Training and dispensing services for your residents with stoma, sheath and/or continence care needs
Moorland Surgical Supplies is a long established, specialist dispenser of all continence, urology and stoma products that are available on prescription. Free training for all staff Training on all aspects of the management and care of continence, sheath and stoma appliance users is offered to Residential Care and Nursing Home staff free of charge. Certificates of attendance will be issued. This training can be arranged face to face or via video call and it lasts for approximately 1-1.5 hours. Multiple sessions can be accommodated to suit your needs. Moorland dispensing and delivery services On receipt of a valid prescription, all prescribed items within Part IX A, B and C of the Drug Tariff: Benefits of the service What do our customers have to say about the Moorland Delivery Service? FREEPHONE: 0800 470 0122 Email: info@moorland.com *Moorland Surgical Supplies Limited is wholly owned by Salts Healthcare Ltd.
Time for a change? How to start your career in the care home industry
“The simple act of caring is heroic.” – Edward Albert With the UK’s elderly population continuing to grow, the care home industry is evolving. In fact, by 2030, around 1 in 5 of us in the UK is predicted to be aged 65 or over. Whilst it may not be the first consideration for many looking to take the next steps in their career, there’s so much the care home industry has to offer – whether you’re just leaving school or looking to change careers. Recently we spoke to Jon Mason, Recruitment Manager at Maria Mallaband Care Home Group who sheds light on some key questions to consider when considering a career in the care sector. What sort of roles are available in care homes? Whilst direct care is the key purpose of course, care homes are also mini communities where there really is something for everyone. There are plenty of creative, practical and management roles in the team too, with positions in catering, wellbeing and social activities, administration, housekeeping, management, maintenance, quality control, and even transport. What skills and experience do you need? One of the most important skills you can bring to this field is passion! After all, it might be your place of work, but it is home for those who live there. A passion for community and companionship as well as the work you do is something that can make such an impact on your role and those around you. It’s also important that people who choose this career are confident communicators and empathetic, whether they engage directly with those living there or not. An encouraging, positive attitude is always welcomed too. Depending on the role, you don’t actually need specific professional experience to join the care home industry. After all – everyone has to start somewhere. Valuable experience comes in different shapes and sizes. Which sectors are people new to the career sector coming from? With the pressures of the ongoing pandemic on certain industries, many are needing to look elsewhere for reliable employment. Many of our recent hires have completely changed their career path and are now looking to build a long-term future in the care sector. Many of our most recent hires have come from completely different sectors, including project management, children’s activities, hotels, and even personal training. Those within retail, customer service and hospitality have developed great interpersonal skills and are able to work as part of a team. In sectors that are struggling, people are now considering where those skills could be applied elsewhere, and care homes have a lot to offer. What qualifications are needed to work in direct care? If you’re specifically looking for a role focused on care provision, First Aid or an NVQ in Health and Social Care are useful, but not essential. Qualifications like these will provide insight into the expectations of a care work role, as well as provide preliminary knowledge and skills necessary to hit the ground running. Getting hands on experience whilst studying can be a much more effective way to learn – plus some employers actually value the opportunity to align your learning to their own methods and practices. Maria Mallaband currently has a number of Trainee Nurse Associates studying with universities across the UK alongside their current roles. Being able to earn and learn like this gives them the opportunity to become fully qualified nurses without having to worry about funding. Would a career in the care sector appeal to younger people? Work isn’t just about making money and filling the hours anymore. Young people in particular are looking to add real value and contribute to a purpose. We started working closely with The Prince’s Trust to engage with young people to help kickstart their career in care. Through this programme, we’re encouraging individuals from all walks of life to consider a career within a care home. Whatever their background, for those looking for a career that inspires their passions and gets them up in the morning, I believe this sector could be just what they’re looking for.
Public urged to consider work in adult social care
The impact of the new COVID-19 variant is being felt across the country and additional staff are urgently needed now to support the adult social care workforce where absence rates have more than doubled in recent months due to self-isolation. The ‘Care for Others. Make a Difference.’ campaign has launched this week using television, digital and radio advertising to drive awareness of long-term career opportunities, highlighting the rewarding, varied and flexible roles available across the care sector to help build a sustainable workforce now and for the future. Almost 1.5 million people work in adult social care and there are many opportunities for those looking to make a difference, even if they have not considered a role in care before. Candidates don’t necessarily need previous experience as training is provided to help them become valued members of the social care workforce. The new campaign is designed to inspire people with the right values – including those with transferable skills from other sectors – to recognise the potential of a career in adult social care. People can find out more about a long-term career in social care and search for jobs in their area by visiting www.everydayisdifferent.com which also has directions to register their interest in short-term opportunities. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:“I want to thank carers for all they do to look after our loved ones. Throughout this pandemic, they have gone above and beyond to protect our parents and grandparents, and to provide them with the support and care they need and we would be truly lost without them.“This exceptional career choice is tough but rewarding, and I would urge anyone who is thinking of a career in care to come forward and join this heroic workforce.” Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said:“We are doing everything we can to support the adult social care sector throughout this pandemic and our social care workforce have done an incredible job of helping the most vulnerable in society. “I am urging the public – whether you are on furlough, a job-seeker, or looking for a new career – to consider working in care. We need short term support while we face the pandemic and to continue to recruit the right people, with the right values, now and into the future.” “Great progress has been made on offering vaccines to all older care home residents and care home staff and this recruitment drive will help us continue to fight this terrible virus.” Minister for Care Helen Whately said:“The social care sector has tirelessly worked around the clock to protect those they support, but they are not invincible, and the effects of the new variant mean we urgently need short term help to continue to care for everyone who needs it. “Working in adult social care can be challenging and rewarding, and there are many opportunities to make a real difference to people’s lives every day. We are looking for people with the right values to care for and support people who need it most and to increase the overall size of the workforce for the future. “I would ask anyone interested to visit www.everydayisdifferent.com to consider their options and how they might be able to help.” Tim Hearson, who already works in the adult social care sector as a Senior Autism Practitioner from Bedfordshire, said:“I’ve been working in care for four-and-a-half years. I originally trained to be a surveyor but I felt something was missing and it didn’t give me the social interaction I was after so I made the decision to go into adult social care and I’ve never looked back. “I wake up every morning and go to work knowing I’m going to be making a difference to someone’s life, and there’s nothing more rewarding than that. “Seeing the people I care for progress every day is such a wonderful feeling and I always leave work with a smile on my face. For anyone considering a role in adult social care, go for it.” Free-to-access expert advice and templates are available to support social care organisation’s recruitment efforts from the Every Day is Different website. Also available are campaign assets, a badging device to enable organisations to co-brand their materials. In order to maximise interaction, a special template has been created so that success stories can be shared. Professor Deborah Sturdy OBE, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, said: “I know from my own experience how wonderful and rewarding a career in social care can be. “I have worked with some incredible people and by joining the adult social care sector you will meet incredible people and improve lives – including your own. “We need people who care about others to come forward and seize these opportunities.” Sir David Pearson, Chair of the Social Care Sector COVID-19 Support Task Force said: “Since starting as a social worker in Nottingham in the early 80s, I have been fortunate to work with great teams, services and leaders in healthcare. “Social care works as a crucial springboard for wellbeing and the commitment and care of the people who work within it are the most important ingredients for success. “Being part of this has been a privilege and a pleasure and the ‘Care for Others. Make a difference’ national campaign is a great chance for others to get as much out of a career in adult social care as I have.” Joint Chief Social Worker for Adults, Mark Harvey and Fran Leddra said:“We have both worked in social care all our lives. It is a fantastic profession and a career that we have never regretted being a part of. The pandemic has spotlighted the profession and shown how critical and important it is. We are in awe of the sheer dedication, commitment and professionalism that the workforce continues to show, making a difference to people’s lives every single day. We hope that this campaign inspires you to join our skilled and talented workforce and help to support the lives of people across the country now and far beyond the pandemic” For the short-term scheme, for individuals who have registered their interest online, DHSC will pass their
Orbis Education and Care appoints leading light in autism education
Orbis Education and Care has appointed a leading autism education specialist in the form of Sue Hatton. Sue joins the UK education and care provider in a role created to help achieve ultimate levels of autism intelligence across the organisation. Wales-based Orbis Education and Care runs 17 schools, residential homes and day facilities for children and adults with complex needs associated with autism and is one of the UK’s leading specialist providers. As Autism Advisor, Sue will draw on her extensive professional experience of working in the education and charitable sectors to ensure best autism practice continues to be delivered throughout all of the group’s services. Sue’s appointment is integral to Orbis’ efforts to achieve what the group describes as ‘ultimate autism intelligence’. Formerly a teacher in mainstream, special and further education settings, Sue is also a published academic in the field of autism having worked closely with the British Institute for Learning Disabilities. CEO of Orbis Education and Care, Suzanne Lawrence, said: “This appointment is a reflection of our desire at Orbis Education and Care to become a truly autism-intelligent organisation. It is our practical commitment to achieving this. “Introducing a specialist Autism Advisor to our team is the next stage in what is a continuous journey for us in raising autism awareness and promoting best care practice. We’re delighted to welcome Sue on board and can’t wait to put her knowledge, expertise and experience to good use for the benefit of the families, individuals and wider communities that our services exist to support.” Sue, a Bristol-based mother and grandmother, has been working with young people and adults with autism for more than 40 years, and is also a keen beekeeper in her spare time. On her appointment, Sue said: “I’m really looking forward to supporting the development of a pioneering autism strategy at Orbis that will continue to take staff on a journey from being simply autism aware, to achieving ultimate autism intelligence. “I accepted the role as it was clear to me that there is a serious commitment at Orbis Education and Care to be a comprehensively autism intelligent company, and I’m absolutely delighted to be joining the team.” Orbis is currently recruiting specialist staff to join its schools and care homes around Wales. Visit Orbis’ website for more information about the group and the vacancies: www.orbis-group.co.uk.
Connect2Care offers free mental health training nationwide
Connect2Care, the leading provider of training and apprenticeships in the healthcare, adult care and early years sectors, is prioritising mental health by offering free training nationwide. Two staff members from any sector business or supplier will be able to access the Level 1 Awareness of First Aid for Mental Health Training Course, free of charge. This initiative has been launched in response to growing concerns around mental health throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This announcement follows warnings from the Government of a “hidden mental health crisis” in the UK, with twice as many people experiencing a diagnosable mental health condition since the start of the pandemic[1]. This is especially pertinent in the health and social care sectors where workers’ roles and daily lives have been significantly impacted by recent events. A recent report from the Care Quality Commission stated that the impact of COVID-19 on care staff has resulted in some registered managers of adult social care services ‘suffering from burn out and extreme anxiety’, as well as inspection teams dealing with an ‘increase in care home managers suffering from distress due to multiple deaths and financial worries’[2].As part of its commitment to improving mental health provision and education in the UK, Connect2Care has developed a dedicated mental health strategy and action plan to support its staff. A mental health microsite has been created on its intranet to provide support and resources for all colleagues. Furthermore, many of its key staff are now trained in Mental Health First Aid and all 500 staff are encouraged to complete the Level 1 Awareness of First Aid for Mental Health Training Course. Lindsey Appleby-Flynn, Adult Health and Social Care Lead is heading up the Connect2Care mental health programme. An expert in the field of mental health, she sits on the Executive Committee of the Care Apprenticeship Board and has completed extensive work with individuals experiencing psychosis, schizophrenia, bi-polar and personality disorders, as well as managing a community support team for those enduring mental health issues. She comments: “We know that now more than ever, the mental strain placed on many professionals across the country is substantial and we want to help support people to manage their stress and mental health concerns. We want to break down as many barriers as possible and ensure training is accessible for those who need it most.” “At Connect2Care, we’re committed to helping professionals in the sector develop the skills they need to help manage their own mental health and support their colleagues through these challenging times”. To apply for complimentary access to the Level 1 Awareness of First Aid for Mental Health Training Course, please visit: https://connect2care.net/ or email commercial-courses@connect2care.net
Connect2Care recognised as Centre of Excellence by Skills for Care
Leading provider of training and apprenticeships in the healthcare, adult care and early years sectors, Connect2Care, has been awarded the Skills for Care Centre of Excellence certificate for its innovations in learning and development. Skills for Care is the strategic body for workforce development in adult social care in England; its endorsement aims to showcase the best learning providers for the adult social care sector. The certificate recognises those who go above and beyond, demonstrate exemplary practice, are constantly evolving to meet the needs of adult social care and innovate to ensure the needs of learners are met. Connect2Care was commemorated for its commitment to delivering an outstanding service. This includes initiatives such as its Quality Assurance measures, which ensure the integrity of qualifications are maintained in line with internal and external governance; its robust staff development programme; the enriched learning experience for apprentices, whereby they have access to a diverse range of expert trainers and one-on-one mentoring; as well as Connect2Care’s bespoke training offer, developed in response to specific business needs. “We’re immensely proud to be recognised for our commitment to learning and development”, says Kirsty Simmonds, Adult Care Lead at Connect2Care. “Meeting the training needs of adult social care workers in the current climate calls for innovation, which at Connect2Care, is something we are constantly striving towards. In recent months, we’ve developed specific courses to help care workers strengthen their skills and expertise during the pandemic, while ensuring they have the tools to manage their own mental health and support their colleagues through these challenging times. “This stamp of approval from Skills for Care shows how our training and apprenticeship programmes are helping to make a real difference to the learner and the people they care for, when they need it most.” As part of Connect2Care’s ongoing commitment to developing its training and apprenticeship programme in line with the changing needs of social care, it recently introduced four new short courses designed to help apprentices deal with the challenges directly associated with the pandemic. All of Connect2Care’s apprenticeships now contain the following live and online training courses as optional extras within the learning journey: The courses are suitable for employees of all levels and will provide apprentices with the tools and skills needed to prepare them for the post-COVID-19 future. For more information on Connect2Care and upskilling your teams following COVID-19, please visit: https://www.connect2care.net/leave-the-training-to-us
Reducing emergency hospital admissions for elderly residents
New data released today shows that care homes who pioneered an innovative telemedicine approach to assessing residents following a fall have seen a significant reduction in the use of ambulances and emergency hospital admissions. The data confirms that enabling vulnerable residents to receive rapid, high-quality clinical care in a familiar environment reduces the risks associated with lengthy hospital stays and reduces pressure on local services and budgets. Immedicare is a secure, video-enabled, clinical healthcare service linking care homes to the NHS with 24-hour access to a highly-skilled, multidisciplinary clinical team based at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust. The service has been adopted by 780 UK care homes to date. The provision of consistent, high-quality care is particularly important during the Covid-19 pandemic, as many care homes struggle with absent staff due to self-isolation, ongoing recruitment challenges and Government movement restrictions. In the last 3.5 years, 105,144 video consultations were made from care homes who have access to the Immedicare central hub.1 Of these calls, 20,152 (19%) were related to falls.1 Following a falls related consultation with a clinical specialist, 83% of residents remained in their care home for assessment, follow-up and monitoring of their condition.1 Prior to installation of the service, care home residents would have been routinely sent to the hospital for assessment after a fall, usually via an ambulance. It is estimated that the service has saved the NHS nearly £10 million in less than four years in ambulance conveyancing and hospital admissions related to falls.1 If all 15,000 care homes in the UK were to use the service, it is estimated that the NHS could save over £250 million in ambulance conveyances and hospital admissions related to falls over the same period.1 Mike Padgham, Managing Director of St Cecilia’s Care Services and Chair of the Independent Care Group commented, “It always benefits the resident if they can remain in the home rather than be admitted to hospital as an emergency unless it’s truly necessary, and that’s the underlying principle of the Immedicare service. It gives care home staff and residents round-the-clock access to a highly-skilled, specialist nursing team who can assess, manage and monitor their condition. We’ve always known this is the best approach for care home residents, but now we have the data to prove it. This service protects residents and care home staff and reduces pressure on local services and budgets. It should be a must-have service for every CCG.” Falls in the elderly are a huge challenge. In 2018/19, there were over 225,000 falls-related emergency hospital admissions among people aged 65 and older in England alone.2 Falls and fractures cost the NHS an estimated £2 billion a year.3 Around a third of people aged 65 and over, and around half of the people aged 80 and over, fall at least once a year.4 Older people living in care homes are three times more likely to fall than older people living in their own homes.5 Falls are the leading cause of emergency hospital admissions for older people.3,4 Once admitted as an emergency, care home residents aged 65 or older spend on average 8.2 days in hospital.6 It can be a stressful and disorientating experience for elderly care home residents, of whom 69% have dementia or memory problems.7 In the current climate, the potential for distress is heightened by visitor restrictions and can lead to additional problems associated with worse health outcomes, such as hospital delirium, which affects a third of elderly patients admitted to hospital.8 Rachel Binks, Nurse Consultant, Digital and Acute Care, Airedale NHS Foundation Trust and Clinical Lead for Immedicare commented, “The clinical risks associated with emergency hospital admissions provide a stark reminder of why we need to wrap specialist clinical care around our elderly residents and keep them out of hospital whenever possible. This has always been the case, but the pandemic has made it a priority and that’s why telemedicine has been adopted at a scale and pace never seen before in this sector. We have decided to share our data now to encourage more commissioners and care home providers to consider the Immedicare service as part of their long-term strategy for providing high-quality care. As the data shows, it protects elderly and frail care home residents, as well as protecting local services, so it’s a win for everybody.” For further information on Immedicare, please visit www.immedicare.co.uk
How ketones can improve cognitive function | New study
New clinical research conducted by the University of Sherbrooke, Canada, published in Alzheimer’s and Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association has established people with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) experienced significant improvement in cognitive function when consuming a compound rich in ketogenic medium-chain triglycerides (kMCT) and milk protein (BrainXpert Energy Complex) twice a day for six months. Affecting 15-20% of people aged 65+, MCI is a decline in cognitive functioning considered a transitional stage between normal ageing and dementia. In part, MCI develops when a person’s brain has less glucose available as a source of energy1, resulting in symptoms including memory loss, forgetfulness, and a decline in decision-making ability and judgment. The six-month randomised controlled BENEFIC (Brain ENErgy, Functional Imaging and Cognition) trial investigated the role of ketones, which can be used by the brain as an alternative fuel source to glucose. The ground-breaking results established for the first time that the BrainXpert Energy Complex compound, rich in ketogenic medium chain triglycerides (kMCT) and milk protein, can be utilized as an alternative brain energy source for people living with MCI. This signals a major breakthrough for the MCI community that, until now, has had no available treatments2. Trial results confirmed that an intervention with this compound clinically demonstrated a doubling of the ketones used by the brain, thereby significantly reducing the brain energy deficit caused by impaired brain glucose metabolism. Participants also showed a statistically significant reduction in MCI symptoms: they had improved memory; improved word recall; were able to think quicker; and were more able to multi-task versus participants that were given a placebo. BENEFIC trial principal investigator Professor Stephen Cunnane, from the University of Sherbrooke, said: “Identifying significant improvement in cognitive function in patients with MCI is an exciting development that gives us great motivation to stay on this research track. This is only the beginning and the hope is that new innovations can be found to not just boost brain function, but to slow down progression to Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of cognitive decline linked to ageing. These results should significantly improve the quality of life for people living with Mild Cognitive Impairment.” Cognitive function was assessed at baseline and after six months of intervention. Episodic memory was evaluated using the French version of the 16-item free and cued word learning and recall test and the Brief Visual Memory Test-Revised (BVMT-R). For executive function, attention and processing speed, the Trail Making test, Stroop Colour and Word Interference test (Stroop), and the Verbal Fluency (VF) tests from the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System were used, respectively. The Boston Naming Test (TNT) was used for the assessment of language ability. For more information on the study, please visit www.nestlehealthscience.com/BrainXpert
Free packed lunches at Sandstone care homes
Three of our care homes in Fleetwood, Longridge and St Helens are offering free packed lunches to struggling local families during the half-term holidays. Fleetwood Hall Care Home, Longridge Hall Care Home and St Helens Hall Care Home, all part of the Sandstone Care Group, are keen to hear from local families who would like help. All information will be kept confidential. The homes are offering home-made packed lunches from Monday through to Friday this week containing a sandwich, drink, fruit, crisps and a yogurt to those who would normally qualify for free school meals. Local families will receive free packed lunches It follows a campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford to provide free meals for children over half term after Ministers ruled out extending free meals beyond term time. Joanne Warren, manager of Fleetwood Hall Care Home, said: “Over the past seven months we have been on the receiving end of so much goodwill from local people and this is our way of giving something back to our community. Tracey Hartley, manager of Longridge Hall Care Home, said: “So many people have seen their incomes reduce during the pandemic and we wanted to do something to help. We’ve already had a number of phone calls from local families and lots of lovely comments on our social media.” Amanda Clark, manager of St Helens Hall Care Home in Thatto Heath, said: “We’ve already had a number of families calling us asking for packed lunches. No child should go hungry and we hope that our small gesture will help.” Ben Challinor, one of the directors of Sandstone Care Group, said: “We felt it was important to get involved in this hugely important initiative. There are lots of families in urgent need and we are delighted to be playing our part.” For more information and to book a packed lunch please contact the homes direct. Call Fleetwood Hall Care Home, Chatsworth Avenue, Fleetwood FY7 8RW on 01253 777065. Call Longridge Hall Care Home, 4 Barnacre Road, Longridge PR3 2PD on 01772 786106. Call St Helens Hall Care Home, Elephant Lane, Thatto Heath, St Helens WA9 5EL on 01744 818030 or 01744 818662. www.sandstonecare.co.uk
