2017 saw Angus Health and Social Care Partnership provide funding for care home staff to attend a series of learning and development days. Staff were able to hear speakers on a variety of subjects including – UTI Prevention; Well Being in Dementia Care; Adult Protection; Maintenance of Hearing Aids and Management of Chronic Pain. Events were held locally and care homes sent staff within their own locality. Having secured funded places I felt sure that this would be of interest to all care homes in Angus and the majority of care homes took up this offer. Sessions involved presentations from a range of services. Interestingly, those people who previously had had little contact with care homes would remark on the enthusiasm and knowledge of care home staff.

After the sessions, homes developed action plans for change and then reported back to session presenters as to how they had got on. Many of the homes came up with well thought out plans but for me one home stood out.

The staff of a small home in Carnoustie rose to the challenge and the range of actions was inspiring – from developing posters for families on over use of antibiotics to starting up a “relax shack” for supporting people with chronic pain. Time and again they would come to follow up sessions with their new ideas and brimming with enthusiasm for further knowledge which they would then use to improve the lives of the people in their care.

I would like to say well done to the team at Braehill Lodge in Carnoustie – at a time of worry and concern over funding and the future of care homes they have taken advantage of opportunities offered.

For 2018 we are going to continue our development days but in a different format making full use of new technology in an effort to make the sessions more accessible across Angus. I suppose the message here is to take the opportunity and try to use it for improving the lives of people living in care.

 

Ivan Cornford,

Local Integration Lead, Angus