The care exchange from Skills for Care

S1 10: Everything is solvable - Skills for Care | The care exchange

Series 1 Episode 10: Everything is solvable

Hosts Ali and Pia reflect on the amazing managers who have shared their experiences and tips throughout the series. The conversation includes common themes that have emerged, highlights some of the useful suggestion’s guests have made and discusses how they relate to the new CQC strategy.

We’re extremely grateful to all the managers who have contributed to this first series of ‘The care exchange’ and celebrate the incredible work being done every day by registered managers across the country. The Care Exchange will be back with series two in October 2021. 

Resources

• Find your locality manager - as well as running workshops and networking events, locality managers can work with you to understand your organisation and facilitate access to our bespoke services.
• Support for registered managers - As the membership organisation for registered managers, Skills for Care’s support will help you with the issues you face on a day-to-day basis.
• Join a local network where you can connect with other managers at a local level, building a supportive network and sharing best practice and learning. Find out more.
• Registered manager webinars cover a range of topics to support managers and their services. They are 30-minutes long and are delivered to a live audience and recorded for further viewing.
• Wellbeing resource finder - find wellbeing resources that have been selected as particularly relevant for the social care sector. All the resources are from Skills for Care’s trusted partners and have been grouped into the topics. You can filter your results to reduce time and energy searching for resources for yourself and others.
• Delivering good and outstanding care - Our ‘Good and outstanding care guide’ shares recommendations and best practice from 'good' and ‘outstanding' rated services, under each area of inspection. You can use the guide to benchmark what you're doing now and decide where to make improvements.

S1 E9: Just try to add lemon curd - Skills for Care | The care exchange

Series 1 Episode 9: Just try to add lemon curd

Azhar Juri talks about being a mental health nurse and registered manager of a residential care home for people with enduring mental health issues. 

Azhar shares their thoughts on developing a positive culture to support staff “to be the best they can be”, being honest with yourself and how WhatsApp is a lifesaver. We also talk about Azhar’s very personal journey and how Bollywood dancing changed everything.

Resources

• Mental health: our website has information on the skills and knowledge that staff who work in mental health services need, including the ‘Mental Health Core Skills Education and Training Framework’ that can help you to design and commission high quality training that meets the needs of the people that you support.
• Equality and diversity: our resources help to develop awareness of the standards on equality and diversity to allow you and your team develop an inclusive and confident approach to diversity. Take a look at our ‘Confident with difference’ resource.  

S1 E8: Oh lovely, we’re home - Skills for Care | The care exchange

Series 1 Episode 8: Oh lovely, we’re home

Debbie Dry, registered manager of Windsor Lodge, a small care home for older people in Buckinghamshire talks about residents being at the heart of everything and how that drives her desire to constantly improve quality. She explains how she ensures that any training her staff do, is a learning opportunity for everyone and has an impact on the care delivered. Find Windsor Lodge Care Home on Facebook.

Resources

• Leadership Qualities Framework: describes the attitudes and behaviours needed for high quality leadership at all levels. 
• Learning from events digital module: This 35 minute, interactive module is designed to support managers and leaders in all adult care settings carry out learning reviews. Learning reviews are an approach that bring people together to holistically explore an adverse event or near miss. They allow teams to explore different perspectives and create a positive action plan that supports individuals and seeks to avoid repeat incidents. You can claim £100 from the Workforce Development Fund for every employee who completes the module.

S1 E7: Can I run something past you? - Skills for Care | The care exchange

Series 1 Episode 7: Can I run something past you?  

Our guest Joseph Hughes is from City Care Partnership. He is the registered manager of two outstanding rated services that support people with learning disabilities.

He explains that managers don't have to be the best at everything and shouldn't be afraid to ask for help. Joseph discusses how he wants his workforce to feel valued, comfortable, well trained and all with funded walking boots!

Resources

• Learning disability webpage and newsletter - we have a range of resources that explain what skills and knowledge workers need to support people with a learning disability, their carers and families, and how adult social care employers can develop their staff. Find out more and sign up to the newsletter for regular updates.
• Supporting individuals with face coverings and other COVID-19 related challenges: our guide sets out how to support people with learning disabilities and autistic people with some of the current COVID-19 challenges. You can also find a range of resources which include easy read documents, videos, social stories, and webinars - Find out more.
• Delivering good and outstanding care: our ‘Good and outstanding care’ range draws on practical examples from Care Quality Commission (CQC) reports and regulated providers, to share best practice, help you prepare for inspection and improve your service. The range includes free online guides, practical seminars and consultancy, and tailored support - See the resources.
• Registered Manager Network: Thousands of managers attend the local networks that we support across England. At each network, managers share knowledge, hear from guest speakers and access peer support. Our networks are now being delivered virtually and through WhatsApp groups. Stay in touch with each other during these challenging times and join your local network today. 

S1 E6: It‘s your time to shine - Skills for Care | The care exchange

Series 1 Episode 6: It's your time to shine

We’re joined by Karyn Ross who is the registered manager of the Shared Lives scheme in Coventry. Karyn’s service has received an outstanding CQC rating in her last inspection and she shares how she used her mantra ‘plan, invest and record’ to prepare.

Karyn discusses promoting personal relationships, student placements  bringing new ideas and why her team are always open to learn new ways of working and continuing to improve.

Resources

• Good and outstanding care guide: Karyn talks about how she used Skills for Care’s ‘Good and outstanding care guide’ when she prepared for her latest CQC inspection.
• Skills for Care has resources on supporting personal relationships, developed in partnership with CQC:  the resources will help you to think about what your workforce needs to know and understand about personal relationships, and how they can create a training plan.

S1 E5: You can’t juggle all the balls - Skills for Care | The Care Exchange

Series 1 Episode 5: You can’t juggle all the balls

Carly Rochester, manager of Lodge Group Care’s domiciliary home care service discusses her respect for home care workers, pandemic teamwork and how it’s so important to value your workforce. 

Carly explains the importance of using the workforce's different skills and how she has learned to delegate, let go of some responsibilities and trust and empower members of her team. 

Resources

• Partnership working: Our resource ‘An introduction to working with partners – a practical guide for social care managers’ would be really helpful if you’re thinking about partnership working. You can purchase a copy through our bookshop. 
  
• Delegated healthcare tasks: If like Carly your staff are providing more clinical tasks the delegated healthcare tasks resources can be helpful. The two short guides support decision making and provide information and guidance on delivering delegated healthcare tasks safely and competently.  

S1 E4: It’s like watching poetry - Skills for Care | The Care Exchange

Series 1 Episode 4: It’s like watching poetry

Ronnie Lillywhite talks about being a manager in a supported living service. She shares her experience supporting a service to improve, why safety comes trumps every time and how she has remained focused on making improvements during the pandemic.

Ronnie explains why she has never felt so connected to her peers and how she has learnt to act with balance. 

Resources

• Recorded registered manager webinars: our registered manager webinars cover a wide range of topics and are delivered to a live audience, but recorded for further viewing whenever is convenient for you.
• Preparing for CQC inspection: Skills for Care has produced a range of guidance and advice to help frontline managers and others to understand how best to prepare. This includes an introductory virtual learning module, a practical checklist, and opportunities to commission in further expertise.

S1 E3: The chicks were heaven sent - Skills for Care | The care exchange

Series 1 Episode 3: The chicks were heaven sent

Marlene Kelly, the registered manager of Auburn Mere Care Home in Watford shares her views on the importance of concentrating on meaningful activities that provide occupation and connection. She discusses how the pandemic has helped her work out what really matters and highlights the importance of managers thinking about their own wellbeing.

Marlene also tells us about some very special chicks who visited the home during the pandemic! Follow Auburn Mere on Facebook and Instagram.

Resources

• Recorded registered manager webinars: our registered manager webinars cover a wide range of topics and are delivered to a live audience, but recorded for further viewing whenever is convenient for you.
• Wellbeing: See the Skills for Care wellbeing area for tips and ideas for you and your team.
• Action learning: Marlene shares how invaluable she has found the Skills for Care action learning set. Join a peer support action learning set by becoming a registered manager member. Once you’re a member you can also access our mentoring programme.
  
• Networking: Marlene is the chair of her local registered manager network. Find a network near you.

S1 E2: Stay connected always - Skills for Care | The care exchange

Series 1 Episode 2: Stay connected always

Sue Ann Nnamani, the registered manager of Priscilla Wakefield House in Haringey, London shares her approach to managing a large nursing home, including how she makes sure that values are embedded into the service, the importance of looking inwards and outwards and why it’s the simple things that matter. Follow Sue Ann on LinkedIn!  

Resources

• Recorded registered manager webinars: our registered manager webinars cover a wide range of topics and are delivered to a live audience, but recorded for further viewing whenever is convenient for you.
  
• Values: find out more about the tools we have to help you recruit people with the right values, including an example of how another home communicates their workplace values.
  
• Culture: ‘Creating a positive workplace culture toolkit’ explains what workplace culture is and how you can develop a positive one in your organisation. It’s for adult social care employers of all sizes, including individual employers.

S1 E1: Bring your whole self to work - Skills for Care | The care exchange

Series 1 Episode 1: Bring your whole self to work 

Skills for Care CEO Oonagh Smyth talks about her own motivations within her role and shares her views on why the role of registered manager is so important. This is a conversation you don’t want to miss! Follow Oonagh Smyth on twitter!

Resources 

• Supporting the diverse workforce within adult social care: recorded webinars: Featuring a panel of BAME leaders with lived experiences; the lively discussions focused on sharing understanding and generating ideas around key issues. Watch the webinars.
• Mentoring: You’ll have the chance to train to become a mentor or receive mentoring. Find out more about the registered manager membership offer.
• Peer to peer support: The registered managers networks offer invaluable peer to peer support.  Find out more about local networks for managers. Deputy managers can now join a network specifically for them. Find out more about the deputy manager networks.