Care Innovation Hub’s social care challenge
The upcoming Social Care Challenge is a two and a half day sprint, aimed at University students as an opportunity to consider social care as a career pathway and come up with new ideas to address some of the biggest problems in social care. Sprint Partners and supporters include Hallmark Care Homes, Home Instead, Walden Care, Royds Withy King, Quality Compliance Systems, Person Centred Software, Hilton Nursing Partners, Apetito, Greensleeves, Borough Care, WCS Care and the Department of Health and Social Care. Mentors are senior executives in social care who spend the weekend supporting students with their ideas and offer insights that could help create the next big idea for social care. Hallmark Care Homes, Home Instead and Quality Compliance systems join CIH as Sprint partners for a second year. Ram Goyal, Managing Director from Hallmark Care Homes commented: “I am incredibly excited to be supporting this event and I cannot wait to see what ideas the students come up with. The care sector is facing a lot of challenges at the moment and there is an increasing need to come up with innovative ideas and technology to support the needs of residents.” Home Instead joins CIH for a second year as Sprint Partner. Martin Jones, CEO said: “It’s incredibly exciting to support the Care Innovation Hub and to bring people together from a variety of academic backgrounds to come up with innovations which could shape the future of social care. Not only is it fantastic to encourage new ideas into the sector but it’s also a great way of showcasing to students the rewards of working in care. If you’re a student looking to make a difference to the lives of others, I’d encourage you to take part in the challenge.” Mat Whittingham, CEO of QCS has renewed their partnership with Care Innovation Hub. As a judge at the Department of Health and Social Care at last year’s final, Mat said: “The innovative, but practical solutions that were demonstrated will challenge how we think care should be delivered.” Jonathan Papworth, Founder of Person Centred Software said: “Mobile Care Monitoring was a significant innovation in how to evidence care when it was launched in 2013, and I am looking forward being part of Care Innovation Hub to help others bring to market equally valuable new solutions to the needs of the social care sector” “Whilst politicians and the media can talk about the problems in health and social care, it is refreshing that the Care Innovation Hub is standing out by focusing on new ideas to help solve the problems and improve quality of care for everyone. I am delighted to have been invited to help drive innovation in the sector” Apetito will provide participants with meals, to give them an experience of the high-quality food that is distributed throughout care homes in the UK. Neil Hargreaves, Care Home Divisional Manager said: “apetito is delighted to become a sprint partner with Care Innovation Hub. We are passionate about driving positive change in the care sector and CIH share this passion. Innovation is critically important to the future of care in the UK and supporting entrepreneurs to develop ideas is at heart of this. We are excited to attend the upcoming events in 2020 and be a part of something that is going to make a real difference to residents and carers.” Greensleeves join CIH as their latest Sprint Partner for 2020. Paul Newman, CEO of Greensleeves said: “A culture of innovation lies at the heart of Greensleeves Care’s success, as is nurturing new talent. We champion the pioneers across social care working incredibly hard to implement new ideas and technologies, ultimately to enhance the resident experience. We are delighted to partner with the Care Innovation Hub to advance this sector-wide agenda. We look forward to supporting the entrepreneurs at the Hub and adopting some of these innovations at our care homes across the country.”Previous ideas include an error proof medication system, an app focussing on culturally matched care for the BAME community, sleep monitoring devices and much more. The Social Care Challenge will be taking place in Florence’s offices in London from Friday 28th February till Sunday 1st March. For more information about the Sprint, visit www.careinnovationhub.org/what-is-it.
Specialist nursing care home to create jobs in Newcastle
Around 100 jobs are being created in Newcastle this September due to the launch of Tyne Grange, Exemplar Health Care’s newest specialist nursing care home in the North East. Following a £3.1 million investment in a high-quality refurbishment of an existing care home, Tyne Grange will open later this year. The care home is preparing to recruit nurses, support workers, administrators, kitchen and domestic team members, and other staff.Conveniently located on Grainger Park Road, near Newcastle City Centre and with transport links and amenities nearby, Tyne Grange will support 22 adults who live with complex mental and physical health conditions, including neuro-disabilities such as Huntington’s Disease, and brain injuries. Every bedroom will come with an en-suite wet room and there will be two one-bedroom apartments on the ground floor to support more independent living. Tyne Grange will also benefit from high quality communal spaces, including landscaped gardens, for service users and their visitors to enjoy. The Commissioning Home Director of Exemplar Health Care’s Tyne Grange complex needs care home, Samantha Cottam, said: “I’m delighted to be opening Exemplar Health Care’s very first care home in Newcastle. “We at Exemplar Health Care are committed to providing the best possible outcomes for our service users. We have worked with health and social care specialists in the region to ensure that this quality care home has been designed to meet the needs of those living here. “Every one of our high-quality care homes provides supportive, welcoming, community-based services which help our service users reach their goals. Supporting complex care service users can be extremely rewarding, and Exemplar Health Care already offers stable and secure careers to more than 2,900 people. The opening of Tyne Grange is a fabulous opportunity for carers and nurses who are local to our new Newcastle care home.” Specialist nursing care home, Tyne Grange is now recruiting. Please register your interest at: https://www.exemplarhc.com/our-care/our-homes/tyne-grange
New immigration rules threaten care homes with closure
A social care leader has warned that care homes and home care agencies in Wales will be put out of business as a result of the new immigration rules announced by the Government. Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, has called on Home Secretary Priti Patel not to “close the door” on overseas workers at a time when the sector was already suffering because of a major recruitment crisis. The new system – set to come into force in January 2021 – will aim to end visas for low-skilled workers and cut the overall number of migrants coming to the UK. It will award points to applicants based on specific skills, qualifications, salaries, English speaking ability and professions, with overseas workers – including those from the EU – required to have the offer of a skilled job with an “approved sponsor” to come here. The Government is also backing a recommendation from the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) to lower the salary threshold for skilled workers wanting to come to the UK from £30,000 to £25,600.But Priti Patel is facing calls to grant special exemptions for those working in the social care sector in a bid to stave off staff shortages. According to Mr Kreft, care homes, nursing homes and home care agencies in North Wales are facing a massive crisis with an estimated shortfall of 7,000 staff by the year 2026. The new immigration rules would, he said, exacerbate the severe shortage of nurses and carers. It would lead to loss of nursing home beds and the closure of care homes at a time when the number of over-85s in Wales is expected to more than double in the next 20 years. Mr Kreft said: “This is something we have been warning about for a long time because it is clear that these proposals will have dire consequences for the social care sector and, more importantly, for the vulnerable people we look after. “In recent years we have seen homes closing across Wales because their fragile finances just did not stack up because social care remains chronically underfunded despite it being such an important service. “On top of that we are having to contend with a debilitating recruitment crisis which will be even worse unless the Government have a change of heart in relation to social care.“The way fees are calculated means that it is possible to earn more stacking shelves in a supermarket than it is to provide social care for our loved ones. “We need to explode the myth that social care staff are low skilled – that’s not true. They are just lower paid and that’s not fair. “The new rules just do not make sense when you apply them to social care.“One unintended consequence will be that it will place even more pressure on an already creaking NHS.“Our social care providers currently underpin the provision in our hospitals but if more care homes, nursing homes and home care companies are forced out of business, alternative provision will have to be made for them. “In that case it’s s highly likely that these vulnerable people will end up in hospital when that is probably the worst possible place for them to be, leading to even more bed blocking. “This change in immigration policy means that the social care sector will have to improve pay levels significantly to attract the home-grown staff needed. “That would require more money to be injected into social care as a matter of urgency. Nobody has said where that extra money would come from. “Putting responsibility on the providers to sort out a mess of the Government’s making is irresponsible. This is a disaster waiting to happen.”
Free online course on understanding and preventing the spread of coronavirus
With 71,429 cases in 25 countries and sadly 1,775 deaths so far in 4 countries – 1,772 in China and one each in Japan, the Philippines and France – the novel coronavirus outbreak currently constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.* There is now a free online course open for registration on “COVID-19: Tackling the Novel Coronavirus” from experts at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, a renowned institute of public health, available on FutureLearn.com, the leading social learning platform. Understanding and preventing the spread of Coronavirus The online course is focussed on the outbreak of novel coronavirus, officially named COVID-19, and will cover what is known about the disease outbreak so far, what the practical implications for response are, how to prevent the spread of coronavirus, and what is needed for the future. The course will start on 23 March and is suitable for everyone, from those working in healthcare to anyone interested in the subject and the response more generally. The course will run for three weeks and will require approximately four hours of study per week. The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, who will be running this online course, was named Times Higher Education University of the Year 2016 for its response to the Ebola outbreak which included, among many other things, an online course, Ebola in Context, on FutureLearn. That course saw over 18,000 enrolments from over 185 countries including Sierra Leone, which was badly affected by the epidemic. The course will be led by Dr Anna Seale and Dr Maryirene Ibeto from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Dr Anna Seale, Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, said:“The response to COVID-19 is an international effort, requiring worldwide collaboration and transparency. This course, which is open to participants around the world, aims to bring together expertise, and share knowledge on what we know to date and what we are still learning about the virus and how to combat it.” Dr Maryirene Ibeto, Research Coordinator at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, commented:“Through this course, we aim to facilitate communities of practice, connecting those working with, or interested in, COVID-19. By pooling our knowledge to fill gaps in our knowledge about the virus, we stand the best chance of stopping this outbreak in its tracks.” Simon Nelson, Chief Executive at FutureLearn, commented, “Our purpose is to transform access to education. For me, that means working with institutions like the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine to support them to get information out into the public domain as quickly as possible that is accessible all over the world. When we worked with them on the Ebola course, we saw the impact. We played a small part in helping with the response to Ebola and we’re pleased to be able to support with the response to Coronavirus.” The course is free to start and learners can upgrade for £29 which gives them access to course content for as long as the course remains on the FutureLearn platform, and access to tests in order to be eligible to gain a certificate if they complete the course and score at least 70% on any tests.
Survey proves link between laundry and quality of life in the care sector
Miele research finds that allowing residents to do their own washing, as well as prioritising infection control, leads to happier lives.
Award helps Avoid Hospital Admissions
Ann Drea, a band 6 locum occupational therapist working in a Pilot Front of House Team at Hinchingbrooke Hospital, was the proud winner of the Cosyfeet OT Award 2019. Her £1000 award money was used to purchase assessment equipment to facilitate a safe and speedy return home for clients. Here is Ann’s account of how the assessment equipment is being used to avoid hospital admissions.The Front of House team operates a pilot frailty project and is part of the intermediate care tier of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust. This scheme runs within Hinchingbrooke hospital, receiving referrals from the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E), the Acute Assessment Unit (AAU) and the Fracture Clinic. The small team consists of occupational therapists and therapy assistants who work closely with multi-disciplinary teams (MDTs) within each of the above areas to assess persons who are medically fit for discharge but may have ongoing therapy needs. They may therefore require holistic social or health assessments to determine if we can facilitate a safe and timely discharge to their pre-admission destination. The provision of equipment is a compensatory approach to support a person to execute daily functions that are currently challenging. This approach, when used in conjunction with education and therapy delivery, reassures the person and/or their care givers and enables them to be more accepting of support, if even for a temporary period, until they are at their baseline. The assessment stock, funded by the Cosyfeet OT Award, consists of essential items to best support a person at home and provides the FOH team with an immediate source of equipment for carrying out assessments. Appropriate items can then be ordered for swift delivery to a person’s home address. This also supports health and social care community teams, as necessary items are in situ, ready for their professional follow up intervention.We are witnessing more and more ‘casual’ hospital attendances whereby no appointment is needed, for instance at A&E, which in turn puts a huge strain on such services (James et al 2016). A greater number of individuals aged over 65 now present with falls, lack of social input (“acopia”), increased confusion (often associated with a background of dementia), reduced mobility and unwell (“off legs”) and/or an exacerbation of a pre-existing long term condition such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These are not usually life-threatening medical emergencies. The majority of our referrals are the older patient population who require more assessment time than other patients due to their complex comorbidities. This can lead to delays in discharge because of the time needed to explore the most appropriate discharge pathway. From a FOH therapy perspective, we can identify and assess those who have the potential for discharge back to their own homes to avoid unnecessary admission onto an acute ward, and so reduce bed-days. FOH use a non-standardised form of assessment referred to as a My Discharge Plan. This paperwork accompanies the individual whilst in hospital. The findings of the MDP often involve:(i) further therapy input across general physical and cognitive functioning to enable the person to return to their baseline.(ii) equipment needs in order to support a return to baseline and/or remain at their current baseline level.(iii) requisitioning a suitable package of care (POC) and or social input.(iv) actively referring to community services to support the individual’s discharge home e.g. community therapy, assistive technology, and/or:(v) signposting to relevant services. The role of therapy within the FOH service is broad as the assessment is a holistic picture, however, a key aspect of this involves assessing and identifying the need for equipment that may support the person to carry out their day-to-day activities independently. Experience shows that a “tell, do and show” approach instils greater understanding and willingness to engage. “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand” (Confucius). Examples of the use of assessment stock to supported individuals are as follows:Karen, a 66-year-old lady, presented with bilateral ankle fractures following a fall. Her house has many internal steps. With advice on developing a micro home environment and the trial of a gutter frame and glide commode, Karen was enabled to get home and commence with bed-chair-commode (variation) transfers until review by the fracture clinic. This allowed her to stay within her own environment, supported by her partner, without the need for an overnight stay and/or an interim bed. Steve, a 72-year-old gentleman, presented due to a fall when transferring from bed. Steve lives with his wife and has a substantial medical history but is a very independent man. He continues to master the stairs, has been struggling with bed and toilet transfers and has an unsteady gait with his stick. Prior to his fall Steve had been reluctant to have any equipment. After exploring identified aids for himself, including a bed handle, a wheeled Zimmer frame (WZF) and a free-standing toilet frame (FSTF), both he and his wife could see how they would help him to conserve energy and provide a means of remaining at home with a reduced risk of falls.Mick, a 95-year-old gentleman, was referred from A&E to AAU due to a fall within the bathroom at home. Mick lives alone and remains independent with activities of daily living (ADLs) but experiences increased pain on movement. His baseline mobility is with a stick. Mick consented to explore the use of a WZF due to his unsteady presentation. He relies on armrests to support his STS (sit to stand). There was currently no frame around his toilet at home and he leaned heavily on a towel rail. He agreed to explore a FSTF to aid his transfers. After being able to try equipment out he consented to having a WZF and FSTF until he was stronger. He also agreed to involve community therapy follow-up to explore other concerns such as bathing transfers regarding falls prevention, and to maintain his independence. Our new stock of demonstration equipment is vital as it avoids us having to rely on merely explaining it or having
Why January 2020 was a bad month for care homes
So far 2020 has seen a run of bad luck for care homes as multiple closures, a council investigation and a poor CQC rating hit three areas in the space of a few weeks. Third inadequate rating in a row St Nicholas Care Home in Sheringham, Norfolk was shut down on 24 January following its third consecutive ‘inadequate’ CQC rating.The care home was operated by ADR Care Homes, which also runs Hill House and Keneydon House – rated by the CQC as ‘good’ and ‘requires improvement’ respectively.Following the most recent inspection, carried out in November but only published last week, the CQC report began: “At this inspection we found a continuation of failings at this service. Sufficient action had still not been taken to address the seven breaches of the regulations we found at our previous inspections in November 2018 and May 2019. At this inspection in November 2019, we found an additional breach of the regulations.”Continued breaches concerned failures to implement robust governance systems, which included a manager in post for 9 months who had not been registered as a care home manager with the CQC. Residents’ care records contained “incorrect and inconsistent” information and a safeguarding incident had not been reported.As well as failures over privacy and leadership, the report said cleanliness was an issue and infection control measures were poor. Seven care homes in one area set to close Over in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, an online petition was launched by relatives of those living in The Spinney after the council moved to close the facility along with six others.Put on the chopping block by Derbyshire Council Council (DCC) due to the need for extensive repairs, the Spinney was deemed to have been below the required standard for local residents.Surveys carried out in the seven homes found that even after remedial repair work was carried out, standards were still low and the layout of the homes impractical for use with disabled residents.Karen Tracey, who started the Change.org petition to save The Spinney as her grandmother resides there, said: “When we heard the news that The Spinney, amongst other local care homes, was likely going to be closed we were very upset. Not just for the residents, who will likely need to be placed elsewhere, breaking up friendships and social bonds, but also for the dedicated staff who work there.”Helen Jones, DCC’s head of adult and social care, said the closures were “regrettable” but cited a number of health and safety risks, including faulty electrics and roofing, as the reason for the decision.As the seven care homes are under threat of closure, three have been earmarked for refurbishment to improve standards. A consultation with the public is launching on 31 January. Legionella risk at care home Meanwhile, a Shrewsbury care home was rated ‘inadequate’ due to poor medicine storage and the potential risk of Legionella in unflushed water pipes.Although the caring, responsiveness and effectiveness of Coton Hill House was deemed to be good, the overall CQC rating was ‘requires improvement’ as safety and leadership were called into question during the inspection on 2 January.Coton Hill House, which is run by Coverage Care Services Limited, had failed to record the required safety checks for Legionella – despite some rooms with sinks and taps remaining vacant for long periods, which creates the perfect environment for Legionella to thrive.Medicine had also been stored in a fridge past the recommended 90 days after opening, and then given to a resident.The report said: “These issues were a breach of regulation 12 (Safe Care and Treatment) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.”
King’s Lodge Care-Home rated ‘Good’ in all areas by CQC
Aura Care Living, one of the UK’s leading providers of luxury retirement and nursing care, is delighted to announce that its recent inspection by industry regulatory body, the Care Quality Commission, has returned an outstanding report praising the improvements and excellent standards within the home, with an all-round rating of ‘Good’. King’s Lodge has experienced significant growth and development over the past 6 months, seeing the number of residents grow from 13 to 37 as the establishment has become more and more known for its unparalleled offering within the care sector. King’s Lodge is run by General Manager Sarah Jane Parkin, who has been with the company since August 2019. Sarah’s energetic and dynamic leadership has steered the home from strength to strength, evident in this recent CQC report, which can be read here: https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-4021653954. Prior to working at King’s Lodge Sarah, a mental health nurse by profession, has worked in acute mental health, forensic mental health, and child and adolescent mental health. She has a passion for care for the elderly and those living with dementia. Sarah has worked for various local providers, and has specialist skills that lie with commissioning new services and improving standards for care homes that may have been struggling. A group of people standing in front of a buildingDescription automatically generatedA group of people in a roomDescription automatically generatedKings Lodge is part of the Aura Care Living collection which is built on the foundation of fundamentally changing later-life living, while setting new standards of excellence. Linda Lloyd, CEO of Aura Care says: “The latest feedback from the CQC shows our dedication to providing the very best to our residents and community. Aura Care Living puts the residents at the heart of everything we do, and the latest rating is a reflection of the dedication and hard work from our community of highly trained staff.”
Increasing the adult social care workforce
A national campaign to increase the adult social care workforce has launched. The ‘There’s More to Care Than Caring’ recruitment campaign features stories from adult care workers. Across Scotland around 145,000 people currently work in adult social care in a range of roles, including supporting people with physical disabilities, dementia, autism, older people and those with mental health conditions. The campaign, which has been developed in collaboration with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) and key partners in the social care sector, will run across radio, online, newspapers and social media. Health Secretary Jeane Freeman and Children and Young People Minister Maree Todd attended the campaign launch at community hub Tribe Porty in Portobello, Edinburgh. Ms Freeman said: “Working in adult social care can be hugely rewarding – for many it’s more than a job, it’s work they give enormous commitment to. “As today’s report from the Care Inspectorate and SSSC highlights, one of the main difficulties services face when trying to fill vacancies is not having enough applicants or the right applicants. That is exactly what this campaign seeks to address. “Brexit presents a clear threat to the future of our health and social care services and the EU workforce make a valuable contribution to this sector as well as others. As a responsible government we will continue to do all we can to support our health and social care services.” Lee Robertson, 43, is a care worker at Enable Scotland, who moved to the sector after working in retail. He supports Steven Imlah, 25, who features in the campaign and works at Tribe Porty. Lee said: “I love being a carer and I’m passionate about letting others know why it’s such a rewarding and satisfying career choice. “In my previous job, I honestly felt like I was working for the sake of it. But now that I’m caring for Steven, I feel like I’ve found my calling and come away every day knowing that I’ve made a big difference. It’s a good feeling. “Day to day, you provide personal and practical support to help people live their lives. Like any job, it’s not without its challenges but if you have the right qualities then you will enjoy it. “You will also get the chance to build a great career. I’d urge anyone stuck in a bit of a rut or just looking for a change to consider making the move to be a care worker. Like me, you too might find your passion.” Background: Find out more about careers in adult social care at CareToCare.scot For more information contact Fraser Clarke or Nadine Reilly on 0131 561 5628 or asc@stripecommunications.com
