cyber Attack Cyber-attacks can take many forms, all engineered to get the victim to disclose information or take action, or to infect systems with malicious software. Phishing, malware attacks and ransomware pose a threat to all businesses. It’s common to think that cyber threats against businesses come from unrelated hackers, cyber-attacks or ransomware (known as external threats) and are significant events, but sometimes they can be more subtle and come from sources a little closer to home. There are four categories that cyber threats against a business typically originate; insider threats, human error or negligence, external threats and third-party threats. Insider threats may come from disgruntled employees who could steal personal or business data and sell it online, for example. Third party threats are those you are exposed to when third party systems, software, individuals or businesses, have access to your data – such as cloud-based storage systems, your data systems and even your website. But by far the largest cause of data breaches occurs from human error, and is easily done. Perhaps sensitive data is sent to the wrong person or company, or a memory stick containing patient data is lost. Negligence also includes weak passwords that are not updated regularly, which can allow cyber-attacks to take place more easily. Wherever the threat originates the bottom line is how you to respond. Have you thought about how you would continue to run your care home if you lost access to all your data? You could lose access to client records and supplier data, order information, diary appointments, financial data, your website and more. If you are held to ransom for access to patient files, the financial consequences could be significant. Additionally, you may be affected by reputational damage, which could affect existing relationships and damage future prosperity. You may need to rebuild and replace lost systems or create a new website. And, if a data breach occurred you are likely to face significant fines from the Information Commissioner’s Office. All of the above will require money, time and resources and need to be addressed in a timely manner to help you retain customers, employees, your reputation and may ultimately affect the future of your care facility. Having a comprehensive contingency and business interruption plan in place along with adequate insurance will help you to address and quickly overcome any fallout from a cyber-attack. A robust plan is vital to make sure you meet your legal obligations regarding data breaches and to reassure your customers. The benefits of cyber insurance Cyber liability insurance is a must for any care home business because it provides you with protection and peace of mind, should the worst happen. It will help against denial of service, which may occur with ransomware, the recovery from computer virus damage, which may have resulted in a significant loss of data, and other data breaches such as the loss of a memory stick or laptop. Getting assistance quickly and from reputable, knowledgeable and reliable sources will be key in ensuring your business can continue to operate with minimal disruption. If your care home holds data on a computer system, even with anti-virus software in place, you can still be vulnerable to a breach. Cyber liability insurance is relatively inexpensive and will provide you and your business with complete reassurance in the face of a data breach crisis. Every business is different and will have specific needs, so make sure you get advice for your unique situation and requirements. Don’t wait until you have experienced a cyber-attack to put measures in place, be proactive and help protect your business now. At Barnes Commercial we specialise in arranging robust insurance for those operating in the care home sector. As an independent broker we provide completely impartial advice on the best solution for your specific needs. Telephone: 01480 272727 Email: enquiries@barnesinsurancebroker.co.uk www.barnesinsurancebroker.co.uk
No more baggy scrubs!
No more baggy scrubs! . At Happythreads, our goal is to supply all healthcare professionals with uniforms that fit well and allow everyone to express themselves. Our bestselling Koi range features a number of collections, so everyone can find something that suits them perfectly, from our budget-friendly Koi Basics line to the newest super soft range of Koi Next Gen garments. We believe that what you were should not limit what you do. Having to work in an already challenging environment, your scrubs should not be something you need to worry about. Comfort, perfect fit, and easy care are what we all love. Many of our customers complain that traditional brands have a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to trousers – Koi trousers are available in 3 leg lengths! Our rainbow of available colours allows you to wear bright colours like flamingo pink, coral, or sunshine yellow. Want even more? We have a selection of scrub tops in funky patterns which are super popular in paediatric or elderly care settings. Want something toned and muted but tired of plain colours – look into our heather colours – a marl fabric that is a nice change from the standard palette. If you want to personalise your uniform with your name or logo, we offer an embroidery service done in-house by our experienced staff. It is a great way to help your patients identify you and your colleagues. We understand life is busy, especially for healthcare professionals. That’s why our Koi scrubs are easy-care and require little to no ironing. With breathable, moisture-wicking fabrics made from advanced technology fibers, the uniforms allow you to stay fresh and comfy during your shift. And they can be washed at 60C, too. If you need any help, our friendly and experienced customer care team is always ready and more than happy to assist you. They have vast knowledge and experience and can help you select the perfect uniform for you. You can reach us via email, phone or our online chat, we are always happy to help. Purchase your new Koi uniforms at 10% off until 31st March 2022 with code CNJ10.
Supporting dementia care post-pandemic and beyond
The care sector has been struggling with the recent rise in demand for dementia care services and recent research from Social-Ability shows that 82% of people feel that the care sector, in its current state, is unable to cope with the demand for dementia care. This surge in demand has come as a result of the pandemic, with backlogs, understaffing, and Covid safety all playing a role in the increasing burden on the social care system. John Ramsay, Managing Director of Social-Ability NHS backlogs have risen to a record 6 million people who are waiting for hospital treatment, 50,000 of which are people unable to access dementia assessments, preventing them from getting treatment. Dementia assessments by GPs have dropped by 38% between 2019 and 2021, with MAS assessments dropping by an even larger 50%. With staff overworked now, it is hard to see how we can handle the predicted 150 million cases of dementia in 2050. Addressing awareness Better awareness of dementia is a central issue to improving care. Understanding the condition remains limited, with recent research from Social-Ability finding that almost two-thirds of people were unable to distinguish between early signs of dementia and natural signs of old age. If dementia continues to be seen as merely a “memory loss disease”, patients may not get diagnosed until too late, and will be unable to benefit from the care and support available. Backlogs or no backlogs, this highlights that dementia care and support must change from the ground up. People unable to identify dementia in family and friends is one problem, but better understanding of how we support and treat individuals living with dementia is another area that needs to be enhanced. Care home residents in the UK are prescribed seven daily medications on average, which costs the NHS around £250 million a year. Overmedicating residents increases their risk of having heart failure and infections, and also makes them more prone to accidents. Instead of treating dementia with a generalised “one size fits all” approach, we must better understand the experiences of dementia patients. Lockdown loneliness It should come as little surprise that COVID restrictions and pressures created challenging conditions for care home residents. In fact, one in five care homes were found to provide substandard care to their residents, not due to any lack of commitment or skill, but due to stringent isolation, sickness in the workforce, increased workloads and other knock-on effects of lockdown. To protect care home residents from Covid, residents have been limited in having visitors and leaving the home. Residents unable to see their family and friends are at risk of developing a severe, chronic loneliness, and 56% of people with dementia have reported feeling “completely isolated” throughout the pandemic. This problem is not confined to the pandemic, as people in long-term care are more than twice as likely to have chronic loneliness than the average person. However, exacerbated by the effects of the pandemic, care home residents have even less support than ever. Digital engagement Though a balance must be struck between the wellbeing of care home residents and the safety measures implemented, new technologies can also play a huge role in improving the quality of life of residents. Technologies such as those used in Social-Ability’s Happiness Programme offer social, cognitive, and emotional support to care home residents. By using interactive light technology, the Happiness Programme allows for residents to engage in activities with each other. The Happy Memories Programme allows family members, including those physically separated, to share family photos and memories directly with residents to sustain connections. Keeping care home residents active and engaged is crucial in maintaining their quality of life. Alternative technologies such as the Happiness Programme facilitate therapies that reduce the strain on care workers, and combined with changing the perception of dementia, eliminates the need for an overreliance on methods such as heavy medication. These holistic therapies provide the way forward in the wake of the pandemic, and are just the beginning of a recovering care sector ready to take on the challenges of the future. By working together, we can make a difference, and we believe that we can achieve the number one goal of care: bringing happiness to people’s lives.
Pocketalk announces GDPR compliance and Pocketalk Plus
Pocketalk, the global leader in connecting conversations and removing language barriers, today announces GDPR compliance and its new product for healthcare settings the Pocketalk Plus. The announcement comes following the pandemic, which inspired Pocketalk to focus its efforts on connecting patients with their healthcare providers. GDPR compliance Pocketalk is now the first GDPR-compliant handheld translation device and ready to be used in clinical settings, giving caregivers and patients the ability to speak directly and instantaneously. This elevated communication will deepen patient and caregiver rapport, leading to increased satisfaction for both parties, greater comprehension on diagnosis and treatments, and most importantly, lower rates of readmission. The clarity, speed and convenience offered by Pocketalk cannot be replicated by translation lines or interpretive services. These existing systems of translation come with long wait times and can be expensive for healthcare providers. Pocketalk has the ability to dramatically reduce non-medical costs in translation and interpretive services, and offers immediate communication. With a combination of speed and direct communication, Pocketalk minimises scheduling requirements, reduces stress, and ultimately gets patients the care they need to move on to the next phase of treatment. Pocketalk Plus With its launch in 2018, Pocketalk was originally designed as a travel-friendly practical communication tool – but when first responders aboard the Diamond Princess cruise line had to quarantine in Yokohama at the start of the pandemic, Pocketalk took action. It donated devices to enhance communication between first responders and passengers, reducing the interpreters’ exposure to COVID-19. This incident, as well as rapidly increasing cases, inspired Pocketalk to pivot its focus from world travelers to first responders and healthcare workers in multilingual communities. The result was the development of the Pocketalk Plus, a critical tool for medical professionals and first responders, arming them with quick, accurate translations in the field. The Pocketalk Plus boasts a large screen that is readable from 6 feet of distance, a strong speaker and a noise canceling microphone – perfect for healthcare professionals to use in a clinical setting. Other features of the device include: Translations for 82 languages The ability to seamlessly provide audio readout in native language A camera that translates text and written words Built-in data (no need for wifi) Access anytime and anywhere – slipping easily into a lab coat, Pocketalk is completely portable Quick and easy to sanitise – just one swipe of an alcohol wipe and you’re able to move from patient to patient Pocketalk Plus is available now for £349.00 Nori Matsuda, Pocketalk’s CEO, Pocketalk said: “Our mission is now an international one: to remove language barriers and connect all humans through conversations — the ones happening in all sorts of environments: medicine, education, logistics, personal. We’re now speaking in one “common” language — a necessity in a world where, as the past two years have shown us, we share one common biology. We believe that everyone should be able to communicate easily across every corner of the globe which is why we have created these new products to cater to everyone’s needs.” Since Pocketalk launched in 2017, the company has been a leader in the handheld translator market with its Pocketalk Classic and Pocketalk S devices. Pocketalk has connected https://www.pocketalk.com/compare/ people of all backgrounds through language translation and the engine has been honed by over half a billion translations achieving an unparalleled level of speed and accuracy. To date the company has sold nearly one million Pocketalk handheld devices. The Pocketalk products and services are available to purchase on the website. For more information, visit the online newsroom and follow Pocketalk on Instagram and Facebook.
Transport solutions for disabled passengers at North East garage
South Shields based converter Vic Young Ltd has been providing wheelchair accessible vehicles for over 20 years. The latest addition to their mobility conversions is an upfront passenger vehicle using the Fiat Doblo model, allowing the disabled passenger to sit side by side with the driver. Disabled passengers can sit safely and securely beside the driver thanks to nearside wheelchair loading. This is achieved by a ramp which can be manually deployed after the extra wide nearside passenger door and sliding side door have been opened. Space between the up front wheelchair user and the ceiling is not an issue, with up to 5.85” headroom. Lowered flooring provides eye-line height for the mobility passenger. This is not the only comfort guaranteed by the vehicle; the wheelchair is secured up by a four-point restraint system. Passengers can feel safe with this robust, easy to use operation. The Fiat Doblo has five points of entry. These include two front doors, two side sliding doors and a rear door that lifts up. Boot space is large which is ideal for storing wheelchairs and extra equipment. Because of the nature of the up front design, there is no loss of seating or luggage space. The Up Front Fiat Doblo is the perfect mobility vehicle and ticks all the boxes for wheelchair users who wish to sit next to the driver. Due to its intricate specification, the vehicle can be relied upon to continue meeting the requirements of passengers. Vic Young is an award-winning car dealership in the North East. A family-run business which has been trading for over 40 years, and have a large, loyal customer base throughout the North East and beyond. They pride themselves on their ability to provide best in class service to all customers across all their main areas of business: new and used cars sales, conversions, contract hire, car hire, van hire, after sales and servicing. Visit our website
Future of Care Conference London
Future of Care Conference London is back on the 29th March 2022, attracting C-level care professionals, care home and home care owners, managers, decision-makers and influencers. The high-profile speaker programme will consist of focused speaker slots and panel debates set to challenge perspective and provide call-to-actions for the future of the industry. Since its launch in 2017, the conference has strived to bring key trends, challenges and developments in the care sector in front of the people who matter. With the starting ambition to improve the lives of the elderly, this one-day conference has grown year on year, acquiring the trust of care professionals from across the UK. Vic Rayner OBE, CEO at The National Care Forum, is welcomed as this years’ Conference Chair. As a principal figure in the sector, Vic is also the Chair of the Government Strategic Advisory Forum on the social care workforce and Co-chair of the National Social Care Advisory Group. The Minister of State for Care and Mental Health, Gillian Keegan MP, will also be speaking at the conference on how the sector can build a world leading adult social care system. Delegates can expect focus on topics such as recruitment, sector inequalities, dementia and artificial intelligence. Speakers such as Professor Martin Green, Chief Executive at Care England; Rob Assall, Deputy Chief Inspector at Care Quality Commission and Gemma Tetlow, Chief Economist at Institute for Government will look to preparing for future pressures, government support and building an effective integrated health and social care system. Across two panel sessions, the conference will address how we can learn from the frontline of adult social care to discover what really makes a difference to elderly lives. They will also report on how to develop a stronger workforce with a larger talent pool and a better reputation. During networking breaks, delegates have the chance to make valuable connections and meet suppliers from the industry – including Headline Sponsor Beaucare and Gold Sponsor Quality Compliance Systems. Visit www.futureofcare.co.uk for information on ticket prices and booking, to view the full programme and discover more about each speaker. The conference will be held at The King’s Fund in London.
Mandatory vaccination U-turn
Statement from Kari Gerstheimer, CEO and Founder of Access Social Care, a charity providing free legal advice and information to the social care sector. The Government’s U-turn on mandatory vaccinations for NHS and social care staff is a step in the right direction, but it is too late for thousands of care workers who have lost their jobs and found higher paid work in a different sector. We might have lost these skilled workers – some with decades worth of invaluable experience – forever. Where was the urgency and concern for the social care sector when an exodus of staff was predicted in November? Since then, the sector has been decimated by the policy, with 40,000 staff having lost their jobs. Problems with recruitment and retention of care staff impacts hundreds of thousands of older and disabled people with social care needs – we know of families and individuals who are struggling to find staff to help them care for their loved ones or themselves. Social care staffing must be treated as seriously as NHS staffing. Without this, both systems will collapse.
