Resources
Useful Links
Here you can find useful links.
COVID-19: Managing the COVID-19 pandemic in care homes for older people
The COVID-19 pandemic raises particular challenges for care home residents, their families and the staff that look after them. This guidance has been developed to help care home staff and NHS staff who work with them to support residents through the pandemic. This is Version 3 of this document.
Coronavirus Fact Sheet
To support you to prepare your staff , service users and business , the QCS Coronavirus Fact Sheet will help you cascade information to your staff, kick start any actions you might need and make sure you have the right systems and procedures in place should you need it.
Hoping to study or work in the UK? Guidance for international doctors and students
BMA has launched a new resource ‘Hoping to study or work in the UK? Guidance for international doctors and students’ to provide a high-level overview of the sequence of steps they will need to take, such as applying for training, getting GMC registration, a visa and a job offer.
Care homes briefing 183 – Competitions and Markets Authority advice on charging fees after death
On 31 May 2018 the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published guidance on the charging of fees after a resident’s death and the treatment of their possessions. A public consultation was held by the CMA earlier this year following concerns about excessive fees being charged following the death of a resident.
EU Settlement Scheme: employer toolkit
The employer toolkit will equip employers with the right tools and information to support EU citizens and their families on the EU Settlement Scheme.
How Dogs Can Help with Mental Health – Mind Boosting Benefits of Dog Ownership
For members running care homes for older people, this article should be read not as resident’s owning and looking after dogs, but as the care home being open to them (either as visitors or living in the care home cared for by staff), and giving many of the benefits mentioned in the article to the residents, and staff as well.
Learning Disabilities Mortality Review
The University of Bristol has produced guidance on how to embed the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review (LeDeR) Programme in existing systems in social care provider organisations.
By participating in the programme, you will help to ensure that the learning from every death of a person with learning disabilities contributes to improving practice, both locally and across the sector.
Eating and Drinking Well: Supporting People Living with Dementia
Bournemouth University has developed research informed training tools to equip care staff with the skills needed to improve the delivery of nutrition and hydration for people living with dementia. These consist of a freely available workbook ‘Eating and Drinking Well: Supporting People Living with Dementia’ linked with a training film and leaflet.
Preventative Assessment Framework - I AM SMART
Small changes in a person’s manner and well-being can often be the first signs of a range of illnesses. Spotting these changes early and addressing them quickly is an essential goal for care providers.
The I AM SMART assessment tool has been developed by Insequa as a carer’s aid. Using the tool, you and your staff can:
- help avoid hospitalisation
- prevent increases in the amount of additional care and support required
- provide a big picture record of a person, even when care is delivered by multiple carers
How does it work?
I AM SMART is a mnemonic to help Care Staff spot important changes in the condition of Service Users, thereby helping you provide preventative and safe care and support. The assessment makes it easier to record issues that require observation and offers a go-to framework for easy reference.
Individual
Attitude
Motivation
Speech
Mobility
Appetite
Responsiveness
Temperature
You can download I AM SMART free – just fill in the form to access a PDF with more information and the framework. You can save this to use, print out or share with staff.
Airedale Social Movement - Community Engagement Toolkit for Care Homes
Alzheimer’s Society has been running the Airedale Social Movement Programme in Airedale, Wharfedale, Craven and Leeds since August 2016. This programme is funded by NHS England as part of their New Models of Care; Health of a Social Movement Programme until May 2018. The programme aims to bring local communities into the care home, and put the care home at the heart of the community.
Through our work on the programme, we have set up lots of initiatives in care homes. Different community groups including schools, bowling clubs & arts students have linked up with 8 care homes and are regularly running activities with the care home residents to improve their quality of life, reduce their isolation and ensure they feel part of both the care home, and the wider community.
Toolkit: One of our objectives of the programme is to spread the programme so that others can replicate the work that has been undertaken locally, and this week we have launched resources to support this including a How To Guide for Care Home staff.
