My journey has been incredible in 2018. I had a mission – to help as many care homes as possible to drive improvement and to help them to deliver outstanding care. That’s why I’m sharing some care home tips to help you imrpove the quality of your care.
I have not done anything new or reinvented any new wheel. I’m sharing as much as I can to help care homes through my book, blogs, consultancy and speaking sessions. Writing a book was not at all easy for me, but my passion and a strong push from my lovely wife has driven me to do it.
Hearing positive reviews about my new venture is helping me to set bigger goals for 2019. Everyone deserves the best possible care during the vulnerable times of their life. We can work together to set outstanding care as the norm. Let us all work together to create a brighter future for social care. Let Britain be the best country in the world to retire.
‘Thank you’ care home tips
As we head to the new year, here are my few care home tips which may trigger some action from you to improve your care home. You may find it useful or you are already doing over and beyond.
Safety
Ensuring safety should always be given high priority in any care home. Any action plans recommended by the external contractors should be addressed as a priority. Please refer to my book – Page no 46, 47 and 48 to identify various checks needed.
Governance system
If I have implemented a Governance system in your care home, please ensure it is being followed and working. If not, please identify why it is not working and put measures in place to make it work. It may not work because either staff not following the system or you do not have enough resources to catch up. Always audit you auditing systems to make it effective. Auditing shouldn’t be a tick box exercise; it should be a tool to identify areas of improvement.
PRN Medications
I am sure you already have PRN protocols in place. But please make sure if you administer PRN medication regularly at a fixed time every day, it means the staff is not following the PRN protocol. Staff need to document ‘why’ a PRN medication is administered at the back of the MAR sheet. If it is given consistently, it must be reviewed by GP to make it regular.
Epilepsy
Do you care for residents with a seizure? Please make sure you have a detailed care plan and risk assessment in place. Just having the document in place is not enough, staff should know how to implement it. Staff should know what to do if there is a seizure episode and how to put someone on a recovery position and so on.
Cleaning schedules
Housekeeping monitoring is an area that will be missed by care managers of smaller care homes. Please do some random checks to ensure your staff is completing the documents even though they are doing a great job. Please don’t put off their commitment by bossing them to complete the documents. Give them a gentle ‘
Staff training
You must already have a training matrix in place. Some employers have a practice of gathering the certificates from the previous employment; it is not the best practice unless you have measures in place to ensure their competency.
Equality and diversity training
E&D is a hot subject and should be considered mandatory. If it is done in the right way, not only helps your staff to meet your resident’s diverse needs but also promotes effective team working within a multicultural workforce.
Complaints
Complaints are not a bad thing. Learn to accept some brutal facts about the care you provide and do something about it. It is an opportunity to show off how you have improved because of the concerns raised. Documenting the issue with a timeline is a good practice.
Care care care
No documentation is worth without getting the care right. Please make sure residents are supported with a proper wash, shower or bath according to their preference. Staff can become, so task focused, they may even tick a box even without doing it. You should randomly go into a room and check if the toothbrush is wet or if there are any stains on the bed sheets. Some degree of cross-checking is essential to be a good line manager.
Leadership
For your care home to run like a well-oiled machine, leadership is the key. I am sure you are already a great leader, but you can always be a better leader by learning and improving. Invest in yourself to grow and develop and take proper rest to regain your energy. It would help if you looked after yourself well to look after others very well.
Last one
If you are expecting a CQC inspection soon, please make sure you and your staff are confident about the service you provide. Although CQC observes a great deal on the day of the inspection, they still rely on your evidence to judge you. Keep the documents ready and let you and your team enjoy the inspection. It should be a day of celebration rather than a day of panic attacks.
I hope that by applying these care home tips you will be on your way on becoming outstanding. Thank you very much for sharing and spreading my ideas to reach more people. I genuinely wish you and your care home all the success in 2019. Remember, we are here to do the best for the vulnerable people of the society. Let us do it ‘outstandingly’ well in 2019.
Best wishes,
Issac Theophilos
