Caring Times, December 2024

12/2024
December 2024/January 2025 Edition
Robot
revolution
The role of robots in social care
now and in the future
The next generation
Succession planning or your
family-run care business
Acquistions
Grow your care
business carefully
Care heroes
Meet Katie Smith,
our overall winner
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business
25 PASS IT ON
A guide to succession planning for
your family-run care business.
14 LEGAL & REGULATORY
Compliance post-Dash.
20 LEGAL & REGULATORY
How modern slavery legislation
affects care.
24 ACQUISTIONS
Grow your care business safely.

business | welcome
Chief executive officer
Alex Dampier
Chief operating officer
Sarah Hyman
Chief marketing officer
Julia Payne
Interim editor
Charles Wheeldon
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
Investor Publishing Ltd. ISSN 0953-4873
© Investor Publishing Limited 2023
The views expressed in Caring Times are not necessarily
those of the editor or publishers.
Caring Times and the CT® logo are registered trademarks
of Nexus Media Group
@Caring_Times
A taxing time
for care
Those of us hoping for a Budget
sympathetic to the care industry were
hardly dancing with joy as we listened to
Chancellor Rachel Reeves delivering her
speech at the end of October.
For sure, we cannot begrudge the
increases to the National Living Wage
for the younger members of our
profession. And Reeves did promise
that a rise in local authority funding
next year will include at least
£600 million allocated to social care,
but for employers the changes to
National Insurance were something of a
blow, albeit one that we all were braced
for. Christie & Co’s Hannah Haines has
more to say on this in this issue.
And on the subject of tax, James
Brawn, a partner at solicitors firm
Debenhams Ottaway offers some very
useful advice on succession planning for
family-owned care businesses that wish
to continue operating by passing the
business down to the next generation.
James warns of the difficulties caused if
the intentions of the bequeathing party
are not made clear to younger family
members through the correct legal
procedures and paperwork, so that’s well
worth taking note of if this is a situation
that pertains to your care business.
James also partners with his colleague
Millie Raynolds on an article that offers
very sage advice for any of you currently
thinking of adding a further home to
your existing care business.
Also in this issue, law firm Shakespeare
Martineau’s Alex Ryan examines the
findings of the Dash’s review of the
Care Quality Commission and discusses
how care homes can be ready for the
proposed changes, including a list of
eight specific actions you can take to
reduce the chances of the CQC taking
any enforcement action in the first place,
while also putting providers in the best
position to address and remedy any
concerns the regulator may have.
On a rather sad note, it is with
genuine sadness that I have to report
that our regular contributor Norrms
McNamara is finally hanging up his
pen after many years of sharing with
our readers his battle with dementia.
Normms is the founder of dementia
campaign Purple Angel and devotes
his time to publicising the effects of
this cruel condition on its sufferers and
those who care for them. Normms is
a talented writer and communicator
and on a personal note his column has
always been my favourite item in the
magazine. We all wish him the very
best in the future and we thank him
for his marvellous contribution to the
magazine.
This is, of course the final issue of
2024, so it only remains for me to
wish all of our readers a very Happy
Christmas or whichever holiday you
and your families choose to celebrate
– and to wish all of the people in our
incredible industry a truly successful,
prosperous and caring 2025.
Charles Wheeldon
Interim editor
Caring Times
linkedin.com/company/caring-times
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sign up for our newsletter, please
visit our website
caring-times.co.uk
4 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

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CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 5

business | news
News in brief
POLICY & POLITICS
Chancellor to increase social
care spending
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has allocated
extra funding for local government
to spend on social care. In her Budget
speech in October, Reeve said: “To
repair our public services, we also need
to work alongside our mayors and local
leaders. We will deliver a significant
real terms funding increase for local
government next year including
£1.3 billion of additional grant funding
to deliver essential services, with at least
£600 million in grant funding for social
care.”
Providers call for NI review to
prevent “systematic collapse”
More than 125 adult care providers
and sector bodies called for an urgent
review of recent Budget measures to
stave off the “systematic collapse of
community care services”. Providers
Unite is launching a grassroots
campaign to appeal to Chancellor
Rachel Reeves for an immediate review
of National Insurance and National
Living Wage increases to prevent the
collapse of essential services.
As of April next year, employer
National Insurance contributions
will increase from 13.8% to 15%,
with the per-employee threshold at
which employers start to pay National
Insurance reduced from £9,100 to
£5,000 a year. The National Living
Wage will increase by 6.7% for
employees aged 21 and over, and the
National Minimum Wage will rise by
16.3% for 18 to 20 years olds, and 18%
for under-18s and apprentices.
Government policy causing
confusion finds research
Adults are delaying making care plans
and are confused by government policy
towards later-life care, according to
research. A survey of 2,500 over-45s
from financial services provider Just
Group found that that almost half
(47%) said they would delay making
financial plans for residential laterlife
care until the government brings
forward new plans for funding longterm
care.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves
Report reveals critical gaps in
care access
Only 6% of older adults in need of
care receive state or privately funded
home care, according to research from
technology provider Birdie. The survey
of 1,000 adults aged 70 and above who
access care also found 4% receive care
from district nurses and fewer than 1%
live in care homes. This means over 60%
of support takes the form of informal
care provided by families, neighbours
and friends. More than half (53%) of care
recipients said they needed more support.
National Insurance rises could
cause 10% care fees rise
Huge wage bills in the wake of changes
to employers’ national insurance
contributions could cripple some social
care operators, market experts said.
Lizzie Wills, senior partner and
head of private equity at GK Strategy
said: “It will have quite a significant
impact on businesses with a large wage
bill, and it might mean the end of a
few businesses already struggling with
inflationary pressures and rising wages.
From the businesses I’ve spoken with
it’ll certainly impact hiring decisions,
and the extent to which they’re able to
invest in expanding capacity. But PEbacked
businesses tend to be resilient,
with management teams that are
typically agile enough to make the best
of these types of situations.”
Ali Al-Mufti, the founder of Arcadia
Care Homes, estimates it will cost the
one-home group around £30,000 a year
– which is equivalent to a new full-time
employee: “Our contribution of NI on
both salary and pension goes up from
13.8% to 15%, but the bigger issue is
lowering the threshold from £9,100 per
year to £5,000 per year," Al-Mufti said.
Government’s Older People’s
Housing Taskforce publishes
report
The government has published the
report from its Older People’s Housing
Taskforce. Key recommendations in
the taskforce report include:
1. A new national strategy for an
ageing population.
2. Reform of the planning system
including:
• Revisions to the National Planning
Policy Framework to strengthen
the need for older people’s housing,
with language that gives significant
weight to the urgency of provision.
• A planning presumption in favour of
new developments for older people’s
housing.
• Proper assessments of housing need
for older people.
• Measures to address the viability
restraints that impact the delivery of
new retirement schemes.
6 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

news | business
74 and 91 and an 86-year-old woman –
are still being treated as unexplained.
The governments’s Older People’s Housing Taskforce has reported
3. Expansion of the role of Homes
England including:
• Set a target of 10% of delivery
through the Affordable Homes
Programme for older people’s
housing.
• Review and expand funding for the
Older People’s Shared Ownership
scheme run by Homes England for
people who are unable to afford
the full price of a new retirement
property.
FINANCE
Broadwood launches £100m
credit fund for later-living
Alternative lender Broadwood
Capital has secured backing from
asset manager Aviva Investors for
a dedicated sustainable later-living
credit fund. The Broadwood Later
Living Sustainable Construction
Finance Fund will provide finance for
the development of new care homes
and later-living residential properties,
which meet selected environmental
and sustainability criteria. The debt
fund will provide developers with loans
of up to 90% of total cost and 75%
of value, to support the ground up
construction of new-build property.
Allica Bank targets £100 million
in new healthcare lending in
2025
Allica Bank, a business bank catering
to established small and medium
enterprises, is aiming to lend
£100 million to the care home and day
nursery sectors next year. Allica has cut
its commercial mortgage rates for care
home properties across the board and
enhanced its maximum loan-to-value
for new entrants. This will allow it to
support more operators, including
experienced professionals and new
entrants to the market.
SUPPLIER NEWS
Woman released without
charge following care home
deaths
A woman arrested following the deaths
of three residents at a care home in
Swanage has been released without
charge. The 60-year-old woman was
arrested on suspicion of manslaughter
as part of initial enquiries into
the deaths, but following further
investigative work, she has now been
released from the investigation without
charge.
Detective chief inspector Neil
Third, of the major crime investigation
team, said: “To enable us to take a
full account and recover any available
evidence, while providing legal
protection to the person, we made
an arrest as part of our enquiries. The
arrest was also made to establish where
there were any actions or omissions by
that individual that were believed to
be grossly negligent and we have now
reached a position where we do not
believe that to be the case.”
Dorset Police received a report on
23 October regarding the death of
three residents at the Gainsborough
Care Home, owned by Agincare. The
deaths of the residents – two men aged
Care manager launches home
care business
Care manager Gurprit Gill has
launched a Walfinch home care service
in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham. Gill
started as a carer in 2010, working her
way up to the position of care manager.
After 16 years in the care sector, and
achieving a level 5 qualification in care
management, she has launched her own
care business as a Walfinch franchisee.
TRAINING
University to develop care
workers as osteoporosis
champions
Queen Margaret University in
Edinburgh is to provide free training
on osteoporosis to staff in care homes.
The university aims to develop a
community of osteoporosis champions
as part of its Lydia Osteoporosis
Project to raise awareness of the
condition within the sector.
TECHNOLOGY
New phone service for care
homes resident
Care home technology firm GHM
Care has launched a new resident
telephone service. The service uses
digital technology to avoid cabling
and long-term contracts. The new
phones bypass the need for a physical
telephone line and instead use the
internet to make and receive calls.
Residents can access rolling 30-day
contracts, get free calls, and the big
button phones arrive fully configured.
Residents and their families can order
handsets directly.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 7

business | real estate & development
Property news
styling and pedicures at the on-site
salon, newspapers, chiropody and
accompanied healthcare visits.
in Cannock. Staffordshire, a Goodrated
home registered to provide
residential and nursing care for up to
45 residents. The two-storey purposebuilt
home has been owned by Ramesh
Dalton and Ravi Selliah since 2013.
First-time buyers, husband-and-wife
team Sveta and Darpan Patel, have
purchased Manor House Care Home in
Liskeard, Cornwall, which caters to up
to 16 older people, including those with
dementia. The home has been owned
and operated by retiring Bob and Nicki
Broadhurst for the past 21 years.
Smart Care Homes has acquired
Mannamead Care, a group of four care
homes and an independent living unit
in Plymouth, Devon. Combined they
are registered for 156 residents in the
category of residential dementia care
and nursing. The vendors are Phil and
Tonya Gerry who established the group
more than 20 years ago.
A Qualia Care home, the 73-bedroom
St Mary’s Nursing Home in Moston,
Manchester, has been sold to Vriddhi
Investments, which is backed by Agha
Group, on behalf of the administrator
Griffins. This is the first of the care
group’s 14 homes, which were initially
funded through a Ponzi scheme, to be
sold following a landmark High Court
ruling in September.
Real estate fund Elevation Healthcare
Properties has completed the sale and
leaseback of Henbrook House care home
in St Neots, Cambridgeshire, which is
let to Connaught Care on a long-term
lease with RPI-linked escalator with cap
and collar. The home, which opened in
May this year, has 69 en suite wetroom
bedrooms and amenities include a bistro,
cinema room, private dining room and
health spa.
A new 66-bed luxury care home opened
in Scarborough, North Yorkshire,
offering residential, dementia and
respite care. Cayton View Care Home
is a purpose-built development offering
all-inclusive provision including hair
Inspired Villages is to develop
a retirement village in Stamford,
Lincolnshire. A 14.7-hectare
development site will feature an
integrated retirement community,
designated commercial area, a mixeduse
area, and a range of residential
properties, including affordable homes,
plus areas of green and open space.
Regional operator Northgate
Healthcare has purchased a care home
Husband-and-wife first-time buyers
Baksho and Onkar Hayer have
purchased Alban House Residential
Care Home in Ilfracombe, Devon,
which provides accommodation
and care for up to 23 older people,
including those living with dementia,
learning disabilities and other mental
health needs, and younger adults
with physical disabilities, including
neurological conditions. For the past 25
years Alban House has been owned and
operated by David Svenson.
Development finance lender Atelier
has provided a £23.6 million facility to
develop a vacant purpose-built 119-bed
care home in London. The 30-month
development loan will assist with the
8 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

real estate & development | business
construction cost. This development loan
follows the provision of a £9.8 million site
acquisition bridge facility, which funded
the purchase of the asset earlier this year.
Nottinghamshire. Established in 2009,
Newcastle-under-Lyme-based Lovett
Care provides elderly care homes across
England and Wales in 16 homes with
1,091 care beds. The combined group
will have a portfolio of 31 homes
providing 2,148 care beds.
nursing support. It has been owned by
Hallmark Luxury Care Homes for 27
years. Business property advisor Christie
& Co facilitated the sale.
International alternative asset fund
management group Bridgepoint has sold
care home provider Care UK which
it bought in 2010. On the back of the
transaction, Care UK’s homes will be
run by an operating company that has
been acquired by company management.
Financial details of the transaction have
not been disclosed. Care UK operates
163 care homes across the UK, having
more than doubled its estate under
Bridgepoint ownership from 59 at entry.
Hartford Care has entered into a
partnership with the Highwood Group
to develop a residential care home
in Fordingbridge, Hampshire. The
new 70-bedroom care home will offer
dementia care, residential care, nursing
care, respite breaks and end of life care.
Property developer Zephyr X
has purchased and commenced
groundworks for a senior living
development in Bishop’s Waltham,
Hampshire, featuring 66 en suite
bedrooms, spacious communal lounges,
dining areas and secure gardens. In
partnership with builder Beechcroft,
the site will also feature 19 two-, three-,
and four-bedroom houses, creating a
senior living community that caters to
independent and assisted-living needs.
Hamberley Neurocare has
opened a specialist neurological
rehabilitation centre in Camberley,
Surrey, which offers advanced care
and neurorehabilitation services for
individuals recovering from brain
injuries, spinal injuries, and a wide
range of neurological conditions.
Jaimon Lukose has purchased
Oaklands Care Home in Kirk
Hammerton, North Yorkshire from
Maria Mallaband Care Group.
Oaklands is registered with the Care
Quality Commission to provide
care for up to 44 service users. It has
spacious outdoor areas.
Lovett Care has acquired Cheshirebased
luxury care home operator New
Care, which has a portfolio of 15
facilities providing 1,057 care beds
in Cheshire, Merseyside, Lancashire,
Greater Manchester, Yorkshire and
Basanta Nepal of Dreams Care Homes,
who operates two elderly care homes in
Southeast Wales, has purchased Cherry
Tree Care Home in Caldicot, a purposebuilt
home that provides care for up to
41 residents requiring residential and
Signature Senior Lifestyle, in
partnership with Elevation, has
completed the debt financing and
construction agreements to support the
development of three wholly-owned
sites into new senior living communities
within the Greater London area. The
purpose-built sites in Enfield, Surbiton
and Hornchurch will add around 90
beds each to the local market. The
developments will open to residents in
2026.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 9

business | personnel
People moves
Care worker Alice Jacobs has been appointed activities coordinator
at Camelot Care’s Camelot House and Lodge in
Wellington, Somerset, after 10 years’ experience as a healthcare
assistant. Jacobs has worked for most of the past decade at a
nursing home in Exeter, as part of a team that also included
Zillah Oakes, who now manages Camelot House and Lodge.
Camelot Care also has care homes in Bridgwater, Plymouth and
Yeovil and a fifth due to open next year in Holsworthy.
Beverley Murray
Athena Care Homes has appointed Beverley Murray as home
manager at Langdon House in Cambridge, where she began her
career in care 25 years ago, starting as a carer. Murray worked her
way up to assistant manager at Langdon House before moving
to another care home and then to Alex Wood House, Langdon’s
sister home, where she was a night team leader for five years.
Most recently, she was a home manager in Cambridge, spending
nine years leading the team.
Suzanne Evans
Andrew Fyfe
Business property advisor Christie & Co has appointed Andrew
Fyfe as an associate director in its care team in Scotland, to
handle key healthcare transactions across Scotland alongside
established broker, Martin Daw. Fyfe has experience working
in the healthcare sector across the UK, and in Scotland in
particular. In his previous role, he provided consultancy
services on UK sites with a focus on care and senior living. He
is also the founder and chair of The Scottish Housing-with-
Care Taskforce, which he set up in July 2021 to establish why
Scotland is falling behind other countries in housing-with-care
provision for older people. He is currently speaking with several
MSPs on the topic and producing new research.
The former Deer Park Care Home in Holsworthy, Devon, which
was acquired in September by Camelot Care, is to reopen early
in the new year as Deer Park Nursing Home with Suzanne Evans
as the manager. Evans has 20 years’ care sector experience and
spent the past decade managing Halwill Manor Nursing Home
in Beaworthy, Devon. Before that, Evans had a career in human
resources within banking corporations in London.
Alison Fallowfield
Alice Jacobs
Claremont House and Lodge care home in Caister-on-Sea,
Norfolk, part of the Healthcare Homes Group, has appointed
Alison Fallowfield as manager. Fallowfield has more than
four decades of experience in healthcare and a background in
nursing. She began her career in 1981 as an enrolled nurse and
earned a degree in adult nursing and holds certifications in
ophthalmology, dementia care, and mentorship
10 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

personnel | business
Kate Deakin
Property group Eddisons has appointed Kate Deakin as a
director in its valuation team based in the company’s Manchester
office. Deakin has more than two decades’ property industry
experience and joins the firm from commercial real estate
company Cushman and Wakefield. Deakin will carry out
valuations and provide strategic property advice for a range of
healthcare providers including nursing and specialist care homes,
children’s day nurseries, pharmacies, dentists and GP surgeries.
Also joining the Eddisons valuation team in Manchester are
surveyor Malcolm Kilpatrick and graduate surveyor Jack
Mayfield.
Renata Sulugiuc
Handford House Care Home in Ipswich, part of the Healthcare
Homes Group, has appointed Renata Sulugiuc as its new
home manager. Sulugiuc has more than 14 years' experience as a
registered nurse and managing nursing homes.
Rachel Smith-Harrison
Danielle Thurman
Milewood, which provides living services for adults with
disabilities, has appointed Danielle Thurman as registered
manager for Oakwood House, Cedar Lodge and Beechwood
House, three residential care properties in Chesterfield,
Derbyshire. Thurman’s responsibilities include governance and
safeguarding in line with Care Quality Commission standards,
ensuring compliance, and managing staff and individual
performance. Thurman has more than 20 years’ experience
in the health and social care sector, beginning her career as a
care assistant and has worked within specialist care settings in
the East Midlands for 18 years. Most recently, she undertook
consultancy work in turnaround management, reinforcing her
foundation in governance and operational oversight. Thurman
holds an NVQ Level 5 in higher leadership management for
adult social care and children services.
Healthcare Homes Group has appointed Rachel Smith-
Harrison as home manager of Blandford Grange Care Home
in Blandford Forum, Dorset. Smith-Harrison has more than
20 years’ experience in the healthcare sector. She began her
career as a nurse in 1997, progressing through various roles to
become a leader in care home management. Since 2020, she has
focused on residents in nursing homes.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 11

business | politics & policy
Pressure on care employers
Hannah Haines, head of healthcare consultancy at Christie & Co, examines the
Budget and the increasing financial burden on the adult social care sector
On 30 October, Rachel Reeves
presented her first autumn
Budget. In this significant
announcement, Reeves laid out some
monumental changes, including a 6.7%
increase in the National Living Wage
to £12.21 for those aged 21 and over,
an increase in employers' National
Insurance contributions by 1.2% to
15%, and a drop in the level at which
employers start paying NI on each
employee’s salary from £9,100 a year to
£5,000.
The compounding effects of these
rises will undoubtedly negatively affect
businesses across our sectors, especially
those whose services are systemically
underfunded, namely the local
authority funded elderly care home
sector.
The government also promised a rise
in local authority funding next year,
taking spending from £11.4 billion to
£14.3 billion. This will include at least
£600 million allocated to social care,
however it’s unclear where this funding
will be allocated, but we know that
funding is disproportionately awarded
to children’s and younger persons
services. The adult social care sector is
an incredibly resilient sector and has
overcome a challenging four years, with
credit to the operators and staff.
Wage costs in adult social care
In response to the Budget, Care
England estimates that the sector faces
an additional funding hole of around
£2.4 billion to plug. Utilising data from
“The adult social care
sector is an incredibly
resilient sector and
has overcome a
challenging four years,
with credit to the
operators and staff.”
“The efforts the sector
has made to manage
spending will have
effectively been replaced
by another cost pressure.”
Skills for Care alongside our latest
Christie & Co wage rate benchmarks,
we estimate that, as of 1 November
this year, the additional employee wage
costs for elderly care homes (residential
and nursing) could be more than
£1 billion.
With current national elderly care
home benchmarks (local authority
and private) of around £1,100 average
weekly fee, 88% occupancy and 60%
staff cost margins, we estimate that
the overall increased spending will
shift staff cost margins up to 64% and
above. While this will vary case by case,
it is especially disappointing when
placed into context that this level is
approaching where staff cost margins
were a year ago when agency costs were
significantly higher. The efforts the
sector has made to manage spending
will have effectively been replaced by
another cost pressure.
Off the back of the 8% to 9% fee
rate increases across both funded and
private residents in the last financial
year, further (and generous) increases
are required to counter the impact that
the budget will have, alongside any
further cost inflationary increases come
April next year.
The future impact on the sector
We expect to see both the local
authority-funded and privately-funded
markets affected here, with local
authority-reliant services seeing the
greatest negative financial impact where
fee rates are typically lower. Many
homes may become unviable without
the necessary funding support, which
will hopefully be outlined in the NHS
Hannah Haines
“The industry is
responding rapidly to
the Budget, and we
look forward to how
conversations progress
over the coming months
and with anticipation of
the 10-year plan.”
10-year plan, however the lack of direct
comment on social care in the Budget
does not invite optimism.
Private/mixed funding homes may
choose to offset this additional cost
onto private fee-paying residents, which
comes with its own social challenges.
Off the back of two years of high
inflation rates, the uplifts observed this
year have been perceived to be palatable
and accepted amid the cost of living
crisis. With inflation now significantly
lower, the message to recover this
increased cost needs to be carefully
curated.
The industry is responding rapidly to
the Budget, and we look forward to how
conversations progress over the coming
months and with anticipation of the
10-year plan. You can have your say
through the Change NHS survey.
12 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

continuing professional development | business
Develop your digital skills
Jane Brightman, director of workforce strategy at Skills for Care, rounds up the
resources available to support your organisation with building digital confidence
and developing digital skills
Digital skills are crucial in adult
social care because they enhance
the quality and efficiency of care
delivery. As the sector evolves, digital
competence is becoming increasingly
important for meeting the growing
demands of modern care.
The ‘Workforce Strategy for Adult
Social Care’, which launched in July,
highlighted a 2021 review which found
basic digital skill gaps in the social care
workforce. The strategy went on to
make several recommendations aimed at
helping to improve digital skills across the
sector.
To support the goals of the strategy,
Skills for Care is running a campaign
called ‘Building digital confidence’, which
focuses on helping adult social care staff
become more confident with digital
technology.
We have put together several resources
to help social care organisations looking
to improve their digital abilities.
“Digital skills are crucial
in adult social care
because they enhance
the quality and efficiency
of care delivery.”
Digital Skills Framework
The Digital Skills Framework helps
adult social care providers and staff build
essential digital skills, improving service
delivery and care outcomes. It offers
guidance, tools and resources to identify
training needs and boost confidence in
using technology in care settings.
The framework supports the
government’s commitment in ‘Next steps
to put People at the Heart of Care’ to
provide a ‘comprehensive digital learning
offer’ for the adult social care sector.
Digitising Social Care
The Digitising Social Care website,
managed by NHS England and the
Department of Health and Social Care,
provides guidance to support digital
innovation in adult social care. This
website offers clear, up-to-date advice to
help care providers enhance care quality
and safety through digital transformation.
Digital leadership programme
The digital leadership programme for
registered managers and deputy managers
supports leaders in adult social care to
enhance their digital skills and lead digital
transformation in their organisations.
It offers tailored learning, tools and
strategies to help leaders drive innovation
and improve care through technology.
Jane Brightman
Digital skills e-learning
We’ve developed a suite of free-toaccess
‘bitesize’ digital skills e-learning
modules, in line with the Digital Skills
Framework. The modules are designed
to support people working in adult
social care to gain knowledge and
understanding on how digital, data and
technology are used in the sector.
Registered manager webinars
Our registered manager webinars
are delivered to a live audience and
recorded for further viewing whenever
is convenient for you. Previous digital
themed webinars include:
• Digital social care records.
• I wish I knew then what I know now –
sharing lessons and learnings from early
adopters of digital approaches.
• Change management – sharing lessons
and learnings from managers leading
digital change in their services.
• I’m a technophobe, get me out of here
– taking the fear out of digital for social
care managers.
• How can technology support the
delivery of care?
• Supporting digital leadership in adult
social care.
Find more support and
information on Skills for Care’s
#BuildingDigitalConfidence landing page.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 13

business | legal and regulatory
Compliance post-Dash
Law firm Shakespeare Martineau’s dispute resolution legal director Alex Ryan
examines the findings of the Dash review of the Care Quality Commission and
discusses how care homes can be ready for the proposed changes
The recent comprehensive
review into the Care Quality
Commission, led by Dr Penny
Dash, sheds light on several operational
flaws and points to a regulatory body
struggling to fulfil its core mandate.
Over the years, we have witnessed
first-hand how regulatory inefficiencies
and opaque processes can put undue
strain on operators, both financially
and operationally.
It’s clear that while the CQC has a
critical role to play, it must adapt swiftly
to earn back the trust of care providers.
Findings – a regulator strained
and struggling
The CQC plays a crucial role in
ensuring health and social care services
in England provide safe, effective and
compassionate care, and have a number
of enforcement powers available to
them to make sure this is done.
However, recent years have seen
growing concerns about its operational
efficiency and credibility within the
sector, and Dash’s review was initiated
to identify areas for improvement.
The review highlighted a significant
reduction in the CQC’s inspection
activities, with 6,700 conducted last
year, compared to around 15,800 in
2019. This drop has led to backlogs
in new registrations and delays in
re-inspections, affecting the quality of
care that can be provided.
The introduction of new IT systems
since 2021 was intended to streamline
operations, but has instead compounded
“It’s clear that while
the CQC has a
critical role to play, it
must adapt swiftly to
earn back the trust of
care providers.”
frustrations and hampered the rollout of
the Single Assessment Framework.
These key findings, teamed with a
shift to generalist inspectors following
the 2023 restructuring, has left many
providers feeling that the CQC no
longer understands the intricacies of its
sector, further eroding confidence.
Recommendations and the path
forward
To overcome some of the issues
identified in the report, Dash made
seven key recommendations, each
aimed at restoring the CQC’s
operational effectiveness and improving
its relationship with providers.
These include increasing the number
of inspections to reduce the backlogs,
addressing issues with the new IT
systems, restoring sector-specific
expertise and enhancing engagement
with stakeholders.
While ambitious, these
recommendations reflect a clear
path forward – one that prioritises
consistency, clarity and a renewed focus
on relationship-building.
Perhaps the most crucial
recommendation, from a legal
perspective, is improving the quality
and timeliness of inspection reports.
Delays in report processing not only
undermine the regulator’s credibility
but also leave care homes in regulatory
limbo, limiting their ability to respond
effectively. Timely, clear and actionable
reports are essential for care homes
to uphold high standards of care and
comply with evolving regulations.
What care homes can do now
to prepare
While the review has highlighted a
number of issues, many of which will
not come as a surprise to providers, the
real question is now what will be done
to resolve these and how will this affect
providers and the quality of care?
Here are several steps providers can
consider to prepare for the evolving
Alex Ryan
regulatory landscape:
1. Stay up to date – review the new
quality statements and understand
the criteria CQC inspectors
will use. This includes area like
learning culture, safe systems and
environmental sustainability. Care
homes can also keep up to date with
CQC updates and guidance by
signing up for bulletins and attending
relevant webinars or training sessions.
2. Reevaluate policies and procedures
– conduct a thorough review of
internal processes to identify areas
that need improvement to meet the
CQC’s new standards.
3. Enhance documentation and
compliance – ensure processes
are meticulously documented and
evidence of compliance is readily
accessible. This will be essential
for inspections and, crucially,
demonstrate good faith efforts in any
disputes.
4. Invest in IT infrastructure – digital
compliance is becoming increasingly
critical. Care homes should invest in
systems that align with the CQC’s
digital requirements. This includes
implementing digital auditing and
reporting tools and providing staff
with training on new IT systems to
14 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

“Perhaps the
most crucial
recommendation, from
a legal perspective, is
improving the quality
and timeliness of
inspection reports.”
ensure smooth adoption and usage.
5. Prioritise staff training and retention
– the regulatory landscape may
place greater demands on staff. To
avoid compliance pitfalls, focus on
ongoing training and professional
development to ensure staff are wellprepared
for inspections and other
regulatory engagements. Information
about the new CQC framework
should also be shared with all staff
members, and be a regular agenda
item in team meetings.
6. Engage in mock inspections –
conducting regular mock inspections
can be an effective way to identify
potential areas of concern. This
allows for corrective actions before
an official CQC inspection.
7. Focus on stakeholder relations –
building and maintaining positive
relationships with CQC inspectors
and other stakeholders is essential.
A transparent approach and open
dialogue with CQC representatives
can help address issues early and
encourage a cooperative regulatory
environment.
8. Gather feedback – set up and
monitor systems for collecting
feedback from residents, families
and staff. Use this feedback to make
continuous improvements.
Taking the above steps will reduce
the chances of the CQC taking any
enforcement action in the first place,
while also putting providers in the best
position to address and remedy any
concerns the regulator may have.
It also goes without saying that
adopting such processes will inevitably
give providers comfort they are
providing the best care possible.
Legal readiness – navigating
enforcement and disputes
It also remains to be seen how the
CQC will exercise its enforcement
powers going forward, given the
level and severity of prosecutions has
recently surged.
Our most recent analysis shows the
CQC’s prosecution rate of care homes
and other registered providers is up
700% and at their highest level since
the healthcare regulator’s introduction
15 years ago. In addition, the total
fines levied by the CQC have also
seen a dramatic rise. Between 2009
and 2013, prosecuted care homes
and registered providers were fined a
total of £650,973. However, in the
five years leading up to 2023, the
figure skyrocketed to more than
£10.6 million.
This shift signals a more assertive
approach by the regulator and the
severe financial consequences of failing
to meet regulatory requirements is one
care homes cannot afford to ignore.
Should your care home face
enforcement action, it’s vital to respond
thoughtfully and swiftly. Knowing
when and how to contest a regulatory
decision can be the difference between
a minor adjustment and a significant
operational setback. Having access to
legal support, such as early consultation
with a solicitor, can help care homes
navigate complex compliance issues,
present mitigating factors and engage
constructively with the CQC.
Move forward with a proactive
approach
The CQC’s review findings confirm
what many in the sector have already
suspected. However, with Dash’s
recommendations, there’s a path forward.
For care homes, this means
adapting to the probable changes and
maintaining a proactive approach to
compliance. Strengthening internal
processes, investing in staff training and
engaging actively with the CQC are
all steps that will pay dividends as the
regulatory landscape evolves.
Ultimately, by embracing the
upcoming changes and preparing
accordingly, care homes can continue
to provide high-quality care while
reducing the risks associated with
regulatory scrutiny.
The CQC has a chance to regain the
trust of the sector, and providers should
be ready to meet it halfway, setting a
standard of excellence that ultimately
benefits residents, families and care
professionals across England.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 15

business | finance
A rapidly shifting landscape
Jimmy Johns, director of corporate debt advisory, healthcare, at commercial broker
Christie Finance, outlines factors that need consideration when financing the care sector
This article takes a focused
look at the financial markets
that support the care sector,
considering the current funding
landscape and sentiment in the market.
For the past two years, writing any
kind of blog or opinion on the care
sector and its supporting financial
markets has been somewhat of a
challenge – there is a rapidly changing
landscape with political, economic,
regulatory and global issues all
influencing the facets within the day-today
operations of a care business.
The sector, which delivers front line
service and care to people who can be
at their most vulnerable, constitutes a
vital part of healthcare provision in the
UK. It has been well documented that
the UK has an ageing population, with
higher needs and earlier diagnosis of
conditions leading to support. Alongside
subsequent referrals, there is an increase
in demand on providers. Christie &
Co data suggests that by 2034, 21% of
the population could be aged over 65,
equating to 16 million people.
When exploring funding, any operator
or new entrant has to consider the
noise that is in the sector, whether it is
regulatory, economic or political.
Existing operators
Established operators will see
opportunities in potential homes to
improve them or increase their value. If
this is to be the case, due diligence must
be done. In most instances clear financial
“When exploring
funding, any operator
or new entrant has
to consider the
noise that is in the
sector, whether it is
regulatory, economic
or political.”
forecasts and operational strategy will be
essential for a successful lend.
More so than ever, existing operators
need to be prepared to act on a potential
acquisition. Although in general terms
lenders will not provide a ‘blank cheque’,
from our experience we are supporting
clients with an assessment of their
current business alongside any potential
target, providing confidence to agents
and sellers that offers are deliverable.
According to Christie & Co’s
market analysis, supply and demand is
increasing, especially for the small to
medium groups. 63% of completions
of care homes in the first half of this
year were between 20 and 59 beds,
subsequently being sold to 30%
independent and 32% small to medium
groups.
29%
Purchasers of care homes
H1 2024
(source: Christie & Co’s
‘Care market review 2024’)
n First-time buyers
n Independent
32%
9%
n Small/medium groups
n Large groups & corporates
30%
The supply of homes into the market
of between 20 and 59 bedrooms has
remained consistent, however the
demand from operators to acquire has
increased by 11% year-on-year, from
38% in 2023 to 43% in 2024. Typically,
Jimmy Johns
these operators will want to acquire the
larger homes of 35-plus beds, potentially
of a better quality than their existing
assets.
This strategy of acquisition and
demand is further supported by Christie
& Co data through 2023, and the first
half of 2024, remaining at its highest
since 2021.
This demand has caused values to
remain solid and multiple bids on
targets. When seeking to expand
portfolios, operators will need to be well
prepared with funding strategy. This
is an area where Christie Finance has
supported multiple clients, making sure
they are financially fit to acquire.
New entrants
For new entrants the key areas to focus
on will be the quality of experience or
management team. Lenders will seek
confidence in how well a new entrant
can operate its first acquisition, what
its career history is, and what direct
experience it can bring.
The next focus should be on the target
acquisition. What is the quality of the
current service provision? What is the
regulatory rating? What is the financial
performance? Is the current management
and senior management remaining?
The funding market is still challenging
to navigate for first-time buyers,
16 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

finance | business
Deal volumes
(source: Christie & Co’s ‘Care market review 2024’)
Christie & Co completion volumes
H1
2020
H1
2020
H1
2021
H2
2021
H1
2022
H2
2022
H1
2023
H2
2023
H1
2024
however we have supported many to acquire their first home.
Preparation is key to a successful funding application. A lot
of our process is to understand fully a clients’ plans with any
potential target.
Key takeaways on the market
Overall, the sentiment and transactional analysis from Christie
& Co’s ‘Care market review’ suggest the market remains
buoyant, however there is an increasing supply pressure for
potential buyers. There has been a decrease in first-time buyers,
which could be due to the decrease in homes below 20 beds and
a lack of medium providers being able to acquire or upgrade
their portfolios, thus disposing of their smaller assets.
The finance market has continued its cyclical nature, with
funders changing policies, exiting and returning. This makes
acquiring debt always a challenge, before even getting into
the detail of operation, structure, affordability, regulatory and
quality of the asset.
Over the past 12 months we have seen the Bank of England
base rate continue to fall, alongside contracting debt margins.
Appetite remains strong to support the sector, but heightened
due diligence and lack of understanding by lenders can
sometimes frustrate and protract credit decisions. The ability to
make yourself fit to buy by fully understanding the sector, the
structure of debt, the available funders, and the terms that could
be available to you, will enable you to act quickly when offering
on target.
Christie Finance’s detailed understanding of the sector
and finance landscape helps to support clients with funding
arrangements to achieve their aspirations whether it is to enter
the market, grow their portfolio, refurbish or reinvest.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 17

business | politics & policy
Soundbites or substance?
Health, care and life sciences consultancy Candesic’s senior engagement
manager Jack Zeng and director of communications and content Kirsty
Withams reflect on social care under the new government
Can a change in government make
a real impact on social care, and
in particular elderly care? Has
the new Labour government’s short stint
brought about any changes as yet? What
does the future of social care look like
under it – or is it too soon to tell?
Labour’s first hundred days certainly
produced some great soundbites,
particularly around health and the NHS.
The Prime Minister’s “reform or die”
response to Lord Darzi’s assessment of
the NHS being in “critical condition”
will probably resonate throughout his
leadership. However, the government
has been relatively quiet on social
care, aside from cancelling the social
care charging reforms that would have
capped care costs in England and
expanded eligibility for support.
As we anticipate the introduction of
the National Care Service and a set of
national standards aligned with the NHS,
many questions remain. By examining
the intentions of the Labour government
for the NHS, we can predict one possible
future for the social care sector.
The actionable responses to Lord
Darzi’s report on the condition of the
NHS came in the form of three ‘big
shifts’: hospital to community, analogue
to digital, and sickness to prevention.
So broad are the scope of these three
‘big shifts’ it would not be shocking if
one mistook them as Labour’s intentions
for social care. All three can easily apply
to elderly and adult specialist care.
Hospital to community
Reduction of bed-blocking
Bed-blocking has long been a
challenge, despite efforts from various
governments, the NHS, care providers
and local authorities. The Care Quality
Commissiuon stated that “large
numbers of people are stuck in hospital
longer than they needed to be, due to
a lack of available social care”. The last
published data on delayed transfers
of care from NHS England (February
2020), supported this and showed
that about half of blocked beds were
caused by patients waiting for some sort
of community provision (care home
or home care). Labour’s manifesto
specifically states it “will develop a local
partnership working between the NHS
and social care on hospital discharge”, a
practice already in place to some extent.
Comprehensive discharge planning,
if started from the moment a patient is
admitted, is proven to be effective, but
only when adequate funding is available
and data is shared and communicated
well with all other agencies.
Strengthening multidisciplinary
teams, streamlining processes, and
ensuring better management and data
flow between them are key to preventing
avoidable bottlenecks. Tracking patients
as they progress means that appropriate
transport and care can be updated and
organised in preparation for the patient’s
discharge. Artificial intelligence tools
and predictive analytics can help with
workflows here.
Virtual wards may be able to facilitate
an earlier discharge or even keep them
out of hospital altogether. Virtual
wards and remote monitoring ensure
they are still under the watchful eye of
medical professionals, but able to free
up valuable hospital beds. Some virtual
ward companies coordinate the discharge
services and will begin the process as
soon as they are identified as a candidate,
taking pressure from other members of
the team. Some virtual ward solutions
like Feebris enable clinicians to monitor
remotely and intervene in the community
before hospitalisation is necessary.
Home care trends
Labour’s home-first ethos, part of its
social care promise, aligns with broader
health and care trends. In specialist care,
this has long been the goal. In elderly
care, despite an ageing population
and occupancy rates finally starting to
return to pre-Covid levels, longer-term
trends still indicate a preference for
independence for as long as possible.
Increasingly people prefer to stay at
home, whether independently or in
group accommodation, delaying entry
into traditional care homes.
As people enter adult elderly care
homes later and with greater, more
complex needs, this shift necessitates
change for both care homes and home
care, presenting some key challenges to
both types of care. Care homes will have
to be prepared to take more high-acuity
care cases, and design and staff future
homes to facilitate this. Of course,
funding also needs to be able to help
facilitate this and ensure the appropriate
level of care.
For home care, carers and caregivers
are also trying to manage significantly
longer than before. Many do not have the
training to deal with more complex needs,
which means it not only becomes more
strenuous both physically and mentally
for the carer, but also could result in
less-than-ideal care outcomes. All of this
is likely to cause significant challenges
for home care groups, and retention is
already a big problem. As a result, there’s
a need for better training, support and
tools made available for home carers and
caregivers to ensure that these future
trends in care can be supported.
Analogue to digital
Digital support
Retention in care is a challenge. Despite
requiring extremely varied and complex
skills, it often competes with other
unskilled industries for staff. Training,
support and career development are key
to retaining staff. Digital tools are having
a real impact on how at least some of
that can be delivered.
Enhanced digital training platforms
like SimConverse currently help
healthcare practitioners develop
consultation and communication skills
in set scenarios. However, something
similar could be provided for caregivers
to practise dealing with specific scenarios
with clients and their families.
AI-powered tools, like CareBrain,
18 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

politics and policy | business
designed specifically for care, can also
provide instant in-the-field support and
training. The closed-loop AI enables
users to ask anything about clients,
their preferences, the care plan, or any
scenario or situation they may encounter.
These types of digital platforms can
provide crucial support and training for
carers, improving care quality.
Digital care records
The adoption of digital technology in
care has been slow, with only 72% of
providers using digital social care records
by July this year, despite ambitions for
80% by March 2024. Though the CQC
is monitoring implementation, it is
not part of the overall inspection and
assessment criteria as yet.
When properly used, digital care
records are beneficial for recording and
reporting client care. Digital platforms
like Nourish can also integrate care
management with digital records,
enhancing care coordination. Access for
family and friends is still in development.
It could follow nursery and primary
education and provide updates on care,
medication and incidents.
Other digital solutions can directly
affect health outcomes. Innovations in
digital imaging solutions like Sensio,
acoustic monitoring like Ally, and smart
devices like Nobi can all help prevent
falls and, where not possible, ensure
staff are aware a service user requires
immediate assistance.
Digital transformation in social care
is essential for improving efficiency and
quality of care. The fragmented nature
of the market has made implementation
challenging, but those who can
successfully create an integrated digital
environment have the potential to deliver
better care outcomes more efficiently.
Sickness to prevention
The third and final shift looks at
sickness prevention, a key component
of which is timely access to care. This
will allow health issues to be addressed
early and in the community, versus later
and in hospitals. Building a stronger
community and primary care networks
alongside previously mentioned virtual
services will be key to this.
The better promotion of healthier
lifestyles will also reduce reliance on
the NHS and care systems. While we
cannot prevent ageing, technology
can help manage health and activities,
even as cognitive decline sets in. This is
particularly true for this first generation
of the elderly who are really tech-savvy.
Smart devices and community
initiatives for healthy meal preparation
and physical therapy can support
healthier living in old age. Although a
70-year-old now may seem to be more
active than a 70-year-old 30 years ago, the
rate of obesity in old age has grown. It is
estimated that 67% of those aged 75-plus
are overweight or obese in England.
Preventive care is a critical component
of Labour’s vision for social care. By
maintaining and promoting healthier
lifestyles, using monitoring technology,
and having remote access to clinicians,
preventative care could help reduce the
incidence of chronic conditions that
require intensive care. These initiatives
not only improve quality of life but also
help alleviate the burden on healthcare
and social care systems.
Challenges and future
directions
The NHS isn’t the only one under
a microscope. Councils are under
huge financial pressure, largely due to
the rising costs of statutory services.
According to cross-party think tank
Demos, spending on adult and child
social care is reported to have risen
from 53% of council expenditure in
2009-10 to over 66% in 2022-23.
Local authorities are expected to face
a projected shortfall of £11 billion by
2029-30.
To address the funding challenges, the
government has announced its intention
to implement rules around profitmaking
in children’s social care. These
measures include the ability to request
financial transparency; if necessary, it
may introduce profit limits. Could this
be expanded to the wider social care
sector? Not likely.
The hospital to community goal can be
achieved in two ways: first, by building
more suitable care homes; the second, by
moving service users from care homes to
home care. Either would allow a better
flow of patients from hospitals back into
the community, but the question is, how
will the government accomplish this?
Will it build its own home care agencies
and care homes after a long period of
minimal involvement? If it doesn’t, then
it will have to rely on the private sector
to invest and expand capacity, but what
incentives are there to invest?
Private investors face a lot of
uncertainty when investing in the care
sector. For example, to open a new care
home, provides need to hire a manager,
register with the CQC, invest either
debt or equity in buying and building
the home, and staff the home, all
without a guarantee local authorities will
utilise the new capacity.
They need to ensure the CQC will
register their home/agency, and they
take on the risk of borrowing the money
or investing their equity in property/
staff/system, all without any guarantee
that when you’ve built the home/
established the home care agency,
commissioners will pay for you to care
for their people. This risk needs to be
compensated for, and the government’s
soundbites give little confidence that will
be the case.
The Labour government has only
been in power since July. In that time, we
have heard much from it, but to expect
change, particularly in a complex area
that needs such delicate balancing, is
probably somewhat unrealistic. Can we
expect big things? Perhaps it really is too
soon to tell, but instead of focusing on the
government’s intentions, we can focus on
innovating and delivering better health
and social care outcomes.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 19

business | legal & regulatory
Modern slavery within care
Aimee Stokes, a barrister and senior associate at law firm Mills & Reeve,
explores the legislation concerning modern slavery and its implications for
and application to the care sector
Areport from the House of Lords
issued in October highlighted a
significant increase in modern
slavery cases in the care sector, with a
400% rise in reported victims, since
the sector was added to the shortage
occupation list.
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 is an
increasingly utilised, comprehensive
piece of legislation which represents
a significant step forward in tackling
modern day slavery in the UK. The
Act consolidates previous offences
relating to slavery and human trafficking
into a single piece of legislation and
increases the maximum penalties for
such offences. For example, the offence
of slavery, servitude and forced or
compulsory labour, contrary to section 1
of the Act, carries life imprisonment.
The Act also introduced two key civil
orders:
1. Slavery and Trafficking Prevention
Orders (STPO), and
2. Slavery and Trafficking Risk Orders
(STRO).
Breach of either order constitutes a
criminal offence, punishable with up to
five years imprisonment.
These orders allow authorities,
such as the police and National
Crime Agency, to apply to restrict
the activities of individuals who pose
“Orders allow
authorities, such
as the police and
National Crime
Agency, to apply to
restrict the activities
of individuals
who pose a risk of
committing offences
under the Act.”
a risk of committing offences under
the Act. These orders go towards the
overarching aim of seeking to protect
vulnerable individuals from harm and
exploitation.
Recent cases
In November last year, an interim
STRO was imposed against a care
service manager in Leicester. The Care
Quality Commission published an
inspection report of the care provider
on 25 May 2022. Of note the report
found “staff were scheduled to provide
unrealistic hours of care which meant
we were not always assured people
received the care and support they
needed”. Further, “another relative told
us, “There’s little conversation and I
don’t really know anything about them
as people”. Thus, raising concerns about
exploitation of employees.
There are limited reported cases, but
this case in particular demonstrates the
significance of CQC inspection reports
in evidencing potential exploitation
before the criminal courts.
What’s the CQC’s position?
The CQC issued a statement in
October last year addressing its role in
tackling modern day slavery and human
trafficking. The statement reiterates
the importance of inspection reports
in safeguarding people from modern
slavery and human trafficking offences.
The statement goes on to highlight
that the CQC applies strict standards
and monitoring to ensure its suppliers
comply with anti-slavery and human
trafficking policies.
This statement coupled with the
increasing number of reports for this
type of offending, raises the question of
whether the regulator could be doing
more to protect the individuals working
within the health and care sector. This
is a timely question in light of the
recently published report of Dr Penny
Dash on the operational effectiveness of
the CQC.
Aimee Stokes
“Collaboration
between the various
investigative
authorities and
the regulator is
paramount for
the effective
implementation
of the aims of the
Modern Slavery Act.”
What can be said is that
collaboration between the various
investigative authorities and the
regulator is paramount for the effective
implementation of the aims of the
Modern Slavery Act. The care sector
continues to have an incredibly high
demand for labour. Individuals working
within the sector and those relying
on its services are some the most
vulnerable members of our society.
Therefore, this is without doubt an
area which is going to require close
supervision in years to come.
20 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

Team effort to go green
Nicky Barnes, operations director at Hartford Care, describes how
the provider is working and investing to build a sustainable future
sustainability matters | business
Sustainability is a hot topic in
the care sector – and rightly so.
No longer just a ‘nice to have’
box ticked, it’s now tied directly
to standards of care, with the Care
Quality Commission having brought
sustainability into its criteria for the
first time.
The regulator’s sustainability quality
statement says: “We understand any
negative impact of our activities on the
environment and we strive to make a
positive contribution in reducing it
and support people to do the same.”
The CQC is now looking for evidence
of green initiatives, carbon reduction,
recycling measures and structured staff
training.
At Hartford Care, we are committed
to building a sustainable future. We are
already achieving this by the continual
investment in our existing homes,
improving our green credentials across
the board, and ensuring our new homes
are energy-efficient.
Our newly built homes which opened
last year – Harlow Hall in Aldershot
and Cotswolds Rise in Swindon –
were designed with sustainability
in mind, with significant renewable
energy elements including solar
panels, heat pumps and battery storage
systems. Our homes currently under
construction in Southampton and
Alton in Staffordshire, and our newly
acquired home in Fordingbridge in
Hampshire, all have the same principles
with industry-leading sustainability
credentials and will be rated BREEAM
Excellent.
We have already invested more than
£8 million in reducing our carbon
footprint and futureproofing our
existing homes. We are undertaking
refurbishment projects across our
homes, including installing loft and
cavity wall insulation, and changing all
lighting to low-energy LEDs. All new
home extensions are being built using
energy-efficient structural insulated
panels, a technology used in Passivhaus
design, which requires less time and
fewer trades onsite, resulting in less
travel and wastage during the build
process.
Further sustainable initiatives have
been put in place, including electric
vehicle charging points being installed
on all newly built care homes and
extensions, a car sharing scheme for
staff, new recycling facilities and a
rewilding biodiversity programme.
We are constantly exploring new
ideas in energy saving technology
and we’re currently investigating the
benefits of smart thermostats and
voltage optimisation. The latter would
mean that as electricity is drawn from
the grid, anything that isn’t used –
rather than going to waste – is stored
and then sold back to the grid, saving
both cost and waste.
While we’re adding substantial social
value to the communities in which
we operate, there are also significant
financial benefits to prioritising
sustainability in the care sector. Over
the past 24 months, our energy usage
is down by 13%. We expect this to fall
to around 50% once the solar energy,
installed in a number of our homes,
starts to benefit us. On average, where
already installed, around 30% of each
home’s energy is now being produced
from the solar panels, ground source
heat pumps and air source heat pumps.
This is great news for Hartford Care;
the costs we save can be ploughed back
into the business to enhance our service
offering and ultimately, reinforce the
high quality of care we already offer our
residents.
Every Hartford Care member of staff–
across all our homes and head office – is
educated on our sustainability journey.
Our residents are also included and kept
up to date with everything that’s going
on and they play their part too. This
grassroots effort, where everyone comes
together in every care home, collectively
makes small, everyday wins, in-turn
supporting our larger goal.
With sustainability increasingly at
the forefront of many people’s minds,
it’s also becoming more important to
our residents and their families when
they are looking for a home. It’s a
powerful selling point and is increasing
our desirability for environmentally
conscious families. Potential new
recruits are also showing an interest and
prioritising sustainability; this means
investing now helps us to continue to
attract the best talent while meeting the
expectations of residents and families.
Sustainability matters for all – to
create a better future and environment
for us all – and future generations – to
live in, with the potential to provide
significant financial benefits going
forward, which will be profound for the
future of the care sector.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 21

business | leader's spotlight
From City consultant to
care operator
Caring Times interviews Paul Nery founder and managing director
of Rose Care Group, which now operates 10 care homes
After he found caring for his
father in his final months
a rewarding experience,
management consultant Paul Nery
knew he had to make the career pivot
into care. Eleven years on, the Rose
Care Group (RCG) has 10 care homes
across the West Country. And Nery has
been doing anything but resting on his
laurels, instead designing an in-house
artificial intelligence software system
for the company. So successful has the
technology been, that the programme
has gone live and already has its first care
home customers across the UK.
How does Rose Care Group set itself
apart from the competition?
We are primarily a private, residential
care home specialist provider. As a
group, our differentiator is our strong
focus on innovation and effectiveness.
For example, I’m a strong believer in
getting results to our residents and staff,
so meetings and working groups involve
only those who can helpfully contribute.
Within those meetings, intelligent,
professional critique is encouraged from
all, and if we commit to a programme we
have to deliver on-time.
Using technology we are able to
survey and reach out to residents and
staff regularly to gauge their opinions
too. Residents and their families
regularly praise our friendly, caring,
well-trained staff, the accessibility of
management and the homely feel of our
care homes. While I know how much
work and effort has gone in to get there,
there is something fantastic about the
simplicity of the result – that we make
people’s lives better and bring them
happiness.
Our staff are proud of the care we
deliver, our investment in training and
our friendly, supportive culture that
gives them many avenues to share their
feelings. Management, in particular,
appreciates the strong operating model
and guidelines we have in place, since
they say it makes them feel safe and
confident in their roles. I have managed
and area-managed homes myself and I
know how hard it can be, so providing
that robust safety harness around our
managers and senior team is critical.
What’s your background and what did
you do prior to Rose?
I was a management consultant working
in the City for several years, helping
to solve complex problems companies
faced. I really enjoyed the intellectual
challenge, client impact and variability
of the work. After several years working
in the City, when I was about 27, my
dad, who was a lot older than mum,
started to fall ill in his last few months
and I left my job and helped mum to
look after him until he passed away. I’d
really enjoyed the difference I’d made
to his life, and mum’s, and I decided to
move into elderly care.
How did you come to found RCG?
It took a couple of years to find my
first home. I wanted to start right and
Paul Nery
buy a good home, so I could learn
good habits early. I bought my first one
in 2012 and then another in 2013. I
learned a lot from those experiences,
and it was around then that I had to
step in and manage the sites, handle
CQC inspections and so on. It was
challenging, but I enjoyed it and so
continued to grow the firm. As we’ve
grown in size, we’ve had to grow up in
approach, becoming better at looking
after our staff, looking after residents
through effective systems and ensuring a
consistent culture throughout. I’m really
proud that we have now expanded to
the 10, Good-rated homes that make up
the group today and we are continuing
to grow.
“I wanted to start
right and buy a good
home, so I could learn
good habits early.”
22 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

What challenges are you finding in
the sector? How are you going about
tackling them?
I tend to think about care through three
lenses: demand, staffing and compliance.
Demand for us remains strong and we
are lucky to be a strongly private-leaning
care group. However, I hear from many
operators that it’s becoming challenging,
not least due to strained council budgets.
As a result, for operators who rely on
a lot of council placements, fee levels
are lower than they would like them to
be to provide all the services they need
to provide, and ensure the compliance
checks are in-place that regulators
expect.
Staffing, in general, seems pretty
decent now, after the post-Covid
struggles, but senior staff are hard to
come by and I think operators, including
us, are refocusing how to upskill
internally and create stepping stone
roles to grow people into positions. For
example, we have created a ‘senior home
manager’ role for promising managers to
learn to multi-site manage in preparation
for area manager roles.
Compliance is good across all RCG
services and we are lucky that our
internal audit team and operations
managers are very diligent in these
aspects. However, the recent reductions
in CQC oversight do pose a compliance
challenge for the wider sector,
especially when combined with the
fee compression I mentioned earlier.
Hopefully, as the CQC restructures,
we will see it resume visits, which I have
heard is picking up again slightly now.
How do you feel about the Labour
government’s handling of social care
so far?
It’s very early doors. Wes Streeting has
talked positively about the need to
recognise social care as an important
sector and not just as a secondary
element to our primary care system, so I
hope he can deliver on that.
“As we’ve grown in
size, we’ve had to
grow up in approach.”
How have your dealings with the
CQC been recently? Do you think it is
genuinely improving in the wake of the
Dash report?
I understand why the CQC wanted
to change its approach and credit to
them for trying a new thing. However,
several of the initiatives, when we did our
internal review and gap analysis, looked
challenging. I think Penny Dash’s interim
report’s findings to refocus on operational
performance, provide named inspectors
and experts, and to review the SAF are
particularly welcome. I also think credit
is due to the CQC which has reacted
positively to the report’s initial findings. I
hope the end result is a strong regulatory
system that helps us to provide the best
care for those we serve.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 23

business | acquisitions
Grow your business safely
James Brawn, a partner and Millie Reynolds, a solicitor, in the corporate and commercial
team at solicitors firm Debenhams Ottaway offer tips on acquiring a care home business
In the context of acquiring a care
home business, there are a variety of
factors that a prudent buyer should
bear in mind so as to enable the level
of risk involved in the acquisition to be
determined and the transaction terms to
be properly negotiated and finalised. Set
out below are some top tips for buyers to
consider in connection with a proposed
care home acquisition.
Give thought to the transaction
structure
Numerous professional healthcare
businesses, such as care home operators,
are structured as limited companies.
Other structures include sole traders,
partnerships and limited liability
partnerships. Where a corporate structure
is involved, there are broadly two
transaction structures: an asset purchase
and a share purchase.
An asset purchase will result in the
buyer stipulating which parts of the
target business it would like to acquire.
The individual assets which comprise
the business (including physical assets,
contracts, intellectual property rights,
goodwill, etc) will be purchased by the
buyer and, as a result, the business will
be acquired as a going concern, allowing
the buyer to continue to operate it postcompletion.
A share purchase will involve the buyer
acquiring the shares of the company
which operates the target business,
including any associated liabilities. It is
often the case that acquisitions in this
sector are carried out via a share purchase
due to the tax implications and it being
simpler from a regulatory perspective.
Legal, tax and accountancy advice is
likely to be required when determining
the optimal structure.
Put in place a set of heads of
terms
Heads of terms are entered into at the
start of a transaction and act as written
confirmation of the key transaction terms
agreed between the parties, as well as
outlining the timetable for completion of
James Brawn
the transaction.
While typically non-binding (subject
to one or two exceptions), heads of
terms help to ensure parties are aligned
throughout the negotiation process and
act to flesh out any ‘showstoppers’ prior
to significant costs being incurred.
Consider requesting exclusivity
The transaction heads of terms may
contain exclusivity provisions, or a
stand-alone exclusivity agreement may be
entered into between the parties during
the preliminary stages. This will ensure
that a potential buyer is able to negotiate
with the seller on an exclusive basis in
relation to a prospective transaction for a
defined period of time.
A potential buyer may seek to be
afforded exclusivity as a comfort
mechanism and to help mitigate risk in
terms of losing out to a rival bidder after
investing time and incurring costs in
connection with the proposed transaction.
Undertake due diligence
Due diligence is the process of
investigating the business being acquired,
and can broadly be broken down into
commercial, financial, tax and legal
workstreams. It is a crucial process, as
it enables a buyer to make an informed
decision as to whether or not to enter into
a potential transaction.
In relation to legal due diligence, some
of the key issues to consider are as follows:
• Regulatory – a thorough review of
the inspection reports undertaken by
the Care Quality Commission should
be carried out, as well as interviews
conducted wirh key personnel,
Millie Reynolds
including the registered manager and
nominated individual.
• Employment and pensions – again, a
thorough review of the employment
practices of the care home including
pensions provision should be
conducted. For example, copies of
all employment contracts or terms
of engagement/supply when agency
staff are used should be requested.
Employment policy documents and
pension-related documentation should
also be considered.
• Contractual obligations – reviewing
existing business-related contracts, such
as those involving catering and IT, is
vital so as to highlight any potentially
onerous ongoing obligations and to
ascertain what impact (if any) the
transaction will have on these and
whether any third party consents will
be required as a result.
• Property – the care home property
itself will be a fundamental element of
the deal and engaging in an extensive
property due diligence exercise is vital.
• Litigation – enquiries should be made
as to whether there are any ongoing or
potential disputes or claims in relation
to the business. Any such dispute
or claim may affect the value of the
business and have other potentially
adverse consequences.
Liaise with the CQC
You should involve the CQC as early as
possible and obtain from it any necessary
consents, approvals or registrations
to ensure that the acquired business
can continue to be operated postcompletion.
24 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

legal | business
Pass it on
James Brawn offers a guide to succession planning for your
family-run care home business
While most care homes in the UK are run by
large independent companies such as Bupa and
HC-One, a significant minority are run by local
authorities, charitable organisations and by families who may
own one care home or a small group of homes.
For obvious reasons, family-run care homes are often a
popular choice because they are seen to provide a more
bespoke and personal service than their larger, corporate
counterparts. For the families that run a care home, making a
difference by providing a nurturing environment for residents
and building relationships with them and their wider families
can be a very fulfilling experience.
If your care home is family-run, it’s important to plan and
make succession plans regardless of whether your long-term
goal is to pass the business to the next generation or to a
qualified buyer. Making plans can often prevent disputes further
down the line, something which unfortunately is commonplace
in family-run businesses when things have not been properly
thought through or documented. Therefore, ensuring that
you have open and transparent discussions with your family
members about their aspirations and wishes is a key part of the
process, particularly when family members have competing
interests. For example, some members may have a more active
role than others. A well-sought out succession plan can also
help secure the future of a family-run business.
An important planning step is to consider your legal
structure and what agreement you need to regulate and
protect the business’s interests. For instance, a partnership
or LLP should have a partnership agreement which sets out
what will happen if a partner decides to leave the partnership
or dies. If you operate via a limited company you might
need, or should have if there is more than one stakeholder, a
shareholders’ agreement. As with a partnership agreement,
the agreement should govern what happens when a key
shareholder dies or wants to exit the venture.
Some shareholders’ agreements set out that a business
partner has the option to buy your shares on death. This will
help to ensure that a shareholder’s family benefit from and
inherit the value in the business, but it would keep the shares
in the hands of those operating the business.
As well as taking advice about the corporate structure
of your care home, we would also recommend that the key
stakeholder reviews his or her will with a private client
solicitor to ensure that important tax breaks including
business property relief are utilised.
Succession planning can be complex and should always
be undertaken in good time and with professional advice.
As well as using the services of a corporate solicitor and a
private client solicitor, we would recommend consulting an
accountant, a financial advisor and possibly more experts to
ensure the best result for your business and family.
Finally, we would recommend that once a succession
plan is in place, it is regularly reviewed, particularly when a
significant business opportunity presents itself, for example, it
may be that the business looks to acquire a second care home.
It is also important that the plan is reviewed when important
life events occur such a divorce or marriage.
“For obvious reasons, familyrun
care homes are often a
popular choice because they
are seen to provide a more
bespoke and personal service
than their larger, corporate
counterparts.”
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 25

business | environmental
A guide to going green
Rebecca Pearson, general manager at Bupa Care Services, advises the care
sector on implementing practical measures to protect the environment
People’s health and the health of
the planet are intrinsically linked;
we cannot be healthy if our
environment isn’t healthy too.
The healthcare industry is currently
responsible for almost 5% of global
greenhouse gas emissions. In the care
sector, we have the added challenge of
keeping our residents warm, safe and
well all year round and so we must
consider things like heating, PPE and
single-use equipment and medications.
But while tackling emissions can seem
like an insurmountable challenge, there
are still ways that we can all go green
and play our part, while continuing
to provide high-quality care to our
residents and keeping our people happy
and healthy.
Where to start?
A recent report by Bupa with The
University of Manchester and The
Tyndall Centre for Climate Change
Research identified some recommended
areas that all healthcare organisations
can review, to see where they may be able
to take action. These include:
Travel and transport – how our
people and residents’ families travel
to the home and how we transport
our residents in an environmentally
conscious way.
Clinical practice – how we can make
the clinical pathways we provide for
our residents and the services we deliver
more sustainable. Technology can play
a huge role in reducing our carbon
footprint here.
“It’s a good idea to lay
the groundwork for
how your organisation
feels about the
environment and give
your people ways to
get involved.”
Supply chain – setting clear
guidelines and standards with the
providers and suppliers we work with, to
deliver our services sustainably. This can
often be the largest part of a healthcare
organisation’s carbon footprint.
Greener buildings – whether they
are modern, purpose-built care homes
or historic period buildings, running
each one takes a huge amount of energy.
Updating them can be complicated
and costly, but it’s important to make
investments today for a greener tomorrow.
Advocacy and engagement –
arguably the most important factor.
High-quality governance and engaging
our people and residents in the changes
required to become more sustainable, so
they can see the benefits for themselves
and our wider environment.
Bringing our people on the
journey
To look at advocacy and engagement first,
in a sector where competition for people
is fierce, we must engage our people,
ensuring they are fully brought into our
wider mission and can act as advocates.
It’s a good idea to lay the groundwork
for how your organisation feels about
the environment and give your people
ways to get involved. Every year we run a
‘Healthy Cities’ campaign which aims to
get people moving more to raise money
for local green causes such as forest
schools, food banks and regenerating
community spaces. Our people also
have the chance to nominate local good
causes for grants, so they can see how
their action is making a difference in
their local community.
Plus it’s all about getting moving and
feeling healthier. Bupa Care Services
people walked more than 250 million
steps in June, a huge achievement.
Colleagues often have lots of ideas
that can help reduce our impact on our
environment. Our people told us they
wanted to spend more time doing what
they love about their jobs – providing
care. So we introduced electronic care
records across all our homes, moving
Rebecca Pearson
away from paper-based systems. As
well as being great for the environment,
moving towards electronic systems
for records, safety and compliance
helps drive better health outcomes and
improves morale for our people.
Continue to put residents first
Although many of the challenges we face
apply to the whole healthcare industry,
the unique challenge in our sector is
that we’re dealing with our residents’
homes, and accordingly they will always
be our top priority. Any changes to
their homes where they feel safe, well
and comfortable must be carefully
considered, minimising disruption and
with the full involvement of them and
their loved ones.
It’s really important that everyone
understands why we are investing in the
changes and that change is managed at
a rate where residents’ needs continue
to come first, as transitioning to greener
ways of working may sometimes be
perceived as disruptive, when this
doesn’t need to be the case.
Open communication and clear
timelines with residents and their loved
ones can help people feel involved, as well
as offering the chance to ask questions.
And although residents shouldn’t really
notice any major differences while work
is ongoing, a clear timeline can also help
26 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

– and remember to leave time for each
change to bed in before moving on.
At Bupa we’re aiming to transition
all of our homes to more green ways of
working, but we know there’s a lot to
learn on the way. So we’re lucky that
one of our homes, Wykebeck Court in
Leeds, has agreed to act as a vanguard
for the project, becoming Bupa’s first net
zero care home. Work is already under
way to decarbonise the kitchen, update
gas fuelled equipment with all new
electrical appliances and upgrade the
laundry and heating systems.
We’re involving residents and our
“At Bupa we’re
aiming to transition
all of our homes to
more green ways
of working, but we
know there’s
a lot to learn on
the way.”
people every step of the way, taking their
ideas on board including the planting
of new hedges and apple trees, as well as
feeding boxes for squirrels to make sure
the building work has minimal impact
on the local wildlife. It’s really exciting
and we’re taking the opportunity to
document their journey, so that everyone
can see what it takes to make a care
home net zero.
Supported by technology
Though face-to-face care will never
be replaced, technology can support
us to deliver high-quality care, while
going green. For example, some services
such as simple GP appointments can
be provided remotely, while admin
that used to be timely as well as paperintensive
can now be done online.
At Bupa we are unique in that we can
bring in services from other parts of
the business so that our residents don’t
have to travel. So, following a successful
pilot at Richmond Villages Aston,
we’re now providing our Bupa Health
Clinics services to nine of our retirement
villages. This means that residents are
able to access virtual GP services and a
24/7 nurse-led healthline, on-site health
assessments and earwax removal, all
provided by the Bupa Health Clinics
team, as well as discounts on dental
services, including the Bupa Smile Plan
from the comfort of their homes.
We’re constantly pushing forward in
this area and similarly to Wykebeck,
we have an innovation-focused home,
Queensmount, where our people and
residents are ready and willing to try out
any number of new apps, gadgets and
interactive widgets that help us drive up
our standards.
Learning through sharing
There are some amazing examples
of progress from across our industry
and there’s always more to learn, and
making changes, whether big or small,
are always worth doing. Ultimately,
making a difference on climate change is
something that none of us can do alone.
If nothing changes, some expect that
the healthcare sector’s carbon emissions
could increase by 50% by 2050.
We can all make a tangible difference,
making life better for our colleagues
and residents, while helping to make
a healthier world for generations to
come.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 27

business | care for tomorrow
There had to be a better way
Samir Patel, managing director of Oaklands Rest Home in Southampton and
founder and chief executive of iCare Services, explains why he sought a digital
solutions to support the people and professionals in his care
As an ‘early adopter’ of digital
technologies in our familyowned
care homes, I have
always sought to share our experiences
of implementing new digital systems
with colleagues in social care, so that
they too can deliver improvements, and
in the hope that they can avoid some of
the mistakes I made.
We implemented a digital social care
record solution more than 10 years ago.
It was the worst £12,000 I ever spent.
This powerful digital tool sat as a box
on the wall that nobody ever used. That
was because we didn’t take the time
to help staff understand why we were
doing it and the benefits it would bring
to them and our residents.
My more serious admission is that
our adoption of digital solutions was
partly driven by incidents that I wished
could have been avoided. I was also fed
up of seeing nurses in one of our care
homes writing somebody’s name and
date of birth for what seemed like a
million times a day. I knew there had to
be a better way.
So that’s where we started, and we
haven’t looked back since. Now we
use everything from digital social care
records to acoustic monitoring, which
has revolutionised night-times in our
homes in particular.
It’s a really clever bit of kit that
allows us to monitor residents’ sleep
patterns. Again, the idea was born
out of my own experience – personal
in this case. When my children were
“Now we use everything
from digital social care
records to acoustic
monitoring, which has
revolutionised nighttimes
in our homes in
particular.”
small and my sleep was constantly
interrupted, naturally it was impacting
my wellbeing, not to mention my
mood. I started to think about the
effect our staff ’s two-hourly checks, and
the broken sleep, must be having on the
people in our care.
We implemented a simple plug and
play system that learns an individual’s
sleep patterns so it will send an alert
to the carers if there is anything out of
the ordinary, or if they try to get out
of bed when they would usually have
assistance. It’s allowed us to stop or
reduce those disturbances. Not only
has it transformed our night-time care
for residents, it has also empowered our
staff to make their own decisions about
where to focus their time and attention.
Often with digital solutions there
are knock-on additional benefits that
we didn’t even think of. This acoustic
monitoring system has actually helped
us to identify Covid cases much earlier
– spotting and alerting the teams to
changes in breathing or coughing – that
means we test for Covid sooner and
people are temporarily kept away from
shared spaces and social areas earlier,
reducing the spread of infection.
We are care providers, but we are also
businesses. So being efficient is key,
but providing quality care and offering
great support to the people in our care
and to their families is crucial. Very
few people plan to move into a care
home. Unfortunately, it’s more likely
to come at a point of crisis, so people
need support and they need time. If
our managers and care teams are so tied
up looking after people that they don’t
have time to support families, then we
are not meeting ours wider aims.
Now with multiple digital systems
up and running well, we are focusing
our efforts on digital upskilling. We
now have an enormous quantity of data
available to us. A home for 30 residents
produces at least 3,000 data points a
day. We need the skills and ability to
make the most of that rich data to help
Samir Patel
“Often with digital solutions
there are knock-on
additional benefits that
we didn’t even think of.”
us learn about and understand our
residents better, to spot patterns and
identify issues sooner, which will mean
we can put in even better and more
personalised care.
Of course, there is also the new
‘magic silver bullet’ of artificial
intelligence. There is no doubt it
has enormous potential, but we are
certainly not there yet and it will
require careful understanding and
control.
With my business hat on, if I can
make some good decisions as a result
of data and technology that means one
of our residents can stay with us for
an extra year or two, that’s good for
business. But much more importantly,
it’s amazing for them and their families
if they are able to live longer and in
better health, in a place where they are
well cared for. It’s also amazing for our
staff, who know and understand our
residents better and can see what an
incredible job they are doing.
28 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

care
34 ROBOT REVOLUTION
The role of robots in social care.
32 REGISTERED MANAGERS
Onboard shift workers effectively.
36 GET MOVING
A company making moves to improve
residents' lives.
44 CARE HEROES
Meet our overall winner.

care | activities news
Creative Caring
As always, carers have been demonstrating their creativity
through fun and innovative events for their residents
Soldier memorial
At Orford House, the Coulsdon, Surreybased
residential care home run by
charity Friends of the Elderly, residents,
members of the local community and
staff held an Armistice Day service and
two minutes silence to remember all
fallen Commonwealth soldiers of the
First World War. The service, delivered
by registered manager Michelle Kennett,
was held beside the care home’s newlyacquired
Tommy soldier memorial, made
by British Legion veterans.
Bridge to the past
Residents of Alexandra House and
Orchard Mews in Newcastle and
Gateshead have been the first to try out
a new virtual reality experience based
on the Tyne Bridge. The tour immerses
viewers in the history of the Northeast
landmark through 360-degree footage
and archive content from over the years.
Poppy power
All 21 Colten Care homes took part in
Remembrance Day activities including
making silhouettes of soldiers, knitting
and crocheting poppies and attending
community parades and services.
Residents at dementia care home The
Aldbury in Poole, Dorset, spent two
weeks making a giant poppy out of
crepe paper which was hung in their
front garden, and Newstone House in
Sturminster Newton, Dorset, created a
curtain of poppy chains cascading from
an arbour and gently lit by red lighting.
Kindness day
Residents and staff at HC-One’s
Dove Court care home in Burnley,
Lancashire celebrated World Kindness
Day in November with certificates and
gifts. People were nominated for their
kindness, care and empathy and presented
with a certificate, and a small gift of
chocolates or toiletries to say ‘thank you’
for all that they do.
Puppet play
Athena Care Homes partnered
with local therapist Ben Martin to
bring dramatherapy to residents of
Goodwins Hall in King’s Lynn, Norfolk.
Dramatherapy offers an engaging and
therapeutic way for residents to express
themselves through drama, connect with
others, and enjoy a sense of community.
Residents are preparing a Christmas
puppet show to showcase their creativity.
Fang-tastic fun
Luton-based Little Bramingham Farm,
run by Friends of the Elderly, welcomed
more than 180 members of the local
community to a Halloween party.
Activities included spooky scratch art
and balloon modelling, a magic show,
and a special visit from ‘Harry Potter’ and
friends.
Diwali delight
Chippenham, Wiltshire-based MHA
The Fairways celebrated the Hindu
festival of lights Diwali with traditional
Indian sweets and savouries prepared by
staff members Babina and Namita, who
donned traditional attire and performed
a dance. Residents joined in by producing
and decorating lanterns.
Spooky shop
Camelot House and Lodge dementia
care home in Wellington, Somerset,
created a Halloween shop where residents
could browse among items that jogged
memories of Halloween past. Residents
also took part in pumpkin-carving and
creating autumnal decorations, as well
as enjoying chocolate cobweb cupcakes,
Halloween cookies and toffee apple cake.
30 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

activities news | care
Deep dive
Residents at residential care home Elm
Tree Court received a fascinating lesson
about penguins following a visit by The
Deep, an education and conservation
charity based in Hull. The event, part of a
community initiative aimed at enhancing
education about marine life, featured
a live feed from a penguin enclosure,
enabling residents to observe the Gentoo
penguins in their habitat.
Appliance of science
Residents of Balhousie Care Group’s
Willowbank care home in Carnoustie,
Angus, took to the science lab with
former high school chemistry teacher,
Ailsa Phillips, who runs the Dundee and
Perth chapter of science programme Mini
Professors, introduced residents to a series
of experiments including a bit of potion
mixing, to mark Halloween.
Spread the love
Middleton Park Lodge Nursing
Home in Leeds, part of Orchard Care
Homes, celebrated World Kindness
Day by creating positive and uplifting
handwritten messages which were
displayed at St Cross Church, as well
as at Middleton Elderly Aid, a charity
which runs social clubs for elderly
people, and at complex needs centre
Laurel Bank.
Little stars
Children from Bright Little Stars Barnet
Nursery in North London dressed in
Halloween costumes to visit residents
at the local Carlton Care Home. They
spent the day engaging in arts, crafts and
celebrations, sharing stories and creating
Halloween-themed decorations.
Food for thought
A party of willing volunteers from Colten
Care’s Canford Chase made a personal visit
to Poole Food Bank’s hub at the St James’
Church Centre. They helped to sort and
date donated food items ready for meal
bags to be made up, and worked alongside
fellow volunteers to check and categorise
toiletries and non-food donations. It was
the third visit that residents have made to
the food bank this year.
Pretty in pink
The Black Swan Care Group’s Gables
care home in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire,
raised money for Breast Cancer
Awareness by taking part in Wear it
Pink Day. Staff wore pink instead of
their usual care uniforms and residents
decorated pink cupcakes. Regular
entertainer Amanda the Singing
Gardener sang a selection of show
tunes ending with Lily the Pink, which
everyone joined in with.
Film stars
Ben Line, activity coordinator at
Warwickshire care home Studley Rose,
used the magic of artificial intelligence
to insert residents into their favourite
films. Combining Photoshop wizardry
and AI tools, Line creatively reworked
images of residents practising their
mobility exercises into dynamic scenes
out of popular action movies, showing
the resulting pictures in the Macc Care
home’s onsite cinema.
Family fortune
Residents from Woking care home
Bernard Sunley are going head-to-head
with clients from the Woking Day Care
Service in a monthly Challenge Cup
game of Family Fortunes. Players don’t
have to take it in turns – anyone from the
team can shout out the answer.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 31

care | registered managers
Managers guide to…
onboarding shift workers
Emma Seymour, chief financial officer at Deputy, shares her tips
on how to onboard and induct shift workers effectively
Effectively onboarding shift
workers is crucial for their longterm
success and engagement.
In sectors like healthcare, hospitality
and retail, where turnover is high,
a solid induction process helps new
employees feel welcome. It ensures they
can confidently perform their duties
from day one. As chief financial officer
of Deputy, a platform that supports
hourly workforces, I’ve seen first-hand
how structured onboarding can improve
employee retention and overall job
satisfaction.
Effective onboarding sets the tone
for a shift worker’s experience in your
organisation. By creating a structured,
supportive and engaging environment
from the start, you can help new
employees feel prepared and valued,
which leads to greater retention and
higher job satisfaction.
Here are five practical steps managers
and HR teams can take to ensure a
smooth onboarding experience for shift
workers:
• Implement a structured welcome
programme. A clear and
comprehensive induction process
ensures shift workers understand
their roles and the company’s
expectations. New employees should
“By creating a
structured, supportive
and engaging
environment from the
start, you can help new
employees feel prepared
and valued, which leads
to greater retention and
higher job satisfaction.”
receive detailed training on safety
protocols, job-specific duties, and
an introduction to the workplace
environment. In sectors like
healthcare, where compliance with
regulatory standards is crucial, this
step cannot be overlooked. A wellorganised
programme helps to build
confidence, allowing workers to hit the
ground running and feel like valued
team members.
• Assign a mentor for personalised
support. Starting a new job can be
overwhelming, especially for shift
workers facing unique scheduling
challenges. Pairing new hires with a
mentor can provide invaluable support
during the early days. A mentor can
help navigate the ins and outs of shift
work, answer questions, and offer
advice on handling the job demands.
In care sectors, a mentor is particularly
beneficial in guiding employees
through the role’s emotional and
practical aspects, fostering a sense of
community and belonging.
• Prioritise ongoing training and
regular check-ins. Onboarding
doesn’t end after the first few days
or weeks. It’s important to continue
supporting shift workers through
ongoing training and regular
check-ins. This is especially critical
in industries like healthcare or
manufacturing, where procedures
and regulations frequently change.
Scheduling in-person check-ins
allows managers to address concerns
early, reinforces training, and
ensures workers feel supported. This
continuous communication helps shift
workers feel engaged and confident in
their roles.
• Leverage smart scheduling
technology. Shift workers often face
unpredictable schedules, leading
to confusion, stress and difficulty
maintaining a healthy work-life
balance. Using smart scheduling
Emma Seymour
tools allows managers to provide shift
workers with clear and predictable
schedules, reducing last-minute changes
and uncertainty. Knowing their shifts
well in advance allows employees to
plan their personal lives and ensures
financial stability. In sectors like
healthcare, this clarity is especially
important for reducing turnover
and improving job satisfaction.
Technology, such as Deputy’s platform,
is essential in providing clarity around
scheduling and communication,
allowing managers to focus on building
meaningful connections with their
teams.
• Recognise and engage early. Showing
appreciation for hard work can have a
lasting effect on employee engagement
and retention. Recognising the efforts
of shift workers, whether through
verbal acknowledgment, formal
feedback or small rewards, can build
loyalty and improve morale. This is
particularly important in high-stress
environments like healthcare, where
physical and emotional burnout can
be common. Early recognition of their
contributions reinforces the idea that
their work is valued, motivating them
to stay committed long-term.
32 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

sponsored content | care
Simplify Christmas scheduling
Perfect your roster with care home software says Iain Corrigan,
commercial director at CoolCare
With the Christmas season
fast approaching, care
home managers and
administrators face the annual
challenge of balancing staffing needs
against holiday requests, seasonal
absences, and the added demands that
come with the festivities. That’s where
care home administration software, like
CoolCare, can play an important role,
by streamlining the entire process and
making it easier to handle staffing needs
smoothly and efficiently, even during
the busiest times of the year.
Below, I explore how you can save
hours every day by forward planning
your rota with administrative software
that allows you to easily see any shifts
that need filling, communicate directly
with staff and fill your gaps in no time.
The rise of automation and the
decline of manual
Traditional methods of rostering,
usually manual, paper-based, or
simple spreadsheets, can quickly
become overwhelming and confusing.
Automated rostering features within
modern care home admin software
make it easy to create, adjust and review
shifts in just a few clicks.
Notifications and reminders are
essential tools for both staff and
managers to keep pace with the
demands of a busy work environment
and are a key function of administrative
software. Timely reminders help staff
manage shift transitions, reduce gaps
in coverage, and maintain a high
standard of resident care, even during
the most hectic days. With the likes of
automated notifications, any available
shifts are instantly communicated to
qualified staff. This feature is ideal
when someone unexpectedly calls in
sick, ensuring there are no last-minute
gaps. Whereas automated reminders
help ensure shift requests don’t get
overlooked, and roster updates are
instantly communicated across the
team, reducing the need for frantic lastminute
calls.
Cutting costs and reducing
agency reliance
Holiday coverage often requires some
thinking to avoid over-reliance on
costly agency staff. By using care home
admin software, you gain a real-time
view of available resources, allowing
you to make the best use of your
existing workforce. It instantly shows
those available for additional shifts,
making it easy to fill gaps without
bringing in outside help, as well as
tracking and adjusting staffing levels
to ensure shifts align with your budget
and meet residents’ needs, helping keep
your operation efficient and financially
healthy.
Advanced tools make rostering more
strategic by preventing overstaffing
and ensuring fair distribution of shifts,
even when demand fluctuates. While
it’s beneficial to accommodate those
who want to work more, advanced
scheduling tools ensure that this is done
equally so no one person monopolises
extra shifts, and all team members have
fair access to overtime opportunities.
Bank staff
If there’s one thing that takes the hassle
out of holiday staffing, it’s having a pool
of trusted bank staff ready to step in.
Care home admin solutions provide
dedicated features for managing bank
staff, ensuring they are engaged and
available when needed. Staff members
can register interest in covering specific
dates, while managers have visibility on
who is most likely to respond positively
to last-minute shift requests. These
staff provide flexibility, allowing care
homes to adapt quickly to staffing needs
without relying on external agency
staff, which can often be costly and less
familiar with the home’s practices and
residents.
Digital rosters
Using software to manage rostering
is particularly valuable for care
groups with care homes in multiple
locations. Digital rosters enable
Iain Corrigan
you to pool resources from nearby
homes to cover for last-minute needs,
balancing demand without the stress
of scrambling for new hires or agency
staff. This added flexibility makes
it easier to manage higher holiday
absenteeism while keeping residents’
care consistent.
A worry-free festive season
Technology can take away the holiday
headache, transforming the Christmas
roster into a task that no longer feels
like a burden. With less work for
everyone, smart workforce processes
mean improved outcomes, less cost and
more time.
In diverse teams, Christmas isn’t the
only celebration to plan for, as many
people observe this season in unique
ways. Whether celebrating Hanukkah,
Yule, Kwanzaa, or simply enjoying some
peaceful downtime, the right admin
software allows care home professionals
to embrace the festive season and other
peak holiday dates confidently, knowing
that everything is under control.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 33

care | care for tomorrow
Robot revolution
William Walter, managing director of Bridgehead Communications, talks with Tony
Prescott, professor of cognitive robotics at the University of Sheffield and director
of Sheffield Robotics, to discuss the role of robotics in social care and how further
developments can affect the sector in the future
Elon Musk’s recently unveiled
the Optimus robot – with
the billionaire tycoon making
the bold claim that within
20 years there will be more humanoid
robots than people.
So what should robotics in social care
primarily be about and what function
should they serve for carers and those
in need of care?
“The goal is to help people live in
their own homes for longer because
that benefits everybody”, Prescott says.
Central to this use of robotics is the
continued growth of smart homes. The
market for smart appliances for use in
the home is expected to grow by more
than 10% a year until 2028. This is
where he sees the greatest application
for this technology in a care setting.
“It might be the case that more and
more aspects of the home become
automated,” Prescott adds, “rather than
thinking of having mobile robots that
are looking after you, it might be that
aspects of the bathroom are automated
in the way that they already are in
places like Japan.”
But building on the smart home
boom is easier said than done. “The
challenge is retrofitting existing homes”,
he notes, stressing that “it’s much easier
to build these kinds of smart home
systems into new accommodation.”
Given that the UK’s housing stock is
the oldest in Europe, with more than
40% built before 1946, the scope of
that technology is limited by Britain’s
existing housing system.
“The goal is to help
people live in their
own homes for
longer because that
benefits everybody.”
Balancing technology with
human care
A central question regarding the role of
robotics in care concerns the potential
dangers of overreliance on machines
and the risk of removing the essential
human element on which the sector is
dependent.
“There are two things involved here.
One is physical support, and the other
is social support – physical support
is less controversial, but it’s also the
hardest thing to do,” Prescott explains.
“Most existing robots are made
of hard parts and could potentially
do quite a lot of harm if they’re not
controlled very carefully.”
A further possible complication for
robotics is a privacy concern, which
Prescott notes contributes to the
cybersecurity issues regarding these
devices, stressing that “these systems
need to be less hackable than they
currently are.”
However, “the personal data
involved”, he adds, “is no different
from the cybersecurity issues around
other devices that have cameras in the
home, like phones and so on.” What he
regards as a greater question in care is
the difficulty of programming answers
to ethical questions.
“There are risks of coercion [for
example] if somebody’s not taking
their medicine, how much of a role the
robot should have.” This is something
mitigated in care by the essential part
that human decision-making plays.
“Carers deal with these [ethical]
issues all the time, of course, and again,
we underestimate how important
human intelligence is in making those
sorts of calls.”
Aiding workforce troubles
The issue most often on display in
the ongoing crisis in social care is the
shortage of carers. With a vacancy
rate of more than 8% and 131,000
“A central
question
regarding the
role of robotics in
care concerns the
potential dangers
of overreliance on
machines.”
posts left unfilled in 2023/24, there
are hopes that automation and
artificial intelligence could help reduce
workforce pressures.
Prescott sees robotics helping with
two of the biggest challenges in care:
“the working conditions and the pay”.
He mentions that “physical injury is a
huge problem”, particularly back issues,
in delivering care. “So, technology that
can help with lifting and moving could
[assist] there.”
Referring to the problem of low pay
for the exhausting work involved in
care, Prescott believes that “one way to
make it better paid is to make it more
professional by bringing in some of
these tools that could be part of the
social care support package.”
As such, he adds, “those training
to be a social care worker would
understand how to use these assistive
systems effectively”.
Role of policymakers and
government
As we near the end of our discussion,
we turn to the importance of state
support in driving these developments
and innovation. Prescott considers
existing support minimal. “If you think
about the budget spent on research in
this area, it’s pretty thin – a very small
amount.”
34 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

Professor Tony Prescott
“Those training to be
a social care worker
would understand how
to use these assistive
systems effectively.”
This, to him, makes little sense
because “if you look at the cost of
caring for people in residential care
and in hospital, it’s a big multiplier
compared to the cost of keeping them
in their own homes”. So, if you can keep
people in their own homes for longer
“they’ll be happier about it and it will
cost less. It’s a win-win”.
The importance of more significant
support in this area is not just more
cost-effective than providing hospital or
residential care, it can also prove to be
a driver of economic activity. “The UK
could take a lead here. Currently, Japan
and the US are leading in this. One of
our issues is we don’t have UK robot
manufacturers, but we could have if this
is something we could invest in more.
“If you were to spend a fraction of
one per cent of the social care budget
on research, there would be rewards you
could get back in reducing social care
costs, which could be quite significant.”
However, the state’s role extends
beyond financial support and
encompasses regulation too. On this,
Prescott has already outlined his
support for a “right to human care” in a
2017 White Paper that included a road
map for the sector’s future.
“The road map was quite ambitious,
but we’re still in the first phase of
that,” he comments, but adds that the
importance of a legislated right to
human care was essential to building
support for wider use of robotics in
social care. “One of the concerns about
robotics is that it would leave people
with less access to human carers, and
that’s one area where introducing
legislation related to a right to human
care can reassure people.”
Reflecting on our discussion,
Prescott’s vision for robotics in
social care presents a nuanced path
forward that balances the potential of
automation with the essential role of
human care. What remains to be seen is
how well policymakers can address this
sector’s needs to deliver the robotics
support that carers and those needing
care are desperate for.
“One of the concerns
about robotics is that
it would leave people
with less access to
human carers, and
that’s one area where
introducing legislation
related to a right
to human care can
reassure people.”
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 35

care | wellbeing
Get moving
Amrit Dhaliwal, chief executive of Walfinch home care, says his company
is making moves to improve its care clients’ lives
As carers we want to improve
lives, and we are motivated
by the kindest of intentions
– yet our care often may not
deliver the best results for clients.
We could do better if we took on board
the need for movement. The care media
is awash with pictures of clients sitting
comfortably while smiling carers do tasks
for them. It’s a heartwarming image –
but this kind of care could be hastening
clients’ physical and mental decline.
I believe that care should deliver
wellness, and, for our clients, it should
be a time to thrive. Key to this is greater
activity.
The inactivity crisis
The sedentary lifestyle is a known
killer. The World Health Organization
(WHO) states that physical
inactivity puts adults at greater risk of
cardiovascular diseases such as heart
attacks and strokes, type 2 diabetes,
dementia and cancers such as breast and
zolon. Lack of movement is costing lives.
The WHO recommends that adults
have 150 minutes of moderate-intensity,
or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity
physical activity, or equivalent, per
week. Yet around a third of people don’t
achieve this, and lives are becoming
increasingly sedentary through the
increased use of cars and screens.
Inactivity is even more common in
women and the over-60s.
Carers see it daily; many people,
especially older adults, sit in front of
television or computer screens for hours.
The care sector finds itself dealing with
the results – many clients are suffering
from conditions that are exacerbated, or
even caused, by inactivity.
How can we change this?
Most people already know they should
be more active, yet they are not doing
much about it. Why?
One reason is that ‘activity’ is often
associated with going to the gym, or
swimming 50 lengths a day, or 10-mile
hikes – and most don’t fancy doing that.
For many care clients, exercise like this
is almost impossible, so they are being
realistic.
Amrit Dhaliwal
We need to redefine ‘activity’
Physical activity is not solely about
vigorous exercise, especially for older
Carers must be committed too
Gurprit Gill, the franchise managing director at Walfinch
home care in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, understands
the importance of care that includes meeting a client’s
aspirations.
Gill, who has 15 years' experience in the care sector,
says she wants to work with her care team to deliver
holistic fitness coaching to help clients increase physical
skills, such as getting up from chairs more easily, and has
plans for arts and crafts activities, pamper sessions and
social occasions – all of which tie in with the Walfinch
philosophy.
“I aim to bring our care clients a healthy life, fresh food,
and the ability to attend social occasions, and I have the
commitment and the experience to do it,” she says.
A moving story: how walking improved a life
Home care franchisee Tiffany Meachim explains: “Our client
Patrick, was prone to balance problems, and only able to complete
10 to 15 steps unaided – so his family was stunned on the day that
he got up from his chair and walked upstairs. It was something he
had been unable to do for years.”
The transformation was down to Meachim and her team. Patrick,
who is in his fifties, had had mobility problems since an accident
when he was seven and a stroke as an adult.
“After daily visits from our care team, who accompany Patrick
round his village on social calls and help him with physiotherapy
exercises, he can now walk up to 200 yards.” said Meachim.
His family told Tiffany how pleased they were to see the huge
improvement in his mobility since her team started working with
him.
36 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

and less able people. Will Ferguson,
founder of The Caring Physio, whose
physiotherapy team delivers services to
clients at home, explains that care clients
often face much more basic challenges.
“They may be unable to get out of bed,
or out of their home into a car, so their
lives are severely restricted,” he says.
This inactivity can be frustrating, and
tends to cause deterioration in physical
and mental health, as people focus on
what they can’t do, rather than what they
can.
Ferguson says: “This can result in a lack
of motivation, so they move even less, so
the body becomes weaker, there is a higher
risk of inflammation and infections, and
when they do move around, falls and
fractures are more common.”
Increasing motivation
Clients can be asked at initial care
assessments what they want to achieve
and the physical challenges they face in
reaching these goals. Often their aims
are personal to them, such as attending a
family wedding, resuming an art class, or
meeting a friend for coffee.
Ferguson and his team often work
with carers, including some from
Walfinch. The physios assess the
health and capability of the client,
and their environment, to ensure that
they can move around easily. Once a
physiotherapy plan is created, the carers
can be trained safely to help the client
achieve the greater mobility they need.
How carers can help
“The carer can go with the client while
they make their way to the kitchen and
make themselves a cup of tea, rather
than the carer delivering the tea to the
sedentary client,” Ferguson says.
The activity should be chosen by the
client, and the carer should join in. Carers
getting involved with activities alongside
clients increases motivation for both,
making it more likely they will continue
with the activity, and the carer’s physical
and mental health can benefit too.
One Walfinch franchisee is providing
free online chair yoga sessions for clients,
led by a local yoga instructor. Not only
did it result in a 20% take-up among
clients, but carers, including some who
were pregnant, joined in too.
At Walfinch our carers aim to get
clients to take part in activity for at least
10 minutes of every visit of one hour or
more. It could be a short spell outside
(maybe walking), or gardening, or going
to a community exercise session – some
of our franchisees make these available
free to clients, families and communities.
Activity also makes the carer’s job
more interesting, which can increase
retention and engagement, and improve
mental and physical fitness across the
whole care team.
For Walfinch activity is a core part
of care, which is why we have launched
‘Wellness With Walfinch’, the first
initiative under Walfinch’s new ‘Time
to Thrive’ tagline. Mobility is vital to
wellness. Surely this is part of what care
is all about?
The inactivity crisis
Lack of activity is taking a terrible
toll on the health of people
around the world. World Health
Organization figures released in
June this year showed that nearly a
third (31%) of adults worldwide –
approximately 1.8 billion people –
didn’t meet the recommended levels
of physical activity in 2022.
What’s more, the trend of
physical inactivity among adults,
which has increased by about five
percentage points between 2010
and 2022, looks set to continue. If
that happens, levels of inactivity are
projected to reach 35% by 2030.
How many lives will be lost as a
result?
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 37

care | care management show
A word from our sponsors…
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held at ExCel London at the end of last month
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Our data-powered technology
delivers actionable insights and smart
automations that transform how
you operate. Spot medication issues
before they occur, stay ahead of CQC
requirements, and maintain efficient
rosters that automatically match skills
and travel time. This means less time
on administration and more time
dedicated to superior client care.
The results speak for themselves
– providers using Birdie have seen a
median growth of 20% more care hours
after just one year. That’s why more
than 1,000 care providers of every
size choose Birdie as their technology
partner, whether they’re just getting
started or are established market
leaders.
While most homecare technology
excels at digitalising processes – turning
notes into clicks, and paper into docs
– Birdie goes beyond basic digital
transformation. We understand that in
a sector with ever-increasing demand
and limited resources, simply moving
paper processes to screens isn’t enough
to solve the fundamental challenges of
time and staffing constraints.
Birdie offers comprehensive smart
technology that supports providers
across the entire care journey, from
care management and quality auditing
to rostering, finance and analytics. By
bringing teams, tools and data together
in one intelligent platform, we make
the business of caring easier, faster and
safer.
If you didn’t get a chance to see us
at the Care Management Show and
learn how we can help reduce your
Borderless
Borderless is a visa, immigration and
compliance technology platform on
a mission to solve the complexity of
sponsorship. The company envisions
a world where borders are no longer
barriers, enabling anyone to move
anywhere seamlessly and safely.
As talent shortages continue in
the care sector, Borderless empowers
providers to navigate the challenging
terrain of international hiring. Its
platform makes sponsorship effortless
by bringing together the best of
technology and human expertise for
compliance, visa processing, sponsor
licence assistance, and recruitment.
With a 100% success rate and 350-plus
customers, Borderless eliminates stress
and uncertainty, helping you sponsor
international talent and future-proof
your workforce.
Using Borderless, companies save
valuable time and effortlessly manage
compliance, allowing them to focus
on what matters – growth. Borderless
makes international hiring reliable and
cost-effective – up to three times more
affordable than traditional solutions.
getborderless.co.uk
Care First UK
Care First UK is a family-run
permanent recruitment business
operating right across the UK,
specialising in the healthcare and
education sectors. We recently won a
‘Family business of the year’ award and
also go the extra mile to deliver for our
clients. We have more than 30 years’
experience in recruitment (passed on
by the founder to his son), 15 years’
healthcare experience, and although
new to the education sector we have
gained many years of knowledge in
education through our care/education
overlap. We tailor packages to your
needs and specialise in our own unique
‘Recruitment days’ service.
carefirstuk.co.uk
carehome.co.uk
and homecare.co.uk
It was great to be part of the Care
Management Show and probably our
last opportunity in 2024 to engage
with the users of carehome.co.uk and
homecare.co.uk. We talked to lots of
care providers who work with us to
help drive bed vacancy and home care
enquiries and generate third party
reviews to build transparency and trust
in their businesses. The show was also
a great chance for feedback for us to
38 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

care management show | care
ensure we continue to offer the best
possible services when matching care
seekers with their perfect care home or
care provider.
We are always keen to highlight
what sets us apart as a business. We list
detailed information on nearly every
care home and home care agency in
the UK and collectively host more
than 420,000 reviews. This number
grows daily as we continue to add new,
verified, independent reviews from
residents and those who have benefited
from care in their own home. We
always make it a simple process for care
seekers to get in touch through email,
tour or consultation requests, brochure
downloads, or via the phone. We also
provide a free Care Help service where
care seekers call us, and then in turn,
we provide them with a shortlist of care
homes that match their specific criteria.
Finally, we are always adding new
articles to our advice centres to attract
and support those looking for care.
Articles cover a full range of subjects
including ‘paying for care’, ‘life in a
care home’, ‘demetia’ and ‘types of care
homes’.
Care Research
More than 60% of evidence in the
new Care Quality Commission Single
Assessment Framework is feedback
evidence. But we know that doing
surveys, fiddling with Google Forms or
monkeying around with survey monkey
or any of the other survey platforms
is a massive headache for most service
managers. Care Research can do it all
for you. We run the surveys for the
people you support, families, staff
and partners; we then process all the
results and create amazing CQC-ready
evidence documents for your service.
We take the headache and hassle out
of the survey process, with our endto-end
managed service, ensuring all
your services have clear, consistent
and independently gathered feedback
evidence. We even have accessible
surveys for individuals with learning
disabilities including video, Makaton
video and PECS video questions.
For services that want to run their
own surveys, our ‘platform only’
option enables you to run your surveys
seamlessly, track results on the live
dashboards and create your own CQCready
evidence documents with just a
few clicks.
Care Research has been supporting
care services for six years and works
with more than 350 care services
including residential, domiciliary,
supported living and learning disability
services. We also support services under
the CIW and CIS regulators.
If you want to ‘next level’ your
feedback approaches while saving your
managers and quality teams some time,
Care Research can help.
careresearch.co.uk
Care UK
At Care UK, we treat everyone as
individuals so they can live fulfilling,
rewarding and happy lives. We have
more than 40 years’ experience offering
quality care with over 150 homes
across Great Britain – a number
that’s increasing every year with
our ambitious care home building
programme.
We are proud to be the most awarded
care home provider for the past three
years, and we have more Outstandingrated
homes than any other provider.
Our teams work hard to deliver highquality
care and to drive our success
we need leaders who share our vision
and values. We’ll help you to continue
developing your career through quality
training opportunities and tailored
development programmes. Contact us
about career opportunities today.
careuk.com
Connect2Care
Connect2Care is a specialist training
and apprenticeship provider for the
UK’s adult care, healthcare, early years
and funeral service sectors.
Our national team of training
consultants are all industry experts
ready to deliver our vocational training
enabling you to develop outstanding
employees, helping you create a
safe, caring, effective and well-led
environment.
Our aims are clear:
• Increase learners’ skills to improve
their earning capacity.
• Make businesses more efficient by
developing a highly skilled and more
productive workforce.
• Minimise our impact on the
environment and teach our learners
to better manage theirs.
• Treat our staff well, pay them a good
wage, and reward our shareholders.
Simply put, we focus on ‘People,
Planet and Profit’. Building
Connect2Care has involved plenty of
hard work, but it’s been immensely fun.
Knowing thousands of learners and
employers have already benefited from
the service that we deliver is hugely
satisfying.
Well-trained, competent staff are a >
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 39

care | care management show
> valuable asset and can help a business
perform well by delivering improved
efficiency, better customer experience
and reduced staff turnover.
connect2care.net
Connect Catering
Since 1989, Connect Catering has
delivered exceptional, bespoke catering
services to the care industry, meeting
the specialised needs of care homes,
nursing facilities and hospices.
We prioritise choice and variety,
ensuring that every resident enjoys their
dining experience. Whether residents
prefer a formal or relaxed atmosphere,
our options cater to all tastes. Our café
areas provide a welcoming space where
residents, family and friends can gather
over fresh coffee, light bites, snacks and
delicious afternoon cakes.
Our commitment to resident
wellbeing includes a focus on dietary
needs, understanding complex
requirements like texture-modified
foods for those with dysphagia. We
offer a visually appealing, balanced
menu that supports both health and
enjoyment. We also understand the
importance of having our pantry
open outside our regular service times
ensuring fresh, nourishing options are
always available.
Dining is more than a meal – it’s a
daily highlight where residents can
connect and share in the joy of good
food and company. Our approach
fosters social interaction, supports
friendships, and creates a lively,
inclusive dining environment that
enriches each resident’s day.
connectcatering.co.uk
CoolCare
CoolCare is centred on admin made
easy, with its services aimed at making
operating care homes easier, more
efficient and more profitable.
Following three decades of care home
administration software development,
CoolCare knows what good looks
like – and it seeks to help care homes
love their admin by making it simple.
Its intuitive design drives higher staff
confidence and increases the impact of
digital adoption, while CoolCare’s userfriendliness
is legendary, making it the
software of choice for some of the UK’s
leading care home operators.
Its recently launched ‘Connected
Reception’ seeks to modernise
and make the front of house more
digitalised and inviting for both staff
and guests. The new suite of systems
is designed with compliance and
visitor satisfaction in mind, providing
a biometric face clock-in for staff,
a virtual noticeboard and a digital
visitor book that’s integrated with
resident and staff databases and can
also be integrated with Person Centred
Software care plans.
In addition to this, CoolCare also
integrates with care management
software, Nourish, as well as having
exports for most of the largest providers
of payroll and finance software.
CoolCare’s ongoing commitment
is to provide innovative and userfriendly
solutions for care homes. By
consistently seeking ways to support
care providers, CoolCare makes it easier
for them to operate more efficiently
while meeting the highest standards of
care.
coolcare.co.uk
Healthworks People
Healthworks People is a recruitment
agency specialising in management
roles for the elderly and specialist
care sectors. The team is dedicated to
providing a bespoke and personalised
service to its clients, and finding
candidates their dream roles.
Healthworks partners with some
wonderful providers, including Ivolve,
Voyage and Milewood – and loves
pairing its candidates with management
roles in companies that have shared
values and where they will enjoy
fulfilling long-term placements.
At the Care Management Show in
London, Healthworks was there to
engage with candidates and clients in
the sector. It ran a fun competition on
its stand to win a free weekend away in
the Healthworks holiday cottage, which
it also gifts to every manager it places
after they have been in their role for six
months.
Healthworks plans to exhibit
at the Care Management Show in
Birmingham next June – so if you
didn’t get a chance to enter the holiday
home competition in London, be sure
to pay a visit to the Healthworks stand
in Birmingham.
healthworkspeople.com
Paragon Skills
The care sector is vital in supporting
society’s most vulnerable members, yet
care homes face challenges in attracting,
retaining and developing skilled
professionals. Apprenticeships provide
a transformative solution, preparing
your workforce for the future while
enhancing care standards.
Apprenticeships offer tailored,
hands-on training that fills skills
gaps and boosts staff retention. From
entry-level roles to management
qualifications, apprenticeships provide
clear development pathways, helping
care homes maintain a stable and
experienced team. Employees who feel
valued are more likely to stay, reducing
recruitment costs and improving
operational efficiency.
Apprenticeships deliver practical,
on-the-job learning, supported by
formal qualifications aligned with
industry standards. This improves
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care management show | care
decision-making, fosters stronger
resident relationships, and ensures
adherence to care quality regulations.
Skilled and confident staff contribute to
compassionate care and build trust with
families and communities.
Higher-level apprenticeships, such
as Level 5, prepare employees to step
into leadership roles. By cultivating
future leaders who understand the
care sector’s unique challenges, care
homes can secure long-term success and
continuity.
Choosing the right provider is key.
Specialists like Paragon Skills offer
training tailored to the care sector.
Investing in apprenticeships not only
raises care standards but creates an
environment where employees and
residents thrive.
paragonskills.co.uk
Quik AI
At Quik AI, we understand the
challenges faced by the care sector.
From the increasing burden on care
operators, to the complexity of patient
needs and the constant demand for
staff to do more, we recognise the
difficulties that come with running
a care organisation. That’s why our
founder, Paul Nery, saw the potential
for artificial intelligence to make
a real impact in addressing these
challenges. Last year, he began funding
the development of a customised AI
solution, which has now become our
flagship software application, Carey.
Our vision at Quik AI is simple – to
provide you with the most precise and
resourceful AI software application
possible. Our goal is to make running
your organisation more efficient and
easier, while also improving the quality
of life for your residents. With Carey,
you can trust that you are utilising the
latest technology to enhance the lives
of those in your care. Our software
integrates seamlessly with platforms
like Nourish, Log My Care, and Care
Vision, providing great assistance to
all staff members. Let Carey be your
trusted partner in delivering top-notch
care.
quik-ai.com
T150 Energy
T150 Energy is committed to helping
care and education organisations save
money on their energy bills while
directly reinvesting into their futures.
We specialise in securing competitive
contracts for gas, electricity and water,
enabling care homes, schools and
charities to reduce their utility costs
and focus more on their vital work.
Our innovative Payback Scheme
is at the heart of what we do. For
every energy contract we secure, we
donate a portion of our earnings
back to the same organisation. This
means that care providers receive
additional funds to enhance their
services, improve facilities, or support
their staff. Schools and educational
institutions can reinvest these funds in
essential resources, learning tools, or
extracurricular activities that directly
benefit their pupils.
This initiative is part of our Million
Pound Mission, a pledge to return
£1 million to organisations within the
care, education and charity sectors.
T150 Energy was founded with a
vision of making a difference, inspired
by a life-changing personal health
journey. Our mission is simple – to
support organisations that do so much
for others by ensuring their energy
solutions work harder for them.
By choosing T150 Energy,
organisations not only secure costeffective
energy contracts but also gain
an opportunity to receive tangible
financial support. Together, we can
make every energy contract count.
paybackscheme.co.uk
The Blue Sky Social Care Card
The Blue Sky Social Care Card was
created in response to the lack of
societal recognition for social care
workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
While NHS staff were applauded for
their dedication, social care workers
who endured the same hours and risks,
were largely overlooked. Unlike NHS
staff, social care workers – who earn a
lower average wage – lack access to the
same discounts and benefits. Existing
discount programmes often exclude
many social care roles by requiring
CQC registration, which limits the
majority of the sector.
Determined to bridge this gap, the
Blue Sky Social Care Card extends
discounts and benefits to all social care
staff, from unpaid carers to care home
administrators. Beyond discounts,
the card provides a unique online
community where social care workers
can find support, resources, and
recognition.
The card is customisable, allowing
care providers to add company logos,
names and ID photos, enhancing
professionalism and security in an
affordable manner. More than an ID,
the card grants access to discounts
across retail, dining, entertainment and
more, helping carers save on everyday
expenses. With proceeds supporting the
charity Disability Direct, the Blue Sky
Social Care Card is working to unify
the social care sector under a banner
of appreciation, support and savings,
and with the festive season near, this
card makes a thoughtful gift, expressing
gratitude, supporting retention, and
giving back to the carers who dedicate
so much to our communities. Give your
team a gift they’ll appreciate all year
round.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 41

care | manager in focus
10 questions with…
We speak with Daniel Bridges, home manager at Avery Healthcare’s
Hampstead Court Care Home in North London
into our daily life, a very driven individual
who gets up every morning and wants to
keep those residents as independent as
possible, to enable them, empower them
and achieve the best possible outcomes.
What do you do when life all gets a bit
too much?
Over the years I have learned there has
to be a work and private life balance,
although it doesn’t stop you thinking
and caring; you don’t just leave the home
at six at night and think that’s it, I have
closed the door until tomorrow. For me,
I do my family time, I like showjumping
which is my huge passion, and spending
time with my friends and family,
and I love eating, going to really nice
restaurants, that is my favourite thing.
Daniel Bridges
Why did you join the social care sector?
I was showjumping for the young riders
in the British Showjumping Association
and I had a really bad accident aged
around 17, which caused epilepsy and
back injury, so I had to give it up at the
time. While I was being cared for, I
had really appalling care, and I always
thought I could do better, in the way I
could make people feel, make sure the
care was person-centred – everything I
didn’t get. It gave me a drive to make a
difference and be the difference in social
care. I started as a night carer when I was
18 and have worked my way up through
senior carer, head of care, deputy
manager, to registered manager.
What do you enjoy most about your
job?
It’s two things, my residents and my staff.
It’s achieving great outcomes to make a
difference to people’s lives and creating
outstanding places for people to live and
work. It is empowering my residents; one
lady we care for in Hampstead Court
has a dementia diagnosis but we have
got her back swimming regularly – it is
about keeping people within their local
communities and feeling inclusive.
Who is your social care hero and why?
It is most people who work in social
care – whether you are a housekeeper
or kitchen assistant or care assistant, we
can’t work without any of them. I have
true admiration for everyone who works
in social care and really does make a
difference to people’s lives.
What’s the one thing you would change
about social care?
I want to spread the message that social
care is fun and take away the stigma.
I always try to do that on my socials,
having 10,000 followers on LinkedIn.
I try to do it to attract younger people
into the sector; social care is sometimes
seen as the last resort for a career but it
should be the first that you think of.
What, in your opinion, makes a great
care worker?
They always say you can teach someone a
qualification but you can’t teach them to
care. A great care worker has a good heart
and genuinely wants to make a difference
to someone’s life and wellbeing with their
contributions to their daily routines. It
needs to be someone who is emotionally
strong, because we bring a lot of emotion
Which three famous people would you
have to dinner and why?
I quite liked Theresa May. Jennifer
Hudson, the singer and actress, she has
the most amazing voice. And Adele, she
is hilarious.
What three items would you bring with
you on a desert island?
Definitely a horse, definitely nice food,
and I would have to say my mobile.
What’s your secret talent?
It’s the showjumping. I have just spent a
week showjumping in Liverpool. I had
to give it up when I was younger but I
have been jumping again competitively
for the last three years. I don’t think it
ever leaves you. I had so many years out,
then decided to come back to it and it is
the best decision I ever made.
What advice would you give your
younger self ?
There’s a solution to every problem. Ten
years ago I was very much “this is the
way we have to do it”, but I have realised
that whatever is thrown at you, especially
when we went through Covid – there’s
always a solution. Together everybody
achieves more; you can’t do the job
alone.
42 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

Employee of the month
Emma Adderson, housekeeper at Badgers Wood in Drayton, Norwich,
tells us how she goes the extra mile
team members | care
Tell us a bit about your background –
how did you get into care housekeeping?
Originally, I worked here at Badgers
Wood around 20 years ago as a kitchen
assistant. Then I left the health and social
care sector, and worked in an admin role
for nearly 15 years. Then the dreaded
Covid arrived, and I was furloughed. I
really wanted to come back to this sector
to try to help just a little bit, and for
me that meant coming back to Badgers
Wood, I always loved it here.
As well as being housekeeper, I am
infection control lead, and I take that
very seriously. I have actually devised
a whole new piece of governance
around infection control monitoring
and analysis, to help minimise risk of
infections in our care setting.
How do you go about meeting the
needs of residents?
I am very much a people person, and
when someone comes to our setting I
will make a point of getting to know that
person. You spend time chatting with
them and that is how you come to know
their likes and dislikes, and then you can
tailor everything to their needs, down
to what side of the sink they like to have
their toothbrush. We promote people
wanting to maintain their independence
and certain people here like to put their
own laundry away; they like to make
their own bed.
What’s a typical day like?
No two days are ever the same. There
is a lot of structure here because it is a
37-bed care home and that is a lot of
cleaning, but I do love a curve ball
and they come in thick and fast
sometimes. You think your day is going
to go one way and then whoosh! with a
flick of a mop it has gone, and you have
to re-evaluate everything.
What’s the most challenging part of
your job?
The hardest thing for me is, over time,
you get to know the residents and you
forge friendships with them, so when
you see someone on a decline, either
physically or mentally, and there comes a
time when you have to say goodbye, that
can be tough, We are not robots and we
all care about each other. We all support
each other as a team and try to remind
ourselves that as long as those people
are with us, we will give them the best
care we can, the best laughs, the best of
whatever they want and deserve to have
in their last years
Is there anything that would surprise
people about your job?
I am a bit renowned for singing with
my mop, they call me “the singing
housekeeper”. I have been known to do
a bit of Queen, I can do a bit of Doris
Day, it depends on what they like
listening to. If I don’t know the words
I make them up.
Someone once said to me it must be
nice to have a little cleaning job, a few
hours a week. It is anything but “a little
cleaning job”, it’s hard physical work,
every single day. I love it, it saves me
going to the gym; I get to eat more cake.
There also used to be a misconception
about what ‘old people’s homes’ were like
– it is not like that here. Our residents
have lived full and enriched lives; they
have tales to tell.
Has anything changed since you
started your role?
Everything is always evolving – the
training gets better and is more
accessible to everybody. The ancillary
“There also used to be
a misconception about
what ‘old people’s
homes’ were like – it is
not like that here. Our
residents have lived full
and enriched lives; they
have tales to tell.”
Emma Adderson
staff have access to all sort of training, as
do the care staff. I have gained a Level 3
NVQ in housekeeping and also have had
training in enhanced infection control.
When I came back after 20 years,
I noticed a huge difference in the
intergenerational work we do. We
have contacts with childminders,
nurseries, two of our local schools,
and it’s so impactful on our residents,
they absolutely love it. We have a full
activities schedule every week, morning
and afternoons, that is a massive and
really positive change from 20 years ago.
What’s special about the care home
you work for?
The people is what makes this
place – the staff, the management,
everyone from the administrators
to the maintenance man will roll up
their sleeves and help each other. It
is the residents, the characters, the
personalities – I just love it.
What skills and talents do you need to
be a great housekeeper?
Definitely a sense of humour. You need
bundles of patience and compassion,
understanding, a big smile, because
nobody wants to see a grump come to
work every day. If you can be a good
team leader and you have a happy team,
they will be really productive for you.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 43

care | care heroes
Our overall winner is...
Kate Smith, a support worker at Rebecca Homes, is the overall
winner of this year’s Ontex Care Heroes Award, along with a
£500 Love2Shop voucher
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 the overall winner
and three runners-up 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
“I believe Kate
should be awarded
because of the huge
positive impact she
has had working in
our care home.”
Kate Smith
awarded a Love2Shop voucher – £500
for the overall winner and £250 for the
runners-up.
Over the past months we have
spotlighted the runners-up and this
month we feature the winner Kate
Smith, a support worker at Rebecca
Homes in Yoxall, Staffordshire.
Here’s what her colleague had to say
about her admirable dedication to the
role: I believe Kate should be awarded
because of the huge positive impact she
has had working in our care home.
A long-term member of staff left in
2022 and one person living at the home
was particularly worried about this and
“She has also asked
to do her dissertation
for her psychology
degree on relatives’
perspectives of their son
or daughter as a young
adult in a care home.”
that his passion for gardening would
not be the same, as the person who left
was a keen gardener.
44 | DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

care heroes | care
From left: Angela Gillespie, channel manager distributors at Ontex Healthcare, Kate Smith and Sam Lewis, former editor of Caring Times
“She has created this
beautiful vegetable
patch and arranged
the greenhouse
into an organised
workable area.”
Kate a young member of care staff,
currently studying a psychology degree,
and not an experienced gardener, did
some research and volunteered without
being asked to step into a the role of
continuing to support this individual in
his hobby.
Kate has done an amazing job and
made great improvements in the
garden. She has created this beautiful
vegetable patch and arranged the
greenhouse into an organised workable
area. She has planted vegetables and
flowers with the person we support.
She has successfully grown seasonal
vegetables, herbs and spices that
everyone living at the home has tried
and enjoyed. The various vegetables
have continued throughout the year
as well.
She also improved the environment
of the home by planting pretty wild
flowers, so again everyone has enjoyed
her work and she has kept interest
going right from the moment she
offered to support this individual in
November 2022 until now. She has
also maintained the grounds painting
fences and doesn’t mind at all mucking
in digging up the garden and doing
physically demanding tasks.
She has also asked to do her
dissertation for her psychology
degree on relatives’ perspectives of
their son or daughter as a young adult
in a care home. So her caring nature is
from all perspectives, as a young person
herself she has been such an inspiration
to all.
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 45

care | care heroes
Do you know or work
with someone who is
an unsung hero in a
care home?
Ontex has teamed up with Caring Times once again to reward those
working in care homes who are always ready to go that extra mile
There are thousands of people
working in UK care homes who
make a real difference, whether
it’s behind the scenes in the laundry
room, preparing meals in the kitchen,
or providing direct personal care for
the residents. We’re looking for those
who go beyond the job description.
Whether it’s the gardener who brings
residents their favourite cookies, or
a housekeeper who helps residents
to rediscover their hobbies – we’re
searching for those who bring a little bit
of extra joy into the care world.
Your care hero may be a colleague or
someone else you know, and now is the
time to reward those individuals who
have made a genuine impact on their
particular place of work.
If you know of anyone that fits the
bill, entries can be made online at:
caring-times.co.uk/care-heroes-2025
So go to this link and tell us, in 400
words or fewer, why you think your
nominated person deserves to win.
Make sure to include an example of
when they have gone the extra distance
to make a difference.
All winners will be announced in
June and will be presented with their
certificate and Love2Shop vouchers on
Friday 27 June at the Care Management
Show at the NEC Birmingham.
Three runner-up winners will each
receive £250 Love2Shop vouchers,
and the overall winner will receive a
£500 Love2Shop voucher. The three
runner-up winners will feature in the
September, October and November
issues of Caring Times magazine,
and the overall winner will feature
in a special feature in the December
issue.
Care Heroes 2025 offers a unique
chance to celebrate the dedication of
all those who go above and beyond to
keep care homes running. It’s a brilliant
way to shine the spotlight on people
who get on with their jobs, unseen and
unheard, but make a real difference.
“This is the seventh year we’ve
worked with Caring Times for the Care
Heroes competition and we absolutely
love it because it’s important to shine
a light on those who go above and
beyond for their residents,” comments
Angela Gillespie, distributor channel
manager at Ontex. “And it doesn’t have
to be a grand gesture – it’s the little,
consistent things that really have an
impact on someone’s life.”
Last year, we received more than
350 entries and it took a panel of five
to decide the finalists. Gillespie
continues: “It’s a difficult competition
to judge because each person is so
deserving. My top tip when nominating
somebody is to use a particular
example with lots of detail for how
they have made a difference and how
this impacted others – good luck to all
nominees.”
Terms and conditions
This prize draw is organised by Ontex, Weldon House, CorbyGate Business Park, Priors Haw Road, Corby, NN17 5JG. It is governed by the laws of England
and Wales and it is subject to the following conditions:
• The prize draw is not open to employees or contractors of Ontex or any person directly or indirectly involved in the organisation and running of the
competition or their direct family members.
• The prizes are up to the value of £250 of Love2Shop vouchers for the three runner-up winners and a £500 Love2Shop voucher for the one overall winner.
The Love2Shop vouchers may be substituted to an alternative gift card chosen by Ontex to the same value if required. There is no cash alternative. The
vouchers will be presented to the winners on stage at the Care Management Show at the NEC in Birmingham on Friday 27 June.
• The three runner-up winners will be included in the Caring Times publication during the September 2025, October 2025 and November 2025 issues. The
overall winner will be included in the Caring Times publication during the December 2025 issue.
• No purchase is necessary to take part in the prize draw.
• The prize draw is open to UK residents only who are aged 18 or over.
• Closing date for entry is Friday 16 May. Winners will be notified by 5 June.
• The overall winner will receive two tickets to the National Care Awards on Friday 28 November in London.
• All winners will be presented with their award at the Care Management Show and must be available to attend the show on Friday 27 June.
• If the winners do not confirm acceptance of his/her prize within seven days he/she will automatically forfeit the rights to claim for the prize. In the event of
the prize not being claimed, Ontex reserves the right to select an alternative winner via any means that Ontex feel appropriate.
By participating in the prize draw, you declare that you accept these terms and conditions unconditionally.
46 | NOVEMBER 2024 CARING-TIMES.CO.UK

care heroes | care
Overall winner
2024: Kate Smith, a
support worker at
Rebecca Homes in
Yoxall, Saffordshire.
Kate is studying for
a psychology degree.
She also took on a
gardening role to
support an individual
in his hobby making
great improvements
in the garden, creating
a beautiful vegetable
patch and arranged the greenhouse into an organised workable
area. She has planted vegetables and flowers with the person
supported. She has grown seasonal vegetables, herbs and
spices that everyone living at the home has enjoyed. Various
vegetables have continued to be grown throughout the year as
well. She improved the environment of the home by planting
pretty wild flowers and has maintained the grounds, painting
fences and digging up the garden among other physically
demanding tasks.
Runner-up 2024:
Sibongile Sihwa,
support worker
at Dimensions
Healthcare.
Sibongile’s commitment
extends far beyond
the confines of her job
description, making
an indelible impact on
the lives of those she
cares for and the entire
community around her.
During a particularly
challenging period from January to March, when two of her
colleagues fell ill, Sibongile didn’t hesitate to step in and
cover their shifts. Her energy and dedication shone through
as she worked tirelessly to ensure that residents with learning
disabilities received the care they deserve. Whether it’s
through small gestures like bringing residents their favourite
cookies or facilitating activities that reignite their passions and
hobbies, Sibongile consistently goes the extra mile to brighten
their days and lift their spirits.
Runner-up 2024:
Charlie Keane,
therapy assistant
at Oakleaf Care,
Northampton.
Charlie’s passion
for the residents is
obvious. Off the back
of resident feedback
that they would like
to see pictures of the
local area hung up in
the communal areas, he
set up a photography
session using his own professional camera. This involved him
taking the residents out into the grounds and surrounding
areas and assisting them in taking photographs of their
choosing, which were later printed out to be hung up on the
unit. Not only was this a wonderful and meaningful activity
to those residents, but the photos were so great that it allowed
the company the opportunity to use them in the redesign of
the home’s welcome packs.
Runner-up 2024:
Carly Pounder,
senior carer
at Care UK’s
Cranford Grange
in Knutsford,
Cheshire.
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. She says: "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."
CARING-TIMES.CO.UK DECEMBER 2024/JANUARY 2025 | 47

AWARD-WINNING
AGENCY OF CHOICE
An agency that genuinely cares about the service we provide and the care we
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Providing an outstanding service since 2019, available 24 hours a day,
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All levels of staff covered
NOT JUST AN AGENCY
AWARENESS
Dementia Event – Quarterly FREE Dementia Event – Zoom link provided. Join the evening to
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ones and those suffering themselves with Dementia. This has been an incredible journey of
building the event, which now has over 70+ attendees both returning and new. A great line
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TRAINING
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24-Hour Contact: 0208 016 4333