EDGE Services Winter 2021 Newsletter

EDGE services
Winter 2021
NEWS
LETTER
E-learning and Resources Library -
An Introduction
We are delighted to let you know about our online Resources Library and
E-learning module. These FREE services are available to anyone who holds a
current People or Children Handling Key Trainer’s and Risk Assessment Certificate
with EDGE Services and access to both is valid for the duration of your certificate.
Our E-learning module is for the exclusive use of EDGE
Key Trainers and has been designed for your front-line care
and education staff to undertake themselves.
The module covers the theory component of people/
children handling and should take staff around 60 minutes
to complete. As the Key Trainer, you will be able to manage
your colleagues’ people/children handling theory training
using the online management system which will record
and notify you of their results enabling you to give them
feedback.
Having access to this exclusive e-learning module:
• enables you, as the Key Trainer, to deliver the theory
content of your courses online, saving you valuable time
and allowing you to focus on the delivery of the practical
skills training;
• saves your organisation both time and resources by
enabling frontline care/education staff to complete their
theory training at a time that suits them.
Our Resources Library is, again, for the exclusive use of
EDGE Key Trainers and has been designed for your own use.
This exclusive online library hosts:
• a wide range of Information and Skills Sheets which
have been designed to enhance your own learning and
development;
• a wide range of Training Tools that you can use
during your own training sessions to make them more
engaging for your colleagues.
Merry Christmas! EDGE Services would like to wish everyone a
happy and healthy Christmas, with very best wishes for the new year.
www.edgeservices.co.uk
01904 677853
All of the Information Sheets, Skills Sheets and
Training Tools available on our Resource Library are
produced by EDGE’s expert training team and have
been developed in response to our delegates learning
needs. The Resource Library is updated regularly
with additional documents, links to useful external
resources and features our FREE quarterly online
Newsletters.
A New Module Five section has been added to
the Resource Library, containing techniques that are
not commonly used by care workers. The module
includes car transfers, assistance on stairs as well
as emergency manoeuvres. The client may have
unplanned movements, or the situation is challenging.
The skill level for these techniques varies from basic to
requiring a higher level of skill from the care worker.

2 Winter 2021 Newsletter
EDGE NEWS
Public courses/refresher reminder
As many of you will be aware, our 2022 Public course
schedule is live on our website.
Book your place today!
January – April 2022 dates are filling up fast and demand
is still high, so we urge all our delegates who wish to
book onto a course to contact the team in the office, on
01904 677853, via email at enquiries@edgeservices.
co.uk or to visit our website at www.edgeservices.co.uk
as soon as possible to book onto the course you need.
Key Trainer certificates are valid for two years so if
you completed your training late 2019 to early 2020
your refresher training will now be due. EDGE allow a
three-month window to re-certify your training so if your
previous certificate is due to elapse contact us today
so we can assist you in booking you onto your required
refresher course.
We run public courses as well as in-house courses to
suit the needs of individual organisations and are always
looking at new training locations within the UK. If you
have visited our website and there isn’t currently a public
course running in your area, let us know at enquiries@
edgeservices.co.uk – as we expand as a business, we
are happy to hear where you would like to see us train
next.
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @EDGEhandling
or on Facebook/EdgeServices for news and company
updates.
Trainer Recruitment
EDGE are looking to recruit full and/or part-time Manual
Handling trainers to join our talented team.
This is an exciting opportunity to further develop
skills by providing adult and children manual handling
training to delegates from a wide variety of work place
settings. The successful candidate will provide both 4
day and 2 day training events UK wide. The role is fully
supported by the EDGE Services team including travel/
accommodation and training materials. The position
does require nights away from home, and this is entirely
arranged by the team.
In addition to a salary of £30,500 - £32,500 (pro
rata) dependent on experience, we offer a generous
benefits package including pension, travel expenses,
annual leave and ongoing continuing education
opportunities. Candidates must be either a Registered
Nurse, Registered Physiotherapist or a Registered
Occupational Therapist with manual handling and
training experience.
Xmas Presence 2021
EDGE Services are delighted to support ‘Xmas
Presence’ for the fourth consecutive year.
This wonderful community project in York has spent the
past few years helping to alleviate the sadness of older
people who find themselves alone at Christmas time,
by providing transport, a roast dinner and refreshments,
entertainment, presents and good company for 60 people
on Christmas Day.
The Xmas Presence team do this completely free of
charge via donations and volunteers and they need help
to make it work.
This year they are doing things a little differently to reflect
the times and they are going to be delivering freshly
cooked Christmas dinners and Christmas hampers to
make sure everyone gets a proper Christmas meal,
present and a friendly face to deliver this to their door, all
whilst ensuring they can keep people safe this Christmas.
They are looking for kind donations of ASDA vouchers so
they can buy food for the dinners for so many who need it
this Christmas Day. Alternatively, they have bag packing
days lined up at ASDA, York should you wish to help in
a different way, or we are also accepting donations for
hampers that we will be passing along. Please drop off at
EDGE offices at: Unit 4, Enterprise Complex, Walmgate,
York, YO1 9TT.
If you are lucky enough to be surrounded by family
and friends at Christmas time, please help to share the
goodness and gratitude a little further by donating or
sparing some time to get the word out.
Information about how to donate or help can be provided
by contacting the Xmas Presence team:
E-mail: xmaspresenceuk@gmail.com
Facebook: @yorkxmaspresence
The Xmas Presence project has inspired other
community groups and care businesses to run their own
festive events for elderly people who would otherwise be
alone on Christmas Day – and we hope to see its reach
grow across the UK because, as the team say, no-one
should have no-one.
For more information or to register your interest by
sending your CV, please contact the Operations
Manager, Ruth Hewitt rhewitt@edgeservices.co.uk
EDGE services

Winter 2021 Newsletter 3
Legal Cases
CQC prosecutes NHS
Foundation Trust Following
Two Patient Deaths
A NHS Trust failed to provide safe care and treatment to
two patients, causing them avoidable harm. Following
a guilty plea at a sentencing hearing in November 2021
they have been fined over 2.5 million.
In 2018, the CQC had repeatedly identified safety failings
relating to sepsis. The trust’s management of patients
at risk of developing sepsis lacked; patients were not
diagnosed and treated in accordance with national
standard and became contributing factors to the deaths
of two patients in 2018. There were also failings in how
both patients were monitored, and how information
was captured about their conditions to inform decisions
about their care. This hindered the timely escalation of
concerns.
A 33-year-old mother of six died from organ failure
because of a severe infection, having been admitted to
the hospital just two days prior. The second patient, a
14-year-old girl died due to a build-up of fluid on her brain
and sepsis.
CQC deputy chief inspector of hospitals, said: “People
have a right to safe care and treatment, so it is
unacceptable that patient safety was not well managed
by the trust.
“I hope this prosecution reminds care providers they
must always take all reasonable steps to ensure people’s
safety, including responding appropriately when our
inspections identify areas needing improvement.”
Care Home Corporate
Manslaugter Fine
A care home has been fined £1m for corporate
manslaughter following the death of a 93-year-old patient,
back in 2015. She was given a bath by two of the carers
who worked at the home, one who was sentenced and
another who had been deemed an inexperienced carer.
The dementia patient was put into a scalding hot bath
which resulted in her death just 3 days later; She was
taken to hospital where it was found 12% of her body
was covered in serious burns. Following a guilty plea, the
home manager was given a nine-month jail term and the
lead carer was sentenced to 16 weeks.
The courts heard that the home manager was aware of
the problems with the care homes water system and the
care home was found to have falsified records following
the death.
The care home was “cost-cutting”, “fallen short of
standards” and tried to mislead investigators after the
death.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Sally
Spencer, of the Major Crime Unit, said: she ‘was a
vulnerable lady who relied upon others to help her with
every aspect of her daily routine.
‘She should never have been placed at such risk of
receiving these scald injuries leading to her death.
‘The level of care she received before and immediately
after being injured was not acceptable. She and her
family deserved more from the people and company
assigned with providing that level of care.”
www.edgeservices.co.uk
01904 677853

4 Winter 2021 Newsletter
Dementia Care Village:
“The Hogeweyk Model”
A stone throws away from Amsterdam lies a small,
old Dutch town by the name of Weesp, home to De
Hogeweyk. De Hogeweyk has been described as a
village, a community, and a neighbourhood. A village
complete with residential units, a cinema, restaurants,
salons, and shops. It also features courtyards, fountains,
ponds, and gardens: an urban oasis. Unique to other
villages in the area, De Hogeweyk is a home and
safe haven to 152 men and women living with severe
dementia.
Hogeweyk opened in December 2009 on four acres of
land consisting of 23 residential units, each shared by
6-8 residents. Around-the-clock care is provided by 240
permanent members of staff who are trained geriatric
nurses and caregivers; they do not dress in uniform, and
they are very much a part of the community. The staff
take care of everything from cooking meals and planning
activities to assisting with bathing, personal care and
administering medications in an environment designed
to allow those living with dementia to have as much or
as little part in the day to day running of the household
as they desire. Even the individuals staffing the various
village businesses and facilities are trained in dementia
care, to give those with Alzheimer’s the support and
freedom to make their own choices without compromising
well-being and safety.
To ensure resident safety, Hogeweyk is secure, but it also
allows residents to freely move around and explore as
much as they wish within its confines. Residents are even
encouraged to help with cooking and other household
tasks including shopping, in the village grocery store. If
they get lost or confused, there is always a helping hand
nearby to aid in whichever way they need at that time.
Constant reminiscence therapy paired with the freedom
allows residents to quell behavioural issues.
So why aren’t there more facilities out there like De
Hogeweyk?
The first thing that comes to mind may be the cost and
the practicality of building these self-contained villages
centred around dementia care. Reports say the cost to
build the community was slightly over $25 million, $22
million of which was funded by the Dutch government.
Residents pay approximately $7,000 monthly. However,
there is a very long waiting list for De Hogeweyk which
has led many other countries to visit the idea of creating
similar villages.
It has been 12 years since De Hogeweyk first opened its
doors and it will be at least another two years before the
first care village of its kind opens in the UK. Care (Little
Court) Ltd has now been given planning permission to
develop land off the A143 at Little Wratting near Haverhill
in Suffolk and is expected to open in 2023.
The care village follows the Hogeweyk model and will
follow the ethos of deinstitutionalisation of care and the
need to give freedom safely to those with dementia and
include them within society. The care village is set to
have up to 120 people and feature clinic rooms, a pub,
a community hall, a theatre, and a restaurant, as well as
various walkways and residents living in a ‘family-type
setting’ of six-bedroom shared apartments. Hogeweyk
say about their approach: ‘The Hogeweyk is the outcome
of an innovative and disruptive vision on living, care
and wellbeing for people living with severe dementia. It
means a paradigm shift in nursing home care.’
Are care facilities like De Hogeweyk the future?
The village has attracted a lot of attention over the years
with many seeking it out as the best place for their loved
ones to reside as the effects of dementia take their toll
on the individual and their carer. As expected, there have
also been some critics who oppose the idea of creating
this environment, arguing that residents are being
misled. However, others praise the village as being the
most compassionate, kind type of dementia care offered
anywhere and allow residents to live as normal a life as
possible.
EDGE services

Winter 2021 Newsletter 5
A new volunteering
programme is aiming
to bring trained
volunteers into the
homes of older
patients to provide
one-to-one support.
The Falls Prevention – Community
Exercise Volunteers programme,
which is run by the volunteering
service at Kingston Hospital and
supported by Helpforce charity,
hopes that it will improve the
strength, balance, and mobility of
elderly patients, as well as improve
their overall health and well-being.
This is then expected to reduce the
strain on the NHS caused by falls
among older patients.
Research from NICE in 2018 showed
that the risk of falls in elderly patients
can be reduced by as much as 54%,
when they take part in exercises
focused on improving strength and
balance.
Falls are a serious problem for
patients aged over 65, especially after
they are discharged from hospital,
with an estimated 40% of older adults
falling within six months of discharge,
and 50% of these incidents resulting
in injury.
During this programme, volunteers
will visit patients at their home once a
week for eight weeks and help them
with a range of targeted exercises.
Volunteers will help patients stay
mobile and active, providing
information about local physical
activities that meet the patient’s
needs.
Supporters say “This programme can
really improve the quality of life of our
patients by restoring well-being and
independence, especially for those
waiting to access various community
interventions.”
Maeve Hully, Director of Volunteering
at Helpforce comments: “We’re
pleased to be partnering with Kingston
Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to
deliver this programme.
“We aim to support the volunteering
team with our expertise in project
management, as well as sharing with
them our knowledge of best practice
in running similar programmes,
and finally, supporting the team in
evaluating the project so that in the
end, they will have the evidence
which can demonstrate the difference
that the intervention makes to
patients.”
NHS trusts and community
physiotherapists have welcomed the
new volunteering programme, given
the benefits it is expected to bring in
helping ensure patients receive the
right support at home.
The trust hope to see positive
results by the end of the project in
June 2022, that will enable them
to scale the project across the
trust (extending to more wards and
outpatients), and positively impacting
more patients.
If you are interested in becoming a
Community Exercise Volunteer and
would like to find out more about the
role, please contact Harriet Dagnin
(Interim Community and Outreach
Manager) on h.dagnin@nhs.net or by
calling 0208 934 6912.
The Made with Care Campaign
News reports have recently flooded
platforms exclaiming how many care
jobs are currently vacant, how the
staff members that remain simply can
not keep up with the high intensity
of the duties, created ten-fold by the
number of vacant positions across
all health and social care settings.
We have seen talks of investment
and monetary government support,
health bills, adaptations to training
programmes and pleas for much
needed changes.
The latest in a mix of efforts to
inject new workers into the force is
a new adult social care recruitment
campaign titled Made with Care
which launched last month, in a
government bid to encourage people
to join the sector. Data suggests
there were 105,000 vacancies
across the adult social care sector in
England in 2020-21, with registered
nurse recruitment and retention
highlighted as a particular challenge.
By 2035 it is predicted that there will
be half-a-million more adult social
care job opportunities, however
providers are already struggling to fill
posts.
Chief nurse for adult social care,
Professor Deborah Sturdy, said: “I
have spent my career working to
support others and want to ensure
working in care is not just seen
as a job but a career opportunity.”
Professor Sturdy praised the people
working in the sector and described
them as “wonderful”. She said
newcomers would have the chance to
make this a “long-term” career.
“There is the chance to be part of
something very special and help both
yourselves and others continue to
develop a system made with care,”
she added.
The campaign will run for five months
from November 2021 to March 2022,
across broadcast and social media
platforms. The initiative comes
after a report by the Care Quality
Commission warned that more care
homes were being forced to end
provision of nursing care due to lack
of nurses.
The Made with Care campaign aims
to highlight the work social care staff
do, the emotional reward the role
brings, the barriers to entering the
sector and opportunities for training
and availability of flexible working.
Secretary of State for Health and
Social Care Sajid Javid added “Over
the next three years we are investing
at least £500m to support the training
and development for carers.”
www.edgeservices.co.uk
01904 677853

6 Winter 2021 Newsletter
The Most Highly Endorsed and Accredited Peo
People Handling and Risk Assessment
Key Trainer’s Certificate
Course Accreditations:
Level 4 Award
Our flagship FOUR-DAY
course has long established
EDGE as a leading provider
of manual handling and risk
assessment training to the
healthcare and social care
sectors.
Course Overview
This course will provide delegates
with the knowledge, skills and
confidence to train others in the
moving and handling of people and
in the conducting of manual handling
risk assessments.
Certification
This course is accredited as a Level
4 Award by RoSPA Qualifications.
Furthermore, it is a Royal College
of Occupational Therapists (RCOT)
Approved Learning Award, certified
by the CPD Certification Service and
aligned to the Skills for Care Core
Skills Training Framework (CSTF).
Upon successful completion of this
training you will receive a certificate
from EDGE Services and a Level 4
Award from RoSPA Qualifications.
Both certificates are VALID FOR
TWO YEARS.
Forthcoming Public Training Courses Include:
01904 677853 www
2022
1 – 14 January - London
18 – 21 January - York
18 – 21 January - Oxford
25 – 28 January - Glasgow
1 - 4 February - Manchester
8 – 11 February - Birmingham
8 – 11 February - Exeter
15 – 18 February - London
22 – 25 February - Edinburgh
22 – 25 February - Brighton
1 – 4 March - Birmingham
8 – 11 March - Glasgow
8 – 11 March - Cardiff
5 -18 March - York
22 – 25 March - Oxford
5 – 8 April - Edinburgh
11 – 14 April - London
19 – 22 April - Birmingham
3 – 6 May - York
10 – 13 May - Oxford
10 – 13 May - Cardiff
17 - 20 May - Glasgow
24 – 27 May - London
7 - 10 June - Edinburgh
Availibility on some courses is limited,
please check www.edgeservices.co.uk
for current details.
Course Duration: 4 Days
Public Course Cost:
£820+VAT per delegate,
£955+VAT per delegate in
London
Public Training Courses
Delivered at 12 public locations across the UK. For the
benefit of individuals and organisations requiring one or
a small number of places.
The cost of a public four-day course place is £820+VAT
per delegate (£955+VAT – London). Delegate certificates
are valid for TWO years, making the cost per delegate
per year of certification ONLY £410+VAT (£477.50+VAT
– London)
The cost of a public two-day ‘Refresher/Update’ course
place is £525+VAT per delegate (£590+VAT – London).
Delegate certificates are valid for TWO years, making
the cost per delegate per year of certification ONLY
£262.50+VAT (£295+VAT – London)
Visit our website: www.edgeservices.co.uk/courses to
book and for the most up to date public course details.
Not All Manual Handling Training Providers Are The Same

Winter 2021 Newsletter 7
ple Moving and Handling Training in the UK!
People Handling and Risk Assessment
Key Trainer’s Certificate (Refresher/Update)
Course Accreditations:
Advanced
Level 4 Award
This TWO-DAY course has
further consolidated EDGE’s
position as a renowned provider
of manual handling and risk
assessment training to the
healthcare and social care
sectors.
Course Overview
To ensure trainers keep up-to-date
with legislation and developments
in manual handling, EDGE
recommends a ‘Refresher’ at least
every two years. This course will
advance delegates’ professional
development and manual handling
skills, and provide opportunity to
share experience with others.
Certification
This course is accredited as an
Advanced Level 4 Award by RoSPA
Qualifications. Furthermore, it is
a Royal College of Occupational
Therapists (RCOT) Approved
Learning Award, certified by the CPD
Certification Service and aligned
to the Skills for Care Core Skills
Training Framework (CSTF). Upon
successful completion of this training
you will receive a certificate from
EDGE Services and an Advanced
Level 4 Award from RoSPA
Qualifications. Both certificates are
VALID FOR TWO YEARS.
.edgeservices.co.uk
Forthcoming Public Training Courses Include:
In-House Training Courses
Delivered onsite, at a venue provided by and on dates
convenient for our clients with a programme tailored to suit
clients’ specific learning needs.
The cost of an in-house four-day course is £4400+VAT
for up to 10 delegates. Delegate certificates are valid for
TWO years, if maximum numbers (10) attend the cost per
delegate, per year of certification is ONLY £220+VAT.
The cost of an in-house two-day ‘Refresher/Update’ course
is £2200+VAT for up to 10 delegates. Delegate certificates
are valid for TWO years, if maximum numbers (10) attend
the cost per delegate, per year of certification is ONLY
£110+VAT.
Call: 01904 677853 or E-mail: enquiries@edgeservices.
co.uk for more information.
2022
11 – 12 January - Glasgow
13 – 14 January - York
18 – 19 January - London
25 – 26 January - Peterborough
27 - 28 January - Oxford
1 – 2 February - Brighton
3 – 4 February - London
8 – 9 February - Edinburgh
15 – 16 February - Exeter
17 – 18 February - Manchester
17 – 18 February - Birmingham
10 – 11 March- York
15 – 16 March - Cardiff
15 - 16 March - Glasgow
17 – 18 March - Oxford
29 - 30 March - London
31 Mar – 1April - Peterborough
5 – 6 April - Birmingham
7 – 8 April - Manchester
26 - 27 April - Glasgow
3 – 4 May - Oxford
5 – 6 May - Exeter
5 – 6 May - Cardiff
23 – 24 May - Edinburgh
7 - 8 June - Birmingham
14 – 15 June - Glasgow
16 – 17 June - Manchester
23 – 24 June - Brighton
28 - 29 June - London
30 June - 1 July - Peterborough
12 – 13 July - Edinburgh
14 – 15 July - York
26 – 27 July - Oxford
Availibility on some courses is limited,
please check www.edgeservices.co.uk for
current details.
Course Duration: 2 Days
Public Course Cost:
£525+VAT per delegate,
£590+VAT per delegate in
London

8 Winter 2021 Newsletter
Children Handling and Risk
Assessment
Children Handling and Risk
Assessment (Refresher/Update)
KEY TRAINER’S
CERTIFICATE
Public Training Courses
Course Duration: Four Days
KEY TRAINER’S
CERTIFICATE
Public Training Courses
Course Duration: Two Days
This four day course
will provide you with the
knowledge, skills and
confidence to train others
in the moving and handling
of children/young adults
and how to conduct manual
handling risk assessments.
2022
25 - 28 January - Brighton
1 – 4 March - Birmingham
24 - 27 May - Edinburgh
28 June - 1 July - Birmingham
12 – 15 July - Brighton
18 - 21 October - Glasgow
8 - 11 November - Birmingham
£820+VAT per delegate.
This two day Refresher/
Update course will further
advance your professional
development and manual
handling skills, and provide
you with a valuable opportunity
to trade experience with
others.
2022
20 -21 January - Brighton
8 – 9 March - Birmingham
21 - 22 June - Brighton
15 - 16 Nov - Birmingham
£525+VAT per delegate.
For more details please
visit our website www.
edgeservices.co.uk/courses
For more details please
visit our website www.
edgeservices.co.uk/courses
In-House Training Courses
Course Accreditations:
In-House Training Courses
Course Accreditations:
Available in-house across the UK.
Course Duration: Four Days
We can tailor-make this course to suit
your requirements.
Please call us on 01904 677853 to
discuss your requirements.
Available in-house across the UK.
Course Duration: Two Days
We can tailor-make this course to suit
your requirements.
Please call us on 01904 677853 to
discuss your requirements.
Understanding and Managing
Behaviour that Challenges
Understanding and Managing Behaviour
that Challenges (Refresher/Update)
KEY TRAINER’S
CERTIFICATE
Public Training Courses
Course Duration: Four Days
KEY TRAINER’S
CERTIFICATE
Public Training Courses
Course Duration: One Day
This four day course
will provide you with the
knowledge, skills and
confidence to train others in
de-escalation and breakaway
techniques, which can be
adopted to deal with individuals
exhibiting challenging
behaviour.
2022
26 - 29 April - York
19 – 22 July - Birmingham
8 - 11 November - Glasgow
£780+VAT per delegate.
In-House Training Courses
Available in-house across the UK.
Course Duration: Four Days
This one day Refresher/Update
course will further advance
your professional development,
de-escalation and breakaway
skills and provide you with a
valuable opportunity to trade
experiences with others.
2022
25 April - York
18 July - Birmingham
7 November - Glasgow
£300+VAT per delegate.
In-House Training Courses
Available in-house across the UK.
Course Duration: One Day
We can tailor-make this course to suit
your requirements.
Please call us on 01904 677853 to
discuss your requirements.
We can tailor-make this course to suit
your requirements.
Please call us on 01904 677853 to
discuss your requirements.
Course Accreditations:
Course Accreditations:
For more details please
visit our website www.
edgeservices.co.uk/courses
For more details please
visit our website www.
edgeservices.co.uk/courses
EDGE services

Seni’s Law:
To prevent the use of force in mental health settings
Winter 2021 Newsletter 9
The Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Act will
commence to better protect patients in mental health
settings over the inappropriate use of force. The Act,
which received royal assent in November 2018, is also
known as Seni’s Law and is named after Olaseni Lewis,
who died in September 2010, days after he became
unconscious being restrained whilst in a voluntary
inpatient mental health unit in south London.
The important legislation will protect patients and the
workforce by providing a much-needed drive for improved
record-keeping and reporting of data on the use of
force, the quality of staff training and the way in which
investigations are carried out.
The Act sets out the measures needed to both prevent
the inappropriate use of force, and ensure accountability
and transparency in mental health units, ensuring
patients are always treated with dignity and respect. It will
ensure trusts will have a clearer understanding on how to
comply with the duties under the Act.
Minister for Mental Health Gillian Keegan said:
“The legislation and guidance are an important step
forward to ending the disproportionate and inappropriate
use of force – protecting both patients and the workforce
– within mental health services.”
The law has been developed after much
consultation with those within the mental health
sector including those with lived experience, the NHS,
regulators, and Aji Lewis and Seni’s family.
Aji Lewis, Seni’s mother, said “It’s so good to see the
guidance published and the act being commenced.
This is my son’s legacy, and I hope it will mean what
happened to Seni will not happen to anyone else.
I look forward to continuing to work with the government
and mental health providers to make sure the act is
properly implemented, and real change is achieved.”
Steve Reed MP said “Seni Lewis died in tragic and
avoidable circumstances. His legacy is this act and the
changes it makes to ensure people with mental ill health
are treated with care, compassion, and respect.”
Seni’s Law forms part of the government’s wider
commitment to transform mental health services for
those with severe mental illness and follows publication
of reforming the Mental Health Act white paper earlier
this year, which set out proposals for a once-in-ageneration
reform.
Conferences and Events 2022
3 February 2022
Falls Prevention Summit 2022
Virtual/online
www.healthcareconferencesuk.co.uk
26 April 2022
The Care Roadshow
Hampden Park Stadium, Glasgow
www.careroadshows.co.uk
22 - 23 February 2022
Disabled Living Foundation/
Living Made Easy
De Vere Beaumont Estate, Windsor
www.livingmadeeasy.org.uk/dlf-training/Moving-and-Handling-People-Conference-and-Exhibition-2022
25 - 26 May 2022
Scottish Manual Handling Forum
Golden Jubilee Conference Hotel, Glasgow
www.smhf.co.uk
29 March 2022
Future of Care Conference
The Kings Fund, London
www.futureofcare.co.uk
www.edgeservices.co.uk
01904 677853

10 Winter 2021 Newsletter
Need to know
Dementia: Triggers
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO)
there are currently over 55 million people living with
dementia worldwide. In the UK in 2020 there were
around 850,000 people with dementia, this number is
expected to increase to 1.6 million by 2040.
Currently 70% of residents in care homes have
dementia.
Dementia is progressive disease leading to a decrease
in cognitive function, memory, thought processes,
comprehension, ability to learn, language and
judgement. Commonly dementia is accompanied by
mood changes and the inability to control emotions
and behaviour. This is sometimes referred to as
‘challenging behaviour’ or ‘distressed reactions’ or
‘behaviour that challenges.’
What do we mean by behaviour? The Oxford English
dictionary define behaviour as ‘The way somebody
behaves, especially towards other people’.
I see behaviour as a response to either internal or
external stimuli. Behaviour is observable and for
someone living with dementia it usually occurs as
a response to an unmet need or misconception of
events. This can quickly result in the person shouting,
swearing, grabbing, pinching etc., which can be seen
or described as challenging. Of course, we can all
be ‘challenging’, for example this may occur when
I am driving (an activity I do regularly for work.) As
an example, if I am cut up by another driver at a
roundabout, I may shout, gesticulate with a clenched
fist and at the same time flash my lights and sound the
horn - all of this could be described as ‘challenging’.
However, I would not behave like this if my
grandchildren were with me, as I am able to
consciously control my behaviour. A person living with
dementia has lost that control mechanism.
With such high numbers of people presenting with
dementia in the care sector, it is hardly surprising
that carer workers find it difficult dealing with these
‘behaviours’ which can commonly take place during
moving and handling tasks. It is imperative that
care workers understand the impact of dementia
when assisting clients with moving and handling
activities. Moving and handling is part of many care
tasks: delivering personal care; giving assistance at
mealtime; administering medication and is not limited to
transferring a person. It is important to understand that
when a client displays behaviour - which care workers
perceive as challenging - there is a reason or trigger for
this behaviour. If carers can find out what the reason/
trigger is, they can respond constructively in a way
that de-escalates the situation. Often, care workers
may unwittingly be the trigger: in their approach, facial
expressions, and tone of voice.
To be non-confrontational carers should approach a client
in a manner that is un-hurried and non- threatening. To
help this they should avoid sudden movements, use
the client’s preferred name, keeping below eye level so
as not tower over them and appreciating that for some
two carers approaching in uniform could be seen as
threatening.
Our communication style is hugely important. Speaking
slowly, allowing time to process information, and using
short sentences while not giving overwhelming details
can all be beneficial. It’s important to remember that
every time we use a piece of equipment - such as a hoist
(even if it has been used before) - it can make a person
feel vulnerable and anxious.
Care workers should be vigilant to the safety of the client
by using reassurance and taking the time to undertake
the task safely. If our presence is unwelcome, we
should withdraw initially and try a different approach,
acknowledging that a colleague may be better received in
this circumstance.
We can help minimise triggers by considering using
equipment such as in-bed slide sheet systems to
reposition a client in bed as this will reduce the amount of
handling. These can be useful when delivering personal
care as this is a task that can so often be a precursor
to challenging behaviour or distressed reactions. Some
in-bed systems allow personal care to be undertaken by
detaching part of the turning sheet which still supports the
resident on their side whilst providing a barrier, as seen in
the image on the next page.
EDGE services

Winter 2021 Newsletter 11
Written by EDGE
Services trainer Fiona.
Use of system for rolling and supporting the client in
bed. Bed rails not shown for illustration purposes.
Roller systems can greatly reduce the need for care workers to
manually reposition the client as this manoeuvre is carried out
mechanically, thereby reducing the number of care workers involved
which in turn could minimise distress.
There are no magic moving and handling techniques to give carer
workers, however, all who look after those living with dementia would
benefit from skills to avoid and manage triggers and how to adjust their
approach accordingly. This information should also be shared with
colleagues to enable everyone to deliver care and assist with moving
and handling the person with dementia safely with the focus being
person-centred to each resident’s unique needs.
Use of mechanical
roller system for turning and
supporting the client in bed.
www.edgeservices.co.uk
01904 677853

EDGE services
What Makes Us
Exceptional?
✔ Healthcare Professionals All EDGE Services Trainers
are nurses, occupational therapists or physiotherapists with
at least ten years clinical experience and at least six years
training experience in this field.
✔ Fully Accredited All our People and Children Handling
and Risk Assessment Key Trainer’s Certificate courses are
accredited by RoSPA Qualifications to Level 4 or Advanced
Level 4. They are RCOT (The Royal College of Occupational
Therapists) Approved learning Awards, certified by the CPD
Certification Service as providing continual professional
development and they are aligned to the Skills for Care
Core Skills Training Framework (CSTF).
✔ Compliance with Professional Training
Standards All EDGE Manual Handling Key Trainer
events comply with The National Back Exchange Training
Standards (2010); The All Wales NHS Manual Handling
Training Passport and Information Scheme (2010) and The
Scottish Manual Handling Passport Scheme (2014).
✔ Invaluable Training Resources Professionally
produced, fully illustrated and comprehensive 256-page
course textbook. Plus proposed documentation to assist
and support in onward training delivery, these include:
course agendas, hand-outs, PowerPoint, four modules
of practical skills videos (demonstrating 45 moving and
handling practical techniques and tips for staff training
and assessing).
✔ On-Line Resources Library Our training is supported
by an extensive and informative on-line resources library
offering training tips and tools to develop and enhance
onward training.
✔ E-Learning Module Our training is supported by a
dynamic and user-friendly e-learning module designed for
front-line staff’s use.
✔ Post Training Support Recognising that many
questions from delegates happen after the training event,
our full-time administrative team will put you in touch with
one of our senior trainers to assist you.
Tel: 01904 677853
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