Caring Times, May 2024

05/2024

May Edition

Elephant in

the room

Mario Kreft, chair of Care

Forum Wales, says institutional

prejudice against privately run

care homes is the big issue that

needs mentioning

Leader’s spotlight:

Jacquie Ritchie and Joe O'Connor provide

update on Four Seasons’ sale

Design:

Hallmark’s `retirement village in a care home´

CT On the road:

Stow Healthcare on nursing recruitment

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8 COVER STORY

Mario Kreft says institutional

prejudice against privately-run care

homes is the 'elephant in the room'

10 LEADER'S SPOTLIGHT

Jacqui Ritchie and Joe O’Connor offer

update on Four Seasons' sale

14 WOMEN IN CARE

Anita Goyal and Vic Rayner discuss

women's leadership in care

22 GLOBAL VIEW

Wallacea Living boss Paul Morgan

gains insight into retirement living

New Zealand style

business | welcome

Goodbye to all this

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

Investor Publishing Ltd, 3rd Floor,

10 Rose and Crown Yard, King Street,

London, SW1Y 6RE

Tel: 020 7104 2000

Website: caring-times.co.uk

Caring Times is published 10 times a year by

Investor Publishing Ltd. ISSN 0953-4873

© Investor Publishing Limited 2023

The views expressed in Caring Times are not necessarily

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Caring Times and the CT® logo are registered trademarks

of Nexus Media Group

@Caring_Times

linkedin.com/company/caring-times

Sadly, this is my last issue as editor of

Caring Times as I head off to pastures new.

It’s been an honour and a privilege to

put my stamp on one of the sector’s most

respected publications for the past two years.

There have been many highlights along

the way – and many people who have

helped this publication to focus on the

very important contribution the care sector

makes to society.

Working in partnership with William

Walter of Bridgehead Communications,

we have gained exclusives with the leading

political figures in social care, including

former shadow care minister Liz Kendall,

current shadow care minister Andrew

Gwynne and deputy leader of the Liberal

Democrats Daisy Cooper. It’s been a

pleasure to work with Will and I am deeply

grateful for his help in gaining access to the

corridors of power in order to interrogate

our leading politicians on how they intend

to address the sector’s urgent need for

reform and greater support.

It was also an honour to be the only

social care publication granted an exclusive

interview with care minister Helen

Whately on the day she announced a £40

million funding top-up for the sector.

I have been greatly indebted to our

regular columnists, Jonathan Freeman of

CareTech, Nicky Barnes of Hartford Care

and Aaron White of Oakland Care, Mills

& Reeve and the team at Digitising Social

Care for sharing their valuable insight and

expertise and profoundly enriching each

issue. My thanks also to Norrms McNamara

business contents

6 NEWS IN BRIEF

Our round-up of last month's big stories

8 OPINION

Mario Kreft tackles local authority funding

10 LEADER'S SPOTLIGHT

Jacquie Ritchie and Joe O'Connor on the

Four Seasons' sale

14 POLITICS & POLICY

Anita Goyal and Vic Rayner on women

leadership in care

16 SURVEYS & DATA

Scottish Care warns of loss of overseas

workers

for sharing his deeply moving experiences

of what it’s like to live with dementia. Not

forgetting our brilliant features editor,

Charlotte!

Additionally, I am enormously grateful

for the powerful opinion pieces on the

sector’s key challenges provided by Professor

Martin Green, Nadra Ahmed, Vic Rayner,

Mike Padgham, Robert Kilgour, Jane

Townson and Mario Kreft. It’s been a

pleasure and an honour to have helped share

their message on the urgent need for reform

and the critically important role undertaken

by everyone involved in social care.

As I move into the healthcare arena, it is

a message I will take with me as we seek to

pursue a future where the sector is granted

the recognition and prominent voice it

deserves.

Most importantly, I have been constantly

humbled to see the amazing work done

every day by our heroic care workforce. The

selfless devotion and enormous sacrifices

they made to stand by our most vulnerable

when they were abandoned during the

dark days of the pandemic should never be

forgotten.

Lee Peart, Editor-in-chief

Caring Times

18 SUSTAINABILITY MATTERS

Jonathan Freeman and Nicky Barnes look at

green issues in care

20 PROPERTY & DEVELOPMENT

We round-up last month's big deals

22 GLOBAL VIEW

Paul Morgan learns retirement living lessons in

New Zealand

24 PEOPLE MOVES

The major people moves in April

26 LEGAL & REGULATORY

Mills & Reeve looks at CQC prosecutions

4 | MAY 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

Helping you navigate

the complex

Providers of regulated activity operate in a challenging

and highly regulated landscape. As leading legal

advisers in the health and care sector, Mills & Reeve is

a law firm who can support you every step of the way.

CQC inspections and enforcement action

CIW inspections and enforcement action

Safeguarding investigations

Police investigations and prosecutions

Health and safety enforcement

Inquests

To find out more please scan the QR code.

Amanda Narkiewicz

Partner, health and care regulatory

Amanda.Narkiewicz@mills-reeve.com

01223 222267

business | news

News in brief

POLICY & POLITICS

New legislation protecting the rights

of families to visit care homes came

into force. As of 6 April, service

providers which carry out regulated

activities will be required to facilitate

visits for service users unless there are

exceptional circumstances why this

cannot happen.

Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey

has warned of a “national emergency”

caused by the “social care crisis”

after figures revealed bed blocking

is taking up to one in three hospital

beds. House of Commons Library

research, commissioned by the Liberal

Democrats, shows there is an average of

13,662 patients a day stuck in hospital

despite being medically fit to leave.

Ed Davey

Hft launched a long-term strategy

to ensure learning disabled adults

are not forgotten and shut out from

society. ‘Hft 2033: Your life. Your

way’ was announced following a

survey commissioned by the charity

which found more than 60% of the

general public believed the political

agenda does not prioritise the needs of

learning disabled adults, while a “a lack

of funding” and “unchanging attitudes

among the public” were preventing

learning disabled people from living

the best life possible.

Unpaid carers for a person with

long-term care needs are entitled to up

to five days annual unpaid leave under

new legislation. The law is designed to

Robert Morgan, a tenant at Shaftesbury

Place, whose closure was halted

following a legal challenge

protect and assist employees with care

responsibilities and is effective from

the first day of employment.

Residents at care homes for older

adults began receiving spring Covid-19

vaccinations on 15 April. Care

homes for older adults are among the

vulnerable groups identified as eligible

for vaccination until 30 June following

advice from the Joint Committee on

Vaccination and Immunisation.

Medical examiners are to scrutinise

causes of death in a revamp of

death certificates announced by the

government. From 9 September all

deaths not investigated by a coroner

will be examined by medical examiners

in order to provide greater protection

and support for bereaved families.

New guidance was published by the

Information Commissioner’s Officer

Dan Hayes

to improve health and social care

transparency. The guidance by the UK

data protection regulator is designed

to help organisations understand the

definition of transparency and assess

its appropriate levels. It also provides

practical steps to developing effective

transparency information.

PROVIDER NEWS

The Orders of St John Care Trust

expanded its private pay offering with

its acquisition of luxury care home

provider Elmfield Care, which offers

residential, dementia and respite care

for almost 200 residents at Old Sarum

Manor in Salisbury, Wiltshire, Flowers

Manor in Chippenham, Wiltshire

and Nodens Manor in Lydney,

Gloucestershire.

Staff and residents at HC-One’s

Balcarres Care Home in Dundee

celebrated after receiving the

highest possible rating from the

Care Inspectorate. The home was

rated Excellent by the regulator

for maintaining a track record of

“exceptionally high-quality care” and

“outstanding leadership”.

Families with relatives at a

Cheltenham care homes have

celebrated after mounting a successful

legal challenge to its closure. The four

families instructed Irwin Mitchell to

challenge Sanctuary Group’s decision

to close Shaftesbury Place by the end

of April.


news | business

Broadbridge Park manager, David Taylor,

(centre) holds his VIVALDI certificate

Almost 30 residents were safely

evacuated by staff after a fire broke out

at an Essex care home. The evacuation

took place at Ramsey Step Down

and Care Centre in Harwich on the

morning of 10 April.

Caring Homes Group joined a

national project designed to measure

levels of common infections in care

home residents, such as Covid-19,

influenza, norovirus and urinary tract

infections. Originally launched in in

2020 to investigate Covid-19 infections

in care homes, the Vivaldi Social

Care Study is led by The Outstanding

Society, University College London

and Care England.

HOME CARE

A grassroots support network for

home care workers was launched to

help tackle recruitment and retention

Rachel Kelso, founder of The

Homecare Workers Group

challenges. The Homecare Workers’

Group, founded by home care worker

Rachel Kelso, aims to benefit England’s

625,000 domiciliary care workers and

their employers by securing a sustained

increase in central government funding

for state-funded social care.

FINANCE

HC-One cited rising inflation and

pressure on publicly funded fees

after posting a £63 million loss in the

financial year ending September 2023.

The care home operator reported

an operating loss of £63.7 million

compared with a £6.1 million loss in

the previous year.

Hospice sector finances are at their

worst for 20 years with providers facing

a collective deficit of £77 million,

according to Hospice UK’s quarterly

financial benchmarking survey for the

2023-24 financial year.

LEGAL & REGULATORY

The Supreme Court backed a care

worker who claimed she was unfairly

treated by her employer for going on

strike. The ruling found in favour of

Fiona Mercer who was suspended by

her employer, the Alternative Futures

Group, after she joined strike action

over sleep-in shift payments.

A Liverpool care home was fined

£37,000 after failing to protect a

resident who died partly from injuries

caused by a fall from a first floor

window. Sure Care (UK) Limited, the

provider of Derwent Lodge Nursing

Home, was fined £25,000 and ordered

to pay £10,000 costs plus a £2,000

victim surcharge following prosecution

by the CQC at Liverpool & Knowsley

Magistrates’ Court.

FUNDRAISING/EVENTS

Championing Social Care, which

aims to promote, celebrate and unite

the care sector, applied to register as

an independent charity. Championing

Social Care, which has been incubated

by the CareTech Foundation since

its launch, started life in 2018 as the

Care Sector Fundraising Ball. During

the pandemic the initiative became

Championing Social Care, aiming to

promote and unite the care sector with

a range of programmes and to shine

a positive light on the great work of

social care and its 1.6 million-strong

workforce.

Adult incontinence specialist Ontex

was announced as the headline sponsor

of the National Care Awards 2024 in

November. Ontex distributor channel

manager, Angela Gillespie, said: “We

are extremely proud to announce that

Ontex is the headline sponsor for the

National Care Awards 2024. Having

been an award sponsor over 10 years, it

is such an important night to recognise

those working in the care sector and

the positive impact they have on

people’s lives. I look forward to seeing

everybody on the night and celebrating

those nominated!”

Ontex distribution channel

manager, Angela Gillespie

CARING-TIMES.CO.UK MAY 2024 | 7

business | opinion

Elephant in the room

Mario Kreft, chair of Care Forum Wales, says institutional prejudice

against privately-run care homes is an issue that needs to be addressed

It’s been the elephant in the room

for three decades and more. The

institutional prejudice against

privately run care homes has been a

constant and annoyingly persistent theme.

The recent reception at the Senedd

(Welsh Parliament) in Cardiff to mark

the 30th anniversary of Care Forum

Wales, which represents around 500

providers, was a great reminder of how far

we have come – but also of the stark fact

that we have been unable to conquer the

discrimination we continue to face.

While we have been able to develop a

positive, collaborative relationship with

the Welsh government, the same cannot

be said for the crazy patchwork of 22 local

authorities and seven health boards which

commission the vast majority of social

care in Wales. It’s tantamount to financial

abuse that wouldn’t be tolerated by any

other commercial enterprise.

Sadly, this is not a uniquely Welsh

phenomenon. We were founder

members of the Five Nations group

which represents providers across Wales,

England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and

Ireland and my colleagues from the other

nations also experience the exact same

prejudice against the private sector.

The exception that proves the

rule is Conwy Council in North

Wales. Hitherto, it had abided by the

machinations of the North Wales

Regional Fees Group – which is

essentially a fee- fixing cartel – set up by

the region’s six county councils (Anglesey,

Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire,

Gwynedd and Wrexham) and Betsi

Cadwalader University Health Board.

But after years of campaigning by

Care Forum Wales, it has broken away

from the other North Walian authorities

and finally used the toolkit designed by

social care finance experts LaingBuisson

to calculate the fees for the different

categories of care.

And lo and behold, it has introduced

fee increases of between 18% and 20%,

bringing the rates a lot closer to being

a realistic reflection of the true cost of

providing care.

Senedd reception to mark 30th anniversary of Care Forum Wales...from left, Wrexham MS

Lesley Griffiths, Care Forum Wales chair Mario Kreft MBE, outgoing First Minister Mark

Drakeford, former deputy minister for health and social services, Julie Morgan, Care Forum

Wales chief executive Mary Wimbury and TV and radio star Wynne Evans

Compare and contrast this with the

approach in neighbouring Denbighshire

County Council – with leader Jason

McLennon and chief executive

Graham Boase at the helm, who are are

determinedly keeping their heads firmly

in the sand. As a result, Denbighshire has

come up with a miserly 8.8% increase, one

that has been immediately wiped out by

inflation and the cost of living crisis.

To put this in context, Denbighshire

was already paying the lowest care home

fees in the whole of Wales, so it started

from a rock bottom base.

We have ended up in the ludicrous

position where the annual fee in

Denbighshire to provide nursing care

for an elderly, vulnerable person with

dementia in Rhyl is £9,200 less that

you would get for providing exactly the

same level of expert care in neighbouring

Kinmel Bay in Conwy.

In a 40-bed care home that equates

to a disparity of nearly £370,000 a year

which could mean the difference between

staying open and being forced to close

for care homes that are already struggling

financially.

The stakes are high. In the past 18

months, we’ve lost at least four homes

in North Wales: Trewythen Hall in

Gresford, Bay Court in Kinmel Bay,

Gwastad Hall in Cefn y Bedd and Morfa

Newydd in Greenfield – with 163 muchneeded

beds.

All of this has played out against the

backdrop of Conwy Council getting just

a 2% increase in overall funding from

the Welsh government which was the

lowest in Wales so there’s no excuse for

Denbighshire or any other authority in

Wales or elsewhere not to follow Conwy’s

example.

All we want is fairness in line with the

Welsh government’s ‘Let’s agree to agree’

guidance.

We’ve had a generation of injustice and

institutional prejudice and discrimination

against the private care sector – and

Denbighshire Council is the embodiment

of this.

As the former First Minister of Wales

Mark Drakeford pointed out, social

care provides a scaffold for the NHS,

so this mean, shortsighted approach is

also going to have a detrimental effect

on our hospitals – as if the beleaguered

Betsi Cadwalader Health Board in North

Wales didn’t have enough problems

already.

Politics is about making choices and

Conwy Council has shown it’s possible

to take a much more sensible, long-term

view to protect the social care network

from collapse.

What’s particularly shameful is

that you have a Labour-run council in

Denbighshire which is saying that fair

fees are a bridge too far for them. It’s also

incredibly short-sighted. Underlying


Fair fees are a bridge too far in

Denbighshire... Care Forum Wales chair

Mario Kreft MBE by the Foryd Bridge

in Rhyl which links the neighbouring

counties of Conwy and Denbighshire

most care home closures is an inadequate

funding issue. It’s bizarre that the

situation is within the commissioners’

grasp by funding correctly, when hospitals

need these beds to ease their pressure.

That’s a pattern that’s being repeated

across Wales even though the fact of the

matter is the quicker someone leaves

hospital the better it is, not just for the

patient but for the local authority as well.

The need for care home beds has never

been greater because our hospitals are

at breaking point because of so-called

bed-blocking with patients unable to be

discharged after their medical treatment

has been completed.

As a result, there are very few hospital

beds available for incoming patients,

many of whom have to endure being kept

in ambulances outside or on trolleys for

hours on end.

What makes this all the more shocking

is this an avoidable catastrophe that’s been

caused by the disgraceful mismanagement

of local authorities and health boards in

Wales which commission publicly funded

social care.

It feels very much like there’s a

deliberate campaign to undermine and

ultimately destroy the independent sector

so that it’s no longer sustainable, giving

the opportunity for local authorities to

Local authorities respond

We asked the members of the North Wales Regional Fees Group for a response

to Kreft’s allegation that they operated a fee fixing cartel.

Alwyn Jones, chief officer social care at Wrexham Council, said: “North Wales

authorities and the local health board work together to propose fee rates across

North Wales for care home provision. These are recommendations only and each

organisation uses discretion to set their specific local fees within the context of their

local market and resources available.”

A Cyngor Gwynedd spokesperson said: “We work with all North Wales local

authorities and representatives of the care sector, including Care Forum Wales,

to follow Welsh government guidance to agree care home fees. It is disappointing

to hear of the Care Forum’s colourful claims regarding this transparent and open

process and the attempt to present a complex and sensitive matter in the form of

a crude ‘league table’. As a council, we are dedicated to delivering the best possible

care and support for the county’s most vulnerable people and note that residential

placements are only one part of the care market and that other aspects demand

greater fees.”

We asked Denbighshire to respond to Kreft's criticism of its fee rise.

A spokesperson said: “Considering that this is significantly more than the 3.8% increase

received in our settlement, this decision reflects that, even in the face of significant

financial challenge, the council is prioritising the provision of care in the community.

“Denbighshire currently spends around £13 million on approximately 364

placements in 82 homes. With this increase, expenditure is set to increase by over

£1 million.

“This strives to strike the delicate balance between navigating challenging

financial constraints and ensuring that we are maintaining a sustainable future

for the care sector in Denbighshire and whilst this decision comes with financial

implications, it reflects our priorities as a council, and upholds our commitment to

prioritising care provision in our community.

“We value our care providers in Denbighshire and remain committed to fostering

an open and fair relationship with them.”

take social care in-house.

In the meantime, irresponsibly low

care fees add up to an outrageous stealth

tax on decent, hard-pressed families who

will inevitably have to fund the shortfall

themselves.

We now have a new First Minister in

Vaughan Gething and a new minister for

social care, with Dawn Bowden following

in the footsteps of the wonderful Julie

Morgan, with the promise of a new

national approach.

I very much hope they will follow Mark

Drakeford and Julie Morgan’s example

in thinking of social care provision as a

value and not as a cost. I wish them all the

best as they take the helm in challenging

times.


business | leader’s spotlight

Too good to lose

Four Seasons Health Care Group’s chief executive Joe O’Connor and chief operating

officer Jacqui Ritchie explain how they managed the turnaround of the group’s remaining

care homes, trading under the Four Seasons Health Care and brighterkind brand names

Having begun the sale of its 111

care homes in June 2022, Four

Seasons announced last August

it had decided not to sell around a third

of its portfolio in the near term.

“We decided we would retain

those care homes because they were

performing strongly across all metrics

including care quality and financially,”

O’Connor says. “We didn’t feel we were

getting the right value for them in the

sales process.”

O’Connor, who helped establish

HC-One in 2011 and worked on the

managed break-up of Southern Cross,

was appointed chief executive to oversee

the turnaround and subsequent sale

of the Four Seasons Group’s portfolio

in March 2022. He promoted Ritchie

to chief operating officer over a year

ago to lead the continued operational

turnaround of the business.

The result has been an impressive

turnaround over the past 12 months,

with occupancy, average weekly fees and

care quality all up significantly.

Occupancy

Occupancy has recovered from 78%

during the dark days of the pandemic to

more than 89% currently.

“We have grown our private mix

within that,” Ritchie says. “We have

maintained really strong partnerships

“We have to make

sure we continue to

provide excellent care

quality and that the

word of mouth in the

surrounding areas is

really great about us

so that people will

choose to come to us,”

Joe O’Connor

with our commissioners and also

have a positive presence within our

communities so that we know each

home can meet the needs of the local

population. We have re-examined our

admissions process to make it more

efficient, commissioner-friendly and

reduced the time for people to move in.”

Alongside a personalised approach

provided by home managers, with

support from its business development

manager, Four Seasons has enhanced its

communications with key local health

and social care professionals. By moving

its regular, critical communications,

such as local bed availability emails and

text messages (which proved so popular

during the pandemic) to an advanced

automated process, key referrers

have benefited from regular, accurate

information they can rely upon to assist

them to understand bed availability, and

home managers have also benefited with

one less task each week.

Ritchie, a registered nurse who was

formerly a hospital executive director,

adds: “We found a 20% immediate

uplift in referrals as soon as we started

automating those emails. It takes the

inefficiencies out of the system because

it stops the healthcare professional being

very stressed, having to ring around

trying to find a bed for somebody,

Ruth French

particularly for those teams supporting

hospital discharges where they have

waiting list pressures. It has also saved

our home managers’ time.”

While having delivered a strong

recovery in occupancy, the leaders

concede that levels were still not where

they wanted.

“It’s interesting how much of the

market has sought to pivot to residential

care and we are not afraid at all to

say we are a nursing care business

predominantly and that has been a

powerful factor in improved occupancy,”

O’ Connor notes. “What is surprising

to us is we have seen very little discharge

to assess and very little NHS flow

other than what we have gone to find

ourselves,” O’Connor confides. “I talk

regularly with the DHSC about winter

pressures. We know our sector could be

a massive part of the solution to NHS

challenges, yet we haven’t seen a material

take up of the vacancies we have sent

to the DHSC. It feels like a missed

opportunity.”

Ritchie says greater competition in

certain areas because of new entrants

meant that the battle for full occupancy

was also a lot more intense than

previously.

“We have to make sure we continue to

provide excellent care quality and that


the word of mouth in the surrounding

areas is really great about us so that

people will choose to come to us,” she

says.

O’Connor notes that the strategic

decision to rebuild profitable occupancy

was a factor in the gradual return to full

occupancy.

“There’s been some occupancy

opportunity that we haven’t taken

because it’s just not been for a fair cost

of care, or clinical needs are better suited

to a hospital environment or specialist

service,” he notes. “We have gone a

little slower on the occupancy build

deliberately to make sure we are the right

home for each resident.

Ritchie adds: “Resident experience

and wellbeing is paramount to us and

so it’s important that we only accept

admissions where we can provide the

right care to meet their needs. That

can have a negative impact on overall

occupancy rates, but it has a positive

impact on care quality and resident

experience. We also have to be able to

secure the right fee to meet the resident’s

care needs and have the right skills in

place.”

The provider’s significant investment

in upgrading its homes has also affected

its ability to grow occupancy quickly.

“When you are doing capital

expenditure and refurbishments you

can’t necessarily take in admissions in

the short term,” O’Connor notes. “Once

rooms are refreshed and repositioned,

you can provide services at a different

price point so there needs to be a little

bit of strategic thinking about when you

want to fill that occupancy.”

O’Connor reveals he secured

several millions of pounds in capital

expenditure with support from his

stakeholders to spend on a mix of

digitalisation, systems and IT capex,

as well as significant investment in the

care homes’ buildings, living areas and

infrastructure.

Digitalisation includes the installation

of superfast Wi-Fi to facilitate the

roll-out of electronic medication

administration records from this month,

which is set to complete by the end

of the year, with electronic care plans

intended to follow.

The chief operating officer notes

workforce capacity was a key factor in

determining how quickly the group

could increase occupancy. Reducing

agency usage has been another key

success recently.

“We want residents to be cared for

by our own workforce where possible,”

Ritchie explains. “You could have one

admission which could result in an extra

person from an agency working on shift

24-hours a day. You have to weigh up

the pros and cons over whether that

is financially viable for one resident.

Agency would work better if you were

taking three or four residents within a

short space of time until you are able

to recruit a permanent member of the

team.”

Customer satisfaction

Ritchie explains that improved customer

satisfaction levels have helped attract

higher occupancy for the business, with

improved local reputations and care

quality ratings as well.

“Our customer satisfaction index is

83% this year compared with the UK

average of 76%,” she highlights. “That

drives positive word of mouth which

means people want to come and live

with us.”

O’Connor agrees, adding: “We have

just completed a resident and relative

survey where we have improved on every

question we asked two years ago. There’s

still room for progress, but it’s nice to get

a better answer across all 15 areas we ask

about.”

Colleague feedback has also been >


> encouraging with the business among

the best in the sector with a 4.3 approval

rating on employee website Glassdoor.

Similarly, eight out of ten colleagues

recommend the group as a good place to

work.

“If your colleagues are advocating

you as a great place to work that means

a lot more than me or Jacqui saying it,”

O’Connor notes.

A happier workforce is reflected

by staff turnover which has dropped

significantly from almost 50% when the

leadership team took over two years ago.

“Turnover was unbelievably high,”

O’Connor acknowledges. “We

were changing our entire workforce

mathematically every two years. We

are not where we need to be yet. It’s

a journey and we are still on it, but

we have come a long way and have

been working hard on improving our

culture and creating high retention

and recommendation from our

colleagues. On other measures such as

commerciality and fee negotiation we

are ahead of the pack, but we have still

further to go here.”

The leadership team says annual pay

and terms and conditions talks with

the company’s three recognised unions,

the RCN, GMB and Unison, are

“still progressing”. The group operates

a collective bargaining agreement,

meaning trade union deals on pay and

benefits apply to emplyees working in

its care homes, excluding office-based

central and support teams.

Average weekly fees

In further good news, average weekly

fees have been more than £1,000

throughout 2023 and 2024 to date.

Ritchie said the adoption of a new, more

sophisticated and real-time dependency

tool has been key to evidencing to

commissioners the need for enhanced

fees to cater for increasingly complex

care needs and has enabled more

effective care home operations and

rostering.

Quality

Care quality has also significantly

improved over the past year with the

percentage of Care Quality Commission

Good-rated homes up from 61% to 74%.

In Scotland, the group’s percentage of

homes graded 4 and above has increased

from a low base of 42% to 67% today.

Four Seasons celebrated its first

home in Scotland achieving the highest

possible rating at the end of 2023 as

Gilmerton Neurological Care Centre in

Edinburgh achieved 6s across the board.

The business is also in the healthy

position for the first time in 12 years of

having no Inadequate-rated services with

the CQC.

“We have still got more to do,”

O’Connor concedes. “We have 74%

Good or equivalent in England. We are

about 71% Good or equivalent Groupwide.

I would like that to be at least 80%

this year.”

Ritchie attributes the notable

improvement in CQC ratings to a “very

holistic approach to working in every

home so we can improve each home on

every metric and provide excellent care

quality and experience for residents”.

O’Connor adds: “We have put the

pride back into our group across Four

Seasons and brighterkind. We have

focused more on celebrating the things

we do really well, and while we recognise

the things we can still improve, we have

created a new culture around being

positive, caring and inspiring people,

and around being proud of what we do,


leader’s spotlight | business

which we didn’t have before. Positivity is

infectious.

“Over many years, due to the

evolution of the group, it has seen a

mixed approach across the country,

where best practice wasn’t shared and

embedded across all homes as well as it

should have been. We have changed all

that.”

Where to go from here?

Given Four Seasons Health Care

Group’s financial and operational

turnaround, where does that leave the

business and its ongoing restructuring?

The sale of almost all of the remaining

care homes currently on the market is

expected to be completed by the end

of June, O’Connor says, adding that

the return to financial and operational

stability means the future of the

remaining 46 care homes, representing

2,000 residents, is secure.

“We have got ourselves into such

a different position that constant

questioning of possible closure of homes

Magic Moments

The continual enhancement of the group’s Magic Moments programme of social

activities has contributed to quality improvement. The programme includes a

‘Magic Moments Portal’, which provides an ever-changing source of interactive

activities, exercise, holistic sessions and live classes along with quizzes and games.

Ritchie notes: “The portal provides ideas and inspiration for our team and enables

rapid recording of participation, engagement and ‘fresh air’ moments.

"When we introduced the electronic reporting element, our team were able to

spend less time logging activities and more quality time with residents, which we

see as a good thing. We have also partnered with some of the best in the sector,

including danceSing, Oomph!, Creative Mojo, Eldercate and NAPA to name

but a few. We reset our vision and values at the beginning of this year which was

developed collaboratively with our care home teams,” she adds. “Clear strategic

pillars for growth have really energised our ways of working. Everybody is really

excited about what’s happening in the business. We celebrate success and people’s

individual achievements are recognised.”

is for the past, which is a great place to

be and a testament to the hard work

and dedication of thousands of my

colleagues,” O’Connor notes.

Although much reduced in size,

Four Seasons remains a significant

player in the local authority-focused

care home market, particularly in the

Southeast, Midlands, North of England,

Scotland and Jersey where good-quality,

affordable care is much in need.

With so many vulnerable people and

workers dependant on its services, the

care home operator’s return to stability

is cause for all those involved to be

cheerful – and long may it continue.


business | politics & policy

Women in care

Berkley Care Group’s chief executive, Laura Taylor, and chief people

officer, Leah Smith, ask Anita Goyal, trustee of Hallmark Foundation

and Professor Vic Rayner, chief executive of the National Care Forum,

for their views on female leadership in care

We begin by discussing with

Rayner and Goyal their

journeys, from early in their

careers to the positions of leadership

they hold today. Having “always

worked in the not-for-profit sector”,

Rayner points to her leadership of the

National Care Forum as reflective of

the importance of “working in a world

which is constantly changing”.

Working in social care was far from

Goyal’s focus early in her career. “I

decided to go to science teaching, and

I did that for about 20 years,” she says.

Despite her late entry into the sector,

she sees it as a central strength of her

position, enabling her to apply her

experience from education and charity

work to social care.

“[It’s] allowed me, in the non-profit

sector, also to look at social challenges

and see how we can bring people

together from all those sectors,” Goyal

says.

Female leadership in the future

Driving Rayner’s vision for women in

leadership positions are “values-based

approaches,” which particularly concern

“mentorship and development-focused,

inclusive leadership”. Although progress

“I just feel like anyone

who wants to be in

this sector should

have that opportunity

to discover and

unlock their true

potential and all

the possibilities

through personal

development”

Laura Taylor

has already been made, she feels more

will be needed in the future.

The requirement for “people to

have data analysis skills” is particularly

pertinent. Rayner argues that data needs

to be harnessed by those who can “say

what that means for the needs of our

communities going forward” but worries

that this isn’t happening sufficiently. “I

don’t think we’ve got a 30-year vision

drawn out yet,” she says.

Personal development is a particularly

important topic for Goyal. “I just feel

like anyone who wants to be in this

sector should have that opportunity to

discover and unlock their true potential

and all the possibilities through personal

development,” she adds.

However, technology is similarly

essential in her vision for future

leadership. Regarding artificial

intelligence as a crucial tool, she thinks

that “young people can and should be

encouraged to learn about the different

AI platforms that there are”.

Barriers for women

The biggest barrier to women working

in the social care sector for Goyal and

Rayner is the prevalence of low pay for

highly demanding work. “Other sectors

and industries are more attractive...

Leah Smith

[there’s] higher, better pay and of course,

the responsibility’s a lot less,” says Goyal.

Rayner adds that Skills for Care has

found that “to go from front line carer

to senior care worker… it’s an eight

pence difference [in hourly pay]”, despite

a considerable increase in work and

responsibilities.

The fact that “it’s one of the poorest

paid sectors” and that “81% of the

[social care] workforce is made up

of women” is to Rayner no “great

coincidence” and a sign of how much

further women must go in earning a

decent wage.

When discussing issues beyond pay,

both agree that better routes up the job

ladder are needed.

“Having clear career pathways… that

needs to come right from the top,” Goyal

says, a position reiterated by Rayner,

who argues that most of the sector still

doesn’t “show people a developmental

route”.

Regarding how best to improve the

sector and make it more attractive

to women, a central aspect is greater

flexibility. Goyal says that “a lot of

homes at the moment are really strict

on 12-hour shifts”, something that can

be particularly difficult for women with

childcaring responsibilities. Allowing


Anita Goyal

people to work half shifts would help

make things easier for women who hope

to balance their jobs with their family

lives. This would attract more people

into the sector, she argues.

For Rayner, a distinct concern in social

care is the lack of “ongoing professional

supervision” compared to the health

sector, which “actively enables leaders…

to learn from their practice [and] to

develop”. This absence discourages

reflection and learning, she adds,

commenting: “Reflective practice is

hard, and it takes time, but people learn

enormously from it.”

Advice for aspiring female

leaders

According to Rayner, belief is one of the

most important aspects of succeeding

Vic Rayner

as a woman in a leadership position.

“Believe that you can make a difference,

and I think if you go into the day

thinking that… [then] that’s something

that can drive you,” she says.

Both also highlighted the importance

of passion. “[A role] has to fit your core

values,” Raynor says, adding: “I think

that’s the only space you can truly lead

within.”

Finding an area you’re passionate

about is the first of Goyal’s ‘Four Ps for

success’. “The second one is having a

positive attitude,” she adds. When asking

her about the final two Ps to success,

Goyal feels that being “proactive” by

exploring “what it is that you really

want” is essential in finding your niche

and in being able to “participate fully in

quality experiences”.

Personal inspiration

As we near the end of our discussion, we

ask both leaders what inspires them. “I’m

incredibly admiring of people with really

creative talent,” says Rayner, who feels

particularly inspired by female artists,

musicians and writers.

However, she adds that education

should continue to catch up in this

field. Reflecting on her children’s time

in school, she notes that “they all just

studied the same text that I’m pretty sure

I studied… 40-plus years ago, which are

all men, largely”. She is optimistic that

this is something that can be improved

in the future.

Ending our discussion, Goyal

stresses the wide range of women she’s

inspired by, “starting from human

rights campaigner Malala Yousafzai to

environmental activist Greta Thunberg”,

but pays particular credit to feminist

Sheila Kelley, who has done work on

“how you can use your femininity in…

an empowering way”. Being able to

unlock feminine leadership is something

she finds particularly inspiring as she

feels that women “don’t have to… use

some of the masculine traits that men

use to lead”, she says.

Despite the lack of female

representation in senior leadership

positions, Rayner and Goyal are

optimistic that, with improved pay,

greater flexibility and clearer career

paths, and passionate role models, the

sector holds significant opportunities for

women moving forward.


business | surveys & data

Red tape warning

Providers are concerned about losing overseas

care workers due to increased bureaucracy

Campaigners have warned that a

loss of overseas workers due to

increased red tape could have a

“severe and dramatic impact” on social

care.

The Scottish Care survey was launched

following the Home Office’s decision

to request additional documentation to

process certificates of sponsorship.

In a briefing paper on the survey’s

findings, Scottish Care said: “Due to

the current level of vacancies and lack

of capacity being experienced within

the social care sector, this additional

potential loss of staff could have a severe

and dramatic impact on overall social

care delivery throughout Scotland.

“In addition, this potential pathway to

recruit much needed staff members from

overseas to help with the significant

number of vacancies the sector has is

becoming increasingly unstable and not

financially viable for care providers to

pursue.”

The survey found two-thirds of

Scottish care members are currently

recruiting staff from overseas.

However, more than two-thirds (68%)

said they would be reluctant to consider

international recruitment in the future

due to concerns over sustainability and

financial viability.

Respondents from 14 local authorities

said they employed more than 15%

of staff from overseas, with seven

areas employing over 25%. Some care

providers reported employing 95% to

100% from overseas.

Scottish Care said: “This is clearly

a significant risk to the sustainability

of those organisations and the overall

delivery of social care services in those

local authority areas. Should staff either

decide to leave the sector or have no

ability to access the required certificate

of sponsorship this would immediately

put these organisations at risk of

continuing to deliver their current level

of service provision.

“These findings highlight a serious

concern over the sustainability of social

care delivery in Scotland. The potential

loss of internationally recruited staff

could intensify the existing vacancy

challenges and impact overall service

provision.

“Scottish Care urges policymakers to

address the urgent issues facing social

care recruitment. Immediate action is

needed to protect social care service

provision and support the sector’s

workforce.”

A government spokesperson said:

“Care workers make a vital contribution

to society, but immigration is not the

long-term answer to our social care

needs.

“120,000 dependants accompanied

100,000 care workers in the year ending

September 2023, and these numbers

are unsustainable which is why we

laid measures in Parliament to cut this

figure.”


business | sustainability matters

Green rewards

Quality director Nicky Barnes explains how Hartford Care’s commitment to

environmental, social and governance policies has reaped financial rewards

At Hartford Care, our ESG

commitments are absolutely

fundamental to our business

strategy. Our programme is designed

foremost to safeguard the planet and

ensure we are adding substantial social

value to the communities in which we

operate. We’re playing our part to create

the best future for everyone, however

there are also significant financial

benefits to prioritising sustainability in

the care sector.

Many lenders are recognising the

advantages of a future-proof ESG

strategy and offering reduced rates

where companies can demonstrate

a commitment to sustainability and

community initiatives – both those

already in place and practices being

“A commitment to

sustainability has

other positive financial

impacts too. Over the

past 18 months, our

energy usage is down

by 20%.”

worked towards. Our most recent deal

with our lender saw our interest rate

reduced by 0.25% following a review of

our ESG programme and future plans.

A commitment to sustainability has

other positive financial impacts too.

Over the past 18 months, our energy

usage is down by 20%. We expect this

to fall to around 50% once the solar

energy installed in a number of our

homes starts to benefit us. In addition,

sustainability is increasingly important

to our residents and their families when

they are looking for a home, so our

ESG programme is directly informing

our sales and marketing strategy; it is a

powerful selling point and is increasing

our desirability for environmentallyconscious

families.

Our ESG programme is also supporting

our growth as we tender for new business.

In line with NHS procurement, local

care commissioning groups are expecting

to see carbon reduction plans in place

by their preferred suppliers and at least

one demands a net zero target of 2050 or

earlier.

All of this is a win-win; the costs

we save can be ploughed back into

the business to enhance our service

offering and, ultimately, reinforce the

high quality of care we already offer our

residents.

Nicky Barnes

Sustainability and ESG concerns

are – more and more – tied directly

to standards of care. Indeed, the Care

Quality Commission has brought

environmental sustainability into its

criteria for the first time. Its most recent

environmental sustainability quality

statement says: “We understand any

negative impact of our activities on the

environment and we strive to make a

positive contribution in reducing it

and support people to do the same.”

The CQC is now looking for evidence

of green initiatives, carbon reduction,

recycling measures and structured staff

training.

We take this very seriously; every

Hartford Care team member – across

all our homes and head office – is

educated on our sustainability journey.

Our residents are also included and

kept up to date with everything that’s

going on and they play their part too.

Across the big and small initiatives,

from energy consumption league tables

for all homes, recycling and waste

disposal, to sustainable practices such

as the installation of solar panels, each

home and its community are coming

together to support and achieve our

goals.


Root and branch reform

Jonathan Freeman, group sustainability director at CareTech

Group, provides his monthly take on how social care is adopting

a green agenda but warns a greater change is required

sustainability matters | business

Let’s be honest, until relatively

recently the social care sector could

not describe itself as being at the

cutting edge of technological innovation

– paper-based care records, for example,

were the norm for most providers – and

still are for many. Deployment of (and

funding for) technological assistive

devices is growing but is still relatively

rare. And, when the Covid pandemic

struck, the lack of infrastructure to enable

digital connectivity for those in care

with their loved ones and with external

agencies became painfully obvious.

The potential for significant

technological innovation in social care

is now well-attested and take-up is

accelerating. The government’s social

care White Paper, ‘People at the Heart of

Care’, set out bold ambitions to support

digitalisation across the sector through

its Digitising Social Care programme.

In the government’s own words: “When

technology is embedded seamlessly

into care and support services, it can be

transformative: helping people to live

happy, fulfilled lives in their homes and

communities.”

Beyond the use of technology to

enhance the provision of social care,

there is an equally strong case for

wider innovation in how we deliver

care. At CareTech, we have recognised

these imperatives of driving innovative

approaches to the provision of social care

and embracing technology. Our worldleading

Smartbox AAC (Augmentative

and Alternative Communication)

devices are giving a voice to tens of

"What strikes me in all of

this debate, however, is

the radio silence about

how technology and

innovation are key to the

sustainability agenda."

thousands worldwide. EnableAll,

launched by our Purple subsidiary last

year, is the world’s first truly accessible

online marketplace platform, enabling

equality and inclusion for disabled

people as well as an ethical alternative

for conscious consumers.

The CareTech Foundation is also

supporting the Alzheimer’s Society’s

Longitude Prize on Dementia, a £4.42

million international prize to drive the

creation of personalised technologies,

co-created with people living in the early

stages of dementia, to enable people with

dementia to live independently.

What strikes me in all of this debate,

however, is the radio silence about how

technology and innovation are key to

the sustainability agenda.

It is curious that, in pretty much

every publication about innovation

and technology in social care, there

is scarcely a mention of the potential

benefits for environmental sustainability.

The advantages of electronic care records

in terms of improving the quality and

accessibility of these vital systems are

undoubted – but the huge gains from

reducing paper and storage facilities are

also significant.

Such reductions can be applied across

many other systems supporting our

organisations; at CareTech, for example,

our switch to electronic payslips is

saving 150,000 sheets of paper every

year – 11 trees’ worth. Across the

sector, Zoom and Teams meetings were,

pre-pandemic, relatively rare but now

are commonplace, which is great news

for the environment, with research

suggesting that transitioning from

in-person to virtual conferencing can

reduce the carbon footprint of meetings

by 94% and energy use by 90%.

However, let us remind ourselves

that sustainability is not just about

being ‘green’. Yes, promoting recycling,

improving energy efficiency and

reducing our carbon impact is a

massively important part of the

sustainability agenda. But sustainability

Jonathan Freeman

is about ensuring the needs of future

generations can be met.

Bluntly, as we all know, the current

social care system is already creaking at

the seams at best. It is painfully obvious

to pretty much everyone that the current

modes of delivery just won’t meet

future demands, with a growing elderly

population and with rising levels of care

needs across all age ranges.

And is there anyone who believes

that this is just about the government

providing more money? I would place

myself at the head of any queue to

prevail upon our political leaders to

fund social care adequately. But I would

equally argue that exponential growth

in the financing of social care as it is

currently delivered is just not affordable.

The only way in which we can deliver

world-class social care that will truly

be fit for the needs of our children and

grandchildren is by root and branch

reform of the system. That will require

real innovation across the whole sector

to think differently about how we can

best support our population to live

as independently as possible. And, in

doing so, we can harness the best of

technological and other advances to

ensure that we also rise to the climate

change crisis. Only in this way can

we create a social care sector that is

sustainable in every sense of the word.


business | real estate & development

Property news

Aurem Care celebrated the completion of an East Sussex care

home’s £2 million refurbishment. The unveiling at Hailsham

House was attended by mayor councillor Paul Holbrook and

deputy mayor councillor Anne Marie Ricketts.

Agincare has confirmed it has acquired two Somerset Care care

homes. The care home operator acquired Critchill Court in

Frome and Sunnymeade in Chard after Somerset Care launched a

consultation on their closure in March.

Hallmark Luxury Care Homes acquired a 1.78-acre site in

Cardiff and will build an 81-bed, residential, dementia and

nursing care home at Melrose Hall in the St Mellon’s district with

construction beginning in the summer next year.

Edinburgh City Council said it is closing two care homes which

are no longer fit for purpose. Clovenstone and Ford’s Road

provide residential care for 68 residents.

Exemplar Health Care began construction of a care home

in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Due for completion by spring

next year. Leger Grove complex needs care home will provide

comprehensive support to adults living with complex mental

health needs, dementia, neuro-disabilities and physical

disabilities.

Porthaven Care Homes appointed Corby, Northamptonshirebased

Kori Construction to build a £12.2 million care home in

Milton Keynes. The scheme has already seen the demolition of a

former fire station on the site, which is being replaced by a fourstorey,

75-bed care home with wet room for older people and

those living with dementia. The bedrooms cover three floors, with

staff and service facilities located on the fourth floor.


real estate & development | business

Hartford Care launched 10 new bedrooms with en suite wet

rooms at its Belford House care home in Hampshire. The

bedrooms will be located in a newly-built extension to the home,

which currently has full occupancy of its existing 32 bedrooms.

Westgate Healthcare unveiled plans to develop and open two

new care homes in Hertfordshire. The plans include the opening

of 75-bed Meadowbrook care home in Borehamwood in January

next year followed by the construction of an 80-bed care home in

Cheshunt in summer 2026.

Vishal Chandnani, a first-time buyer, acquired The Priory a

care home in Chippenham, Wiltshire registered for 24 elderly

residents. The Grade II listed Edwardian property has been

owned by Mark and Judith Allworth since 2004. Its facilities have

been extended and improved over the years, now featuring 18 en

suite bedrooms and five care apartments.

Hallmark Luxury Care Homes was granted planning

permission to build a care home on a two-acre site in Woodford

Green, East London. Hallmark will transform the unused land

acquired in 2022 from Guide Dogs for the Blind into a 110-bed,

residential, dementia and nursing care home.

PROPERTY SOLD

Nottinghamshire Leicestershire

Name of property sold:

Location:

Registration:

Purchaser:

Seller:

Price:

Business transfer agent:

Contact person:

Supported Living Development Site

Nottingham

9

Undisclosed

Undisclosed

Undisclosed

NGA Care

Nick Greaves – 07943 107 887

Name of property sold:

Location:

Registration:

Purchaser:

Seller:

Price:

Business transfer agent:

Contact person:

New Wycliffe Care Home

Leicester

49-bed residential home

Midlands Care

Undisclosed

Undisclosed

NGA Care

Nick Greaves – 07943 107 887


business | global view

Retirement living Kiwi style

Paul Morgan, co-founder and chief executive of luxury integrated

retirement community operator, Wallacea Living, shares his findings

from a recent ARCO study tour in New Zealand

Designed to gather insights

and best practice into the

retirement industry globally,

the recent Associated Retirement

Community Operators (ARCO) study

tour included representatives from

Richmond Villages, The Audley Group,

Retirement Villages Group, Riverstone,

Untold Living, as well as Wallacea

Living.

Market size

New Zealand is regarded as a world

leader when it comes to retirement

living, with companies starting to

develop retirement villages in the 1980s,

a good 20 years or so before similar

models were introduced in the UK.

Around 16% of older people are

living in a retirement community in

New Zealand (compared to 0.1% in the

UK) with 130 people moving into a

retirement village every week. ARCO’s

vision 2023 for the UK highlights a

target of 250,000 integrated retirement

community (IRC) units to be available

to our population by 2030. This is a

bold challenge from the current 88,000

and will take us to around 2% of the

older population.

Planning

The planning authorities in New

Zealand have similar challenges to the

"Around 16% of older

people are living in a

retirement community

in New Zealand

(compared to 0.1%

in the UK) with 130

people moving into

a retirement village

every week."

UK in that any application is measured

by bulk, location, design, traffic, noise

and environmental effects to name but

a few. However, as retirement villages

in New Zealand are regulated through

the Retirement Village Act 2003, it is

slightly easier for planning authorities

to understand what a standard

definition of a retirement village is.

New Zealand has 465 retirement

villages across 67 planning authorities

compared to around 75 IRCs in the

UK across 337 planning authorities in

England.

Wellbeing

It’s fair to say resident wellbeing is at

the heart of everything offered in New

Zealand’s retirement communities.

From the ‘new resident coffee

mornings’ on arrival, through the very

full list of physical exercises – Pilates,

chairobics, aqua classes etc – through

to the guest talks, resident talks and

so much more. One area that was

very clearly an enjoyment for many

residents was their involvement in some

elements of ‘running’ the communities.

We saw examples of a bar that was

100% resident operated and managed,

to times when residents help at the

reception desk, run classes and drive the

minibus into town, as well as managing

gardening clubs. There was a real sense

of purpose around the community.

Technology

It’s fair to say that technology in New

Zealand is being tried and tested in

the same way it is in the UK. When

it comes to genuine examples of tele

care options and communication

within the community, there are

examples of resident apps and two-way

communication opportunities within

the apartments very similar to the UK.

There wasn’t a “this is the best system”,

it was horses for courses.

A couple of the higher end

communities were implementing

keyless systems whereby people’s wrist

Paul Morgan

bands can provide door entry and

service charging to their accounts.

The one element that the UK and

New Zealand are working towards is

having such a system that is safe and

reliable enough to house an emergency

response system.

Community engagement

Some of the activities that are much

more achievable due to the number

of villages in the country, is having

overnight stays or tours to other areas of

the country and staying in sister villages

to experience what those areas have to

offer. I know one or two companies in

the UK undertake this, however it did

seem to be more of a regular and almost

expected service in New Zealand.

Care and support

Around two-thirds (65%) of the

retirement communities in New

Zealand have a physical care facility

on site. If and when someone reaches

a stage in life when they need further

care, the Occupation Right Agreement

(ORA) is settled, and a new one set up

in the care facility. The fact there is a

care facility on site and that a resident

can transition through, is highlighted

as the fourth most important

consideration when buying into a


"Around two-thirds

of the retirement

communities in New

Zealand have a physical

care facility on site"

retirement community – behind safety

and security, sense of community and

location. Interestingly, as the retirement

sector grows in New Zealand with care

facilities on site, standalone care homes

are in decline, indicating a shift in the

country’s choice for where they wish to

be as they get older.

Finance

On moving in, a resident purchases

an ORA (essentially a licence to

occupy). This sum of money is not a

purchase of ‘ownership’, it is a capital

contribution which allows you to ‘buy’

into the village and use the services.

This capital contribution is guaranteed

to be returned at the end of the tenure,

minus the Deferred Management Fee

(DMF). Once a contract is signed, a

resident has a statutory 15-day cooling

off period (some operators extend this

to three months after moving in). The

owner pays a monthly fee to live there.

Interestingly the fees are quoted and

discussed in weekly terms as opposed

to monthly. These fees are set very low

to offset a more rapid DMF growth.

DMF accrues typically at 10% per year,

however, there are variations, although

the majority accrue over three years.

Upon resale (which the operator is

responsible for) the owner (or owners’

estate) receives original capital sum

less DMF. Any capital gain or loss

is absorbed by the operator. A new

weekly fee is then set for new owner.

The operator charges no resale fee and

funds all refurbishment required in the

apartment.


business | personnel

People moves

Minehead Nursing and Residential Home in Somerset

appointed Louise Heppenstall as its new home manager, leading

a team of more than 100 staff providing a range of care services,

including residential, nursing and specialist dementia for adults

of all ages. Heppenstall has more than 15 years’ management

experience. She began her career in retail with the supermarket

chain Tesco, working her way up to become a department

manager. Four years ago she changed careers, becoming a carer

at a residential home in South Molton. Two years ago she

was appointed assistant manager at Minehead Nursing and

Residential Home.

in association with

seafarers, their dependants, veterans, and the local community,

including those living with dementia.

David Dominy

Louise Heppenstall

Barchester’s Charitable Foundation appointed Sally Hale as

a trustee. Hale, who managed adult community therapies at a

large NHS foundation trust for more than 15 years, volunteers

with Thrive, a social and therapeutic horticultural charity that

uses horticulture as an activity to support people with long-term

health needs.

Integrated retirement community start-up Wallacea Living

appointed Sue Timney as creative director, following her

involvement as a creative consultant on the company’s first

development in central London. Timney will spearhead the

creative strategy and interior design of Wallacea Living's

residential and amenity spaces. With more than 40 years’ industry

experience, she has been involved in the design of all the amenity

spaces at Wallacea Living’s first site, including the restaurant,

the cinema, the bar, the library and the multifunctional space,

working with architectural and interior design firm Jestico +

Whiles.

Sue Timney

Sally Hale

Surrey-based maritime charity The Royal Alfred Seafarers’

Society appointed former Royal Navy captain David Dominy

as its chief executive, succeeding commander Brian Boxall-Hunt

who was the Society’s chief executive for 17 years. Dominy will

lead the Society, including its residential and nursing care home

Belvedere House, which provides nursing care for up to 68 former

Kepler Vision Technologies, a provider of software for

patient wellbeing in elderly care facilities, promoted Stephanie

van Rosmalen to the new role of chief marketing officer. Van

Rosmalen joined Kepler Vision Technologies in 2021, initially

working as a PR and marketing consultant, before being hired

full time. She is tasked with promoting the Kepler name and

service across the world. Originally based in the Netherlands, the

company has marketed its Kepler Night Nurse product to Spain,

Belgium, Norway, France and other European countries, with

plans to expand worldwide.


personnel | business

key role in Bidfood’s move to join the trade association. She has

more than 30 years’ experience in the foodservice industry and

started her career as a trainee customer assistant at Pal International

before moving into a sales manager position.

Stephanie van Rosmalen

Complex nursing care provider Exemplar Health Care

appointed Joanna McCabe as its first Huntington’s disease

nurse consultant, joining the company’s behaviour support

team. McCabe will bolster the company’s Huntington’s disease

training and expand connections with other services and experts,

including local NHS Huntington’s disease teams.

Geoff Edwards

Orchard Care Homes appointed Geoff Edwards as director of

operations overseeing the group’s central region, which covers the

Northwest of England and the Midlands. Edwards became a care

home assistant at the age of 16, before progressing to becoming

the manager of a 34-room care home by the late 1990s. He spent

seven years at Southern Cross Healthcare, rising to area manager,

before progressing into regional director and operations director

roles at Shaw Healthcare, Priory Group and Care UK. He was

most recently managing director of HC-One.

Joanna McCabe

The Foodservice Packaging Association (FPA) appointed Bidfood’s

Anna Turner as a director and interim vice-chairman. Bidfood is

a major foodservice supplier to the care industry and Turner is the

national account manager of its catering supplies team. She has

worked at Bidfood for 11 years and been an active member of the

FPA for more than 10 years working closely with it and playing a

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

Email us at charlotte.macfarlane@catolex.law

to arrange your initial telephone consultation

Birmingham, Northampton & Market Harborough

0121 387 4410 catolex.law

Anna Turner

Reshaping The Business Of Law


business | legal and regulatory

Prosecutions on the rise

With the Care Quality Commission’s new Single Assessment Framework in full

swing, Amanda Narkiewicz, partner at law firm Mills & Reeve, assesses the uptick

in CQC prosecutions and its approach to enforcement under the new system

Since April 2015 when the Care

Quality Commission took over

criminal investigations and the

prosecution role of the Health and

Safety Executive for healthcare harm

events, the CQC has been using its

criminal enforcement powers with

increasing appetite.

A review of the CQC’s data set

of prosecutions it has brought to

date reflects a rise in the use of its

enforcement powers, particularly since

the Covid-19 pandemic. The regulator

has the power to prosecute health

and social care providers if they fail

to provide safe, high-quality care. So,

whether you are a registered provider

or a registered manager or a company

director, the CQC has the power to

prosecute both care home operators

and individuals.

The CQC has a range of civil and

criminal enforcement powers and

sometimes it will be appropriate

for it to use both civil and criminal

enforcement powers at the same

time. The CQC uses its enforcement

policy and its enforcement decision

tree to make decisions about what

enforcement power to use based on the

nature of the breach.

There are several prosecutable

"The CQC has

a range of civil

and criminal

enforcement powers

and sometimes it

will be appropriate

for it to use both

civil and criminal

enforcement powers

at the same time."

offences in the Health and Social

Care Act 2008 and related regulations

(Health and Social Care Act 2008

(Regulated Activities) Regulations

2014 and Care Quality Commission

(Registration) Regulations 2009).

Based on CQC data, prosecutions

cover the following breaches, but are

not limited to:

• Regulation 12: Failing to provide

safe care and treatment resulting in

avoidable harm or a significant risk of

avoidable harm.

• Regulation 13: Failing to safeguard

people who use services from

suffering any form of abuse or

improper treatment while receiving

care and treatment.

• Regulation 20: Duty of candour.

• Regulation 20A: Failure to show

CQC rating on website.

• Section 10: Carrying on a regulated

activity without registration.

• Section 64: Failure to provide

information.

The CQC’s criminal enforcement

powers cover cautions, fixed penalty

notices and prosecutions. Last year

the most common offences prosecuted

by the CQC were included under

Regulation 12 and Section 10.

Where breaches of the regulations

don’t constitute a criminal offence, the

CQC can enforce the standards by

using its civil powers to impose, vary

or remove conditions; and suspend a

registration and or cancel a registration.

Failure to comply with the the CQC’s

civil powers is a criminal offence and

may also result in a prosecution.

CQC data indicates that

prosecutions are on the increase, rising

from 21 reported prosecutions in 2022,

to 25 in 2023, with four prosecutions

this year to date. The individual fines

imposed in these prosecutions ranged

from £2,511 to £2,571,502. For some

offences the Magistrates’ Courts have

the power to order unlimited fines,

whereas other offences are capped at

Amanda Narkiewicz

certain amounts. Fines are also based

on several factors and a credit for an

early guilty plea can lead to a reduction

in the total fine.

Advice

We would encourage all care providers

to take stock of their compliance

procedures as there does seem to be an

increasing appetite for the regulator

to take both criminal and civil

enforcement action.

Are we likely to see an increase in

CQC prosecution and enforcement

action under the new assessment

framework? That remains to be seen. If

the CQC achieves its ambition to be

a ‘dynamic regulator’, then in its own

words: “We’ll use our powers and act

quickly where improvement takes too

long, or where the changes won’t be

sustainable. We’ll take action where

services are unable to identify systemic

issues in their own organisational

culture or fail to learn lessons from

widely publicised failures happening

across health and care.”

If you are facing a CQC prosecution

or criminal investigation do seek early

legal support as it can limit the impact

of a prosecution on your care home

business. And don’t forget to notify

your insurer.


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care

48 CARE SECTOR'S GOT TALENT

Care worker and gifted vocalist Molly

Blackburn is crowned winner of this

year’s Care Sector’s Got Talent

34 CT ON THE ROAD

Stow Healthcare on its successful nursing

recruitment strategy

40 INTERIOR DESIGN

Sally Matthews shares Signature Senior

Lifestyle design secrets

46 HOUSEKEEPER OF THE MONTH

Derek Tilley is our housekeeper of the

month

care | registered managers

Managers guide to…

student nurse placements

There’s an ongoing demand for nurses and nursing associates in the adult social care

sector. Claire Leenhouwers, national professional lead at Skills for Care, advises care

home and home care managers on how to make the most of student nurse placements

Lived experience is critical to

understanding what it means

to be a social care nurse, so it

is vital that care homes get involved

with providing placements for the

next generation of nurses and nursing

associates.

1. Universities definitely want to

hear from you. It’s impossible for

universities to increase the number of

students on nursing programmes if they

don’t have the placement capacity to

ensure that students are able to achieve

the required practice hours stipulated

by the Nursing and Midwifery Council

(NMC) to gain their qualification.

With nursing recruitment being a

priority for government, increasing

capacity is high on the agenda.

Universities are increasingly looking to

social care and wanting to build their

capacity in this area.

2. With that in mind, please do make

contact with your local university. At

Skills for Care we are in the process of

appealing to universities to make their

processes easier in terms of social care

providers knowing who to contact.

For now, starting with the university

website and finding someone in the

nursing department is suggested.

3. There are lecturing staff in place

who support practice areas, and

some are specifically allocated to

support placements in social care.

Social care usually falls within the

remit of private, voluntary and

independent, or third sector. You’ll

hear the abbreviations PVI or PITO

(private, independent or third sector

organisations) used to describe these

placements.

4. Universities usually provide free

training for care home staff acting as

practice assessors (previously known

as mentors) and practice supervisors,

when care homes come on board. This

is a great development opportunity for

existing staff and ensures that students

are adequately supported and assessed

while with you. Find out more on the

NMC website.

5. There is a tariff attached to hosting

students. Discuss with your local

university what this means for you.

6. Don’t be put off by the paperwork.

Yes, you’ll have to be audited by the

university, but this is nothing for you

to worry about, and once it’s done

it’s a lot easier going forward. If you

wanted to host students from multiple

universities this information can also

be shared to avoid duplication.

7. Most students are assessed via an

electronic version of the practice

assessment document. There are

different versions of this, but both

the university and students will help

familiarise you with their version

and make sure you can access it. This

will allow you to confirm their hours

and that they’ve met the standards of

proficiency they have to reach.

8. An academic assessor is a university

lecturer who will support the

student and the ‘practice area’ (in

this case the care home). The assessor

will keep you up to date on how a

student is progressing academically,

and act as a first point of contact if

there are any concerns while they are

with you on their placement.

9. Take the opportunity to dispel

myths. There is an expectation that

newly qualified nursing professionals

can work in any setting. This includes

social care, so it’s really important

that students have exposure to what

it really means to work in a social

care setting, and hopefully dispel any

myths that there are about what this

means. There can be a stigma attached

to working in care homes, and hosting

students enables you to show care

homes in a different light to the

upcoming workforce.

10. The benefits of hosting students

are endless. Learning is a two-way

process and with students comes

enthusiasm and new ways of doing

things. It also increases the likelihood

of finding your next great nurse or

nursing associate. Hosting students

gives you the opportunity to embed

some of your own values into their

practice, with a view of offering

employment when they qualify

and complete their studies. Even if

they don’t end up working in a care

home, students often go back to

hospital settings with an improved

understanding and knowledge of the

way care homes operate, and impart

this to hospital staff.


Chef of the month

Head chef Julian Davison tells us what’s on the menu at

New Care’s Grosvenor Manor Care Centre in Chester

catering | care

Tell us about your background in care

Having worked in the hotel and leisure

industry for over 25 years, I received a

phone call completely out of the blue,

asking me if I would be interested in a

job as head chef in a care home. Back

then most people, including myself, had

a perception of care home food to be like

that of hospital food – how wrong I was.

I accepted the job without hesitation

and 17 years later, I have not looked

back. Working with your own menus,

cooking with fresh ingredients and also

being able to have a life due to the hours

of work – it’s any chef ’s dream. It also

helps that I work in a very smart kitchen

with a great team behind me.

What’s special about working at

Grosvenor Manor?

I started working for New Care in

February 2018 and can honestly say

they go above and beyond for their

staff, residents and family members. I

can vouch for all three as my mum is a

resident at my place of work, Grosvenor

Manor. She is more than happy there, as

I am. Nothing seems too much for this

company to keep everyone content.

How do you vary your menu to

provide choice for residents?

Our menus change with the seasons.

We meet with the residents to discuss

changes and get feedback on what they

like and dislike. Giving the residents

input is very important. We offer a

minimum of two starters, two main

courses and various desserts and also

offer alongside a lighter bites menu.

How do you meet residents’

nutritional and health needs?

We try to offer a well-balanced

menu to meet health and nutritional

requirements. Fresh fruit and vegetables

and a good selection of meat and

fish, vegan and vegetarian options are

always available. Daily milkshakes and

smoothies are offered to aid hydration

and fortification. Great communication

is vital between staff to notify the

Julian Davison

kitchen of any extra needs of residents.

This is usually passed on at the daily

morning meeting.

How do you care for residents with

dementia?

In our dementia community, we offer

hydrating snacks throughout the day

along with grazing boxes containing a

range of finger foods. Creating an aroma

at mealtimes can help stimulate appetite,

and assisting with eating also helps in

some cases. We offer smaller portions

where necessary, so we don’t overwhelm

our residents.

What’s your most popular dish?

We have tried many different styles of

foods over the past few years and have

found that the majority of our residents

prefer the good-quality, tasty homely

foods they grew up with. Firm favourites

are slow cooked braised featherblade of

beef, roasted shallots and horseradish

dumplings.

What’s your favourite dish?

My own favourite is pan fried bass,

butternut squash dauphinois, buttered

tender stem broccoli. To finish, mango

panna cotta, raspberry coulis and

shortbread biscuit.

How do you make the dining

experience special for residents and

their families?

Looking ahead, we are thinking of

trialling a ‘pop up’ bistro where families

can come into the home in a different

environment and enjoy a tasty threecourse

meal, with soft lighting and

background music.


care | manager in focus

10 questions with…

We speak to Zoe Mills, home manager of Colten

Care’s Kingfishers in New Milton, Hampshire

Why did you join the social care sector?

I have a passion for helping and caring

for others, making a positive difference

to their lives and wellbeing. I used to

work in the NHS and know its fast

turnaround of hospital patients. I felt

I had a lot to give the social care sector

through transferrable skills.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Making a positive impact, supporting

residents to live their best possible

lives. I don’t think you can get a better

reward than that. Working in a caring

environment gives you the chance to

build relationships with residents, their

families and your team.

Who is your social care hero and why?

Everyone who dedicates their time to

providing quality care is a hero in my

mind. I also remember the first person

who helped me when I first stepped

into care work, at a rehab hospital. They

believed in me, saw something in me

and if they hadn’t given me that first

opportunity, I wouldn’t be where I am

now.

What is the one thing you would change

about social care?

The perception that people have,

especially those in hospital or potential

residents coming in. Often they don’t

see care homes as they really are. They

think it’s just people sitting around

and not doing much when in reality

life can be a lot of fun. And for nurses,

care homes are good for your career

“I have a passion for

helping and caring

for others, making a

positive difference

to their lives and

wellbeing."

Zoe Mills

and give you lots of responsibility and

opportunity for career development.

What in your opinion makes a great

care worker?

Being kind and caring goes without

saying. You have to have compassion,

an understanding of individuals and be

patient, flexible and adaptable. You need

to communicate well and be reliable

and respectful. You need to smile, be

trustworthy and committed, and be

willing to go the extra mile.

What do you do when life all gets a bit

too much?

Go outside and breathe in the fresh air,

have a walk or go sea swimming. I have

a static caravan which I escape to at

weekends. I also spend time with family.

And Prosecco tends to help.

What advice would you give your

younger self ?

Be kind to yourself, follow your passion

and trust in your decisions. Life’s a

journey and every experience is an

opportunity to grow. Time is precious

but it’s also a healer. While something

can be bad at a given moment, it will get

better.

Which three famous people would you

have to dinner and why?

Florence Nightingale, to ask her what

it was like to be a nurse in her time and

discuss what we can learn from that.

Marie Curie, because of her dedication

to research and how she coped with

being in such a male-dominated field.

I’d love to ask what she would think

now of the impact she has had. And

Nelson Mandela. I’d like to listen to

his wisdom and I’ve always admired

his resilience and commitment to

justice.

What three items would you bring with

you on a desert island?

Snorkel and mask, a comfortable pillow

and a boat for sightseeing, or maybe to

escape.

What is your secret talent?

I’m a very good listener and I’m told I

give good advice.


care | ct on the road

A shift in care focus

Stow Healthcare is investing in nursing care at a time when many care

home providers are closing down nursing units. Charlotte Goddard

visited Horkesley Manor near Colchester, Essex to find out why

Visitors to Horkesley Manor

make their way down a long

drive lined with spring flowers

to arrive at the 73-bed care home set in

the Essex countryside. Stow Healthcare

acquired the property, which had been

rated Requires Improvement under its

previous owners, in October 2022.

After purchasing the property, the

company’s eighth care home, Stow

decided to transform one of the home’s

three wings into a nursing care unit.

“Occupancy when we took over was

about 40%,” explains Ruth French,

operations director at Stow Healthcare.

“We amalgamated the residents into

two wings of the home and completely

closed one, which became our nursing

wing, which opened last May.” The

nursing unit is now completely full.

Horkesley Manor was not the first

Stow property to invest in a nursing

unit. When the provider bought

Cedars Place in Halstead in 2020 it

transformed one of two residential

dementia units into a nursing wing,

allowing the company to differentiate

the new property from its existing

home in the same Essex town. “People

thought we were crazy because these

days providers are closing down nursing

units, because they can’t find the

nurses,” says French.

Horkesley Manor manager Judith

“With many nurses

unsure about

committing to a

career in social care,

Stow has a number

of initiatives to

tackle this, including

hosting student nurse

placements."

Morgan-Worrall was previously

manager at the Halstead home. She

says Horkesley Manor is well-situated

to offer nursing care because it operates

from the ground floor only. “You don’t

have to think about access issues, which

is great,” she says.

With many nurses unsure about

committing to a career in social care,

Stow has a number of initiatives to

tackle this, including hosting student

nurse placements. “Once a student

nurse has come and done the placement

they were dreading, actually they really

like it,” says French. “We had a graduate

nurse join the company last year,

because she had done a placement at

the home and she loved it.”

Nurses are often surprised at the

clinical needs of the residents, such

as PEG (percutaneous endoscopic

gastrostomy) feeding, and the

competitive salary. “A nurse joining

the NHS would earn less than £15 an

hour, and they get £20 an hour joining

us,” says French. “In a hospital you are

always going to be deferring to a doctor,

but here our nurses have a high degree

of responsibility, doing really hands-on

work where they are having to make a

lot of decisions.”

Stow Healthcare obtained a

sponsorship license two years ago,

and now recruits carers and nurses

from overseas. Hawksley Manor is

the entry point for overseas workers,

with bedrooms put aside to support

them for three months while they find

accommodation. The company has

recruited seven qualified nurses from

abroad, supporting them to gain UK

registration. Horkesley Manor currently

employs nine nurses, with one coming

from overseas.

While there is a demand for nursing

care, filling a new unit from scratch is

a challenge. When the home launched,

GPs, social workers and others who

are likely to commission services were

invited to look around. Liz Patrick,

group admissions manager, liaises with

local hospitals to fill beds at the home.

“Hospitals know if they send me a

referral we will look into it and see if

it will work, and if I say I can’t help on

this occasion they respect that,” says

Patrick. “They know if we can help we

will generally help within 24 hours

from referral to admission. I think that

is the difference being a nursing home

manager as opposed to residential – you

have a much quicker turnaround of

admissions coming in.”

“It is so difficult for home managers

– they have to be expert in everything,”

says French. “If you miss an enquiry,

and that person goes to the home

down the road, that is £50k you have

potentially lost. We thought we need

someone who is just dealing with

enquiries.” Patrick previously worked

for the NHS, building relationships

with care homes and developing a

‘trusted assessor’ model.

Patrick has a deep understanding of

the residents and their needs across all

of Stow’s homes, which allows her to

accept the right person into the right


environment. “If Horkesley Manor

is already dealing with four people

who require PEG feeds, the person

with those needs may have to go to

one of our other nursing services,”

explains Patrick. “Or that person

who is displaying quite challenging

behaviour might not work within this

environment, because of the existing

cohort of residents.”

Despite the challenges, investing

in nursing care has many benefits. It

differentiates Stow in a crowded market

by offering a unique selling point.

There is also a decreasing demand for

standard residential care, driven by

an increased focus on home care, and

a huge shortage of nursing care, says

Patrick. “The reality is you don’t get

old ladies with barely any health needs

coming into homes,” agrees French.

“They stay in their own home. Everyone

who comes here has got complex needs

of some sort.”

In the end, it makes sense financially.

“Of course it is an extra cost to have

nurses, but proportionately it is much

more effective for us to run with more

nursing beds in this home,” says French.

Horkesley also hosts the Aspen

Memory Centre, which specialises

in caring for people with memory

challenges using a Montessori approach.

The aim is to support residents to

have the best life possible, giving them

independence and allowing them to

take risks. “Horkesley is an interesting

project because you have the memory

centre side, and the nursing side –

two different ways of differentiating

ourselves from what is happening with

other homes in the sector,” says French.

The memory centre has been

redecorated since Stow bought the

home, and is full of natural light, with

a kitchen area encouraging residents to

make their own drinks and a communal

area looking out onto a courtyard filled

with crocuses. Staff in the unit are

known as ‘home makers’ and do not

wear uniforms.

Moving through into the

nursing wing, French describes the

transformation that has taken place.

“When we came in there was just one

useable bathroom,” she says. At one

point in the corridor is a small but pretty

and inviting second dining area, for

people who don’t fancy the main room.

“I am a real fan of these alcove spaces

and finding little places for people to

sit,” says French. A door at the end of the

corridor opening out onto the grounds

provides ambulance access if necessary.

In the nursing unit lounge some

residents are taking part in a knitting

activity. “We do this every Wednesday,”

says Maddy Peters, activities assistant.

“We are making a blanket, and baby

hats as well, we are going to donate

them to the local neonatal unit.”

Given the nursing unit is now full,

the home is looking to turn one of

the residential units, which does

have vacancies, into another nursing

wing. “Liz will now be working to fill

those vacant beds with people who

also have nursing needs, and then we

will gradually scale up our nursing

provision," says French.

“It has been very reassuring that our

bet that this would work as a nursing

home has paid off,” she concludes.


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.


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.


care | care for tomorrow

The clock is ticking

Communications and engagement lead, Stephanie Nimmo,

discusses a new campaign launched last month by Digitising

Social Care, NHS England

Every week, we are excited to hear

about the huge difference digital

solutions are making to managers

and staff in care settings around the

country – more than 60% of registered

care providers are now using digital

social care records. I speak to registered

managers and care staff every week and

those who have taken the leap to using

digital care planning approaches tell me

that they have never looked back.

So if you’re not there yet, what’s

stopping you? For owners and managers

it’s that age-old double whammy

of challenges – time and money.

That’s where the Digital Social Care

programme team can help.

First, with finance: the Adult Social

Care Digital Transformation Fund is

available to all registered social care

providers to help with the costs of

transitioning to a digital social care

record system and this is the last year to

apply.

That’s why we have just launched

the ‘Clock is Ticking’ campaign to

guide social providers on funding

and advice ahead of the deadline later

this financial year. Visit our website

–digitisingsocialcare.co.uk – for more

information and to find contacts for

the local support team in your area

which offers support with everything

from guidance through the funding

“Like funding, time has

rarely felt as precious,

and as limited, as it

does now. But once

in place, digital social

care records can save

you time and money by

making your processes

more efficient.”

application process, to pointers on

how to find the right digital social

care record solution that meets

your needs.

There’s lots of advice and

guidance available on choosing

and implementing a solution that

works for you and your team. We

manage a list of digital social care

records solutions that have been

assured by NHS England against

a list of core functionalities and

standards to help you find the

right one for your organisation.

So if you’re interested in adopting

digital solutions, but are struggling

to get started, take a look at our

website and contact your local

team to take the first step.

Like funding, time has rarely

felt as precious, and as limited,

as it does now. But once in place,

digital social care records can save

you time and money by making your

processes more efficient. They also

save valuable time for dedicated care

professionals, freeing them up to focus

on people, rather than paperwork.

Care providers using digital social care

record solutions tell us carers now

spend an average of one hour less per

shift on admin.

What’s more, digital care plans

improve the quality and accessibility

of information – making the right

information available to the right

people where and when it is needed

to best support a person’s care.

Onboarding, audit and reporting

processes are also faster when you use a

digital social care record.

Applications must be made and

funding spent this financial year, so if

you haven’t already contacted your local

team, make sure you do it soon in order

to secure as much support as possible.

While it might feel like yet another task

on the to-do list, once a digital social

care record solution is in place, that list

will finally start to shrink.

Staff won’t find themselves working

Interested in getting funding for a digital care plan but not sure where to start?

The clock is ticking to access funding but your local team is here to help you. The process

is simple when you know how – follow these steps below:

Chat to other

care providers

who are using

digital care

plans – your

local team

can put you in

touch.

#ticktockfunding

02

06

10

Visit our website, choose

from a list of assured systems

and make a shortlist.

01

03

05

Invite shortlisted suppliers to come

and give you a demo.

Your local team will help with accessing

funding to cover year one costs.

Time to implement your digital

care plan solution.

07

09

11

Reach out to your local team to discuss

the process – find out their details at

digitisingsocialcare.co.uk

It’s a good idea to complete the Data

Security and Protection Toolkit.

Your digital care plan

journey has begun.

late to get paperwork up to date

– information will be captured on

the go. Registered managers will

find themselves rushing less to pull

information together for inspections

and audits – with a digital social care

plan it’s all there at the touch of a

button. Money will be saved on paper

and stationery too, as well as reducing

the costs of archive storage.

Families also stand to benefit from

investment in digital social care records.

Many care providers using digital

solutions are now offering or looking

at ways to share access to appropriate

information with relatives. This means

families can check on what’s happening

without having to pick up the phone –

helping them feel connected and saving

precious time for staff.

If you haven’t made the move to

digitalise your care planning yet, do get

in touch. Your local team is ready and

waiting to help you secure funding and

choose the right digital solution for

your organisation and the people you

care for. Find details for your local team

on our website and start now before the

clock stops.

04

Get your staff involved in helping to

work out the best option.

Decide on your supplier.

08

Think about

what you

need from

a digital

care plan

solution.

Digitising Social Care


Log My Care

secures funding

care for tomorrow | care

Digital care platform Log My Care has raised £3

million from investor Mercia Ventures to expand

its support of the learning disability sector.

Log my Care‘s care management software enables carers to

record notes, access medical records and receive prompts

and reminders via a mobile app. The company said its

product helps care managers improve efficiency, care quality

and oversight, with the platform typically saving carers up to an

hour per shift, enabling them to create personalised care plans

in a third of the time.

Log my Care stated that the investment will help it develop

as a supplier to learning disability care providers and expand its

presence in home care.

Sam Hussain, chief executive of Log my Care said: “By giving

carers more time to spend with patients and access to better

information, Log my Care helps improve the quality of care for

those who need it most. The funding will enable us to continue

scaling our business in the UK and extend our positive impact

by increasing the number of people supported by our platform

from 20,000 to over 100,000.”

Henry Hamilton of Mercia Ventures added: “Care providers

are recognising the need to move to digital technology, aided

by government incentives. Log my Care really resonates

with independent care homes as an easy-to-use product that

improves efficiency at an affordable price. The company has

been growing rapidly; this latest investment will enable it

to further expand its market share and establish itself as the

leading platform for care providers in the field of learning

disabilities.”

Log my Care’s founders: Adam Hurst, founder and chief technology

officer (left) and Sam Hussain, founder and chief executive officer (right)


care | design

Aesthetics and care

Sally Matthews of Leisure Concepts Design who led the interior design team for

Signature Senior Lifestyle latest home, describes how her team completes its work

Nestled in the heart of Highgate,

North London on the

prestigious Bishop's Avenue,

Signature Senior Lifestyle launched its

latest flagship home in December, with

the design provided by Leisure Concepts

Design.

The designers

Our designers have varied backgrounds

and experience, which is perfect for

supporting our collaborative approach to

projects. For instance, I had an extensive

background in hospitality and leisure

across the country before turning to care

homes. I can confidently say that I'm

most proud of the work I do for the care

industry and our team loves to see the

difference we make in the quality of life

of the residents we work for.

With Signature at Highgate I was

involved in the project since the building

concept stage, working with Signature’s

development team, the architects and

builders to refine the plans and ensure

the internal layout would support the

interior design concept.

For example, the large reception area

offers abundant seating options and

is strategically located adjacent to the

cafe. This layout encourages residents

to engage in social interactions or

enjoy quieter moments without feeling

isolated, emphasising the importance of

community and choice.

Signature’s buildings incorporate

multiple features specifically designed to

support the staff in caring for residents

in a safe, comfortable environment that

doesn’t look or feel institutional or like a

care home.

The homes have an added

luxurious touch, challenging people’s

preconceptions about the appearance and

atmosphere of a care home. Each room

is styled differently, providing diverse

physical, visual and mental stimuli,

promoting engagement and combating

the potential monotony of everyday

life. Combining practical lighting

and comforting, homely and familiar

elements, like electric fires, contributes to

a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Considering those living with

dementia

There's a deeper science to designing

for those residents with dementia: it’s

important to look at a care home’s

design from a big picture perspective,

but the devil is in the details.

For Signature at Highgate, we made

sure not to put contrasting or busy

patterns on the floor or walls because

people with dementia can often lose

their ability to see certain colours. They

may feel like they're walking into a ‘black

hole’ because of the colour changes on

the floor, or they can see moving and

disorienting shapes and patterns within

wallpapers or rugs. We’ve specifically

worked to avoid this throughout the

home, not just in the dementia suites.

Sometimes, residents living with

dementia find comfort in walking along

the corridors and running their hands

along the corridor walls. I thought,

instead of just putting artwork up, let’s

include two- and three-dimensional

interactive pieces and memory walls.

Also, wayfinding throughout the home

is dementia-friendly with directional

arrows, artwork themes, text and simple

images in a contrasting colour that makes

it easy to read and navigate. These were all

intentional choices and enabled residents

living with dementia to join the wider

home community and benefit from the

full array of amenities.

The dementia suites themselves feature

domestic interior styles with unconfusing

décor and recognisable fixtures,

prioritising the comfort and wellbeing

of residents by providing familiar

environments and memory prompts.

Practical and aesthetic

Designing a care home’s interior is about

facilitating care, but within Signature

homes specific measures are taken to

combine this with aesthetics.

The rhythmic details of Highgate are

designed to provide a calming, beautiful

interior in which residents can sit and

relax. Equally, all floor thresholds are

made level to avoid trips and falls, and

corridors have specially designed linear

rails rather than the typical mop rail

used in hospitals and other homes. This

makes for a more sensitive, visually

appealing presentation while retaining

the functionality needed.

Artwork and decorative items are

thoughtfully selected to provide visual

cues about a room's purpose, stimulating

conversations and enhancing the overall

aesthetic appeal of the care home.

As a designer, you want to be quite

selfish with your design choices. But in

the care industry, that’s not possible. It’s

about people's quality of life. We want to

create interesting, exciting interiors that

flow between environments and help

make people’s lives easier.


Luxury retirement in a care home

Older people wanting to enjoy an active and safe retirement are being offered a

new lifestyle option by Hallmark Luxury Care Homes, reports Lee Peart

design | care

The 85-bed, £22 million

Willingdon Park Manor luxury

care home in Eastbourne, which

officially launched in April, contains

a nine-suite, luxury retirement living

annex. The Residences is an exclusive

neighbourhood with its own fine-dining

room, cocktail bar, celebrations area and

terrace that blends seamlessly into the

care home.

With weekly fees ranging from £2,100

to £2,850, The Residences is pitched at

a significantly higher price point than

“Filling the gap

between retirement

living and fully

assisted living,

Hallmark clearly could

be on to a winner

with this luxury care

innovation targeting

the wealthy retiree.”

the home’s residential care which starts

at £1,650 a week in order to offer a

bespoke, all-inclusive luxury retirement

living offering. Two of The Residences’

suites cater for couples with fees pitched

at one-and-a-half times the weekly fee of

a single suite.

A standard all-inclusive weekly

package includes a weekly hairdressing

appointment, weekly beauty or therapy

appointment, monthly pedicure,

chiropody appointment every eight

weeks, Sky TV, telephone line, including

calls, and a choice of an additional

beauty or therapy appointment every

month.

Each suite has a coffee machine with

fridges and cupboards stocked with

favourite items and fresh fruit.

Additional items in bespoke packages

include a daily newspaper or weekly

magazine delivery, fresh flowers, local

theatre and cinema tickets, an Alexa or

iPad and a shuttle service to local places

of interest such as the garden centre,

theatre and supermarket.

Filling the gap between retirement

living and fully assisted living, Hallmark

clearly could be on to a winner with this

luxury care innovation targeting the

wealthy retiree.

The weekly fee model also offers an

alternative to the luxury retirement village

model where residents can typically be

asked to pay upwards of a £1 million for a

one-bed apartment in London as well as

monthly membership fees.

The innovative ‘retirement village

within a care home model’ is offered in

all three of Hallmark’s new generation

luxury care homes that have launched

over the past year with Willingdon Park

having followed closely on the heels

of Midford Park in Bath in February

this year and Angmering Grange in

Littlehampton, West Sussex last June.

The retirement living offering holds

the potential of being a key strand in the

care provider’s rebranding last December

as the high-end, luxury care provider

– Hallmark Luxury Care Homes.

Hallmark said it was considering rolling

out the retirement model in its next

pipeline of luxury care homes with the

care home operator having acquired a

1.78-acre site in Cardiff in March and

gained planning permission in the same

month for a two-acre site in Woodford

Green, East London.

Watch this space!


care | activities news

Creative Caring

As always, carers have been demonstrating their creativity

through fun and innovative events for their residents

Bunny fun

Sundial Care Home in Tipton St John,

Devon welcomed the spirit of Easter

with an afternoon of crafts and hot cross

buns, decorating crochet chicks and

bunnies, and making Easter bonnets. On

Easter Sunday the home was visited by

the Easter Bunny, pushing a trolley laden

with chocolate and sweet delights for

everybody.

Easter Eggstravaganza

TLC Care’s group of care homes came

together to collect and donate Easter

eggs to food banks, hospitals and

other local causes. Camberley Manor

in Surrey donated more than 110 eggs

to local causes such as the paediatric

ward at Frimley Park Hospital.

Cooperscroft Care Home in Potters Bar,

Hertfordshire, in collaboration with the

12 Apostles Greek Church, delivered

107 Easter eggs to families in need

through the church's food bank.

Baby chicks

To mark National Pet Month in

April, residents at RMBI care home

Scarbrough Court in Cramlington,

Northumberland started a chick

hatching programme with organisation

Living Eggs. Residents received an

incubator of 10 eggs and were able to

watch the baby chicks hatch. Maureen

Meggison and Anne Marshall said:

“We are overjoyed with caring for these

adorable chicks. It has brought back so

many memories.”

Full house

Shipham Manor care home in Norfolk

came together with the local community

for a fundraising bingo event. The

gathering aimed to provide a fun evening

while supporting the local church and

the event managed to raise more than

£400. Activities co-ordinator Chelsea

Mears said: “It felt incredibly rewarding

to see everyone come together for a

night of fun and laughter."

Giddy goat

Cranford Care Home's corridors were

filled with giggles and goat bleats, as

diminutive pygmy goat Monty trotted

in. Monty’s visit to the Aberdeen home

was provided by local attraction Farm

Stop. Care home manager Coleen Reid

said: "Monty may have small hooves, but

he made a big imprint on our hearts.”

A real hoot

Residents at St Benedict’s Nursing

Home in Glastonbury, Somerset got

up close and personal with three owls,

courtesy of Owl Obsession. The birds

were taken to visit residents throughout

the home, including some who were

being nursed in their rooms, and they

were able to stroke and hold them. The

owls’ guardian, Anna Reed, entertained

residents and staff with her answers to

a range of owl-related and conservation

questions.

Football fan

Mundesley, Norfolk-based Meadow

House care home fulfilled a wish for

one of its residents, Nathan. The home

arranged for him to see his favourite

team, Liverpool, play at Anfield

Stadium. The team learned of Nathan’s

dream after he posted it in the home’s

Wish Mailbox.

High-fliers

Residents of Old Raven House care

home in Hook, Hampshire, who spent

a career in the aviation industry paid

a visit to the Army Flying Museum.

The outing was an opportunity for

eight residents to share memories of

working in the aviation industry or

with the armed forces. One resident,

Royston Swatten, received an MBE


activities news | care

for his services to the aviation industry

following a career in aviation design.

Wheely good time

When staff at Care UK’s Halstead,

Essex home Colne View learned

that 90-year-old Eileen Patten loved

scooters when she was younger, they

planned a surprise scooter drive-by for

her birthday. The team worked with a

local scooter club to arrange the special

visit and 10 different coloured scooters

arrived at the home for the drive-by

event.

so she grew up surrounded by horses.

Team members at the Athena care home

in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, arranged for

Gwen to visit a local horse owner when

his horses were visited by the farrier. She

was delighted to meet horses Billy and

Ginge.

Rainbow bright

Residents and staff at Colten Care’s

Avon Cliff in Bournemouth enjoyed

a rainbow-themed party to celebrate a

year of fundraising for Dorset charity

Amelia’s Rainbow. Colten Care’s policy

is to empower the residents to choose

which charity to support and they

opted for Amelia’s Rainbow as it had

provided comfort to a team member’s

son when he was diagnosed with

cancer as a toddler. The highlight of

the multicoloured get-together was the

handover of a cheque for £2,251.85.

Sky’s the limit

A Second World War veteran badly

injured clearing enemy mines from a

beach nearly 80 years ago celebrated

his 100th birthday with a helicopter

flight over Southampton Water, the

Solent and the New Forest coastline.

Former Royal Navy officer Boyd Salmon

was also presented with a certificate of

appreciation and lifetime membership of

the Royal Naval Association by visiting

naval officers.

Creative cakes

Team members at Gibraltar Nursing

Home in Monmouth organised a

cupcake decorating competition,

showcasing residents’ creative talents.

Each cupcake was judged on both taste

and appearance. Residents also received

a plant pot, complete with soil and seed

paper to grow their own wildflowers.

Bollywood talent

Boutique Care Homes was celebrating

after a dance ensemble comprising

three carers from Brampton Manor in

Newmarket, Suffolk made it to the final

of Care Sector's Got Talent 2024. The

Brampton Bollywood Trio discovered

their success in making the finals at a

surprise announcement at the home.

Care Sector's Got Talent, organised by

Championing Social Care, is a platform

dedicated to celebrating diverse talents

within the care sector.

Back in the saddle

Amberley Hall care home resident

Gwen Sevrin’s father was a blacksmith,

Friendly firefighters

Residents from Fairway View care

home in Bulwell, Nottingham were

delighted when a team of firefighters

from Stockhill Fire Station attended the

home’s Blue Light Breakfast. The event

was designed by the residents and staff

members to show appreciation for key

workers in the area. Resident Mabel

Cooper said: “I wasn’t expecting to see

eight firemen at breakfast – that was a

nice surprise.”

Story time

The Belmont care home in Worcester

has launched an intergenerational

initiative aimed at fostering meaningful

connections between residents and the

local community. Every Wednesday,

residents join children at North

Worcester Primary Academy for a special

story time session. The scheme pairs

residents with children, allowing them

to share the joy of reading and learning

together.


care | wellbeing

Media’s role in ageing well

Dr Zoe Wyrko, wellbeing director of Riverstone and an authority

on living and ageing well, offers a fresh take on later living

In my last column I talked about

how important knowledge and

empowerment are when thinking

about supporting people to change

their habits and behaviour towards

healthier ageing.

But where does that information

and knowledge come from? The world

of ‘wellness’ often treads a shaky path;

mistrust of traditional news media is

higher than ever, and scientific journals

where evidence and facts are published

are just not accessible to most people.

This is where the power of television

and film can really step in. Watching

a story unfold, especially when the

audience has real affinity with on-screen

people and places, can bring complex

information to life and make it simple

to understand. It’s the best type of

learning – when you don’t realise that

it’s happening.

I was fortunate to be part of the

Channel 4 series Old People’s Home

for 4 Year Olds. A very simple act of

bringing together a group of older

adults and some young children to ‘do

nursery’ together was life-changing for

all of the participants. We were able

to show the importance of a sense of

purpose, friendship and movement in

improving physical and mental health.

In shining a light on the benefits of

intergenerationality, we were able to

amplify the existing hard work of a

small number of dedicated care homes

and schools that are already doing this,

to show what can be achieved and why

it’s worth doing.

Much more recently, I’ve lost count

of the number of people who ask if I’ve

seen the Blue Zones series on Netflix.

Dan Buettner, the author and explorer

behind the concept, has been working

with researchers on ageing since the turn

of the century. They’ve published their

findings in scientific papers and National

Geographic magazine as well as producing

a series of books. However, there’s no

doubt that Live to 100: Secrets of the

Blue Zones has grasped the imagination

and attention of viewers worldwide,

bringing the important messages about

how to age well to the widest possible

audience. And what are those messages?

In short – move more, eat well, be part of

a community and have a sense of purpose

in life. If you haven’t yet seen it, then

please do take a look.

Is film also a way to change views on

ageing and providing care? I recently

watched The Great Escaper, starring

Dr Zoe Wyrko

Glenda Jackson and Michael Caine.

I was moved by their performances,

where they showed that older people

really are still just people, an approach

that we very rarely see in mainstream

media. This was accompanied by a more

sensitive and realistic portrayal of care

staff than we usually see.

Older people and the profession

of caring are often only portrayed

negatively on our screens. When it’s

done well, we should encourage as

many people to watch as possible.

"In shining a light

on the benefits of

intergenerationality, we

were able to amplify the

existing hard work of a

small number of dedicated

care homes and schools

that are already doing

this, to show what can

be achieved and why it’s

worth doing."


Have we lost our way?

norrms’ blog | care

Regular columnist Norrms’ McNarama reflects on what it’s like to live with dementia

The Purple Angel dementia

campaign’s motto has always

been, and will always be

“inclusion and engagement for all”

when it comes to dementia, but does

that still apply across the board or have

we lost our way a little bit?

The reason I’m asking is because I’ve

noticed lately that some big conferences

no longer have those living with

dementia speaking at them? Until it

was deemed I was not fit enough to

do it anymore, I travelled the length

and breadth of the UK doing this, as a

person living with dementia, and I have

to admit that I miss it so much I now

do Zooms to those staff who want to

listen to a bit of first-hand experience,

straight from the horse’s mouth so to

speak, and for free I may add. It’s the

travelling I can’t do anymore.

If it’s true what I have read and

seen, it is so incredibly sad, because

unless you talk to those living with

this disease, how are you going to learn

about it?

We have so much to say and some

incredible stories to tell. For example,

did you know I once spent three weeks

camping out and protesting at the

Greenham Common peace camp?

It wasn’t all ladies you know! I also

spent night after night at the RAF

Burtonwood air base near Liverpool

chained to a fence to try and stop

nuclear weapons. Yes, it’s all true,

but unless you ask, or involve me in

conversation, I can’t tell you this.

What I am saying is thousands of

people living with dementia probably

have more interesting stories than me to

tell, if only you let them. Being able to

speak at conferences or over Zoom to

audiences of carers and nurses etc gives

us a purpose, a reason to get up in the

morning and show people we are still

alive. Someone once said: “A dementia

diagnosis is not the end. It’s just that

life gets a little more complicated,

which it certainly does but it’s nothing

that can’t be lived with, given the right

support and understanding.”

And this is so true, but by ignoring

us, it’s like you have given up on us,

and if you have, where does that leave

us? I was once asked what makes me

so determined to live the best life I can

with this disease and I replied: “When

I get up in the morning I put my boots

on and not my slippers.”

And before I get jumped on, I know

this is not the case for everyone, but

it is for me and many others. Every

day I hear from all over the world of

those living with a diagnosis for 25 to

30 years – and in the end it’s not the

dementia that gets them, it’s something

else.

I have to say that “cause of death

was dementia” on a death certificate is

a totally different subject for another

time. So come on guys, let’s get back to

a few years ago where we all had that

belief, that little bit of hope at the end

of the rainbow.

Do I believe there will be a cure in

my lifetime? Of course I do, I have too,

or why would I do what I do every day,

and the most ironic this thing is, on the

wonderful historical day when they find

a cure for dementia, then dementia itself

will become just a memory. Ironic eh?

Till next time…


care | support staff

Housekeeper of the month

Derek Tilley, head of housekeeping at Ashridge Court Care Centre in

Bexhill-on-Sea, East Sussex, tells us how he goes the extra mile

Tell us a bit about your background –

how did you get into care housekeeping?

I spent the first 20 years of my working

life as a baker, making rolls and bread

for such distinguished clients as Queen

Elizabeth and the Queen Mother. I then

worked as a milkman for six months, but

the hours were long and far too early for

me. I started my own cleaning business

and also worked as a community carer,

mainly with people who have learning

disabilities.

I then became ill and while my health

was improving, I did some occasional

agency cleaning work in a care home.

One day, the nurse on duty was so

impressed with my work that the home

offered me a job. Soon they asked if

I could do the laundry as well, then

a few weeks later I became head of

housekeeping.

How do you go about meeting the needs

of residents?

Because good hygiene is so important to

the health and wellbeing of our residents,

staff and visitors, we work hard to

ensure that the home is always as clean

as possible. It’s important that residents

receive a seamless laundry service as well,

so part of my role is about supervising

this, as well as managing supplies and

ensuring the smooth operation of

equipment and machinery.

My team and I collaborate closely with

care, nursing and facilities staff, attending

residents' meetings and promptly

addressing any concerns. We always take

on board residents’ comments. This is

not just about meeting their need for a

clean environment and efficient laundry

service, many of our residents also crave

human contact. My team and I spend

a lot of time talking to them while we

work, frequently sharing a joke and

sometimes holding their hand if they

wish.

What’s a typical day like?

We spend a lot of time cleaning the

residents’ rooms and bathrooms as well

as the communal areas. Each day we

Derek Tilley

have a new ‘resident of the day’. My team

deep cleans their room and I ask them if

all is well and what we could do better.

I am proud to say that the vast majority

of residents describe the cleaning as

“excellent”.

I provide daily reports on the home’s

cleanliness and I supervise/train the

team. I also get involved in the cleaning,

if necessary, and repair/maintain any

equipment.

At the end of each day I do my checks,

asking staff and residents if they are

happy with the cleaning and do my best

to rectify any issues.

What is the most challenging part of

your job?

Expecting the unexpected, as no two

days are alike. Outbreaks of illnesses

cause challenges, and we work hard to

prevent these as much as possible via

good hygiene and infection control

practices.

Is there anything that would surprise

people about your job?

As well as training and supervising

my team, cleaning, researching new

products and maintaining equipment,

my role involves a lot of paperwork – ,

for example, completing COSHH

(Control of Substances Hazardous to

Health) sheets or risk assessments and

generating reports for the home manager.

People might be surprised by how much

housekeepers interact with residents, and

that strong, affectionate bonds very often

develop.

Has anything changed since you started

your role?

I find that things in the industry change

all the time, and so I make a point of

keeping up to date. Recently, I was really

pleased to be involved in the trial of a

non-toxic chemical that uses minimal

packaging, and I was quick to let our

management team know how beneficial

it could be in a care setting such as ours.

What is special about the care home you

work for?

Our manager Julie Wills is a huge asset

to the home. She is down to earth, always

up for a laugh and totally faithful to

our values of care, honesty, family and

commitment. Ashridge is a lovely place

to work, with a strong family feel.

What skills and talents do you need to

be a great housekeeper?

You need to be a good team player,

observant to what is around you and able

to notice dirt and cobwebs, for example.

Being fully aware of COSHH and

infection control is also a must.

But most important of all, you need

to be warm-hearted and willing to be a

friend to all those that we care for.


home care | care

You are not alone

GoodOaks Homecare has launched a new

campaign to support the nation’s struggling

unpaid carers

You Are Not Alone’ is a new online resource hub and

dedicated support helpline aimed at providing free

advice and support to unpaid carers.

Ben Ashton, founder of GoodOaks Homecare, said: “On

behalf of the whole team here at GoodOaks, we are delighted

to officially launch the ‘You Are Not Alone’ campaign to

provide free help, information, advice and support to the

millions of family carers across the country.

“Though we knew already that many face health and

wellbeing challenges, and often struggle to access the resources

that could prove life-changing, our recent polling uncovered

just how widespread these issues are.

“We hope that our range of options will provide support,

respite and empowerment to family carers in all manner of

scenarios. We know how much they sacrifice for those they care

for, and hope that the ‘You Are Not Alone’ campaign can go

some way to help.”

The initiative comes shortly after the enactment of the Carer’s

Leave Act, which gives carers the right to a week of unpaid

leave to provide or arrange care for a dependent.

Polling commissioned by GoodOaks has uncovered a ‘quiet

crisis’ unfolding across England for many family carers with

more than half (55%) feeling unable to meet their own health

and wellbeing needs, often instead prioritising meeting the

needs of those they care for.

The poll also found that just 12% of unpaid carers across

England felt that they had a “good understanding” of the

provisions of Carer’s Leave Act.

The poll further discovered that other support available to

unpaid carers, such as Carer’s Credit, Attendance Allowance,

Personal Independence Payments and NHS continuing

healthcare, were also well-understood by only a minority.

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to family carers in all manner of scenarios."


care | care sectors got talent

Good Golly Miss Molly!

Care worker and gifted vocalist Molly Blackburn was crowned winner of

this year’s Care Sector’s Got Talent after belting out a stunning rendition

of Defying Gravity from the hit musical Wicked.

The diva from Kingsway Care

Home in London triumphed

over six other worthy finalists

from across the UK who strutted their

stuff at the event on 16 April which

showcased the dazzling abundance of

entertainment the sector has to offer.

From a captivating dementia choir to

a lively trio of Bollywood dancers, the

performances showcased a remarkable

range of acts, with chair of Care

England, Angela Boxall, acting as host.

In addition to the main prize, the

audience had the opportunity to vote

for the act they believed deserved a

scholarship fund prize. With more

than 800 votes cast online, the vote was

too close to call which meant The Sam

Beckman Choir and New Centre Stage

both emerged victorious, each taking

away a £500 cash prize.

For the earlier auditions, organiser

Championing Social Care had

welcomed residents, team members,

contractors and care home entertainers,

along with anyone associated with the

care sector to join in the fun. Comedian

Roy Chubby Brown, radio host Alfie

Joey and Care Sector’s Got Talent

committee member Robert Speker

narrowed down a record number of

entries to eight finalists who vied for

the title of Care Sector’s Got Talent

2024 winner.

At the final at Coventry Building

Society Arena, judges Bhavna Keane-

Rao, Cheryl Jones, Michael Butler and

Sanjay Dhrona faced the challenging

task of selecting a

winner.

Reflecting on the

event’s success, chair

of Care Sector’s Got

Talent, Aneurin

Brown, said: “Care

Sector’s Got Talent was

a resounding success

this year. The event

truly celebrates the

exceptional individuals

within the care sector,

bringing the sector

together, and we are thrilled that it

achieved just that.”

“With a strong turnout both in

person and virtually, we are delighted to

foster unity within the sector through

this enjoyable event, which we hope

will continue to grow in the future.”

The event was generously sponsored

by Marr Procurement, Florence, Care

Home Life, EF Group, CareShop, Sona

and Radar Healthcare, as well as many

others.


care sectors got talent | care


Caring Times, May 2024

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