Home Care Focus 2010

THE QUARTERLY MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO HOME CARE PROFESSIONALS

homecarefocusCeretas, 21 Regent Street, Nottingham NG1 5BS. Tel: 0115 959 6130 Fax: 0115 959 6148 E-mail: [email protected] www.ceretas.org.uk

Autumn

Issue

ALSOIN THISISSUE

• Update onPersonal healthbudgets

• New qualificationsfrom Skills for Care

• ‘Growing Old Disgracefully’Up Close and Personal with Diana Athill

AUTUMN 2010

4

Budget cuts -Threat or Opportunity?

insideTHIS ISSUE

22 Sector rife for investorinterest

23 Counsel + Care news

24 New qualifications for Skillsfor Care

25 Transforming social care:messages for home careproviders and customers

26 Malnutrition in the UK: Why worry?

27 Future Jobs Fund Scheme - Care Sector

29 Bring me sunshine

PEOPLEPROFILE

28 Up close and personal withDiana Athill

31 Care to Talk

CERETASREGIONAL

30 Investing in independence: A journey into retirement

31 The implementation of‘personalisation’ in Liverpool

32 The Kent Card

34 Joint working: Achieving more together

35 Live-in care, an easy provision

PAGE 22

MEMBERSHIP36 Become a Ceretas member

37 Good Practice Guidelines

37 Email address request

CONFERENCES& EVENTS

33 David Behan to deliverkeynote speech at ECCAconference

38 Conferences and events

39 Counsel and Care charitypartner of carer’s awards

39 Events Diary Dates

BUSINESSBRIEF

27 Business news

NEWS3 A Word from the Chair

4 Budget Cuts - Threat orOpportunity

5 Abolition of the GeneralSocial Care Council

6 Counsel and care launch offer for local authorities to deliver information andadvice to older residents

8 Liberating the NHS

10 Fair Care Crisis

10 Online publication ofhistorical adult social care ratings

11 Football project for dementiasufferers may be extended

12 Department of Health latest

SECTORUPDATE

14 Sector News in brief

16 Care Association & Ceretascorporate members cometogether to discuss coalitionimplications for sector

17 Personalisation tools from SCIE

18 Personal health budgets pilotprogramme, the story so far

19 Skills academy CEO awardsSouth Birmingham Collegefirst recognised trainingprovider

20 Turning Point

21 TV actress, Linda Bellinghamsupports the CPBF

PAGE 28

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CeretasAdministration Office21 Regent StreetNottingham NG1 5BS

tel: 0115 959 6130fax: 0115 959 6148web: www.ceretas.org.uk e-mail: [email protected]

contact

03Ceretas Home Care Focus

NEWS

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MARY BRYCE,CHAIR,CERETAS

Where does the time go, I have just started my two weekholiday break and, even though it’s a week earlier than usualfor me, it feels like Autumn. The shops have their Christmascards on shelves even though the schools haven’t started back yet the world of homecare appears to be unaffected byall the changes around us……or is it?

There is constant speculation in the media of the level of cuts in public spending with 40% being a recurring theme. The SupportingPeople programme is destined for 40% cuts from 2011 to 2015, thiswill badly affect services to a number of vulnerable groups includingolder people. This will mean more demand on social services who willbe suffering from cuts to their own budget during the same period.The commission looking at the options for funding of long term carewill not report until July 2011, lets hope that it doesn’t become another report destined for the shelf as we desperately need a system that is fair and equitable for all.

The demise of the PCTs (152) from 2013 together with the StrategicHealth Authorities (10) with the transfer of commissioning to GPs was not predicted. The take up of GP fund holding has not been agreat success so time will tell if this huge undertaking will be effective.In the interim although it may create uncertainty it also presentsopportunities as GPs will need management support to deliver newservices. Personal Health Care budget pilots are already in place, you will find more information about the pilots in this newsletter.

You will also find an update from the CQC in this edition, as careproviders are still unhappy with the interim plans for the star ratings.The new system for quality ratings, which are still unknown, will not be implemented until May 2011. Existing quality ratings will stay on the CQC website however many of these will have been awarded upto three years ago. This means that any service that has improved sincethe last award will not get any recognition at all. Surely we should havecontinued with the current system until the new system, whatever it is, was in place. You should make sure that you get involved in theconsultation that CQC are holding about the new system.

As the Great British Care Awards judging days are just about upon us I hope to meet as many of you as I can.

Mary Bryce

ChairPAGE 18

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COVER STORY PAGE 4

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NEWS

05Ceretas Home Care Focus 04 Ceretas Home Care Focus

NEWS

Budget cuts -Threat or Opportunity?Until the Spending Review is published

October 20th 2010 the details of theCoalition’s Government spending limits

remain unclear. But we do know they will beprioritising their main programmes against tough criteria in order to achieve the 20% to 45% cuts from those departments without ring fenced budgets.

Each department will be asked:

• is the activity essential to meet Government priorities?

• does the Government need to fund this activity?

• does the activity provide substantial economic value?

• can the activity be targeted to those most in need?

• how can the activity be provided at lower cost?

• how can the activity be provided more effectively?

• can the activity be provided by a non-state provider or by citizens, wholly or in partnership?

• can non-state providers be paid to carry out the activity according to the results they achieve?

• can local bodies as opposed to central governmentprovide the activity?

We also know that the new administration has put reducing the£155bn deficit as its most urgent issue. The Review will provide acomplete re-evaluation of the government’s role in public servicesand whilst we do not need to rehearse again the reasons for the

financial crisis we would do well do ponder on the consequences. The reduction plan for such huge savings cannot just be about cutsbut must be about finding different ways of doing things. Given thesize of the savings it must be asked how frontline services cannot be affected?

Mervyn King, governor of the Bank of England, has recentlywarned of a ‘choppy recovery’ and Philip Greene, erstwhile of TopShop and Dorothy Perkins, has been recruited to provide an audit of spending, supporting the stated intentions of government ministersto make immediate savings - £6.2bn this year. If we were in any doubt, the recent appearance on the DirectGov website of theSpending Challenge reinforces the message where the treasury isactively seeking the ideas of anyone who wishes to ‘help us get more for less’ – 100,000 suggestions have been received so far!

So we must await the detail but some decisions have been made.The Department for Communities and Local Government recentlyannounced the Spending Review Framework which modelled whateach authority will receive and how they will be able to introducelocal flexibility. £1.7bn of ring-fencing has been removed from councilrevenue grants, leaving only the Carers grant intact, worth £256m this year. Also £74m of capital grants will no longer be ring-fencedincluding £30m to fund IT and information services supportingtransformation of Adult Care. Whilst Paul Burstow (Care ServicesMinister) has confirmed that no social care grant will be cut at anational level, it is likely that the removal of ring-fencing puts them at risk of local cuts. Communities Secretary Eric Pickles is clear that there is significant scope for efficiencies through joint workingbetween councils and between different types of public authoritiesacross local areas.

The message is not a new one and indeed we havebeen through an extended period of considerableefficiencies under New Labour. But even in the short timesince the General Election local authorities are feeling thepain! Mick Burrows, chief executive of NottinghamshireCounty Council, has reflected that the situation is stillfluid, though the county has already announced swingeingjob cuts in the local press. He noted that alongside theanticipated stringencies of the Spending Review, inflation isincreasing whilst at the same time demands on theCouncil are increasing.

PriceWaterHouse Cooper have convened a publicopinion poll as part of their response in the GovernmentsConsultation process. They are committed to inform theCoalition’s understanding of what citizens consider isimportant when deciding where the cuts should be made,whilst retaining as high a standard as possible. Theirresearch is indicating amongst other things that Councilsmust realise cashable savings; be sustainable over themedium to long term; put the citizen front and centre;achieve workforce reform; manage pay; blur boundaries;restructure pensions and review contracts. They concludethat breaking down the barriers between different servicesand designing those services differently around the needsof users can both cut cost and improve outcomes.

Recent Age UK research indicates that if cuts areapplied councils with Social Services responsibilities would only be able to afford Home Care for about500,000 frail older people compared to the million whoare projected to be eligible in 2012 under current criteria.Whilst it is not explicitly stated it might be concluded that those receiving help in their own homes could be thehardest hit as Councils would have no option but to retainresponsibilities for those already living in Care Homes.

CIPFA has created a manifesto ‘Better Ideas BetterPublic Services’ that echoes what perhaps many of us arethinking: that for those in leadership these are challengingtimes. Leaders will have to deal with high levels ofuncertainty and anxiety, listen and engage with views ofthe public, service users, partners and stakeholders whilstcharting a course to manage strategies and actions tomanage cuts that is in the public interest. CIPFA call for an urgent debate on governance and financial managementin the public sector.

So – we must wait until October 20th, and even afterthat as local Councils translate the Treasuries intentionsand requirements into local decisions. We must also notforget that there will be ripples into social care from thereorganisations in Health and Education, and the shift inthe agenda of the voluntary, community and socialenterprise sectors. But whilst the anticipated cuts aredaunting, equally we need to grasp the opportunity towork in more efficient ways. Can such significant budgetcuts stimulate innovation and creativity as decision-makershave to revisit assumptions and think the unthinkable?Transforming a huge service whilst the budget is shrinkingis the biggest public management task since the welfarestate was created. Will David Cameron and Nick Cleggrealise their aim. Will we do things differently - do morefor less…only time will tell.

Abolition of

the General Social

Care Council

The General Social Care Council (GSCC) is to be scrapped, with responsibility forregulating social workers transferred to the Health Professions Council (HPC).

Social workers will become the 16th profession to be regulated by the HPC, which is set to be renamed to take intoaccount its new social care role.

The move is part of a major overhaul of the Department of Health’s (DoH) arm's length bodies, which is aimed at cutting costs.

Commenting on the DoH’sdecision, GSCC Chair RosieVarley said: “We were surprisedby this decision. We recognisethe economic imperative behindthe proposal. Howeverdiscussions have yet to takeplace about how this will work,including the costs, benefits andwider consequences. We areseeking an early meeting withthe Health Professions Counciland the government.

“Effective and mature regulation is vital in building social work as a profession. The needs of those who use social work services and the professional integrity of social workers must be paramountin the new regulatory arrangements.

“I’m very proud of GSCC staff who have worked tirelessly overthe past year to strengthen public protection and contribute to thereforms coming out of the Social Work Task Force. We will go onbuilding on our recent progress in strengthening both the regulationof social workers and of social work education. We will continue towork with the government, employers, universities, social workers and service users to strengthen the profession and ensure publicconfidence in it.”

ROSIE VARLEYGSCC CHAIR

NEWS


NEWS

Counsel and Care launch offer for

local authoritiesto deliver

information andadvice to older

residents

Counsel and Care, the nationalcharity working with older people,their families and carers to get the

best care and support, is today launching an offer to support local authorities withimplementing the milestones requirementsof Putting People First and thepersonalisation agenda.

October 2010 sees the second Putting People First milestone coming into place; ‘that the council has put in place arrangements for universal access toinformation and advice’. Counsel and Care welcomesthe opportunity of working in partnership with localauthorities to help develop their information andadvice strategies and complement existing provision.

Counsel and Care has developed a flexible offer to provide local authorities with a bespoke specialistadvice and information service for older residents, their families and carers.

Call us now on 020 8772 8773 or visit www.staffplan.co.uk

Inspired solutions for community care

StaffPlan Connect is a revolutionary mobile working solution enabling real-time communication between !"#$%&"'#"($!)*$&+, #$(-!++.

Based on the latest NFC enabled mobile phones, StaffPlan Connect delivers live schedules and service user information to care workers, whilst providing !"#$%&'!(%""# %'(%)*(*!+%",-"!(,#.!/(,0(01$2!(/,%11(#)("!%'(,#.!3(It’s easy to use, secure and completely non-intrusive for service users. y , p y

“ StaffPlan Connect is the icing on the cake, the functionality is exceptional ... !"# $%&' "#&() **&+ ,#&"#'-./0(#$&)+#&1#/#2)(&-*&"#'#0,0/.&)+#0"&"-) &()" 0.+)&)-&)+#&3+-/#&4&& !!&)+#&'!0#/)&$#) 0!(& "#& , 0! 1!#&)-&)+#56&7)&0(& &* "&5-"#&#*2'0#/)&system than paper rosters and timesheets and we would go as far in saying that it has given our staff a lift!”

-Jane Tweed, Manager, Hinckley Carer Support Scheme

“7&*##!&'-//#')#$&)-&)+#&-*2'#8&/-)& !-/#& (&7&$0$&0/&)+#&3 ()6”-Angela Rogerson, Senior Care Worker

The service is delivered through a professional andindependent telephone advice line and through the website.Counsel and Care’s advice team also produces more than 60information guides and factsheets. The advice provided covers a range of issues including assessment and services, finding andpaying for care in any setting, housing options, home adaptations,hospital discharge and community support, benefits, pensioncredits and where to find further information.

Counsel and Care is committed to delivering the highest quality of service and value for money. Evaluation, feedback andmeasuring outcomes are also provided through an establishedreporting process.

Rebecca Shaw, Development Manager at Counsel and Careexplains: “We recognise local authorities have different needs and therefore we have developed a flexible offer to reflect this.Our advice service can complement existing information andadvice provision. We can also provide a tailored marketing plan to promote the service to older residents, using our experienceto reach self funders and those not already in touch with localcouncil services”.

Electronic Monitoring: 394Monitoring & Rostering: 394R

020 8893 9039 | [email protected] | www.caci.co.uk/careprovider

Good ideas?Let’s innovate together…At CACI we develop innovative technology to support where your business needs to go.

Voted 1st for quality by ESPO, our award-winning care management software is already helping many homecare providers across the UK generate

Richard Ellis, Deputy Director, Adult Services atHampshire County Council said: "Hampshire CountyCouncil is delighted to be working in partnership withCounsel and Care to ensure that universal information,advice and advocacy is accessible to all older people, their families and carers. Access to expert information and advice is a vital part of a sustainable care system,helping people to plan for the future and respond toimmediate needs".

NEWS


1. Introduction On 12 July the Government

announced a radical pro-market agendaof reform to the NHS, shifting control of resources to local patients andprofessionals rather than managers andcentral targets. The White Paper outlineswhat many commentators have called the most fundamental shift in power andorganisation of the NHS for decades.However, it does underline that some of the central features of the NHS willnot be changed.

In the introduction to the White Paper, it states that:

“The government upholds the values and principles of the NHS: of acomprehensive service, available to all,free at the point of use and based onclinical need, not the ability to pay”.

The NHS is considered by thecoalition government as a key componentof ‘the Big Society’, based on the threeprinciples of fairness, freedom andresponsibility. Central to this is the notionthat the NHS will become “the largestsocial enterprise in the world”.

In a press briefing at the launch thehealth secretary stated that private health

providers would have a greater role in providing NHS services.

“We are going to make it clear thatindependent-sector providers can offerservices to the NHS if they provide the high-quality care we are looking for, and they can do it within NHS prices,”

2. Key issues in the White Paper2.1 Personalisation• Greater choice and control for patients –

putting patients and the public first (Oneaspect is developing personal budgets forhealth with pilots already up and running)

• NHS still based on principles of universalprovision free at point of use and withchoice and control

- “Nothing about me without me”

- More patient control of information(care records) and input into decisionmaking with the right to chose GPs andchoices in care and treatment

- System to be focussed on personalised care

- Opportunities for more transparency,for patients to rate and publish ratings on hospitals and the care they get

- Create a greater collective voice forpatients through HealthWatch – section 2.3)

2.2. Move from performance targetsto improving health outcomes • Focus on clinical (credible and evidence

based outcome measures) not targets

- Targets with no clinical basis orrationale to go

- A culture of open information toensure patient safety

- Quality standards developed by NICE to inform commissioning (will be150 altogether. There are ones already for stroke and dementia)

- Money will follow the patient

- Payment by performance – outcomes not just activity

- Will develop new outcome goals for NHS

2.3. Commissioning health andsocial care services and localaccountability • Devolve power to front-line staff

empowering professionals and providers to take more control throughGP commissioning of services.(All 35,000 GPs and their practice teamswill have to join consortia) This willinvolve £80 billion of health spend withfreedom to buy in services from externalagencies and a duty to promote equalitiesand work with local councils

The NHS White Paper

Equality and Excellence:

Liberating the NHS

• PCTs to be phased out by 2013 and the10 SHAs will go in 2012

• New consumer champion to be set up –HealthWatch England to be part of theCare Quality Commission

• New Commissioning Board to be set upindependent from Dept of Health withresponsibility for managing themembership of GP commissioningconsortia

• Monitor, which monitors Foundationhospitals will become the economicregulator for health services

• Local councils to promote ‘joined up’commissioning locally (social care andhealth improvement) with councils takingover the public health role from PCTs andtaking control of health improvementbudgets which gives them ‘unprecedentedopportunities’ to link health and socialcare together (budgets for public health tobe ring fenced.) There will be furtherconsultation on options to ensure thathealth and care work seamlessly togetherand plans to extend the use of powers toenable joint working.

There is no detail on how GPcommissioning will work. A follow up health bill is expected in autumn. The newCommissioning Board will apparently havefinal say in size and membership of GPconsortia. There is also some clarity needed on how councils will work with GP commissioners in their new role onintegrating health and social care.

2.4. Simplification and shiftingaccountability and control• Move to create ‘the largest social

enterprise in the world’ – this is the visionfor NHS, with more opportunities for staffcreativity / input into management andstrategic direction. ”We will radically simplifythe number of NHS bodies, and radicallyreduce the Department of Health’s own NHSfunctions. We will abolish quangos that do notneed to exist and streamline the functions ofthose that do. “

• All hospitals to become Foundationhospitals with greater powers to enablethem to undertake private work

• Plan is to slash 45% from [bureaucratic]management budgets by 2014) and torelease up to £20 billion of efficiencysavings by 2014

• Spending on the NHS will be increased inreal terms over each year of thisParliament

• Plan is for PCTs to be gone by 2013 “Inautumn 2012 the new consortia will receiveallocations “direct” for the financial year2013-14 and from April 2013 – the datePCTs are “abolished” – it is consortia that willhold the contracts with providers.

• Consortia will “need to be of sufficientsize to manage financial risk and allow foraccurate allocations”. This means aminimum of 100K population so likely tobe 5 – 600 consortia nationally.

• Move from structures and processes topriorities and progress – “theheadquarters of the NHS will be theconsulting room and the clinic

• There will be a reduced role in the NHSfor the Department of Health. It will havea strategic remit and work to implementthese changes

• New ‘health premium’ allocation formulafor funds to target areas with pooresthealth

2.5. Social CareOn social care the White Paper states

• The Department [of Health] will continue tohave a vital role in setting adult social carepolicy. We want a sustainable adult social caresystem that gives people support and freedomto lead the life they choose, with dignity. Werecognise the critical interdependence betweenthe NHS and the adult social care system insecuring better outcomes for people, includingcarers. We will seek to break down barriersbetween health and social care funding toencourage preventative action. Later this yearwe will set out our vision for adult social care,to enable people to have greater control overtheir care and support so they can enjoymaximum independence and responsibility fortheir own lives.

• The Commission on Adult Social Care toreport within a year (2011) workingjointly with Law Commission to reformlegal framework

• There will be a White Paper on SocialCare in 2011 with a view to finding ‘asustainable legal and financial frameworkby second term of this parliament’.

3. Some key comments madeafter the launch

Many GPs know their patients and their needswell, but others don’t and there is a risk thatsignificant numbers of GPs have neither the skillsnor motivation to make commissioning decisionsfor all their patients. It is risky to roll this out aswholesale reform without some element of testing.(CEO King’s Fund, Chris Ham speaking onToday programme on the day of the launch)

The Kings Fund in its press responsesays the White paper is

The biggest shake up on the health systemsince the NHS was established with setting thedeadline for GP consortia to be responsible forcommissioning by 2013 ‘very ambitious’ Itwelcomes the councils role in public health and thestrengthening of links proposed with councils takinga key role in integrating health and social care

Union leaders are amplifying this concern calling the reforms ‘untested dogma’.

In Parliament, responses of theopposition focussed on concerns over the‘fragmentation of the health service’. AndyBurnham was concerned that with theabolition of PCTs and SHAs, there would beno proper monitoring of standards

Nigel Edwards, chief executive of theNHS Confederation, said: These proposals, if implemented successfully, will recast therelationships between government, the NHS,patients and the public. This is a serious attemptat major and lasting reform in the NHS and willrequire considerable skill and leadership to makeit work. Many people working in the NHS willwelcome the principle of judging the performanceof the NHS on health outcomes. But it isimportant to acknowledge that the clear targetsset for the NHS over the last 10 years havedelivered significant improvements to patient care.The transition of commissioning functions to GPswill require careful management over the nextthree years to ensure that the handover ofresponsibility is smooth and patient care is notaffected. It will also be essential to avoid a talentdrain from primary care trusts; now is the time forstrong leadership at a local level.

He goes on to say that the task of findingsavings of up £20bn over the next five years,which is outlined in the document, is going to be a bit of a challenge.

Paul Burstow, the Social CareMinister - stated in Community Care thatlocal government will be in the driving seat onintegration (health and social care) with a newstrategic commissioning role through newhealth and well being boards or throughexisting arrangements.

4. Timeframe

Health Bill Autumn

Vision for adult care By end 2010

Public Health Late 2010White Paper

Choice for long From 2011term conditions

White Paper on 2011social care

GP consortia From 2011/12established in shadow

PCTs abolished 2013

150 new NICE 2015standards

Jane Minter and Sarah Vallelly

Housing 21

NEWS


NEWS

Social care providers for the elderlyare concerned about maintainingquality of services against a backdropof rising costs and downward pressure on fees, with the majority(77%) feeling that service user expectations may be unrealistic,according to new PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP research,published recently. The report, “Fair care crisis? An independentsurvey of social care providers for the elderly” examines the viewsof over 100 domiciliary and care home providers on the currentand future challenges facing the elderly social care providermarket.

The survey revealed a strong desire from providers to have more central andcoordinated support from Central Government with over half (55%) feeling that they do not receive sufficient support in responding to elderly social care marketchallenges. The majority (79%) also strongly agree that Central Government needs to articulate its vision on future elderly social care.

Social care providers for the elderly are optimistic that the market will grow with an ageing population, but expect greater pressure on fees (77% strongly agree) andfurther consolidation of the market in the medium term.

Amanda Kelly, lead social care partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, commented:

“These findings highlight the need for government to set clear policy anddirection now to address the acute funding crisis facing the sector which could resultin reduced choice and potentially lower quality of services for those who depend onsocial care.

“The challenge for providers will be to look beyond their current plans and bemore flexible in their business strategy to remain competitive. There will be clearopportunities for providers who grasp changes to their market and adapt to them.”

Key survey findings also included:

• The majority (71%) of care providers are concerned that there will be less choicefor users.

• 80% of care providers think that the quality of care services will suffer due to costreduction measures.

• Personalisation of care services is seen as having the most positive impact (70%agree), with the shifting of responsibility for care to the community seen as havingthe most negative impact (39%).

• Care providers do not feel particularly knowledgeable about future policydirection for the market, with only 28% indicating that they know a lot aboutfuture policy and regulation, and the majority (65%) claiming to know a moderateamount.

• 94% are taking action in response to market challenges, with the majority ofproviders focusing on increasing skills and capacity (83%), controlling costs (78%)and diversifying their activities (70%) to combat the market conditions.

Amanda Kelly, lead social care partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, concluded:

“As demand grows with the ageing population, a clear pressure for providers will be to continue to deliver quality care with ever increasing costs and lower fees.Providers recognise that they will need to move away from their traditional way ofworking and tailor their services to meet need, but service users may also need to re-set their expectations on what care will be provided.

“The future of the elderly social care market depends on the right decisions beingmade now. Providers need to be engaged in discussions on the market’s futurealongside policy makers, commissioners and service users.”

anew therapy which uses football tostimulate the minds of dementia suffererscould be extended abroad, after the success

of a pilot project. Glasgow Caledonian Universitysaid showing memorabilia to men with the conditionstimulated their memories in a "remarkable" way.

They were able to chat about memories of players and games, after being shown photographs and match programmes.

Researchers in Canada may now take the same approach, using ice hockey.

Professor Debbie Tolson, director of the university's Centre forEvidence Based Care of Older People, described it as a fascinatingstudy with impressive results.

"The men's life-long interest in football connected them to theirformer selves and shared memories," she said.

"There is very little provided specifically for men with dementia and this is a welcome and positive innovation.

"At the moment, I am gathering together a group of researchers to mount a proposal to roll out the concept to other Europeancountries."

The project has been conducted by the university together with the Scottish Football Museum, Alzheimer Scotland and member clubsof the Scottish Football Heritage Network. It was supported byMuseums Galleries Scotland.

There are nearly 25 million people with dementia across the world, with an estimated 4.6 million new cases each year.

Prof Tolson said: "By listening to men with dementia and familycarers we have realised how little meaningful activity is provided for men that reflect their past passions."

She said the study had shown that photos were a "potent trigger"for fans with dementia.

"We are currently in discussion with potential European partners to bid for monies so that we can do research to understand the best way to help men with dementia through football reminiscence,"she added.

football project for

dementia sufferers

may be extended

THE STUDY FOUND OLD PHOTOS WERE A “POTENT TRIGGER” FOR FANS WITH DEMENTIA

In May Chief Executive of the Care QualityCommission, Cynthia Bower, briefedproviders on changes coming to theregulation of adult social care. As part of thatbriefing, she explained that:

• The awarding of quality ratings (the “star ratings”)through the Care Standards Act 2000 would be phasedout by 30 June 2010

• All adult social care providers that carry on regulatedactivities are required to be registered with us under ournew registration system from 1 October 2010

• CQC will be working with the sector to design a newinformation system for the quality of adult social care,which builds on registration

• CQC will support people in accessing informationbetween 1 October and the launch of the new qualityinformation system

IIt is a priority of CQC's to keep us informed of keydecisions and plans as soon as they are made. They have nowset out their approach to the online publication of historicalquality ratings between now and spring 2011.

On 20 August CQC published new information on theirwebsite that explains the approach. You can find this atwww.cqc.org.uk/ascratings. A paper copy of this informationto will also be sent to adult social care establishments.

Through the course of the year, CQC will be engagingproviders and commissioners of adult social care, as well asothers, in our work to design a new information system forthe quality of adult social care. They do not yet know whatthat system will look like. However, they plan for it to beclosely tied with registration. They anticipate that a goodtrack record of compliance with essential standards of safetyand quality will be a measure used in the new system.

If you would like to register your interest in the consultationtaking place later this year, please contact our NationalContact Centre: [email protected] or call 03000 616161.

Online publication of historical adultsocial care ratings

CYNTHIA BOWER,CARE QUALITY COMMISSION

Fair Care

Crisis?

NEWS


NEWS

Refreshing the national Carers Strategy The Government has announced

its intention to refresh the strategicapproach to supporting carers andwill produce a clear plan of action for2011-2015 by the end of the year.

This work will build on the previousGovernment’s carers strategy – Carers at the heart of 21st century families andcommunities – and will be a cross-government approach. In a letter to socialcare staff and other healthcare professionalsin July, Care Services Minister Paul Burstowconfirmed both of these are still appropriate.

The aim of the refresh is to focuson theactivities that will have the greatest impact on improving the quality of carers’ lives andthe support they receive, from April 2011onwards. Ensuring the Government works inpartnership with local authorities, the NHS,employers, local communities and carers willbe a central theme of the refreshed approach.

To supplement the extensive consultationthe previous Government undertook withcarers, the Coalition Government is askingsocial care staff, the NHS, the voluntarysector and others to put forward their viewson the top priorities and what will have thegreatest impact on improving carers’ lives inthe next four years. Responses are needed by 20 September 2010.

The tight timescale is necessary in orderto help inform decisions in light of theGovernment’s Spending Review, includingplanning by local authorities and the NHSfrom April 2011 onwards. It will also allowthe Government and its delivery partners to move quickly to make a difference tocarers’ lives.

The Government will consider the issueof carers’ benefits separately under plans tosimplify and modernise the benefit system. It will also seek views separately on theextension to the right to request flexibleworking and the work of the proposedCommission on Funding of Care andSupport.

In responding to this call for evidence,organisations are asked to involve carers in formulating their responses, whereverpossible and to advise them of the process so they can respond directly.

Department of Health Latest First step to sustainable care and support system

The first step towards creating a sustainable care and support systemfor all adults, that puts individuals and their families at its heart, unveiledby Health Secretary Andrew Lansley.

In setting out to Parliament the terms of reference for the Commission on the Funding of Care and Support, Andrew Lansley made clear that it will consider a range of funding ideasincluding both voluntary insurance and partnership schemes. The Commission will be chairedby Andrew Dilnot with two further commissioners, Lord Norman Warner and Dame JoWilliams and it will report within a year.

The Commission will build on the extensive body of work that has already been done inthis area and provide advice on how to implement the best option.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said:

“By 2026, the number of 85 year olds is projected to double. In the next 20 years we estimate that 1.7 million more people willhave a potential care need than today. We know that one in five 65 year olds today will need care costing more than £50,000,which could force many to sell family homes. The answer is clear - we must develop a funding system for adult care and support that offers choice, is fair, provides value for money and issustainable for the public finances in the long term.

“I want to build momentum on this reform and expect to see legislation in front of Parliament next year.

“I am delighted that Andrew Dilnot will chair the independent commission. I know Andrew will bring a powerful analysis, rigour and expertise to the debate.”

The Commission will examine and provide recommendations on:

• the best way to meet care and support costs as a partnership between individuals and the state;

• how an individual’s assets are protected against the cost of care;

• how public funding for the care and support system can be best used to meet needs;

• how to deliver the preferred option including implementation timescales and impact on local government.

Care Services Minister Paul Burstow said:

"Urgent reform of the social care system is at the top of our agenda. The current system is unsustainable - it cannot go on as it is. The country needs a new settlement for social care.Our first step to reaching a new settlement is to get the independent commission up andrunning.

"For too long social care reform has been a talking shop. Trade offs will have to be madebut we are determined to build a funding system that is fair, affordable and sustainable."

Commission Chair Andrew Dilnot said:

"I am delighted to have been asked to Chair this Commission. How we best look afterthose who need care and support is one of the most pressing social policy challenges facingour society today. With more people living longer, we urgently need to find a fair andsustainable way to pay for the care which many of us will need.

“There are not going to be any easy answers, and I know difficult decisions will have to be made. However, I am looking forward to examining all the issues, and listening to the ideasof those who have been working on care and support over the past few years. This has been a hotly debated topic over recent months. It is now my job to consider the best way forwardand offer concrete recommendations to Government."

Patients will be offered more choice and control overtheir healthcare with the launch of the first direct paymentscheme, Care Services Minister Paul Burstow announcedrecently.

Eight Primary Care Trusts will begin to road test direct payments forpersonal health budgets. This will allow Primary Care Trusts to give themoney for someone’s care directly to them, allowing individuals todecide how, where and from whom they receive their healthcare, inpartnership with the local NHS.

Previously, personal health budgets could only be held by a PrimaryCare Trust or third party.

The cost of providing direct payments will come from existingfunding within PCTs. Direct payments can be paid to patients in anumber of ways, including monthly direct payments or a lump sum for aone off purchase such as a piece of equipment.

The scheme is designed to help individuals with a range of healthconditions including people with diabetes, stroke, heart disease, end oflife care and mental health conditions.

People can use their personal budgets in a number of ways. Forexample, one patient who suffers from chronic pain following removalof a spinal tumour uses her personal health budget for long term,extensive massage and hydrotherapy sessions to relieve chronic painwithout the side effects of painkilling drugs, drowsiness anddisorientation.

Another patient’s personal budget enabled him to spend his last fewmonths at home with his daughter and grandchildren. The budget wasused to provide flexible care while his daughter was at work, ratherthan the more traditional four times a day short visits.

Piloting direct payments is part of wider programme testing personalhealth budgets. More PCTs will be authorised to offer direct paymentsover the coming year. The pilot programme will inform decisionsaround how to proceed with wider, more general roll-out.

Care Services Minister Paul Burstow said:

More power to the patient

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'This is an important step towards putting patients at the heart of everything the NHS does.

'Direct payments have real potential to improve the lives ofindividuals with long-term health needs by putting treatmentchoices in their hands. That is why we are driving forward thecommitment in the Coalition Agreement to extend access.

'There is strong evidence from the social care sector thatdirect payments help achieve better outcomes, and give peoplemore choice and control over the care they receive. It alsoencourages a more preventative approach. It is a step away from the rigidity of the Primary Care Trusts deciding whatservices a patient will receive.

'Direct payments will not work for everyone or for all patient groups or services, but we want to identify whether, for whom and how they could offer an opportunity to helpachieve the best health and wellbeing outcomes. That is why we are developing this pilot programme.

'It will stop healthcare from slipping back to the days of one-dimensional, like-it-or-lump-it services.'

CARE SERVICESMINISTER,

PAUL BURSTOW

sector news


SECTOR UPDATE SECTOR UPDATE

SectorNews

inBrief

4

End-of-life careimproving but morecan be done saysMinister

A new report published hasfound that end of life care in the UK is improving.

But the Government's End ofLife Care Strategy report saidmore can be done to ensurepatients get the best carepossible in their choice of setting.

The second annual reportshowed key areas of end of lifecare where progress had beenmade, including the launch of e-learning for care workers, the introduction of the DyingMatters Coalition to raise publicawareness of the issue, and a £40 million grant for hospices.

But the report highlighted a number of variations in thecountry - something that careservices minister Paul Burstowsaid needed to be addressed.

Mr Burstow recognised theprogress in end of life care overthe past year, but said more can be done.

He stated: 'We need to ensurethat the care people receive atthe end of life is compassionate,appropriate, and gives peoplechoices in where they die andhow they are cared for.

He confirmed that areastargeted for improvementinclude training in end of lifecare, and promoting bestpractice.

Professor Mike Richards,national clinical director for endof life care, added it was 'crucial'to get it right because 'end of life care is the final healthoutcome for all of us'.

To find out more visitwww.endoflifecareforadults.nhs.uk/publications/route-to-success-care-homes

Equality and humanrights consultationlaunched today

The Care QualityCommission (CQC) have joinedtogether with the Equality andHuman Rights Commission(EHRC) to create guidance forinspectors and assessors.

The guidance, created with the help of our Voices forEquality and Human Rights Group, will help to ensure robustscrutiny of human rights issueswithin our essential standards of quality and safety.

Inspectors and assessors willbe able to look to this guidancewhen they monitor providersaccording to our standards andregistration requirements.

CQC are encouraging peoplewho use services, providers,commissioners and any otherinterested party to get involvedwith this consultation. Responsesshould be sent by 12 November 2010

To find out more visitwww.cqc.org.uk/yourviews/consultations/equalityandhumanrightsguidance.cfm

Social CareFramework published

Supporting people to live and die well: a framework forsocial care at the end of life waspublished on 8 July. It maps outhow social care commissionersand providers, together withthose involved in training andeducation, can boost social care’srole in end of life care forindividuals and their families. The framework calls for NationalEnd of Life Care Programme towork with the Association ofDirectors of Adult Social Servicesand other partners to shapeeducation, policy and practice.Download the framework by [email protected]

Valuing People Now Care Services Minister

Paul Burstow has confirmed that the Coalition Government is committed to improving thelives of people with learningdisabilities and their family carers. At the Learning Disability Programme Board, he emphasised the need to focus on the key priorities ofimproving outcomes for peoplewith learning disabilities inemployment, health and housingand on personalised services forindividuals and their families.

Safeguardingvulnerable adults:awareness campaign

The DH and the PoliceNational Fraud IntelligenceBureau are working together onsafeguarding vulnerable adults.This includes a campaign to raiseawareness of financial abuse ofvulnerable people. Social carestaff are encouraged to downloadand display the posters toincrease awareness among health staff and the public.

To find out more visitwww.cityoflondon.police.uk/CityPolice/Media/News/210610-protect-vulnerable-adults.htm

Backing for singlelegal framework foradult care assessment

The Law Commission plans to introduce a single legalframework for assessment werestrongly endorsed as part of itsconsultation on reforming thelaw on adult social care whichclosed on 1 July. Respondentshave strongly backed a proposalto institute a single duty to assessin law, which would be triggeredwhen a person appears to haveneeds that can be met bycommunity care services ordirect payments.

The commission is due topublish final plans to establish a single overarching statute forsocial care next April, bringingtogether 38 existing laws. It willbe up to ministers to decide howthis is taken forward.

The commission proposed to maintain the existing legalboundary between health andsocial care, which prohibitscouncils from providing servicesthe NHS is under a duty toprovide.

However the LawCommission's approach had not adequately addressed theinteraction between health andsocial care and some health lawswould also need to form part ofthe review. The commission's finalreport will be published on 28April 2011 after the governmentasked for the date to be boughtforward from the summer.

PA Register The PA Register is an

innovative online product thatsupports the personalisationagenda - matching the variety of needs within a localcommunity with available helpfrom personal assistants

More individuals need to seekout and secure their own sourceof support directly. OpportunityLinks is launching the PA Registerto provide an online service thatwill enable the public to searchfor and book local supportservices.

The PA Register will matchthe variety of needs within a local community - from someonerequiring an hour a week for helpin the garden, to 24 hour care -with services available frompersonal assistants.

The Register will also provide an online marketplace for personal assistants, so thatthey can update their details andpromote their services - whilegiving local authorities a tool tomanage and maintain records and create reports.

For more information visitwww.opportunitylinks.co.uk

New Dementia &Sight Loss InterestGroup Launched!

As part of National EyeHealth Week (14th-20th June2010), VISION 2020 UK arepleased to announce the launchof its new Dementia and SightLoss Interest Group. Details ofthis new Group are found below.

If you would like to join it,please go our homepage(http://www.vision2020uk.org.uk), click onInterest/Workgroups &Committees, log-in usingyour email address andpassword (there is apassword reminder if yourequire it), scroll down to"JOIN Dementia and SightLoss Interest Group" anddouble click on this link.Obviously, as the InterestGroup matures, moredocumentation etc. will be added.

New e-learningavailable for NMDS-SC users

Skills for Care is now offeringfree access to e-End of Life Carefor All (e-ELCA) for adult socialcare employers registered withthe National Minimum Data Setfor Social Care (NMDS-SC).

The new access in partnershipwith DH e-Learning forHealthcare (e-LfH) is a free andinnovative e-learning resourcethat aims to enhance the trainingand knowledge of all thoseinvolved in delivering end of lifecare.

The website offers morethan130 easy to use andinteractive e-learning sessionscovering all aspects of end of lifecare including assessment,advance care planning, symptommanagement and communicationskills.

Commissioned by theDepartment of Health (DH) andthe National End of Life CareProgramme to support theNational End of Life CareStrategy (2008), e-ELCA has beendeveloped by the Association forPalliative Medicine of GreatBritain and Ireland in partnershipwith e-LfH.

Employers registered with theNMDS-SC will now have accessto a user registration code that isavailable when logged in to theirindividual online account andwhich will allow them to registerfor access to e-ELCA.

For more information abouthow to access the userregistration code, visit

http://www.nmds-sc-online.org.uk/help/Category.aspx?id=1266



On 20th July 2010 temperatures soared inLondon whilst the sun shone on the LondonEye & Westminster Abbey. In between lies

the House of Commons where Ceretas was delightedto chair a luncheon hosted by Lilian Greenwood MP & sponsored by Boots, bringing together Ceretascorporate members which included care providers,both large & small, and care associations from aroundthe country. This was a most appropriate setting todiscuss the implications for the care sector of a newCoalition Government.

David Behan, Department of Health's DirectorGeneral of Social Care, was invited by Ceretas to share his view of the future of Social Care following the change of Government.

Care Associations &Ceretas CorporateMembers cometogether to discusscoalition implicationsfor sector

David Behan advised that there would be a significant shift inpolicy. The clues were in the 3 White Papers that will be producedover the next two years & the Structural Reform Plan giving thefirst five objectives to be delivered:

• A Patient Focused NHS

• Better healthcare outcomes not process driven services

• Accountability Framework with Economical Monitoring

• Public Health Service

• Social Care Reform

These objectives along with the Clegg-Cameron statementidentify the focus of reform.

The Government will produce three white papers, two by theend of this year for NHS and Public Health and a further whitepaper within 2011 for the Future of Social Care.

David also stated that with a 25% reduction in resources the‘game changes’ and we need to consider how we can worktogether to ‘change the game’.

A debate regarding the Care Quality Commission and theabolishment of the star ratings was also a hot topic for the day. It was widely agreed that the sector should continue to workclosely together and form one voice bringing together partners and communities with different levels of expertise.

One guest stated that the white paper produced in 62 days was a remarkable achievement and that Local Authorities de-commissioning services demonstrates the sense of urgency of what needs to be done.

David Behan stated that they have no option but expressedconcern that Local Authorities will cut the 25% off everythingrather than looking at the model.

A general debate ensued on how Ceretas may, whilst thememento is high, identify an opportunity to collaborate and sharebest practice working closely with Care Associations and itscorporate members.

David Behan stated that Ceretas and the Associations should,

‘Be clear on what you need to compete on and what you needto co-operate on’ i.e. quality kite marking, workforce development,

and then begin to influence. This will be for the long haul,maybe ten years. The Sector needs to strike up theconversations as the policies in which we operate are changingdramatically. The Government are looking for good ideas andpractices for collaborative working. Local Authorities are also being given the same message to start looking atcollaborative working.’

The Care Associations were unanimous in their aspirationsto be the vehicle to disseminate good practice and to stimulatecreative options for service delivery, but there was a variedpicture of their current success in the cross-fertilisation ofideas, either at local or national level. There was debate on the benefits of understanding what works well and why, andpositive examples from representatives were highlighted. These benefits would be enhanced by bringing togethercommunities and developing partnerships with TradeAssociations.

Mary Bryce, Chair of Ceretas, summed up the discussions by reflecting that there needed to be more joined-up thinkingwithin the sector and this was supported by Martin Green,Chair of the English Community Care Association (ECCA)advocating that change needs to be motivated by the sector.Ceretas and ECCA will go forward to act as ‘communicators’to ensure a clear message is sent to the new Government inthe early stages of policy development and in order to influence policy for the longer-term.

Mary Bryce said,

“It was widely agreed that the lunch had been a usefulstarting point with approximately 40% representation of thedomiciliary market in attendance. It would be important toencourage others to join the networking group with thepurpose of bringing Care Associations and Corporate Members together with providers across the country. We are even now a big voice but we can be bigger!”

For more information about forthcomingimplications for the sector or to become a CeretasCorporate Member contact [email protected] or call 0115 959 6130

REPRESENTATIVES FROM CARE ASSOCIATIONS & CERETASCORPORATE MEMBERS AT THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

Betty lives with Eric. This may be the scene in any house in the country,but this couple have had to face the challenge of dementia. By providingservices that fit around Betty and her condition, domiciliary staff providecare and support so that the couple can stay in the family home wherethey’ve lived for nearly seventy years.

The workers have to balance Betty’s support needs with Eric’s wishesand his right to be the principal carer. It would be easy to assume that the former is more important than the latter and this can be a delicateand challenging care situation. However, the workers have in place systemsof mutual team support; they also have an open exchange of copingstrategies. This means that workers have mechanisms for addressing thesecare issues and for providing quality care at home. (Watch Betty and Eric’sstory on Social Care TV, providing care at home for people with dementia).

Betty and Eric are just one example of where personalised care hasmade a real positive difference. This is why the Social Care Institute forExcellence (SCIE) says that personalisation must be at the heart of socialcare services.

However, personalisation means thinking about public services in anentirely different way – starting with the person and their individualcircumstances rather than the service. Getting this right takes times and isnot always easy. That’s why SCIE offer a range of support services for those providing care services across the UK, including a rough guide topersonalisation, and the Social Care TV films in which Betty and Eric star.

One of SCIE’s most practical personalisation tools is their e-learningresources. These can easily be used by social care managers to providetraining to care staff, giving them an introduction to personalisation and tipsand advice on how it can be put into practice. All staff have to do is logonto the SCIE website and complete the training programmes, each lastingbetween 20-30 minutes.

Of course not everything will be answered and learnt in half an hour.One of the main benefits to managers and their staff of SCIE’s resources is their ability to spark debate and discussion. To aid these discussionsacross the sector SCIE now hosts the Putting People First website. PPF is an online hub of information, news, events and resources for social carestaff, providers and councillors. The website includes a forum for networkingand debate, and managers and staff can sign up to receive the PPF e-bulletin.

Resources like PPF are extremely important to ensure topics likepersonalisation are kept at the forefront of the social care profession. Social care managers are facing a difficult time as they try to do more workfor less resources, meaning it has never been more important for the sectorto share ideas about what works and what doesn’t. SCIE’s Good PracticeFramework offers an online portal for capturing these good ideas, andsharing your examples with others. The framework brings you through aseries of questions to help you assess your practice or plans. You can alsosearch the site for other examples. We’ve redesigned the site to make it easier to use so go on, take a look!

Find out more:www.scie.org.uk/www.puttingpeoplefirst.org.ukwww.scie.org.uk/socialcaretv

PersonalisationTools from SCIE



In July 2010 SouthBirmingham College becamethe first provider of social caretraining in England to achievethe Skills Academy’s qualityassured status as a Recognisedprovider. South BirminghamCollege’s Assistant Director ofHealth and Social Care, MoiraMees, said “we are thrilled tobe the first training provider in England to gain SkillsAcademy Recognition, andreally appreciate the SkillsAcademy Chief Executivetaking the time to personallypresent us with the award.”

Chief Executive of the SkillsAcademy, Liz McSheehy said “I am delighted to be visiting South Birmingham College topresent them with their Certificateof Recognition which signifies areal achievement, highlighting thecollege’s dedication to maintaininghigh levels of training standards in this sector.”

The Skills Academy’sendorsement framework launchedin May this year and comprises two levels, Recognition and theExcellence Award. This qualityassurance framework is designedto be a continuous improvementtool for providers, as well asenabling social care employers toconsistently choose and purchasehigh-quality training that lives thevalues of excellent social care. The endorsement framework isthe embodiment of the SkillsAcademy’s aspiration to makesocial care a career of choice, with excellent trainingunderpinning the excellent workdone by people in the sector.

Moira Mees added “We aredeservedly proud of achievingRecognition and of the high-qualitytraining we provide. In the currentclimate employers need to becertain that when they spendmoney on training their employeeswill achieve the outcomes theyexpect, and our Recognition statusmeans employers know they will get this with South Birmingham College.”

L – R: SKILLS ACADEMY CEO LIZ MCSHEEHY, SOUTH BIRMINGHAM COLLEGE PRINCIPAL GLYNISNICHOLSON AND SKILLS ACADEMY BOARD MEMBER JERRY GARRETT

Skills AcademyCEO awards SouthBirmingham Collegefirst Recognisedtraining provider

Apilot programmeinvolving around half theprimary care trusts

(PCTs) in England is underwayto test out personal healthbudgets in the NHS, building onexperience with personalbudgets in social care. Apersonal health budget is anamount of money allocated to aperson with an establishedhealth need. It enables people tohave more choice, flexibility andcontrol over the services andcare they receive.The pilotprogramme is looking at howbest to implement personalhealth budgets, in addition toexploring who would benefitmost from them.

Twenty of these PCTs have been selectedfor an in-depth study, as part of a widerevaluation exploring the potential of personalhealth budgets to benefit different groups ofpeople and how the NHS can make them work.

The story

so far...

It is believed that personal health budgetscould give patients a better experience andbetter care by giving them as much controlover their healthcare as is appropriate forthem. The main aim in introducing personalhealth budgets, however, is to support thecultural change that is needed to create amore personalised NHS.

This is a very different way ofcommissioning services with manycomplexities to work through which is whythe NHS are piloting personal budgets, andevaluating the work that the pilot sites will do.

What a personal health budget involves

People can design their personal healthbudget to suit them, with help, advice andsupport from family, friends, professionals andthird sector organisations if they want it.

At the heart of a personal health budgetis a care plan, the agreement between thePCT and the individual that sets out theperson’s health needs and desired outcomes,the money available to meet those needs andhow this money will be spent. Regularreviews of the care plan and monitoring ofhow the money is spent is important. Themoney should meet the full cost of theagreed care plan, and the plan should beagreed by both the individual and therelevant professionals.

How a personal health budget can be used

People can use their personal healthbudgets in a number of ways. For example, apatient who suffers from chronic painfollowing removal of a spinal tumour usesher personal health budget for long term,extensive massage and hydrotherapy sessionsto relieve chronic pain without the sideeffects of pain-killing drugs.

Another patient, who needed 24/7 careafter a series of strokes, was able to spendhis last few months at home with hisdaughter and grandchildren. A personalhealth budget was used to provide flexiblecare for him while his daughter was at work,rather than the more traditional four times aday short visits.

There are different types of budget

Personal health budgets can be held inthree different ways (or potentially acombination of them):

• a notional budget: the PCT holds thebudget and purchases the services orproducts agreed in the care plan, but theindividual knows what the budget is;

• a third party budget: where the moneyis given to an independent third party suchas an independent user trust, who buysthe services or products agreed in thecare plan; or

• a direct payment (in approved pilotsites), where the money is given to theindividual and they buy the services orproducts agreed in the care planthemselves.

PCTs can already offer notional and thirdparty budgets. Regulations have now been laidto allow direct payments for healthcare inselected pilot sites and currently, twelve sitesare testing direct payments under thisarrangement.

Integrating health and social care

Personal budgets will allow greaterintegration of health and social care. Manypeople who receive both health and socialcare could benefit from a joint single budget –which brings together both funding streamsand enables people in partnership withprofessionals to find ways to meet theirneeds in a holistic and personal way.

Evaluating the personal health budget pilot

The Department of Health hascommissioned an independent research teamto look comprehensively at the impact of thepilots. The evaluation will focus on effects onindividual outcomes, behavioural changes ofpatients and NHS staff, finance, system effectsand implementation. The full evaluation is dueto be published in October 2012, with thefirst of a series of interim reports publishedin July 2010.

How to find out more about the personal health budgetspilot programme

If you have an interest in personalisation inhealth, please visit the Learning Network forthe pilot programme,www.personalhealthbudgets.org.uk

The website is a source of news, storiesand resources about personal health budgets,and a platform for you to engage indiscussion with others who are interested.



One of television’s most beloved actresses, Lynda Bellingham, has shown her commitmentto UK carers by becoming the Care

Professional Benevolent Funds (CPBF) newest Patron.Standing alongside the likes of June Whitfield and FionaPhillips, the Loose Women star is keen to help promotethe CPBF so it can continue with the tremendoussupport it already offers.

This isn’t the first charity Lynda has been involved with, highlighting what a caring person she is, not lost on the CPBF which is dedicated to supporting carers in times of financial hardship. Lynda’s effect on the CPBF has been immediate as she has publicly backed the Charity’s‘Mad Hatters’ themed tea party event as well as being enthusiastic about all areas of the Fund.

Lynda was delighted to have been approached by the charity withregards to her patronage and had this to say about the very worth cause:

“I was very pleased to be contacted by the CPBF and more than happyto become an ambassador because of the tremendous support theyoffer to carers nationwide. Having sadly lost my mother to Alzheimer’sand with my birth mother currently suffering from this frighteningdisease, it has given me a insight in to the brilliant and wonderful workthat these people do on a daily basis to make others’ lives a lot morecomfortable. As a supporter of the Alzheimer’s Society already, I thoughtthis would be a perfect opportunity to give back to those who care forAlzheimer patients as well as carers from all walks of life. I want to helpincrease the recognition and support that carers receive which is why I am whole heartedly backing a charity that can help make this happen.”

The CPBF is the registered charity for the care industry and is dedicatedto helping current, former and retired care professionals who, throughno fault of their own, have fallen on hard times. This is normally in theform of grants enabling individuals to purchase essential equipment toimprove quality of life or to prevent debt arising in times of crisis. By offering small pockets of financial support the CPBF is able to trulymake a huge difference to people’s lives.

Those associated with the CPBF are said to be extremely happy andproud by the support pledged by Lynda and hope that this, as well as the fantastic support it receives already, will catapult the fledgling charityto the next level. Charity workers outlined that it is the least that UKcare workers can expect. Having given so much time themselves tolooking after others, it is about they were safe in the knowledge thatthere is support for them should they ever need it.

For further information about the CPBF please visit ourwebsite at: www.cpbenevolentfund.og.uk

TV actress, Lynda

Bellingham,

supports the CPBF

TURNINGPOINT

I am incredibly proud to be inthe role of Director of MentalHealth as we move through our25th year of providing personcentred mental health services.There have been significantdevelopments in mental healthover the last 25 years; the movefrom hospitals to residential careservices, then to bringing peopleback into their own communitiesand now further progressingtowards empowering individualswith their own personal budgets.

At Turning Point, we have enjoyed thechallenge of moving and adapting to thesechanges and although in the world of healthand social care, contracts come and go, twoof our services, Edward House and AlfredMinto House, have been with us for the full 25 years.

Edward House has an interesting history.The first residents that arrived there in 1985were transferred from a long stay ward at theRoyal Oldham Hospital psychiatric unit. Thethen manager was a nurse who worked onthe ward. She brought four residents out tosee if they could manage in the community.The service model worked well and Turning

Point’s former patron, Princess Diana evenvisited herself in 1992. However, mentalhealth theory and practice has gone through a lot of changes since then andEdward House has changed a great deal as a result. Not only has the service beenrefurbished but the way they do things is also very different.

Edward House, and Turning Point as awhole, have adapted an entirely person-centred approach over the past 5-6 years.The result is that staff spend much more time with our clients now, who themselveslead more normal lives and have moreopportunities as a whole. People have toldme they can see a real difference since wehave moved to this way of working.

We now understand that contemporarymental health must focus on improvingoutcomes for everyone by reducinginequalities and stigma and increasing socialinclusion. Our recognition of the importanceof the recovery process for every individualmeans that we must ensure we can measuretheir progress and the effectiveness of ourservices. We have worked hard to put inplace the robust outcome tool ARROW,which I know will enable us to do thiseffectively moving forward.

Over the last 25 years, we have also come to recognise the true value of service

user involvement. It is of key importancethat we continue to provide the opportunityfor the people we support to influence thedirection, design and delivery of our servicesand we were particularly pleased when ourPendelbury House service in Manchester was singled out by the CQC as an exampleof good involvement practice.

In recent years, Turning Point has alsodesigned and delivered new and innovativeservice models along the entire carepathway; from our low level interventionIAPT model, Rightsteps through to ourforensic services and independent hospitals.Now we look towards the next 25 years, wemust focus on reducing the stigma of mentalhealth problems at one end of the scale andunlocking acute care at the other. We lookforward to working with others within themental health sector in order to achieve this goal.

Health and Social Care organisation, are celebrating 25 years of working in the mental health sector this year.Their Director of Mental Health Services, Zelda Peterstalks through some of the challenges and highlights.

ZELDA PETERS, DIRECTOR OFMENTAL HEALTH SERVCES

TURNING POINT’S FORMER PATRON, PRINCESS DIANA VISITING IN 1992

LYNDA BELLINGHAM



As a £5 billion market1, it is no surprise that the UKhomecare sector has recently been attractingsignificant investor interest. KPMG Corporate

Finance has advised on several of the recent landmarktransactions in the sector including the sale in 2009 ofClaimar Care Group plc and Lyceum Capital’s acquisitionof Carewatch Care Services in 2008.

As a result of our close involvement with the sector we regularly speakwith operators, investors and funders who are in the market or are keen toenter it. They are attracted by the scale of the opportunity, the differentpotential growth routes (such as live in care, private pay, supported living andcomplex care) and the solid dynamics underpinning market growth includingthe UK’s ageing population, the relative cheapness of domiciliary care in someinstances compared to residential care and the preference of many people tolive at home.

The current environment presents challenges and opportunities to marketparticipants. Local authorities are finding themselves under increasingbudgetary pressure which they are endeavouring to pass onto operators, andcommissioners are becoming ever more focused on care outcomes. To protectand grow profit, many operators are seeking to develop higher margin andmore defensible positions in higher acuity services and to exploit the potentialof technology in the home, for example through telehealth.

Investors, attracted by the market’s positive dynamics and its fragmentedstructure are seeking to consolidate rapidly; in June this year Core Capital andAshridge Capital invested in Ark Healthcare, an acquisition vehicle toconsolidate the sector. Ark immediately acquired AG Care, Breslin Care andMac Caring, all based in the South of England. Meanwhile Enara (backed byAugust Equity), City & County Healthcare (backed by Sovereign Capital) andCarewatch (backed by Lyceum Capital) continue to acquire smaller operators.

Housing 21’s acquisition of Claimar last year fundamentally realigned thepricing for businesses in the market. At a price of c.8x EBITDA, this was wellabove the expected valuation, but Housing 21’s bold bid was followed byMears paying a similar multiple for Supporta and Saga has recently offered c.9xEBITDA for Nestor as confidence has gradually returned to the market. Thislevel of pricing indicates the strong interest of operators and investors in thesector, with further domestic and overseas investors being keen to enter themarket.

Under the new administration, the domiciliary care market looks certain tocontinue to grow and develop its product offering. The previous governmentbegan the personalisation agenda which promised to radically transform theway in which domiciliary care was procured and provided; the precise shape ofthis personalisation in the various segments of the domiciliary care marketremains to be seen. Whatever course the government takes, however, it islikely to mean further change; my advice to domiciliary care providers is toremain flexible, provide a high quality, value for money service and try to grabthe opportunities that come from all this change. 1 – Laing & Buisson, includes hourly, live in and supported living care and private pay market

Almost all domiciliary care agencies in England have now submittedtheir applications for registration under the Health and Social CareAct 2008, and many will have already received their Notice(s) ofDecision from us.

Domiciliary care agencies are among the 13,000 adult social care and independenthealthcare providers who we are working hard to register by 1 October.

Any providers who do not receive their Notice(s) of Decision by 1 October, butwho submitted their application within the timescale we gave them, will be able tocontinue to operate legally after this date.

If anyone has genuinely attempted to meet their deadline but failed, we will look at their case on its merits.

We are working to identify any providers who have not yet been placed in theprocess, and any that have not heard from us should get in touch immediately.

We have recently published specific guidance on registration for domiciliary care and nurses agencies. This can be found on our website at:

http://www.cqc.org.uk/_db/_documents/RP_PoC2A_100804_20100726_v1_00_NA_and_dom_care_guidance_FOR_PUBLICATION.pdf

As part of their application to be registered under the new Act, providers are able to apply for one or more person(s) to be registered as a manager, so long as they arealready registered managers under the old Act. If the provider hasn’t yet done this, amanager can contact us for a declaration form that they should complete and return.

Quality ratings

CQC stopped awarding or reviewing quality ratings (‘star ratings’) on 30 June thisyear. However, we are still carrying out urgent inspections where we consider theremay be serious risks to people using services. This could result in a revised rating.

We now need to design a new information system on the quality of adult social care, working with providers, commissioners, the Association of Directors of AdultSocial Services (ADASS) and people who use services and their carers.

This will provide information about the quality of registered services for people who use and commission them, to help them make choices and decisions. We hopethat it will also help to motivate providers to improve the quality of care.

The new information system will work alongside registration and compliancemonitoring. We anticipate that the system will take into account a provider’s record of compliance with the essential standards of quality and safety, and any regulatoryaction we have taken. We will launch a formal consultation on our proposals over thecoming winter, and of course we hope Ceretas members will contribute.

So what will appear on our website pending the development of the new system?For each service that has an existing quality rating, we will display the rating, the date it was given and the inspection report, along with an explanatory note. For unratednewly-registered services we will explain why they have not got a rating. From 1October, we will also refer people to the service’s registration status for an up-to-date picture of its performance.

BY DR LINDA HUTCHINSON, DIRECTOR, CARE QUALITY COMMISSION

counsel+ carenews

For updates on registration and other matters, you can sign up to our monthly email bulletinvia the CQC website: www.cqc.org.uk/newsandevents/newsletter.cfm

If you have any queries, please contact our national contact centre on 03000 616161 or [email protected].

ANDREW NICHOLSON, PARTNER HEALTHCARE CORPORATE FINANCE, KPMG LLP

Sector rife

for investor

interest

Does y

Do you want to get more highquality people to think ofworking for you?

Does your organisation haveunmet needs that could becatered for by creatingvacancies through the FutureJobs Fund?ECCA and Acas have successfully bid to manage aFuture Jobs Fund (FJF) scheme to employ 90 youngpeople aged 18-24 in the care sector in London.

This scheme offers a great opportunity to careorganisations and we are now calling for expressionsof interest for new vacancies for FJF job candidates.*

The scheme offers you the following benefits:

• £2,500 for each young person you employ

• Free pre-employment skills training for eligibleindividuals so they come to you with the rightattitude right from the start

• Free management training for care managersworking directly with the young people worth up to £1000 per person delivered by Acas

• HR and admin support from ECCA

To participate in this scheme you should be able tooffer job seekers:

• A job placement of at least six months

• 25 hours of work per week

• Supervision

To discuss the scheme further please contact MariaPatterson, Project Manager, on 020 7492 4844 [email protected].* Vacancies should be for additional jobs and should not include personal care roles.

Future JobsFund Scheme– Care Sector



A whole range of new qualifications are currently being developed by Skillsfor Care in partnership with awardingorganisations. This is an employer andsector led process designed to meetthe needs of employers. There will bemany different units that reflect whatworkers should ‘know’ and ‘do’ whichmake up a number of differentqualifications.

What is changing?The current Health and Social Care (HSC) NVQslevel 2 and 3 will be replaced by Health and SocialCare (HSC) Diplomas at Level 2 and 3. These willbe launched in January 2011.

There will be options to take a generic HSCDiploma or a specialist dementia pathway orlearning disability pathway, which will allow learnersto tailor their learning to their job role. The currentlearning disability qualification (LDQ) will not existon the QCF. The learning disability pathway willprovide a new way for learners to gaincontextualised knowledge and skills aroundsupporting individuals with learning disabilities.

New qualificationsfrom Skills for Care

The current leadership and management in care services (formerly theRegistered Managers award) and the Health and Social Care (HSC) NVQlevel 4 will become a combined qualification called Level 5 Diploma inLeadership for Health and Social Care and Children and YoungPeople Services. Learners will then complete one of six pathwaysdependant on their job role. The difference in levels reflects differencesbetween the current framework and the QCF. This qualification will alsobe launched January 2011.

All existing qualifications will be recognised at an equivalent level, sothose staff who are qualified will not have to repeat their qualification.

The new qualifications and credit framework (QCF) gives the flexibility tolink units studied into relevant qualifications as appropriate, and in somecases will also allow non-accredited prior experience and knowledge tobe taken into account. This is formally known as recognition of priorlearning (RPL). It is a term used with the QCF to ensure learners do notrepeat learning. The RPL system allows certificated and un-certificatedlearning to be recognised, providing it meets the learning outcomes of theunits. Further information should be sought from individual awardingorganisations.

Structure of health and social care diplomas at level 2 and 3

Total credit for Health and Social Care Diploma level 2 = 46 credits ormoreCredits from Group A = 24 creditsCombined credits from Groups B and C = at least 22 credits

Total credit for Health and Social Care Diploma level 3 = 58 credits ormoreCredits from Group A = 28 creditsCombined credits from Groups B and C = at least 30 credits

Further updates and information, including footage contained on ournew DVD, can be found on our website: www.skillsforcare.org.uk/qcf

Mark, can you use montage of black and white

i

Group A – 9 mandatory units across England adults, Northern Ireland and Wales Personal development Communication Equality and inclusion Duty of care Role of health and social care worker Safeguarding of vulnerable adults Person-centred support Health and safety Handling information

Group B - made up of knowledge only units that offer the learner the opportunity to undertake units that form either a generic or specialist learning disabilities or

dementia pathway. There is a choice of units and these are stipulated in order to achieve the appropriate pathway.

Group C - provides the learner the opportunity to take a variety of competence units

that reflect their job role. This includes a range of both specialist and generic units

It is three years now since thegovernment announced that it wasintending to put personalisation at the

centre of its thinking for social care services.While governments may change, this policylooks set to survive and the implications forhome care providers are unfurling. Transformation suggests overnight changehowever. The transformation of social careis taking much longer.Home care providers are already seeing greater

numbers of people wanting to make their ownarrangements and using public money (from local councils)in the form of Direct Payments to do so. While somepeople are employing their own care workers, many arealso going to home care providers to seek staff on a regular or intermittent basis.

There are three points for home care providers to think about here if they are not already doing so. First theyneed to be able to give people a quick indication of whatthey will get for their money if they employ a member ofstaff working for them. For example, they might be able toguarantee that the staff will have received training, some ofit in specialised areas. They should be able to say that theyhave taken up and verified references and conducted CRBchecks. They can say that they have a complaints system and that they will replace staff, if they can, if relationships do not work out satisfactorily.

Second, home care providers can provide certainassurances that they will cover when things go wrong, for example they will send someone if the care worker isunavailable, on holiday, or sick. They will want to say whattheir terms and conditions are for emergency care and for times when more or less is needed.

Transforming

social care:

messages for

home care

providers and

customers

Recruitment Specialists

Putting People First• leading recruiter in the sector

• over 15 years experience

• specialist in the social care market

• retained relationships with service providers

• care coordinators through to senior management and directors

If you are a service provider seeking strategic long-term people solutions we can

search and select the ideal individual, tailored to your specific requirements. If you

are an individual seeking a new challenge we will take the time to listen to you.

All conversations are in the strictest confidence.

T: 07956 19 60 63

E: [email protected]

T: 07889 77 10 52

E: [email protected]

www.cityworx.co.uk

Lastly, home care agencieshave the advantage ofmanaging the very things thatworry many older people;insurance, holiday pay, disputesand payroll. Evidence fromresearch is that this is veryimportant to older people andtheir family.

For people with publicmoney to fund their socialcare, options are increasing innumber. Some will want theirpersonal budget handledentirely by a care provider;some will want to spend theirDirect Payment in severalways. What they may wish foris a care provider whounderstands thesecomplexities of funding butalso understands that care athome is best when it is highlypersonalised.

JILL MANTHORPE SOCIAL CARE WORKFORCE RESEARCH UNITKINGS COLLEGE LONDON

26 Ceretas Home Care Focus

SECTOR UPDATE

Malnutrition

in the UK:

Why Worry?Malnutrition is a significant problem in the UK, both in terms of cost andincreased demand on health services.The annual cost of malnutrition isestimated to be more than £13 billionand over half of this cost is in thoseaged over 65 years. The huge cost of malnutrition (nearly twice that ofobesity) can be explained, in part, bythe large number of people affected;more than three million. Althoughmalnutrition is widely acknowledged as a problem in people in hospital, the reality is that 93% of those at riskof malnutrition live in their ownhomes or care homes.

There are many reasons why a person canbecome malnourished. These include chewingand swallowing difficulties, illness and lack ofawareness of the importance of nutrition (thisincludes the person, their carers and family).Consequences of malnutrition include loss ofmuscle mass, increased risk of falls, increasedrisk of infections, poor wound healing, greater

risk of pressure ulcers, depression and reduced quality of life. Studies have also shown malnourished patients have 65% moreGP visits, 82% more hospital admissions and30% longer hospital stays.

Numerous factors influence the prevalenceof risk of malnutrition. Dependence level hasbeen shown to be an important factor and asdependence increases so does the risk ofmalnutrition. Studies report a prevalence ofmalnutrition of 12-14% in sheltered housing,22-36% in residential homes and 35-46% incare homes. Similarly, age has been shown tobe associated with malnutrition risk. Olderpeople are at particular risk, with one in sevenpeople over the age of 65 at risk and thisincreases with advancing age. Due to theadverse effects of malnutrition, identifying andtreating those at risk is of high importance andcarries a significant potential for cost savingsand improvement in patient outcomes andquality of life.

Nutritional screening is the quickest andsimplest method for identifying individuals at risk of malnutrition. The ‘MalnutritionUniversal Screening Tool’ (‘MUST’, developedby BAPEN, www.bapen.org.uk) is a simple 5-step screening tool to identify malnutrition. Thistool is widely used to identify adults of all agesand in any setting (at home, in hospital, in carehomes) who are thin and/or unintentionallylosing weight. Screening is the first part of thecare process and once someone is identified tobe at risk, an appropriate nutritional care planneeds to be started. The care plan depends ona persons nutritional risk and may includeadvice on choosing nutritious foods, explainingthe importance of good nutrition, the use oforal nutritional supplements including

prescribable ‘sip feeds’ and referral to adietitian. Regular monitoring is a vital part ofgood nutritional care and ensures any changesin nutritional status are picked up and the careplan is adjusted accordingly.

Improving nutritional care and givingappropriate nutritional support has numerousbeneficial effects for those who aremalnourished. These include improvingindividuals’ nutritional intakes, weight, strengthand mobility, aiding recovery from illness andsurgery and reducing health care use, such ashospital admissions.

For further information:

The ‘Appropriate Use of Oral NutritionalSupplements in Older People’ document has been compiled by a panel of healthprofessionals who are experts in the area ofmalnutrition or are involved in the care ofolder people. The document has beenreviewed and endorsed by the National NursesNutrition Group (NNNG) and the BritishAssociation for Parenteral and EnteralNutrition (BAPEN) as well as the BritishDietetic Association (BDA), the NutritionAdvisory Group for Older People (NAGE) and the Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (PEN)Group. The document is available to downloadfrom www.nutricia.co.uk.

The BAPEN website (www.bapen.org.uk) has further information on the MalnutritionUniversal Screening Tool ‘MUST’.

Dr William Cook PhD RDResearch Advisor

BUSINESS BRIEF

Ceretas Home Care Focus 27

ARK HOME HEALTHCARE has received funding of£17.5m from Ashridge Capital and Core Capital topurchase three local care providers in the South ofEngland. Care and staffing providers AG Care,Breslin Health & Social Care and Mac Caring, arenow part of Ark Home Healthcare’s businesses inthe domiciliary sector. Ark is led by chief executiveMark Lavery, former managing director of AlliedHealthcare, and Chairman Dr Mike Sinclair, founderof domiciliary care provider Lifetime Corp in the US.

ENARA acquired Bespoke Care Solutions Limitedbased in Bournemouth which provides domiciliarycare services.

CAREWATCH CARE SERVICES has secured a new£45m debt facility from Barclays which will be usedfor further acquisitions. Carewatch was acquired byLyceum Capital from the Nestor Healthcare Groupin October 2008 with the support of BarclaysCorporate. Since then, the business has made 12acquisitions. Andrew Aylwin, partner, LyceumCapital, said: “The new enlarged facilities will allowus to continue our proven acquisition strategy andwe have a strong pipeline of opportunities that wewish to explore.”

LIFEWAYS COMMUNITY CARE has acquiredAutism Solutions Limited, based in Devon, a providerof support solutions for individuals with autisticspectrum conditions and similar complex needs. Itsoffering will complement Lifeways which provides awide range of personally tailored services for peoplewho need ongoing social care support.

CCS CENTRAL has been the subject of amanagement buy-out for an undisclosed sum. Thebuy-out was led by Steven and Graham Smith ofCCS Central (trading as Complete Care Services)from former director and shareholder, John Teather,who has remained as a consultant to the business.CCS Central, based in the West Midlands, areproviders of domiciliary care services to localauthorities and private clients.

CARETECH HOLDINGS has recently made threeacquisitions, all for undisclosed sums. St MichaelsSupport & Care (provider of support for youngadults with learning difficulties and mental healthproblems), Greenfields Care Group (operator of carehomes) and Outlook Fostering Services (provider offostering services).

PLC RESULTSCareTech Holdings plc has announced its interimresults for the six months ended 31 March 2010.Revenue has increased by 5% to £41.4m and profitbefore tax has increased by 32% to £7.6m. Nestor Healthcare Group plc has announced its halfyear results for the six months ended 30 June 2010.Group operating profits have increased by 35% to£5.9m. The highlight is the Social Care businesswhich has delivered growth, both in revenues andmargin, resulting in a 42% increase in its profits.

APPOINTMENTSMike Adams has joined the Board of CareTechHoldings as a non-executive director. Mike is theChief Executive Officer of the Essex Coalition ofDisabled People and a former non-executive directorof the Mid Essex Hospitals NHS Trust. Mike Parrish, CEO of Care UK, has been appointedas a trustee for the NHS Confederation whichrepresents over 95% of public healthcare bodies inEngland and companies providing healthcareservices on behalf of the NHS.

Business Brief

Andrew Durbin is a partner in SmithCooper Corporate Finance, theMidlands based advisor to acquirorsand vendors in deals of £2m to £25m.For more information, [email protected] call 01332 374419.

TAKING VITAMIN D SUPPLEMENTS CANSIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE FALLS ANDPROTECT AGAINST DEMENTIA ONSET.Older people with low levels of vitamin D appear

more likely to have problems with memory, learning andthinking, suggesting low vitamin D could give an earlywarning for dementia risk a recent research has shown.

Researchers of the Peninsula Medical School at Britain's ExeterUniversity, studied 850 Italians aged 65 or older and found that thosewho were severely vitamin D deficient were 60 percent more likely toexperience substantial general cognitive decline, and 31 percent morelikely to experience problems with mental flexibility studied 850 Italiansaged 65 or older and found that those who were severely vitamin Ddeficient were 60 percent more likely to experience substantial generalcognitive decline, and 31 percent more likely to experience problemswith mental flexibility.

About a third of over 65s will fall at least once a year - with many ofthese fracturing bones. Bone fractures are a particular risk for thosewith brittle bones caused by osteoporosis. Indeed, osteoporotic hipfractures almost always require hospitalisation and major surgery - theoutcome of which may be prolonged or permanent disability, early carehome entry and, even, premature death.

Scientists say that older people can reduce their risk of falls by asmuch as 20% if they take high daily doses (17.5 micrograms) of vitaminD. It is also now known that taking vitamin D supplements in middleage can provide protection from the risk of Alzheimers and other formsof dementia in later life.

A major source of vitamin D is exposure to sunlight. Apart from theoften lack of outdoor activity of older people - particularly in our longdark winters - the capacity of the skin to absorb vitamin D from sunlightdecreases significantly as the body ages. To address this problem, peoplefrom middle age would be well advised to take a vitamin D supplement.Vitamin D also, of course, supports good bone health, whilst low levelsof vitamin D are linked to greater risks of dying from cancer, heartdisease and diabetes.

For more information see www.archinte.ama-assn.org

Bring mesunshine. . . .


PEOPLE PROFILE

Up Close and Personal with...

Diana Athill

‘Book after book has been written aboutbeing young... but there is not much on recordabout falling away,’ says Diana.

At the age of 92, Diana Athill is suddenly a celebrity. Her frank and entertaining memoirs, mainly written after the age at whichmost people retire, chart a life less ordinary.

Diana was a publisher all her working life, then took to writingherself: five volumes of memoirs that included some rather steamyaffairs. Her latest book, Somewhere Towards the End is about oldage and approaching death and won the 2008 Costa prize forbiography.

“At first I thought there wasn’t much to say about growing olderexcept that it’s bloody. Seventy is the beginning of being old, I felt really old when I was 80 and really really old when I was 90.”

What she calls the ebbing of sex comes in the late sixties.“Rather a relief, not going to bed with anyone any more. One hasthe chance to enjoy men for other reasons.”

Recently, she has chosen to go into an old people’s home, wherethey take people ‘who have had interesting lives’. As part of the BBC’s ‘Imagine’ series, Diana met with Alan Yentob to discuss herlife, her work - and her outspoken thoughts on death.

Here she talks to Ceretas with her inimitable candour that is soprevalent in her memoirs.

• Having watched the documentary about yourself, what did you make of it?!I was cross because they cut a lot that was important to me,about a cousin and my beloved nephews – but getting ineverything they had filmed into an hour was impossible, so I hadto accept that. On the whole I thought they had done a greatjob. Looking at it felt like watching “her” and not “me”, which was odd.

• Becoming something of a literary celebrity later in life, was it a great benefit being older and wiser? And whatlessons did you learn from the writer’s you hadpreviously known in your life? Being older helps because, while having success is pleasant, it doesn’t seem really important- one is past being given a swelled

head! Lessons learnt – Too many and various to be described.

• What is the best thing about being an older person?No longer minding what people think of you.

• ..and the worst?Aches and pains

• What have your experiences been of being a carer yourself?Looking after my mother (a bit) and my partner (quite a lot) proved that when you have to do something, you find you can doit and in the end you are glad you did do it.

• If you knew then what you know now, what advice wouldyou give to your younger self?Try to believe that when sadnesses happen, that you will get over them, because you do! (not that one’s young self would havebelieved it)

• What is your perception of social care today?That I’m unusually lucky in hitting on absolutely first rate care (non profit making so comparatively inexpensive) because a gooddeal of care fails to overcome many of the formidable difficultiesthat are entailed.

• Was it a difficult decision to move into residential care yourself?The decision just seemed sensible. When it came to actuallydoing it it was very painful. Once done – what a surprise – I loved it!!!

• Who has been the biggest influence in your life?My first love. Although it ended in sadness, I was young enough to be shaped by his attitude to life, for which I’m grateful.

• What has been your biggest challenge in your professional life?Overcoming my reluctance to do any part of a job that I found boring

• What has been your biggest challenge in your personal life?I’ve always felt that things happened to me rather than that I made them happen, so I don’t seem to think in terms ofchallenges.

PEOPLE PROFILE

‘Growing Old Disgracefully’ IMAGINE: DIANA ATHILL AND ALAN YENTOB

• What do you consider to be your greatestachievement?Having written and had published 3 books since I turned 80,the last of which is becoming a bestseller. Although thosebooks do feel as though they “came to me” rather thanwere “achieved”.

• What is your favourite film and why?Some like it Hot – never fails to be funny no matter howoften I see it.

• Nature or nurture? What has the biggest influenceon living a long healthy life?I think that the two interact in ways so complex that youcan’t tell.

• Would you regard yourself as a feminist and do you believe women have achieved equality in yourlife time?I’ve always been more or less a feminist, though not anaggressive one. In my lifetime equality has become a gooddeal nearer, but it has not yet been reached.

• Do you have any regrets?I wish I’d seen more of the world. The little bits of travelthat came my way have meant so much to me that it seemsvery silly not to have made myself opportunities for muchmore of it.

• What decade did you enjoy most in life and why?From 10- 20 and from 40-50 – both because of Love.

• If you were stranded on a desert island what wouldbe your one luxury item and why?Pen and Paper – that way I would always have something to do.

• If you had a magic wand, what is the one thing youwould change about social care today?Make everyone engaged in it truly wise and kind. I think thatit is the nature of the people caring that matters the mostto the cared for – though of course the structure withinwhich the carer is working is very important, as it does somuch either to enable or to inhabit wisdom and kindness.


REGIONAL REGIONAL

Liverpool City Council isto consult on the biggesttransformation of adult

social care for more than 60years - enabling it to providesupport for far more people. A new system called ‘LiverpoolCares’ is to be introduced,based upon a successfulpersonalisation programmewhich has increased choice,promoted independence andimproved the quality of life forvulnerable people. It will focusthe council on meeting people'sindividual needs and supportthem to live independently,rather than them having tochoose from a rigid list of care services.

The move follows the introductionof Putting People First, a governmentinitiative which has already led to a hugenumber of people opting to use directpayments to choose for themselves thetype of care they want to receive. By2011, more than 4,000 people will bedoing this in Liverpool, which meansthere has been a huge drop in demandfor in-house services such as daycentres. To bring social care up to dateand tackle excess capacity andduplication, a root and branch review ofthe council's in-house social care serviceis also being launched. It will covereverything from home care to daycentres, supported accommodation andresidential care. Under the new-lookservice, 12 day centres and threeresidential care homes will beamalgamated to become six new 'Healthand Wellbeing Centres' inneighbourhoods across the city.

The six centres will be split into twodifferent types:• Three round-the-clock centres in the

north, centre and south of the city providing a total of 85intermediate care and crisis beds offering rehabilitation free ofcharge for up to four weeks,followed by home based support

• Three community 'hubs' in thenorth, central and south, open 12hours per day, 7 days a week. Theywill provide intensive health andsocial care support for people withcomplex needs and placements forpeople coming out of acute care.One to one support will be providedwith help and guidance aroundemployment, leisure activities,housing, training opportunities andmuch more. They will also be a placefor people to meet and hold events

The intermediate care beds will beaimed at preventing deterioration andto ensure that people do not end upbecoming institutionalised in residentialor nursing accommodation permanently,or end up being admitted to hospitals.Instead, they will be given intensesupport through rehabilitation so theycan return to living independently again- known in the social care profession as "re-ablement". The role of theworkforce will change, with staff in the in-house service increasinglybecoming advocates to support andpromote independence for the user,rather than doing the work for them. A team of "person-centred planners"will be created, to work in thecommunity, assessing the needs ofpeople and working closely with themon a one-to-one basis to support themto identify and secure the care andsupport they want.

New people coming into the systemwith moderate care needs will be assessed and supported to findthe most appropriate services,sometimes these may be provided byother organisations. An annual reviewwill be introduced for all people whocurrently receive moderate care, duringwhich their needs will be re-assessed.They will then be fully supported andassisted into alternative andpersonalised services. A fullconsultation on the in-house servicereview will be launched in the next fewweeks involving people who receivecare, their carers, staff, partnerorganisations and the unions.

The implementationof ‘personalisation’

in Liverpool

Leicester City Council has a long history ofproviding services that promote independence,for example intermediate care within the

community and in residential facilities. Recognisingthe benefits of this approach the Council has startedto mainstream reablement as a first response forpeople in need of care and support. A new approach todomiciliary support was launched in September 2009.

Its Reablement Service currently supports individuals that haverecently been discharged from hospital, setting personal targets forimprovement, encouraging people to regain lost skills and so bettermaintain their independence. The results make for impressive reading:around half of the people who receive the Reablement Service have no need for any further care input after six weeks, and all of theseindividuals have maintained their independence in the period following their discharge from the Reablement Service.

Under more traditional home care schemes people can quicklysettle into a system of receiving long-term care; old skills are lost andtheir independence is reduced. Their care needs at the time of crisisoften determine the degree of input that they will receive into thefuture. If a person needs a very intensive package upon discharge from hospital, then this is what they can go on to receive with thedependence on care providers being maintained.

The Reablement Service offers a shorter-term intervention withprogressive reductions in care input as the individuals relearn old skills and start doing more and more for themselves. Consequently, the degree of dependence in the majority of cases will fall.

The roots of Leicester City Council’s project lie with the work ofits Intake Team. This team provided short-term tailored care packagesupon hospital discharge, before reassessing needs and finding a suitablelong-term care package, should one be necessary. This complementedan intermediate care service that provided support to people who hadbeen identified as having the potential to increase their independence.This service had input from NHS therapy staff and clearly made a bigimpact on those people it supported.

There was a feeling that criteria for accessing intermediate care,based on perceived potential to increase independent living skills, werediverting people who, if given the benefit of this approach, could indeedbecome less dependent on care provision. The Council initiated a six-month pilot using short term funding to introduce an OccupationalTherapist and a Physiotherapist to the Intake Team. As hoped, carepackages reduced in size more than under the regular system; serviceusers were less likely to need long-term input and the outcomes were even more positive.

The Council and NHS Leicester City were committed to working in partnership to build an approach that was truly integrated and which addressed the wider factors that can impact on independence.NHS Leicester City commissions the Occupational Therapists andPhysiotherapists, who are part of the care team. Dedicated caremanagement staff work alongside care provider staff, to ensure a whole team approach to reablement and assessment of future needs.

This means that there is clear communication and familiarity with thecases across disciplines, which aids support planning. In designing theReablement Service, a Handy Person Service was incorporated, withthe result that keysafes and adaptations are delivered quickly with nodelays in starting the service. A full-time worker specialising in assistivetechnology is also attached to the Reablement Service, and quicklyidentifies where new technology would be of benefit to the serviceuser. Some of this is used, in conjunction with the LeicesterCaremonitoring scheme, to alert our 24-hour Response Team in caseswhere rapid intervention is required.

Of course, there were challenges to overcome. By their nature,care workers are quick to do tasks for vulnerable people, stepping in to help with little things without even thinking about it. It’s how theyare, and it underlines the selfless qualities needed to be acompassionate care worker.

Special training sessions were delivered which outlined throughrole-playing activities how we wanted the mindset to be changed, and acknowledged to the care workers’ that we knew that it was a huge culture change for them.

A second challenge was delivering a model that involved partnersfrom several different backgrounds. All viewpoints were taken intoaccount. There have been real benefits for all partners in adopting this approach

Overcoming these challenges was worth the hard work. Ourservice impacts the lives of vulnerable people and it is this impact that we continuously monitor.

Since launching the Reablement Service, we are now accepting allreferrals from two of Leicester’s three acute hospitals. There hasn’tbeen a single delayed discharge in this client group, meaning that theindividual is safely back at home as soon as possible instead ofunnecessarily waiting on a ward.

Benefits are being carefully tracked both for individuals and fororganisations. 50% of our service users stay at home without needing a traditional care package after six weeks – they have fully regainedtheir independence to the point that there is no need to provide anycontinuing package of support. 30% regain enough of their skills torequire less help, and a reduced care package is provided. 20% haverequired ongoing support at the same level as upon discharge. In otherwords, the ‘default service’ approach that characterises the ReablementService results in 80% of cases showing increased independence,demonstrating that most people can improve their own quality of life if given the opportunity and encouragement to do so. The ReablementService really works and many people are better off for it.

In addition to the personal benefits, there is also a financial factor to consider. Reducing our intervention by promoting independence not only increases the service users’ quality of life – it also generatessubstantial savings into the future. At a time of fiscal austerity,Reablement Services are evidently an effective way of reducing costpressures for the long term.

For further details please contact: Jagjit Singh Bains, Head of Service, Intermediate Care, Leicester City Council, Contact No: 0116 221 1555, E-mail: [email protected]

Investing in Independence: A Journey Into Reablement…By Leicester City Council

CaretoTalk?

I am a care worker employed by one of thebig national agencies but they can’t offer meany more hours. As my husband has recentlylost his job I need to earn more. I have seenan advert for a Personal Assistant: The helprequired is the same as I am trained for & thehours could be easily combined with my otherjob. Is there any reason why I shouldn't apply?

No. This situation is no different thananyone else having 2 jobs. You will need tobe clear & careful about your pay, tax &National Insurance: you will need to ensurethat shifts & holidays don't clash & that youcan indeed ensure a break every so often as care work can be tiring & stressful.All your guidance & traing will applyregarding confidentiality, data protection,health & safety etc. but you will also needto be aware that you have TWO employers.As such there there may be somedifferences in your day to day work aspeople employing PAs are not obliged torequire NVQ or any formal training, &may have their own requirements &expectations of how & when supportshould be provided. Also whilst localauthorities encourage people to apply good employment practice when usingtheir Individual Budgets this is notobligatory so you may need to make otherarrangements for career development,advice, supervision, help following ill-health& so on, that is provided by operationalmanagers working for local authority orprivate sector providers.

So, go in with your eyes open but this couldbe an ideal opportunity for you.

Q

A


REGIONAL CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

But what is the Kent Card and why was it thought to be necessary?To understand this we need to look at the history of Direct Payments and the dawningof Personalisation.

Direct PaymentsDirect Payments have been available since the Direct Payment (1996) Act. This gave local authorities the power to offer cash

payments to people so that they can secure their own services. Since then Direct Payments have been extended to people with a rangeof impairments and of any age. In April 2003 it became unlawful NOT to offer a Direct Payment after a community care assessment andin Kent this is now the default position.

How does Kent Card Support Direct Payments?The Kent Card is loaded with the individual’s direct payments and in doing so provides a new, convenient and secure way of

receiving these funds. Cardholders are able to top up the card with their assessed contribution or additional money they may wish topay for their services/support/care.

The Kent Card is not a credit or debit card but is described by Kent as a VISA Card it actually works in the same way as aCommercial Card. The Card carries a variable amount of money based on the amount loaded onto the card. The individuals directpayment and the assessed contribution. Each time the card is used the purchase amount debited from the available balance. KCC has aresponsibility to make sure that financial resources are spent appropriately. The Kent Card was therefore chosen as a product that willbest meet the needs of individuals and the KCC as it provides detailed blocking facilities and detailed management information which isnot available on personal card products such as debit cards.

All policy and procedures are the same as for direct payments. The Kent Card provides the tool for simplifying the financialmanagement of direct payments for the individual and designated KCC staff, making the auditing process easier.

How does Kent Card work?The card is easy to use. Each time an individual needs to make a payment towards the cost of their care they just present the Kent

Card or quote their card number over the telephone remembering that for a face to face purchase they will have to enter their fourdigits PIN. The value of the payment is then deducted from the amount of credit on the card. People cannot spend more that theavailable credit on the card.

The Kent Card in 2010It is 3 years since the launch of the Kent Card and there are now nearly a 1,000 cards in circulation now.

The Kent Card

What are the pros and cons of Kent Card?

The Individual (Service User)

Pros1. Service user control and empowerment.2. Service users are able to add their own contributions

as well as other sources of funding.3. Can be used for a wide range of services and activities

from the traditional to the more innovative, dependant on the individual and the desired outcome eg:-DomiciliaryCare, Day-Care, Respite, Transport andselected socialactivities such as gym or football club membership.

ConsNot suitable for all individuals especially those with memory loss problems. (This could be offset if the card can be used by a responsible individual or family member.The use of Power of Attorney maybe useful here.)

The Providers

Pros1. Receipt of funds within 4 working days directly to

the bank account.2. Payment can be made over the phone.3. Improved cash flow and reduced requirement for

financing.4. Being part of the KCC’s Preferred Providers List.

Cons1. Set up time can sometimes be lengthy. However I am

sure in time this will improve.2. Higher Percentage Transaction Fee.

With normal credit cards a percentage of 1.5% pertransaction is not uncommon. With Debit cards a set fee is charged per transaction e.g. 35pWith the Kent Card and Commercial Cards the Transactioncharges are higher KCC has negotiated a lower fee withthe Royal Bank of Scotland and as the card is more widelyused then charges will reduce further in relation toturnover. However it is a consideration for providersespecially in these difficult financial times.

It was on a cold but clearday on Tuesday the 6th ofMarch 2007 that I and manyothers were invited to theofficial launch of Kent CountyCouncils latest initiative:

The FutureAs the Personalisation agenda takes shape over the next few

years the use of payment by cards will increase. In Kent we arealready seeing an increase in the use of all types of card and Ipredict this will become a large part of the market.

Kent is also at the forefront of developing close workingrelationships with Health and has instigated a pilot looking atPersonal Health Budgets. They will also be examining the potentialof the Kent Card as a method of payment.

The Kent Card is here to stay and helps people to take controlof their own needs and lead an independent life. It also embracesthe principles of self directed support where the individual knowshow much money is available to them and has as much support asrequired to spend their direct payments to meet their needs. Italso helps the County Council to do this in a responsible way.

Andrew Saunders Chair of The Kent Community Care Association

17 November 2010Holiday Inn, Bloomsbury,

London WC1.

David Behan to

deliver Keynote

Speech at ECCA

Conference

The English Community Care Association (ECCA) is delighted to announce that David Behan, the Department of

Health's Director General of Social Care, has agreed to deliver the keynote speech at this year's ECCA conference.

This completes the speaker line-up, which alsoincludes Paul Allen, Chief Executive of the AbbeyfieldSociety, Liz McSheehy, Chief Executive of the NationalSkills Academy, and Professor Alistair Burns, National Clinical Director for Dementia

Under the title 'For better or for worse?', theConference will take a close look at integratedcommissioning - and ask whether health andsocial care can ever be happily married!

Interactive workshops and seminars during theafternoon session will cover a range of business andcare-related topics - designed to provide both practical advice and to help Care Services to developtheir own strategies for effective care provision in a time of financial restraint. The Conference will alsofeature an exhibition of products and services fromleading sector suppliers.

To book a conference place, visit the ECCA website at: http://www.ecca.org.uk

E-mail: [email protected]. Or call 08450 577677

diary event


REGIONAL REGIONAL

Background

Local authorities, providers and taxpayers alikeare each bearing the brunt of this challengingeconomic climate. The private sector has beenexperiencing the reality of the economicdownturn for some time but the public sector is only now entering the eye of the storm. In these uncertain times, joint working will becrucial. Local authorities, support organisationsand providers must stand shoulder to shoulder to ensure value for money is delivered andservices for vulnerable members of thecommunity are protected.

With this in mind, Surrey County Council and Surrey Care Association Ltd (a not for profitorganisation established in 2005 to support local providers in the independent care sector)have worked increasingly closely over the last 12months to develop a strong working relationshipto support the delivery of quality services, as wellas the development of businesses within Surrey.

The benefits

The benefits of Surrey County Council and Surrey CareAssociation working together to support and engage the markethave been numerous. The Council’s communication strategy hasbeen supported by the Surrey Care Association, whose existingcommunications framework (newsletter, member mailing list andnetwork meetings) has been well utilised.

The two organisations held a successful tender informationevent in May 2010. This event updated providers as to the rationalebehind the tender process as well as to the strategic direction theCouncil is moving in. It also served as a forum to offer support to

those interested in participating in the tender, with Surrey CountyCouncil’s e-sourcing expert providing guidance. Providers in Surreyreported it was a “not to be missed” event and whilst providerswho were already engaged with SCA valued the opportunity, it alsoattracted others who had not previously participated in networkmeetings. Their feedback was very positive and they realisedimmediately the advantages of engagement and all benefited fromthe wider perspective they gained as well as practical guidance toassist with the tender. Surrey County Council’s communicationstrategy for this year’s tender (of which the tender event held incollaboration with the SCA was part) has proven successful and has resulted in an overwhelming response at both PQQ and ITTstages creating a truly competitive procurement process.

By engaging with, and stimulating the market, this has alsobenefited the providers involved. The transparent and consistentway of working has allowed for a fair and even playing field to be established. Attending provider network meetings has alsofacilitated knowledge sharing allowing providers to remain up to date with industry information and making them aware of the support available from the Surrey Care Association.

Encouraging joint working has also enabled providers to listen and respond to comments from Surrey County Councilrepresentatives, and has promoted reflective practice. Attendingnetworking forums and participating in procurement processes has encouraged providers to consider how they do business,identify areas for improvement and gaps in the market and toformulate innovative solutions to fill those gaps in order todemonstrate the quality service they can deliver.

Conclusion

Utilising and building upon existing communication andnetworking channels has facilitated a three way flow of informationbetween the Surrey Care Association, the Council and providers,which has benefited all involved and supported the current tender exercise. Continuing to work collaboratively and looking for constructive and innovative solutions is likely to be a strong way forward.

The live-in market iscompetitive and the way servicesare now publicly commissionedmeans that live in providers needinnovative ways of attractingprivately funded individuals touse their service.

Movement towards specialism of live-inservices means great things for the end userbut continues to mean challenges for theprovider, challenges which include whetherthe specialism chosen can generate sufficientinterest to be viable and how training can beidentified and secured.

Success will be found by the providerswho are progressive thinkers and who go the extra mile in assessing the basics aboveand beyond what is imposed on them by theNMCS. They will think more laterally aboutissues such as the workers ability to lay atable, cook a meal and embrace social graces.These factors are less important whendelivery of a service is confined to 1 or 2hours per day but are essential elements of the success of the live-in care model.

So what does a good model of live in care & support look like?1. It gives equal consideration to the person

in receipt of the care, their loved onesand associates along with the care worker

2. It provides meaningful and effectivetraining

3. Supervision is continuous and robust

4. It is holistic in its delivery of care andrecognises that the success of theprovision is not in isolation to theprovider but is a team effort

5. It takes the time to match the care staffpersonalities to the recipients

6. It offers an alternative to nursing homecare even for people with more complexneeds because the provider agency hasappropriate skills mix / works closely with healthcare professionals likecommunity nursing teams

7. It offers a cost effective solution whenmeasured against 24-hour daily support

8. It offers flexibility for the people using the service

For the consumer of the service there are many considerations that must be made.

From a practical perspective, therecipient must as a minimum:

• Have a spare bedroom• Be able to afford to feed the care worker• Have the money to pay for the running

of the house in addition to the fees

• If 2 care workers are required there will be a double the cost implication OR a need for additional support from a 2nd worker

Then there is the matter of familydynamics because where family live in thehome there’s potential for a compromise ofprivacy. Issues of how to do things can also put strain on relationships between careworker, the person using the service and family members.

For a person living alone there is also the danger that even with a live-in careworker present, social isolation can occur.

The good news is Live – In Care isrewarding and enables many less able people to remain where they want to be - at home. As a provision of service however ....it’s not for the faint hearted!

Erica LockhartChief Executive, Surrey Care Association Ltd

Live-In Care An Easy Provision?

Joint working:

Achieving more together

GOODPRACTICEGUIDELINESOrder Form

Please send your completed order form and payment to:

Ceretas Administration Office, 21 Regent Street,

Nottingham NG1 5BS

tel: 0115 959 6130fax: 0115 959 6148

web: www.ceretas.org.uke-mail: [email protected]

Ceretas publishesGood Practice

Guidelines which areissued to new and

existing members aswell as being

purchased by non-members. Highlyregarded in the

industry, they arereferred to in theAppendix to the

National MinimumStandards for

Domiciliary Care.

Tick the relevant boxes opposite to

take advantage of thisSpecial 2 for 1 offer.

Name:

Organisation

Address

Postcode

Tel:

Email:

1. Caring for Staff

2. Control of Infection

3. Dementia

4. Elder Abuse

5. Food Hygiene

6. Managing Absence

7. Medication, Assistance with

8. Personal Safety for Home Care Staff

9. Professional/Personal Boundaries

10. Staff Support, Supervision and Appraisal

11. Full set of all Good Practice Guidelines

Special Offer price £5.00 for two.Normal price £5.00 each. Please make cheques payable to Ceretas.

SpecialOffer!2 for1!

Ceretas Aims• To promote best practice within all Home Care Sectors.• To raise the status of Home Care.• To help all staff working in Home Care to be recognisedas professionals in their field.

• To offer advice and information on all aspects of Home Care.

• To assist in the identification and promotion of workforcedevelopment of expertise in the sector.

• To promote discussion and debate with all stakeholdersinvolved in Home Care Services.

• To influence thinking that may result on legislativechanges and the development of Government Policies.

Ceretas Membership Framework• Individual Direct Care • Individual Management• Organisational

Which category is for you..? Membership CategorisationThere are three levels of membership. The information set out in the next column is for you to determine the level most suited to your needs.

Individual Direct Care You will be employed in the sector providing direct care. You willhave undertaken the appropriate employment checks and havesuccessfully completed an induction programme that meets withSkills for Care Principles (where required) you should have or beworking towards F/NVQ Level 2/3 in Care.

Individual Management It is recognised that some managers and supervisors will only justhave arrived at management status after a number of years ofproviding direct care or undertaking other roles within the sector.You should be aiming to qualify within 2 years of appointment andthis may be, but is not limited to the following qualifications:

NVQ Level 4 or 5 in Management, Registered Managers Awards, Certificate in Management Studies,(CMS) Diploma in Management Studies, (DMS) Degree inManagement or MBA.

OrganisationalThis membership covers such organisations as Home Care Providerswithin local authority, independent and voluntary sectors. It is alsoappropriate for commercial providers, including IT companies,consultancies or training providers who support the aims and objectives of the organisation.

For more information, [email protected] or call 0115 959 6130

Become a

Ceretas

MemberBy becoming amember you canhelp us, help youand our sectoras a whole!

MEMBERSHIP

email address requestAny questions? Want to receive e-Updates?If you have any questions or would like to receive all the latest news on awards,conferences and events in your area, please send your email address to

[email protected]

ceretaspromoting professio

nal care at

home

DementiaGood Pra

ctice

Guidelines

Ceretas Membersh

ip Categories

Affiliate: Direct Care

For those employed in direct care and support, such as Home Care workers

having completed TOPSS Induction (where required) but not S/NVQ Level 2 or 3.

Full: Direct Care

For those employed in direct care and support, such as Home Care workers

having completed TOPSS Induction (where required) and achieved in full either

S/NVQ Level 2 or 3.

Full: Management

For those employed in the supervision and/or the management of the delivery

of Home Care. Must have been employed in the industry for at least 5 years,

irrespective of role and/or be occupationally qualified eg Registered Manager’s

Award S/NVQ 4.

Full: Individual

For individuals who do not meet the status required of Full Member Direct Care

or Full Member Management and have five years experience in Home Care.

Associate: Individual

A membership route for other professionals, ‘informal carers’, o

r any other

individual who wishes to support the aims and objectives of the organisation,

but does not require the benefits and/or qualify for Full Membership.

Associate: Organisational

Open to organisations who wish to support the aims and objectives of the

organisation of Ceretas. This would cover such organisations as Home Care

providers, local authorities and voluntary organisations who share common

aims with Ceretas. Also commercial service providers such as IT c

ompanies,

consultancy or training providers.

Volume Discounts

At a time when employers are seeking more innovative ways of recruiting and

retaining Home Care staff, why not consider paying for your sta

ff to become

members of Ceretas? Although our membership fees are set at a level that

represents value for money, we would be able to discount the Administration Fee

which is applicable in the Joining Year.

Contact Us

For further information regarding membership, you can join on-line at:

www.ceretas.org.uk or contact us at the following address:

Ceretas 88 Kingsway Holborn London WC2B 6AA

Tel: 020 7841 1060 Fax: 020 7841 1001 E-mail: [email protected]

ceretas

promoti

ng pr

ofessio

nal ca

re at

home

Dementia

Good P

ractice

Guidelin

es

Ceretas

Mem

bershi

p Cate

gories

Affiliate: D

irect C

are

For th

ose employed in

direct c

are and support,

such as Home C

are worke

rs

having completed TOPSS In

duction (w

here require

d) but n

ot S/N

VQ Level 2 or 3

.

Full:

Direct C

are

For th

ose employed in

direct c

are and support,

such as Home C

are worke

rs

having completed TOPSS In

duction (w

here require

d) and achieved in

full e

ither

S/NVQ Le

vel 2 or 3.

Full:

Management

For th

ose employed in

the su

pervision and/or th

e management o

f the delivery

of Home C

are. Must h

ave been employed in

the in

dustry fo

r at le

ast 5 ye

ars,

irresp

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e occupationally qualifie

d eg Registered M

anager’s

Award S/NVQ 4.

Full:

Individual

For in

dividuals who do not m

eet the sta

tus require

d of Full M

ember Dire

ct Care

or Full M

ember Management a

nd have five ye

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erience in

Home Care.

Associate: In

dividual

A membersh

ip route fo

r other p

rofessionals,

‘inform

al carers’,

or any other

individual who w

ishes to

support t

he aims a

nd objectives of th

e organisatio

n,

but does n

ot require

the benefits

and/or qualify

for F

ull Membersh

ip.

Associate: O

rganisatio

nal

Open to organisa

tions w

ho wish

to su

pport the aim

s and objectives o

f the

organisatio

n of Ceretas. T

his would cover su

ch organisatio

ns as H

ome Care

providers, local a

uthorities a

nd voluntary organisatio

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are common

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commercial service providers s

uch as IT companies,

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iscou

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At a tim

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aying for y

our staff t

o become

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eretas? Although our m

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at

represents value fo

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e would be able to

discount th

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which is applicable in

the Jo

ining Year.

Contac

t Us

For fu

rther in

formatio

n regarding m

embership, yo

u can join on-lin

e at:

www.ceretas.org.uk o

r contact u

s at th

e following address:

Ceretas 88 Kingsw

ay Holborn L

ondon WC2B 6AA

Tel: 020 7841 1060 F

ax: 020 7841 1001

E-mail:

[email protected]


MEMBERSHIP

Special promotion

price £25.00for the full set

Special Offer

price £5.00for two GPGs

CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

Great West Midlands Care Awards, 9th October,National Motorcycle Museum, Solihull

Great London Care Awards, 14th October, Emirates Stadium, London

Great East Midlands Care Awards, 16th October,East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham

Great North West Care Awards, 22nd October, Manchester United FC

Great East of England Care Awards, 29 October,Imperial War Museum, Duxford

Great South West Care Awards, 5th November,The Passenger Shed, Bristol

Great Yorkshire and Humberside Care Awards, 12th November, National Railway Museum, York

Great North East Care Awards, 19th November,The Marriott Hotel, Gosforth Park, Newcastle

Great South East Care Awards, 27th November,Hilton Hotel, Brighton

To nominate visitwww.care-awards.co.ukand click on your region

38 Ceretas Home Care Focus

Closing datefor nominations fastapproaching for theregional Care Awards

Closingdates fastapproaching

www.care-awards.co.uk ( 0115 959 6133

39Ceretas Home Care Focus

CONFERENCES AND EVENTS

The Great British Care Awards are delighted to announce thatCounsel and Care are to be the charity partner for the Carer’sAward category for the 2010 regional awards.

Counsel and Care is the national charity working with older people, their families and carers to getthe best care and support. We provide personalised, in-depth advice and information, which informs our research and campaigning work.

The Carer’s Award is a new category for the Great British Care Awards, and will be given to anunpaid carer who in the opinion of the judges can demonstrate commitment and perseverance in thecare they give. This award seeks to acknowledge and celebrate the dedication that carers give to thosethey care for and the incredible contribution they make.

The award was created by the Great British Care Awards to recognise those unsung heroes whoare providing a vital social care service to support people who would otherwise have little of noindependence or quality of life. This support can be given to an individual or a number of people.

The award is open to all without any upper or lower age limit. The carer must have been providing a service for not less than 2 years from January 1 2008, be unpaid and receive no financial reward. The individual should be able to demonstrate that they have had a significant positive impact on the lifeof the person being cared for and that they have gone the extra mile and have compassion, having atruly caring nature and humility.

In 2009 the category was piloted at the Yorkshire & Humber awards and was extremely wellreceived. BBC Look North have expressed interest in covering this specific award in York and it ishoped to roll out the concept to the other BBC regions.

Stephen Burke, Chief Executive of Counsel and Care, said:

“Counsel and Care is delighted to be sponsoring the Great British Care Awards Carer’s Award.There are six million unpaid carers in this country, tirelessly providing care to friends and relatives.These carers risk their health and wellbeing, often sacrificing their livelihoods to devote themselves to this crucial role.

“All these carers deserve an award, but by recognising just one of the six million, we hope toencourage more ‘hidden carers’ to seek support from the people around them, and toencourage support services and employers to help the carers to care.”

The award is also sponsored by Enara Community Care, a private company which has beenproviding high quality domiciliary care since 1996.

Mike Padgham, Director of the Great British Care Awards said,

“We are delighted that Counsel and Care are supporting the Carer’s Award. The endorsement of such a well regarded national charity together with the support of Enara will ensure that this awardcategory gains the high profile it so highly deserves. Without the millions of unpaid carer’s many of theelderly and vulnerable members of our communities would not be able to remain independent in theirown homes. We look forward to receiving the nominations which will doubtless prove to be of anextremely high calibre.”

Sponsored by HET Software, the Great British Care Awards are now in their second year. The Great British Care Awards are a series of regional events throughout England and are acelebration of excellence across the care sector. The purpose of the awards are to pay tribute tothose individuals who have demonstrated outstanding excellence within their field of work. This yearthere are 9 regional awards leading to 2 national finals for both the home care and care home sectors,to be held at a prestigious central London venue in London in 2011.

Nominations are still been invited for the regional 2010 Great British Care Awardsdetails of which can be found at www.care-awards.co.uk

Counsel and Care CharityPartner of Carer’s Award

Events

Diary

DatesSurrey Care

Awards 2010The Surrey Care Awards gala

ceremony and dinner dance will take

place on Friday 19th November in the

splendid new grandstand at Epsom

Downs Racecourse. BBC Radio

Surrey presenters Mark and Clare

Cowan will be master of ceremonies

for the evening. Nomination forms

are available to download by visiting

www.surreycare.org.uk or by calling

01372 825116

Skills for Care

Accolades 201025th November 2010 at the

Dorchester Hotel, London with

presenter Penny Smith. This year’s

finalists for the Skills for Care

Accolades have been announced. To

view visit www.skillsforcare.org.uk

/accolades/accolades2010/finalists

.aspx

CMM Insight –

The Future for

LD Care ProvisionA Care Management Matters

conference 23rd September 2010

The Midland Hotel, Manchester

you take care of your clients......we’ll take care of you

join us!Ceretas aims to promote best practice and raise the status of home care in all sectors by helping all staff working in home care to be recognised as professionals in their field. If you would like more information on how to become a Ceretas member please email [email protected] or call0115 959 6130 or visit our website www.ceretas.org.uk

www.ceretas.org.uk

Documents

Home Care Focus 2010