Blood Clot Survivor Launches Product To Help Save Lives – And NHS Cash
A man who almost died from a blood clot is to launch a product which could save the NHS millions of pounds a year. Paul Westerman suffered a massive pulmonary embolism – the result of a deep vein thrombosis – in 2011 and has spent the last eight years researching the condition and working with experts within respiratory and thrombotic medicine. Now the 51-year-old, in conjunction with leading clinicians and a world- renowned product designer, has created the RBR legflow – which helps improve the venous blood flow in the lower limbs of individuals when seated. Paul said: “DVT and PE costs the NHS over £200 million every single year. But clinical research reveals that many blood clots are entirely preventable. “With this in mind, we would like to see the RBR leg flow available in every hospital, care home, work place, air plane, gaming environment, and environment where an individual is likely to be sedentary for over an hour.” are approved by the FDA and EPA. The RBR leg flow was created with Mr Westerman added: “Using an the input of Professor Richard Beasley, active antimicrobial ingredient in director of the Medical Research the RBR legflow has enabled us to Institute of New Zealand and a world differentiate our product from those authority on respiratory medicine who has undertaken ground-breaking research of ‘e-thrombosis’. He said: “Research from the MRINZ has shown that this device markedlyincreases lower limb venous blood flow,thereby potentially reducing the risk of blood clots, in people who sit for long periods at work or with long-distance air travel.” As part of its design, the RBR legflow is manufactured with an antimicrobial ingredient which offers excellent protection against bacteria, biofilm, fungi and mould, and has no adverse effect on the RBR legflo properties. This antimicrobial element remains effective for the lifetime of the product and all the active components used of our competitors and dramatically reduce the risk of cross-infection. “This means the RBR legflow is theperfect solution for the prevention, care and treatment of deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism within the NHS and other health care providers globally.”
Smart Home Social Care
As the population ages, the demand for high quality carers rises. By 2026 it’s predicted that the UK will need around 420,000 more carers, but with the current vacancy rate high and the amount of those showing interest in the care sector diminishing, it’s important that technology is utilised in order to help fill the gaps and provide the best social care possible. Some countries are already embracing technologies in their infancy such as smart home devices and robotics in order to enhance their care levels. Japan, for example, has made care bots prominent in its Shin-tomi nursing home and has committed to funding the development of more devices. The UK has been slower to adopt technology into its healthcare system but changes are starting to be made. For example, in 2017 Southend-on-Sea was the first council to employ a humanoid robot to assist older people with certain tasks. Is this just the start? Could the future see each elderly or vulnerable individual accompanied by humanoids? It’s clear we’re not there yet, but in the meantime what else could be done? Helen Dempster, Chief Visionary Officer, Karantis360, discusses how human and bot could soon work together to improve domiciliary care. More than a Bandaid Rather than being seen as a bandaid for stretched resources, digital solutions should lead the way to a better type of care. This year the Social Care Digital Innovation Movement has allocated ten authorities to receive up to £30,000 to design a digital solution to address a specific issue within their service, and eight will be receiving up to a further £90,000 to support implementation. This level of commitment to digital progress shows just how seriously the industry is taking the potential impact of digital solutions. The use of smart home technology is rising and with this comes wider levels of acceptance. The changing attitudes towards devices such as the Amazon Alexa are enabling these technologies to be used in all different sorts of ways. One council even recently started to use Alexa as a way of reducing the levels of isolation felt by its elderly constituents. As people start to live more regularly with these devices and consider technology more friend than foe, they are becoming more accepting of adopting other devices. This is not to say that cared for and carers alike want to be subjected to constant CCTV or biometric scanners, but unobtrusive technologies are more welcomed. IoT sensors can unassumingly monitor movement, humidity, and temperature across a home enabling a care organisation to rapidly gain a picture of each individual’s day to day routine – information that is then key to flagging changes which could reveal a problem. These AI based tools arm carers with better information and enable them to intervene at the right time and create a care programme that best suits the needs of the individual. This information also provides a platform for the end to end digitisation of healthcare, co-ordinating the ecosystem of local authorities, healthcare providers, NHS Trusts, GPs, registered nurses and care homes, inspiring a more proactive and interlinked approach to care. To Bot or Not to Bot? So what about robotics? Although it may feel a world away, humanoid robots are making real inroads within social care in other countries. When it comes to the UK however there’s been hesitancy. In part, this is due to budget restrictions, with the initial costs appearing eye-watering. On the other side of the problem is the perception of droids. The numerous sci-fi depictions of robots gone rogue, the uncertainty as to whether human jobs would be at risk, and the worry that the elderly would be afraid of the devices, all stack against introducing humanoids into the care system. In Tokyo’s Shin-tomi nursing home, 20 different models of robots are used to help care for residents, but how could they best be used unsupervised and in an individual’s home? These devices aren’t meant to be intrusive, they are meant to be inclusive. They can give prompts to the individual, help them complete tasks with step by step instructions, play games with them and even connect them via video calls with their families. This video connection could also be used as a real-time feed should a warning alert be triggered. In this case, care providers monitoring for any issues could then use the two-way communication feed through the droid to ask the individual to confirm if everything is as it should be. If a response doesn’t come through, the provider would then be allowed to remotely check the camera feed in order to assess the initial situation and enable them to respond faster to any issues. Presently droids can’t be seen as 24/7 care monitoring systems, they need time to charge and there are also still issues with them navigating some of the daily aspects in life, such as stairs. It’s also reasonable that individuals may want time alone, for example, when going to sleep. This is why a combined approach of droids and sensors would be the most beneficial strategy for all parties. When combined with IoT sensors they can also give a constant and fuller picture of the physical health of the client. Together these technologies can better monitor the physical movements of a person to help diagnose conditions earlier, from smaller problems such as urinary tract infections to identifying early signs of dementia. Alerts via these devices can then help carers and family members to ask the right questions and get to the heart of any problem faster. The Smaller Details Bots still have a way to go before they become widely adopted as a domiciliary care tool, but the technological solutions needed to start improving levels of care today may prove to be simpler than some think. Ultimately what any solution should aim to do is allow carers to focus on their clients and improve the wellbeing of the individual. There are solutions available that can have an immediate effect. By leveraging IoT sensors to provide a real-time view
Skills for Care launches new guide to help services improve
Skills for Care has launched a new online guide to help social care employers to identify, plan and implement improvements across their service The ‘Guide to improvement’ offers a comprehensive toolkit to help organisations deliver high quality care and support, and meet regulatory standards. The guide was created because, at the beginning of this year, 17% of regulated adult social care services in England were still delivering care that didn’t meet the CQC’s fundamental standards. Organisations need to act quickly to make sure that they meet these standards, as, when quality begins to drop, they’re much more likely to need costly interventions to turn that service around. Even when a service is already achieving the CQC’s fundamental standards continuous improvement is a key part of achieving and maintaining a ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ rating. Skills for Care’s project manager, Rob Hargreaves, knows from working with employers that continuous improvement is vital for any service so they can meet the needs of the people they support. “Whether you’re responding to a negative inspection, or striving for ‘outstanding’, making improvement brings lots of benefits, no matter what your CQC rating,” says Rob Hargreaves. “As a manager, it’s your responsibility to decide what you want to improve and how you’ll do that. A CQC inspection provides an independent assessment of your service, and gives you the essential and potential areas for improvement to ensure that you meet, and exceed, their fundamental standards – but your CQC inspection shouldn’t be the only thing that drives improvement in your service. “’Good’ and ‘outstanding’ rated providers invest in a robust quality assurance process that considers feedback from people who need care and support, families, staff and other stakeholders, and use this to make informed decisions about their service. “They have strong leaders and managers, committed staff and a positive workplace culture that support improvement, and make the right investments to ensure it happens.” The online guide will help adult social care employers to identify what their service needs to improve and develop an action plan to implement the required changes. You can download the guide free from Skills for Care’s website at www.skillsforcare.org.uk/guidetoimprovement
Borough Care Appoints New Area Managers
Borough Care has appointed Chrisi Williams and Geraldine Blow as new Area Managers. Borough Care is the largest not-for-profit provider of care for older people in Stockport and has eleven homes across the borough. As Area Managers, Chrisi and Geraldine will support the Managers at each of Borough Care’s homes, to develop a culture of continuous improvement. Making sure Borough Care’s homes continue to provide a safe, harmonious environment for residents, and support their physical and emotional wellbeing, will be a critical part of the job. Chrisi and Geraldine will also ensure Borough Care’s homes meet regulatory and contractual compliance requirements. Commenting on what attracted her to Borough Care, Chrisi Williams says: “Having previously inspected some of Borough Care’s homes, I knew the company’s ethos and values of compassion, aspiration and respect matched my own. Borough Care is committed to providing the highest quality of care to its residents. As a not-for-profit organisation, Borough Care reinvests any surplus money into the services it offers; serving the best interests of residents and their families, which is something I support.” Geraldine Blow has first-hand experience of Borough Care’s service, as her mother has been a resident in a Borough Care home for the past five years. Geraldine says: “As a Care Quality Commission Inspector, I inspected some of Borough Care’s homes and was so impressed with the standard of individualised care given to people that when my mother needed care we, as a family, chose for her to live in one of the homes.” Like Chrisi, Geraldine believes Borough Care’s values are in line with her own. Geraldine says: “I, like Borough Care, believe everyone should be encouraged and supported to live their best possible life, whatever their age, health or capabilities. People should receive the highest standard of care, provided by kind, compassionate and well trained staff, and I am looking forward to playing my part in delivering this at Borough Care.” Chrisi and Geraldine both previously worked as Inspectors for the Care Quality Commission and both live in Stockport. For more information about Borough Care and their area managers click here
£7.5m sheltered housing scheme opens at Danemore Tenterden
A major landmark in Ashford Borough Council’s multi-million-pound modernisation plan for its sheltered housing schemes has seen the re-opening of the £7.5m Danemore scheme in Tenterden. Located at Beechy Path and a short walk from the town centre, the new-look Danemore provides 34 homes for affordable rent for older people, together with four chalet bungalows which will be sold on the open market. Modelled on the multi-award-winning Farrow Court scheme developed by the council in south Ashford, Danemore has 25 one bedroom and nine two-bedroom apartments, built to a high quality that are care ready. “The first tenants have moved in and I’m delighted to say that we are already seeing a really happy community atmosphere being generated there,” said Sharon Williams, Head of Housing at Ashford Borough Council. The first people to call Danemore home are enjoying a range of high-quality facilities. There is a large cosy communal lounge and kitchen, laundry room, guest suite, buggy store and cycle racks. A treatment room provides hair dressing, nail bar and podiatrist and chiropodist massage chair plus foot spa. A real community feel is fostered by the inclusion of shared facilities, including ‘hubs’ or sub lounges in addition to a main communal lounge located on the ground floor. The scheme has been designed to maximise natural daylight in each home and through the many shared spaces. Just as much care and thought has gone into designing exterior spaces at Danemore. The traditionally built carbon friendly flats incorporate a large area of green roofing, with each flat benefiting from a winter garden balcony protected by a glazed screen. There are architect landscaped designed garden spaces with potting shed and raised beds for residents to use. Security and connectivity are high priorities at Danemore – the scheme has CCTV monitored both on and off site, a video door entry system, a sprinkler system fitted in every apartment, the council-controlled Lifeline system installed and free WiFi in the lounge, with Freeview and Freesat also available in each of the 34 apartments. A manager is available to ensure the smooth running of the scheme, while ABC’s own Handyman service is able to help with maintenance work. Danemore is designed to be dementia-friendly throughout, taking into account colour schemes, light, corridor lengths, patterns and memory shelves. The scheme has been devised in recognition of the need to make special provision for the needs of an ageing population – by 2026 it is anticipated that around 40% of the residents within the Ashford borough will be aged over 50. Danemore costs around £7.5m, paid for through the council’s housing revenue account and grant funding from Homes England. Sharon Williams said: “Ashford Borough Council has a strong track record of taking an innovative approach to delivering quality accommodation that meets the needs of our residents. Our approach to the health and housing agenda is leading the way and gives people the chance to live independently, providing a range of cost, social and health benefits. “Farrow Court was the first project in our proactive approach to sheltered scheme remodelling and it has set the bar high. With the addition of Danemore and other schemes in the pipeline, we are making real progress in tackling the needs of an ageing population and helping to reduce social isolation.” The old Danemore sheltered housing scheme was demolished in 2017, with the new facility built by Westridge Construction Ltd, with architects PRP also involved.
Kathleen celebrates her 102nd birthday
CENTENARIAN Kathleen Cattermole has celebrated her 102nd birthday with family and friends at her care home in Derbyshire. A party was held at Longmoor Lodge Care Home, on Longmoor Lane, Sandiacre. She received cards, flowers and a homemade birthday cake as well as eight cupcakes decorated to spell her name. After the birthday bash, she said: “I feel good about reaching 102 years young.” Born in April 1917 in Long Eaton, Kathleen lived on Cranmer Street, before meeting her future husband at her aunt’s wedding, where she was a bridesmaid. From the age of 14, she worked as a clerk, rising to chief wage clerk by the time she married James Frederick William Cattermole in April 1947, at Ilkeston Registry Office. During World War 2, she received training on how to put out fires with stirrup pumps, spending her evenings fire watching. She said: “We had training but never had to put any fires out. We also had two soldiers billeted with us during the War. Everyone had to do their bit.” Kathleen has always been a keen dancer and used to tour the Nottingham clubs, ballroom and sequence dancing. She was also a pianist and performed alongside her brother, Harold Mason, who played the violin. She said: “He used to tap me on the head with his bow if I ever went wrong.” She has two children, daughter Zena and son Cliff, as well as five grandchildren and five great grandchildren, who visited the home for her party. Julie Mulvany, home manager at Longmoor Lodge Care Home, said: “Kathleen has been living at Longmoor Lodge for six years now. “She enjoyed a lovely party with her family on Saturday and today staff have given her some flowers. “Everyone has thoroughly enjoyed celebrating Kathleen’s milestone birthday with her and she has had a lovely time seeing family and friends.” Longmoor Lodge Care Homeis part of the Hill Care Group. For further information visit www.hillcare.net.
Market Drayton home delivering outstanding care
A north Shropshire care home has become one of only a few in the county to be awarded a rare ‘ outstanding ‘ rating by independent watchdogs. Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission praised staff at Woodcroft in Market Drayton for their “exceptional service” and how they respected and valued residents and empowered them to get involved in their care following the unannounced visit last month. The 50-bed home caters for older people and those with dementia in long term residential or respite care. It underwent an inspection by a CQC team on February 22 and was marked against five categories to assess whether it was caring, responsive, safe, effective and well led, receiving an overall outstanding recommendation. Woodcroft in Croft Way isrun bythenot-for-profit organisation Coverage Care, Shropshire’s largest independent care provider. So far in 2019, inspections of two other Coverage Care homes – New Fairholme in Oswestry, and Briarfields in Shrewsbury – have resulted in ‘good’ ratings. The inspection team questioned 11 residents, seven relatives, and staff including managers and carers and reviewed medical and care records as well as staff files to make its assessment. The official report said services were tailored to meet the needs of individuals and delivered to ensure flexibility, choice and continuity of care while the home’s leaders and the service culture they created “drove and improved high-quality, person-centred care”. It added: “The service provided outstanding care and emotional support to people living in the home. Staff demonstrated a real empathy for the people they cared for. “The service’s visions and values promoted people’s rights to make choices and live a dignified and fulfilled life, this was reflected in the care and support that people received. “Without exception people, their relatives and professionals told us they experienced compassionate care from staff. This ensured the service was run in the best interest of people who used the service.” David Coull, Chief Executive of Coverage Care, said: “This is a superb report that has reinforced the incredible work that is being done by the team at Woodcroft. “Every single aspect of the service provided at Woodcroft has been examined and adapted to deliver the best outcomes for the residents and this has been reflected in the outstanding rating. We are very proud of the team at Woodcroft and will be using their experience as examples of best practice across our network of homes.” Woodcroft Manager Kelly Lowry, who was noted in the report for her “exceptional leadership qualities, drive and enthusiasm”, added: “Our aim is to deliver a home from home environment where residents are respected and receive the highest standard of care possible. “One of the most gratifying things to read in this report were comments from inspectors, the residents and relatives about the compassion of our team. We are delighted to be one of just a few ‘outstanding’ homes in Shropshire and will carry on working hard to deliver the best care.” For more information about outstanding care click here.
Maidstone care home ‘rocks against dementia’ with music festival
Ashley Gardens Care Centre in Maidstone has hosted a music festival to help raise awareness of dementia and to encourage support for those living with the condition. The home has partnered with Purple Angel Dementia Project, an organisation that strives to offer a better standard of life for people living with dementia, through music. Purple Angel has hosted ‘World Rocks against Dementia’, asking people around the world to hold any kind of music events to join together in spreading awareness. Ashley Gardens supported the campaign with their own music festival on Friday March 22nd. A variety of local performers took to the stage, as well as one of Ashley Garden’s talented staff members. Residents and visitors were entertained by talented acts including the Kettle Bridge Concertinas, The Singing Barber, The Tragic Mushrooms and staff nurse James who played his guitar. Staff from the home also took part in the event, serving guests food and drink and handing out fun festival props such as glow-sticks! The team were also joined by residents, staff and visitors from five other local care homes. Home Manager Jo Mazza said, “Music is a big part of life at Ashley Homes and our music festival was a great way to celebrate this. “We recently partnered with Purple Angel Music, bringing their music devices into the home to help our residents who live with dementia, connect to happy memories from their past. We see such utter happiness in their faces when they hear their favourite music so we know just how important it is to include music in every day life at our home. “I hope that our visitors enjoyed the day as much as our residents and staff and that we helped to raise further awareness of dementia and how we can help support those who face its challenges every day.” Ashley Gardens Care Centre is part of the Healthcare Homes Group and is based on Sutton Road in Maidstone. It provides residential and nursing care for up to 89 people.For more information on the music festival and the range of services provided, visit www.healthcarehomes.co.uk or call 01622 761 310.
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust recruitment drive
Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust is on a recruitment drive to attract more mental health nurses to work across Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT), which provides mental health, learning disability and community health services for one million people living in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland is looking to recruit more mental health nurses. According to statistics from the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the number of mental health nurses fell from 90,693 to 88,821 between 2014 and 2018[i]. LPT is addressing the shortage across Leicestershire by promoting the region as a leading career destination for mental health nurses, highlighting the many opportunities available. There are vacancies for experienced mental health nurses, including Bank Community Psychiatric Nurse-Band 6 positions which involve working as part of the secondary care services team, providing assessments and treatment packages for a range of service users aged 16-65 years with complex mental health needs. Other opportunities include Band 5 Bank Mental Health/Learning Disabilities staff nurses, ideal for mental health nurses looking for a change of area or more flexibility to better manage their work life balance and a Band 6 Mental Health Practitioner to join the Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team at the Bradgate Mental Health Unit at Glenfield Hospital. Joanne Lock is a Ward Matron at the Bradgate Mental Health Unit, part of Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust. She works on an acute ward for women aged 18-65 years and is responsible for the operational and clinical running of the ward and manages a team of 30 staff. The ward is a short-term acute ward, where women with conditions such as paranoid schizophrenia, bipolar and severe depression or severe anxiety will be admitted for around 30 days. Joanne has been a mental health nurse for 16 years and loves her job. She says, “My role is hugely varied, no two days are the same. I love the patient contact and building up a relationship with them and their families to support them to get better. We work with some of the most vulnerable people in society and one of the most rewarding things for me is seeing patients progress and go home. Joanne highlights there are great opportunities for career development and training at the Trust. She says, “The Trust invests a lot into training. As well as mandatory courses, staff can choose courses to progress their careers. I’ve been on several leadership courses, and we’re currently supporting a member of staff to do her degree. We have good links with the universities, so this is a good place to start your career.” “We are currently in the second year of a five year all-age transformation of mental health and learning disability services, working with staff, service users and carers to improve experience within all our care pathways, including innovative new developments such as social prescribing to peer supporters. It is a great time to join and be a part of shaping our future.” The Trust also supports the health and wellbeing of staff. Joanne says, “Mental health nursing is a highly pressurised and challenging role, but the Trust promotes health and wellbeing. There are part-time and flexible roles and the Trust is a strong advocate of achieving a good work life balance, which helps with recruitment and retention. There are yoga session and Zumba classes available and health and wellbeing baskets are sent to staff regularly, which include snacks and drinks such as popcorn, health bars and healthy tea. This is a nice touch and makes staff feel valued.” Joanne is originally from Nottingham and trained there but has been in Leicester for 13 years now. She says, “I love living in Leicester. It’s a wonderfully vibrant and culturally diverse area, with easy access to the rest of the UK. It’s also the tenth largest city in the UK. Housing is affordable, which enables nurses to get on the housing ladder, plus it’s surrounded by beautiful countryside. Leicester City is also renowned now for its sporting achievements, especially winning the football League in 2015/16, which was an amazing time to be in the city”. LPT is part of a recently launched recruitment campaign Y/Our Future that unites five major health and social care employers – University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, LOROS Hospice, Rutland County Council and Leicester City Council – to recruit doctors, nurses and health and social care workers to work in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Y/Our Future aims to promote Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland as a leading career destination for health and social care professionals, with great career and lifestyle opportunities. For more information on the vacancies visit: https://www.your-future.co.uk/
