Newcross News Issue 10

newcrossnews 

CONNECTING WITH HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS 

Issue 10 | Spring 2017 

www.newcrosshealthcare.com 

“It was 

so vastly 

different!” 

Life in the Calais 

Jungle as seen by 

Healthcare Assistant 

Tess Howard 

Reach for the sky! 

OUR TOP PERFORMERS WIN A TRIP TO LONDON 

– AND A FLIGHT ON THE LONDON EYE 

Nurses talk 

Clinical Excellence: 

a day of workshops 

and discussion 

PAGE 06 

A day in the 

life of… 

Bristol’s Kate 

Hayward 

PAGE 12 

Rise in falls 

When someone 

has fallen, how do 

you respond? 

PAGE 18

GREAT MUM OR 

GREAT NURSE? 

Commitments at home needn’t stop you 

from pursuing your career in healthcare. 

We offer competitive rates and shifts to 

fit with your family life. 

Find out more today. 

www.newcrosshealthcare.com

Welcome to the latest edition of 

newcrossnews! 

12 

2017 is off to a flying start for Newcross. We’ve welcomed some 

fantastic new starters to the team, and have already expanded our 

Woking and Bournemouth branches and launched a Southend-on- 

Sea branch. 

In this edition Stephen takes a look at the widening skills gap in the 

healthcare sector, where the removal of student nurse bursaries 

are predicted to put a strain on the industry, with a decline in nurse 

degree applications already occurring. He identifies the steps needed 

to be taken by the government and what exciting training courses 

Newcross has been putting in place. You can read more on pages 

10 and 11. 

With the recent rise in falls, our Clinical Excellence team discuss best 

practice on pages 18 and 19, and explore what to do when responding 

to falls. Older people living in care homes are 3 times more likely to 

fall than those in the community, so we have identified the 6 things to 

remember when someone has fallen. 

In November we spent an exciting couple of days with our 100 Club, 

celebrating our office staff top performers. We whisked away 28 staff 

to London where we took part in some thrilling activities, including 

team building events and experiencing the smash hit musical 

Mamma Mia! 

We hope you enjoy our Spring Edition. 

Michelle Gorringe RN 

Managing Director 

Stephen Pattrick 

Chief Executive Officer 

6 7 

Contents 

04 In the news 

14 

06 Super Troupers and Nurses 

talk Clinical Excellence 

07 Staff Focus: Carol Thompson 

08 The Briefing 

10 Mind the Gap: the worrying 

loss of trained professionals 

12 A Day in the Life of.... 

14 Healthcare Heroes 

16 Ecowatch 

17 You Have Been Heard! 

18 Best Practice: a Rise in Falls 

20 Healthy habits for busy people 

22 Learning & Development 

Update 

Chief Marketing Officer | Matt Woods | matt.woods@newcrosshealthcare.com 

Digital Marketing and Advertising Manager | Sarah Gill | sarah.gill@newcrosshealthcare.com 

Communications and Engagement Executive | Olivia Hamilton | olivia.hamilton@newcrosshealthcare.com 

Marketing Assistant | Jamie Ford | jamie.ford@newcrosshealthcare.com 

Marketing Assistant | Sophie Hawkins | sophie.hawkins@newcrosshealthcare.com 

Contributions | Claire Stanley and Alex Hall 

T: 01803 867800 E: communications@newcrosshealthcare.com 

This magazine is printed on 100% recycled paper 

www.newcrosshealthcare.com | newcrossnews | 3

IN THE NEWS | HEALTHCARE STORIES 

In the news 

In this edition of Newcrossnews we wanted to give you a quick round-up of the work you’ve 

been doing to support many local charities across your regions and on a national level. 

The generosity of Newcross 

Last year we had four dedicated charities we pledged 

to raise funds for: Sport Relief, Macmillan, Children 

in Need and the NSPCC Bobble Hat and Christmas 

Jumper Day. 

With these charities came the generous donations 

from the Newcross team. We raised a total of 

£4,373.79 for these amazing causes. Due to everyone’s 

input, people in the UK and around the world will be 

leading better lives. Thank you for your contribution 

Doubling the “five a day” 

rule for us all 

A major study by the Imperial College of London has 

found that eating 10 pieces of fruit and vegetables 

a day can help us to live longer. Astoundingly, it was 

suggested that by consuming 10 portions per day, 

we could lower the risk of heart disease by 24%. 

Do students really get the 

support they need? 

If this recommendation is adopted, the research 

states that it could prevent nearly 8 million 

premature deaths a year. In a care setting achieving 

a “five-a-day” rule can be a challenge, so increasing 

it would only put further pressure on those who 

provide meals to service users. 

NurChat tackled a vital question regarding the future of 

nursing: “As a student nurse, do you feel you would be fully 

supported if you raised a concern while on placement?” 

Shockingly, 36% of participants felt unsupported in the 

workplace; another 36% felt only somewhat supported. 

Student nurses find themselves working in a variety of 

environments and are uniquely placed to identify and 

report concerns that could seriously effect patient and 

public safety. The lack of consistency and support felt 

by our learning community suggests huge improvements 

required in the UK’s student nurse placement system. 

4 | newcrossnews | www.newcrosshealthcare.com

HEALTHCARE STORIES | IN THE NEWS 

T’was the season 

for giving… 

Our generous Bristol and Central 

Support team swapped their Secret 

Santa gifts to giving toys to children 

and their families at Bristol Children’s 

Hospital. We’re delighted that the 

gifts can continue to bring happiness 

at a distressing time, when all 

parents want to see is a smile on 

their child’s face. 

Mental Heath Services 

under strain 

Did you know one in four UK nationals are likely to experience mental 

health problems throughout their lifetime, with more than half of all 

issues beginning by the tender age of 14? 

Featuring strongly in healthcare news over the past six months, mental 

health services in the UK are reaching crisis point. That’s why Newcross 

is now proud to be working with mental health service provider Cygnet 

to bring much-needed care to local communities. 

‘Alarming’ paperwork 

results for school nurses 

A recent inquest by the Children’s Commissioner for 

England has found that, on average, school nurses 

spend twice as much time on paperwork and admin 

tasks than face-to-face care. The Commissioner 

later described this as “alarming”. 

We asked what has caused this apparent increase 

in paperwork, and out of the 800 nurses that 

responded, many believe it is down to the extremely 

high thresholds for action on child protection issues 

and the perceived difficulty to communicate with 

social services. It questions whether we want the 

nurses of the UK to be providing essential care to 

our children – or filling out paperwork? 

Animal hospital 

Heartbreaking scenes hit social media 

in December, when a video showing 

an emotional farewell between 

faithful boxer dog Mollie and her 

owner went viral. Providing 

closure and comfort for both 

parties, this again raised the 

widely debated question: 

should pets be allowed 

to visit their owners 

in hospital? 

Separation can be 

distressing, and 

this is no different 

when it comes to 

our pets. Proven 

to be an effective 

therapy, animal 

visits uplift patient spirit 

and boost morale. But is 

the risk of disease and 

infection too great? 


IN THE NEWS | SUPER TROUPERS AND NURSES TALK CLINICAL EXCELLENCE 

Super Troupers 

Each year we recognise the hard work, commitment 

and effective behaviours that our office employees put 

into their job at Newcross through our Performance 

Management Reviews. The top 10% of these reviews 

receive an invitation to a special event. 

Last November, our top 28 performers were whisked 

away for a couple of extraordinary days in London. 

Staff from Branches, Head Office and Central Support 

enjoyed a break at the luxurious St Ermin's Hotel 

where they celebrated their incredible successes over 

the past year. 

It was a fantastic couple of days, during which 

we rewarded and recognised the brilliant work 

of individuals and the landmarks they achieved. 

Michelle Gorringe said: “Our ethos is quality – from 

delivering excellence to our clients, to rewarding 

excellence from our employees. It’s the standard that 

drives us. Congratulations to all our top performers!” 

The trip included team-building and a special private 

dining experience at St Ermin’s, before they made 

their way to the West End to see the smash-hit 

musical Mamma Mia! 

After a busy day, the group relaxed in the comfort 

of their rooms ahead of a packed day of sightseeing. 

The group were lucky enough to see the spectacular 

views of Central London from the London Eye, 

followed by a champagne reception and lunch at 

the South Bank’s unique Skylon restaurant. 

Hard-working performers 

were treated to a sunny 

flight on the London Eye 

Nurses Talk Clinical Excellence 

On Tuesday 17th January, Lead Nurses, Complex Care 

Managers and our Senior Management Team came 

together to experience a day of workshops and to discuss 

a number of topics from Clinical Excellence to dementia 

to Lead Nurse roles within Newcross. 

The day was full of information and activities, which 

included promoting expertise in dementia and 

discussing the role of Lead Nurses. This centred on 

the ideals of creating the perfect nurse, including the 

characteristics they would have. 

The day gave our nurses a chance to gain more clinical 

knowledge and build relationships around the business. 

Mandy Hamilton, South West Regional Manager, 

said: “What a fantastic couple of days at our Clinical 

Conference in Bristol. Great to see so many dedicated 

and talented people in one room – it was very inspiring.” 

The day saw a multitude 

of topics being discussed 

Workshops were held throughout the day with 

discussion points including how we recruit clinically 

sound nurses and what we need to do to employ 

a good-quality nurse. 

After a day of excitement, our nurses enjoyed a crash 

course in NurChat, our online Twitter community where 

anyone interested in healthcare can get involved in 

fortnightly discussions. 


CAROL THOMPSON | PROFILE 

In each edition of Newcrossnews we want you to get to know more about your 

colleagues and their lives out of the workplace. This month we caught up with… 

CAROL THOMPSON 

BRANCH MANAGER, EDINBURGH 

Carol, tell us a little bit about yourself. 

Well, I have been married for almost 21 years, 

having met my husband when I was only 14. 

Together we have a 17-year-old son, my family is 

exceptionally important to me. 

Outside of work, we love walking and have just 

purchased a convertible sports car so we can tour 

and see much more of Scotland. We’re very active; 

we also love to cycle and try to go on a cycling 

holiday in the sunshine each year. 

When did you join the world of healthcare, and why? 

I started my career in a nursing home as soon as 

I left school. That was back in the days of Youth 

Training Schemes, when we were only getting paid 

around £20 a week! Within a month the home 

offered me a permanent job, and from there a nurse 

from an agency persuaded me to apply to do my 

nurse training. I have never looked back, I couldn’t 

imagine doing anything else. 

What does the future look like for you? 

The future looks very bright as I aim to continue to 

work in healthcare. I want to be able to continue to 

contribute and influence excellent care. It’s the work 

I love and enjoy. 

Tell us a little about your travels and your dream 

holiday destination? 

I have been lucky enough to explore many different 

cities in Europe and the United States, but I have 

to say Paris is a firm favourite. I’m not sure I have 

a dream destination, but for our 25th anniversary 

we are looking at exploring the Far East. 

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three 

things would you take with you? 

A strong companion, a boat and a GPS. 

What are you currently watching on TV? 

House of Cards – it’s very, very addictive! I have to 

remember Frank and Claire aren’t real, although given 

Carol loves exploring 

Britain by bike 

the President of the US at the moment, they might 

be a better option! 

What is your favourite film of all time? 

It has to be Pulp Fiction. 

What’s on your iPod at the moment? 

Such an eclectic range – from Dolly Parton to the 

Foo Fighters. I recently came across London Grammar 

and Royal Blood, who are also really good. 

If you had one wish what would it be? 

To stop getting older, I love life! 

Tell us what the future holds for you? 

To continue working in healthcare, to be fit, healthy 

and happy and retire when I am still able to do all the 

things I love. 

“I started my career in a 

nursing home as soon as 

I left school” 


THE BRIEFING | BRANCH MOVES AND LAUNCHES 

The Briefing 

In the last quarter there have been lots of changes across the business. As we continue 

on our exciting journey of development and expansion, we wanted to update you on 

new appointments, branch moves and more. 

Branch moves and launches 

In the last three months three branches have moved and we’ve launched 

two new sites. These developments are part of our continued dedication 

to investing in the local communities we serve. 

Branch: Chester 

Moved: 9th November 2016 

Address: First Floor, 

17-19 Boughton, Chester, 

CH3 5AE 

Branch: Weston-Super-Mare 

Launched: 23rd December 2016 

Address: 305 Worle Parkway, 

Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, 

BS22 6WA 

Branch: Taunton 

Moved: 23rd November 2016 

Address: 98a and 98b Staplegrove 

Road, Taunton, Somerset, 

TA1 1DN 

BUSINESS SNAPSHOT 

Branch: Bournemouth 

Moved: 8th February 2017 

Address: Unit 4, 

St Stephens Court, 

St Stephens Road, 

Bournemouth, Dorset 

BH2 6LA 

Branch: Isle of Wight 

Moved: 20th October 2016 

Address: Suite D, 42 Quay Street, 

Newport, Isle of Wight, 

PO30 5BA 

Branch: Woking 

Moved: 22nd January 2017 

Address: 1st and 2nd Floors 

28 Commercial Way 

Woking, Surrey, U21 6EN 

Branch: Southend-on-Sea 

Launched: 9th January 2017 

Address: Atrium 3, The Hive 

Enterprise Centre, 

Victoria Avenue 

Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS2 6EX 

6,323 

HEALTHCARE 

EMPLOYEES 

359 

OFFICE 

EMPLOYEES 

54 

BRANCHES IN 

ENGLAND, WALES 

& SCOTLAND 

6,858 

CLIENTS 


STAFF CHANGES | THE BRIEFING 

Staff changes 

With expansion comes welcoming new employees to the team. 

Here’s an update and introduction to new faces! 

GLOUCESTER 

NIKKI OWEN 

Business Centre Manager 

Nikki has 12 years’ 

experience working 

for private healthcare 

providers and has now 

joined the Newcross team 

in Gloucester. 

CARDIFF 

NICOLA MURPHY 


Nicola was born and 

bred in Wales. She has 

10 years’ experience as 

a recruitment manager in 

catering, hospitality and 

commercial sectors. 

BATH 

AMY BOYCE 


Amy has more than 10 

years working experience 

in the Health and Social 

Care industry, working as 

a Domiciliary Care Team 

Manager, and also a Health 

and Social Care Assessor for 

the South West. 

EAST REGION 

ALLISTER MCHARRIE 

Regional Manager for East 

Al has a successful 

background in various 

sectors, including healthcare, 

recruitment and the Royal 

Air Force. He has spent his 

last few years working on 

business turnaround and 

driving excellence within 

the Care Sector. He is also 

an avid Northampton Saints 

fan and loves to frequent 

Franklin’s Gardens. 

TAUNTON 

RACHEL HOPSON 


Rachel worked at EDF 

Energy for 13 years as an 

account manager, and has 

now brought her expertise 

to our Taunton Branch. 

BRISTOL 

STEPHANIE LANSDOWN 

Complex Care Manager 

Stephanie joined the team 

at the start of March, she 

has extensive experience 

as a manager and a 

good understanding of 

healthcare after being 

involved in Age UK. 

NORTH SCOTLAND 

MHAIRI BLYTH 

Regional Manager 

Mhairi has over 15 years 

of care industry experience 

and has successfully led 

our Dundee branch for 

three years. 

ABERDEEN 

PAUL KEEN 


Paul has worked in the 

healthcare sector for 

nearly four years and has 

a background in the Oil 

and Gas industry. Paul is 

looking forward to leading 

the Aberdeen branch. 

JAMES MCALPINE 

is now the Manager for 

Taunton Complex Care and 

Exeter Complex Care. 

CLAIRE OVERTON 

is now the Business 

Development Consultant 

for Truro. 

ANGELA JANE 

is now the Manager for Truro 

and Truro Complex Care. 


Mind the Gap 

There’s a deficit of trained healthcare professionals in the UK and the 

planned removal of bursaries for student nurses seems likely to make 

matters worse. Stephen Pattrick, CEO and co-founder of Newcross, warns 

that action is needed to address the widening skills gap in our sector. 

When we founded Newcross in 1996, 

the primary motivation was to improve 

standards in healthcare. Even then, we saw 

that it was often difficult for clients to get reliable, 

smart and skilled people. We believed that learning 

and development were central to the solution, and 

so we began to build bespoke training programmes. 

Nearly 21 years later, we’ve got a nationwide 

network of talented trainers providing courses in our 

branches across the UK. In 2016, we delivered 1,347 

courses, spanning a wide range of subjects including 

epilepsy, end-of-life care, Makaton, autism and the 

administration of medication. Indeed, our success 

in this field is such that we’re now being asked to 

train healthcare staff employed by other companies. 

However, while Newcross’s investment in training 

continues to increase, with more people, better 

systems and educational resources, there’s a bigger, 

underlying problem. There simply aren’t enough 

qualified nurses to start with. Meanwhile, the demand 

continues to grow. 

Last summer, I flagged our concerns about the likely 

impact of Department of Health reforms in funding 

for nursing degrees. Withdrawing bursaries for 

student nurses would, I explained, probably result in 

fewer people applying for nursing degree courses. 

The Department of Health refuted this and reiterated 

their official view that applications could actually 

increase. The evidence we now have suggests that 

they were wrong. And none of us in the healthcare 

sector are surprised. 

10 | newcrossnews | www.newcrosshealthcare.com

MIND THE GAP | STUDENT NURSES 

“Only 33,810 people 

in England applied for 

nursing-related courses: 

down 23% on last year” 

and rewarding them for their contribution. Fair pay, 

ongoing support and flexible working have always 

been sacrosanct at Newcross. Sadly, many employers 

and agencies fall short in this regard. There’s 

also a pressing need to actively encourage more 

applications to nursing degrees, in the same way 

that HM Armed Forces have refocused their efforts 

to attract new recruits. This would surely demand 

collaboration and investment from the Departments 

for Education and Health. 

Fewer students training to be 

nurses means that more people 

will wait longer for care 

By 15th January 2017 – the key deadline for 

university applications for courses starting in the 

autumn – UCAS reported that 33,810 people in 

England had applied for nursing-related courses, 

including midwifery. This was down 9,990 (23%) from 

43,800 at the same point last year. 

It seems reasonable to expect this drop will translate 

directly into fewer people starting nursing degrees, 

which means the skills gap will continue to grow, 

unless action is taken. The removal of bursaries is 

perhaps the most significant single factor, but it is by 

no means the only one. Additionally, demographic 

shifts in the UK population, growth in the labour 

market (and wages) and uncertainty about the 

outcomes of leaving the EU have created a ‘perfect 

storm’ for nursing. 

Industry-funded schemes to support undergraduate 

student nurses should also be explored, emulating 

initiatives in other sectors such as engineering, where 

scholarships and bursaries are common. 

Finally, it’s impossible to avoid the elephant in the 

room. Financial support from central government is 

currently given to attract great people into teaching. 

Nursing is no less essential. Few would disagree 

that neglecting this profession will result in longterm 

costs for the UK that far outweigh the price 

of helping our next generation of nurses to train. 

Government central funding 

is essential to entice people 

onto nursing courses 

Inevitably, the discussion about this challenge is 

clouded by political debate and ideology. But we’re 

past the point when rhetoric is useful. We need action. 

In the first instance, we need to re-double our efforts 

to keep nurses nursing by recognising their expertise 


A DAY IN THE LIFE OF 

KATE HAYWARD 

COMPLEX CARE LEAD NURSE, BRISTOL 


Getting to know your colleagues from across 

the country is essential to understanding how 

different parts of our business work. As we 

continue on our ambitious journey to expand and 

deliver more services to people who require care and 

support, we wanted to introduce you to different people 

in different roles. 

For this edition of Newcrossnews we caught up with 

Kate Hayward, one our Lead Nurses for Complex 

Care, based in Bristol. Here she tells us more about 

her role helping those 

clients who value us. 

Can you tell us a little bit 

about your career and 

where it all began? 

I first joined the world of 

healthcare in 1994 after 

completing nurse training 

at University of West of 

England (it was called 

Avon and Gloucestershire 

College of Health back in 

those days). I then moved 

on and completed my 

training in Learning Disability Nursing. 

I started my journey working in community homes 

for adults with learning disabilities and challenging 

behaviour. After five years in the role I moved on to 

work at Bristol Prison, delivering nursing to inmates. 

In 2006, I went to work for at the Brain Injury 

Rehabilitation Unit at Frenchay Hospital. 

In 2016, I joined Newcross after a chance 

conversation with another Newcross Lead Nurse who 

I trained with. I was looking for a change and Esther 

was looking for another nurse to work alongside her 

in the Complex Care team. The rest is history. 

Why did you choose healthcare? 

This is an easy question for me to answer as I always 

wanted to be a nurse. Throughout my childhood 

this was my ambition. To support this, as a teenager 

I completed work experience in care homes and 

schools for children with special educational needs. 

This reaffirmed my dream and inspired me to study 

and gain experience in the sector. 

Tell us a little about your role and your team? 

My role as one of the Lead Nurses for Complex Care, 

based in Bristol, involves overseeing different care 

packages in the community. My days are varied: I can 

be doing anything from assessing clients, writing and 

“There’s lots of different 

things I love about 

working at Newcross 

but the main one is the 

diversity of the work” 

KATE HAYWARD | A DAY IN THE LIFE OF 

reviewing care plans, liaising with professionals and 

families, whilst ensuring all of our staff are up-to-date 

with care competencies. It’s varied but I love it. 

What does a typical day look like for you? 

There is no typical day! Some days are officebased 

care planning, liaising with other healthcare 

professionals, training etc. Others involve travelling 

to see clients to carry out new assessments and 

reviews. I also manage a team of people so I have 

to carry out staff appraisals and competency reviews, 

while additionally 

attending funding and 

other multidisciplinary 

meetings. 

What makes your role 

rewarding? 

Our clients make my role 

rewarding. Knowing that, 

as part of the Newcross 

team, we are really 

making a difference to 

our clients’ lives. 

How do you think your 

role fits into the wider Newcross system? 

We work with the Complex Care team of carers, 

as well as with office-based staff, Central Support 

and the wider Newcross clinical team. We all work 

together to ensure care packages are right and 

that our clients receive the best level of service 

we can provide. 

What do you think the future looks like for you 

and your team? 

The future looks busy and bright. We are always 

looking to take on new packages of care, which 

means the team is ever-evolving. In the coming 

months we hope more clients means expansion of 

our service so that we can provide continued high 

standards of care for many more people. 

What do you love about Newcross? 

There are lots of different things I love about working 

at Newcross, but the main one is the diversity of the 

work. Working with such a wide range of clients with 

differing needs, whilst being able to make a positive 

contribution to their lives, is so rewarding. 

If you’d like to find out more about Kate’s team you 

can contact her at: 

kate.hayward@newcrosshealthcare.com 


Healthcare Heroes 

HEALTHCARE ON THE FRONTLINE 

The French refugee camp, 

nicknamed the “Calais Jungle”, 

which closed last October 

At the end of 2016, Exeter Healthcare Assistant 

Tess Howard travelled to the Calais Jungle to help 

provide healthcare to refugees in need. We caught up 

with her to find out about life in the Jungle, and how 

she brought her healthcare skills to this ongoing crisis. 

Tess, can you tell us about your trip and why 

you made the decision to travel to France 

to help? 

I’d been contemplating this trip for a while after I’d 

first heard about the situation, and saw the plight 

that faced these people in the media. I had a good 

friend who spent approximately 10 months living 

within the camp and helping. I wanted to go out 

and help for around a year before I eventually got 

there – however, my situation at the time meant that 

I couldn’t dedicate a substantial amount of time to 

the project. So I decided to wait. 

Then, in the summer of 2016, the camp began 

to grow larger and my life also came to a bit of 

a crossroads. I felt that I needed to go out there 

and do what I could to make a difference to the lives 

of others. 

Can you tell us what made you want to help? 

Seeing the images and reading about the situation 

in the press and on television was shocking. Notably, 

the camp was never officially given the status of 

a ‘Refugee Camp’. At the time I travelled to the camp, 

5,000 people were being supported and helped by a 

handful of passionate, but mostly untrained, unpaid 

volunteers. It made me want to be a part of that. 

How did you feel on your arrival? 

Honestly, I felt overwhelmed, it was like straying into 

a different country far from the north of France. The 

mix of cultures, food and music was amazing, and the 

people were so kind and hospitable. 

Can you describe what you saw? 

It’s very difficult to describe what I saw and explain 


HEALTHCARE HEROES | HEALTHCARE ON THE FRONTLINE 

the emotions I had, I think mostly because they vary 

so wildly. I experienced some wonderful things and 

saw real beauty in humanity, but at the same time, 

almost hand-in-hand, I saw some of the worst also. 

How does the level of healthcare differ from what 

people receive here? 

It is so vastly different! Firstly, ambulances couldn’t 

enter the camp, under any circumstances. I have 

witnessed children who had been stabbed, women 

giving birth, a man with an appendix on the point of 

bursting, someone who’d had their throat cut – the 

list goes on – and all having to be transported out of 

the camp to the ambulance waiting on the outskirts 

of the camp boundary. 

However, once those patients did eventually get 

to hospital, the care they received was pretty good, 

if not slightly cold sometimes. A woman who nearly 

gave birth to twins in the back of my van was able to 

stay for over three weeks so that she and the babies 

could recover in the sanitary, safe conditions of the 

hospital rather than at the camp. 

There was also a first aid caravan set up and run 

by some very hardworking medics, and covered by 

a rota of people with all levels of training. They would 

come and volunteer for a few days, weeks or months. 

But by September with the number of people living 

within the camp pushing 10,000, this service was 

pushed and couldn’t possibly cover the massive need. 

Can you tell us about the conditions? 

The conditions were shocking, with nowhere near 

enough toilet facilities and running water points. 

However, I was amazed by people’s resourcefulness. 

Many created communities of homes that they kept 

clean and treated with respect, despite their 

circumstances, and with very little. 

The most extreme conditions I saw were after 

the camp had burnt to the ground. All that remained 

were a few metal containers that were situated in 

what would have been the middle of the camp. These 

containers housed around 1,500 children. They were 

left without any community, running water or adult 

supervision and protection. As a result, a handful of 

volunteers worked around the clock to support them 

as best they could. 

How did you help – what was your role? 

I worked for the Refugee Community Kitchen (RCK), 

“After the camp burned 

down there were 

containers housing 

1,500 children ” 

a group set up by some of the hardest-working 

and most wonderful people I met while I was there. 

RCK distributed hot food to both the Calais camp 

and also Dunkirk, a smaller camp 30 minutes away. 

Our peak, ironically enough, and probably to most 

people’s amazement, was during the week of and 

post-eviction of the camp, during which we were 

serving over 3,000 meals a day. I was part of the 

distribution team, coordinating the delivery of food 

into the camp and to the people who needed it. 

Would you return and do it all again? 

I’m hoping to go to Paris next to help out there with 

Paris Refugee Ground Support. They support the 

thousands of refugees now living on the streets of 

Paris after the closure of the Calais camp and others 

around France. 

Did your experience change your views? 

Without a doubt I became a lot more educated with 

the situation after being in Calais. But no, my view 

has always remained the same: I think now there’s 

just more fuel to fire it. 

The camp suffered from arson 

attacks and police clearances 


ECOWATCH | TAKING ACTION ON WASTE 

Taking action on waste: 

Our responsibility to help 

cut food waste in healthcare 

We know that in the Healthcare Sector food waste is 

a key issue that not only has an impact on finances, 

but the environment. Each year food waste alone 

represents a cost of £230 million – that includes food 

procurement, labour, utilities and waste management. 

This equates to a huge £1,900 per tonne. 

Did you know? 

In our sector, on an annual basis, it’s estimated in 

the UK that: 

Meals served account for 13% of all meals 

eaten out of home. That’s equivalent to 

1,047 million meals. 

It produces 170,300 tonnes of waste each year, 

including 121,000 tonnes of food waste. 

The average cost of avoidable food waste is 

22p per meal (Estimated Recycling Rates for 

UK Healthcare). 

Overall, 7% of all waste is recycled. This is made 

up of: 4% of food waste is composted or goes to 

anaerobic digestion (AD). 14% of packaging and 

other wastes are recycled. 

UK HEALTHCARE: The composition of food waste 

25% 

20% 

15% 

10% 

Why Take Action? 

Applying a cost to food waste demonstrates the true 

value of what is wasted and the potential savings that 

can be made. By taking a few simple steps to waste 

less and recycle more, we can all reap the financial as 

well as environmental benefits. 

Here are some helpful tips that can help reduce 

waste and save money for all: 

1. Buy little and often 

2. Buy local and seasonal food 

3. Plan ahead – write shopping lists 

and be prepared 

4. Don’t over-serve food – in other 

words, use smaller plates 

5. Freeze your leftovers 

6. Store food in the right place to 

ensure it keeps for longer 

7. Avoid clutter in your fridge – move 

older products to the front 

8. Keep track of what you throw away 

so you prevent doing it in the future 

Useful Links 

Information and practical advice on food waste 

recycling collections, including posters, bin 

labels and case studies: 

www.wrap.org.uk/recyclingfood 

5% 

0% 

Potato 

Bakery 

Pasta/Rice 

Fruit/Veg 

Meat/Fish 

Dairy/Eggs 

Whole servings 

Other 

Unavoidable 

food waste 

16 | newcrossnews | www.newcrosshealthcare.com 

Visit www.recyclenowpartners.org.uk to find lots of 

useful information about recycling.

You Have Been Heard! 

Hearing what our workforce has to say about 

our organisation is essential to our growth and 

success. It’s why each year we roll out our staff 

survey to ask you what’s worked, what we need to do 

better and how can we improve. 

This year more of you than ever responded; 2,256 

people gave us your feedback on your roles, your 

managers and our organisation as a whole – this is 

great news. 

YOU HAVE BEEN HEARD! | STAFF SURVEY 

You’ll be pleased to hear our 

response rate has risen 

by 11.3% since we 

rolled out the 2015 

survey. Our 2016 

engagement score 

for healthcare staff is 

78.4% and our office 

staff engagement 

score is and 79%. 

Hearing what you think of us means we can make 

positive changes to become a company that you 

are proud to work for. Without your knowledge and 

input, we would not be able to be the best we can be 

and continue to provide the best possible service for 

all staff and clients. 

Everyone’s voice matters and across the country 

you all have different experiences and feedback that 

we can learn from. Here you can find out in detail 

which areas rated highly and which areas which we 

can improve on. This includes improving rewards and 

recognition, providing more career development and 

managers providing constructive feedback. 

£ 

I am paid 

competitively 

76% 

I see myself at Newcross 

for the next year 

83.8% 

I am kept informed 

with the latest news 

and developments 

about Newcross 

79.6% 

I have honest and 

open communication 

with my manager 

82.6% 

myNewcross 

is useful to me 

85.4% 

I am proud to be part 

of the Newcross team 

86% 

I would 

recommend 

Newcross to 

my family and 

friends if they 

needed care 

85.6% 

I receive useful and 

constructive feedback 

from my manager 

76.2% 

My manager encourages 

and supports my 

professional development 

75.8% 

Newcross 

provides the 

training I need 

77.8% 

So what next? 

Over the next few months we’ll be using your 

responses to put together a detailed action plan: 

you’ll be able to see our next steps very soon. 

A huge thank you to all of you who completed 

the survey, and congratulations to the winners of 

our vouchers. 


BEST PRACTICE | RISE IN FALLS 

BEST PRACTICE 

Rise in Falls: 

How should you respond? 

Client falls are common but are usually classed 

as a minor or non-injury incident. However, some 

falls, including those that aren’t responded to 

appropriately, can have serious outcomes. 

Alex Alen and Juliette Millard highlight the importance 

of managing falls correctly and explain some key 

techniques in assessment and care. 

Anyone can have a fall but older people are typically 

at greater risk, especially if they have a long-term 

health condition. Older people living in care homes 

are three times more likely to fall than those living 

in the community, and a quarter are likely to suffer 

serious injuries and be admitted to hospital following 

the accident (NICE, 2014). As our population ages, 

it’s reasonable to assume that the prevalence of falls 

will increase. 

The Newcross Clinical Excellence Team supports 

nurses after incidents and complaints, especially 

when the care of the person may have been 

compromised. All events and feedback from our 

staff across the UK are recorded and we are uniquely 

placed to identify trends and pre-empt emerging 

challenges for healthcare staff. 

Our recent reflective learning and discussions with 

nurses indicates varying knowledge of the post-fall 

assessment procedure, and this has contributed to 

delays in the correct treatment for the person who 

has fallen. In some instances, full body checks have 

not been completed and injuries may have been 

exacerbated due to incorrect care. Often 

documentation is poor and events are not handed 

over, which has compromised ongoing risk 

assessments and fall prevention strategies. 

We’ve prepared a detailed summary of guidance 

for responding to falls, which you can read and 

download on our website: www.newcrosshealthcare.com 

THE FACTS ABOUT FALLS 

282,000 

Patient falls were reported from hospitals 

and mental health units 

FALLS RESULTED IN A RANGE OF 

INJURIES INCLUDING: 

840 

fractured hips 

550 

other types of fracture 

30 

intracranial injuries 

In care homes falls account for 

around 90% of reportable injuries 

Source: NPSA 2011 

Around 1 in 3 adults over 65 who 

live at home will have at least one 

fall a year 

After a fall, an older person has 

a 50% probability of having their 

mobility seriously impaired and a 

10% probability of dying within 

a year 

18 | newcrossnews | www.newcrosshealthcare.com 

Source: Help the Aged, 2008

6 things to remember when 

someone has fallen 

We recommend you read the document on our website in full, but here’s a quick summary: 

1 

2 

3 

4 

Make a Thorough Assessment 

Assess the individual’s wellbeing and the 

immediate environment for hazards to you 

both. Unless they are in clear and present 

danger, do not move the person until you’ve 

undertaken a full assessment. 

Get Assistance 

Consider what help you need to deal with the 

situation. Breathing or circulation problems 

or low levels of consciousness warrant an 

emergency 999 call. If your assessment shows 

non-urgent medical concerns, contact a GP or 

out-of-hours service for advice before moving 

the person. 

Keep Communicating Throughout 

Keep them as calm and still as you can. 

Ask questions, give commentary and 

provide assurance as you go. Remember that 

information provided by the person who has 

fallen can be invaluable, but it won’t always 

be complete or accurate. 

Assume Nothing 

With both observed and unobserved falls 

you should never make assumptions or reach 

any conclusions, unless you have supporting 

evidence. If you didn’t actually witness the 

person fall, you need to account for the fact 

that you don’t know how or why they fell. Only 

if the fall was observed and you are sure the 

person has not sustained an injury should you 

assist them to get up. 

5 

6 

Document the Incident Fully 

Keeping timely and accurate records is integral 

to great care. Once the person is comfortable 

and safe, write up your notes as soon as you 

possibly can. This is a team effort and the 

more knowledge we have, the better we can 

respond to people’s needs. Include accurate 

times of key events, risk factors, interventions 

and observations. 

Know the Procedures 

As well as the usual best practice, be aware 

of the specific policies for the establishment 

you are working in. You should ensure you 

are aware of this policy at the beginning of the 

shift, you should not be looking for this at the 

time of the fall. The regulator (CQC or CI in 

Scotland) should be informed of any serious 

falls and it may be appropriate to report to 

safeguarding/adult protection, too. 

Finally, remember that many 

falls can be preventable with 

regular reviews and assessments. 

While some falls are unavoidable, 

all falls require immediate 

assessment action to determine 

treatment to minimise injuries 

and prevent further falls. 


HELP & ADVICE | BOOST YOUR HEALTH 

Healthy habits 

for busy people 

Eat well, sleep better, stay active 

As hard-working members of the healthcare 

industry, we know more than most people how 

vital it is to stay fit, healthy and balanced from 

day-to-day. It’s incredibly important to prioritise your 

own well-being. Self-care is sometimes overlooked when 

we’re busy caring for those around us, but our health 

can suffer if we’re not careful – and so we need to break 

bad habits and replace them with good ones! 

Habits are automated processes hard-wired into our 

brains. As long as we have the motivation, skills and 

the right trigger, the behaviour just happens because 

it’s what we always do. Key to changing a bad habit, 

or forming a new habit is to make it easy for your 

brain to adopt the new routine. 

Trying to change more than one habit at once takes 

immense willpower, but taking the bad habits down 

one at a time is easier to fit into a busy lifestyle. 

There’s a simple way to approach changing a habit 

– the three ‘R’s of behaviour change. 

Reminder Set yourself a physical reminder. 

Whether that’s an alarm, a Post-It note or 

a calendar event, if you rely on remembering 

you’re likely to fail. 

Routine Carry out the new or changed 

habit. Make it so easy that it requires little 

effort to start with. 

Reward Give yourself credit for completing 

it – it’s that ‘gold star’ feeling. If you feel good, 

you’re likely to complete the task again. 

Tips for eating & sleeping 

Embrace the lunch box. Lunch doesn’t 

have to be a limp sandwich filled with 

whatever out-of-date ingredients were 

lingering in the bottom of the fridge. Try 

couscous or quinoa, flavoured with your 

favourite spices, and mixed with chicken 

or fish for protein. 

Keep a stash of healthy snacks. Instead of 

the crisps and chocolate, keep a selection 

of dried fruit mixes, nuts and ready to eat 

granola bars. 

Add vegetables to everything. Spinach 

in smoothies, cauliflower mac ’n’ cheese 

and courgette noodles – all great! 

Stay hydrated. Keep a bottle of water 

to hand throughout the day. 

Yoga can help get you ready for bed. 

If you need to de-stress before slowing 

down to get ready for bed, a gentle yoga 

practice can help your brain to let go of 

the day. 

Devices off. We all know the blue light 

emitted from the screens of mobiles, 

tablets and other devices can disrupt 

our sleep patterns, so set a time when 

all devices go off and stick to it. Your 

sleep will most likely improve. 


6 minute workout 

We’ve chosen six simple 

exercises that don’t require any 

specialist equipment to keep you 

fit and healthy… 

4 

Lunge 

From a standing position, take one leg 

forward, bend the knee until the thigh 

is parallel with the floor. Hold for as long 

as you can, then switch to the other side. 

Repeat until your 60 seconds on this 

exercise are up. 

1 

2 

3 

Jumping jacks 

Also called a star jump, from a 

standing start with feet shoulderwidth 

apart, jump to a position with 

the legs wide apart and arms above 

the head. Repeat for 60 seconds. 

Plank 

This is the killer! With elbows bent, 

hold a firm horizontal position using 

your core muscles. It will burn, but gets 

easier the more you do it! Hold the 

position for as long as you can in 

60 seconds. 

High knees running 

Alternate lifting 

the knees to waist 

height, running on 

the spot. This is good 

for raising your heart 

rate and building 

strength in your legs. 

5 

6 

Push up and rotate 

From the push-up position, twist onto 

one arm, straighten and extend the 

other. This is great for toning the core 

and sides. Swap sides and repeat as 

many times as you can in 60 seconds. 

Abdominal crunch 

Lie flat on the floor, knees bent. Lift head 

and shoulders up towards the knees, 

keep the arms out straight to assist you. 

Relax back to the floor and repeat as 

many times as you can in 60 seconds. 

Don’t forget to stretch your key muscle groups after 

exercising and give your body time to warm down. As with 

all fitness programmes, you should always check with your 

doctor before starting a new regime. 


LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT 

UPDATE 

Learning & 

Development 

Find out 

from your local 

branch who your 

CLINICAL TRAINER 

is and what training 

you can take 

part in 

Clinical Trainer Close Up 

Simon Smart, one of our five Clinical Trainers, joined 

Newcross last September and now delivers training 

across three regions. 

Simon, can you tell us why 

you became a Clinical Trainer? 

Training as a whole was an 

area that I sort of fell into. I 

had experienced courses that 

were delivered by external 

companies at my previous 

employer and after sitting in 

on one of the courses I 

thought to myself that I could do this, and to a much 

higher standard. I self-funded my teaching 

qualification, then started delivering courses for a 

friend, I soon increased my teaching portfolio to 

deliver medical courses and care-based courses. I 

moved from being self employed to working as a 

trainer at St John Ambulance, and when I was given 

the opportunity to work for Newcross as a clinical 

trainer, this ticked all my boxes. 

You are a very bubbly, outgoing person, what 

motivates you everyday? 

My wife and children are always going to be the 

centre of my world and I think that goes for everyone. 

When I am working in the office on the training 

packages I develop, I do to try and make life easier for 

my colleagues, who I prefer to call my friends, they 

then become my motivator. When I am in the 

classroom delivering a course I really feel that I have 

the knowledge and resources to change the lives of 

many people, the ones attending my course and the 

ones in care homes all across the country that I will 

never have the pleasure to meet. There have always 

been reports of bad care in different areas across the 

country and a big motivator is knowing that I can 

make a change from inside the classroom, as Gandhi 

once said, “You must be the change you wish to see 

in the world.” 

What training do you deliver? 

I deliver over 30 different courses, they include first 

aid courses from Paediatric Care to Ambulance Aid, to 

Health and Safety courses, Fire Awareness, Risk 

Assessments, and Moving/Handling/Safeguarding of 

Children and Adults to name a few. 

Do you ever get nervous delivering training? 

I get nervous on every single course I deliver. I have 

always said, “you are only as good as the last course 

you deliver”, so every course has to be the best it can 

be in every way. Creating such high expectations can 

make every course nerve-wracking. 

Tell us about life outside of work, what do you enjoy? 

In the evenings when I am at home I try to spend 

quality time with my beautiful wife Deb, as my 

weekends are taken up by my children – I still double 

as a climbing frame for my younger two daughters 

Connie and Isabel. I also act as a failing anti-boy 

deterrent for my 16 year old daughter Danielle, and 

for my 20 year old son Bradley a confidant, friend and 

drinking pal. From the end of March I will be hosting 

Karaoke every Friday, and hopefully taking on some 

solo gigs! 

What is the one thing people should know about you? 

I’m not happy until the people around me are happy. 


LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT 

The Newcross Apprentices, class of 2017, finally get the 

chance to meet each other. 

Apprentices Assemble 

On the 8th of Feb, our Newcross Apprentices came 

together for the first time to meet each other, and find 

out how they could support and challenge themselves 

and each other to grow and develop within Newcross. 

Over the coming months, they’ll be developing some 

exciting new ways in which they can keep the 

business up to date with their progress. 

Tracy O Kennedy said, “We’re currently celebrating 

our 6th consecutive year of running apprenticeship 

schemes at Head Office. It’s very gratifying to see our 

apprentices growing personally and professionally. 

You can’t over emphasise the value of supporting 

people in their early careers. What’s more, the results 

are impressive. 90% of our apprentices go on to join 

us as permanent members of staff.” 

Career building at Newcross 

Mark Story, Head of Learning and Development gives 

us an insight into their exciting plans for 2017. 

At Newcross there have been a number of historical 

challenges in supporting vocational qualifications for 

staff. For some time now we have been able to 

provide support for nurses’ revalidations, and we 

have a network of internal clinical trainers and 

external partners delivering high quality specific 

training across the UK. These services are continually 

being refined and developed, but vocational 

qualifications have not been offered… until now. 

Scottish healthcare staff working towards their SVQ level 2 in 

Health and Social Care. 

Back in October 2016, we identified two groups of 

Scottish healthcare staff who were keen to work 

towards their SVQ level 2 in Health and Social Care, 

and we set about supporting their ambitions. These 

12 learners are now working closely with branch staff 

in Kirkcaldy and Edinburgh, and with our external 

partners, Alma Training, to pilot a Scottish vocational 

qualification programme. 

The two groups meet monthly in their branches with 

their assessors and receive support to complete their 

portfolios. The branch staff, on top of providing 

advice, guidance and encouragement, are also 

ensuring the assessors are able to observe the 

learners in the work place. 

Before we roll this exciting opportunity out further in 

Scotland, we’re waiting to see how the Scottish 

Government decides to support vocational 

qualifications in the coming months, so watch 

this space! 

In the meantime, we have started a similar pair of 

pilot projects in England and Wales. There are now 

six learners working towards NVQs in Chester and a 

further group in Bournemouth. The aim is the same 

– to learn how we can best support careers for our 

Healthcare staff. 

Once the lessons from these pilots have been 

learned and we understand how we will be able to 

support our staff through this superb opportunity, we 

will begin the process of offering it out across the 

UK. We’ll keep future editions of Newcross News 

updated with our progress. 


Much more than 

just a uniform... 

It takes more than a badge and uniform to deliver exceptional 

healthcare. That’s why for 20 years, we’ve been committed to 

hiring and supporting only the very best staff. 

And we recognise that as an experienced professional you 

deserve to be rewarded. 

So, we offer new and returning nurses a range of benefits 

including specialist training, ongoing clinical support and 

flexible working hours that you control. 

Join us today via our Platinum Ticket programme and we’ll 

also cover the cost of your DBS/PVG check, provide a 

workplace pension… and give you £500. 

Find out more by visiting 

www.newcrosshealthcare.com/platinumticket2016 

A £500 reward* 

*Plus free uniform

Newcross News Issue 10

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