Caring Times, November 2024

11/2024

November Edition

In it to win it

With only weeks to go before

the winners are announced at a

stunning ceremony, we preview

the National Care Awards 2024

Legal & regulatory

As the CQC gets a new chief

executive, is the regulator

actually improving?

Leader’s spotlight

The founder balancing 10 care homes

and a new AI care tech project

Safety first

Responsibilities for care

home providers

caring-times.co.uk

business

17 REQUIRES IMPROVEMENT

Did the Dash report do the trick

and is the regulator on the road to

improvement?

10 LEGAL & REGULATORY

Ensure your communications are effective

in the event of a crisis


Key considerations when taking on

or renewing a lease


Should Ofsted's ranking system apply

to the CQC?

welcome | business

Chief executive officer

Alex Dampier

Chief operating officer

Sarah Hyman

Chief marketing officer

Julia Payne

Interim editor

Charles Wheeldon

Features editor

Charlotte Goddard

Subeditor

Charles Wheeldon

Advertising & event sales director

Caroline Bowern

0797 4643292

caroline.bowern@nexusgroup.co.uk

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

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Change – or kick

the can?

This issue, the penultimate one for 2024,

is also the last that was put together by

Caring Times editor Sam Lewis, who

has moved on to pastures new, so I have

been afforded the privilege of standing

in on an interim basis until we can

recruit a new editor.

You may recall Sam’s last editorial in

the October issue, where he had some

pretty uncomplimentary things to say

about the Care Quality Commission,

though he was focusing on its press

office’s less than proactive transparency,

rather than the myriad criticisms that

have been levelled at the regulator by the

service providers over which it regulates.

Well, there’s been a change of

personnel at the top since then with the

appointment last month of Sir Julian

Hartley as chief executive, so we might

expect a new broom at work in the

coming months. And in this issue we

talked to a selection of industry leaders

who offered their opinions about the

regulator.

We began by asking each of them

about their personal experiences of

the CQC and if they had noticed

any improvements of late. We probed

further by asking if they have faith

that its recent failings could be turned

around, and finished up by exploring any

potential changes the regulator could

make that haven’t been highlighted by

the government and the media so far.

The responses make very interesting

reading.

We are also nearing the event I am

sure many of you are looking forward

to as Caring Times will be staging its

annual National Care Awards ceremony

at the end of this month, which is being

held again this year at the Platinum

Suite at ExCel London. In this issue we

have been talking to some of this year’s

Award sponsors, asking them about

what they are looking forward to at this

year’s event and reminiscing about their

favourite memories from previous years.

One key article to note in this issue

has been provided by Stephanie Nimmo,

the communications and engagement

lead for the Digitising Social Care

programme. This contains the very

important reminder that the final

deadline for securing funding to set

up digital social care records is the end

of this month, and that care providers

need to apply now if they want to take

advantage of the Adult Social Care

Digital Transformation Fund.

Of course, this month also sees the

debut Budget presented by the new

Labour government and naturally all

eyes from the care provider sector will

be focused on Chancellor Rachel Reeves

when she travels with her red box to the

House Of Commons to reveal what’s in

store for us from a financial standpoint.

The timing of the Budget on

30 October means that this issue of

Caring Times will have just been printed,

so we can’t offer any comment until the

December issue.

What we can offer in these pages,

though, is an article written by Alan

Payne, group director at software

provider Access HSC, who attended

Labour’s recent annual conference and

was able to secure interviews with health

and social care minister Wes Streeting

and care minister Stephen Kinnock.

But, back to the subject of the Budget,

what we know is that Prime Minister

Sir Keir Starmer has stated that the

government isn't able to commit to the

timeline the previous Conservative

government laid out for its care cost

reforms.

So I fear we may be in familiar

territory yet again, with a lot of vague

talk about ambitions for an eventual end

to government indifference about the

multiple problems suffered by the care

industry, set against the deafening rattle

of cans being kicked down the road.

Charles Wheeldon

Interim editor

Caring Times

CARING-TIMES.CO.UK NOVEMBER 2024 | 3

business | news

News in brief

POLICY & POLITICS

White Paper sets out solutions

to fix social care

A new White Paper has been launched

detailing the "first steps to fixing

social care". Home care technology

company Birdie released the paper

which included recommendations

from 20 UK social care experts across

the sector.

Its seven key recommendations are

• New legislation to amend the 2022

Health and Care Act, mandating

director of adult social care

representatives to be on all NHS

integrated care boards nationwide.

• NHS England to delegate healthcare

tasks to trained care workers.

• Establish a national online support

service for the five million unpaid

carers.

• Reduce the hidden burden of travel

time for home care workers.

• The Care Quality Commission to

undergo a rapid overhaul using

digital tools.

• Mandate real-time data-sharing

between hospitals and care providers

by integrating social care software

with the NHS Capacity Tracker.

• Seed a Teach First-style programme

for social care leaders.

Starmer cautious on social care

reform

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has

tempered public expectations regarding

social care reform, particularly the

cap on care costs. Starmer said that

Guidance on helping the elderly to live at home

the government wouldn’t be able to

commit to the timeline the previous

Conservative government had laid out

for its care cost reforms.

Rishi Sunak's government had

pledged to introduce an £86,000 limit

on lifetime care costs for UK citizens

by October 2025. Starmer has now

called that timeline unrealistic and

“undeliverable”. Instead, he confirmed

that health and social care reform will

not be a quick process, but will be set

out in a 10-year plan, with no specific

dates set for the launch of a National

Care Service, a care cost cap or any

other kind of reform.

Wales gets new health minister

Jeremy Miles a Labour Co-op

politician, has been instated as the

Welsh government’s health minister,

replacing Mark Drakeford, the former

First Minister, who was the interim

health secretary.

Jeremy Miles

by helping them find new ways to

manage their daily lives, allowing them

to continue living at home for longer.

Older people recently discharged

from hospital are among the primary

recipients of reablement services.

Sir Keir Starmer

New guidance on helping older

people live at home for longer

New guidance on helping people to

live in their own homes for longer has

been published by the Social Care

Institute for Excellence to help those

who commission, manage and deliver

reablement services tackle key barriers

that can prevent people from fully

benefitting from the service.

Reablement is a time-limited,

intensive intervention that helps

people maintain their independence

Care workers’ real-terms pay

cut since 2010

Some 30,000 care workers are losing

out thanks to inflation, trade union

GMB has claimed. Office for National

Statistics figures show that in April

2010 the average annual salary for care

workers and home carers was £12,879,

with half of workers paid even less.

This salary was worth £21,549 in April

2023 in real terms, yet workers only

received £17,851 – a real-terms pay cut

of £3,698 last year.

4 | NOVEMBER 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

news | business

We Care Group staff will receive bonuses

LEGAL & REGULATORY

CQC to tackle “serious

organisational failings”

following reviews

The Care Quality Commission

has accepted the high-level

recommendations of two reviews

which identify “serious organisational

failings".

In response to the final report of

Dr Penny Dash’s review into the

operational effectiveness of the CQC

and the first report of Professor Sir

Mike Richards’ independent review

into the implementation of the CQC’s

single assessment framework, the

regulator has committed to:

• Appoint at least three chief

inspectors to lead on regulation and

improvement of hospitals, primary

care, and adult social care services.

• Modify the current assessment

framework to make it simpler and

ensure it is relevant to each sector.

• Ensure the right systems and tools

are in place to support its regulatory

activity.

• Improve the experience for providers

registering with the CQC.

SUPPLIER NEWS

Care home partners with

specialist provider to offer

rehab service

Luxury care home The Chase is

partnering with a specialist rehab

provider to offer short-term

accommodation to older people

recovering from illness and injury.

The Huntingdon care home, part of

the Connaught Care Collection, will

offer short-term accommodation and

rehabilitation services to older people

recovering from illness, injury, joint

operations, or medical events like stroke.

The home is partnering with

Therapies on Thames, a specialist

provider of inpatient rehabilitation and

post-op recovery services, to deliver

the scheme. Under an all-inclusive fee,

participants will temporarily stay at the

home and receive weekly physiotherapy

sessions, nutritional planning, tailored

health and wellbeing advice, and

round-the-clock care.

Care home rated Inadequate

An Essex care home has been given

the worst possible rating by inspectors

after one staff member was observed

using social media to research dementia

after an alleged lack of training by

the operator. The Care Quality

Commission dropped the rating for

Elmcroft Care Home in Maldon from

Requires improvement to Inadequate

and placed the home into special

measures to protect people, following

an inspection that took place in May

and June.

We Care Group launches staff

bonus scheme

Care provider We Care Group has

launched a £1 million-plus annual

bonus programme to reward staff and

enhance employee wellbeing. Staff

bonuses are scheduled to be paid every

three months, and the annual bonus

amount is set to exceed £1 million in

the first 12 months.

Ben Obese-Jecty, MP for Huntingdon, cuts a ribbon to launch

The Chase's partnership scheme


business | real estate & development

Property news

refurbishment before reopening Deer Park as a care home.

Business property advisor Christie & Co facilitated the sale.

Family-owned care provider CHD Living, has commenced

construction of a a 60-bed care home Elstead, Surrey, set to

open in autumn next year. It will provide long-term nursing

care, post-operative care and reablement services and have

spacious residential rooms, landscaped gardens and a variety

of communal spaces. The development will occupy part of a

larger residential site, which completed last year comprising

69 detached houses and apartments. The approved planning

permission covers a 3,000 square metre area designated for the

home, set in one acre of grounds.

Exemplar Health Care has opened its new South Elmsall care

home after an extensive refurbishment process, which began

in January this year. Hamilton Springs care home supports

adults living with complex mental health needs, dementia,

neuro-disabilities and physical disabilities. The home has

37 bedrooms with en suite wet rooms, split across three units.

The home also features communal dining and living spaces,

sensory bathrooms, an activities hub, a therapy room and a

large accessible garden.

Care home operator, Curo Care Group, has purchased two

care homes in Stockport, Greater Manchester, and a further

two in Cumbria with the backing of a loan from Triodos Bank

UK. Set in the town of Marple, Stockport, Marple Lodge is

a 20-bed care home providing residential, mental health and

dementia care. With 19 beds, Grove Lodge is in the nearby

village of Hazel Grove and shares the same specialities. Set

on the outskirts of Cockermouth, Cumbria, Hames Hall is a

25-bed care home offering palliative, residential and respite

care. Providing 18 beds, Chichester Hall is close to the seaside

town of Silloth, Cumbria and offers the same specialities, as

well as dementia care.

The Healthcare Management Trust has acquired St Quentin

Care Homes comprising three care homes located on the

same site in Newcastle-Under-Lyme: St Quentin with 19

single bedrooms; The Hawthorns with 31 single rooms and

two double rooms; and Langley house, a new younger adults

care home which has 22 wetroom en suite bedrooms with sky

tracking, sensory room and rehabilitation facilities.

Family-run business Camelot Care has acquired Deer Park

Care Home in Holsworthy, Devon, a former care home which

previously traded for many years offering elderly care with

a Care Quality Commission registration for a capacity of

56 residents. The new owner plans to undertake a period of

Stockport Council and Greater Manchester Combined

Authority have appointed contractor Rowlinson to build a

multi-generational residential community which will include

an 82-bed intermediate care scheme, called the Academy of

Living. Located in Stockport town centre The Academy will

support people transitioning between hospital and home. The

community will also include affordable housing with a mix of

shared ownership and social rent.


real estate & development | business

Midlands Care has acquired three purpose-built care homes

in Leicestershire: Parkhouse Grange Care Home in Earl

Shilton; Whetstone Grange Care Home in Whetstone;

and Enderby Grange Care Home in Narborough offer

spacious rooms and communal spaces, as well as amenities

for individuals requiring personal care, including those with

dementia and other health conditions.

Investments secured full planning permission for a premium

style care home of 78 bedrooms with en suite wetrooms

set in landscaped grounds. The building incorporates five

households, in a part two-, part three-storey design.

An unnamed first-time buyer has acquired Inwood House

care home in Salisbury, Wiltshire, which is registered to

provide care for a maximum of 20 service users. The property

has 20 single bedrooms, 19 with en suite facilities, plenty of

day space, a passenger lift and large rear gardens. The business

has been owned and operated by retiring Alan and Diana

Butchers since 2003.

Specialist care home provider Sandbourne House has

acquired two Hampshire care homes from Auckland Care

Holdings. Seventrees in Fawley is registered for eight people

with learning disabilities. It occupies a detached two-storey

dwelling offering all-single bedrooms, plenty of day space,

and a large secure rear garden. Webber House in Park Gate is

a supported living setting for nine residents offering 11 single

bedrooms and a rear garden, good day space, and a passenger

lift.

The Isiakpere family has purchased Shottendane Nursing

Home in Margate, Kent, which is registered for 38 residents.

The vendor is Laurence Waitt. The Grade II listed building,

built in 1910 and set up as a seaside convalescent home for

railway workers in 1927, became Shottendane Nursing Home

in 1988. Business property advisor Christie & Co facilitated

the sale.

Real estate fund Elevation Healthcare Properties, in

partnership with care home operator Anavo, acquired a site

with planning consent for a care home in Havant, Hampshire.

The vendor is Brackley Investments and healthcare real

estate agent Portunus Associates brokered the sale. Brackley

Nursing and care home operator Country Court has sold a

portfolio of three care homes for around £50 million. The

transaction includes the sale and leaseback of Hermitage

House, a luxury care home in Kettering Thrapston,

Northamptonshire, providing residential and specialist

dementia care. Country Court has signed a 35-year lease to

continue to operate the asset. The transaction also includes

the sale of two care home developments with planning

consent in place. In a forward funding structure, an

undisclosed fund has acquired care homes in Chippenham

and Lincoln, with Country Court retained as the long-term

operator.


business | personnel

People moves

in association with

Anthony Miller

Intellectual disabilities care provider Milewood Healthcare has

appointed Anthony Miller as director of business development and

growth, responsible for expanding services, increasing occupancy,

and building strong relationships with commissioners and other

stakeholders. Miller has more than 25 years’ healthcare sector

experience, particularly within private equity-backed specialist care

organisations. He was previously head of business development at

Aspirations Care and before that business development manager at

Salutem Healthcare. He also worked at Priory-owned Craegmoor,

where he managed the development of five new specialist services

and expanded the business into Northern Ireland.

Colleen Joubert

David Moore

moving onto a role at Dementia Care Matters. Subsequently, he

worked at the University of Worcester as head of education, and

as dementia lead at West Sussex County Council. He also led

dementia strategies at other care operators. In addition, he has

written 10 books on dementia, had numerous research articles

published, and is a regular speaker at dementia conferences.

Richard Scarth

Aura Care Living has appointed Richard Scarth as chief

operations officer and Colleen Joubert as care home general

manager. Scarth has more than 20 years’ experience within the

health and social care sector and previously held senior positions

with Sunrise Senior Living, Barchester Healthcare and Care UK.

Between 2015 and 2022 he worked in the NHS at director and

chief executive level and was instrumental in developing schemes

to support patients moving from acute care into residential and

nursing care. Most recently, he left the NHS for an operational

role within a fire and rescue service and currently splits his time

between life on shift and time spent working for Aura. Joubert

qualified as a nurse 28 years ago before going on to community

nurse, midwife and psychiatric nurse.

Hamberley Care Homes has appointed David Moore as head of

dementia. Moore has held multiple leadership roles in dementia

care and dementia education. He began his career at Merevale

House as a carer and eventually became the manager before

Claudette Marcano

Ambient Support has appointed Claudette Marcano as chief

finance officer to help manage and implement the charity's

plans for growth. Ambient Support provides care and support

services for older people, people with a mental health need and

people with a learning disability. Previously chief finance officer

at Alliance Homes Group, Marcano has business and finance

experience in the private and public sectors. She is a Chartered

Institute of Management Accountants qualified accountant and

holds the ACT certificate in treasury.


personnel | business

London-focused luxury care provider Loveday & Co has

appointed Sian Hammer as managing director. Hammer has

experience of strategic management and senior care services in

the senior living, housing and care sectors. She was previously

group sales and marketing director and board director at Audley

Group and before that held senior leadership positions within

healthcare and residential real estate.

Vishul Seewoolall

Care home provider Signature Senior Lifestyle has appointed

Vishul Seewoolall as chief operating officer. Seewoolall has had

a 20-year career in the care industry and was previously group

director of operations and sales at Signature Senior Lifestyle,

having originally joined the company in 2018 as regional

operations director. Before that, Seewoolall held leadership roles

at care organisations including Bupa, Look Ahead and MTVH.

He also holds multiple accreditations in community mental

health, psychology, registered management and quality assurance.

Laura Chinyere-Ezeh

UK and Ireland law firm Browne Jacobson has appointed

Laura Chinyere-Ezeh as HR consultant in health and social

care to lead a new offering for residential care homes, nursing

homes, domiciliary care providers and hospices, based at the

firm’s Birmingham office. Chinyere-Ezeh has more than a decade

of experience as an HR generalist. She was previously an HR

business partner at Ramsay Healthcare, and was part of senior

leadership teams for three neurological rehabilitation centres’

clinical support functions for acute care and central corporate

teams. She has also held several HR management positions,

including with a domiciliary care provider for local authorities.

Sir Julian Hartley

The Care Quality Commission has appointed Sir Julian

Hartley as its new chief executive. Sir Julian has been the chief

executive of NHS Providers since February last year, and was

chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust since

2013. Sir Julian said: "It is vitally important for NHS trusts,

foundation trusts and the wider health and care sector to have

effective regulation to support improvement and safe care for

patients. This move will give me an opportunity to really focus on

that goal.”

Joe Mulrenan

Law firm Anthony Collins has appointed Joe Mulrenan as

legal director in its corporate team. Mulrenan previously

worked at HCR Law. He has more than 10 years’ experience

of dealmaking activity and advising health and social care

organisations, including those offering specialist care, supported

living and children’s care. Mulrenan has also acted for many

financial institutions and entrepreneurs, on complex mergers

and acquisitions transactions. His experience also spans the

manufacturing and communications sectors.

Sian Hammer


business | legal and regulatory

Get ahead of the story

Ensuring effective communication in the event of a crisis is critical to preserving the

bond of trust between care providers and care receivers and their loved ones, explains

William Walter, founder and managing director of Bridgehead Communications

The social care sector operates

where trust and accountability

are paramount. With the

wellbeing of vulnerable individuals at

stake, any crisis can escalate quickly.

Navigating such moments effectively is

an important skill for any provider in

the sector.

Prepare

Effective crisis management begins

well before a crisis ever unfolds. For

care providers, proactive preparation

is key. This includes developing a clear,

adaptable crisis communications plan

that ensures your care organisation can

respond swiftly and confidently when

challenges arise.

An effective crisis comms plan

involves detailed protocols for all staff

to follow in the event of a journalist

making contact. These protocols should

make clear who press enquiries should

be directed to and their contact details.

They should also include pre-prepared

holding statements to be issued to buy

you time.

Fostering relationships with third

parties is also important. Establishing

connections with local and trade

journalists before a crisis occurs can pay

dividends. By inviting them to events,

sharing positive news, and being open

about your work you can cultivate a

reputation of transparency and trust.

This can help to ensure that any media

coverage surrounding a crisis event is

“An effective

crisis comms plan

involves detailed

protocols for all

staff to follow in the

event of a journalist

making contact.”

“Establishing

connections with local

and trade journalists

before a crisis occurs

can pay dividends.”

covered in a broader, more sympathetic

context rather than focusing solely on

more negative aspects.

Get ahead

If you spot a crisis looming before it’s

made public, often it’s better to take

control of the story. Waiting for news

to leak is rarely advantageous. Instead,

proactively communicating it ahead

of time, particularly to a sympathetic

journalist, can help you to take control

of the narrative.

Informing journalists about the

crisis before they hear it from other

sources, providing a well-crafted

statement acknowledging the situation,

taking accountability, and outlining

solutions can help to limit damage

to your reputation and retain public

confidence.

Accountability

Crises often come out of the blue.

When they do, media management

becomes critical. Before speaking to the

press, ensure you fully grasp the details.

Ambiguity can make you appear evasive

and as though you lack full control of

the situation. Transparency in a crisis

can often be your ally. If an error occurs,

acknowledge it, but also make clear

how you will remedy it.

Equally important is the tone of

communication. Social care is centred

around people, and responses should

reflect empathy and accountability.

This doesn't mean dodging hard

questions; rather, it means steering the

conversation back to your key messages

William Walter

“Crises often come

out of the blue.

When they do,

media management

becomes critical.

Before speaking to

the press, ensure

you fully grasp

the details.”

such as your values, commitment to

improvement, and steps being taken to

address the crisis.

Managing a crisis in social care goes

beyond damage control – it’s about

preserving the trust of care receivers,

their families, and the community.

By preparing thoroughly, building

media relationships, and responding

with transparency and empathy, care

providers can shield their reputations.

Proactively and reactively controlling

the narrative can make the difference

between a crisis that undermines trust

and one that ultimately reinforces

your organisation’s integrity and

commitment to those in your care.


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Your duty to prevent fire

Beth Farrer, an associate at law firm Mills & Reeve, provides an overview of the

general fire safety responsibilities for care home providers

In last month’s legal column, my

colleague Sam Lindsay noted that

fire is a particularly high-risk area for

care providers, particularly for residential

services. The care home environment

presents unique challenges and the

consequences of getting fire safety wrong

can have catastrophic results.

The main piece of legislation

governing fire safety in buildings, places

and structures other than individual

private homes in England and Wales

is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety)

Order 2005 or the ‘Fire Safety Order’

(FSO).

Who does this apply to?

The FSO places responsibilities for

ensuring premises meet required fire

safety standards on the “responsible

person”, who is either the employer, if

the workplace is under their control,

or the person who has control over the

premises, for instance the occupier or

owner.

The responsible person must ensure

that any duty imposed on it by the FSO

is complied with, as a failure to do so will

mean it is committing a criminal offence

punishable by unlimited fine and/or

imprisonment.

Risk assessments

A responsible person must conduct a

suitable and sufficient assessment of the

risk and identify the necessary general

fire precautions, which are defined as

being measures to reduce the risk of fire,

and spread of fire, on the premises.

The person conducting the assessment

must be competent and capable of

ensuring that the risk assessment is

suitable and sufficient.

The government has published

detailed guidance titled ‘Fire safety risk

assessment: residential care premises’

to assist the completion of effective risk

assessments. The assessment should

cover the whole of the premises and be

carried out in a practical and systemic

way, and must be reviewed at regular

intervals and when there is a material

change in circumstances.

Case law has confirmed that fire risk

assessments for residential care home

premises should extend to practical

considerations and not be limited

strictly to risks arising from the building

or premises themselves. For instance,

they need to cover risk from smoking,

for example.

Key duties

The key duties of a responsible person

under the FSO are as follows:

• Take general fire precautions.

• Conduct a suitable and sufficient

assessment of the risks.

• Make, give effect to and maintain any

fire safety arrangements.

• Eliminate or reduce any risks from

dangerous substances.

• Ensure that the premises are equipped

with appropriate fire-fighting

equipment and detectors.

• Ensure that emergency exits are kept

clear at all times.

• Establish and, where necessary,

give effect to appropriate fire safety

procedures, including safety drills.

Beth Farrer

• Ensure that the premises and any

facilities, equipment and devices are

maintained, and

• Provide employees with fire safety

information and provide adequate

safety training.

The FSO includes further duties for

premises where there may be dangerous

substances and hazards, which should be

considered as necessary – items such as

oxygen tanks, for example.

As with the risk assessment, the

responsible person must ensure that

a competent person assists with

implementing fire safety measures. All of

your workforce will need to be informed

about relevant fire safety information

including information specific to their

role.

New homes must be fitted with

sprinklers

A provision for sprinklers to be installed

in new care homes from March next

year was announced in September by the

building safety minister, Rushanara Ali.

This is not retrospective, and therefore

only applies to new care homes, however

many have opted to include sprinklers

in their care home designs. Sprinklers

offer an enhanced protection and

are particularly useful in instances of

building evacuation where residents may

be reliant on others for assistance.


Opportunity for change

politics and policy | business

Alan Payne, group director at software provider Access HSC attended the Labour Party

conference and spoke to health and social care minister Wes Streeting and care minister Stephen

Kinnock about the role of digital and data following the publication of Lord Darzi’s review

Wes Streeting and his team

have committed to three

big shifts in health and

social care – the move from hospital to

community, analogue to digital, and

reactive to preventative care.

At the Labour Party Conference

in Liverpool a few weeks ago, there

were detailed discussions about how

this would be delivered, including the

important recognition of the significant

challenges in social care and how it

has long been the Cinderella service

compared to healthcare.

Yet, to achieve what Streeting calls

Labour’s “mission-led” strategy and three

big shifts in health and social care, which

will also include a National Care Service,

critical issues such as staff pay, retention

and recruitment all need addressing.

Therefore, it was encouraging to

hear comments from the care minister

Stephen Kinnock about giving social

care the “priority it deserves and needs”,

and discussions at the fringe events

about delivering an imminent Fair Pay

Agreement for adult social carers.

The ministerial team also championed

a “new direction” at the conference,

which includes investment and reform.

Commenting on the mistakes of the

previous governments that have taken

an either/or approach, Streeting talked

about lobbying for investment that

enables the delivery of a National

Care Service and focusing on reform

that delivers whole-person care. In

doing so, he will consider wider social

determinants of social care (and health)

such as housing, social security and

education.

Role for tech

With technology being so central to the

government’s plans and recent reports

such as Lord Darzi’s review calling for

a “tilt towards technology”, it was also

encouraging to see a focus on digital and

data. MPs including Anna Dixon and

Ben Coleman rightly highlighted the

importance of commissioning innovative

technology and continuing to scale

existing and effective digital solutions

such as digitalised care plans. There was

also the acknowledgement of disparate

data and the need to deliver more joined

up information sharing across the sector.

Notably, Kinnock acknowledged there

needs to be a fourth “big shift” from

piecemeal to systemic improvements

across the health service. And while he

wasn’t talking specifically about tech,

this is certainly the right approach

for the future, because we all know

that social care isn’t starting from

scratch. It isn’t as much a shift from

analogue to digital, but a move from

disparate digitalisation to whole-scale

transformative implementation.

There are so many great examples

across the country of Streeting’s vision

of digitally enabled social care services.

For example, Bay Care, a domiciliary

and live-in care provider in Devon

that uses carer scheduling, electronic

care planning, electronic MAR,

mobile working, and care monitoring,

billing and finances to create a realtime

view of care for its citizens and

saves £111,000 a year on admin. And

Sutton London Borough Council,

replacing reactive telecare models with

proactive, preventative, inclusive digital

technologies that aid independent living.

However, unfortunately, too often

these are isolated examples that

reflect locally driven needs because

of the very nature of service demand,

commissioning models and extremely

limited budgets. What really needs to

be prioritised by government is the right

investment and reform to empower

councils and care providers to scale

digital (and data) in such a way that

it doesn’t continue to mimic the silos

already in existence within social care

settings.

Opportunity for change

At the conference, there was also a

heavy emphasis on the Long Term

Plan that will be published next spring,

Alan Payne

including a commitment to a national

conversation on what it needs to address.

As part of this process, it’s vital that

government has a genuine understanding

of the complexity of care tech and data

integration.

And with the consultation expected

“‘imminently”, there’s a real opportunity

to tackle these issues and champion

tangible change for commissioners and

providers of social care.

It means we’re at a critical juncture,

whereby the ambitions of the new

government are laudable and early

signals suggest opportunities for

collaboration that will influence their

“mission-led strategy” over the next 10

years. Therefore, it’s on us, collectively,

to make visible the common challenges

faced by service providers and their

industry partners. For example, the

competing commissioning incentives

across care settings (that cause friction

between the part of the system that

invests in technology and the part that

benefits) and the duplication of siloed

decisions that inhibit patient flow and

prevent economies of scale.

Only by taking these immediate next

steps, can we create the evidence for the

national conversation on the 10-year

plan and give social care the best chance

of becoming a fully digitally-enabled

national service that is empowered to

provide more preventative care closer to

home.



On the origin of leases

Rob Walton, real estate partner and Sean O'Mahony, a trainee in the health

and social care team at law firm RWK Goodman highlight key considerations

for care providers when taking on or renewing a lease

Leases can be favourable given the

flexibility they offer compared

to owning the freehold outright,

but only if they suitably protect a care

provider’s interests. Providers may look

to set up a new business and purchase a

lease in the process (known as ‘taking’

a lease). Alternatively, the term of their

tenancy may be drawing to a close and

the provider would like to renew at the

same property as before. Below we have

highlighted some of key areas providers

should remain mindful of when taking

or renewing a lease.

Preparatory work

Where providers are looking to take

a new lease, they should spend time

evaluating the business needs. Providers

might consider factors such as the

number of beds at the property, its

location to determine if it’s easily

accessible, and whether it might be

subject to nearby disturbances from

neighbours if it’s in a built-up area. The

more that can be done at this stage will

narrow the options and save both time

and money in the long term.

Even where a provider is looking

to renew an existing lease, this step

is advisable because it may identify a

property elsewhere that presents a new

opportunity and possibly on favourable

terms.

“Even where a provider

is looking to renew an

existing lease, this step

is advisable because it

may identify a property

elsewhere that presents

a new opportunity and

possibly on favourable

terms.”

For new leases, once a property has

been identified the provider should

contact the owner or their agent to

negotiate heads of terms. This will set

out the basic terms of the lease, such

as the annual rent, any rent review

provisions, and the contractual term.

Providers should consider agreeing

additional provisions that offer greater

flexibility such as break clauses and

assignment or underletting. Instructing

an agent at this stage can deduce the

commerciality of the terms and its

suitability for the provider. Issues

should be ironed out at this stage to

prevent protracted negotiations later.

When renewing a lease, heads of

terms should still be agreed, although

providers should expect increases to

their annual rent in line with inflation

and should seek to agree a cap.

Investigations

Once the heads of terms have been

finalised, a deeper dive into the

property and lease should take place.

Investigating the title and

searches

Where the property is registered, a

copy of its title register and plan can be

obtained from the Land Registry. If it

is unregistered, a solicitor will ask the

landlord to deduce title to the property.

Providers should be aware that some

leasehold properties own a separate title

number from the overarching freehold,

so both should be inspected. A solicitor

can determine any issues by considering

areas such as the seller’s identity, if

the property has a sufficient class of

title, any charges against the property,

and boundaries or covenants that may

affect the property’s use. For example,

a restrictive covenant may prevent the

property from being used as anything

other than an office, making the

property unusable without permission

from the person or company who

granted it. This can often take time and

prove costly to a provider. A provider

would be well advised to take this step

whether they are taking or renewing a

lease as entries may have been added to

the register since their tenancy began.

Some searches are advised prior

to taking a new lease to determine

whether the property is suitable.

Searches commonly used in

transactions include:

Local authority – shows matters

affecting the property such as planning

permissions, building regulation

consents and proposals.

Environmental – reveals whether

the property is built on or near

contaminated land or water and

addresses the risk of flooding.

Water and drainage – showing how

water is supplied to the property and

sewer connections.

Mining searches – determi es whether

the property is situated near a mine

entry and any subsidence issues.

Once searches have been returned,

further enquiries regarding issues

identified can be made to the seller to

ensure the property has complied with

any remedial actions.

The landlord should provide (at their

cost) a management pack containing

further information about the property.

This will include details of any major

works, service charges and ground rent.

Review this carefully to ensure that

there are no surprises later down the

line.

Reviewing the lease

Some areas of a lease that should be

considered are self-explanatory for a

provider, such as rent, its frequency,

and the term of the lease, and can be

easily determined on review. There are,

however, other areas that providers

should remain mindful of.

Checking a lease to ensure it includes


“Newer care providers,

who don’t have the most

detailed financial history

available, may be required

to give the landlord a

deposit by way of a rent

deposit deed.”

the correct permitted use and that the

permitted use is validly authorised

by the local planning authority is

paramount. A suitable lease contains

use under C2 of the Town and Country

Planning Act. The absence of this, or

a different use, should be raised with

the landlord as care providers cannot

lawfully run their business without it.

Repair and alteration clauses should

also be considered. The reality for care

providers is that a property can be

subject to wear and tear. Limiting any

repair clauses to a schedule of condition

is favourable. This will annex photos to

the lease which show the condition of

the property prior to tenancy. The clause

should then limit the provider’s liability

to put the property in the condition

shown by the schedule. Note whether

the lease allows for alterations to the

property as some providers may wish

to add or remove room partitioning, so

ensuring the lease does not restrict the

tenant from doing so is key.

Break clauses can be incorporated

which allow for the early termination

of the lease. We sometimes act for

providers that take on service users

who move at short notice. In some

cases, a tenant-only break clause can

be inserted which can bring the lease

to an end if any of the care contracts

are terminated. These are known as

a ‘rolling break clause’ and will often

require the provider to give notice to

the landlord that because care contracts

were terminated, the provider wishes to

rely on the rolling break clause to end

the lease early.

The lease will determine whether

it can be transferred, known as an

assignment, to a new tenant. It is

difficult to predict what challenges or

opportunities may present themselves

in several years’ time so recognising

this is paramount. A clause can be

negotiated that grants an option to

sell the remainder of the lease term to

a new tenant, subject to the landlord’s

consent. This offers flexibility and

security for providers looking to

relocate in future.

Newer care providers, who don’t

have the most detailed financial history

available, may be required to give the

landlord a deposit by way of a rent

deposit deed. This will specify a number

of months’ rent to be paid in advance as

security to the landlord against financial

difficulties the provider may face.

Insurance

Remain mindful of what obligations

are contained in the lease for the

landlord to insure the property. These

are usually defined as ‘insured risks’

and list situations where the landlord is

responsible for having a policy in place

to cover damage at the property.

Note what the landlord’s obligations

are to maintain the property. Should it

fall into disrepair, the lease may include

a compensatory clause to the tenant’s

benefit.

Completion

Having funds available to transfer

to the seller on completion is fairly

straightforward and a solicitor should

advise the provider in advance. Providers

need to ensure that any mortgage or

refinancing secured is appropriate for

the transaction. Securing lending can

take time, so providers should consider

how they mean to cover fees incurred in

the early stages of a lease, such as work

carried out by their agent or solicitor.

Where a provider intends to pay the

sums from its own pocket, it is vital

to ensure that all the necessary funds

will be available, including any deposit

required by the landlord.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), or

Land Transaction Tax for properties in

Wales, is payable on commercial leases.

Solicitors cannot provide tailored

tax advice so providers will need to

consult their accountant for a detailed

assessment of their affordability. It’s

easy to overlook SDLT because of basic

costs such as rent and solicitor/agent

fees. SDLT is payable within 14 days of

the ‘effective date’ of transaction, which

is commonly the date of completion.

As we have seen, there are several

considerations for care providers when

taking on a new lease or renewing

an existing one such as business size,

aims and strategy. It is therefore

recommended that any professional

advisors you use have experience of the

health and social care market so that

they can provide tailored and pragmatic

guidance.


business | leader's spotlight

Do-it-yourself care tech

Why don’t more care homes design their own AI-based compliance software?

It sounds an unenviable task, but it’s paid off for Paul Nery and Rose Care

Group as its Carey AI system (under the banner of Quik-AI) becomes available

for other UK care homes to purchase

As if managing 10 care homes was

not enough to keep them busy,

Nery and his team also got stuck

into the technology side of care too.

Under the banner of his newest company,

Quik-AI, the managing director and

his colleagues at Rose Care Group have

designed their own AI-based care home

management software, named Carey,

rather than employ one of the many

software suppliers in the sector, ensuring

full control of how the system works for

RCG’s homes.

On the system’s inception, Nery says:

“I’ve found that ensuring robust care

delivery is about creating structure from

complexity, so a lot of energy has gone

into creating stable working approaches

for our teams that give them confidence

that we can achieve what we need to.

Innovation is integral to what we do

and we employ an active technology

team, disproportionately large for our

size, that has built our own care home

management software and launched a

first-of-its-kind AI system.”

Explaining that, in a very short period

of time, Carey has gone from being

an in-house pet project for RCG to a

legitimate business, Nery continues:

“The AI audits our care plans and is now

commercially available in the UK. Carey

has been a huge time-saver since she can

audit a care plan in about five minutes

and tell you what’s wrong. She’s also

driven up care plan compliance to 95%,

reduced costs and boosted happiness of

staff within the firm as a whole.”

The platform has already been rolled

out across Rose Care Group’s 10 homes.

Nery explained that the Carey-AI

platform can review and audit care plans,

carry out daily monitoring, suggest

best-practice care improvements, point

users to further information, and analyse

trends and patterns. Users interact with

the platform by asking ‘Carey’ questions

and giving commands.

Nery, who has a degree in computer

science, said he developed the platform

to tackle deepening challenges around

compliance. “Case complexity is rising

– how are we going to keep pace when

already people are put off in our sector

because they’re thinking I have to do

so much compliance work?” he says.

“We have done some statistical analysis,

and our managers reckon that they’ve

saved around five hours personally

per week each, while senior carers are

saving around an hour a day. Average

compliance in care planning is around

80% and we are seeing the stats rise to

95% for everybody.”

The platform is used by senior staff

including the quality assurance director,

area managers, home managers and

senior carers. Rose Care Group has

already changed practice based on

information highlighted by Carey, after

asking the platform for an incident

report covering the last month.

“It turned out that one site had most

of its events occur on a Friday, so we

adjusted our staffing duties on the Friday

to mitigate the effects of those incidents,”

says Nery. “We have definitely caught

more incidents than we would have in the

past just off the back of that change.

“The AI audits our

care plans and is

now commercially

available in the UK”

“Having only launched two months

ago, we really want to deliver for both

RCG’s care homes and also the raft of

customers who have come on-board to

use it too as there are so many areas, not

just care plans, where she can transform

our approaches to care. In a sector where

regulatory pressure is high and standards

are continually rising, Carey has already

made a huge difference to how operators

using her can tackle the complexity of

compliance and increasing resident

acuity.”

“Ensuring robust

care delivery is

about creating

structure from

complexity”


Requires improvement

As the Care Quality Commission welcomes new chief executive Julian

Hartley, Caring Times asks some of the sector’s key players: did the Dash

report do the trick and is the regulator on the road to improvement?

law | business

Sue Sheath, director of

regulation and quality,

Barchester Healthcare

How was your experience with the CQC

prior to 2024?

It’s important to state from the outset,

we all want and need good regulation

in the sector. We at Barchester, and I am

sure many industry colleagues, would

be delighted to work with the CQC to

achieve this. Genuine co-production

and joint testing are essential to ensure

that the system delivers confidence to all

stakeholders.

Until the start of the Covid pandemic,

our experience with the CQC was

generally positive. Services were

inspected periodically. There were

named inspectors for each service.

This transparency enabled us to design

systems for continuous improvement of

our services. In about 2019, however,

we saw a new focus on “intelligence” –

often negative views from former staff

who had been dismissed for poor care

delivery that wasn’t triangulated. At the

start of the pandemic, the CQC became

invisible, rarely visiting services. It then

focused on what it perceived to be risk

areas, often guided by this so-called

intelligence. We need to get back to

good-quality, transparent regulation that

drives continuous improvement in the

sector.

Have things improved through 2024?

Unfortunately, through 2024 the

situation has deteriorated further.

We have multiple concerns about the

Single Assessment Framework (SAF).

Its implementation was badly planned.

There was no proper piloting. Quality

statement assessments were effectively

being decided using out-of-date and

non-aligned historical ratings. Despite

visiting, inspectors have asked for

excessive amounts of information,

readily available in the service, to be

scanned and sent afterwards, preventing

staff from delivering care. Much of

that information has been irrelevant,

for example, asking for policies when

the critical point is not whether we

have a policy but whether it’s being

implemented. Only 5% of our services

have had an assessment under the SAF

since December 2023. The few that have

taken place have lacked consistency. This

is demotivating for our hard-working

teams and fails to deliver up-to-date

information for the public. >

“We are continually

impressed by the

dedication and

commitment of the

vast majority of CQC

staff on the ground.”

Care Quality Commission's chief executive Sir Julian Hartley


business | law

> We are continually impressed by the

dedication and commitment of the vast

majority of CQC staff on the ground.

They want to see the CQC succeed and

for the people in the services to enjoy the

best regulation experience, but have also

been let down by the way in which the

SAF and other innovations have been

rolled out.

The provider portal is not fit for

purpose. Many registered managers

are unable to access it and we have no

corporate oversight currently. It should

be suspended until the problems are

resolved. The factual accuracy portal is

also very clunky and needs some further

work.

Do you have faith in the CQC being able

to turn things around?

We are delighted that Sir Mike Richards

has been called back to provide some

much-needed insight and that Dr Penny

Dash has been able to cast an objective

eye over the situation.

It is crucial that the new chief

executive has the vision and drive

to make significant changes at pace.

Unfortunately, incremental, gradual

change will mean that a bad situation

will take years, if not decades, to recover.

For the sake of the residents, patients

and other stakeholders, there’s no time

to waste.

Lessons need to be learned from

sister regulators. Stakeholders get good

inspection service from regulators in

Wales, Scotland and Jersey and the

CQC should learn from them.

A matter of urgency is that old ratings

need to be reviewed, or the regulatory

requirement that we must display wholly

out of date, and somewhat misleading,

ratings must be revoked.

“It is crucial that

the new chief

executive has the

vision and drive to

make significant

changes at pace.”

Are there any potential changes the

regulator could make that you haven’t

seen discussed by government and media

yet? Any further comments?

It is secretary of state Wes Streeting’s

duty, and hopefully intention, to ensure

that the new chief executive has the tools

and the political cover to do whatever is

required to restore confidence, to deliver

for all stakeholders – residents, patients,

relatives, staff and providers.

Andrew Mangion, director of

operations, Boutique Care

Homes

How was your experience with the CQC

prior to 2024?

The relationship with the CQC has

not recovered since Covid-19. The

communication with homes’ local

inspectors disappeared and providers

did not know whether any of their

communications sent to the CQC were

being read by anyone, but at least we

were still able to use our portal and send

regulatory communications through

this facility. We knew that there were

many changes afoot at the CQC, both

in the direction it wanted to follow and

in its teams’ structure. However, most

of this knowledge came mainly through

individuals rather than through a CQC

statement. Generally though, we always

had a good relationship with our local

inspectors. We have not been inspected

at one of our homes for nearly five years,

two years at our second home and are

still waiting for our first inspection

for our newest home which opened in

January 2023.

Have things changed/improved through

2024?

I still cannot understand why the CQC

decided to ditch the existing portal,

which was basic but working just fine

and introduce something that created

havoc and even if it works (and in our

case it does not as we are still unable to

use the new portal), it is not going to

enable us to communicate any better or

across any more areas. As the nominated

individual, I have spent hours trying to

resolve this; to date I have not received

any assistance to resolve this issue and

nobody I have contacted is able or

willing to help. They just send an email

saying sorry for the inconvenience and

that they are trying to resolve it. The

SAF is fine in itself, but how it was

inspected and rated initially was wholly

unfair and unprofessional. Glad to

see the CQC saw sense and rectified

this injustice. We have not seen any

improvement except its admissions that

it got so many things wrong.

Do you have faith in the CQC being

able to turn things around?

To be honest I hope it does because I’m

old enough to remember the change

from CSCI to CQC and the mayhem

caused when every provider had to reregister

every care home all over again.

With respect to Wes Streeting, he keeps

telling us nothing is working but has

he given the CQC a clear indication of

what he expects from it, with a deadline

to achieve it? Changing chiefs will

not make everything right. The CQC

and us providers need a clear vision

of the government’s intentions and

expectations. Where is the motivation

for CQC colleagues when they don’t

even know if they will have a job in the

coming months? All the promises of

provider handbook, new chief etc are

‘nice to have’ but decent funding for

social care and its regulator with a clear

mandate of what’s expected should be

the priority.



seen discussed by government and

media yet? Any further comments?

Reintroduce local CQC inspectors to

get the relationship between provider

and regulator back to working for better

care of all residents. Confirm that SAF

is the way ahead for the sector so that


law | business

we all get on with it. Either ditch the

new portal shambles and revert back

to the old system or resolve the issue.

The government must be brave and

unambiguous in what it wants for social

care, not least its funding for the long

term.

John Godden, chief executive,

Salutem Care and Education

How was your experience with the

CQC prior to 2024?

It was somewhat inconsistent,

particularly in terms of communication,

consistency of inspection outcomes

and inspection frequency, especially

services that were not inspected for

some years. The regulatory framework

often felt rigid and sometimes

disconnected from the complexities

of service delivery, particularly in our

complex, specialist care settings. While

the aim of inspections was always to

ensure quality and safety, the approach

occasionally lacked the flexibility needed

to understand unique challenges.

Communication was more reactive than

proactive, which could be frustrating.

A more collaborative and ongoing

dialogue would have been beneficial, as

it often felt like the process was more

“Reintroduce local

CQC inspectors to

get the relationship

between provider

and regulator back

to working for better

care of all residents.”

about compliance than genuine quality

improvement.

Have things changed/improved

through 2024?

Yes, 2024 has seen some improvements.

The introduction of the Single

Assessment Framework has brought the

prospect of some consistency and clarity

to the inspection process, allowing us to

better align our internal practices with

CQC expectations. This has helped shift

our focus towards continuous quality

improvement rather than preparing

reactively for inspections. However,

frequency and prioritisation of services

that we believe are Good and have not

been inspected has not improved.

The new provider portal has not

worked at all and the CQC has been

open to state we should not use it

for its intended use such as sharing

information to alter judgements.

Leadership changes have impacted

the relationship between providers

and the CQC, with a more open and

partnership-based approach emerging,

albeit slowly. This shift has fostered a

sense of being heard and supported,

making it easier to address challenges

collaboratively, but the necessity to

move to action is still slow.



I am cautiously optimistic but this feels

like a journey of years not months.

The recent changes suggest that the

CQC is committed to improving its

practices and rebuilding trust with

providers. The new framework and

portal, when fixed, are steps in the right

direction, and the upcoming provider

handbook and new leadership give

further hope for positive change. The

scrutiny following the Dash report

and public backing from figures like

Wes Streeting indicates that the CQC

is under pressure to deliver. However,

this could also serve as a catalyst for

continued improvement. With the right

leadership and an ongoing commitment

to partnership working, the CQC can

regain confidence and set a new standard

for regulatory excellence which we

welcome, whether this is more likely to

produce the required progression rather

than a fresh start with a new construct is

a point of debate.





One potential improvement could be a

more tailored approach to inspections,

taking into account the specific needs

and challenges of different service

types. A dynamic model that reflects

the complexity of services would

provide a more accurate picture of

quality and performance. Additionally,

a stronger feedback mechanism where

providers can contribute to shaping the

inspection framework would make the

process more responsive and effective.

This would create a more balanced

regulatory environment that not only

identifies areas for improvement but also

highlights best practices that can inspire

others.

Overall, building a culture of mutual

respect and continuous improvement,

where both the regulator and providers

work together, is key to achieving the

best outcomes for those we support.

Amanda Keeler, compliance

manager, Walfinch home care

How was your experience with the

CQC prior to 2024?

At Walfinch we have never seen the

regulators as the enemy, but as an

essential partner in delivering the

highest-quality care. We appreciated

the fact that each provider had their

own, named, inspector, and if we asked

them anything, they were ready to help.

You could build a relationship with

them, so you knew your inspector and

they got to know about your specific >


business | law

> business. That personalised approach

to providers is integral to providing

personalised care.

We welcome stringent CQC checks

and we train our franchisees and carers

to meet, and surpass, CQC standards.

Compliance is vital to safeguarding and

protecting clients, so we are keen to see

any changes that help the whole sector

achieve that. On a larger scale, a strong,

reliable regulator and inspectors are vital

in building a high-quality care sector

that benefits everyone.

Have things changed/improved

through 2024?

Bringing in a new regulatory system

inevitably means changes for providers

and this can be frustrating in the short

term, but in the long term, working

hand-in-hand with the CQC is essential.

Contacting it by the new central portal

can mean speaking to someone to whom

“It is well-known

across the sector

that new businesses

are waiting longer

than in the past for

registration, which

is preventing them

starting work.”

you may never have spoken before.

Initially this can make providers feel

that the personal relationship with their

regulator and inspector is reduced.

However, Kate Terroni, the former

interim chief executive of the CQC,

announced that it will be testing a new

approach to relationship management

so providers have a closer and more

consistent contact point. We welcome

any changes made to support providers

in a person- centred way. She has also

said it will continue working with

providers to identify improvements that

can be made to the portal, which we are

happy to help with.

Meanwhile, it is well-known across

the sector that new businesses are

waiting longer than in the past for

registration, which is preventing them

starting work. Part of this frustrating

problem is caused by the portal delaying

registration. Fortunately, this has already

been recognised, and the CQC says

it has increased the number of people

working in registration and is working

to complete outstanding registration

applications. Providers will be hoping

so, because at present they, and the

country as a whole, need to see more,

much-needed carers coming into the

community.

There are also new businesses which,

though registered, have waited over three

years for an inspection – yes, they can

work with private contracts – but clients

and families look online for inspection

ratings before choosing a service, so a

provider without a rating risks losing

customers. Terroni announced that

the CQC will increase the number

of assessments and inspections that it

carries out.

What's more, the CQC says it is

working to increase and improve the

support and guidance for providers

on its regulatory approach, so the new

assessment framework handbook cannot

arrive too soon. Providers want guidance

and clear leadership, so we know what

‘Good’ looks like.



It certainly should turn things around,

because the care sector is full of great

carers and leaders who want to improve

clients’ lives, and the regulator is vital to

this.





One factor that could make things

easier is the use of new technology.

At Walfinch we are rolling out a care

management software system that can

be used to help create client-centred

care plans, simplify risk assessments of

their environment, and record what

they would like to happen as a result of

getting a carer. It increases transparency,

helps providers make better decisions,

can improve care quality, and there is

evidence that it supports outstanding

CQC inspections, which may save the

CQC effort and benefit everyone.


Councillor Beverley Egan, chair of Essex County Council’s Caring Communities

Commission says it’s time for a new way of tackling public service pressures

opinion | business

Time for whole system change

It’s no secret that health and social

care services are under immense

pressure. Increasing numbers and

complexity of need, particularly since

the pandemic, is one of the main drivers

of demand across Essex and the whole

country, with these pressures set to keep

rising.

Despite the fact that nearly 50% of

Essex County Council’s budget is invested

in care services, we struggle to meet all the

needs of our residents all the time in the

way we and they would like. Across the

public service landscape more widely, we

see organisations struggling to keep up

with increasing demands placed on them.

It’s clearly time to find new and

different ways of doing things. We want

the most vulnerable in our society, and

their families, to receive the care and

support they deserve from all our public

services. We want our front line staff, in

whatever organisations they work in, to

feel they can give their best to the people

who need it every day.

It was therefore my privilege to

chair the first meeting of the Caring

Communities Commission. This is a

powerful group of diverse organisations

representing the NHS, voluntary

sector, political groups and healthcare

providers, determined to change the

status quo for public services.

In its first year, the commission will be

listening to communities to understand

their health and social care concerns

using face-to-face meetings and online

forums. This includes meetings with

healthcare providers, front line staff and

service users across Essex.

The commission will explore local

and community-based solutions focused

on the whole system, in particular,

by looking at early intervention and

prevention.

All the commissioners bring knowledge

and experience, but most importantly

passion and commitment, to help us

answer the big question – how can we

make sure everyone receives the support

they need throughout their lives?

We will explore how best to foster

resilient communities, including where

existing assets can be amplified and how

connections can be strengthened. We

will then produce a report in March next

year setting out our initial findings.

This report will not only drive real

change in outcomes across Essex – we

also hope it will influence government in

driving national change.

I have spent the whole of my career

in the voluntary and public sector, most

recently as cabinet member for children’s

services and early years at Essex County

Council. As a result, I am particularly

keen to engage with people who use our

services and have real experience of the

Councillor Beverley Egan

challenges we are trying to address.

I have seen first-hand, through my

work with children in care, that the

people with the deepest understanding

of public services are those who must

make sense of them for their wellbeing

and their families’ wellbeing.

The Caring Communities

Commission looks forward to learning

as much as possible over the next few

months as we work towards real change.

You can stay up to date on our progress

and meet the commissioners on our

website: essex.gov.uk/adult-social-careand-health/essex-caring-communitiescommission

Commissioners of the Caring Communities Commission

The Caring Communities Commission

at its inaugural meeting


business | legal & regulatory

One word is not enough

Kevin Shaw, chief executive of Hartford Care, comments on whether changes

to Ofsted’s ranking system could – and should – apply to the CQC

In the wake of Ofsted’s changes to its

ratings system, namely the abolition

of its one-word-fits-all rankings,

calls for similar changes to the CQC’s

own process are growing louder. This is a

change that we at Hartford Care believe

couldn’t come a moment too soon.

While a range of well-publicised

issues can be identified, we believe

that the single biggest hurdle facing

care homes with a negative rating is

the CQC’s inspection timescales. The

CQC’s system means care homes with

an existing rating are inspected based

on a series of quality statements. The

CQC will select which statements

to look at during their visit; they are

highly unlikely to look at all of them.

This selection will be based on national

priorities and information on record

about the care home. The new scores for

these quality statements will be based

entirely on the new assessment, however

for remaining quality statements, scores

will be based on previous findings.

This means that even if a home has

improved its ranking in those areas,

it could still be years before the other

statements are reconsidered which could

lead to the overall rating remaining

the same even though the home has

improved. It could – and can – take,

quite literally, decades for a home to

be formally recognised, and to shake

the damning indictment of a one-word

rating. Care homes become trapped.

A ‘Requires improvement’ or

‘Inadequate’ rating is a red flag to

potential residents and their families,

impacting private sales, while an

embargo by local authorities on

‘Inadequate’ care homes has even further

reaching repercussions, contributing to

the long-term undersupply of statefunded

places and – as an extreme

result – bed blocking in NHS wards.

The ratings system as it stands can leave

reputations in tatters and directly lead to

the closure of much-needed care homes.

I’m certainly not suggesting that formal

inspections should be scrapped, far from

it, or that poor care homes shouldn’t be

publicly called out, for the protection of

their existing residents and future ones.

But there are plenty of care homes – full

of hardworking teams of employees and

happy residents – overcoming challenges

every day to ensure lessons are learned

from their inspections and improvements

are made. The system as it stands means

they don’t receive the formal or public

recognition they deserve for it.

If a car fails its MOT, its inspectors

will work through a clear, itemised list

of the issues, fixing them one by one in

order to ensure a ‘pass’; the objective

of the system and all involved is to get

Kevin Shaw

the vehicle back on the road, in tiptop

condition, as efficiently as possible.

While the CQC has made the right

noises around offering more support to

those homes requiring improvement,

promising to inspect all quality

statements with this rating to offer the

opportunity of an uplift quicker, this

hasn’t yet materialised.

The CQC and care providers should

be working together to improve facilities

and services across care homes for the

good of residents. Improvements in

individual areas should be monitored

and acknowledged over much shorter,

regular, timeframes, and publicly

documented, without a ‘one word

covers all’ headline and no idea of

when the next inspection might come.

Reports should highlight failings, yes,

but should focus on learnings and

supporting improvement. More care

home providers, especially the smaller

operators, would and could viably invest

in improvements if there was a real hope

of getting back on track. For now, too

often, this investment might seem futile.

The system is broken, and a move away

from one-word ratings would lead to

bigger investment by providers, better

care for residents, and a sector working

in collaboration with the CQC to

deliver a solution to the social care crisis

gripping the UK.


care

36 NATIONAL CARE AWARDS

Event sponsors look forward to the

big event

26 REGISTERED MANAGERS

Meet yout occupancy targets.

27 CARE FOR TOMORROW

Apply now for The Adult Social Care

Digital Transformation Fund.

28 DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Anchor's diversity and inclusion initiatives.

care | activities news

Creative Caring

As always, carers have been demonstrating their creativity

through fun and innovative events for their residents

stories behind each traditional outfit,

explaining its significance and the occasions

on which it is typically worn. Other homes

enjoyed global cuisine and music.

Play time

Residents at Connaught Care Collection’s

Meadowbrook in Bishop’s Stortford in

Hertfordshire welcomed local children

as part of a visit organised by Happy Kids

Childminding Service. The day was part

of an ongoing effort by Meadowbrook to

create strong intergenerational bonds at

the home, and there are plans for further

visits in future.

Prize pooches

Colten Care’s Whitecliffe House in

Blandford Forum, Dorset welcomed

families, friends and four-legged

competitors to the home’s first dog show,

with all proceeds going to the Dorset

Children’s Foundation. Residents were

fully involved in setting up and running

the event, working with the home’s

gardener Joan Batchelor to create floral

decorations for visitors’ tables and

preparing homemade lemonade. Three

residents formed the judging panel as the

dogs vied for glory across nine categories.

Cultural costume

Hamberley Care Homes marked

National Inclusion Week with a lively

celebration across its care homes. The

team at Montague House in Brampton,

Cambridgeshire showcased cultural attire

from India, Ghana, Kenya, Sri Lanka and

the Philippines, and shared the unique

Indoor fair

Lincoln home MHA Stones Place didn’t

let the weather spoil the fun, setting

up an indoor fair in one of its lounges

and opening its doors to the wider

community. The fair included an arts

and crafts stall, local honey, cakes and the

usual tombola and raffle. Residents, staff

members, volunteers and members of

the community were entertained by the

Lincoln Ukulele Band.

Dream on

Sheila Eley, 91, a resident of Colchesterbased

care home Crouched Friars,

was treated to a performance by the

Dreamboys after confessing to the team

that it was her wish to see a male strip

show. After emailing the Prince’s Theatre

in Clacton, activities director, Vanessa

Brown was gifted two tickets for Sheila to

fulfil her wish of seeing the Dreamboys

live.

Pick up a penguin

Amberley Hall Care Home in King’s

Lynn, Norfolk granted the wish of a

resident when two adorable Humboldt

penguins paid a visit. Susan Fisher, 70,

asked to meet the pair as part of the

home’s ‘Making Moments’ initiative.

Pringle and Widget toured the care

home, making sure even residents unable

to leave their rooms had a chance to

experience the joy.

Dining in

Black Swan’s Southwell Court Care

home in Melbourn, Cambridgeshire,

transformed into a classic American diner

for the afternoon with delicious burgers,

milkshakes, and the unmistakable tunes

of rock and roll. Guest singer Jonny

Parrish provided the entertainment.

Fair’s fair

Residents and staff from Avalon Care

Home in Bridgwater, Somerset were

among the crowds enjoying the annual

Bridgwater Fair. The party of 12 travelled

the short distance between their dementia

care home and St Matthews Field where

the Fair has been taking place for more

than 600 years. Avalon’s activities coordinator

Lisa Priddice said: “Our ladies

and gents are all familiar with the Fair and

they loved telling us about visits they’d

had in their younger days.”


activities news | care

Friends of the Elderly’s Luton-based

Little Bramingham Farm celebrated her

second anniversary of visiting the home.

Winnie was presented with a bag of treats

including a play mat, to represent ‘cotton’,

the traditional second anniversary gift.

Scaring is caring

Friends of the Elderly’s New Copford

Place in Colchester is celebrating its win

at this year’s Copford and Easthorpe

Scarecrow Festival. Residents were

involved in the design and construction

of scarecrow ‘Marilyn’ during an arts and

craft session, and are already planning

next year’s entry – potentially to be

named Strawlock Holmes.

Easy riders

Forty motorcyclists were welcomed by

residents at Diamond House Care Home

in Downham Market, Norfolk with

sausage sandwiches, tea and coffee. The

event was designed to evoke cherished

memories for residents, some of whom

have a long history with motorcycles.

Allison Webster, activities coordinator,

said: “The classic and retro bikes, in

particular the Triumphs, were of great

interest to our residents, as those are the

models they remember best.”

Dog star

Winnie, the pets as therapy dog, was

the star of the show when residents at

Creepy crawlies

MHA Starr Hills, in Lytham St Annes,

Lancashire welcomed giant snails and

snakes into the home for residents

to get up and close with. ZooLab, an

organisation that offers educational

workshops on animals, brought millipedes,

cockroaches, frogs, spiders, a giant snail

and a four-foot American snake. The visit

was a hit with residents, who touched,

stroked and held the animals.

Sketch show

Judith Forster, a resident at Colten Care’s

Abbey View in Sherborne, Dorset has

staged an art exhibition after sketching

pencil portraits of its entire roll of 73 staff

members. The project took six months to

complete, after the idea of sketching each

one of her carers, companions, clinical

team, chefs, waiting staff, domestic

assistants and others came about in

February this year.

Sporting life

Inspired by a summer of sport in which

Team GB excelled in Paris and the

England men’s football team reached the

final of Euro 2024, residents at HC-One’s

Woodlands View care home in Stevenage,

Hertfordshire participated in a mini

Olympics. Activities included throwing

emoji balls into buckets, hook-a-duck,

and the egg and spoon race.

Green light

Each of Oakland Care’s 10 homes in

London and the Southeast held an

Eco Fair as part of the organisation’s

Greener Month. The homes invited local

sustainable businesses to exhibit stalls

focused on reusing materials to create

art and making environmentally friendly

and sustainable products to sell. The care

provider also hosted a series of seminars

for local businesses to learn more about

sustainability.

Garden gang

HC-One’s Capwell Grange Care Home

won the ‘Best community garden’

category in the Luton in Bloom awards.

Capwell Grange’s dementia community

garden includes a wide variety of flowers

and plants, including many varieties of

tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, cauliflower,

pumpkin and aubergines. The kitchen

team uses the vegetables as ingredients for

residents’ meals.


care | registered managers

Managers guide to…

increasing occupancy

Operations director Paul Brady and senior customer relations manager Ann-Marie Baker

at Berkley Care Group share their tips on meeting and even exceeding occupancy targets

Jubilee House in Warwick, a member

of the Berkley Care Group, has

consistently smashed its occupancy

targets. The 78-bed home, which opened

in May last year, exceeded its initial

occupancy target by 40% and has seen

a steady increase month-on-month ever

since. By June last year, occupancy rates

were 50% above target, and in July, the

home surpassed its targets by 36%. The

second floor was opened last November,

four months ahead schedule, and the

third floor is just about to follow suit.

When it comes to increasing

occupancy, our main challenges are local

competition and funding – plenty of

people want to move in, but they may not

be able to afford it. Here are some of the

strategies that contributed to the home’s

success, which reflects both the high

demand locally and the team’s hard work.

1. An experienced and dedicated

customer relationship manager is

integral to the success of a home. Ann-

Marie Baker is the senior customer

relations manager for both the new

Jubilee House and our existing Leycester

House, both in Warwick. She can steer

potential residents towards Jubilee House

or Leycester depending on the needs of

the resident and the type of environment

that they would like to live in.

2. Consistency of management is

important, as is taking a long-term view.

Some care providers employ short-term

commissioning managers who will open

the home and then move on after 12

months. In the run up to Jubilee House

opening we had general manager Pippa

Cook in place before the home opened,

working closely with operations director

Paul Brady, which is not as common as

you would think. Taking this approach

allows the home to build for the future.

A short-term commissioning manager

focuses on the here and now, but doesn’t

have a vision for the next two or three

years. Ideally the manager should be

around for the next three to four years

at least, building the

team and the culture of

the home, and creating

a strong foundation

which allows the

customer relationship

manager to really sell

the home.

3. Keep enquiries

warm. Don’t stop

talking to prospective

residents, even if they

say they are not yet

ready. We have 50 or

60 enquiries on the back-burner at any

given time, and we invite them to events

at the home, send them birthday cards

and catch up with them regularly if we

haven’t spoken for a while. Don’t close

anyone down, as circumstances can

change, sometimes overnight. If you are in

the right place at the right time, they will

come to you and not to your competitor.

4. Digital marketing is key when it

comes to boosting occupancy. We work

with a marketing agency, Townsend,

which creates company-wide social

media posts and videos, but a lot of our

social media posts come directly from

individual homes. We use Facebook,

Instagram and LinkedIn. We are targeting

45 to 65 year olds, the families of

potential residents – they are the people

on Facebook who are reading our posts.

5. Keep an eye on local competition.

We noticed three or four months before

a local competitor opened they were

gearing up their digital investment, and

online searches for us started to show

their home instead. Our digital agency

Smooth Digital was able to manipulate

key words on our website to ensure we

returned to the top of the search listings.

6. It is important to build a

community as quickly as possible in a

new home, so you need to get the first 10

or so residents through the door quickly.

We offered ‘founding membership’

for the first 10 residents, who received

an initial discount. Another option is

to offer a price freeze for the first 10

residents, although that’s not something

we have done.

7. Promotional deals can sometimes

have an effect. Some of our homes offer

three for the price of two deals on respite

care, for example.

8. Making connections with

GPs, district nurses, local charities

like the Parkinson’s trust and similar

professionals is very important. These are

the groups you know are in contact with

people who might need residential care.

Daycare centres have also been a good

connection for us. Invite these people in

for cake and coffee, and a tour.

9. Don’t neglect local domiciliary

care agencies. Home care services often

find it hard when they can no longer

give someone the support they need to

stay in their own home. They are happy

to recommend us when they can’t meet

someone’s needs anymore. In return, we

can recommend them – sometimes we

have people look round who say “I’m

pleased that there is somewhere mum can

be looked after when the time comes, but

she hasn’t reached that stage yet – do you

know any good home care agencies?”

10. When families and potential

residents are looking around the home,

make sure there are activities going

on, and residents are engaged. A good

activities team is a boon for increasing

occupancy.


care for tomorrow | care

Time’s up to tool up

November is the final deadline for securing funding to set up digital social care

records – and care providers need to apply this month for the Adult Social Care

Digital Transformation Fund. Stephanie Nimmo, communications and engagement

lead for the Digitising Social Care programme, explains why now’s the time to act

The clock is ticking to secure

funding for digital social care

records before it’s too late. The

application process is simple and there’s

lots of support on offer, so if you have

not yet made the switch, go to our

website (digitisingsocialcare.co.uk) and

follow the links to our funding offer

and support.

Since the Digitising Social Care

(DiSC)’s ‘Clock is Ticking’ campaign

launched in April this year, more than

900 new care locations have joined

the many thousands of providers who

have ditched paper and adopted digital

social care record approaches. The

campaign called on CQC-registered

providers to take advantage of

government funding and local support

while it’s still available.

More than 70% of providers are now

using a digital solution to plan and

record care, which is offering enormous

benefits to staff and the people they are

supporting.

Care staff can save an average of one

hour less per shift on admin according

to our research with providers who have

been using digital social care records

for a while. Going digital means upto-date

information about a person’s

care, preferences, medication and more

are available at the touch of a button

and selected information can even be

“More than 70% of

providers are now

using a digital solution

to plan and record

care, which is offering

enormous benefits to

staff and the people

they are supporting.”

accessed by family members who want

to find out how their loved one is doing

at any time.

Reporting, audits and inspections

are also far more straightforward with

digital social care records in place,

reducing the need to pull together and

prepare information in advance.

As well as giving support to apply for

funding, local integrated care system

digital teams can put you in touch with

other care providers who are already

using digital solutions, to find out how

they chose their supplier, what the

transition has been like for them and

what differences they have seen.

Every day, care providers are telling us

just how beneficial a digital social care

record solution has been for their teams

and the people they work with.

Whether they are team members

supporting people in their homes and

in care settings or registered managers,

everyone tells us time saving has been

one of the greatest benefits. Staff talk

passionately about having more time to

spend with people – often the reason

they went into care in the first place –

and of the relief of finishing shifts on

time, without having to stay back to

finish off paperwork.

More and more care providers are also

finding that carefully selected digital

solutions help support neurodivergent

staff. One care worker with autism and

dyslexia told us recently: “I feel like

an actual human now. I used to get so

worried and nervous and embarrassed

about showing any of my paperwork

because it was so bad, and I struggled

with it so much.”

This is the last month to apply

for the Adult Social Care Digital

Transformation Fund. Care providers

are therefore urged to act now to get

support to make an application before

the deadline.

We have seen a really encouraging

rise in care providers securing funding,

finding and adopting digital solutions

since we launched our campaign in the

spring. But the clock really is ticking

now. With the final deadline for

applications in November, it’s a good

idea to contact your local integrated

care system team now to secure their

support and advice for both making

your application and choosing the right

solution.

Visit our website at: beta.

digitisingsocialcare.co.uk for a list of list

of digital social care record solutions

which have been assessed and assured by

NHS England to help you find the best

possible tool for your organisation.

It’s also a good idea to complete the

‘Data Security and Protection’ toolkit

to make sure you know how to keep

both your paper-based and digital

information safe and secure. Again,

your local integrated care system team

can help with this.


care | diversity & inclusion

Caring for all

Teagan Robinson-Bell, diversity and inclusion manager at Anchor, a not-for-profit

provider of care and housing, talks about caring for everyone

In today’s world, the significance

of diversity and inclusion cannot

be overstated, particularly in care

environments where understanding

and respecting everyone's needs is

essential. As England’s largest provider

of specialist housing and care for people

in later-life, Anchor recognises that

true excellence in care begins with a

significant commitment to these values.

At Anchor, we strive to place diversity

and inclusion at the forefront of our

operations, ensuring they become an

everyday reality rather than a mere

checkbox exercise.

We are always striving to create

an environment where the unique

contributions of our colleagues and

residents are not only valued but

celebrated and we are proud to offer

five key networks to create safe spaces

for both residents and colleagues. The

networks aim to honour diversity,

address concerns, review policies, and

support one another. These include our

open Resident Inclusion Community

group, the LGBT+ Resident Advisory

Group, and our enABLE, embRACE,

Rainbow, and Inclusive Ambassador

networks, along with our newly

launched Carers network. These groups

collaborate closely with the diversity and

inclusion lead on the resident council to

listen, assess practices, and drive change.

It’s vital that everyone who chooses to

live and work with us feels recognised,

respected and heard. These networks

provide opportunities for education,

advocacy, and connection, ensuring

every voice is represented in our ongoing

efforts toward inclusivity.

In 2019, a survey conducted by

Stonewall uncovered alarming statistics

regarding the mental health of LGBT+

individuals in Britain. It revealed

that 61% of lesbian, gay and bisexual

individuals lack confidence in social care

services to support them adequately,

compared to 51% of their heterosexual

counterparts.

This data not only underscores the

pressing need to take action, but also

highlights the importance of establishing

robust support networks to alleviate

these concerns. Through creating a

workplace where people in the LGBT+

community are being supported by

carers and colleagues who are members

of the community or understand how

to foster an inclusive environment,

we can directly address this issue and

fundamentally provide better care.

One of our key initiatives is the

establishment of our Rainbow and

LGBT+ advisory groups, created

directly in response to feedback from

residents and colleagues. This initiative

exemplifies our commitment to being a

supportive resource for older individuals,

their families, and colleagues alike,

particularly given the increasing number

of transgender people who hide their

identity at work.

Teagan Robinson-Bell

According to a YouGov survey of

410 trans employees across the UK,

conducted on behalf of Totaljobs, 65%

said they have had to hide their trans

status at work, compared to 52% five

years ago – a 13% rise since TotalJobs

started carrying out this survey in 2016.

Anchor wants to ensure this doesn’t

happen as part of our commitment

to retaining and developing talented

colleagues. Therefore it is very important

to ensure trans and non-binary

colleagues are supported.

In response to the study’s findings,

Anchor has pledged to develop sectorspecific

guidance with the aim of

“We strive to place

diversity and inclusion

at the forefront of our

operations, ensuring

they become an everyday

reality rather than a mere

checkbox exercise.”

Anchor West Hall


“Inclusivity is not

a one-size-fits-all

approach; there is no

singular way to be

trans or non-binary.”

providing support for both trans and

non-binary individuals, and managers

who are supporting trans and nonbinary

colleagues. A gap for such

guidance was identified, with existing

resources being outdated, too focused

on medical transitions, and aimed at

just line managers rather than trans

or non-binary people. After receiving

positive feedback from Stonewall on the

plan, our team produced a new guide

that takes a ‘human-centric’ approach to

guidance.

The guidance is intended to help

individuals navigate identifying as trans

at work, whether they are questioning

their gender identity, wanting to

transition, living as a trans person, or

supporting a trans person, either in

the workplace or in their personal life.

This guidance contains several sections,

from resources for questioning one’s

gender identity, to practical advice for

transitioning at work.

We also recognised the importance of

ongoing support, acknowledging that a

trans person’s journey does not end once

they have transitioned. It is vital that

their identity continues to be affirmed

in the workplace. With the guidance

also providing support to managers,

we’re aiming to improve the general

lack of awareness in relation to gender

identity in the workplace, offering advice

for managers who are approached by a

colleague in this situation. It’s critical

that organisations offer comprehensive

support for anyone questioning

their gender identity, ensuring they

feel empowered throughout their

professional journeys.

Inclusivity is not a one-size-fits-all

approach; there is no singular way to

be trans or non-binary. This is why

feedback from diverse perspectives and

intersectional identities, including those

from different networks within Anchor,

was invaluable in shaping our guidance.

Moving forward, we regularly review

and update our approach to reflect the

evolving language and legal landscape

affecting the trans and LGBT+

communities. By establishing a schedule

for periodic reviews and encouraging

ongoing feedback, we can ensure that

our support for trans and non-binary

colleagues remains relevant, effective,

and collaboratively developed, allowing

others to benefit from what works best.

It is essential that every individual feels

a sense of comfort and belonging, and at

Anchor, we strive to empower everyone

to bring their authentic selves to work.

To further this commitment, we have

also implemented a reverse mentoring

scheme, which serves as a powerful tool

for ensuring inclusivity. This initiative

allows carers and other employees

to engage directly with colleagues in

senior leadership positions, bridging

the gap between different levels of the

organisation. This open communication

not only provides valuable insights

to leadership about the challenges >


"There is always

more to learn and

do to improve and

embed a culture of

inclusion."

and experiences faced by their teams,

but also strengthens community ties

across the business. By establishing and

developing these connections, we aim to

create a workplace culture where diverse

perspectives are not only heard, but

actively shape our policies and practices.

We understand that each person

brings unique perspectives that enrich

our community, and we are committed

to leveraging and responding to these

diverse viewpoints and perspectives

to enhance our workplace culture. In

light of this, we also offer opportunities

for colleagues and residents to

commemorate, discuss and celebrate

various national events, days, and

weeks throughout the year to weave

diversity and inclusion into our daily

conversations – it is about making them

part of our everyday language.

However, addressing diversity and

inclusion also requires us to confront the

harsh realities of antisocial behaviour

and hate crime. After receiving feedback

from our embRACE Network, we

established a working group focused

on improving our reporting systems

and support structures for colleagues

experiencing antisocial behaviour and

hate crime. This group, composed of

diverse teams within our organisation,

including representatives from the

embRACE Network, ensures that

incidents are captured accurately, and

that support is provided promptly.

Transparency is crucial; we must

acknowledge and confront the existence

of antisocial behaviour and hate crime.

We are implementing consistent

response protocols across our network,

so that when someone reports an

incident, they have a clear understanding

of the next steps. This predictability

helps build trust within our community,

encouraging more individuals to come

forward and feel heard.

Diversity and inclusion are not just

ideals at Anchor; they are fundamental to

our operations. While we were awarded

the first Gold Inclusive Employer Status

within the care sector – recognising us

as among the best employers in the UK

when it comes to equality, diversity and

inclusion – we know that there is always

more to learn and do to improve and

embed a culture of inclusion. And as

we continue this journey, we invite

everyone – colleagues, residents and

families – to join us in creating a

culture that champions diversity, uplifts

marginalised voices, and enhances the

quality of life for all those we serve.

In a world where the demand for

respect and inclusion is louder than ever,

Anchor stands ready to lead by example,

ensuring that every individual, whether

a resident or a colleague, can thrive in

an environment that celebrates their

contributions.


Bring about change

diversity & inclusion | care

Henry Fairnington, Anchor’s diversity and inclusion officer, discusses bringing about

tangible improvements for overlooked demographics

An organisation as large and

as influential as Anchor has

a great opportunity to effect

change, and this is something

we’re starting to see. Particularly in

care and housing for people in laterlife,

we’ve been able to get involved

in some tangible improvements for

demographics that are sadly overlooked.

However, sectors such as care and other

organisations for social good need to

be more conscious of other factors that

come into play. We can only claim to

be an organisation for people over 55 if

we explicitly welcome and provide for

all residents over 55, including those

from various ethnicities, religions,

sexualities, genders, and so many other

characteristics.

It goes without saying that having a

service that is representative of its users

is important. We can be so much more

inclusive of everyone when we have

people of different backgrounds and

experiences contributing to something’s

creation. It allows for cognitive diversity

(ensuring we have different perspectives

while working) and intersectionality

(acknowledgement of the complexity of

our identities). Those phrases might seem

intense, but it boils down to making sure

that individuals are heard and valued,

because each lived experience will be able

to offer a unique perspective.

With that in mind, it’s crucial that

we are creating a space for people –

including those who are trans and

non-binary – to be able to come to work

authentically. That could be as much

as feeling comfortable to disclose their

identities, but as a first step, knowing

they’re in a safe environment that can

support them in showing up as their

true selves. ‘Coming out’ as trans or

non-binary isn’t a one-time thing, and

it’s not always something that is visually

apparent, so ensuring workplaces are

openly inclusive is vital. In care settings,

this has a significant knock-on effect

for residents, as well as their friends and

families. If people can see a diverse group

of colleagues supporting residents, then

it follows that there’s capacity to support

a more diverse range of residents too.

We’re starting to see more studies

and reports on the challenges that older

transgender adults face in regard to

social and medical care, and that is really

positive. However, there’s still a lack of

inclusion for people who fall outside

that gender binary of male or female,

because a lot of the time these studies

were made about us, not by us. Having

more people who identify as trans

and non-binary in care settings helps

to advocate for that need, but so does

having overt allies and advocates. Trans

and non-binary people make up less than

1% of the UK population (according to

the 2021 census). Not all of those people

will want to, or have the energy or safety

to, educate others or even be open in

their identities. In explicitly making care

settings inclusive of and welcoming to

trans and non-binary people, we can

naturally make these settings safer for

those who require care.

This also goes for friends and families

of residents. Knowing that trans and

non-binary visitors will be welcomed

and catered for is hugely important in

fostering communities and tackling

issues like loneliness and isolation.

Finally, there’s the elephant in the

room. As a trans person, I’ve often

thought about what will happen to me,

and members of my community, as we

age. I have had struggles with healthcare

professionals not being equipped

to talk about transgender identities,

let alone provide me with adequate

healthcare, so if a time were to come

when I needed care services, I would

feel far more comfortable knowing

that there’s a concerted effort going

Henry Fairnington

towards inclusion. At the moment,

trans inclusive care services aren’t

guaranteed, and we simply need to do

better. With every aspect of inclusion,

we are constantly learning. Sectors such

as healthcare and education still fall

short of the mark for various minoritised

groups, so with every trans inclusive

policy, every commitment to being antiracist,

every adaptation put in place for

someone with a health condition, we’re

getting closer to making these systems

more supportive of everybody.

Creating trans and non-binary

inclusive spaces for care colleagues

and in care settings benefits those

communities, obviously. But it also

supports cisgender people who access

hormone therapy, and other minoritised

groups who notice displays of advocacy

and inclusion. It shows people that

whoever they are, there’s a space for

them when they’ll need it, and that

comes only with deliberate change to be

inclusive.


care | national care awards

Winner takes it all

With the National Care Awards 2024 just around the corner on Friday, 29 November

at ExCeL London’s Platinum Suite, hear from our sponsors, the people who make

this special evening possible, about what you can look forward to on the night

Angela Gillespie, Ontex

distributor channel manager

As the main

sponsor of the

National Care

Awards for the

first year, we are

truly excited to

be part of such

a prestigious

event that

celebrates excellence, dedication and

innovation in the care sector.

Why we chose to be the main sponsor

Ontex is a well-known manufacturer of

continence care products used across

the UK, and we are committed to

supporting and championing the care

industry. Sponsoring the National Care

Awards is an exceptional opportunity

to show our appreciation for those who

work tirelessly to enhance the lives

of the vulnerable. The National Care

Awards, with its legacy of recognising

the very best in the sector, aligns

perfectly with our values, and we are

honoured to take on such an important

role this year.

Sponsoring the National Care Awards

is a natural extension of our belief in the

importance of supporting the people

who work in care. The care sector plays

a crucial role in the fabric of society,

providing essential services to those in

need, and ensuring dignity, compassion

and respect are at the heart of every

interaction. By being the main sponsor,

we want to shine a spotlight on the

outstanding individuals and teams who

exemplify best practices in care, celebrate

their achievements, and show our

gratitude for their hard work.

Supporting the awards provides a

platform to highlight the invaluable

contributions of care workers, and helps

raise the profile of the sector as a whole.

It’s not just about recognising excellence

but also about fostering a sense of

community, pride and progression

within the industry.

What we are looking forward to most

about the event

The National Care Awards is a highlight

of the care sector’s calendar, and we are

especially looking forward to celebrating

alongside the nominees, winners and

all the attendees. It will be a pleasure

to see the exceptional individuals and

teams who have gone above and beyond

in their roles be recognised for their

contributions. The event provides

an opportunity to hear their stories,

learn about their experiences, and

acknowledge their invaluable work.

Any favourite memories of prior years?

While this is our first year as the main

sponsor, we have sponsored award

categories in previous years and have

always been impressed by the warmth,

energy and professionalism on display.

Each year, the sense of celebration

that fills the room is infectious. Seeing

everyone come together to support and

uplift one another in a sector that often

goes unrecognised is heartwarming.

These moments of shared success and

appreciation are what make the National

Care Awards so memorable, and we are

excited to experience it again this year

from the perspective of a main sponsor.

We would like to extend our

congratulations to all the nominees

and winners. Your work is essential

and invaluable, and we are honoured

to be part of an event that showcases

your dedication, passion and

achievements.

Kate Garraway


national care awards | care

Award sponsored – Care

activities co-ordinator of the year

Lorna Badrick, managing

director, TLC Care

Why we chose

to sponsor this

category

TLC Care’s

sponsorship

of the ‘Care

activities

co-ordinator’

award at the

National Care Awards 2024 highlights

TLC Care’s deep commitment to

enhancing the health and wellbeing

of residents and team members. By

supporting this category, we celebrate the

vital role that activities co-ordinators play

in enriching residents’ lives, promoting

joy, and improving overall wellbeing.

For TLC Care, this sponsorship is a

way of acknowledging the dedication

of individuals who make a meaningful

impact in the care sector. Being part of

this recognition through sponsorship for

the second year reflects our continued

focus on resident happiness and passion

for exceptional care.


about the event

TLC Care is most excited about joining

fellow professionals in celebrating the

dedication and exceptional contributions

of teams across the care sector. The

National Care Awards offer a special

opportunity to reflect on the remarkable

impact that care home professionals make

every day. It’s a chance to recognise and

celebrate their hard work, passion and

achievements. TLC Care looks forward

to the shared joy, camaraderie and sense

of pride that come with honouring the

collective efforts of all those committed

to enhancing residents' lives. The evening

promises to be filled with inspiration,

celebration, and connection with other

care providers.


We had a fabulous evening last year,

our fondest memories include the

heartwarming speeches and sharing the

outstanding devotion of so many care

professionals. We were honored to be

recognised for the activities award. We’re

thoroughly looking forward to this year’s

event.

Award sponsored – Dementia

care manager of the year

Caroline Roberts, chief

executive, Aria Care

Why we chose to sponsor this category

Supporting people living with dementia

is so much more than meeting physical

care needs, ensuring people have the

best possible quality of life requires

meaningful engagement through

thoughtful

interactions

and

commitment

to truly know

the person.

Sponsoring

the ‘Dementia

care manager’

category at the National Care Awards

highlights the importance of this role

and inspiring continued excellence;

it reflects a commitment to raising

awareness about great dementia care.


about the event

I think it’s so important to recognise and

celebrate the exceptional level of care

provided to people; it’s important that

people feel recognised and appreciated,

coming together to celebrate the very

best people in social care does just

this. The NCAs provide a unique

opportunity to honour the dedication,

compassion and hard work that’s

demonstrated by so many individuals in

this vital sector.

By raising awareness and celebrating

exceptional care, we collectively enhance

the standard of care, motivate others,

and continue to push the boundaries of

what’s possible in social care.

It’s the sector’s opportunity to say

thank you.

>



> Any favourite memories of prior

years?

The opportunity to connect and

celebrate with other care providers

and hearing the stories of people who

dedicate their lives to the care sector. The

NCAs create an environment to share

knowledge, celebrate achievements, and

exchange valuable insights.

A particularly proud moment for me

and Aria Care was winning the ‘Large

care home group’ award last year, an

incredible recognition of the hard work

and dedication our teams put into

delivering high-quality, compassionate

care across our communities. That

evening stands out because it reinforced

the sense of purpose that drives

everything we do at Aria Care and across

the sector.

Award sponsored – Care team

of the year

Gareth Reichers, director of

growth and partnerships,

Impact Futures

Why we chose

to sponsor this

category

Care staff are

at the beating

heart of

everything we

do at Impact

Futures. We’ve

sponsored the ‘Care team of the year’

category to show our continuing support

for all the diligent workers who dedicate

themselves to providing quality care

to some of the UK’s most vulnerable

people.


about the event

I’d say the thing we’re all looking forward

to most is celebrating successes, and

seeing people receive the recognition they

deserve for a job well done. Nods like

these go a long way towards motivating

and encouraging the continued work of

these incredible teams.

Any favourite memories of

prior years?

This event is always a highlight of our

year. Not only is it a great opportunity

to gather together, but it’s also extremely

uplifting to hear the stories and

congratulate the nominees and winners.

We always come away feeling happy and

inspired. This year will be no exception,

I’m sure.

Award sponsored – Tech

innovation of the year

Chris Poole, director of business

development, Sanctuary Care


We are proud to sponsor the ‘Tech

innovation of the year’ category, because

at Sanctuary

Care we are

passionate

about

embracing

modern

technology,

where it

can support

us to further enrich the lives of our

residents and provide staff with the

very best tools to do their job. We have

our own business transformation team

who are experts in trialling different

technologies, carefully choosing

those which enable us to enhance

communication, safety and care

efficiency, so we are very excited to see

who wins.


about the event

We are in the running for five awards

so are delighted to reward our finalists

with a truly memorable night, which

will be another opportunity for us to

show them how valued they are, not just

by their colleagues, the residents they

care for, and their loved ones, who all

contributed to these nominations, but

by the entire care community. External

recognition on this national level means

so much and shows our finalists how far

they have come on their journey with

Sanctuary Care.




Last year was very special indeed for

two colleagues in Scotland, with Kirsty

Bagan, activities coordinator at our

Forefaulds home in East Kilbride,

collecting the ‘Care newcomer award’

and Bunga Gurden from our Birch

House home in Peterculter, collecting

the ‘Carer of the year’ award. Both of

these inspirational women embody

everything we are passionate about at

Sanctuary Care when it comes to living

and breathing our vision of enriching

lives. They thoroughly deserved this

recognition for themselves, their teams,

and the residents they care for.

Award sponsored – Care home

group (medium) of the year

Derek Breingan, head of health

and social care sector, Virgin

Money

Why we chose

to sponsor this

category

The ‘Medium

care home

group of the

year’ represents

some of our

most active

and progressive regional providers.

These groups are crucial to the provision

of much-needed beds and care in our

communities and we at Virgin Money

are excited to be presenting this award in

recognition of that.


about the event

The best part of the awards is seeing

the people who are out there, day and

night, supporting vulnerable citizens,

being recognised and acknowledged

in a celebration of all that’s good in the

sector.


A memorable moment was listening

to Kate Garroway openly sharing her

admiration and her heartfelt thanks

for the carers that had been involved in

caring for her husband.


leadership of the year

Thomas Brandrick, managing

director, Domus Recruitment


Domus

sponsors

the ‘Care

leadership

award’ as we

specialise in

leadership

recruitment

across the

social care sector and it’s a great way for

us to give back to the sector. It looks like

the awards are less elderly care-centric

this year which is great for us as we

cover all of social care, and recognising

learning difficulties, mental health and

children’s care providers as well is a great

for them.


about the event

Every year, we enjoy the awards because

we’re there to celebrate all of the

amazing work that goes on in care and

the amazing people doing it. I love seeing

care teams letting their hair down at the

event and having a thoroughly deserved

night out.


It’s hard to pick a favourite moment, but

actually presenting the award that we

sponsor to the recipient is an amazing

honour. When they hear their name read

out and then come to the stage to receive

it, it’s a wonderful thing to be involved

with.

Award sponsored – Care home

manager of the year

Bernie Suresparan, chief

executive, We Care Group


We Care Group is proud to sponsor the

‘Care home manager of the year’ category

because we understand the pivotal

role that managers play in delivering >



>

exceptional

care. Their

leadership and

dedication

directly

impacts the

quality of life

for residents,

staff morale,

and the overall success of care homes.

By sponsoring this category, we aim to

recognise and celebrate these outstanding

individuals whose hard work often

goes unnoticed but makes a profound

difference in the lives of many. It’s our way

of saying thank you for their unwavering

commitment to excellence in care.


about the event

We are most looking forward to

celebrating the remarkable individuals

and teams who have gone above and

beyond in delivering exceptional care.

The National Care Awards is a fantastic

opportunity to shine a light on the

dedication, compassion and innovation

in the sector. It’s inspiring to hear their

stories and witness their well-deserved

recognition. The event fosters a sense

of community and pride, and we

look forward to sharing in the joy of

celebrating those who make a positive

difference in the lives of others.


One of our favourite memories from

previous National Care Awards is seeing

the overwhelming emotion when winners

are announced. The genuine surprise and

gratitude in their reactions truly highlight

how much the recognition means to

them. It’s a powerful reminder of how

dedicated care workers are, often going

above and beyond without expecting

accolades. Witnessing their peers, families

and teams cheer them on is incredibly

heartwarming. These moments reinforce

why it’s so important to recognise the

hard work and dedication that happens

behind the scenes in care homes every

day.

Award sponsored – Care chef of

the year

Gavin Squires, business

development controller,

healthcare and education,

Bidfood

Why we chose

to sponsor this

category

Sponsoring the

National Care

Awards 2024 is

a privilege for

us at Bidfood

because it

allows us to honour the incredible

dedication and compassion of care

home teams across the industry. We

are sponsoring the ‘Care chef of the

year’ award and this award honours

individuals with exceptional talent

who are revolutionising the sector and

becoming true trailblazers in care home

catering, a category that is extremely

important to us.


about the event

This event is a chance to celebrate as

a collective and shine a light on the

incredible organisations and individuals

that push forward proactively to build the

future of this sector. With this in mind,

we can’t wait to see the recognition,

celebrations and joy it will bring to the

finalists and winners on the night.


When we think back to previous years,

it’s a joy to remember how much each

award truly means to each recipient.

We are very much looking forward to

being a part of it again as a sponsor for

the ‘Care home chef of the year’ award.

We are also honoured that this year, we

are a finalist ourselves. We have been

shortlisted for ‘Supplier of the year’ –

the team and I are very excited and are

counting down the days until the awards

evening.




registered nurse

Rachel Harvey, care, quality

and governance director,

Care UK

Why we chose

to sponsor this

category

Care UK is

passionate

about

recognising,

celebrating and

developing the

talents of nurses in social care. This year,

we had the first graduate of our internal

Seacole Academy of Care and Clinical

Excellence. The Seacole Academy

continually develops our nurses to

ensure they are equipped with the right

skills and knowledge to provide excellent

care to older people and provides

detailed learning on complex conditions,

as well as sharing best practice among

care homes. It’s one of the many ways

that we demonstrate our commitment to

the highest standards of care quality and

continuous improvement to colleagues,

residents and relatives.


about the event

It is always a privilege to attend the

National Care Awards and celebrate the

hard work of those within our sector

and getting to hear about all sorts of

achievements, from housekeepers to

carers, activities coordinators to chefs,

and everyone in between. It is inspiring

to learn their stories and know that

colleagues across the care sector go above

and beyond every single day to support

residents and their loved ones.


Seeing the reactions of proud friends,

family members and colleagues is always

a highlight of any awards ceremony. I

know that Care UK colleagues will cheer

nominees on throughout the night.


housekeeper of the year

Natasha Koppert, national

account manager, P&G

Professional

Why we chose

to sponsor this

category

At P&G

Professional,

we are

proud to be

sponsoring

the ‘Care

housekeeper’ award category at the

National Care Awards. As a partner

in cleaning and hygiene solutions

– including brands such as Ariel

Professional, Fairy Professional and

Flash Professional – we recognise the

indispensable role of housekeepers in

maintaining clean and safe environments

within care facilities. By sponsoring this

category, we celebrate the dedication and

hard work of housekeepers who go above

and beyond to ensure the wellbeing and

comfort of residents.


about the event

We are most looking forward to the

opportunity to connect and engage

with incredible individuals in the

care sector. It’s a chance to learn from

their experiences, hear their inspiring

stories, and celebrate their remarkable

achievements. This event is a platform

for collaboration and growth in such a

vital sector, and we can't wait to be a part

of it.


For us, some standout memories from

the National Care Awards include

the moments of celebration and

appreciation. Witnessing the genuine

joy expressed by award recipients was

truly inspiring. The speeches and shared

moments of triumph created

an atmosphere of positivity and

motivation.



29 - 30

November 2024

ExCel London

Empowering

Care Management

Shaping the

future together

#caremanagementshow

caremanagementshow.co.uk


Bringing back memories

Louise Turner, activity coordinator and editor of Inspiring Memories Magazine,

on the true power of a trip down memory lane

advertorial | care

The never-ending search

for meaningful activities

that engage residents, is

one of the most rewarding

and challenging parts of any activity

coordinator’s role.

For me, I found that while some

residents loved music and games, others

simply needed a decent, meaningful

conversation. For them, talking about

their past life, or even historic events

they’ve lived through, was far more

impactful than an arts and crafts session.

In preparation for these chats, I would

often search online for ‘on this day’ facts,

or interesting topics of conversation, to

get residents talking. However, this took

up a lot of time, taking me away from my

residents. What’s more, while there are

some resources online, you often have to

pay expensive subscription fees. So, like so

many others in this role, I would conduct

research in my own time, often using my

own money. This is a huge problem in our

industry, so, I decided to do something

about it.

Enter Inspiring Memories

Magazine. A new weekly

reminiscence magazine,

containing facts, events in

history, and interesting talking

points, designed to get residents

talking. What’s more, it’s just 50p

per issue, with no subscription

necessary, making it a flexible, and

incredibly affordable resource, especially

for those working on limited budgets.

Simply pay your 50p, download, and

print. You can either do it every week, or

whenever you need it.

I first created the magazine to use with

my own residents and it was an instant

hit. It would evolve each week, with

residents bringing me feedback on what

they loved and what they would like to

see more of. I saw in real time the stories

that sparked the most conversation. They

even helped me with things like finding

the perfect sized font and even asked me

to add some word searches into the back.

The end result was a magazine made for,

and by, residents.

This led to an incredible moment.

While reading the magazine with a lovely

lady called Joan (who really reminds

me of my nan) we learned about the

invention of the sewing machine. All of

a sudden, Joan burst into a story about

how her mother would make dresses for

her and her twin sister. We had no idea

Joan was a

twin. What

followed

Louise Turner

was a very animated Joan, in full flow,

reminiscing about her childhood. From a

simple fact about a sewing machine, I saw

Joan transported back to her childhood.

Without sparking that memory in an

engaging way, I am sure we would have

never found out.

It’s so important to remember that

a great activity doesn’t always have to

be noisy or energetic. Sometimes, what

residents need most is a quiet

chat and the feeling that they’re

truly being listened to. Listening

is such a powerful tool in

caregiving – it helps coordinators

better understand each resident’s

needs and preferences. Inspiring

Memories Magazine makes it easy

to create these quiet, meaningful

moments, with content that

encourages deeper conversations

without the need for a lot of fuss.

Many older adults have lived

rich and fascinating lives and giving

them a chance to talk about their

memories helps them feel valued

and is not only mentally stimulating

but emotionally fulfilling, for both

residents and

caregivers alike.

Scan the QR code to

access the Inspiring

Memories website.


care | team members

Employee of the month

Lisa Whymark has worked in the care sector at Athena Care Homes’ Aria Court

in March, Cambridgeshire for 17 years, starting in laundry and domestic, then as a

kitchen assistant and cook, before moving into her current position as head chef

Who has been your inspiration

My nan was my inspiration – she was

head chef at a Sue Ryder hospice and I

wanted to be like her.

What’s special about working at

Athena Care Homes?

For me, it’s the best job ever – I love to

cook and to be able to do it for a living

is a pleasure. I get to see the smiles on

people’s faces every day. My job is all

about making people happy and caring

for them at some of the vulnerable

points in their life.

How do you vary your menu to

provide choice for residents?

We want everyone here to feel like they

have a say in what they eat. We start

by asking about their likes and dislikes

when they move in, and then we keep

checking in with them regularly – the

kitchen team is often out and about

‘door knocking’ to get feedback.

We change things up four times a year

based on feedback, and we also have

seasonal options with taster sessions

before menus are decided just to be sure

we are getting it right.

How do you meet residents’

nutritional and health needs?

We make sure we cover all bases when

it comes to nutrition and health. I

know about every condition or ailment

a resident might have, and I ensure

there’s something suitable for everyone.

Whether it’s low salt, low sugar, low

fat, or increased fat, as well as modified

foods for those who need them – it’s a

central part of person-centred care.

How do you care for residents with

dementia?

We provide a range of specially modified

foods, all made fresh right here in our

kitchen. But it’s not just about the food;

it’s the whole dining experience. We

use brightly coloured cloths and special

utensils to help residents living with

dementia feel comfortable and dignified.

Lisa Whymark

We also use ‘show me, tell me’ plates –

a plated up example of the food on offer

at each mealtime – which allows those

living with dementia to make choices for

themselves.

What’s your most popular dish?

It’s probably something really traditional

– cottage pie or shepherd’s pie with fresh

vegetables – liver and bacon is also really

popular.

What’s your favourite dish?

Honestly, I like everything and will

always try something different if it is

served up.

How do you make the dining

experience special for residents and

their families?

We want every meal to feel like a special

occasion and are constantly working

to improve the experience here at Aria

Court – we currently have a special

programme ongoing – Mealtime

Champions.

At its core, the Mealtime Champions

concept revolves around presentation,

service, portion sizes and individuality.

Each meal is crafted to be more than just

sustenance; it’s an occasion to be eagerly

anticipated and thoroughly enjoyed.

Whether it’s a hearty breakfast or an

elegant dinner, every dish is prepared

with attention to detail.

The implementation of the Mealtime

Champions scheme involves me giving

some simple yet effective training for the

team members, equipping them with the

tools and techniques to enhance each

meal’s presentation.

There are hints about how to get the

best looking mashed potatoes on the

plate and garnishes to add before serving

– whether it’s a sprig of fresh herbs

grown in the Aria Court garden or a

lemon twist, these subtle touches add an

extra layer of delight to the dining table.

Families are always welcome to come

in and eat at Aria Court; they can use

our café area at the front of the home to

eat with their loved one and this gives

the feeling of going out for a meal.

We always celebrate birthdays with a

special meal or cake which the catering

team take turns in making.


The Ontex Care Hero is…

Carly Pounder takes home the third of the runner-up certificates for this

year’s Ontex Care Heroes Award, along with a £250 Love2Shop voucher

care heroes | care

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. The Ontex Care Heroes

Award seeks out and recognises those

who go beyond the job description.

Whether it’s the gardener who brings

residents their favourite biscuits or a

housekeeper who helps residents to

rediscover their hobbies, the award is

designed to shine a spotlight on those

who bring a little bit of extra joy into the

care world.

“We’re excited to again sponsor Care

Heroes,” said Ontex marketing manager

Nicole Fenton. “It was tricky selecting

the winners due to the many worthy

nominations submitted. Our winners

really have gone above and beyond in

the workplace, so it’s lovely that they are

recognised by their colleagues, residents

or family members who have nominated

them.”

For this year’s Care Heroes Award,

Caring Times invited three runners-up

and the overall winner on stage at the

Care Managers Show at the National

Exhibition Centre in Birmingham at the

end of June to receive their certificates

and prizes.

The winner and runners-up were

selected after what was the most

competitive Care Heroes nominations

process yet.

As well as receiving their certificates,

each of this year’s Care Heroes was

awarded a Love2Shop voucher – £250

for runners-up and £500 for the overall

winner.

Over the past months we have

spotlighted the runners-up and next

month we will feature the winner with a

page in the magazine.

Our third runner-up is Carly Pounder,

senior carer at Care UK’s Cranford

Grange in Knutsford, Cheshire. Here’s

what her colleague had to say about her

admirable dedication to the role: One

resident said of Carly: “She’s a cracker.

Carly Pounder

She looked after me when I first moved

in and has done ever since.”

Carly is a natural carer. Experience

gained through caring for her

grandparents and a mother with cancer

add empathy to her natural abilities.

This benefits residents and their loved

ones because she truly understands their

individual situations.

Ask Carly how she goes about

delivering the extra mile and she will

say that she doesn’t feel she is doing

anything special. “Our home is one big

family, and this is how I view residents

and their families. I treat each one as I

would treat a member of my own family

– to me this is the only way to do my

job.” This is not false modesty, just a

pure understanding of how to provide

an active life full of care and love for

residents.

Ask residents, their families and

colleagues about Carly, and they will say

how much they recognise and appreciate

the exceptional care she provides. Many

residents will only be helped to get ready

by her, and relatives adore her warmth

and approachability. For colleagues

she is the ‘go-to’ source for support,

the example to which they aspire as

she mentors them to become equally

excellent carers.

Carly spends a lot of her time caring

for residents at end-of-life, marrying

her empathy and experience to the

Gold Standard Framework. For many

residents, it is her care that supports

them in the final stage of their lives. An

example is a gentleman who came to the

home and initially struggled to settle –

he viewed it as a ‘gilded cage’. Through

her gentle enthusiasm, Carly brought

him out of his shell. He began to love

activities (especially quizzes) and became

a participant rather than a bystander. He

looked forward to his daily walks with

Carly, and on the day he died the last

thing he did was give her a hug. Deputy

manager Jennifer Hartley says: “There is

no doubt that Carly enriched the final

period of this resident’s life.”

From doing nails and hair, to spending

time with every resident attending to

their every need, to bringing in her

children to the delight of them and

residents, Carly plays her role with joy,

which radiates out to all. Carly says: “I

just want every resident to feel loved,

happy and safe. Their smiles are reward

enough for me.”


care | norrms’ blog

Repeating and forgetting

Regular columnist Norrms McNamara reflects

on what it’s like to live with dementia

Atypical week in our house goes

a little like this: my wife says:

“You’ve left the bathroom light

on”, or “You haven’t locked the front

door, you’ve left the cooker on, you

have left the tap running, you haven’t

emptied the bathroom sink, your shoes

don’t belong there, what did I say about

this last week? Remember we had a

conversation about this?” And so it

goes on.

Now I can’t speak for everybody

else with dementia, but I would bet

a royal sum of money that most of

them scream inside their heads: “I’ve

got dementia! What part of that don’t

you understand, just as I do?” And so

it goes on. Whose fault is that? Mine?

Dementia`s? Or my wife’s for not being

understanding?

Well, some might be surprised to

hear it’s certainly not my wife’s, as this

is what we call normal life and things

like that are said, every day in every

household, dementia or not. I have

to say I absolutely cringe when I hear

the, mmm… what should I call them?...

the ‘advisors’ shall we say, that say and

publish things like: “Things not to say

or do when talking to someone with

dementia” and at the top of the list

every single time is: “Never disagree

with someone with dementia”.

Now, let’s get this into perspective

and speak as we find. If you, I or

anybody else who has been married

for 30-plus years, when suddenly told,

male or female, that you have to stop

disagreeing with your spouse because

they have dementia. Let’s just think

about that for a minute. It is, I would

say, physically impossible to do this as it

comes so naturally to disagree on some

things as you have for the past 30-plus

years. What on earth are these people

thinking about when they publish these

things? Why should things be so very

different for those with dementia? Why

should you tippy toe around someone

when they’re not used to it? Wouldn’t

that be like putting them into a box

and minimalising them? Or would

you maybe just be a little more careful

than usual in what you say, and not be

as critical as you would normally be to

lessen any possible tension. You know,

change a little, but not so much so as

Norrms McNamara

they feel they are living with someone

else. So no, it’s not all the wife’s/

husband’s fault for keeping reminding

them of what they’re forgetting; it’s just

human nature, though the irony isn’t

lost on me in saying they themselves

keep repeating themselves – tee-hee.

The fault lays firmly at dementia’s

door, nobody else’s, just dementia’s, it’s

the disease that makes us forget and

repeat ourselves. It’s dementia that’s

taken away our ability to remember

what we used to, so please, if you want

to shout or cuss, please shout at it, as it’s

really not our fault.

Please remember we don’t choose

to forget these things. We don’t do

it to wind you all up and please put

yourselves in our shoes just for a minute

and imagine if it was you being told

these things consistently, how would

you feel? Every time I am reminded

of what I haven’t done or what I have

forgotten, a little piece of me dies, and

that’s certainly not anybody’s fault but

dementia’s. I don’t blame my wife, I

blame the illness, and the sooner we

drag this age-old disease kicking and

screaming into the 21st century and

laying it bare for all to see for what it is,

the better

Till next time…

Norrms is diagnosed with Lewy bodies

dementia.


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Caring Times, November 2024

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