Update on mandatory vaccination for homecare workers in England

On Tuesday, the Government announced that that the need for vaccination as a condition of deployment for homecare workers in England will be reversed. This change will come into force on 15th March 2022 and you can read more on the outcomes of the consultation here.

Welcoming the news, Homecare Association’s CEO Dr Jane Townson said:

“We are very pleased the Government is reversing the VCOD regulations and therefore preventing further care workers from leaving the workforce.

“Since vaccination as a condition of deployment was first announced in September, we have lost nearly 20,000 homecare workers who provide vital care and support to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. This decision will prevent a further reduction in the workforce, at a time when recruitment and retention has never been more challenging.

“We have always strongly supported vaccination against COVID-19, as it helps protect the recipient from severe illness and death. However, we believe persuasion is more effective and proportionate than compulsion, in encouraging uptake amongst the remaining workers with a genuine fear about vaccination. We also need to balance the mitigated risk of infection with the very real risk of even more older and disabled people going without care due to workforce shortages.’’

A big birthday for Margaret

Lynne Hewitt, one of our Regional Managers in Scotland, has asked us to share this fantastic photo of one of their service users – Margaret. Margaret recently celebrated her 100th birthday at the Highland Hotel with family and friends.

Congratulations Margaret, what a wonderful picture. We all hope you had a lovely day.

 

A commendation at Constance Care Blantyre

Wendy McCall, our Regional Director for the North, Northern Ireland and Scotland, has passed us some fantastic feedback received this past week. Sent to the Blantyre branch of Constance Care, the son of a service user took the time to express his appreciation for the support that three members of the team – Sharon, Elaine and Maggie – provide to his mother, writing:

“These individuals execute the utmost professionalism in the care management of my mother but also whilst under the additional stress and constraints of this dreaded Covid virus that has plagued us for two years and counting. I cannot praise them highly enough in all aspects but what is most notable for me is the sensitivity and sincerity they extend to my mother.

“Whilst your focus is rightly in delivering care to my mother, I do not think they are aware of the relief that the quality and diligence of care given has on me – to know that I fully trust my mother being in their hands. It is such a great help to me personally, as I attempt to wrestle with the understanding of this monster disease, dementia. Being a distance away and not having the best of health either, knowing these angels are there for my mother, it is such a great assistance and relief for me, more than they know.

“I cannot thank you and the team enough and are most grateful to you all.”

We want to share Wendy’s appreciation and express a huge ‘thank you’ to the three of you for the support you’ve been providing to this family through what has clearly been a very challenging time. Your hard work and dedication is making all the difference for this service user and her family, and it’s clear just how much they appreciate everything you are doing.

Guardian Homecare Ormskirk acts quickly to support people in Ukraine 

Jackie Lowe, Branch Manager for Guardian Homecare, has made us aware of an amazing crisis appeal happening in Ormskirk to support people impacted by the conflict in Ukraine. Working with their local school, Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Engineering College, the branch has started a collection for essential items including baby supplies, toiletries and sleeping bags.

If you’re in the area and want to help with a donation, the team are operating a drop-off point from 9:00 – 5:00, Monday to Friday. All donations will go straight to partner organisations on the ground in Ukraine as well as those working in surrounding countries to support refugees.

Jackie told us, “The Ormskirk branch staff are great champions and ambassadors for working both in partnership and supporting local charities and initiatives in support of their communities. Not only do the staff at Guardian Homecare do a fantastic job supporting and caring for the residents of West Lancashire, but also take time to go that extra mile to help all who are in need.”

The team are certainly living up to their reputation for supporting good causes Jackie, and it’s amazing to see such a quick response from the staff in Ormskirk.

Ae your team supporting people affected by the crisis in Ukraine? Let us know at communications@candchealthcare.co.uk and we’ll help spread the word.

‘Forget Me Knot’ Atlantic row for dementia support

As some of you may already know, the son of Nicky Tucker from our Bids and Contracts team –Stefan – as well as his friends Johnnie and Dirk are rowing the Atlantic for Dementia UK, a cause close to all of our hearts. This adventure has been 18 months in the planning, with training, counselling, insurances, sponsorships and much, much more to organise.

They left Portugal late January and are rowing an epic 3800 miles to French Guiana.

The trio have covered 2,140 miles so far and are aiming to complete their row in the next 30 days. Yes, that’s over 60 days at sea, in an 8-metre row boat. It’s this madness that has captured the heart of BBC Radio 5 live listeners. Following an initial interview back in January the channel received lots of requests by listeners to be kept updated, and they now have a weekly slot and have been dubbed the mad rowers.

They have endured some gruelling conditions, not least getting to Portugal in the first place, with the onset of the Omnicom variant and Europe shutting their borders to the UK. This meant Johnnie and Stef had to leave the UK on December the 20th, missing Christmas with their families and, as the boat could not be left unattended, sleeping in the back of their car for 10 nights.

They hit a massive storm just a few days into their row and Stef suffered a nasty injury to his hip. Thank goodness Dirk is a Doctor. They have continued to be hit by storms but are at last getting some decent weather now and making good headway.

So far the friends have raised nearly £65,000 for Dementia UK and you can find out more about their adventures on their Go Fund Me page.

Congratulations to Laura in our complex care division

Huge congratulations to Laura James on a well-deserved promotion. Our Service Development Manager, Kristine Pidgeon, has asked us to share her appreciation for Laura, who has recently been promoted to a role within the business development team.

Laura joined the Complete Care Amegreen team in December, in the role of Business Development Administrator. After quickly proving her skills in our fast-pace complex care division, Laura was promoted to Service Development Executive in February. In her new role, Laura will oversee the bids and tenders process – writing, reviews, portals and contracts – as well as marketing, events and social media.

Kristine described Laura’s new position as “a huge support to the whole business development team”, and we’re all certain you’ll continue to make a big impact across the division. Well done Laura.

Do you have a recent promotion in your team that you’d like to share across the group? Let us know at communications@candchealthcare.co.uk and we’ll include your news in a future round up email.

Brilliance in Bethnal Green

Dhiman Das, Branch Manager for Mihomecare in Tower Hamlets has asked us to share some feedback received from a local social worker. The social worker contacted the Bethnal Green Branch to express her appreciation for a member of the care team, Shila Begum.

Dhiman, explained, “Shila has a client who has got mental health concerns resulting in hoarding of lots of unwanted items from the street. When we started the package, her house was so cluttered that it was identified as health hazard. So, Shila was assigned to slowly declutter the house, to remove all the hazards and to make the house safe for the client.

“The house was so cluttered that the client had no place to sleep because the bed couldn’t be seen in the bedroom. Shila took the challenge to clean the house step by step and encouraged the client not to bring in any unwanted items from outside – resulting in a clean, comfortable habitat.

“Following a visit last weekend, social worker was so impressed and mentioned that Shila had done a tremendous job clearing the house and making it safe for the client so she almost didn’t recognise the place.”

A massive ‘well done’ Shila. It sounds like you’ve certainly gone above and beyond to give this client a home that they can live in both comfortably and safely. The appreciation from this social worker was definitely well-justified given the difference you’d made to this client’s life.