Caring for the Care Provider

The Care Home Support Team at Swift Management Services have recently met to review the past year and to plan the year ahead. During these discussions we quickly came to understand that our clients often leave contacting us very late on in a situation. Many providers call us when they are in trouble with an inadequate inspection report or worse, or they are trying to obtain outstanding ratings. Is that the only reason that a consultancy can be used and should this not be turned on its head to make the best use of a consultancy team?

During the last year the team has help companies write policies and procedures, worked to resolve inadequate ratings, supported providers after they have been issued with notices of decision including regulation 31 closures, resolved large scale safeguarding enquires on behalf of providers working in partnership with the local authority. We have also helped two new companies successfully register as providers with the Care Quality Commission as well as acting as expert witnesses.

One of the advantages of engaging a Consultancy team as opposed to a single consultant is, the breadth of skills our clients can count on. We work closely with a number of expert firms of solicitors to ensure that we can provide a truly 360^o service. Every client has a lead consultant who ensures we have the right person working with you every step of the way.

But why is it time to change peoples thinking as to why they need a consultant?

Whether you own or manage a care home or work in the most junior role within one, we all entered this industry to improve the lives of the people we care for. It is not just about the money, after all there are far more profitable businesses to be in.

When providers look at client based outcomes, they will automatically improve their ratings with the regulators, profitability, staff morale, reputation and occupancy. Coupling these automatic improvements with systems and service reviews, a consultancy can offer so much more to a client than simply crisis management. In essence we are suggesting that we avoid the crisis in the first place.

Our dedicated team offer packages of sustained support to clients to see them through the good times as well as the more challenging times.

Interim management is also something the industry is reluctant to engage in. It is well recognised that care homes are “only as good as the manager” yet when there is a vacancy many operators leave the post vacant and expect the deputy to “cope”. Many times we have seen services deteriorate quickly when the home is without a manager.

The care home support team want you to achieve great outcomes for your clients, and work in partnership with you to make it happen. This method of working will ensure that grades are maintained and improved upon, without the need to crisis management and because we have the right people working for us, we will ensure that you have the very best person for the job in hand.

Flexible contracts and payment plans mean that having a consultant need not be confined to the emergencies or to meet the aspirations of the board, but to keep the service on track and improve the lives of the residents we all want to care for.

For more information why not get in touch to discuss your needs and options.

enquires@swiftmanagement.org.uk

We will still be carrying out inspections, but inspection managers will be reviewing inspection plans on an ongoing basis to make sure our activity is aligned with the very latest position. Most inspections will continue as planned in the short term, we will keep the position under review and may decide to postpone an inspection, perhaps with relatively short notice. We will take a pragmatic and flexible approach to how and when we regulate as and when this situation develops, and we commit to continuing conversations with providers and their representative organisations.” (Ian Trenholm, Chief Executive Care Quality Commission March 2020)

To ensure that our clients are ready, we are assisting them to consider the situation, undertake a risk assessment and write a contingency plan.

We appreciate that every care provider has an infection control policy, we are encouraging them to ensure that staff have refreshed themselves on the policy including ensuring staff understand the importance of the correct techniques for handwashing.

When planning for a risk assessment consider:

Staff, Visitors, staffing levels, The Physical Environment and wider issues such as supply chains.

Visitors: Visitors should be advised not to visit the home if they are exhibiting flu like symptoms unless it is absolutely essential. They should be asked to use hand gels and wash hands on arrival and on leaving. In the event of an outbreak within a care home, Public Health England will advise on visiting controls.

Staff: Ensure staff have the knowledge to protect themselves and others from the risk of infection, that they are able to wash their hand effectively, and understand their duty to the residents, by either self-isolating, isolating residents and or excluding visitors who may be high risk. Staff should also have the confidence to ask visitors to use hand gels etc. Public Health England will be on hand to assist any care home which has an outbreak.

Staffing Levels: CQC is clear that standards of care must be maintained. Consider how you would maintain staffing levels in the event of an emergency, it is also important to consider that other healthcare organisations will be looking to fill gaps in staffing. So, consider carefully how this will be managed. Consider that you might need additional staff, from agencies, is it possible to bring staff from within the organisation or from another care home? What staff groups are absolutely essential, and could other staff help with some tasks if required? Encourage your staff to be flexible.

The Physical Environment: This is not complicated for most care homes as they have already considered infection control measures. Review the need for Alcohol Gel dispensers, clinical waste bins and soap and paper towel dispensers. Do you need more? Regularly check stock levels of both cleaning and clinical equipment, do you have sufficient stock levels as usual and some additional stock in case your supplier lets you down? Remember some people are stock piling and that means supplies may run out if you plan to order just in time, so please consider ordering early, but taking care not to stock pile.

Are there additional items that you want to keep in stock?

This is the opportunity to review the environment and perhaps put in place those items you have been meaning to put into place for ages.

The Supply Chain: At this stage it is hard to predict if the supply chain will be affected. Other than the issues we already know about such as difficulty in obtaining face masks, alcholol gels and toilet rolls, other items may become highly sought after. Consider what impact it would have if the supply chain which you rely upon breaks down due to their staff being ill or unable to deliver the supplies you normally order, do you have an alternative? Could you use local shops, do you have back up supplies.

Risk Assesments and action plans may be requested in the near future by contracting authorities so be prepared. Swift Management Services are happy to talk these plans through with you or indeed write them for you just contact us on enquiries@swiftmanagement.org.uk