Tackling stress, burnout and absenteeism in the care sector
Working days lost rose from 2.7% pre-Covid to 7.5% post Covid* placing significant additional burden on care teams, a statistic which will be further impacted by the compulsory vaccination regulations and current staff shortages. Even prior to the pandemic, working long hours for typically low pay, challenges in managing the behaviour of residents, and the relentless pressure to carry on regardless, were all factors in rising stress levels among care home staff. The far-reaching consequences including high staff turnover, absenteeism, staff malpractice, and poor mental health all point to the need for cultural change across the care home sector. As stress management and staff wellbeing become an overriding priority across healthcare and care sectors in tackling work-related issues, Tidal Training has launched a new course for Post Critical Incident Stress Debrief Facilitator (CISD) training, the leading course of its kind in the UK. It is having success in NHS, medical and care environments reducing burnout and absenteeism and improving team cohesion in acute stress situations. Many are now adopting it as part of their mental health framework and creating psychological first aid teams. What is Post Critical Incident Stress Debriefing (CISD)? Following the Mitchell model, CISD is a supportive crisis intervention process, designed to support groups or teams, directly following an acute stress incident. It is not a replacement for, or delivery of psychotherapy, but aims at a reduction of distress and restoration of group cohesion at a time of acute stress. When can it be applied? The term ‘critical incident’ refers to a traumatic or crisis event that usually impacts a group of people. Critical Incident Stress Debrief Training can be particularly beneficial in a workplace or community setting, in preparation for a potential incident that causes acute stress. It can apply to any size or scale of event, for example: The size and scale of the event can be immaterial; it is the trauma, acute stress, and psychological distress that CISD seeks to help alleviate and resolve. * stats from Skills for Care Workforce Intelligence CISD in action: Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust Jon Head, Deputy Director of HR/Site HR Lead for Harefield Hospital at Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Foundation Trust, explains why Tidal Training’s Post Critical Incident Stress Debrief Facilitator training became pivotal in supporting his staff’s mental health and wellbeing during 2020. COVID-19 has shown that prioritising NHS staff wellbeing to deliver safe and high-quality patient care, while ensuring people are safe and healthy at work, has never been more crucial. Yet traumatic events, covering a wide area from major incidents to patient deaths and inquests, are experienced by staff throughout their professional lives and can cause acute stress. Stress among NHS staff rose last year as the pandemic took its toll, with results from the 2020 NHS annual survey revealing that 44 per cent of staff reported feeling unwell from work-related anxiety, the highest rate recorded in the past five years. Jon credits the training with supporting his teams through an unprecedented period, helping to prevent them becoming overwhelmed in periods of acute stress, and ensuring the team kept functional. Last year alone, over 30 debrief sessions were attended by 300 staff across both sites, all dealing with general pressure. “We held the first of three training sessions at the beginning of 2020, as part of the Trust’s Care for the Carers strategy. Our objective was to train a number of employees to create a Psychological First Aid (PFA) team, to assist people in the immediate aftermath of specific incidents which had occurred for example during surgery or in cath labs. Our aim was not to learn clinical lessons, but to support staff experiencing pressure from delivering treatment. The basic principle of PFA is that, in the immediate aftermath of the traumatic event, support from a trained compassionate individual may aid in long-term recovery. The need for having this framework in place was evident prior to COVID, when PTSD levels were noted as being ‘high’ in some clinical areas. It is a real privilege to have a team of this calibre providing such a comprehensive psychology service.” He continues: “But then in March the pandemic struck and we found we could utilise this training effectively, albeit under a completely new, unexpected set of circumstances. Staff wellbeing has always been paramount, but given the pandemic, it was our priority to ensure sure that our people have access to our own experts on-site. This saw the mobilisation of PFA teams to support clinical and non-clinical staff involved in all aspects of care, from therapists and porters to pharmacists and medical teams, across both of our Royal Brompton and Harefield sites. We rolled this out over the next 6-9 months as part of the Staff Psychology Service which we now have permanently in place, a multidisciplinary, high-calibre team of professionals made up of psychologists, counsellors and the PFA Team. It has been able to offer support to individuals and teams during both the first and second wave. “While cumulative stress has played a major role during the pandemic, such as overwork and long shifts, there have nonetheless been periods of acute stress, for instance, losing a patient or not having enough beds, where the training has played a vital role in identifying those red flags and making sure those who needed it had access to the right support. We also found it immeasurably useful for matrons working in ITU and one particular incident concerning a traumatic cath lab death. Having an internal service has tremendous benefits – the training has ensured we have specific resources in place to support our staff with their mental and emotional wellbeing, in what has been an extremely challenging time.”
100% Hygienic Waste Disposal System For Hospitals And Care Homes
Infection control specialist DDC Dolphin has launched an advanced and inexpensive new waste disposal system to help keep hospitals and care homes hygienic and odour-free. The Vacumatic system enables clinicians and carers to dispose of medical pulp bedpans and other waste quickly, safely and discreetly – protecting patients and ensuring their dignity. Advanced Vacumatic seals infectious waste hermetically without the risks associated with normal yellow bags. It sucks the air out of waste bags and passes it through high-quality medical filters that stop viruses, bacteria and odours from escaping. The process works in four simple steps: This quick and easy process sterilises the air and condenses the waste into tightly sealed packages for safe and easy disposal. Benefits include: DDC Dolphin Marketing and Product Innovation Director Zoe Allen said: “Vacumatic is an advanced but inexpensive system that’s simple to use. “It can be deployed on a small or large scale to help improve infection control, meet CQC requirements – and make an excellent impression on patients, residents, staff and visitors.” Poole-based manufacturer DDC Dolphin is a world leader in the provision of advanced infection control equipment. It exports machines and consumables across the world. The company manufactures and supplies medical pulp macerators, incontinence product macerators, bedpan washer disinfectors, UV air purifiers, stainless steel furniture, sluice room consumables and an antimicrobial coating that protects surfaces for up to six months each time. DDC Dolphin is one of only three companies in the world specialising in the manufacture of medical pulp macerators. The machines’ hands-free technology makes it safer to dispose of human waste. For more information, please contact DDC Dolphin Marketing and Product Innovation Director Zoe Allen, 01202 731555, info@ddcdolphin.com, www.ddcdolphin.com
Lancashire care homes celebrate their vaccination rates
Longridge Hall Care Home and Ribble Court Care Home near Preston are celebrating after all of their staff received their second COVID vaccinations. The homes, which specialise in residential, dementia and short-term respite care, have achieved recognition for their 100% vaccine uptake. Longridge Hall Care Home was issued with an award for achieving a 100% staff vaccination rate by Director of Public Health, Dr Sakthi Karunanithi and Louise Taylor, the Executive Director of Adult Services and Health & Wellbeing for Lancashire County Council. The news comes ahead of the Government’s deadline of November 11 for all care home staff to be double vaccinated, excluding those with medical exemptions. Tracey Hartley is manager of Longridge Hall Care Home in Barnacre Road, which is part of the Sandstone Care group of homes. She said: “We are delighted that all of our dedicated and caring staff have been double vaccinated, all ahead of the Government’s deadline. “Everyone who has received their second jab has also been booked in for their six-month booster.” Sam Smith, Registered Manager of Ribble Court Care Home in Much Hoole, a nursing home specialising in complex care, said: “We are proud of our high standards and want to deliver the best possible care to our residents, which is why it is important to us to ensure that all our staff are vaccinated.” Steven Hamblett, Senior Operations Manager for the Sandstone Care Group, said: “At Sandstone Care Group we work closely with Public Health, Local Authorities and the Care Quality Commission to implement all guidelines regarding the coronavirus pandemic. “Our dedicated home managers work hard to ensure best practice is followed throughout each home and by every member of staff.” www.sandstonecare.co.uk
Care home residents weigh anchor and take to the high seas.
On HMS Bernard Sunley, There’s No Walking The Plank, Just Fun Whilst Sailing The Seven Seas Residents at Bernard Sunley, the Woking-based care home run by charity Friends of the Elderly, have taken to the high seas, sailing around the Mediterranean before heading off to the Caribbean, via Japan. Throughout the cruise, residents have virtually visited different countries all whilst staying safely inside their specially decorated ‘Cruise Lounge’. They have been on excursions, tried new culinary delights, made and received country-specific souvenirs and enjoyed delicious cruise-like cocktails and tipples. Following the success of their popular ‘2020 Around the World Culinary Experience’ activity, which saw residents enjoying new culinary dishes from around the world each month, Bernard Sunley’s Manager, Andy Cumper, decided to utilise one of the lounges at the care home. They used decorations to create an authentic travelling and cruising environment for residents. The Cruise Lounge has a holiday atmosphere and through clever imagery, gives the residents – or Cruise Passengers – a realistic cruise experience. During lockdown last year, the idea of bringing global experiences to our residents was a runaway success. “It provides another focus to the day for residents, their relatives and the staff here,” said Andy. “We’re always looking for ways to engage and delight our care home community and knowing how well this was received last year meant we couldn’t wait to cast off and start travelling again.” The international voyage began back in January and has continued each month, giving passengers the opportunity to experience different cultures, sights, traditions and customs. To make the virtual trip even more realistic, each trip begins with a video of a cruise boat sailing and then docking into port. Residents then go on excursions, taste the local delicacies and choose their own keepsake souvenirs. So far, passengers have sailed throughout the Mediterranean, docking in Portugal, Spain, Gibraltar, France, Monaco, Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, Croatia, Greece, Cyprus and Tunisia. Cruise Passengers were also treated to an excursion to landlocked Jordan and visited the ancient city of Petra, which has been inhabited from as early as 7000 BC. Brian Moore When HMS Bernard Sunley made port in Italy, passengers found themselves moored in the Port of Civitavecchia. They were taken on a virtual coach trip and visited beautiful Rome which was first known as The Eternal City. Using imagery and videos, residents took in all the historical sites and admired the stunning architecture. Tour stops included The Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, The Vatican City and Spanish Steps, plus a look at the 2,200-year-old Bocca delia Verita, also known as the ‘Mouth of Truth’, which was featured in the 1953 film Roman Holiday starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. One Cruise Passenger said: “We all enjoyed our tour of Rome, it’s such a romantic place. We were surprised to learn that if you reverse Roma, the Italian for Rome, you get Amor – so maybe it really is the City of Love.” When the cruise anchored along the stunning French Riviera, everyone had fun relaxing with a glass of French wine, enjoying atmospheric street café music. But their travels didn’t end there. Next on the French itinerary was a virtual day trip to the famous Shell Museum in the Musée des Coquillages in St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, which has an abundance of shells on display. One resident called them ‘amazing’ and each passenger was given a gift of real shells to keep as a memento, along with a selection of postcards. Andy Cumper, said: “Our Cruise Passengers have had a lovely year visiting a vast array of international countries and learning about different cultures and civilisations. Taking part in the cruise and visiting all the different destinations has been very stimulating and everyone has enjoyed the escapism – visiting sunnier climbs when it’s been raining outside. The virtual trips were great for reminiscing and sparked a lot of conversations about past holidays and brought back lovely memories.” To celebrate the Tokyo Olympics, the cruise took a rather large detour to Japan where the care home team arranged the Bernard Sunley ‘2021 Onboard Games’. The passengers got into the Olympic spirit and took part in a variety of sporting events, which mirrored the actual Games. Nerf Gun Target Shooting, Discus Throwing, Bean Bag Tossing, Basketball and even a unique Paper Plane game. The Cruise Passengers were brilliant at all the activities and had an amazing time competing with their friends. When HMS Bernard Sunley arrived in Portugal, the passengers made their way to Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, one of Europe’s most beautiful and cosmopolitan cities and then on to the coastal city of Porto, famous for its stately bridges and port wine production. Andy concluded: “We’ve not stopped yet. Our next destination is the Caribbean. We’ve already visited the shores of Jamaica, where we tasted delicious Jamaican food and learnt about the island’s natural beauty and history. Our passengers heard all about how the Spanish colonised the country after Christopher Columbus arrived there in 1494. In addition, how in 1655, the British conquered Jamaica and established many coffee, sugar and cocoa plantations. “All the passengers are looking forward to visiting our next destination, Barbados. Whilst enjoying themselves in the Cruise Lounge, one passenger asked, “How do we know that the ocean is friendly?” Nobody knew, until he said, “It’s easy, it waves.” That had everyone laughing, which has been a common theme throughout the international journey. It’s great to see and hear everyone having a fun time.” For further information, please contact: Friends of the Elderly. Phone: 020 7881 1151 Email: pressoffice@fote.org.uk
QCS to launch ‘Building a Better Workforce Together’ Survey
Resilient, resourceful and resolute are adjectives that best describe the UK’s army of care professionals. But these are challenging times for them and their sector. A telling comment from Nuffield Trust on Skills for Care’s latest report said the workforce is “close to being overwhelmed entirely by a toxic combination of pressures”. Over 410,000 care workers left their jobs last year. COVID-19 and Brexit have exacerbated the perennial recruitment and retention hurdles, while government funding to enable care services to increase pay and to support mental wellbeing has failed to materialise. Whilst we know that funding is the key to keeping frontline managers in place, it’s just as important to understand the workforce challenges that care settings face. It is only then that we, as a sector, can begin to solve them. With over 130,000 care workers at all levels, across 6,000-plus care providers, who have all chosen Quality Compliance Systems, QCS is in a particularly strong position to take the pulse of the sector. In order to do so, we have created a Building a Better Workforce Together survey. Our aim is to find out what keeps people working in the sector and what pain-points put them at risk of leaving? And for those that choose to stay, what improvements would make their jobs easier? The results, which we plan to widely share before the end of the year, will help us to form an accurate picture. This in turn will ensure that QCS continues to lead the way in supplying the right people with the right tools at the right time, enabling them to provide outstanding care. Thank you for your help
National Care Group Director Faces Fear In Honour Of Frontline Workers
MIKE CLEASBY, quality director at National Care Group has faced his fears to plummet from 16,500 feet, raising a fantastic £2,000 by skydiving for two charities close to his heart. Mike selected Teeside Hospice and Macmillan as worthy beneficiaries of the jump, which he undertook in memory of his parents and in recognition of the hard work and resilience shown by care workers during the pandemic. Mike dedicated his jump to his mother who sadly passed away earlier this year following his first skydive seven years ago on behalf of his father. Having lost both parents to cancer, Mike said he wanted to find a way to give back. The feat was made all the more impressive by Mike’s fear of heights, and the fact that the jump came from 6,500 feet higher than initially planned due to poor weather conditions. Mike said: “Well, my thoughts were that a skydive would at least be shorter than doing the London Marathon! I am actually not very good with heights, and the cold air and strong winds took my breath away. “But I think this type of achievement brings home the message home that we are all stronger than we think. Sometimes when you’re up against it and even when you’re afraid, you just have to remember you’ve got a bit more in you. Especially if it means helping others – which I know everyone at National Care Group can relate to.” Mike enlisted the help of Peterlee Parachute Centre in County Durham where he was able to take in the view of the city and cathedral below, before the thrilling jump. “The National Care Group team has been amazing – they had a shirt designed for me that I wore on the day and have been overwhelming in their sponsorship” he added. “I couldn’t have asked for more. It has also helped bring some closure and reflect on a positive experience. Even at our worst times, we can all dig a little deeper, and the resilience from colleagues during the past couple of years has shown that.” James Allen, CEO at National Care Group, said: “Giving back is something embedded within National Care Group’s ethos, so it brings me a great sense of pride to see how the team is doing that outside of work. What Mike has achieved in memory of his parents and in recognition of our amazing team is wonderful and it is testament to his role as quality director. It was great to see the support of colleagues, who all got behind Mike in his fundraising and celebrated this achievement.” For more information please contact Danielle Hall or Kali Dennett at Cartwright Communications on 07951 560 614.
Hallmark partners with Checkit to reduce the burden of compliance reporting
Hallmark Care Homes is eradicating “mountains of paperwork” with the introduction of a digital compliance solution from Checkit, the intelligent operations platform. The group, which has 19 homes across England and Wales, partnered with Checkit to transform compliance reporting and provide real-time insight into employee procedures, equipment and facilities that are so crucial to overall quality of care. Managers from Hallmark will be discussing their innovative approach in a live webinar, hosted by Checkit, on 10th November. Prior to the introduction of Checkit, manual reporting methods were occupying many hours of care workers time and depriving managers of the real-time visibility they need to ensure high standards. Steve Brine, Hallmark group estates manager, said: “Audits were historically carried out by travelling to a home and wading through mountains of paperwork. This was always going to have an impact on time and time is precious when you’re caring for residents. By being able to audit and track a home in real time, we are now using analytics to track trends and predict non-compliance before it actually happens.” The Checkit platform prompts, guides and logs key activity undertaken by team via a mobile app. The technology incorporates QR codes to deliver actions and reports that are specific to a given part of the building. Users include nursing and catering teams and facilities managers. “Compliance is no easy feat in a care home environment. Facilities managers are constantly running at 100%. Checkit ensures the right team are doing the right checks in the correct time,” said Steve. The platform also incorporates Internet-of-Things technology, with sensors that continuously monitor the temperatures of fridges and freezers holding food and medicine. “At Hallmark, we want to be sure that everything we provide to residents is 100% safe,” he added. Following a successful implementation at one of Hallmark’s homes, the Checkit platform is now being rolled out to other sites. Mike Hobby, healthcare transformation partner at Checkit, said: “Keeping on top of compliance is a demanding job for care homes, particularly with all the additional pressures they are currently experiencing. By replacing paperwork with digital tools, we can remove some of that compliance burden, save time, strengthen standard procedures and prevent problems before they happen. Our partnership with Hallmark Care Homes is a fantastic example of what can be achieved with an innovative approach.” The webinar – Delivering better care with new ways of working: a conversation with Hallmark Care Homes – is on Wednesday 10th November. To register visit: https://info.checkit.net/webinars/innovation-care-homes
Brunelcare Celebrate Befriending Week
“What Nicky and I have is pure friendship” Nicky, 56, and Mike, 73, both signed up for Brunelcare’s Friends on the Phone initiative, launched at the beginning of the pandemic, in a bid to combat loneliness for Brunelcare residents and tenants. Nicky, an Occupational Therapist/Mental Health Practitioner, volunteered to be part of the initiative and Mike, who lives at one of Brunelcare’s sheltered housing sites, were randomly partnered up, as volunteer befriender and befriendee in April 2020, nearly two-years later, the pair are still in contact and the have now become great friends! Nicky said: “I volunteered to be a Friend on the Phone to a resident or tenant at Brunelcare in early 2020. I thought it was a lovely thing to do and could be beneficial for both myself and my befriendee. I was excited to start a new friendship with someone, and I couldn’t have imagined that I could meet someone who would grow to become so special to me. The conversation always feels very natural with Mike, there are no awkward silences and it never feels forced. It’s very much a two-way street; it isn’t just me befriending him, he has befriended me too.” Mike said: “I thoroughly enjoy talking to Nicky, we have very similar interests and have lots of friends in common too! What Nicky and I have is pure friendship, I really enjoy speaking with her and spending time with her. I have met her husband and we have all been out for meals together, it’s great fun!” The pair, who only live a quarter of a mile away from each other, have met up several times at the pub, have been out on walks and also to restaurants too! Emma Gwynne, Volunteers Manager at Brunelcare said: “It’s great that lasting friendships have been made from the initiatives we launched during the pandemic, it’s so lovely to see who volunteering can bring people together. Mike and Nicky are just fab and I’m sure they’re going to be lifelong friends. We run lots of volunteering initiatives at Brunelcare and are always looking for more people to get involved!” To find out more about volunteering at Brunelcare visit: www.brunelcare.org.uk/get-involved/volunteering
Cutting-edge research revealed by QCS’s Dementia Care Champion strongly supports HUG wellbeing benefits
The QCS Pool Activity Level instrument (PAL), created by Jackie Pool and with the continued support of QCS, the leading provider of content, guidance for the social care sector, has been contributing to the validation of HUG, a therapeutic soft, comforting device for people with advanced dementia. A landmark study using the QCS PAL Instrument, which assesses the level of functional ability of people with cognitive impairments, revealed that 87% of those with dementia who used the HUG device over a six-month period saw an improvement in their wellbeing. In addition, Jackie Pool, QCS’s Dementia Care Champion, has developed a set of specific QCS HUG PAL Guides, which ensure that people living with dementia are supported at ‘just the right’ level and are enabled to engage with HUG in the most meaningful way possible. HUG, which is being released today, is the brainchild of the Cardiff Metropolitan University’s LAUGH team. It has also been supported by a number of key stakeholders, including the Alzheimer’s Society, the Welsh Government, the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), who, between them, have funded the research and development of the therapeutic device. The device, which can be purchased on the HUG by LAUGH website and Alzheimer’s Society’s online shop for £125, increases wellbeing in a number of ways. Its weighted limbs, soft body and simulated beating heart, help mimic a human hug. With a vast body of scientific research validating music as a powerful medium, which helps people to express themselves and unlock past memories, the therapeutic device has also been fitted with a music player. The MP3 player, which is linked to a hard drive, has been specially built to make it easy for carers to upload music onto HUG, via several different platforms. Over the last three years, HUG, has been trialled in a number of settings across the entire health and social care spectrum, as well as homes, where it has been shown to consistently provide comfort and reduce anxiety.Now that it is being launched, Professor Cathy Treadaway of Cardiff Metropolitan University, says, “It is incredibly exciting and rewarding to know that people with advanced dementia can finally enjoy the wellbeing benefits that HUG brings. We are also incredibly fortunate to have received funding for our research collaboration from Welsh Government, the AHRC and Alzheimer’s Society, and we are indebted to Jackie Pool and QCS for validating the therapeutic merits of HUG.” Jackie Pool, QCS’s Dementia Care Champion, adds, “When I was first approached by Professor Treadaway and her team at Cardiff Metropolitan University, I jumped at the chance to be involved. HUG may not provide a cure for dementia, but I strongly believe, and the evidence supports it, that this soft comforting device has the power to profoundly improve the wellbeing of those living with dementia at all levels and to provide the means for care givers to make a meaningful connection with individuals. That in itself, makes it a game changer.” For more information on QCS, contact our compliance advisors on 0333-405-3333 or email us at sales@qcs.co.uk.
