Thank you to those of you who have responded to my learning needs analysis. This will enable WSCC to develop an up to date dementia pathway. I will need to collate the responses and have additional conversations with some providers. In the meantime whilst they are still available please continue to share information about:
Stop, Look, Care Programme - recognising those soft signs, good practice, proactive care interventions
Restore2 and Restore Mini - recognising the person is deteriorating, tools to support this eg SBARD/NEWS
ReSpect3- replacement of the DNAR CPR forms basic awareness videos
Dementia and Learning Disabilities - webinars available on the WSCC L and D Gateway
My Future Care Handbook- a process whereby a person can work through their own needs and wishes and check everything is in order
Difficult conversations and end of life care- a range of training from our local hospices
There are some webinars available that offer opportunities for care providers to hear more about good dementia care practice programmes such as the iWheld programme. See below:
iWHELD
iWHELD is “Well-being and Health for People with Dementia” research project. It provides online training for care home staff to personalise care for residents. It aims to improve resident’s well-being and quality of life and increase staffs’ confidence and skill.
iWHELD is informed by over a decade of evidence-based research in over 1600 residents. Findings from the WHELD programme, which was delivered in person, included improved resident’s quality of life, reduced levels of agitation and reductions in the amount of medication residents were given. Staff felt it helped them build their skills and confidence to support people with dementia, for example in new ways to create enjoyable activities and in increased confidence to communicate with outside professionals, such as the GP, on behalf of residents. ‘We’d had many ideas of something we might try before the project. Being part of the WHELD research project gave us the time and structure to do this and the support of the research therapist, which was fabulous.’ (Care staff participant in WHELD programme). iWHELD has adapted the WHELD materials to be provided online over 16 weeks and offers
Live online support with a coach each week
Digital resources for care staff to use at times to suit them, from anywhere, on any device. They are designed so staff can pop in for 5-10 minutes as many times as they like – or spend longer if you have the time.
Peer support and collaboration through our care home network.
Helpful interactive tools proven to assist in providing the best care.
Our goal is to work with care homes to make it easier to provide quality care to improve the quality of life of residents. We’ve piloted the approach and had positive feedback
“I found this session to be very positive especially discussing issues around those individuals living with dementia who cannot express their needs and wishes very well and who also do not have family to fill in any blanks in knowledge about that individual” (Participant in the iWHELD pilot study)
“Very helpful and good to share ideas for improvement. Felt everyone contributed and gained from the call. Lots of ideas to enhance experience in [our] unit”. (Participant in the iWHELD pilot study)
This four-month study will allow us to see how this online delivery of proven materials – iWHELD - improves the quality of life for people living with dementia and is helpful for staff.
Is iWHELD for you? Use this simple yes/no quiz to find out:
Do you want to improve the wellbeing of residents with dementia?
Do you want to build a sense of community among staff and residents?
Do you want to reassure residents’ families that you’re providing the best possible care as we emerge from COVID?
Would your staff benefit from having more support?
If you answered yes to any of the above then finding out about joining the iWHELD research study could help you. Visit our website https://wheld.org/ for more information about the how to get involved.
There are two dates available for webinars to find out more: "I wanted to let you know that we are hosting an upcoming webinar where the University of Exeter iWHELD research team will share information about iWHELD programme. It will provide you with the opportunity to learn more about the development of the iWHELD programme, to see some of the digital resources in practice, meet the research team and ask any questions you may have about the programme.
The webinar will take place both on Tuesday the 22nd of June at 13:00 and Wednesday the 23rd of June at 10:30.You can register for either webinar at the Eventbrite link here
Workforce Development Support from our local hospices
Introduction to Coaching for PVI Managers
This interactive 3 hour webinar is for Managers that work in the Adult PVI sector and it will introduce you to coaching and the ‘coach approach’. Tuesday 20 July2021 09:30-12:30
It will provide you with skills and knowledge around coaching which can be applied in a variety of scenarios and helps to build coaching relationships with supervisees which will assist in creating a sustainable culture of coaching. This webinar will be delivered using Microsoft Teams.
The aim of this webinar is to foster an appreciation of coaching and help you develop the skills used in coaching techniques that can be effectively applied in your day to day role.
It will introduce you to the 'coach approach' to management, a focused and practical way to grow and lead your people. It provides a framework of skills which can apply to informal conversations, formal development and supervision.
To book on please go onto the WSCC Learning and Development Gateway here.
BE BARBECUE SAFE THIS SUMMER!
Now that the warm, light evenings are with us and the summer holidays are fast approaching, barbecues are beginning to sizzle across West Sussex, but behind the bangers and burgers, summer fun has a serious side. West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service as part of the national Fire Kills Campaign, is asking everyone to take extra care when cooking al fresco, especially when lighting barbecues or dealing with bad weather. Horsham Firefighters shared the message “It’s natural to want to go outdoors and enjoy the warmer weather with family and friends - many of us can’t wait to get the barbecue lit. We all know how tempting it can be to give stubborn coals a helping hand, but please be patient and make sure you use the right tools for the job.”
Photo courtesy of West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service - Horsham
FIRE KILLS CAMPAIGN: If you have planned a barbecue and the weather lets you down, don’t take the barbecue indoors or into a tent. In recent years, some people have sadly succumbed to carbon monoxide poisoning as a result, so we are urging everyone to stay safe this summer.
By following the Fire Kills campaign’s top tips, you can ensure your barbecue is a safe, enjoyable event.
Never leave a lit barbecue unattended.
Follow the safety instructions provided with disposable barbecues.
Never use a barbecue indoors.
Make sure your barbecue is well away from sheds, fences, trees, shrubs or garden waste.
Keep children, pets and garden games away from the cooking area.
After cooking, make sure the barbecue is cool before moving it.
Use enough charcoal to cover the base of the barbecue, but not more.
Empty ashes onto bare garden soil, not into dustbins or wheelie bins. If they’re hot, they can melt the plastic and cause a fire.
Enjoy yourself, but don’t drink too much alcohol if you are in charge of the barbecue.
Always keep a bucket of water, sand or a garden hose nearby for emergencies.
Nathan Cross – WSFRS Prevention Manager said: “This may seem a long list but most of these things are common sense. By far the biggest danger is the use of flammable liquids to light the barbecue. We have had a couple of occasions where people have poured petrol onto the charcoal to get it going and the reaction has, not surprisingly, been violent and highly dangerous. Prepare well in advance and light the charcoal early. Most of all, enjoy yourself safely”.
For more information on fire safety, please visit www.gov.uk/firekills
Is your BBQ really out? That’s the question firefighters in West Sussex want everyone to consider before putting disposable BBQs in the bin this summer.
Earlier this year, a waste collection vehicle operated by Adur & Worthing Councils was completely destroyed after it collected a bin containing a disposable BBQ that hadn’t been extinguished properly. The vehicle cost around £30,000 to replace and impacted the level of service they were able to offer until it was replaced.
Disposable BBQs should be left to cool for several hours and covered with plenty of cold water to ensure no risk of reignition.
With warmer weather forecast over the coming days, West Sussex Fire & Rescue Service is reminding everyone planning on having a BBQ to make sure it is fun day for all and that the Fire Service and partner Emergency Responders are not invited!
Respect 3 Resources Available
The attached information session is about the document that replaces the DNARCPR document. Please familiarise your self with this and share with your teams. Videos are now available for all care and support staff to access in West Sussex services including our private and voluntary sector. There are two videos to choose from Level 1 (below) Primary care teams, Community Teams, and GP practices will also benefit from this awareness video. (Please ignore the error message that comes up- this should be fixed in due course).
ReSPECT (Recommended Summary Plan for Emergency Care and Treatment) is a process which creates a personalised recommendation for someone’s clinical care in emergency situations where they are not able to make decisions or express their wishes.
It provides health and care professionals responding to that emergency with a summary of recommendations to help them to make immediate decisions about that person’s care and treatment, including CPR, which is a way to resuscitate someone in an emergency.
A physical copy of the plan (above right) will be held in a person’s home or care home, and an electronic version is held on the person’s health care record at their GP surgery. With the person’s permission the form is shared with the local ambulance service so if an ambulance is called the crew can immediately access the information on the form. Importantly the ReSPECT process focuses on peoples wishes around treatments to be considered, as well as treatments that people do not want. By having a ReSPECT form in place it encourages people to plan ahead for their care and treatment, should a future emergency arise in which they are unable to make decisions.
Across West Sussex the ReSPECT process has been formally been adopted, and you are likely to see more of these forms and hear more about the process as part of your work from December 2020 onwards. We are planning some education and training with our partner organisations soon. Further information and resources about ReSPECT can be found on the NHS West Sussex Clinical Commissioning Group’s website
Are you working with people who might appreciate some support to make plans for later life?
We are taking referrals, including self-referrals, from across the UK.
We supply each beneficiary with a free copy of the My Future Care Handbook.
We offer up to 4 free one-to-one sessions with a trained Buddy on Zoom or by phone, to support people in identifying and meeting their goals around decisions and preferences for their later life and future care, giving them peace of mind to go on and live the rest of their lives in the best way possible.
We also have the funding to deliver training to organisations whose staff or volunteers would like to qualify as My Future Care Buddies in order to deliver the service themselves.
For further information and/or to make a referral email info@mycarematters.org
The Online Adult Mental Health First Aid course is internationally recognised and accredited training that teaches people how to spot the signs and symptoms of mental ill health and provide help on a first aid basis. Mental Health First Aid courses won't teach people to be therapists, but just like physical first aid, this training will equip participants with the confidence and skills to listen, reassure and respond, even in a crisis. We have spaces available on our Online Adult Mental Health First Aid courses valued at £300 per person which we are able to offer at a subsidised price of £160 per person thanks to West Sussex Mind funding support. Available dates are below and bookings via Eventbrite. For more information check the WS Mind website
17th, 18th, 24th and 25th June 2021
8th, 9th, 15th, 16th September 2021
8th, 9th, 15th, 16th November 2021
Nutrition and Hydration Week
From the 14th – 20th June is the national Nutrition and Hydration week and Apetito will be involved in a range of activities to help create awareness about the warning signs of malnutrition and how to find hidden hydration through food. Over 3 million people in the UK (BDA, Malnutrition fact sheet) are affected by malnutrition and this can lead to malabsorption, muscle loss and poor mobility, more frequent and longer hospitalisation, confusion and feeling generally lethargic. There will also be tips on where to find hidden hydration in food as a lack of fluids can become serious very quickly especially among the elderly.
There will be local radio interviews on Wednesday 16th at 10.00am on Meridian FM 107 and at 10.30am on Burgess Hill Community Radio 103.8 where Apetito’s resident dietician will be discussing Nutrition and Hydration in greater detail.
Then on the 17th June all customers will receive a locally sourced bottle of natural mineral water from South Downs Water to celebrate Thirsty Thursday. This organisation offers a wide variety of menus to cater for diets influenced by illness, culture, religion, ethical choice, or personal preference. All meals are delivered hot to people’s front door by friendly qualified drivers. Their drivers are observing social distancing regulations and wearing masks and using sanitizers. They are still able to put the meal onto a plate and offer a glass of water. However, if a customer does not wish the driver to enter their property then the driver will drop their meal at a designated spot where the customer will come out and collect the meal.
One key part of the driver’s role is to carry out a safe and wellbeing check on delivery, which gives families peace of mind that someone is able to visually check on vulnerable or frail people. For a contactless delivery the driver will stand back but still make sure they see the customer to carry out the wellbeing check. Apetito deliver every lunchtime, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They can also provide a cold teatime pack as an evening snack. There are no delivery contracts. It’s a flexible service allowing people to choose from 1-7 days a week and can be used for short- or longer-term periods, ideal for recovery after a stay in hospital. For more information or a brochure please call their West Sussex office on 01903 718893 or visit their website https://www.apetito.co.uk
Other resources:
WATCH this video from the Apetito team to understand the risk factors that contribute to malnutrition and who you need to talk to if you are concerned about someone you care for: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brmLaynr8FM there will be videos throughout the week.
West Sussex County Council and Alcohol Change UK are running six half day training courses on Safeguarding Vulnerable Dependent Drinkers.
These courses are online and free of charge.
Over the last year West Sussex has been working with Alcohol Change UK, Professor Michael Preston-Shoot and a network of local authorities across England and Wales to develop a national briefing on Safeguarding Vulnerable Dependent Drinkers. This training presents the contents of the briefing in the form of a half day course. The aim of both the document and of this course is to:
Enable professionals in England and Wales to use legal frameworks to manage and protect chronic dependent drinkers. The course will focus on how to make most effective use of the three main legal powers which can protect vulnerable dependent drinkers: the Care Act, the Mental Capacity Act and the Mental Health Act. It also focuses on a handful of other relevant powers such as anti-social behaviour powers. In addition, it emphasises the importance of a framework of processes that will enable the powers to be used most effectively. There are six courses available. Each is identical. To book on a course please click on relevant link below. You will be sent a link to the training nearer the event. Dates available:
Learning objectives. By the end of the training course, participants will be able to:
Identify chronic dependent drinkers who require the protection and support of key legal powers
Understand how the Care Act applies to this group
Understand how the Mental Capacity Act applies
Understand how the Mental Health Act applies
Understand what interventions flow from action under these powers
Understand what helps makes these powers work to their best effect.
Who is this course for? The course is appropriate for staff in all services who work with people who are at risk of alcohol related harm. This will include anyone working in public facing roles in health, social care, criminal justice, community safety, housing, homelessness, domestic abuse or other care roles.
Fully funded Bereavement and Wellbeing Sessions and Workshops-now available
Wellbeing during and post Covid-19 for care homes (1.5 hours) Thursday 27th May 2021 14:00-15:30
Bereavement, loss and change during and post Covid-19 for care homes (1.5 hours) Thursday 24th June 2021 14:00-15:30
Wellbeing during and post Covid-19 for domiciliary care (1.5 hours) Wednesday 26th May 14:00-15:30
Bereavement, loss and change during and post Covid-19 for domiciliary care (1.5 hours) Wednesday 14th July 2021 14:00-15:30
Wellbeing during and post Covid-19 for learning disabilities (1.5 hours) Wednesday 23rd June 2021 14:00-15:30
Bereavement, loss and change during and post Covid-19 for learning disabilities (1.5 hours) Monday 19th July 2021 14:00-15:30
Communication Skills – foundation skills for anyone in health and social care (half day workshops) Thursday 10th June 2021 13:30-16:30
Our Community Fire Safety Officers are here to help:
Did you know that Community Fire Safety Officers can visit vulnerable people at home to provide expert advice on fire safety?
Someone aged over 65 with disabilities
Lone adult or parent with young children
Someone who is on careline
Someone who is unable to hear a standard smoke alarm
Someone using oxygen therapy at home
Living in a high rise building or in a remote rural area
Think about the person in their home:
Are they without a working smoke alarm in their home?
Could they leave their home independently in case of fire?
Are any of the exits in the home blocked or difficult in any way?
Do you have any concerns about Fire Safety for this person (or yourself)?
If your answer is ‘yes’ to any of these basic questions, you may like to self-refer for a ‘Safe & Well Visit’ for a Community Fire Safety Officer to contact you to discuss further with you. Check the website for details. safeandwell@westsussex.gov.uk Telephone: 0345 8729 719
For more information about the sessions available for care staff across West Sussex please go to the Stop Look Care Eventbrite website.
RESTORE2
RESTORE2 is a physical deterioration and escalation tool for care/nursing homes based on nationally recognised methodologies including early recognition (Soft Signs), the national early warning score (NEWS2) and structured communications (SBARD).
RESTORE2 was co-produced by West Hampshire CCG and Wessex Patient Safety Collaborative.
It is designed to support homes and health professionals to:
Recognise when a resident may be deteriorating or at risk of physical deterioration
Act appropriately according to the residents care plan to protect and manage the resident
Obtain a complete set of physical observations to inform escalation and conversations with health professionals
Speak with the most appropriate health professional in a timely way to get the right support
Provide a concise escalation history to health professionals to support their professional decision making.
RESTORE2 uses NEWS2 reproduced from: Royal College of Physicians. National Early Warning Score (NEWS) 2: Standardising the assessment of acute-illness severity in the NHS. Updated report of a working party. London: RCP, 2017.
RESTORE2mini (Soft Signs)
A "Soft Signs" only version of RESTORE2 entitled RESTORE2mini is now available for Care Homes wanting to use a "Soft Signs" approach as a pre-diagnostic indicator of concern" to facilitate earlier treatment and avoid unnecessary transfers to hospital.
RESTORE2mini has also been adapted for use in other care settings including domiciliary/home care.
RESTORE2, RESTORE2mini, RESTORE2mini domiciliary care resources (WHCCG)
Copies of the RESTORE2 tools, associated resources and implementation materials can be downloaded from the Hampshire, Southampton and Isle of Wight CCG webpage. The WHCCG website contains full information about using RESTORE2 and ordering printed copies of any materials.
Proxy Access to Ordering Medications for care home residents
Support sessions available!
NHS England and Improvement (NHS&I) are looking to support care homes, GP practices and community pharmacists in rolling out the ordering medications by proxy access – this is where care homes staff are able to order online repeat medication for their residents.
To support care homes to be able to order medication online on behalf of their residents, the Digital First team at Sussex NHS Commissioners are working with Barclays Digital Eagles to provide support to care homes through implementing proxy access. There are a number of sessions being run throughout June 2021 and July 2021, please click here to book onto a support session run by Barclays Digital Eagles. If you have any queries regarding this project or would like further information as to how to implement proxy access in your care home, please do not hesitate to contact the Digital First team via email sxccg.digitalprojects@nhs.net. For more information on Proxy Access please click here.
It is important that you have completed your DSPT if you are using proxy access, if you need support with this please book onto a support session run by West Sussex Partners in Care, please click here to book onto a session SEE MORE INFORMATION BELOW.
For further information on Barclays Digital Eagles please click here.
Data Security and Protection Toolkit
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a driver for rapid change and acceptance of technology across the sector. Joining up care is complicated and working in partnership with those providing and using services is critical. In the digital age, social care providers and their staff need to be confident in how they use, access and share information and data. Better Security, Better Care is a national and local support programme to help adult social care providers to store and share information safely. It covers paper and digital records and its overall aim is to help make sure adult social care providers have good data and cyber security in place. This event will be provided by your local support team and aims to give you an oversight of the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) and how to register onto the toolkit.
If people are interested in toolkit registering and completing their profile on the DSPT, the trainer(s) will be on hand at the end of the webinar to go through that stage with you. We will send a reminder email prior to event which will contain a zoom link. For more information and resources go to https://www.westsussexpartnersincare.org
Benefits to Proxy Access
Using online health services has become more and more popular over the last few years, making communication between patients, carers and healthcare professionals easier, faster and more convenient. Proxy access was developed to allow someone other than the patient to access and manage parts of their GP online services account. The proxy is given their own online access account (rather than using the patient’s login details). Proxy ordering access enables care homes to order medication monthly and also interim/acute prescriptions via the practice’s online portal. Using this portal provides care homes with an electronic audit trail of what medicines have been ordered. This removes the need to make copies of repeat slips prior to submission to the GP practice. Online ordering of medication should be less time consuming for care home staff.
Evaluation and benefits
There are benefits of care homes ordering medication online for residents, GP practices and care homes, which grow as time goes on.
The benefits calculator estimates the potential time and cost savings for a GP practice, care home and pharmacy from the implementation of proxy access for online ordering of medication for care home residents.
Other benefits found by care homes, GP practices and pharmacies during the pilots were:
Allows the care home to do anything a patient can do with regards requesting medications (repeat and acute medications
Fewer risks and issues associated with ordering, issuing, collecting, and dispensing repeat medications
Fewer errors and queries (e.g. missing items, what has been ordered/collected from pharmacy)
Improved clinical safety Easier and faster access, as care home staff can order at any time of the day or night
An improved, easy to access audit trail
Improved data security due to care home staff have their own username and password, which also saves time
Better communications and working relationships between all
Improved governance regulations
Saves staff a lot of time, with fewer phone calls and pieces of paper to process due to secure email communications improving patient care
Before online proxy ordering was in place, on average, Care home and GP staff would spend 3 days each month ordering medications for residents / patients (can vary depending on number of residents/patients)
Since having online proxy ordering, on average, it now takes staff approx. 1 hour and 4 minutes to order / process medication orders (can vary depending on number of residents/patients)
This equates to an average cost savings for each care home / GP surgery of around £432.49 per month (£5,189.88 per annum) (can vary depending on number of residents/patients)
Working on the above averages, this releases around 3 days per month for staff to care for residents / patients and allows staff to concentrate on other patient care (can vary depending on number of residents/patients)
Completion of the DSPT (Data Security Protection Toolkit) to enable the Proxy Access lends itself towards the CQC Assessment Framework: Well Led 6.7 ‘Are there robust arrangements (including appropriate internal and external validation) to ensure the availability, integrity and confidentiality of identifiable data, records and data management systems, in line with data security standards? Are lessons learned when there are data security breaches?’
Diabetes Awareness
This 30 minutes online learning module is for anyone who supports individuals who have diabetes or who would like to gain an awareness of it.
You will gain an understanding of the signs and symptoms of Diabetes, and treatments that are available. The aim of this module is to provide you with an overview of Diabetes, what it is like to live with it and how to approach supporting an individual who has it.
If you apply what you have learnt in this module, you will be able to:
Identify the types of diabetes and common causes.
Describe the ways to manage and treat diabetes.
Describe the complications associated with diabetes.
Implement a person-centred approach when supporting people with diabetes.
To access this module you will need to be registered with the WSCC Learning and Development Gateway - click here for more information.
Falls Prevention
This 30 minute online learning module is for care support staff working across a range of settings, promoting good practice in preventing falls in the people that they support. It forms part of the knowledge -based fundamental core care skills series and will enable you to provide care with dignity and respect. To book onto the course via the Learning and Development Gateway please click here
Understanding Frailty
The aim of this 20 minute module is to enable you to provide person-centred care with dignity and respect by understanding frailty and the impact it can have. Learning Outcomes: If you apply what you have learnt in this module you will be able to:
Describe what the term frailty means.
Carry out a basic assessment for frailty.
Describe examples of frailty tools typically used.
Identify how to support people and families who have been identified with frailty needs.
The aim of this module is to raise your understanding of how you can provide good, safe, person centred continence care to people living in a range of settings. Learning Outcomes: If you apply what you have learnt in this online module, you will be able to:
Demonstrate best practice for continence support
Potentially maintain good skin conditions
Identify the requirement for maintaining privacy, dignity and respect
Demonstrate improved awareness of catheter care
Feel confident in handling and changing a catheter day bag to night bag
Identify and be able to flag up concerns regarding moisture lesions
These two modules will enable you to support people, with their oral health care needs, in a way that they can feel empowered. It will form part of the knowledge based Fundamental Core Care Skills and will enable you to provide safe care with dignity and respect.
Learning Outcomes: If you apply what you have learnt in these modules you will be able to:
Explore the needs for people to be supported with good oral care.
Identify some health care and safety issues if a person is not supported with their oral health care and the complications that may arise.
Provide holistic and comprehensive person centred care.
Identify professionals who may be able to support with those needs.
Raise awareness the process of the normal swallow.
The terms aspiration and silent aspiration and the relevant clinical indicators.
What it is like to be supported with eating and drinking as well potential issues.
The differences between consistencies of diet and the importance of adapting consistencies appropriately for people with dysphagia.
The rationale for thickening drinks as a management strategy and recognise thin fluids, Level 1 and Level 2 drinks.
has a range of links and useful resources for all care providers. To find out more click here.
This newsletter has been produced by collating a range of articles from the Voluntary, Private and Independent Care Sector and training providers within West Sussex. Please ensure that you have checked that the details of any training or workshops offered in this newsletter directly meet your needs within your organisation.
