Caring Times, April 2024

04/2024
April Edition
The
personal
touch
Stow Healthcare’s operations
director Ruth French explains
how her hands-on leadership
approach has been central
to her success
Opinion:
Professor Martin Green discusses government changes
to Care Worker Migrant Visas
On the road:
Care England champions change at annual conference
Care for tomorrow:
Lovett Care’s new robotic team member
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business
10 LEADER'S SPOTLIGHT
Stow Healthcare’s operations director
Ruth French explains how her hands-
on leadership approach has been
central to her success
14 POLITICS & POLICY
MPs discuss implications of government
changes to social care visas
17 SURVEYS & DATA
Age UK says older people’s right to liberty
is not being protected in care homes
22 WOMEN IN CARE
Leaders explain how Aria Care is
championing female leadership

business | welcome
Still the forgotten
service
Chief executive officer
Alex Dampier
Chief operating officer
Sarah Hyman
Chief marketing officer
Julia Payne
Editor-in-chief
Lee Peart
Features editor
Charlotte Goddard
Subeditor
Charles Wheeldon
Advertising & event sales director
Caroline Bowern
0797 4643292
caroline.bowern@nexusgroup.co.uk
Business development director
Mike Griffin
Business development executive
Kirsty Parks
Event manager
Conor Diggin
Marketing content manager
Sophie Davies
Publisher
Harry Hyman
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10 Rose and Crown Yard, King Street,
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Tel: 020 7104 2000
Website: caring-times.co.uk
Caring Times is published 10 times a year by
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Another Budget. Another snub for social
care. World weary care leaders were
understandably dismayed to hear the sector
had been left in the cold yet again by the
government in the Spring Budget.
The writing had been on the wall ahead
of the statement, amid growing rumours
that the government would target shortterm
tax cuts at the expense of long-term
investment in care in a bid to curry favour
with voters ahead of the general election.
The sector’s worst fears were confirmed
when the chancellor announced a 2p cut in
National Insurance and a £3.4 billion fully
funded NHS productivity plan focused
on digital transformation but nothing for
social care.
As a politically sensitive problem,
requiring a long-term solution social care
is always destined to come worse off in the
short-term electoral cycle, which is led by
political expediency.
It therefore came as no surprise that
social care was snubbed again as we edge
closer to election day.
Lack of content on social care in the
main parties manifestos also bodes ill in the
short to medium term, whoever is elected.
Of course, Jeremy Hunt, should have
know better. In his previous life, as chair
business contents
6 NEWS IN BRIEF
Our round-up of last month's big stories
8 OPINION
Professor Martin Green discusses changes
to the Health and Social Care Worker visa
10 LEADER'S SPOTLIGHT
Ruth French's hands on approach to care
leadership
14 POLITICS & POLICY
MPs discuss implications of government
changes to social care visas
16 SURVEYS & DATA
Public failing to prepare for later life care
of the Health and Social Care Committee
in October 2020 he said “the government
must use the spending review to raise
the annual adult social care budget by £7
billion by the end of the parliament as the
starting point for a wider series of reforms”.
Hunt went on to say: “To address wider
issues the sector needs a 10-year plan and
a people plan just like the NHS. Without
such a plan, words about parity of esteem
will be hollow. We owe it to both the staff
and families devastated by loss to make this
a moment of real change.”
Sadly, with his hands on the levers of
power, Hunt’s words have been just as
“hollow” as the leaders he previously
admonished and the vulnerable people who
depend on a healthy and well-functioning
social care service have been let down again.
Lee Peart, Editor-in-chief
Caring Times
17 SURVEYS & DATA
Age UK says older people’s right to liberty is not
being protected in care homes
18 SUSTAINABILITY MATTERS
Hartford Care connects with communities
and Jonathan Freeman on how social care is
reducing carbon emissions
20 PROPERTY & DEVELOPMENT
We round-up last month's deals
22 WOMEN IN CARE
Aria Care champions female leadership
24 PEOPLE MOVES
Last moves big moves in the sector
26 LEGAL & REGULATORY
Mills & Reeve on one word ratings and RWK
Goodman on data requests
4 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

business | news
News in brief
POLICY & POLITICS
Care leaders slammed Jeremy Hunt's
Spring Budget as a “non-event” for
older people. While cutting National
Insurance by 2p and providing a £3.4
billion fully funded productivity plan
for the NHS, the announcement
offered no new money for social care.
Barchester plans to spend £2.2 million on
installing solar panels at 37 care homes
Jeremy Hunt
The Commissioner for Older
People for Northern Ireland, Eddie
Lynch, called for stronger protection
for residents from being removed from
care homes without good reason. In a
new report, Lynch said the Regional
Care Home Contract between health
and social care trusts and care home
providers was failing to protect
residents from being evicted to another
care home for reasons other than a
change of care needs.
Eddie Lynch
New rules on overseas care
worker visas were introduced by
the government. The laws, which are
designed to cut net migration and
tackle visa abuse, ban overseas care
worker dependants and require all
sponsored workers to be registered
with the CQC.
Helen Whately
A £20 million investment in
innovative projects to support people
in adult social care and unpaid carers
was announced by the government.
The first tranche of the £42.6
million Accelerating Reform Fund
over 2023/24 and 2024/25 is being
allocated to lead local authorities,
covering all 42 Integrated Care Systems,
which deliver adult social care services
and will work with a range of partners
including the NHS, care providers,
voluntary and community groups.
A new report revealed strong backing
among MPs and the general public
for social care worker pay parity with
the NHS. Community Integrated
Care’s ‘Who Cares Wins: Unfair To
Care 2024’ said there was a once-ina-generation
opportunity to end the
enduring workforce crisis in social care,
with exclusive public and MP polling
finding consensus that the social care
pay gap and workforce shortages must
be addressed.
PROVIDER NEWS
Somerset Care cited “financial
challenges” in launching a consultation
on the closure of two residential care
homes. The not-for-profit provider
said its 1970s-80s properties, Critchill
Court in From and Sunnymeade
in Chard, were “regrettably unable
to keep pace with the increasingly
complex care requirements of 2024 and
beyond”.
Six care homes run by Agincare,
Country Court Care Homes and
HC-One signed up to a new charter
designed to improve workers’ rights.
The agreement with Southwark
Council meant around 75% of
employees in the borough will benefit
from better working terms and
conditions.
HC-One was fined £400,000
following the death of 95-year-old
Susan Greens who was found in an
external courtyard at Springfield Bank
Care Home in in Bonnyrigg near
Edinburgh in December 2021 after she
6 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

news | business
registered property developer, the
Carlauren Group, which went into
administration in November 2019,
requiring some elderly residents to
vacate their homes and leaving over
600 investors out of pocket.
The Gables, Worcestershire, part of Cinnamon Care Collection
had fallen unsupervised.
Social care charity Guild Care
awarded its carers and support workers
a pay rise of up to 12%. From this
month, all care rates of pay will be at a
minimum of £12 an hour, benefiting
more than 240 employees. This is above
the government’s compulsory National
Living Wage which rises by 9.8% to
£11.44 per hour when it comes into
force this month.
Barchester Healthcare said it
was stepping up investment in green
technologies this year with plans to
spend £2.2 million on installing solar
panels at 37 care homes. The move
followed a total investment of £1.9
million in upgrading 13 plant rooms,
installing energy-efficient LED lighting
in 56 homes and installing 3,672 solar
panels provided by EES Group at 18
homes last year.
The Orders of St John Care Trust
(OSJCT) renewed its commitment to
paying the Real Living Wage. From 1
April 2024 all OSJCT employees will
be paid at an hourly rate of £12.00 or
above, and all care employees will be
paid an hourly rate of £12.17 or above.
Black Swan Care Group also
renewed its commitment to providing
the Real Living Wage to all employees.
All staff will be paid at least the Real
Living Wage of £12 per hour from next
month.
A Borders care company had its
licence to sponsor overseas care
workers revoked by the Home Office.
The Home Office said Support
Services 1st Choice Limited had not
been compliant with requirements
for organisations that hold a sponsor
licence and sponsor migrant workers.
PROPERTY & FINANCE
Cinnamon Care Collection
refinanced two luxury homes with
lender Leumi UK in a £23 million
arrangement: Watermeadow
Grange in Exeter and The Gables in
Worcestershire. The Cinnamon Care
Collection is a group of 19 luxury care
homes and retirement developments
across the UK.
Healthcare real estate fund Elevation
Healthcare Properties acquired
11 properties from Clariane and
simultaneously leased them back to
Berkley Care Group on inflationlinked,
long-term leases. The total
consideration to Clariane was £207
million. Berkley Care operates 12
modern care homes across England
comprising 805 beds.
LEGAL & REGULATORY
The boss of an unlawful care home
investment scheme was banned from
being a company director for 14
years. Robin Forster was a director at
Qualia Care Properties and Qualia
Care Developments, which the High
Court ruled last year was an unlawful
investment fund.
Almost all care homes forced to
close by the CQC in England are
run on a for-profit basis, new analysis
found. The Nuffield Foundation
funded research by the University of
Oxford was published in The Lancet.
Three arrests were made by the
Serious Fraud Office (SFO) as part
of an investigation into an alleged
£76 million luxury care home fraud.
The raids in St Leonard’s, Dorset and
Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire were
part of an investigation into the UK
WORKFORCE
HC-One expanded sick pay
entitlements to more colleagues in its
care homes. The agreement with the
GMB union meant thousands of care
workers will receive statutory sick from
their first day of absence.
TECHNOLOGY
Home care provider, City & County
Healthcare Group, rolled out the
Staffbase employment app to 14,000
people at its 220 sites. CCH Group
said the move was part of its strategy
to connect the company, recognise
employees and elevate the role of care
workers.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 7

business | opinion
Give with one hand,
take with the other
Professor Martin Green, chief executive of Care England, assesses
the effect of government changes to the Health and Care Worker visa
The UK government recently
changed the Health and Care
Worker visa, which has raised
concerns and sparked debates about its
impact on the care sector. The changes
to the Health and Care Worker visa
have significant implications for the
recruitment and retention of care
workers in the UK and for the overall
functioning of the care sector.
Social care is amid a workforce
crisis and we have more than 152,000
vacancies across the sector. We also
suffer from a 40% turnover rate. This is
having a significant impact on people’s
ability to deliver care and to maintain
quality and consistency. In many areas,
care providers have reduced the number
of people they support specifically
because they cannot get staff in either
front line or specialist roles, such
as nursing. This nursing shortage is
challenging and over the years we have
seen many nursing homes re-register as
care homes purely because they could
not get the appropriate staff. The roots
of this workforce challenge lie in several
areas, but the combination of Brexit
and a global pandemic has put severe
pressure on the social care workforce
and destabilised many services. Agency
staff are also costly, but because of
regulation, many care providers are
forced to pay for agency staff to deliver
"One of the
fundamental
changes introduced
by the government
is removing the
right for care
workers to bring in
dependants."
the required safety and quality of care.
One of the fundamental changes
introduced by the government is
removing the right for care workers
to bring in dependants. This will
significantly change the number of
people available and can also impact
people’s ability to settle into their new
roles. When the government put care
workers on the shortage occupation
list, we felt this was a real opportunity
to reach out to skilled people from
across the globe and encourage them
to work in the UK social care system.
Like many governments, after a while,
they tend to tinker with the system as
it becomes more familiar, and this was
certainly the case with this government
and the shortage occupation list. Care
workers are required to have an agreed
salary, which is often more than people
who enter the profession from the
UK. However, in making changes, the
government still allowed care workers
to have a lower entry point in terms of
salary than many other professions. This
was greatly welcomed because it would
have been completely unsustainable if
we had been required to pay a higher
level. We would not have been able
to recruit overseas staff because of the
impact this would have had on our
budgets and differentials.
However, the government gave with
one hand and took away with the other
by instituting new criteria that removed
the right of care workers to bring in
dependants, yet they left this right in
place for people who entered to work in
the NHS. The government learned no
lessons from the pandemic. During the
pandemic, they introduced mandatory
vaccinations but only imposed them
on the care sector, not the NHS. This
meant that we lost 30,000 staff who
did not want to be vaccinated, many
of whom went into the NHS. There is
no justifiable reason why you would
introduce mandatory vaccination in
"The government has
not only introduced
restrictions on the
ability of care workers
to bring their family
members to the UK but
has also introduced
limitations on their
access to public funds
and benefits."
social care but not in the NHS. In
truth, the difference in the way in which
the NHS is treated compared to social
care, I believe, lies in the fact that the
NHS is accountable to politicians and
they will not do anything that might
cause a problem in this organisation
because, ultimately, they hold the line
of accountability. This is different in the
care sector. Politicians are quite willing
to bring in policies that differentiate
health and care while at the same time
talking about integration and spending
billions of pounds of taxpayers' money
on changing the structure of clinical
commissioning groups to integrated
care systems, pretending this will
deliver integration when much of their
strategic policy position is completely
at variance with that objective.
Furthermore, the changes to the
Health and Care Worker visa have
also impacted the rights and benefits
available to care workers once they are
in the UK. The government has not
only introduced restrictions on the
ability of care workers to bring their
family members to the UK but has
also introduced limitations on their
access to public funds and benefits.
These restrictions have raised concerns
8 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

Professor Martin Green
"Care workers need
to be as skilled
and respected
in the same way
as anyone who
works in the health
system."
about the welfare and wellbeing of
care workers who may be separated
from their families and face financial
challenges while working in the UK.
Overall, the UK government's
changes to the Health and Care Worker
visa have been widely criticised for
their potential negative impact on
the care sector. The government has
created barriers that may hinder the
recruitment and retention of care
workers from overseas by introducing
minimum salary requirements and
imposing restrictions on rights and
benefits. This could exacerbate staffing
shortages in the care sector, impact the
quality of care provided to vulnerable
individuals, and ultimately undermine
the sustainability of the care sector in
the UK. However, the worst bit in all
these changes is the constant separation
between health and social care staff.
Anybody who works in the NHS is
treated like a first-class citizen, and
anybody in social care is deemed not
worthy of the same status and respect.
We will only have integration once we
have more aligned terms and conditions
and we also need parity of esteem. The
people working in social care are vital
and the people they support have many
complex needs. Care workers need to
be as skilled and respected in the same
way as anyone who works in the health
system.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 9

business | leader’s spotlight
The personal touch
Lee Peart talks to Stow Healthcare’s operations director Ruth French about
how her hands-on leadership approach has been central to her success
Owned and managed by Ruth
French and her brother, Roger
Catchpole, premium care
home operator, Stow Healthcare, has
developed an enviable reputation as a
serial awards winner in recent years and
four of its eight care homes are now
rated Outstanding.
And since launching in 2010, French
and Catchpole have established Stow
Healthcare as a turnaround specialist.
As the operational head of the
business, French takes a real pride in
leading from the front and stresses
the importance of being seen in her
eight care homes in Essex, Norfolk and
Suffolk.
The latest homes to be added to its
portfolio in 2022 were Horkseley Manor
in Colchester, acquired from Larchwood
Care, and Manson House, acquired from
farming charity RABI.
French says her “on the ground”
presence had been crucial in
understanding the homes and
integrating them with Stow Healthcare’s
culture and practices.
“The homes were in different positions
quality wise,” French explains. “Manson
was rated Good and I have never had any
concerns about the care being delivered,
but financially it was in a really difficult
position.
“Hawkesley had just been rated
Requires Improvement and had several
years of fluctuating leadership.”
French describes the homes as services
needing “quite different approaches”.
“That’s my role on the ground which
is going into a new acquisition and
"We know what is
needed to turn a
home around now.
We know all of the
ingredients to
do that.”
understanding what it is that we need to
turn this home around,” she continues.
“Very often the ingredients for baking
that cake are very similar, so you might
be putting slightly different toppings
on it. We know what is needed to turn
a home around now. We know all of the
ingredients to do that.”
French says Stow Healthcare has
become better and quicker over time at
delivering turnarounds.
“What I bring to that is the boots
on the ground of actually being in the
homes physically, of talking to the staff
and listening to them and understanding
what’s working and what’s not working
and putting in place the structures and
helping them feel confident in those
structures,” she explains.
Acknowledging some staff were
more receptive to change than others,
French says she has learnt to adapt her
leadership style.
“Going into Manson House where
they received a Good rating in their
last inspection, their attitude was we
don’t need to change we’ve already
been rated Good,” she says. “I said ‘you
have been rated Good but that was four
years ago and I have four homes that are
Outstanding. You have staff who have
worked here for up to 40 years, why are
you not Outstanding?’”
French says “elevating staff ’s
expectations of what they can achieve
for themselves” was key to achieving an
outstanding culture.
“I expect my homes to be Good in
all areas even on their worst day,” she
adds. “I know what it takes to make a
home Outstanding. My job is to help
staff understand that too and drive them
towards that because I know if we can
secure a Good for a home it means great
things are happening every day.
“But to secure an Outstanding is
something we should all be aiming
towards because we know we are Good
but this is the extra stuff that sprinkles
on the top of the cake and that’s what all
of us in social care should be pushing for
because we need to be giving people a
Ruth French
reason to get out of bed each day.”
French recounts feedback from a
carer at one of her acquired homes
to highlight how well its change of
ownership and management style had
been received.
“The carer said I have worked here 14
years under seven different companies
and the first day they came they always
say the kind of things you say, but you
are the only one that has done what you
said you would do,” French recalls. “That
makes me really proud. She said she used
to be embarrassed of where she worked.
She would just say ‘I used to work in
care’. She now says she loves telling
people who she works for.”
French stresses the importance of
a hands-on approach in getting to
know staff and understanding what’s
happening in their homes and providing
an inspiring place for them to work.
“Continuing to create an inspiring
place to work and giving people that
motivation is really important,” she says.
“I don’t get it right all the time. I have
disgruntled staff like every care home
company does, but if the vast majority of
my staff feel proud of where they work,
then I feel vindicated.
“It’s about knowing my staff and
knowing what happens on the floor. It’s
about helping people feel that sense of
purpose because they are not working
10 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

Manson House
“It’s about knowing
my staff and
knowing what
happens on the
floor."
for a big faceless corporate, they are
working for Stow Healthcare and they
know they are going to see me at least
once or twice a month in their home.
I think it makes the whole system a lot
more accountable.”
French says she was conscious as a
female leader of the importance of
having the ability to “own the room” and
“be confident in the space that you take
up in that room”.
“There is also something really valid
about being able to own the room even
when you are not physically present,
and by this I mean that your team
understands your values and your
expectations, and they are able to deliver
on those without you being present
every day,” she adds. “This is obviously
more important the bigger your
company grows.
“It’s a concept that I think is really
important for every senior leader to
consider, that they are in essence, ‘leaving
a visible footprint’ in their company so
people have that to follow.”
Personal touch
French says a “slow, organic approach”
was key to Stow Healthcare’s successful
growth as a business.
“It means we have been able to keep
a really personal approach to things,
that staff who work with us at our head
office get that ethos, and that staff in our
homes get that ethos too,” she explains.
“It’s that personal touch that matters.
“As leaders we have to take time to step
away from our desks even when we don’t
have time, because if we lose sight of
why we are doing what we are doing that
leads us to losing what makes us special.”
French adds that her being “on the
floor” was key to Stow Healthcare’s
success in telling its own stories. “I know
those stories because I have seen them
happen,” she notes.
French cites a recent encounter with
a resident who had been at one of her
care homes for a month after originally
intending to just stay for two weeks
following a stay in hospital.
“She was determined to go home
and was determined she would not like
it at the care home,” she says. “But she
realised how safe she felt in the home
and how safe the staff had made her feel
and now didn’t want to go home. She
knew this was the right place for her and
she told me how the professional carpet
cleaner had been in that morning and
wanted to show me how beautiful it was
and how gorgeous it smelt. We had a
really nice chat.
>
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 11

> “That stuff is really meaningful to me
because it’s very easy when you are at the
“As leaders we have to
take time to step away
from our desks even
when we don’t have
time, because if we lose
sight of why we are
doing what we are doing
that leads us to losing
what makes us special.”
top of an organisation to be disengaged
from what’s happening on the floor.”
In another example, French highlights
a conversation with a resident’s family
who had been amazed with the progress
in their father’s health since moving into
his care home in just two months.
“They told me he has been confined
to a wheelchair but now he was walking
around the garden 10 times a day to
get himself back on his feet,” French
recounts. “This is the stuff that’s really
important and what helps us build case
studies of our homes and put forward
awards nominations. You can tell the
difference between stories that have been
put together by a marketing department
and those that have been put together by
people who know it because they have
seen it.”
Stepping up to the plate
French, who is also a non-executive
director of The Outstanding Society,
says she has become increasingly
confident at representing social care at
a national level by being a spokesperson
on key issues.
She recently published an article in
Caring Times calling on the government
to revisit its ban on overseas care worker
dependants, which came into force on
11 March.
“It’s been really important to speak out
about it,” French says. “I think it’s really
important that more of us step up to the
plate and get our voices out there in the
media and I am really happy to do that
now.”
Stow Healthcare has slashed its
vacancies from 45 to eight since the
12 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

leader’s spotlight | business
beginning of 2023 thanks to the
successful recruitment of overseas
workers from a range of countries. This
equates to a vacancy rate of only 1.3%
across the group currently.
“It’s been a really positive story for
us and some of our overseas workers’
dependants now work for us also, so in
essence it's buy one get one free,” French
says. “That’s something that I don’t think
the government has sufficiently taken
into account. It’s a knee-jerk reaction
in an election year and unfortunately
people in social care are likely to be the
ones who suffer from that decision.”
Taking risks
Looking ahead, French says social care
needs to be far better at “letting people
live their lives and take risks”.
“We as providers have become very
scared,” she stresses. “We are scared of
what regulators and safeguarding will
say if things go wrong. We have to be
much more upfront about managing
people’s risks in a really proactive way
that supports them to have a reason to
get out of bed each day.
“We have to get a lot braver about
“I think it’s really
important that
more of us step up
to the plate and get
our voices out there
in the media and I
am really happy to
do that now.”
stepping forward and enabling people
to take risks and evidencing the positive
impact that has had on their lives,
whether it’s someone learning to do
their own ironing or learning to shave
themselves once again or being able to
put their banana bread in the oven or
make themselves a cup of tea.
“These are the small things that you
take for granted in your own home and
it feels like we take all of that away from
them when they move into care because
we are scared and this is something we
need to get over and that’s what the new
era of social care needs to look like.”
Halstead Hall Care House
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 13

business | politics & policy
The overseas licence debate
Bridgehead Social Care’s managing director William Walter interviews Alison
Thewliss, shadow SNP spokesperson for home affairs, and Lia Nici, Conservative
MP for Great Grimsby, regarding the ban on care workers’ dependants and the
implications of immigration restrictions on staffing in the sector
What are your views on the
government's ban regarding care
workers' dependants which a member
of the BMA described as "unnecessarily
cruel"?
Alison Thewliss: I would entirely agree
with the BMA position. I think it’s most
cruel to say that somebody should come
from abroad to look after our loved ones
but can’t bring their own. It will also
dissuade people from coming because
they don’t want to choose between their
own family and coming to the UK. So,
I think it’s going to have a severe impact
on the ability of firms who can’t get that
labour and on people who need care,
who won’t be able to get somebody to
look after them.
Lia Nici: People from abroad who
bring their expertise play an important
role and it is right to recognise this.
However, our reliance on foreign
workers is a stopgap and a symptom of a
wider issue. Over 10 million working age
adults in the UK are not in employment
or training. We need to work towards
getting Britons into work and ending
our reliance on imported labour and
a system that allows unemployed
dependants to disproportionately put
pressure on public services.
This current situation causes other
countries to suffer a brain drain across
their healthcare systems, which is
unacceptable and unsustainable. We
"Our response to
modern slavery
should be to
tackle it wherever
it occurs and not
to bend to the
criminal gangs who
run these rackets."
Alison Thewliss
need to address the fundamental issues
that have led us to rely so heavily on
foreign workers, who could benefit their
own societies as much as they benefit
ours, while ensuring Britons are given
the opportunity to work and contribute.
With at least 800 potential victims of
modern slavery found in social care
last year, do you believe further action
is necessary to reduce exploitation?
Alison Thewliss: People have been
able to come into this market to exploit
people, and those within the system have
been quite vulnerable. It’s incredibly
challenging to speak out against those
guaranteeing your visa, and should you
do that, you have very little recourse to
remain here.
So, this is a system both in care and
other sectors like agriculture, where
people have found themselves being
exploited, and the UK government
hasn’t asked enough questions of the
employers that are doing this in the first
place. There should be far more stringent
checks on these companies, and the
government should be more robust in
dealing with this abuse. The people at
the heart of this should not lose out;
they have been victims of exploitation
and should be supported.
Lia Nici
Lia Nici: Modern slavery is a
shocking crime, and I am proud of
what the government has done to tackle
it. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 has
transformed our response, significantly
increasing law enforcement activity
against the criminals behind this. Since
2016, £15 million has been invested to
strengthen the police response through
the Modern Slavery and Organised
Immigration Crime Programme. This
has also driven improvements in the
police's understanding of modern
slavery and built new capabilities to
combat organised immigration crime.
Prosecutions have increased: in 2021,
466 individuals were prosecuted for
modern slavery crimes, with more than
70% convicted. Our response to modern
slavery should be to tackle it wherever it
occurs and not to bend to the criminal
gangs who run these rackets.
How would you address concerns that
lower immigration could result in
further understaffing?
Alison Thewliss: The Migration
Advisory Committee (MAC) observed
that Scotland is less reliant on migrant
labour in the sector because of higher
wages for people coming into social
care compared to other professions
14 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

"At the moment,
you can work in a
supermarket with far
less responsibility
and better hours
than in a care home,
so naturally people
do that.”
that people might go to. Consequently,
they can attract people and be less
reliant on migrant labour. The MAC
recommended to the UK government
that what’s missing is a policy whereby
people in health and social care are
given a good wage and a clear means
of progressing. At the moment, you
can work in a supermarket with far less
responsibility and better hours than in a
care home, so naturally people do that.
I think it’s a strong recommendation,
which would reduce the need for
migrant labour and attract more people
into the sector.
Lia Nici: Creating effective
educational and vocational pathways for
young people in the UK is an important
measure we need to take to support our
social care services. As someone with
22 years of experience as an educator, I
know the value that practical experience
and professional support can have for
young people considering their careers.
It’s crucial that we champion vital sectors
of our healthcare system, such as social
care, as places where young adults and
those starting out in their careers can
make a real impact and learn important
skills which will support them through
life.
Can more accessible paths like
apprenticeships replace the need for
foreign labour?
Alison Thewliss:We need to encourage
more young people to see this as a
promising career for them and an area
where they can have a rewarding career
over many years. I think more people
should recognise the incredibly tough
work that is done in this field. I would
very much encourage apprenticeships,
but these need to be properly paid
too, because if firms are only paying
the apprenticeship minimum wage,
that makes it very difficult for people
to come into that role and fulfil those
difficult hours and demanding tasks
that are being asked of them. So there
needs to be a recognition of people's
responsibilities, and yes, apprenticeships
are a good route, but they should be
fairly paid.
Lia Nici: This is exactly the route
that I’m championing in Parliament.
A couple of weeks ago, I presented my
proposal for a policy that would directly
tackle skills shortages in our public
sector. I suggested that students be
given the opportunity to study quality,
accredited courses which directly relate
to the skills we need in our NHS and
other services, rewarding those who
sign up to help our country by writing
off their student loans. I believe that
we need to address skills shortages
by investing in our young people, by
providing them with easier access to
high-quality courses which will give
them the ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ skills they need
to succeed.
"So there needs to be a
recognition of people's
responsibilities, and
yes, apprenticeships
are a good route,
but they should be
fairly paid.”
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 15

business | surveys & data
People unprepared for
later-life care
More people are prepared for their own funeral
than for their later-life care, a new survey reveals
An Opinium survey of 2,000
adults commissioned by
Loveday found that only 14%
of respondents were prepared for their
later-life care, compared with 28%
who were prepared for their funeral
arrangements.
Only 22% felt ready to handle a care
crisis for a loved one or dependant.
Planning for later life didn’t differ
by age, with the over 55s feeling as
unprepared as the 18 to 34s, with 83%
of both age groups admitting they were
"Two-thirds (33%)
admitted they would
feel guilty about
putting a loved one
in care and one in 10
worried about how to
bring up the subject of
care with a loved one."
unprepared for later-life care, and 90%
of 34 to 55s feeling unprepared.
Darren Pitcher, care and quality
director at Loveday, said: “Even having
a brief plan can be immensely beneficial
during a care crisis. A quick search
on the CQC website can pinpoint
care providers in your vicinity and
many providers also offer respite
care, allowing you time to make more
informed long-term decisions. This
straightforward process ensures peace
of mind, providing a clear direction in
case urgent care is needed.”
In further findings, 83% of
respondents expressed concerns about
placing a loved one or dependent into
care, 61% worried about quality of care
and 49% were apprehensive about the
financial implications of care.
Two-thirds (33%) admitted they
would feel guilty about putting a loved
one in care and one in 10 worried about
how to bring up the subject of care with
a loved one.
Around one-third (32%) believed
the quality of care homes in the UK
was poor, while only 18% considered
it good. Only half of the surveyed
individuals (50%) deemed care homes
to be adequate, despite over fourfifths
of care homes being rated Good
or Outstanding by the Care Quality
Commission.
93% of respondents feared the ageing
process, with top concerns including
declining health (61%) and dementia
and loss of mobility (both 55%).
Women (63%) were more worried
about dementia than men (48%).
Nearly half (48%) were anxious about
losing independence and 43% feared
the passing away of friends.
Under a quarter (24%) claimed to
be knowledgeable about the process of
arranging care and more than a third
(36%) admitted they wouldn't know
where to start when considering laterlife
care.
Common first steps contemplated
included online research (25%),
contacting the GP (22%) and seeking
advice from friends and/or family
(17%), with only 14% thinking of going
to social services, 8% to the council and
3% to a charity for information first.
16 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

surveys & data | business
Reform required
Older people’s right to liberty is not being protected in
care homes and change is needed, says Age UK
The right to liberty of older
people with diminished
capacity in care homes is in
complete disarray and in urgent need of
reform, according to a new report.
Age UK’s ‘Hidden crisis’ report says
almost 50,000 older people have died
without proper legal safeguards in place
and more 100,000 cases are awaiting
authorisation.
Caroline Abrahams, Age UK charity
director, said: “Personal liberty is part
of our birthright and central to our
understanding of what it means to
live in a democracy, so it is profoundly
shocking that so many older people
with diminished capacity are living
and dying without the proper legal
protections for limiting their freedoms
being in place.”
Abrahams warned of the “nightmare
scenario” where older people are locked
in their care home against their best
interests.
She said Age UK had heard of cases
where a care home was reluctant to
constrain the movements of an older
person who is at risk, without legal
authorisation.
The charity said the Deprivation of
Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) process,
which provides a set of checks to ensure
that the deprivation of liberty is in the
person’s best interests, was not working
well in practice and for an alarming
number of older people was not
"Abrahams
warned of the
'nightmare
scenario' where
older people
are locked in
their care home
against their
best interests."
working at all.
The report highlighted significant
criticism of DoLS since their
introduction in 2009 noting a
2014 House of Lords report which
concluded they were “not fit for
purpose”. It also highlighted widespread
lack of Mental Capacity Act knowledge
among care professionals, including a
lack of training and inadequate support
for individuals or families who want to
challenge DoLS decisions.
Age UK also noted the government’s
failure to introduce replacement
Liberty Protection Safeguards
legislation which was set out in the
Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act
2019.
Abrahams added: “The failure of
successive governments to grasp the
nettle of ensuring there’s a functioning
system for safeguarding older people’s
liberty if they lose their mental capacity
is symptomatic of their broader failure
to reform and refinance social care.
“At Age UK we support reform of
the current system, via the replacement
scheme the government proposed a few
years ago but then subsequently shelved
– provided it delivers effective human
rights protections for older people. In
the meantime, we believe it is essential
that the government properly funds
the system that is in place, until reform
Caroline Abrahams
can happen. It should also give local
authorities the resources to begin to
tackle the backlog.”
"The report
highlighted
significant
criticism of DoLS
since their
introduction
in 2009."
Local authorities in England: Estimated uncompleted DoLS applications by year end
(Source: NHS Digital)
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 17

business | sustainability matters
Good neighbours become
good friends
Quality director Nicky Barnes explains how Hartford Care
fulfils its commitment to connecting with communities
We are extremely proud
of our close ties within
our communities; we
are committed to ensuring that our
homes are actively engaged with their
neighbours, and with the people who
live and work in the villages and towns
where we are located.
Our commitment to community
outreach interlinks with our company
ethos of ‘creating caring communities’;
our philosophy of care is underpinned
by creating places that are friendly, kind
and welcoming of everyone, caring for
each other and celebrating individuality
by recognising that everyone needs
something different to thrive – and this
isn’t just pertinent to the community
inside our care homes, but our wider
neighbourhoods too.
We connect to communities by
inviting people into our homes,
donating to local charities, supporting
food banks and sponsoring local
initiatives. Most recently, we hosted
an open house event, where people
could take a tour and meet our teams.
We often link events in our homes to
calendar events such as Shrove Tuesday
when we invited people along for
pancakes and Blue Monday to ensure
people didn’t have to spend the day
alone.
“We connect to
communities by
inviting people into
our homes, donating
to local charities,
supporting food banks
and sponsoring local
initiatives.”
It's incredibly important to remember
the majority of our residents continue
to reside in the same places where
they’ve previously lived, so if they
were a part of the community before,
then they still should be now. Our
residents generally like a busy, vibrant
community and we offer a range
of different activities and events in
our homes, such as visits from local
nurseries, visiting entertainers and
friendship groups, meaning people
can decide on what they’d like to take
part in for themselves, and there’s truly
something for everyone.
We enjoy getting out and about
and supporting local causes and in
December we shared a £5,000 charity
donation between our homes and
central office, each choosing a charity
of their choice. We also support a set
charity which changes every few years,
via a staff vote, so it’s a collaborative
approach. Following the most recent
vote, we’re currently supporting Shelter.
We help our residents to support
their chosen charities. Last year,
Marguerite, a resident at The Elms in
Bembridge, completed a six-mile walk
to raise money for the Isle of Wight
Mencap, supporting people with
learning disabilities.
We want to be able to help those less
fortunate in our localities and beyond,
and many of our homes regularly
donate to local food banks. Alongside
this, last year many homes provided
a base for donations for Ukraine.
Sponsorship is also a big factor, and we
support many local initiatives, such as
Maidenhead FC youth team.
The response to everything we do is
extremely positive. Local NHS workers
were very grateful to be recognised
when we invited them to our homes
for a New Year’s lunch. Our residents
and their families particularly
appreciated being invited to spend
Christmas lunch together, with free
Nicky Barnes
“We want to be
able to help those
less fortunate
in our localities
and beyond, and
many of our homes
regularly donate to
local food banks.”
meals for family members.
The most recent shining example
that our hard work in the community is
paying off occurred at West Cliff Hall
in Hythe. The home had a water outage
for around 72 hours, so we posted
on a local Facebook group and many
local people came along and dropped
off water supplies for our residents
and kept us going throughout – we’re
incredibly grateful. Most of all, we’re
proud to continually bring people
together.
18 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

sustainability matters | business
It’s still the ecology, stupid!
Jonathan Freeman, group sustainability director at CareTech
Group, looks at how social care is rising to the challenge of
reducing greenhouse emissions
When my first Sustainability
Matters column appeared
in the December 2022 issue
– ‘It’s the ecology, stupid!’ – United
Nations secretary-general Antonio
Guterres was warning world leaders at
the COP27 meeting on climate change
that “we are on a highway to climate
hell with our foot on the accelerator”
and that the world was in the “fight of
our lives and we are losing”. I made the
simple comment in that article that the
social care sector had to be in that fight
– whether we like it or not.
So, how’s that fight going? Hmmm…
A quick glance at the latest climate
change news is sobering:
• February 2024 was the world's
warmest February in modern times,
1.77C warmer than ‘pre-industrial’
times, with the first year-long breach
of the 1.5C cap on temperature
increases to which world leaders
committed in the 2015 Paris Climate
Change Agreement.
• Sea temperatures are now so high
that scientists are predicting that the
world’s coral reefs are on the brink
of the “worst bleaching event in the
history of the planet”.
• Antarctic sea-ice has reached extreme
lows and new research shows how
the melting of the ice caps is directly
triggering extreme weather events
worldwide.
• Carbon dioxide levels are at their
highest for two million years, with
the annual Global Carbon Budget
reporting total global CO2 emissions
of 40.9 billion tonnes last year.
"The case for urgent
and significant action
to address man-made
climate change remains
as strong as ever."
It’s not a pretty picture, is it?
The case for urgent and significant
action to address man-made climate
change remains as strong as ever. This is
not an issue that we can afford to kick
into the long grass or put in the ‘too
difficult’ pile.
The upside is that we now understand
far better the causes and effect of
climate change and –vitally – what we
need to do to turn things around. We
are not helpless bystanders. We have the
capabilities and knowledge to sort this
problem out together.
Commitment to change is growing:
• Last year, solar panels were installed
in 17,000 UK houses every month.
• Electric vehicles accounted for 18% of
new vehicle sales worldwide in 2023.
• COP28 saw world leaders, finally,
acknowledging the need to transition
away from fossil fuels for energy
production.
Bringing this closer to home, the
social care sector increasingly stepped
up to the plate on these issues –
and there are many great examples
of operators and partners taking
important action:
• In last month’s Caring Times,
Hartford Care’s Nicky Barnes set out
the fantastic work her company has
undertaken, including installing solar
panels in 11 services, with some 30%
of the electricity for these homes now
coming from solar.
• Oakland Care has planted hundreds
of trees, created wildlife gardens, and
undertaken countless other activities
to boost biodiversity, reduce waste,
and offset long-term emissions, with
chief executive Joanne Balmer being
recognised with an ESG champion
award for her endeavours.
• The simple-but-brilliant Grace Cares
is now providing a service to collect,
donate and sell second-hand care
equipment, providing access to less
expensive equipment and promoting
sustainability through its zero-tolandfill
policy.
Jonathan Freeman
"At CareTech, our switch
to a green electric tariff
has resulted in a 30%
reduction in our direct
carbon emissions."
• At CareTech, our switch to a green
electric tariff has resulted in a 30%
reduction in our direct carbon
emissions. And our Smartbox business
has radically redesigned all of the
packaging materials for its assistive
communications technology devices,
reducing carbon emissions by a
staggering 72%.
These are not isolated examples of
change. Recently, a colleague argued
against hosting an event focused on
sustainability because “I think the sector
gets the importance of ESG now.” At
the Social Care Sustainability Alliance,
we have certainly seen an increasing
number of providers signing up and with
our discussions focused on how to drive
action and tackle tricky issues.
Of course, there’s so much more that
needs to be done. but the commitment
to collaborative action across the sector
fills me with huge confidence that,
yet again, the social care sector is very
much up to the challenge.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 19

business | real estate & development
Property news
Berkley Care Group's Fernhill House
Healthcare real estate fund Elevation Healthcare Properties has
acquired from Clariane 11 properties and simultaneously leased
them back to Berkley Care Group on inflation-linked, longterm
leases. The total consideration to Clariane was £207 million.
Berkley Care operates 12 modern care homes across England
comprising 805 beds.
Ayrton House
Rented retirement homes provider Birchgrove and Hybr, a
student letting platform, are developing an intergenerational
living scheme which will see retirees living in the same purposebuilt,
privately rented retirement development as students and
key workers. Ayrton House is a new £36 million 60-apartment
rental retirement community in Mill Hill, North London. When
launched in October this year, 16 apartments across the third
and fourth floors will be offered exclusively to trainee doctors
and nurses from the local hospital, university postgraduates and
graduate scheme students.
Midford House
in-house physiotherapist. Other features at the home include
a sensory room to support residents living with dementia, a
craft room, and celebrations area which will be used for family
gatherings and special events.
Hallmark Luxury Care Homes opened a £23 million 80-bed
residential, dementia and nursing home in Bath. Midford Manor
features a cinema, café, hair salon and gym supported by an
Lovett Care's Kings Hill site
20 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

real estate & development | business
Lovett Care purchased a site from property developer Aspire
at Kings Hill, Kent to build a care home on the former West
Malling airfield which was used in the two World Wars.
Occupying a site close to village amenities, the 1.8-acre
development has full planning permission for a 78-bed home
with wet rooms and communal resident facilities, set within
landscaped gardens.
CGI of LNT's St Andrews Park Halling site
Broadacres
Not-for-profit care provider Greensleeves Care acquired
Broadacres, a residential care home in Barton Turf, Norfolk.
Independently owned Broadacres has been in operation as a
care home for nearly 40 years with capacity for 28 residents, The
property was converted from a private residence in 1986 and
subsequently extended, today featuring 25 large bedrooms with
full en suite facilities, communal spaces and landscaped gardens.
LNT Care Developments purchased a 66-bedroom care home
site in St Andrews Park Halling, Kent from property developer
Aspire for £2.88 million. Commercial real estate firm Colliers
negotiated the deal. Planning permission was secured for the
development of a three-storey care home complete with en suite
wet rooms. LNT expects to hand over to its operating partner
and welcome residents by the first quarter of next year.
Real estate investor and lender Octopus Real Estate provided
£35 million for three new care homes in the Octopus Healthcare
Fund’s portfolio. The homes will provide more than 200 beds,
funded as part of a partnership with family-owned care home
group Acacia Care. Two of the homes are recent acquisitions by
the Fund. Both are currently being constructed by Synergy Care
Developments, at sites in New Lubbesthorpe, Leicestershire, and
Hunstanton, Norfolk. Both developments are due to complete
next year, when Acacia Care will operate each home on a longterm
lease.
CGI of one of the three new Octopus care homes to be run by Acacia Care
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 21

business | leadership
Women at the top
Caring Times speaks to four key executives at new care provider,
Aria Care, which is championing female leadership
According to the World Health
Organization, women account
for 70% of the global health
and social care workforce, but the
picture is not always mirrored at the
leadership level, with only 25% female
representation in senior positions.
The reasons are multifaceted, but this
unfortunately leads to a loss of talent
which is damaging for the industry.
There are four women in the senior
leadership team at Aria Care, a new
50-home care provider, who shared
their thoughts about creating a working
environment that is conducive to
empowering women to progress in their
careers.
Cultural transformation
When Aria Care was formed in
December 2022, Caroline Roberts,
with more than 35 years’ experience
working in the sector, was appointed
chief executive. Roberts says she has
a vision for Aria Care to be the best
provider of care in the UK, and a
central part of this has been putting
equal opportunity front and centre to
ensure all 2,700 employees are treated
fairly, equally and with respect.
Female leadership can have a
transformative effect on organisational
culture, and is often conducive to
"According to the World
Health Organization,
women account for 70%
of the global health and
social care workforce, but
the picture is not always
mirrored at the leadership
level, with only 25%
female representation in
senior positions."
Caroline Roberts
Ruth Yates
improved outcomes for women, such
as increased visibility and a better
work-life balance. Beyond improving
pay rates, enhancing benefits and
annual leave, and becoming a living
wage employer, Roberts says she has
fostered a culture of enablement which
has created a feeling of trust where
all staff feel empowered and listened
to. Roberts has also taken a hands-on
approach, and her engagement within
Aria’s communities has made her a
strong female role model, which has
been inspiring at all levels.
Upward mobility for women
Visible upward mobility is crucial to
achieving gender equality and can play
a key part in ensuring employees remain
engaged and happy in their roles. Kelly
Howell, Aria’s chief people officer, Ruth
Yates, managing director of operations,
and Sarah Chapman, director of sales
and marketing, have all been promoted
internally to their current positions as
part of Aria Care’s executive team.
The company has achieved complete
gender parity within its senior
leadership team, which has 50% female
representation, and Roberts says it is
constantly creating career pathways and
Kelly Howell
Sarah Chapman
development opportunities to give all
of its employees the chance to progress.
Giving everyone a voice
Roberts says gender equality can only
be achieved within an organisation that
is truly representative of the views of all
members and this is why the company
brought staff at all levels together at
its annual conference to ensure the
company’s new vision was reflective of
the employees’ own values.
Roberts says she values the need
for organisations to be inclusive and
she is proud that its gender pay gap is
currently 2.3% across the organisation,
significantly below an Office for
National Statistics report in 2022 that
put the UK average gender pay gap at
8.3% (median).
Roberts says she will continue the
drive to eradicate gender inequality
by living the company’s values each
day and applying these to decisionmaking.
Also, collaborating with
other effective women in the sector
enables Aria’s senior women to work
together, not only recognise and
reward female talent, but to create a
more balanced representation in the
industry.
22 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

personnel | business
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 23

business | personnel
People moves
in association with
BKR Care Consultancy appointed Charlie Jones as chief
operating officer after working for the company for 10 years.
Jones began her career as a haematology nurse and worked in a
blood and bone marrow transplant unit. Between 2013 and 2014
she worked in a care home before joining BKRCC where she had
provided training services to BKRCC clients while working at
her previous job.
Julia Mixter
care homes, Davenham, Perrins House and Bradbury Court.
Bennett has worked in the care sector for more than 16 years.
Charlie Jones
New Care’s Grosvenor Manor Care Centre promoted two of
its most experienced and long-serving employees. The home
provides 24-hour nursing care, residential, respite and dementia
care. Carer Darren Molyneux has been appointed deputy home
manager and nurse Maria Zolotnikova has been appointed as
clinical lead. Each has more than 17 years’ experience in health
and social care and have worked at Grosvenor Manor for more
than five years.
Jo Bennett
Nursing and care recruitment agency Nurseplus appointed Ian
Hobbs as chief operating officer. Hobbs has 25 years’ experience
of the staffing industry. He is a mechanical engineer by trade,
having formerly trained with the Ministry of Defence for five
years, followed by 10 years in the financial services market before
moving into the staffing industry.
Darren Moyneux and Maria Zolotnikova
Anchor, a not-for-profit provider of older people’s housing
and care, appointed Julia Mixter as executive director, business
services, effective 13 May. Mixter replaces Kate Smith, who
left Anchor to become chief executive at rural housing group
Connexus.
Friends of the Elderly Malvern appointed Jo Bennett as general
manager. The charity comprises residential, nursing and dementia
Ian Hobbs
24 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

personnel | business
London-based luxury home care service Vivant employed eight
experienced personal assistants who, between them, have wideranging
experiences and backgrounds. The new arrivals include a
former English teacher, a science PhD, a yoga teacher, a musician,
a paramedic, as well as nurses. Vivant launched in January, aiming
to enable its clients to continue living at home. The company’s
offering includes an exclusive concierge service, personalised,
tailored care support, and companionship.
Mel Oliver (left), deputy manager of Innis Mhor,
with manager Kate Walker
Vivant
Morris Care Centre, a 96-bed nursing home in Wellington,
Shropshire appointed Stacie Smith as its new home manager,
leading more than 130 employees providing a range of care
including complex disability care for residents of all ages, and
respite, convalescence, palliative and dementia care for older
people. Smith’s career in care started as a care home assistant and
she worked her way up to become a deputy manager, a manager
and then an area manager across seven homes.
Reliable, clear advice
on what to do and why
Specialist in the Care Sector
38 years of experience
in Conflict Resolution
Owner of a care company
with 90+ employees
John Cato
Solicitor-Advocate
Stacie Smith
Parklands Care Homes boosted its Highlands management
team with three new appointments. Mel Oliver was appointed
as deputy manager of Innis Mhor in Tain, while Alexis Le Neven
was recruited as manager of Eilean Dubh in Fortrose. Alana
Brown, previously a shift leader at Eilean Dubh, has also joined
Parklands’ training and development team as a trainer in the
region.
Email us at charlotte.macfarlane@catolex.law
to arrange your initial telephone consultation
Birmingham, Northampton & Market Harborough
0121 387 4410 catolex.law
Reshaping The Business Of Law
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 25

business | legal and regulatory
Is one word enough?
Healthcare regulatory partner Amanda Narkiewicz from law firm
Mills & Reeve considers the Care Quality Commission’s response
to recent reports following the death of head teacher Ruth Perry
The Care Quality Commission
has confirmed it will learn
lessons from the death of
Caversham Primary School head
teacher, Ruth Perry, who took her
own life after an Ofsted inspection,
and is overhauling its training of
inspectors. The regulator plans to roll
out a training programme designed to
support assessors and inspectors and
identify signs when providers may be
distressed.
In its February board report, the
CQC considered what it has learned
from recent reports following the death
of Perry, as comparisons have been
drawn with its work and the CQC’s
use of ratings to describe quality.
Interestingly, the CQC makes the point
that the quality of care provided by
large healthcare settings is not usually
perceived as the sole ‘responsibility’ of
an individual in a comparable way: we
expect registered managers may take a
different view.
The regulator acknowledges it
has had contact from providers and
provider representatives to highlight
the stress of inspections and pressure
they experience on the ground, and the
effect of this on wellbeing and longterm
recruitment.
In addition to reviewing the training
of inspectors and assessors, the CQC
recognises there are “further areas”
where it “must act”.
"The roll-out of the CQC’s
SAF and its aspiration to
be a ‘dynamic regulator’
should mean that in future
ratings are updated in a
timely way once concerns
have been remedied."
Key areas include:
• A review of quality assurance
processes to ensure reports are
published in a timely way, such that
“where there has been an unusually
long delay between inspection
of a service and publication of a
report, consideration will be given
to how any progress made since
the inspection is reflected in any
accompanying media materials at the
point of publication to ensure an upto-date
picture of quality”.
• Further guidance for providers to
support them with the new Single
Assessment Framework (SAF), as the
CQC recognises that it is a transition
from an old model to a new model
with new technology.
• A review of the process for supporting
the wellbeing of providers.
• A review of other pathways for
providers to raise concerns with the
CQC which cannot be resolved by
assessors and inspectors on site.
• Reassessment of the call for an
independent complaints process.
However, the CQC emphasises that
if providers are unhappy with the
CQC’s complaints process they have
the right to contact the Parliamentary
and Health Service Ombudsman via
their local MP. This is a live issue for
care home providers who have been
calling for an improved pathway for
complaints.
Ofsted learning
Senior coroner Heidi Connor raises
concerns in her ‘Preventing future
deaths’ report that the current Ofsted
system allows for the single-word
judgement of Inadequate to be applied
equally to a school failing in all areas
and to a school rated otherwise Good,
but with issues that could be remedied
by the time the report is published.
Care providers’ ratings, similarly, can at
times be dictated by a small number of
findings that can be remedied quickly
Amanda Narkiewicz
"The impact of an Inadequate
rating, particularly for
care providers, cannot be
underestimated."
and before the publication of the
CQC’s rating.
The roll-out of the CQC’s SAF
and its aspiration to be a ‘dynamic
regulator’ should mean that in future
ratings are updated in a timely way once
concerns have been remedied. However,
it will also mean that the CQC will be
quicker to downgrade ratings and take
enforcement action.
The impact of an Inadequate rating,
particularly for care providers, cannot
be underestimated. That one-word
rating can often trigger enforcement
action, a financially distressing local
authority embargo (preventing new
admissions), adverse local press,
difficulty in recruitment and retention
of staff, and home managers feeling
exposed to public scrutiny from
residents, their families and the
local community. All of this in our
experience impacts a provider’s ability
to address the concerns that led to the
rating.
26 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

business | legal and regulatory
Handle with care
Luke Mitchell, a solicitor in the health and social care team at RWK
Goodman, says providers must be fastidious with data requests and
only disclose information to those who have authority to access it
Health and social care providers
are often met with requests
for records from either
service users or their relatives. The
consequences for providers of getting
this wrong can be serious.
Types of requests
There are several pieces of legalisation
under which records can be requested.
This includes:
• The UK General Data Protection
Regulation (GDPR) – which entitles
individuals to request their own
personal data. This is referred to as a
subject access request (SAR).
• Access to Health Records Act 1990 –
this applies to people who have died.
Health records can be requested from
a patient’s personal representative or
someone who has a claim resulting
from a patient’s death.
• Freedom of Information Act 2000
– which creates a general right of
access to recorded information held
by public authorities. Crucially, this
is unlikely to apply to most social care
providers, in contrast to the NHS,
and GPs and dentists holding NHS
records.
What to do when a request is
received
When receiving a request, providers
should first identify the type of request
being made. This will determine what
authority documentation is required
and the time frame for responding.
The following steps are key:
• Put in place a comprehensive policy
detailing what to do when a data
request is received and who within
the organisation data requests should
be escalated to. There should be more
than one person to allow for absences.
• If the request is unclear, seek
clarification about what data is sought.
This may narrow the scope of the
request, thereby avoiding disclosure of
irrelevant material and an unnecessary
administrative burden.
• Identify the type of request and the
deadline for complying.
• Ensure staff are adequately trained
to identify record requests and what
action to take in accordance with
providers’ policies. Requests should
be referred to the relevant people as
soon as possible to maximise time to
collate data and respond.
• Redact documents that contain
third-party data. This could include
the name of other service users, for
example, or sections of documents
which are not relevant to the record
request.
• Ensure any records are disclosed
securely, for example using a secure
file sharing platform or by using
password protected files. This is
particularly important for social care
providers which typically hold large
amounts of special category data.
The consequences of getting it
wrong
If you disclose confidential data to an
individual without authority, this is
likely to result in a data breach which
could then be subject to investigation
by, or a sanction from, the Information
Commissioners Office (ICO).
The ICO has various enforcement
powers ranging from the issuing of a
warning to a fine of up to £17.5 million
or 4% of annual turnover, whichever is
higher. The impact of this on providers
could be catastrophic for its bottom
line, particularly with existing financial
pressures in the sector.
Providers should also keep in mind
Regulation 17 of the Health and Social
Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities)
Regulations 2014 (good governance)
which requires providers to observe
data protection legislation. A breach
of the regulations could limit overall
service ratings determined by the Care
Quality Commission.
Moreover, where confidential
Luke Mitchell
"Providers may also find
that a data breach causes
reputational harm, as well
as increasing its insurance
premiums."
information or personal data is
inadvertently shared, the individual
concerned, or his or her attorneys/
personal representatives, may seek to
instruct a claims management company
(CMC) to pursue providers in the
courts for compensation.
When instructing a CMC there
are usually no legal fees to pay if the
company is unsuccessful in obtaining
a court decision or settlement in the
person’s favour. CMCs are therefore
heavily motivated to get providers to
pay. Regardless of the merit of any
claim, providers will spend a significant
amount of time and money fighting a
claim.
Providers may also find that a data
breach causes reputational harm, as well
as increasing its insurance premiums.
Having good systems and policies in
place and taking advice at the outset
will greatly reduce the risk of getting
things wrong.
28 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

care
39 CARE FOR TOMORROW
Meet Alfred – your friendly robotic
waiter
33 CPD
Skills for Care discusses how the new
care reform package can offer personal
advancement
34 CT ON THE ROAD
Care England's conference champions
social care
44 WELLBEING
Dr Zoe Wyrko offers a fresh take on
later living

care | registered managers
Managers’ guide to… hydration
An innovative approach is key when it comes to keeping care home
residents hydrated, says Danielle Barham, manager at Weald Hall
Care Home in Epping, Essex
With the elderly, good
nutrition and hydration
play a vital role in keeping
their health where we want it to be.
Older people are particularly vulnerable
to developing dehydration due to
issues such as a deterioration in kidney
function and swallowing problems,
while people living with dementia often
don’t know they are thirsty and need
reminding to drink.
Hydration care in care homes can
be challenging, with many residents
dependent on staff to provide them with
drinks. The consequences of dehydration
in older people can be severe, and can
include delirium, falls, constipation
and urinary tract infections. That’s why
it’s important for a care home manager
to stay on top of hydration policy and
practice. Our home is not just a care
home, it’s a place to carry on living with
a little extra support.
1. Innovate to hydrate. Doing
something a bit different can be a good
way to promote the importance of
hydration and bring it to the front of the
minds of residents, staff and families.
At Weald Hall Care Home we recently
hosted a Mad Hatters’ Tea Party with
a focus on promoting nutrition and
hydration, but also fun. It was organised
by our lifestyle team, and we took a
creative approach to catering, using
the opportunity to show how food can
contribute to hydration. We had teapots
made from melons, for example, jellies
made in rabbit shaped moulds, soup
in tea cups and yoghurts in little shot
glasses. We made all the food and drink
ourselves using Instagram for inspiration
and we invited our local mayor who
gave a speech about the importance of
hydration and nutrition.
2. Small is beautiful We use smaller
cups as we find this works better.
Residents will often look at a large cup
and say “I can’t drink all that”, but will
drink the same amount from a small cup
which is topped up regularly.
3. Hydration can come from food
as well as drink We offer jelly shots, for
example, and we had a cake made out of
fruit at our Mad Hatters’ Tea Party.
4. Make it fun We put different
flavoured drinks in transparent coloured
cups, to disguise the colour of the drink,
and asked residents to guess what flavour
the drink is.
5. Make sure people understand
what’s on offer If you offer people living
with dementia a choice of drinks, they
will often just repeat the first thing you
said. Try showing pictures of different
drinks instead.
6. Record preferences. Care
plans should include food and drink
preferences and dislikes, as well as
allergies. All staff need to have access
to the care plans, because all staff will
be involved in offering drinks at some
point. Residents’ needs can change, so
make sure they are frequently assessed to
ensure they receive the correct level of
support.
7. Be a role model If we notice
someone isn’t drinking, it can help to sit
with them and have tea or juice yourself.
Some residents are not great eaters, but if
you sit with them they will probably eat,
even if they are eating your lunch instead
of their own.
8. Give plenty of opportunities
to hydrate We put juice in residents’
rooms every morning, even if we know
they are not going to be in their rooms
– they might go back. We refresh it
every afternoon and evening. Hydration
stations in corridors should be filled up
at all times.
9. Get residents involved Engaging
people in making smoothies and
milkshakes encourages them to drink.
As a manager, you need to be out on the
floor as much as you need to be doing
paperwork, talking to residents and
finding out what they want. We come up
with ideas by talking to people.
10. Audit your own practice.
Ask yourself and your team – can all
residents ask staff for drinks, and if
not how do they get them? What help
is given to residents who need to be
supported to drink? How do you know
that all residents are getting enough to
drink?
30 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

Chef of the month
Chef Dhiraj Amin tells us what’s on the menu at
Excelcare’s Sherrell House Care Home in Chigwell, Essex
catering | care
Dhiraj Amin
Tell us about your background in care
I was born and raised in Mumbai, India,
and was always determined to follow
in my father's footsteps in the catering
industry. My father manages a restaurant
of his own in Mumbai, which gave me
the opportunity to inherit culinary skills
from a very young age.
While living in Mumbai, I worked at
five-star The Oberoi Hotel. I wanted to
challenge myself and learn from some of
the best in the industry.
In February 2021, I decided to travel
to England and study for my master’s
degree in hospitality at the University
of Birmingham. I then managed to
secure a role at The Ivy in Birmingham,
where I worked alongside a team of
42 highly skilled chefs who taught me
about modern brasserie classics, Asianinspired
cuisine, and delicious vegan and
vegetarian options.
I loved my time at the Ivy, but I
thought my skills could be utilised better
in a different setting. I took a leap of
faith and applied for the head chef role
at Sherrell House Care Home. Looking
back, I am so glad I made this decision.
What is special about working
at Excelcare?
As soon as I joined Excelcare I
was made to feel special, with
training opportunities offered to
me within the first few months.
Being an introvert and someone
who doesn’t regularly engage
with people I don’t know, I
found this changed when I came
to Sherrell House. The support
from the home manager gave
me confidence to step out of my
shell and engage with the people
who live here. Now, I actively
visit different suites in the home,
get feedback from people about
the food I make, and ask for
suggestions to incorporate on our
menu.
It’s a very rewarding role, as I
am able to create plates of food
that really have an impact. For
example, one gentleman who lives
at Sherrell House loves traditional
Asian cooking, so I spoke with his family
about his likes and preferences, and I’m
now able to ensure I meet his needs
through the food I cook. I have found
this has had a profound impact on his
wellbeing and, in turn, had a positive
impact on me too.
How do you vary your menu to
provide choice for residents?
Many residents enjoy traditional English
foods, but I try to introduce a different
cuisine two times a week so people can
try new foods and expand their palate.
National days and events also provide
me with the opportunity to broaden
the types of food I serve. Vegetarian and
vegan options are always available for
people who don’t eat meat or want to try
an alternative to meat.
How do you meet residents’
nutritional and health needs?
It was a completely new environment
and audience for me, so I spent lots
of time learning about the residents'
personal preferences, likes and dislikes
so I could lead my team in tailoring the
menu accordingly. The knowledge I
have gained of world cuisine throughout
my career has enabled me to prepare
traditional meals for residents from
various backgrounds and meet
their specific cultural and religious
requirements.
How do you care for residents with
dementia?
I have found that my role as head chef
has a huge impact on people who live
with dementia. Food has the power
to bring back memories and boost
wellbeing during difficult days, so I join
every resident meeting to ensure their
preferences and requests are reflected on
the menu. Asking for feedback also helps
me to edit and improve recipes until
they are just right. Another important
aspect is ensuring people who are on
a pureed diet receive a plate that is
delicious and attractive, which my recent
training has really helped me with.
What’s your most popular dish?
My own butter chicken recipe or
mushroom pasta are firm favourites here
at Sherrell House
What’s your favourite dish?
I love making pies. Before arriving at
Sherrell House, I hadn’t made many, but
I’ve enjoyed learning this British classic
and adding my own flair.
How do you make the dining
experience special for residents and
their families?
Inviting families to dine with their
loved ones and catering to this ensures
they can make happy memories during
mealtimes. Many people who live
with dementia are unable to travel to
restaurants, so bringing this experience
to the mealtimes at Sherrell House
enables these moments to continue.
I have also arranged an evening with
relatives and their loved ones, where I
will serve a tasting menu inspired by
foods from around the world.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 31

care | manager in focus
10 questions with…
We speak to Charlie Lebatt, general manager of Hallmark Anisha Grange
in Billericay, Essex, rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission
Why did you join the social care sector?
I always wanted to become a nurse
and I qualified as one in 2013. I then
worked within the NHS in accident and
emergency and I felt I could not give my
best because I did not have quality time
to spend with people. I chose to move
over to the social care sector so I was able
to build relationships with the residents
and their families and really get to know
the people I cared for.
What do you enjoy most about your
job?
I enjoy all aspects of my job. I love that I
have built a relationship with the team,
residents and their families. I enjoy seeing
the team develop and succeed within
their careers and I also enjoy seeing
residents thrive in their later lives.
Who is your social care hero and why?
I think anyone who works in social care
is a hero. The person who inspires me
the most and who is my role model is
our managing director Aneurin Brown.
Nye has had a successful career at
Hallmark Luxury Care Homes starting
as a hospitality manager and is now the
managing director. He is very clear with
his vision and his decisions are led by
his strong values and to me that is true
leadership.
“I love that I have built
a relationship with the
team, residents and
their families.
I enjoy seeing the team
develop and succeed
within their careers
and I also enjoy seeing
residents thrive in their
later lives."
Charlie Lebatt
What is the one thing you would
change about social care?
I would change the way in which funding
is awarded so that everyone has the
opportunity to live in the home of their
choice.
What in your opinion makes a great
care worker?
Someone with a good heart, who is
naturally kind and caring. We can teach
the practical elements of the care role but
being a kind person is something that
comes naturally and cannot be taught.
What do you do when life all gets a bit
too much?
I reflect on where I have come from
and where I am now. I am lucky that I
have a very good support network and I
think it’s really important to speak about
feelings when things get a bit too much.
I also sometimes take my dog for a walk
or spend some time at the stables in the
fresh air.
What advice would you give your
younger self ?
It may take a bit of time, but things will
get better.
"It may take a bit of
time, but things will
get better."
Which three famous people would you
have to dinner and why?
Adele, as I am a big fan. Not only do I
love her music, but I admire that she is
authentic and humble despite her huge
success. Robin Williams, as he was my
favourite childhood actor and always
made me smile. Freddie Mercury, as he
was not afraid to be himself and wanted
to stand out from the crowd but was
known for being kind and sincere.
What three items would you bring
with you on a desert island?
A fishing net so I could catch food, a
hammock so I could sleep comfortably
and a radio.
What is your secret talent?
I would love to say that I many hidden
talents. I can play Stand By Me on the
xylophone.
32 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

Learn and develop
continuing professional development | care
Victoria Collier, deputy head of national workforce development, capability
and skills at Skills for Care, discusses how the new care reform package can
offer personal advancement in the sector
This year kicked off with a
promising announcement
from the government about
its new reform package. This includes
the first iteration of the care workforce
pathway and the new care certificate
qualification.
Both of these initiatives are certainly
updates to be celebrated for the sector
and will play a really positive role in
supporting learning and development
for people working in care and we are
delighted to have been involved in their
development.
The new pathway is a key step
forward in helping to articulate what
a career in social care means and
developing a consistent understanding
of what it is to be a professional
working with people who draw on care
and support.
This is an important step in ensuring
that people working in social care
are recognised as the skilled and
committed professionals they are. It
will develop a universal understanding
between people working in care, people
drawing on care and support, employers
and care commissioners of the roles that
exist in social care and what they offer.
This is vital in attracting people to
work in the care sector, and in growing
and developing people in their role
– which we know is fundamental to
retaining staff.
"This year
kicked off with
a promising
announcement
from the
government about
its new reform
package."
In fact, our data shows average
turnover rates decreased from 37%
among staff who had no qualifications
to 26.5% among those that had a
qualification. The average turnover
rate was nine percentage points lower
among care workers who had received
some form of training (31.6%),
compared to those who had not
(40.6%).
This first phase of the pathway
development focused on articulating
the knowledge, skills and behaviours
associated with roles providing direct
care – from those new to care, to those
leading in specialist areas of practice.
Importantly, this phase also articulated
the values that people working in care
need to hold and demonstrate.
The second phase of the development
is now looking at other roles, including
registered managers, deputy managers
and personal assistants.
One of the most important learning
opportunities for people who are
new to care is the care certificate. We
recommend everyone new to social care
completes the certificate as part of a
robust induction process.
We know from our data that 65%
of direct care providing staff who
started working in the sector since
January 2015 have engaged with the
care certificate, which is now being
developed to become a recognised
qualification.
Skills for Care has worked on content
development for the qualification in
collaboration with the sector through a
series of focus groups and stakeholder
meetings.
Awarding organisations are now
using the content developed to create
and launch their qualifications. We
expect these qualifications to be
available to the sector from June this
year.
The new qualification reflects the
existing content of the care certificate
standards, with some updates based
on emerging themes, such as personal
Victoria Collier
"The new pathway
is a key step
forward in helping
to articulate
what a career in
social care means
and developing
a consistent
understanding
of what it is to
be a professional
working with
people who draw on
care and support."
wellbeing, digital skills and equality
and diversity.
Both these key developments are
contributing to a very exciting time
for the development of learning and
training opportunities for people
working in social care, which will be
crucial is attracting and retaining the
workforce of the future.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 33

care | ct on the road
Champions of change
Lee Peart picks out some of the highlights as the great and the good of social
care came together at this year’s Care England conference in Westminster
Introducing this year’s event,
Professor Martin Green, Care
England chief executive, said 2024
was a pivotal year for social care with
the general election approaching.
“We are in very tough times and I
don’t need to tell anyone in this room
just how tough those times are,” Green
said. “We are walking to an election
which I confidently predict will be
sometime this year.”
Green expressed his disappointment
with the lack of debate about social
care in the lead up to the election,
saying: “We will try our best to raise
the profile of social care, but I think it
is incumbent upon on us all to make
sure that every time we engage with a
politician at a national or local level
we remind them of the importance of
social care and we talk to them about
how social care transforms lives, we
talk to them about the impact social
care has on local economies and we also
remind them that the NHS would fall
over without social care.
“We are interdependent systems
and we need to have the same parity
of esteem and to have also some of the
health and social budget to actually
come into social care rather just into
the NHS.”
Given the lack of discussion about
social care by politicians, Green said
social care had “to take our own destiny
in our own hands”.
The Care England head said this year’s
conference would lay out some of the
problems as well aim to provide some of
the solutions to the sector’s challenges.
“We know there
needs to be
change, but it’s not
going to come from
politics, it has to
come from us.”
Professor Martin Green opens the conference
“We know there needs to be change,
but it’s not going to come from politics,
it has to come from us,” Green said.
Debt of thanks
In a strong line-up of eminent speakers,
ADASS president, Beverley Tarka,
discussed how to tell the story of
social care, valuing and developing
the workforce, including international
workers, and the role of technology
in promoting collaboration and
supporting better lives.
The ADASS head welcomed Skills
for Care’s work on producing a
comprehensive workforce strategy for
the sector alongside the NHS Long
Term Plan.
“Hopefully, we now have some
positive structures and initiatives from
government with which we can start to
build,” Tarka said.
The ADASS head also welcomed the
government’s £250 million spending
on workforce development over the
next two years, the introduction of a
national care career structure, the new
Level 2 care certificate and funding for
apprenticeships and digital training, as
well as the digital skills passport.
Tarka said the sector owed overseas
workers a “debt of thanks” for their
huge support and should “push
back on commentary and narratives
that stigmatise or minimise their
contribution”.
While noting the “ethical approach”
of many care providers to overseas care
worker recruitment, Tarka noted there
“have been significant problems in
relation to the exploitation of migrants
and immigration non-compliance”. She
said ADASS was “actively working”
towards “a far better space where
34 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

James Allen addresses the conference
“I am immensely
proud of the fact
that National Care
Group was one of
only four recipients
from the first wave of
the Adult Social Care
Technology Fund.”
James Allen
we don’t have vulnerable people
supporting vulnerable people”.
Provider’s perspective
Offering a provider’s perspective on
championing change, James Allen, chief
executive of National Care Group,
outlined the “woeful” underfunding of
the sector and shared his concerns that
nothing was offered for the sector in
the Spring Budget.
On funding, Allen said “there will
never be enough, so as a sector we have
to acknowledge the challenge, keep
fighting and get on with it”.
Allen covered workforce, technology
innovation and collaboration and coproduction
in his speech and called for
“comparability, equality and equity” for
the sector’s undervalued workforce.
He spoke about the importance of
supporting workers’ mental wealth as
well as help for female colleagues going
through the menopause and those
suffering domestic abuse.
The care leader discussed how
National Care Group had promoted
better staff communication through
the introduction of an employee app
and spoke of the need to promote adult
social care as a career of choice.
He welcomed the publication of the
care workforce pathway in January
as perhaps signaling the beginning of
some positive times for change ahead.
Allen also outlined how providers
have led a change in the delivery
of specialist care from hospital to
community settings.
“This sector doesn’t stand still and
make do,” Allen said. “It listens, it
responds, it innovates.”
Allen spoke about the benefits of
using technology at National Care
Group, including digital care records
adoption.
“I am immensely proud of the fact
that National Care Group was one of
only four recipients from the first wave
of the Adult Social Care Technology
Fund,” he said. The funding is being
used to support the implementation of
a digital email across the organisation,
which will manage medication risks.
The care leader identified the use of
artificial intelligence to support people
with chronic mental health issues or
assistive technology to support people to
live more independently as other avenues
for further technology innovation.
Allen also called for further
collaboration among providers to
attract more talent to the sector and to
share experiences of digitalisation.
He stressed the importance of
providers having greater input into
integrated care boards and supported
the creation of a Social Care Council.
Allen also discussed the need for
a “shared and collaborative vision
with the regulator on how we should
champion change in the sector”.
“The adversarial approach, lack
of trust, inconsistency and perhaps
misunderstanding needs to be
addressed,” he said. “We all want
to improve practice and none of us
wants to tolerate or condone systemic
bad practice on the part of any
stakeholders.”
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 35

care | advertorial
Do you know or work with
someone who is an unsung
hero in a care home?
Ontex has teamed up with Caring Times once again to reward those
working in care who are always ready to go that extra mile
There are thousands of people
working in UK care homes who
make a real difference, whether
it’s behind the scenes in the laundry
room, preparing meals in the kitchen,
or providing direct personal care for
the residents. We’re looking for those
who go beyond the job description.
Whether it’s the gardener who brings
residents their favourite cookies, or
a housekeeper who helps residents
to rediscover their hobbies – we’re
searching for those who bring a little bit
of extra joy into the care world.
Your unsung hero may be a colleague
or someone else you know, and now is
the time to reward those individuals
who have made a genuine impact on
their particular place of work.
If you know of anyone that fits the
bill, entries can be made online at:
caring-times.co.uk/care-home-heroes
So go to this link and tell us, in 400
words or less, why you think your
nominated person deserves to win.
Make sure to include an example of
when they have gone the extra distance
to make a difference.
All winners will be announced in
June and will be presented with their
certificate and Love2Shop vouchers on
Friday 28 June at the Care Managers
Show at the NEC Birmingham.
Three runner-up winners will each
receive £250 Love2Shop vouchers,
and the Overall Winner will receive a
£500 Love2Shop voucher. The three
runner-up winners will feature in the
September, October and November
issues of Caring Times magazine, and
the overall winner will feature in a
special feature in the December issue of
Caring Times.
Terms and conditions
This prize draw is organised by Ontex, Weldon House, CorbyGate Business Park, Priors Haw Road, Corby,
NN17 5JG. It is governed by the laws of England and Wales and it is subject to the following conditions:
• The prize draw is not open to employees or contractors of Ontex or any person directly or indirectly involved
in the organisation and running of the competition or their direct family members.
• The prizes are up to the value of £250 of Love2Shop Vouchers for the three runner-up winners and £500
Love2Shop voucher for the one overall winner. The Love2Shop vouchers may be substituted to an alternative
gift card chosen by Ontex to the same value if required. There is no cash alternative. The vouchers will be
presented to the winners on stage at the Care Managers Show at the NEC on Friday 27 June.
• The three runner-up winners will be included in the Caring Times publication during the September
2024, October 2024 and November 2024 issues. The overall winner will be included in the Caring Times
publication during the December 2024 issue.
• No purchase is necessary to take part in the prize draw.
• The prize draw is open to UK residents only who are aged 18 or over.
• Closing date for entry is Friday 19 May. Winners will be notified by 1 June.
• The overall winner will receive two tickets to the National Care Awards on Friday 29 November in London.
• All winners will be presented with their award at the Care Managers Show and must be available to attend
the Show on Friday 27 June.
• If the winners do not confirm acceptance of his/her prize within seven days he/she will automatically forfeit
the rights to claim for the prize. In the event of the prize not being claimed, Ontex reserves the right to select
an alternative winner via any means that Ontex feel appropriate.
By participating in the prize draw, you declare that you accept these terms and conditions unconditionally.
36 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

advertorial | care
Care Homes Heroes 2024 offers a unique
chance to celebrate the dedication of all
those who go above and beyond to keep
care homes running. It’s a brilliant way to
shine the spotlight on people who get on
with their jobs unseen and unheard, but
make a real difference.
“This is the sixth year we’ve worked
with Caring Times for the Care Home
Heroes and we absolutely love it because
it’s important to shine a light on those
who go above and beyond for their
residents,” comments Angela Gillespie,
distributor channel manager at Ontex.
“And it doesn’t have to be a grand gesture
– it’s the little, consistent things that
really have an impact on someone’s life.”
Last year, we received over 350 entries
and it took a panel of five to decide the
finalists. Gillespie continued: “It’s a
difficult competition to judge because
each person is so deserving. My top tip
when nominating somebody is to use a
particular example with lots of detail for
how they have made a difference and how
this impacted others – good luck to all
nominees.”
Overall Winner 2023:
David Fielding, handyman, Forest Care, Cedar Lodge Care Home
David’s love for his residents and his commitment to Cedar Lodge’s values drives him
to perform brilliantly in his role as handyman, always exceeding his remit. He drives
residents to hospital appointments, collects prescriptions from pharmacies and delivers
blood samples to medical practices. He supports and contributes to the wellbeing of
residents, shopping for personal items on their behalf, taking them out for shopping
trips and willingly involving himself in activities on themed days.
David carries out all health and safety, induction and fire training for staff on an
ongoing basis. He literally goes the extra mile to collect colleagues from home to
ensure they can attend training if they do not have access to transport.
“David is a good listener and takes the time to stop and chat with residents and colleagues,” says Nenita Jopson, care home
manager. “If you need something doing, he replies enthusiastically straight away ‘yes, I can do that.’ David is our unsung hero.”
Runner-up 2023:
Joy Clark, receptionist,
The Burlington Care Home, Boutique Care Homes
As a receptionist, Joy’s role goes beyond greeting visitors and answering phone calls.
She takes the time to get to know each resident, their interests and their preferences.
Joy goes above and beyond to make the residents’ day-to-day experiences more
enjoyable. She hosts them in the café for coffee and cake, taking the time to chat and
listen to their stories. She has also set up a music club for the residents in the bistro,
bringing in her own soundbar and putting together a playlist of old songs. This has
been a huge hit.
Runner-up 2023:
Vincent Doherty, facilities manager, The White House Nursing Home
Vincent has been The White House’s facilities manager for more than 30 years.
Although he has been diagnosed with cancer and undergone treatment in recent years,
Vincent has still shown up to work between treatments ready to support the home and
his colleagues. He regularly escorts the activities team on trips so he can help residents
on and off the home’s van. Vincent is much-loved by everyone at the home and makes
time to talk to residents and their families ensuring they are happy with the facilities
provided for their residents. He is an extremely talented carpenter, creating a dedicated
visiting pod during Covid to keep residents and families safe, and even making a bar
for the residents’ lounge.
Runner-up 2023:
Marcia Hughes, activities co-ordinator, Thorp House Nursing Home,
Kingsley Healthcare
Marcia’s drive and enthusiasm is infectious. She uses Facebook and local community
pages to showcase the home, with posts shared by local dignitaries such as the mayor,
councillors and the local MP. She forges strong relationships to involve the home in
the community, and thanks to her there are regular mentions in the local paper. Marcia
works hard to ensure no resident feels isolated, and breaks activities down so that
everyone can take part even if they can’t leave their room. Through a Wishing Tree she
has encouraged residents to find new zest for life. Marcia sends monthly newsletters
and activities planners to all the families ensuring they know what’s going on, and to
see if they wish to attend anything.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 37

care | care for tomorrow
Save time, increase care
Stephanie Nimmo, communications and engagement lead,
Digitising Social Care at NHS England, explains how going digital
helps increase efficiency, improves care quality and saves time
As an ever-increasing number of
care providers are making the
leap to ditch paper and embrace
digital approaches to care planning,
they’ve been sharing their journeys with
us and telling us why they’ll never look
back.
One of the biggest selling points for
adopting a digital social care record
solution (DSCR) is the amount of
admin time it saves. Each member of
staff spends an average of one hour less
per shift on admin, according to care
providers who have made the switch.
That adds up to a lot of time.
But it’s not just the time saved.
Providers are telling us how going
digital has really helped improve the
quality of information they capture
in a care plan. For example, there are
prompts to remind staff if they’ve
missed out a field and voice-to-text
functionality makes things a lot
easier for people who struggle with
writing. As one registered manager
told us: “It’s also less stressful for our
team – they don’t have to sit down and
handwrite notes, and they don’t have
the frustration of working hard to find
that time and then being told it’s not
detailed enough, because the DSCR
“Now we get reminders
when care plans need
updating, which is
really helpful for senior
carers and managers.
They go orange and
red automatically, so
it’s really easy to keep
track .”
Supervisor – Residential
Care Home
platform has all the prompts and fields
we need.”
We’re also hearing some great
feedback on how it’s helping managers
complete audits more efficiently and
how onboarding new colleagues takes
a fraction of the time. Handovers are
being transformed as information and
updates are captured during a shift and
are readily available to review for the
person taking over. It’s about putting
the relevant information into the hands
of the person who needs it, when they
need it. This also means alerts get
through to managers immediately so
there’s less delay in taking action.
While some providers are in the
early stages and using the basic
functionality of a DSCR solution,
others are embracing some of the
wider applications that paper systems
could never provide. More than 1,400
provider settings are accessing GP
records via their DSCR solution.
This means that day or night, a care
professional can access vital health
information to ensure they’re following
the most up-to-date changes for
the person they are supporting. It
minimises delays as well as risk and
saves lots of time making calls and
chasing for updates.
Some providers are using family
access portal functionality via their
DSCR. This means families can be
involved in their loved ones’ care and
check how they are doing wherever they
are. It gives them great reassurance and
also means there are fewer phone calls
to be answered so staff can concentrate
on the people in their care.
The new-found time and increased
efficiency that DSCR solutions have
brought about are being used in lots
of exciting ways. Here are a few of
the changes we heard about when we
visited a large residential provider
recently:
• Care professionals have more one-toone
time with people.
• Activities are now arranged over the
“Incident forms and
reporting have got a
lot better… you can do
immediate analysis,
record complaints and
keep them updated –
it’s a much better and
more open process.”
Registered Manager –
Nursing Home
weekend and not just limited to
weekdays.
• Managers are doing more walk
arounds and checks of the care home.
• People are leaving work on time
rather than working over to write up
notes.
The benefits really do speak for
themselves. Are you on the fence about
making the move away from paper to
digital? Did you know there’s funding
available to help you get set up with a
DSCR solution? Plus there’s loads of
support to help you on the journey,
including digital skills training to help
with choosing the right supplier.
There’s a digital lead in every
integrated care partnership across
England who can help you access
funding support and they’ll guide you
through the process. Drop us an email
at england.dscr.enquiries@nhs.net and
we’ll give you their details. Or have a
look at our website digitisingsocialcare.
co.uk to find out more.
The Digitising Social Care programme is
funded by the Department of Health and
Social Care We’re a joint unit of DHSC and
NHS England staff working on delivering the
government’s commitments to support the
digital transformation of adult social care.
38 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

Meet Alfred – your friendly
robotic waiter
Lee Peart meets the new technological addition to the care team
at Lovett Care’s Fairfax Manor in Harrogate, North Yorkshire
care for tomorrow | care
Arriving at Fairfax Manor’s new
state-of-the-art, 90-bed, luxury
care home I take a seat in its
strikingly designed Orangery with my
host, assistant general manager Nicola
Goodsall.
As we wait for our electronic friend
to appear, the first hint he’s on his way
is a soft, repetitive ring tone.
“He plays a twinkle tune as he goes
along so that people know he’s coming,”
Goodsall tells me.
Right on cue, ‘Alfred’ appears from
an adjoining corridor.
He’s an amazing sight as, slightly
unnervingly, he glides effortlessly
towards us with his signature ring tone.
Standing four feet tall, Alfred is a
robotic Servi+ foodservice solution
developed by Bear Robotics. Equipped
with a touch screen to programme his
destination, Alfred can make up to four
consecutive trips to deliver food and
drinks to residents or team members.
“Alfred has multiple uses,” Goodsall
says. “He can send cutlery and cookery
back to the kitchen to be washed, or
deliver food or drinks to residents’
rooms.
“If we are going to send Alfred to a
room, we first make residents aware so
“Alfred’s very useful.
If I am busy I can use
him to send someone
a drink. I can also use
him to send activity
packs to people in
their rooms if they
don’t want to engage in
group sessions.”
– Paula, activities lead
they are expecting him when he arrives.
He will then wait outside until they
take their tray from him.”
Having made his deliveries, Alfred
is programmed to return to three
docking stations in the bar, kitchen
or the dining room where he will wait
patiently for his next task.
Nichola says the response of residents
and families to their high-tech helper
has been universally positive.
Judging by the reaction of people in
the home, Alfred is clearly a popular
addition, but I ask if there are not risks
in having a robot roaming freely in an
environment surrounded by frail and
elderly people?
“Like anything in care, you are
assessing the situation at that moment
in time about whether it is appropriate
to be using him,” Goodsall says.
She explains the robot is being used
on the home’s ground floor where more
able-bodied residents live in order to
minimise any risk. Goodsall also points
out that Alfred is equipped with sensors
so that he stops automatically in the
event of any obstacles. He will pause for
30 seconds before calculating his way
around the obstacle and moving on.
“We do have residents who will stop
in front of him on purpose so that
he has to change his route,” Nichola
laughs.
With Alfred causing such a buzz of
excitement, word is spreading fast of
Fairfax Manor’s popular new addition.
“Our neighbouring home has said
they would love to have him, but he’s
going nowhere,” Goodsall asserts.
“We’re keeping him here!”
Alfred is equipped with four serving trays
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 39

business | health innovation
Ease the pressure
Daniel Hodgkiss, assistant programme manager at Health Innovation
West Midlands, says better prevention and identification of health
problems in the elderly can lighten the burden on the NHS
It’s no secret that the NHS is
operating at full capacity, with
increased 999 calls, ambulance
conveyances, and hospital admissions,
with limited resources to meet demands.
A significant contributory pressure
on the NHS comes from care home
residents aged over 85, who have varying
degrees of frailty, complex healthcare
needs, and often have long-term
conditions including dementia.
Sadly, care home staff are trying to
treat a variety of patients with different
issues, which often means deterioration
is not identified and timely treatment is
not given.
This results in increased pressures
on the NHS system, with care home
residents making up 8% of admissions
to A&E and emergency departments,
despite being 2.8% of the overall
population. By implementing detection
and prevention measures as part of
thorough deterioration management
processes in care homes, pressures on the
NHS from care home residents could be
mitigated.
To improve deterioration management
processes in care homes, the Health
Innovation West Midlands’ (HIWM)
Patient Safety Collaborative worked
with partners including six integrated
care boards across the West Midlands
on the ‘Improving Deterioration
in Care Homes’ programme. The
“The results of the
programme demonstrate
the positive effect
detection and prevention
measures through
deterioration management
processes have in
mitigating NHS pressure.”
programme aimed to create long-term
and sustainable change across the entire
pathway of care, with deterioration
networks established at both regional
level and Integrated Care System (ICS)
level to accelerate learning, share best
practices, and roll out a deterioration
strategy that was bespoke to each area.
HIWM also supported the creation
of a ‘Care Home Deterioration
Resource Pack’ for each ICS, developing
sustainable training for care home staff,
and signposting services specific to
each area. In addition, the programme
produced a webinar series targeted at
care home staff, general practitioners,
and advanced nurse practitioners to
increase confidence, knowledge, and
level of adoption of deterioration tools
across pathways.
The project engaged and supported
1,679 care homes, of which 1,431 (85%)
adopted deterioration management
tools. 919 (55%) care homes continued
the use of deterioration tools for
upwards of 12 months after the project
ended.
Following the programme, HIWM
worked with the Midlands and
Lancashire Commissioning Support
Unit to explore a minimum data set to
demonstrate its impact. Between January
2021 and September 2022, there were
2,960 fewer 999 calls, resulting in savings
of £19.94 per care home. There were also
42,382 fewer emergency admissions,
resulting in a saving of £13,590 per
care home, and 36,204 fewer bed days.
The modelling report also noted that
adopting deterioration management
tools within care homes across the
six integrated care boards in the West
Midlands exhibited a potential non-cash
releasing total saving of £15 million.
The programme hasn’t just had
positive effects on the NHS; care
home managers have also reported
staff are more confident in recognising
deterioration earlier and can escalate the
most appropriate healthcare using the
escalation pathways.
Daniel Hodgkiss
One manager explained: “My staff
have greatly benefitted from the project
– it has improved their knowledge,
skill, and confidence in obtaining
correct vital signs, understanding the
meaning of these vital signs, and be able
to act swiftly. Our residents have truly
benefitted as we have seen a decrease in
hospital admissions, where treatment
can be given in the home. Hospital
admissions not only cause distress to
our residents but their loved ones, so
enabling to care for our residents within
the home has been a large benefit.”
The results of the programme
demonstrate the positive effect detection
and prevention measures through
deterioration management processes
have in mitigating NHS pressure. If the
measures explored by the programme
were to be implemented nationwide, this
would significantly reduce pressures on
the NHS, resulting in increased capacity,
reduced costs, more available beds and
in turn, improved experiences for care
home staff and better patient outcomes.
To find out more about the
programme or get involved with our
continued work to improve outcomes
for deteriorating patients, please
contact daniel.hodgkiss@
healthinnovationwm.org.
40 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

care | activities news
Creative Caring
As always, carers have been demonstrating their creativity
through fun and innovative events for their residents
focused on therapy and reminiscence,
team members at the Colten Care
home invited the participants to use
their imaginations and get creative.
Companionship team leader Laura
Sheldrake said: “This was a trip down
memory lane as our residents remember
doing Lego with their children.”
including old football programmes,
scarves and rattles, tea cards and soaps.
Honey bunny
An enormous rabbit named Sassy paid
a visit to Aspen Grange Care Home
in Braintree, Essex courtesy of the
RSPCA. Sassy hopped around the
home, part of the Opal Group, visiting
residents in their common areas and
private rooms. Sharon Thompson,
manager at Aspen Grange, said: "Seeing
the smiles and hearing the laughter
that Sassy brought to our home was
incredibly heartwarming.”
Free lunch
Avocet Court Care Home in Ipswich
has launched a weekly lunch club for
over 65s. The lunch club promises a
free home-cooked roast lunch and
a delicious dessert. The club aims to
foster connections and companionship
in the local community.
Another brick
Residents of Winchester care home
St Catherines View used hundreds
of Lego blocks to make models of a
flower arrangement and fish swimming
inside a tank. In guided sessions
Generation games
Residents of Aria Court Care Home
in March, Cambridgeshire came
together with local children during
the school holidays to take part in
generation games. From colouring
sessions to friendly competitions to
taking part in games on the interactive
Omi table, the games fostered social
interaction, mental stimulation and
emotional wellbeing, while bridging the
generation gap.
Memory lane
Residents at Barchester’s Oak Grange
Care Home in Chester were treated to
a visit from the House of Memories,
an initiative run by National Museums
Liverpool. House of Memories is a
dementia awareness programme which
offers training, access to resources,
and museum-based activities to enable
carers to provide person-centred care for
people living with dementia. Residents
took it in turns to explore items
Cat nap
Residents at Friends of the Elderly’s
Redcot Care Home in Haslemere,
Surrey celebrated National Cat Day
with Socks and Slippers, the care
home’s two loveable, good-natured
and friendly cats. The feline brother
and sister were adopted by the home
in 2021, and the team has noticed that
playing with and stroking the cats has a
positive impact on residents’ wellbeing.
One resident, Susan Osbourne, even
sleeps with the cats on her bed.
Hit the jackpot
Portsmouth care home Portsdown View
held a Casino Night to raise money for
charity Dementia Support. Residents,
families and the local community
were invited to play games of roulette,
blackjack, and croupiers with cocktails
and canapés served on arrival. Guests
took part in the gambling using ‘fun
money’, with entrance fees raising more
than £940 for the charity.
42 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

activities news | care
Crafty coffee
Hepworth House Care Home in
Wakefield, West Yorkshire has launched
a weekly crafts and coffee morning
group, the Knitwits. People from
the local community are welcome to
bring along any crafting project they’re
working on, have a hot drink and a
cake, and enjoy some quality creative
time with the residents at Hepworth
House. Home manager Helen Batty
said: “This type of social gathering
promotes relaxation, mental wellbeing,
and the development of new skills.”
Behind the bar
Limetree Care Home in Brixton
unveiled its newly renovated pub, The
Lambeth Arms. The Excelcare home
aims to create different environments
where residents have the opportunity to
engage in their favourite pastimes and
visit different settings. Resident Peggy,
who spent more than 35 years as the
landlady of a local pub, was eager to
explore the space and relive memories.
Submerged sensation
Residents at Vale View Heights in
Sidmouth, Devon, enjoyed a deep sea
experience thanks to virtual reality
headsets provided by Plymouth
Aquarium. The Aquarium team helped
12 residents don their headsets and
experience life under the sea for a few
hours with programmes such as ‘In the
shark tank.’
Culture club
Team members from a dozen countries
helped Colten Care’s Abbotts Barton
in Winchester put together a day to
celebrate cultural diversity. The fun
featured music, dancing, national
costumes, traditional culinary treats
and displays highlighting different
regions and customs. Countries
included Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, the
Philippines, Togo, Ghana, Nigeria,
Morocco, South Africa, Ukraine,
Poland and Estonia.
Radio star
Bob Allan, 94, from Care UK’s
Oakfield Croft Care Home in
Sale, Greater Manchester, made a
special appearance on Radio Alty –
Altrincham Football Club’s dedicated
station. Radio Alty broadcast from
the home to give superfan Bob an
opportunity to appear on the show.
Bob shared his memories of past match
days, key players and the history of the
club. After the show, he was presented
with hospitality tickets.
Dog days
Care UK’s Foxbridge House in
Orpington, Kent held its own version
of dog show Crufts. Team members
and residents’ relatives were invited to
showcase their dogs’ skills and good
looks. Judges included the mayor of
Bromley and the home’s oldest resident,
Peter Lemon, aged 103.
Bell of the ball
The Launton Handbell Ringers paid a
visit to Launton Grange, a care home
in Bicester, Oxfordshire, after resident
and former member Rosemary Henson
said she would like to see the group
play again. The group founded in 1951,
performed for residents, and Rosemary
joined in.
Back in the saddle
When the team at Care UK’s Mill View
Care Home in East Grinstead, West
Sussex learned that 74-year-old Liz
Hindson was an avid horse rider in her
youth they were determined to help
her get back in the saddle. Liz spent
her younger years in Zambia where
she looked after her own horses. The
team organised a visit to Little Brook
Equestrian in Linfield, where Liz was able
to ride around on a horse named Guy.
Celebrity chef
BBC MasterChef winner Jane
Devonshire hosted a cookery class
and Q&A at Signature at Highgate
in London. Residents learned how to
utilise every part of ingredients, from
using leftover carcasses to creating
flavourful gravies, to turning carrot skins
into a rich stock. The celebrity chef codesigned
the seasonal menus and recipes
at every Signature home.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 43

care | wellbeing
Age differently
Dr Zoe Wyrko, wellbeing director of Riverstone and an authority on living
and ageing well, offers a fresh take on later living
Thanks to research, we now
understand more about
what are, and probably more
importantly, what aren’t, the inevitable
consequences of ageing. However, just
knowing isn’t enough – the next stage
is all about ‘doing’. We need to put this
knowledge into action to influence
positively those who are older now, and
those who will be old in the future –
hopefully all of us.
Unless someone is already living
a perfect life, any type of health
promotion or ageing well programme is
going to involve a degree of behaviour
change. If I want to make a change to
my lifestyle, I can simply decide to do
so and just get on with it – there’s only
one person to think about and no one
else I need to influence. However, for
individuals who require support or
care to remain independent, or those
who might already be residing in a
care home or other supported living
environment, there are potentially
many more people who need to be
involved (and even convinced) in order
to make a simple change.
The psychology of behaviour change
is a huge field in its own right, one in
which I won’t pretend to be an expert
in, however, there are some principles
that I have found useful in my work.
"Unless someone
is already living
a perfect life, any
type of health
promotion or
ageing well
programme is
going to involve
a degree of
behaviour change."
1 Knowledge is power
Understanding ‘why’ is important,
and sometimes this can mean going
back to the foundation of what we
think we know. Everybody who joins
Riverstone undertakes a training
session on ageism, and it usually
comes as a surprise to discover how
ageist we are as a society, and how
this influences so many people’s
approaches to older adults. I can
recommend the resources produced
by the Centre for Ageing Better.
2 Allow people to find the solution
for themselves
Implementing a plan or change might
be effective in the here and now, but
is unlikely to work well for the long
term. Behaviour change is so often
about gradual changes and small
steps; it’s only when you stop and
look back you can see how far you’ve
come. Equipping people with the
knowledge they need and providing
support to do the right thing can
lead to the type of co-design that
produces life-changing impacts.
3 Check our own beliefs
It can be too easy to impose our own
beliefs and preferences, even if they
might not be the right thing overall.
For example, I disliked chair-based
pilates classes as they seemed to
be about taking the easy option.
However, the wellbeing team at
Riverstone has shown me that they
act as a gateway to exercise for those
who are anxious about getting on and
off the floor and have a really positive
impact.
Realising the importance of this work
in the short term will inevitably lead
to long-term change, and potentially
contribute to a healthy and happier
workforce in the future.
For more information on how Riverstone is
revolutionising retirement for people over
65, visit: riverstoneliving.com
44 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

Join our mission to bring
people together and end
loneliness.
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reducing feelings of loneliness and isolation, by encouraging
intergerational bonding through the pairing of volunteers with
the older persons' community.
How can you help?
Download our app
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today!
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Our initiative is endorsed by CQC and
we would love to have more care
homes and older people to pair with
our volunteers!
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“Speaking to Ruby has
become the highlight of my
week; I always look forward
to receiving her calls.”
Iris, ‘Grandparent’
With thanks to our sponsors and partners:
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www.adoptagrandparent.org.uk

care | norrms’ blog
Mind your language please
Regular columnist Norrms’ McNarama reflects on what it’s like to live with dementia
Iwas asked the other day if I thought
that things had improved in the
dementia world in the past few years
and I said emphatically “Yes”, with more
TV exposure, media, films and more
people talking about it, how could it not
have improved? But there was a time a
while ago when the dementia language
police made an appearance and said we
couldn’t use this word or that word. I
was absolutely horrified and still believe
it did more harm than good. Here’s a
perfect example…
Oh no, you cannot use the word
“suffering” when it comes to dementia,
you cannot say: “They are suffering from
dementia.” What on this green land we
call earth were they thinking about?
Let’s get this into perspective, don’t we
all, and I mean all, say we are suffering
from a cold, headache, migraine, back
ache etc? Then why would we be not
allowed to say suffering from dementia?
It’s the most ridiculous thing I have
ever heard and I know after being
contacted by carers around the world
it’s a word they use and will still use. I
lost both my father and grandmother
to dementia, and when they were both
in late stages, they were so confused,
so frightened, surrounded in a hospital
by complete strangers as they didn’t
recognise the people around them,
when they were really loved by the ones
around them. Please tell me they were
not suffering, please look into the eyes
of those with dementia who don’t know
what day it is or if it’s day or night, or
suffering (that word again) from horrific
night terrors and hallucinations like
myself that what they are going through
isn’t suffering. And yet we make light of
the word for everyday illnesses that are
not terminal.
The second book I wrote was called
Silent voices: Poems by an Alzheimer’s
sufferer and I was absolutely lambasted
for using the word suffering. Who are
these people? Have they ever actually
lived with someone who screams all
night wanting their mum or dad as they
are so frightened in the world they are
in? It does make you wonder.
Then, to top it all off, we were told we
could say “living well with dementia”.
Well, that’s very good of them isn’t it?
So what does living well with dementia
actually mean? Does it mean those few
hours when people like me are lucid
enough to write things like this, or go
to the shop for a newspaper, or hold an
intelligent conversation with someone?
If that’s what they mean I would
hardly call it “living well” – would you?
When the other hours of the day are
either spent in dementia’s grip of terror
and fear, or in the uncertainty about
what’s going to happen next. Lewy
bodies is my type of dementia; I was
misdiagnosed at first with Alzheimer’s
before it was confirmed, hence the name
of Alzheimer’s being used in my first
three books. You see with Lewy bodies
you can sometimes, and I must stress
sometimes, recall what happened more
than you can if you had Alzheimer’s, so
when I am in the middle of town being
chased by someone no one else can see
– I call him the shadow man – and I am
screaming and shouting for help, am I
not suffering then?
Then as I wake the day after and
remember what happened the day
before, knowing I have absolutely no
control of what may happen today or my
actions as dementia takes over my brain
without warning, how do you think I
feel then?
Till next time…
46 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

Housekeeper of the month
Melissa Harvey-Pemberton, head housekeeper at Care UK’s Highmarket
House in Banbury, Oxfordshire, tells us how she goes the extra mile
support staff | care
Tell us a bit about your background –
how did you get into care housekeeping?
I started working in the care industry
over 30 years ago. A decade of my
working life has been in housekeeping,
but I started out as a carer and then
worked as a head chef before trying
my hand at housekeeping and really
enjoying it. I became head housekeeper
at Highmarket House in 2020.
When I joined, I had to build a
new team from scratch – and then
the Covid-19 pandemic hit. During
the pandemic, I became the infection
prevention and control (IPC)
champion, and we successfully kept
Covid-19 out of the home, which was a
fantastic achievement.
How do you go about meeting the
needs of residents?
I work across the home, managing
a team of seven and liaising with
different teams to ensure IPC audits
are performed regularly and that
all colleagues are compliant. I aim
to achieve the highest standards of
cleanliness and infection prevention and
control in the home every single day.
What’s a typical day like?
No day is ever the same. I’m sure
everyone says that, but that’s what
working in this sector is like. I start
my checks around 7am, and from
there I will allocate myself and my
team to individual tasks on different
floors. Before the end of every day, I
complete thorough checks to ensure
the home is up to standard. As well as
my housekeeping tasks, I like to get
involved with activities in the home
where possible.
One of our local schools had a careers
week recently, so I was able to promote
the home and highlight how special
being part of a housekeeping team
really is. I recently set up a Friday senior
social group after the local community’s
regular club was shut down. Over
Christmas, I organised, collected and
delivered 37 food parcels for elderly
people living in the community.
What is the most challenging part of
your job?
The hardest part of my role is finding
the time to do everything I want to do.
Luckily, my team and I are very good at
allocating tasks so everyone splits the
daily load, but there are definitely some
days where you wish there were more
hours in the day.
Is there anything that would surprise
people about your job?
We are so much more than what people
think housekeeping is – we do more
than laundry and changing beds. I
personally love to spread my ideas
throughout the home, and often meet
with the activities team to share any
ideas I think residents would enjoy.
I helped a resident who was on endof-life
care with hand therapy. I think
that’s something that people wouldn’t
expect from head housekeeper.
Has anything changed since you
started your role?
A big change I’ve noticed since starting
my role is how well my team work
together and the difference it makes
to residents daily. When I first joined,
I had to rebuild the team entirely, so
seeing how strong we are now, it’s a
great improvement.
What’s special about the care home you
work for?
It’s a cliché to say, but we are all like one
big family at Highmarket House. The
idea that life ends when you enter a care
home is so wrong, I like to believe we
give residents a new outlook on life and
being an older person.
What skills and talents do you need to
be a great housekeeper?
You need to have an eye for detail, and
extremely high standards for cleanliness.
Taking pride in what you do every day,
and being able to have fun while doing
it, is the main thing. If you want a home
to be the best, you need to put the effort
in and be there for residents and your
colleagues.
Melissa Harvey-Pemberton
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK APRIL 2024 | 47

care | food & nutrition
Serve well-balanced diets
Danforth Care Group, who has collaborated with Dr Theocharis Ispoglou,
a Leeds Beckett University reader specialising in nutrition, discusses the
importance of a highly nutritious diet, especially in older adults.
For older adults, prioritising a
nutrient-rich diet is crucial,”
says Ispoglou. “As with anyone,
older adults who do not consume the
necessary nutrients our body needs
– and in the correct amounts – can
lead to a range of physical effects and
health complications. This is due to the
risk of sarcopenia, a muscle-wasting
disorder, which is a key contributing
factor to many diseases and health
complications.
“Poor nutrition can contribute to
feelings of sadness, hopelessness and
lack of energy, which are common
symptoms of depression; inadequate
intake of essential nutrients can impair
cognitive function and therefore
increase the risk of cognitive decline
and neurological disorders such as
dementia.”
Get the right nutrition
“If you’re looking after someone at
home, ensure they have the support
they need to be able to buy fresh food,”
says Greta Hoxha, chef at care home
Heatherton House in Derby. “Make
sure they have the right equipment to
cook meals safely and have the correct
glassware to stay hydrated. You can
also support with cooking batch meals,
“As with anyone,
older adults who
do not consume the
necessary nutrients
our body needs –
and in the correct
amounts – can lead
to a range of physical
effects and health
complications."
as they are easier to then reheat for an
older adult.
“At Danforth, we ensure that our
menus are nutritionally well balanced,”
says Hoxha. “We look at everything
from protein, carbohydrates, vitamins
and even colour so they have a visual
appeal.
“It can also help to create meal plans
around what your loved one likes to
eat,” adds Louise Brown, head chef at
Old Norse Care Home in Grimsby,
Lincolnshire. “We hold monthly
nutrition meetings with the residents,
which allows them to suggest new ideas
for menus and foods they wish to see
on these.
“For those living with dementia
who may not be able to express their
likes and dislikes, we seek support and
information from families to help us
with this information.”
The importance of hydration
“Dehydration can impair cognitive
functions such as memory, focus and
alertness, which in turn can affect
daily life and overall wellbeing.” warns
Ispoglou. “Hospitalisations, medical
complications, and an increased risk
of kidney and metabolic diseases are
further consequences of not staying
properly hydrated, and symptoms such
as headaches, fatigue and mood changes
can disrupt daily activities.
“However, it is also important not
to overlook the risks of overhydration,
which can also have serious
consequences. Overhydration can
also affect cognitive function, causing
confusion, disorientation, and in severe
cases seizures or coma.”
Dr Theocharis Ispoglou
“However, it is also
important not to
overlook the risks of
overhydration, which
can also have serious
consequences."
Get the right hydration
“To prevent dehydration and
underhydration for older adults,
the British Dietetic Association
recommends a daily water intake
from drinks of about 1,600 ml
(approximately six-to-seven cups) for
women and 2,000 ml (about eight-tonine
cups) for men,” says Ispoglou.
“While these recommendations relate
to fluids consumed through drinks, it is
important to note that about 20-30%
of our hydration needs can be met
through the consumption of water-rich
foods such as soups, stews, fruits and
vegetables. Hence, achieving proper
hydration in older individuals should
involve a balanced intake of both water
from drinks and water-rich foods.”
“If you’re looking after a loved one
at home, to ensure they stay hydrated,
ensure a minimum of two drinks are
offered with each meal, and offer tea
and cold drinks throughout the day.
Make sure they have access to a drink
at all times, and record the amount
they have consumed,” recommends chef
Brown.
48 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

Level 2 Care
Certificate
Did you know there are 37,000 fully funded positions available
for the upcoming Level 2 Care Certificate?
This has been confirmed by the Department of Health and Social Care and Skills for Care.
The qualification will provide new and existing care professionals the opportunity to refresh
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care | business & property
Derbyshire
Name of property sold:
Location:
Registration:
Purchaser:
Seller:
Price:
Business transfer agent:
Contact person:
Canal Vue
Derby
70-bed nursing home
Springcare
Undisclosed
Undisclosed
NGA Care
Nick Greaves – 07943 107 887
Leicestershire
Name of property sold:
Location:
Registration:
Purchaser:
Seller:
Price:
Business transfer agent:
Contact person:
Pine View Residential Home
Leicester
12
Undisclosed
Undisclosed
Undisclosed
NGA Care
Nick Greaves – 07943 107 887
Nottinghamshire
Name of property sold:
Location:
Registration:
Purchaser:
Seller:
Price:
Business transfer agent:
Contact person:
Melbourne House Nursing Home
Nottingham
48, care home with nursing
Springcare
Undisclosed
Undisclosed
NGA Care
Nick Greaves – 07943 107 887
Nottinghamshire
Name of property sold:
Location:
Registration:
Purchaser:
Seller:
Price:
Business transfer agent:
Contact person:
Alexandra House Nursing Home
Nottingham
38-bed care home with nursing
Springcare
Undisclosed
Undisclosed
NGA Care
Nick Greaves – 07943 107 887
Nottinghamshire
Name of property sold:
Location:
Registration:
Purchaser:
Seller:
Price:
Business transfer agent:
Contact person:
Park House Nursing Home
Nottingham
68-bed nursing home
Springcare
Undisclosed
Undisclosed
NGA Care
Nick Greaves – 07943 107 887
IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO SELL YOUR CARE BUSINESS,
Contact our managing director Nick Greaves on:
07943 107 887 | nick@ngacare.co.uk | ngacare.co.uk
50 | APRIL 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK