The care exchange from Skills for Care

S4 E7: The Single Assessment Framework represents an opportunity’

Hear from Isabel De La Haye, a recently qualified solicitor who talks a lot about the new CQC assessment and shares her tips on how you can prepare for any forthcoming assessment by understanding your current position. She talks about the importance of checking the factual accuracy of your CQC report and understanding how your rating is created.  

Resources:

• Data Security and Protection eLearning - Digital Care Hub 
• Digital Care Hub - Run by social care providers for social care providers. 
•  Digital, data and technology (skillsforcare.org.uk) 
• Integration (skillsforcare.org.uk) 
• Local networks for managers (skillsforcare.org.uk) 

S4 E6: Recognise it, record it, evidence it

Maddie Watts, the owner and Registered manager of the outstanding rated Inchwater home care chats to us about the preparation she is doing for assessment under the new single assessment framework and how to evidence good practice for CQC. Maddie talks about evidencing feedback of partnership working with other professionals and the benefits of reflective conversations to the continuous improvement journey. 

Resources

• Go Guide: Single Assessment Framework edition (skillsforcare.org.uk) 
• Inspection toolkit (skillsforcare.org.uk) 
• Being prepared for CQC inspection seminar (skillsforcare.org.uk) 

S4 E5: Nothing about you without you

We chat to Jodie Allen-Cawley, Head of Quality and Health and Safety at Lifeways.   

Jodie talks about why co-production is the key to providing quality care and how it works in partnership with the people you provide care to. She explores how the ‘I statements’ and ‘we statements’ align with the new CQC Single Assessment Framework and, as a quality lead, how to evidence personalisation and co-production.  

Jodie also shares the huge range of co-production initiatives and processes that are taking place at Lifeways from their quality checkers, to involving people in the recruitment process and embedding co-production as day-to-day business within the culture of the organisation.  

“Ensure the people you support are at the heart of everything you do, then build outwards from that.” 

S4 E4: I get most of my success on Sunday

Stephen Forster joins the Care Exchange to talk about his success in recruiting 1000s of care workers. He shares his top tips on attracting workers, including how to create an amazing recruitment journey for each candidate and how to reduce no shows. We also chat about sending top tips to candidates before interview, creating attractive job adverts and value-based retention. 

Resources

• DBS checks (skillsforcare.org.uk) 
• Values-based recruitment (skillsforcare.org.uk) 
• Application and selection process (skillsforcare.org.uk)
• BHI Website (betterhiringinstitute.co.uk) 

S4 E3: What if I say the wrong thing?

For most of us, the answer to the question ‘what is most important to you?’ would be our personal relationships. Join us for a fascinating discussion with Dr Claire Bates about how we can, and should be, supporting people to continue the relationships that are important to them.   

Dr Claire Bates, who set up and runs the ‘Supported Loving’ network, talks candidly in this episode about how we should be helping people to have meaningful relationships, including where people want to continue with intimate or sexual relationships, and she asks the question ‘should a double bed be offered as default?’. Claire gives some great advice on how to create open cultures, reassure staff about having honest conversations and debunks some of the myths about what it is ok to say and support people with.

Resources  

• Choice Support | Supported Loving 
• www.shada.org.uk 
• www.enhancetheuk.org 
• A positive culture toolkit for adult social care (skillsforcare.org.uk) 
• SfC Supporting Personal Relationships Sept21 (skillsforcare.org.uk) 
• Supporting personal relationships (skillsforcare.org.uk) 

S4 E2: Would you ever dance in the rain?

We chat to Samantha Crawley, CEO of Bracebridge Care and Director of The Outstanding Society.  

She talks about why registered managers strive for Outstanding, and the impact of the culture of a service on CQC ratings. Samantha also shares some great ideas about how to tackle difficult team dynamics and she how uses an assessment centre approach to help with recruitment. You can also find out why she gives a free audio book subscription to managers in all her homes.  

Resources

• Culture toolkit
• Registered manager membership
• S4 E2 Full transcript

 

 

S4 E1: What is your favourite chocolate bar?

Series 4 Episode 1: What is your favourite chocolate bar?

Series 4 kicks off with a fascinating conversation alongside Neil Eastwood, CEO and founder of Care Friends recorded with a live audience!  

Listen to Neil talk about the secrets to recruitment including having a narrow and wide focus on attracting job applicants and how to connect with people in your local community. Neil also shares lots of tips on how to improve your recruitment and retention processes including texting, hosting a dog show, reserving parking spaces, welcome cards and even providing a favourite chocolate bar! 

Resources

• Recruitment and retention in adult social care: Secrets of success 

• Values-based recruitment

• I Care…Ambassadors 

• S4 E1 Full transcript

S3 E9: With good culture you can achieve anything - Skills for Care | The care exchange

Series 3 Episode 9: With good culture you can achieve anything

In the final episode of this series, we are joined by Zoe Fry OBE from the Outstanding Society who is also the host of the ‘Care Insights’ podcast. Together we look back at guests that have featured on both podcasts, and we reflect on the importance of positive leadership, leading by example and having a good workplace culture. We also discuss the benefits of looking outwards and learning from others.

Resources

• S3 E9 full transcript

S3 E8: Our aim is to break down barriers - Skills for Care | The care exchange

Series 3 Episode 8: Our aim is to break down barriers

In this episode we talk to Aeon Anderson from the African Caribbean Community Initiative about lots of things including:

• what it’s like to manage a service that supports people from an African Caribbean background with mental health issues
• how to recruit the right staff, manage a diverse team and ensure that the staff feel supported
• planning and delivering learning and development that meets the needs of the individual staff members whether they are new to the service or have worked there a long time.

Aeon has been the Chair of the Registered Managers Network for a number of years now and was nominated for the West Midlands Registered Manager of the year award 2023. Aeon has received numerous awards including:

• Alicia Spence Award 2023 for supported housing services to mental health - A.C.C.I. Annual Gala and Awards
• Winner of the Wolverhampton Registered Manager of the Year 2023. (The West Midlands Care Association & Wolverhampton City Council)

Resources

• Confident with difference: our confident with difference resource supports you to consider how well diversity is embraced within your organisation and how you could improve.
• Guide to developing your staff: our guidance can help you plan, deliver and evaluate the learning and development you provide for your staff.
• S3 E8 full transcript

S3 E7: Power our carers through renewable energy - Skills for Care | The care exchange

Series 3 Episode 7: Power our carers through renewable energy

Good Oaks Home Care is the first UK carbon neutral home care company. Ben Ashton, the co-founder and director joins us to talk about what you have to do to become carbon neutral, why it is so important and how it fits so well with values-based recruitment and retention. Ben also talks about his positive experiences and shares his learnings of recruiting internationally.

Resources

• RM membership : become a member of our growing community of registered managers and gain access to exclusive resources to support your role and service through membership. 
• RM webinar on CQC single assessment: view our recorded webinar to gain insight into the new CQC Single Assessment and gather practical tools and advice about the new CQC inspection focus and Quality Statements.
• International recruitment: take a look at various sources available to you to help you recruit internationally.
• S3 E7 full transcript

GoodOaks Academy offer a free online e-learning platform for the care sector, from registered managers to informal carers. Topics range from Healthy Eating in Older People through to Having Difficult Conversations. For more information take a look at the website.