CQC calls for improvements to oral health in care homes
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has today published the findings of an in-depth review on the state of oral health care in care homes across England. The review draws on one hundred inspections of care homes on which CQC inspectors were accompanied by inspectors from dental regulation. It reveals that three years on from the publication of NICE guidance on oral health in care homes, steps are often not being taken to ensure that people get the oral health care they need to ensure that they are pain-free and that their dignity is respected. Key findings include: The majority (52%) of care homes visited had no policy to promote and protect people’s oral health Nearly half (47%) of care homes were not providing any staff training to support people’s daily oral healthcare. 73% of residents’ care plans we reviewed only partly covered or did not cover oral health at all – homes looking after people with dementia being the most likely to have no plan in place. 17% of care homes said they did not assess people’s oral health on admission Whilst two-thirds (67%) of the care homes that CQC visited said people who used their services could always, or nearly always, access NHS dental care, the report did reveal a lack of dentists who were able or willing to visit care homes. Other challenges people faced involved local dentists not accepting new patients and the length of time it took to get an appointment with an NHS dentist – even for a procedure such as getting dentures fitted. Of the homes visited, 10% reported they had no way of accessing emergency dental treatment for people. 34% of homes told us they had no or limited access to out-of-hours services. Some care home managers stated that they had to call GPs, NHS 111, or even take the person requiring emergency care to A&E. CQC is calling for a cross-sector approach to tackle the concerns raised by this report, and highlights examples where this has been achieved. The review includes case studies of productive, joined-up relationships between care homes and local dental practices, including dentists providing routine check-ups, ongoing treatment and emergency care, both in and outside the care home. The recommendations include a call for mandatory staff training in oral care, oral health check-ups for all residents upon admission, better signposting to local dental services and the convening of a multi-agency group tasked with raising awareness among people living in care homes, their families and carers of the importance of day-to-day dental hygiene and the need for routine check-ups. Kate Terroni, Chief Inspector for Adult Social Care at the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said: “Oral health has a huge impact on our quality of life and we need professionals across a number of sectors to make changes to ensure it is given the priority it needs in care home settings. “Oral health cannot be treated as an afterthought. It can make the difference between someone who is free from pain, enjoys eating and is able to confidently express themselves through talking and smiling – and someone who is in pain, unable to enjoy their food and who covers their mouth with their hand when they smile because of their poor oral hygiene but unable to address it themselves. “Care home managers must recognise the significance of oral health – and professionals including GPs, dentists, dental hygienists and community nurses need to work together to elevate the importance of oral health in care homes and to prioritise this as part of their work. “The changes needed can only happen with the efforts of all parts of the health and care system coming together, supporting people who use services, their families and carers to be aware of the importance of oral care. By working in partnership, we can make a positive impact on the quality of life of people living in care homes.” Charlotte Waite, Chair of the BDA’s England Community Dental Services Committee said: “This welcome report shines a light on services that are failing some of the most vulnerable in our society. “There are residents left unable to eat, drink and communicate, as an overstretched NHS struggles to provide the care they need. “We require nothing short of a revolution in the approach to dentistry in residential homes. Oral health can no longer remain the missing piece when it comes to care planning and budgets.”
More NHS care workers essential for a brighter future
Advances in healthcare and higher living standards means the UK’s over-65 population is set to increase by almost half by the mid-2030s and the number of people living with complex care needs continues to grow. New roles and skills are needed therefore to meet this increase in complex care with an extra focus on person centred care. This will have a direct effect on the number of NHS Health and Social Care workers needed on a scale never seen before and this cannot be ignored. In England there are more than 80,000 vacancies in Health and Social Care at any one time. The industry is already at tipping point but with the increased number of people needing complex care and a significant lack of highly-skilled carers, action must be taken now to attract and retain more talent. The issues with recruitment are only made more prevalent by low retention rates and considerable upheaval within the sector. The Health Foundation found in a report in 2017 that 900 social care workers were estimated to leave the sector every day. It also found that 27 per cent of workers left the industry citing better pay and less pressures in industries such as hospitality. Incentives like training, which offers opportunities for progression, a clear career path and the skills to deliver outstanding care, can be part of the solution to retain care workers. BB Training is an award-winning education provider in the care sector, and part of the Busy Bees Group. Gary Pluck, BB Training Director of Communications and Business Development, said: “The state of the Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce in England report, published by Skills for Care last year, revealed around 390,000 people have left the sector over the last 12 months. Upskilling an existing workforce is as important as hiring new recruits as it has been proven to improve productivity and increase staff retention. Apprenticeships are integral to the future of the sector providing a continuous pipeline of qualified-talent. We facilitate an ongoing personal development programme that extends beyond the completion of an apprenticeship through short courses, additional qualifications and higher-level apprenticeships to ensure an upskilled, happy and motivated workforce.” BB Training currently works with NHS Trusts and Health and Social Care Services to provide qualifications that enable the services to entice new staff and upskill current staff, keeping them within the Care Sector. Bolstering retention and creating new opportunities within the sector. Gary Pluck continued: “Apprenticeships are appealing to people as they represent an opportunity to ‘earn while you learn’, gaining recognised industry qualifications as well as the skills and knowledge employers require. Utilising the popularity of the apprenticeship model and providing an entry point and clear progression pathways in the Care Sector will help facilitate long term growth within the sector and secure a brighter future for the NHS.” By promoting both Clinical Care and Health and Social Care apprenticeships to school leavers and providing them with the best training and qualifications available, BB Training is securing raw talent for the Care Sector; moulding apprentices into the next generation of committed specialist staff. Each individual is assigned a dedicated assessor, who has industry recognised experience and qualifications. Monthly assessment visits take place at the learner’s workplace with bespoke action plans set each month, this includes individualised support for learning styles and the leaner’s individual needs. Every learner has access to a bank of resources to support their learning and development; plus the opportunity to take part in online delivery sessions. BB Training offers a variety of Care Sector Apprenticeships from Levels 2 to 5, covering areas such as Clinical Care and Adult Social Care. The courses support a number of roles within the Care Sector and have been designed by sector specialists to be innovative and flexible, preparing learners for their role and for future career progression. Entry requirements do apply to apprenticeships for the Care Sector due to the nature of the work undertaken. However, for those that have a mathematics and English qualification within them, BB Training has dedicated, trained and experienced staff to support individuals to achieve functional skills qualifications. These qualifications will, in turn, support Continuing Professional Development and progression within the sector. All elements of the programme require current employment within the Care Sector, mainly working with adults.
Platform to help seniors stay independent longer
A platform to help seniors stay independent longer and improve their quality of life Oscar Senior, the company that develops solutions to connect seniors with caregivers and family members, is coming to the UK. Upon invitation by the British Government, Oscar Senior management has visited care-related companies in the London area in April. Because of the need for healthcare innovation as well as technology enhancement in the UK, Oscar Senior has decided to take the initiative to help the UK’s aging population stay connected and age at home. Caregiving made easier with technology The Oscar Senior platform for care organizations evolved from the idea of an easy to use app for the elderly, with the goal of simplifying technology so they can stay in touch with their loved ones. Following the demand for an age-specific solution, Oscar Senior has become present in 80 countries worldwide. “More and more care-related businesses expressed interest in Oscar Senior as they realized the potential of technology used to provide better care at a lower cost, ” said Tomas Posker, CEO of Oscar Senior. Years of experience in the field of aging helps Oscar Senior deliver the solution that care organizations are looking for – customizable, open platform and device-agnostic. Seniors who are less lonely and more connected Oscar Senior is a fully customizable platform that helps care organizations enhance their quality of care, reduce costs and improve efficiency. This is achieved by connecting caregivers and care recipients via video calls and message sharing to provide real-time insights and information. At the same time, Oscar Senior helps seniors age independently and remain socially included by staying connected to caregivers and family through an easy-to use interface. Oscar Senior platform is a product developed by the Oscar Senior company, which was established in 2017 in the Czech Republic. Oscar Senior is a response to a need for technology innovations in the caregiving sector, as well as a desire for improved efficiency, cost cutting and saving costs. On the other hand, for seniors, it is a response to the demand for an age-specific solution that respects differences in abilities. It was developed as a result of pilot projects conducted with home health care agencies both in the EU and in the USA, as well as consultation and feedback from families and users.
Cats and care home residents make purrfect friends
CARE home residents enjoyed a close encounter with cats at a Sheffield café – bringing back memories of their own kitties. Several residents living at The Laurels Care Home, on Manchester Road, made a trip into the city centre to visit Tabby Teas Cat Café, on Cemetery Road. The elderly visitors made lots of furry friends while enjoying a cuppa, stroking the cats and feeding them treats. Resident Edith Keech said: “I had a black cat for 11 years. We named him Kilty as he was a Scot and it stuck. “It’s been lovely to see all of the moggys here. They’ve brought back lovely memories.” Jo MacGregor, activities coordinator at The Laurels Care Home, said: “Everyone enjoyed giving the cats lots of treats and fusses as they relaxed with a cuppa. And they were amazed at how friendly they all were. “A huge thank you to the staff at Tabby Teas, who made our visit even more enjoyable.” The Laurels Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net.
National fundraiser focuses the organisation on health, fitness and wellbeing
Care UK’s national fundraiser focuses the organisation on health, fitness and wellbeing Hundreds of Care UK’s care home team members, residents and their relatives have come together in a nationwide fundraising programme based around cycling and fitness to raise over £41,000 for three national charities. The centrepiece of the fundraiser was Ride800, a gruelling 800 mile, 15 day cycling challenge from Care UK’s southern-most care home in Poole to its northern-most in Aberdeen. This ride was undertaken by Andrew Knight, chief executive of residential care, Jacqui White, marketing director, and Tony Weedon, strategic programme director. Dozens of care home colleagues also rode individual stages of the route which zig-zagged across England and Scotland to visit 26 Care UK homes. Care UK’s chief executive for residential care Andrew Knight said: “This has been an incredibly rewarding experience, not without its physical and mental challenges. The day we cycled over the Pennines and through Yorkshire in atrocious weather stands out, as does quite a hairy couple of miles sharing the A1 with some enormous lorries as we crossed into Scotland. However, the warmth and energy from residents, colleagues and relatives has been incredible, as has the support from many of our corporate partners who have helped us raise this fantastic amount of money.” To support the ride, teams across Care UK undertook a variety of fundraising ventures including sponsored static bike challenges, raffles, music events and cake sales to boost the final total which will be shared between the Care Workers Charity, the Alzheimer’s Society and Alzheimer Scotland. The Ride800 team visits also gave care home residents the chance to be part of the experience on a supported bike. This bike accommodates two riders – a driver and a passenger – and was transported around the route in the support vehicle that accompanied the Ride800 team. “One of the highlights of the trip was seeing the amount of joy that the supported bike brought to residents, relatives and colleagues,” said Jacqui White, marketing director. “Many of the residents who thought their cycling days were behind them were beaming when they came back from their ride – it was incredibly humbling and definitely inspired us on.” Each of the homes on the route staged an event themed around the cycle ride and took part in a competition to win a supported bike, based on how well they decorated a vintage bicycle and embraced the Ride800 spirit. The effort made by the homes was such that, at the end of the ride, the judges, Andrew, Jacqui and Tony, awarded bikes to three winners: · Chandler Court in Bromsgrove, where residents and colleagues raised over £1,800 via a series of intergenerational events with residents and children from the local Castle Nursery, all of which linked to the 26 locations on the Ride800 route · Tor na Dee in Aberdeen, where residents and colleagues laid on an amazing finale to the ride, with a balloon arch, a piper, visiting school children, a giant cake showing the full route and commemorative Ride800 mini bottles of scotch · The West London team, where five homes worked together to arrange a series of welcome events for the riders, ranging from a wedding to a knighthood being bestowed on Andrew Knight by one of the residents of Mountbatten Grange The fundraising efforts were supported by a wide variety of Care UK’s partners and suppliers. In particular, five companies made significant donations which helped raise the bar on the Ride800 total: CBRE, In-line Safety, ITG, Knight Frank Healthcare, RBS and Ruggles and Jeffery Tony Weedon, strategic programme director added: “We are hugely grateful to everyone who contributed to this initiative in so many ways. From residents who baked energy bars, relatives who joined in with the Ride800 events, colleagues who cycled along with us and put so much effort into fundraising, and to the companies that donated to help us reach this incredible total.” Other corporate supporters included: * 2 Pure products * McBains * Bidfood * McLeod+Aitken * Britton Price * Octopus Healthcare * carehome.co.uk * Outwood care * Carson Powell Construction Ltd * QRS market research * Circom Waste management * Shred station * Curti lifts * TVC Technology solutions * DDC Dolphin * Unigraph * Electric airwaves * Unilever Food Solutions * Foodcare * Vision! * GRI * WPR * Ian Williams Ltd
5 Ways Nurses Can Empower Their Patients
Patient empowerment is part of a process to help people who have gone through care take ownership of their healthcare journey. According to the World Health Organisation, empowerment is a process which allows patients to gain greater control over decisions which affect their health. Of course, what taking ownership means will vary from patient to patient depending on their needs. A change in an aspect of a patient’s lifestyle, like their diet or an exercise regime, might be the trigger that results in a significant change. Alternatively, the support they need might be specific to their condition. Whatever the case, frontline healthcare staff, like nurses, can play a central role in this process. After all, they do the majority of the daily work, and they’re also the people patients have the most contact with. Given this fact, let’s take a look at the role nurses can play in empowering their patients. Help Creating New Routines Education is absolutely fundamental to patient empowerment. However, it comes in a number of varieties. The first thing that nurses can teach their patients is the role they can play in their own healthcare journeys. This is an important first step. Buy-in is crucial for patient empowerment whether someone is managing a chronic illness, require complex care or recovering from an operation. The next level of education that nurses can provide is actual knowledge of the patient’s condition. This can be impromptu, in the form of responding to questions and queries. Alternatively, nurses can provide more structured learning by providing briefings at important stages in the patient’s care. In either case, the goal is to bring the patient’s knowledge of their condition up to a level where they are able to engage with care providers on a meaningful level, and then decide what the best options are for them. Then there’s education about practical skills. There are innumerable techniques and exercises that nurses can teach patients to help them achieve the best possible level of health. Again, these might be condition-specific exercises like stretches, or they may be more general lifestyle skills, like meal planning. Nurses can also help patients to practice such techniques until they are confident in their ability to continue on their own. Providing Access to Reputable Resources Once patients have acquired a certain amount of knowledge about their condition, they’ll more than likely want to start doing their own research. In the internet age, more and more people are learning about their medical conditions online. While it is positive that patients seek to acquire a greater understanding of their condition, it can be a source of confusion and misunderstandings. Nurses can assist in this process by pointing patients in the right direction when it comes to looking for learning resources. We all know that not everything we read online is true. Nurses can offer valuable insights, recommending forums and reputable websites with information relating to specific conditions. Of course, there’s a world beyond the internet too. Nurses generally also have good knowledge of the literature in their field. They can aid the process of patient empowerment by offering one to one feedback to patients. Similarly, they might be aware of any groups or sessions that patients can join in their local area. As a Source of Empathy and Support Receiving healthcare is often stressful and upsetting. Nurses know this. One of the main skills of their profession is empathy. In this way, nurses can alleviate the negative emotions that might crop up during the care process. For patient empowerment, some of the main emotional barriers include stress, fear, anxiety, and lack of confidence. Simply feeling that someone understands these feelings will go a long way to helping patients overcome them. This can take many forms. In particular, nurses are usually skilled in active listening, which allows patients to find solutions to their own emotional problems. This is naturally, very powerful in helping the patient to feel empowered. Nurses can also relate to patients by drawing on their own experience, both as healthcare practitioners and personally. The key is to make sure that the patient knows that they are not alone, and the emotional barriers to their empowerment can be overcome. As a Friend and Person to Confide in One of the best ways to achieve patient empowerment is by building long term relationships. Obviously, this is especially applicable to chronic conditions. This works in a couple of ways. Firstly, when nurses have an ongoing relationship with their patients, it fosters a sense of trust. People know in their heads that they can trust their care providers, but in practice, they might not always be forthcoming with important information. Building a trusting relationship can help patients accept the recommendations of a medical professional. A person is more likely to be open and honest about their condition with someone they’ve come to know. This can be important in empowering patients as it means that, when necessary, they can express whatever concerns or questions they might have. Additionally, building good relationships between nurses and patients makes the experience of a medical appointment that little bit more pleasant. As we know, one of the benefits of patient empowerment is reducing the need for in-person appointments, but it doesn’t eliminate them altogether. And when the time comes, we want them to be the best experience they can be. Flexibility A large part of patient empowerment is helping a person decide which healthcare options are right for them. It is common for practitioners and patients to have a much more open dialogue about healthcare options. As part of this, a nurse can show flexibility and creativity in coming up with a care package that will suit the individual needs of the patient. Any number of things which must be taken into account for this, including cultural differences, or more practical elements like what at times the patient works. Showing flexibility in these regards is vital, as they can often prevent patients from receiving the care they need otherwise. As well as
Access 21 Interiors
One of the common questions we are asked is how to provide the safety features and wayfinding pointers that residents need whilst still maintaining a homely, comfortable environment? For safety: For way-finding: Making the home more homely and comfortable: For further information please contact Eda or Terry on 020 8339 6133 or email info@access21ltd.co.uk or visit www.access21interiors.co.uk
Pupils learn about dementia from care home staff
SCHOOL children have been learning about dementia from visiting care home staff who look after those with the condition every day. Ingleby Care Home activities coordinator Kirsty Walsh and unit manager Cassie McCloskey visited St Thérèse of Lisieux R C Primary School to talk to pupils. Both the care home and school are based on Lamb Lane, Ingleby Barwick, near Middlesbrough, and have taken part in joint activities previously. The school’s year five and six teachers contacted the home to ask if anyone could visit to explain the types of dementia and how it can affect people in different ways. There was also an opportunity for the children to ask questions, which included “does everyone get dementia”, “is it only old people that develop it” and “can they still remember things”. After the session at the school, pupils made a special visit to Ingleby Care Home, where they played ball games, read and sang with residents. One resident, Shirley Naylor, even danced with the school pupils in the home’s specialist dementia suite. Kirsty said: “We were delighted to be asked to talk to the pupils about dementia. They were very attentive and curious. They had some excellent questions. “With an aging population, there are more and more people being diagnosed with dementia, so it’s important to understand the difficulties and challenges it can present so we can better support those with the condition. “It was fantastic to then welcome the pupils’ to the home. They brought so much energy and enthusiasm. The residents thoroughly enjoy their company and loved every minute playing games, reading, singing and dancing. “We all look forward to further activities with the school in future.” Ingleby Care Home is part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net.
Bluebird Care celebrated Book Month to mark the importance of reading
Back in April, Bluebird Care celebrated Book Month to emphasise the power of reading and the joy it can bring to so many. The Franchise Support Team encouraged staff and customers from across the Bluebird Care network to share their favourite books with the world, using the Bluebird Care social media channels. The network were asked to do any and all of the following: Share on social media, photographs of your favourite book and why you love it, using the hash tag #BookMonth Create a ‘reading corner’ in the office where people can enjoy reading on their breaks Set up a ‘book swap table’ where people can bring in books they have finished to share with others for free Host a charity book sale Start a #BluebirdCareBookClub with your staff and customers. The network jumped at the opportunity to share their current reads and promote the importance of reading. Many of the franchises got involved by hosting book swaps and setting up reading corners too spread the message. One of the Supervisors at Bluebird Care Shropshire, Amie Stone shared a picture of her with her newest book ‘The diary of a young girl’ – Anne Frank. Amie Stone, Supervisor at Bluebird Care Shropshire said: “I read this book when I was a young girl and have always been fascinated with her story. After booking a holiday to Amsterdam I decided to read her diary again to refresh my mind on her courageous journey before I visit the Anne Frank Museum”. Katie Holloway, Social Media Manager at Bluebird Care, said: “This was such a fun topic to get the network engaged with. Reading is so important and is a great way to improve memory, reduce stress and alleviate anxiety and depression. The network fully embraced taking part, as always and seeing their photos was lovely”. You can see the full collection of pictures on Bluebird Care UK’s Facebook page here.
