Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust is on a recruitment drive to attract more mental health nurses to work across Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland

Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT), which provides mental health, learning disability and community health services for one million people living in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland is looking to recruit more mental health nurses.

According to statistics from the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the number of mental health nurses fell from 90,693 to 88,821 between 2014 and 2018[i].

LPT is addressing the shortage across Leicestershire by promoting the region as a leading career destination for mental health nurses, highlighting the many opportunities available. There are vacancies for experienced mental health nurses, including Bank Community Psychiatric Nurse-Band 6 positions which involve working as part of the secondary care services team, providing assessments and treatment packages for a range of service users aged 16-65 years with complex mental health needs. 

A neurological rehabilitation centre in Oxfordshire has been rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Orchard House, which opened in 2014 and is run by Christchurch Group, provides specialist community-based transitional rehabilitation in the village of Harwell in Oxfordshire. It supports adults with neurological conditions resulting from injury, illness or disease. The service offers accommodation for 9 residents and is a Headway Approved Provider.

Inspectors praised the service for its exceptional care, its strong, values-led leadership and their  person-centered approach displayed by the registered manager and staff, which provided clear therapeutic benefits for patients. The CQC also highlighted how the registered manager had ‘continually thought of initiatives to make improvements to enhance people's lives and those of the staff.’

Borough Care, the largest not-for-profit provider of care for older people in Stockport, marked Nutrition & Hydration Week (11-17 March 2019) with a programme of special food and drink related activities.  

Every day during Nutrition & Hydration Week, Borough Care’s catering teams at each of the company’s eleven homes put on tasty treats for residents, based around a different theme. Events included mocktail Monday, using fruits and juices to make non-alcoholic drinks; a cheese and wine tasting; an afternoon tea party; fruit tasting and a breakfast club.  The week culminated in a Sunday roast celebration meal.    

Commenting on the Nutrition & Hydration Week events put on for residents, Nicci Gregory, Head Cook at Borough Care’s Bamford Close home in Cale Green, says: “Myself and Joanne Morris, our Activity Lifestyle Facilitator, decided our events needed to be fun and creative so residents would want to engage with each activity. 

Actor Shaun Williamson, famous for playing Barry in Eastenders, was the host of a glittering awards evening to celebrate staff at specialist care provider, Cornerstone Healthcare Group.

Shaun helped to celebrate the long service of more than 30 Cornerstone employees at the newly refurbished Langstone Quays Hotel in Havant last week.

All of the staff ‘VIPs’ have worked for Hampshire-based Cornerstone Healthcare for more than 10 years, with four of them celebrating more than 20 years loyalty and dedication to their residents and the company.

A CELEBRATION evening was held to thank businesses across Huddersfield for providing volunteering opportunities to hundreds of teenagers.

Over 590 young people were involved in the Huddersfield Giants Community Trust National Citizen Service (NCS) programme in 2018.

They worked on 48 social action projects around the city and helped fundraise more than £26,500 for the activities and work they carried out.

One of those projects was transforming the garden at Thornhill Care Home, on Thornhill Road.

A group of 15-to-17-year-olds from the NCS programme created plant pot borders around the home’s garden, installed solar lighting and laid artificial turf.

A trainee from Bristol will become one of the country’s first Nursing Associates when she completes her apprenticeship qualification next month in April.

Michelle Alderson, 29, who works at Sirona care & health’s Charlton House Community Resource Centre in Keynsham, is one of the pioneers for the new nursing role having participated in one of the country’s first pilots for the qualification. Nursing Associates will work with healthcare support workers and registered nurses to deliver care. A Qualified Nursing Associate can also go on to train as a registered nurse which is Michelle’s long-term goal. 

Nutrition and Hydration Week has taken place every March since 2012.

Its purpose is to bring people together to create energy, focus and fun in order to highlight and educate people on the value of food and drink in maintaining health and well being in health and social care.

Organisations from around the world and from all areas of health and social care take part and new organisations are welcome to join in the fun.

Get involved with Nutrition and Hydration Week

A HERD of fluffy, four-legged friends were the latest visitors to a Middlesbrough care home.

Rabbits and guinea pigs hopped in to see residents at The Gables Care Home, on Highfield Road, for an animal therapy session.

Staff from Pets at Home, on Teesside Park, Stockton-on-Tees, brought the animals for residents to hold and stroke.

Having contact with the cute, cuddly creatures provides therapeutic benefits for those living with dementia, according to home manager Pam Rodgers.

She said: “Watching, stroking and holding guinea pigs, rabbits and other animals can have a calming and positive impact on everyone – but especially those living with dementia.

LOROS Hospice is one of five major health and social care employers behind the recently launched recruitment campaign Y/Our Future that is encouraging doctors, nurses and health and social care workers to relocate to live and work in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

Latest figures from NHS Improvement show that 11.8% of nurse posts in England were not filled – a shortage of nearly 42,000[i]. Experts described the situation as at risk of becoming a "national emergency" given the rising demands on the NHS[ii].

An NHS report last year highlighted the negative impact this is having on specialist nurses, including cancer and palliative care nurses[iii]. Hospice UK has also reported that staff shortages and increased caseloads prevent effective pain management at home for dying people.

HOOVES clattered through the halls of an Ellesmere Port care home when residents were treated to an animal therapy session. 

Two miniature ponies, a goat and a rabbit were among the latest visitors to Aaron Court Care Home, on Princes Road.

The four-legged farm animals were brought to the home by pet therapy company Doolittles Animal Therapy.

The residents were given the opportunity to stroke, cuddle and talk to the animals during the session.

One resident, Mavis Shaw, was brought to tears upon seeing the goat and repeatedly said “thank you” to the company’s expert handlers.

“Make sure you know what you want to do, and be determined to do it” – older women share their wisdom. To celebrate International Women’s Day on Friday 8th March, 12 female care home residents across the UK have been sharing the advice they’d give to their younger selves.

The ladies, aged between 82 and 93, also shared what they think young women today should know.

The advice overwhelmingly focuses on being yourself and enjoying life to the full, with most women advising to trust yourself and strive for your dreams. Margaret Crowther, 91, said: “Make sure you know what you want to do, and be determined to do it”.

Care homes getting worse in one in three local councils – urgent action needed to end inadequate standards of care, says older people’s charity

The quality of care homes has worsened in the last year in more than a third of local authorities (37%) Independent Age has found.

With over 2.6 million over-65s living in areas where an increasing number of care homes are rated ‘inadequate’ or ‘requires improvement’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) many older people and their families have no choice but to choose a poorly-performing care home. 

Hand crafted walking frame bags have given care home residents more freedom to get about carrying their “essentials”.

A knitting group from Thornaby Methodist Church, near Middlesbrough, created the bags for residents at Mandale House Care Home.

One of those residents, Mavis Thomas, has been a member of the church and friends with the knitting group organiser, Shirley Whitfield, for over 50 years.

Shirley established Chat and Craft to help members work through their grief after their husbands passed away.

A FORMER care assistant has risen through the ranks at a Teesside care home,The Beeches Care Home, to be named home manager.

Jessica Brown joined The Beeches Care Home, on Green Lane, Newtown, in 2014 and was promoted to senior care assistant before becoming deputy manager in 2018.

She became home manager in February 2019 and has said she is aiming to lead the home to the highest rating from industry watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

She said: “I truly believe that everyone is unique and should be treated in a person-centred way, with activities and services tailored to each person’s individual preferences. "

Borough Care, the largest not-for-profit provider of care for older people in Stockport, has appointed Lee Omar to its Board of Directors.  In his new position as a Non-Executive Director, Lee Omar will support Borough Care’s Executive Team at a strategic level and also engage with residents, their families and staff, to provide invaluable feedback to the leadership team.  Lee’s role will include developing relationships with external stakeholders, to help Borough Care innovate and remain commercial focussed.    

Commenting on what attracted him to becoming a Board member at Borough Care, Lee Omar says: “Having been a Non-Executive Director for NHS Trusts, I was interested to work in social care as I believe one of the great challenges we face is how we meet the requirements of our ageing society.  We are living longer lives and I want to be part of the change that sees us offering aspirational products and services for this ageing population.”