Care Home News
Care leader welcomes extra £60m for social care but warns it has come 'too little, too late'
30 Dec 2021
The Independent Care Group (ICG) has welcomed the government’s announcement that it will provide an extra £60 million to protect the sector in the new year as cases of Omicron rise, but is “dismayed” the government did not act sooner.....
'Glimmer of hope for New Year' as foreign care workers become eligible for fast-track UK visas
29 Dec 2021
The government has expanded the Health and Care Visa scheme in a bid to stem the care sector recruitment crisis, making foreign care workers eligible for fast-track UK visas. The change means foreign care.....
The fitness instructors who are helping care home residents to be 'healthier and fitter'
29 Dec 2021
Many adults over the age of 65 spend on average of 10 hours a day sitting or lying down heightening their risk of long term illnesses and cancers, but one company is helping older adults in care settings to be “healthier and fitter”.....
Booster jabs significantly cut risk of severe Covid infections in care homes
23 Dec 2021
Booster vaccines are significantly increasing the antibody responses of elderly residents in care homes, a study reveals, but low jab take up by care staff has prompted NHS England to give priority access at vaccination sites to all.....
Dorset care home staff make resident's wish to dance come true
22 Dec 2021
Brook View Care Home resident Joan Whelan who performed in a troupe around the UK when she was younger had her wish come true by having the chance to dance again. Staff from the Bournemouth based care home.....
Care workers told Scottish Government will pay for booster jabs taken during work time
22 Dec 2021
Care workers in Scotland have been told they will not lose wages or have to take annual leave to get a booster jab because the Scottish government will pay for care workers to get Covid vaccinations and boosters during work time......
Care home couple arrested over modern slavery allegation
22 Dec 2021
A 31-year-old man and his wife from North Wales have been arrested on suspicion of committing modern slavery offences after authorities found care workers sleeping in cramped, cold and unsanitary conditions on the floor. The.....
The Independent Care Group appoints new CEO and operations manager
21 Dec 2021
The Independent Care Group (ICG) has appointed a new chief executive and new operations director as the company prepares to expand next year. Nick Swash has joined the ICG as its full-time chief executive......
Government funding of £1.4bn to help councils pay 'fair cost' for social care is 'nowhere near enough'
20 Dec 2021
Care leaders from the National Care Forum (NCF) and the Independent Care Group (ICG) are concerned the government’s £1.4bn to help local authorities move towards a fair cost of care is “nowhere near enough” to make the social care.....
Care home group fundraising for sensory gardens for all its care homes
20 Dec 2021
Care home group C&C is 95 years old and to mark its anniversary, the company has announced a fundraising project aimed to raise £25,000 to create sensory gardens to benefit residents living with dementia. The.....
Care home introduces salt lamps and diffusers to help residents with dementia sleep
16 Dec 2021
A care home in Kent has introduced a range of holistic practices, including salt lamps and oil diffusers, to boost the sleep of residents with dementia. Dementia can disrupt people’s body cycles of day and.....
Care chiefs welcome call by migration advisers to fast-track visas for foreign care workers
15 Dec 2021
Care chiefs have welcomed a formal recommendation by the Migration Advisory Committee to add care workers to the list of professions eligible for fast-tracked visas. The social care sector is currently struggling.....
Care home resident Bert was 'absolutely beaming' after visit by Portsmouth goalie
14 Dec 2021
A care home resident was “absolutely beaming and smiled the whole time” when he got a visit from former Portsmouth goalie Alan Knight. Alan came in to chat to residents at Hamble Heights care home in Fareham.....
Long-standing care workers at Signature care homes get holidays boosted to 30 days a year
14 Dec 2021
Care workers who have worked for Signature Senior Lifestyle for 10 years or more are to get their holidays boosted to 30 days a year. All its other care staff will also get an increase in their holiday entitlement,.....
Care home residents in England limited to three visitors due to new restrictions
13 Dec 2021
New government guidance means care home residents in England will now only be allowed three named visitors and one essential caregiver, to reduce the risk of residents being infected with Covid-19. The measures.....
Government announces £300m fund to give care workers in England bonuses and pay rises
13 Dec 2021
The care sector in England will be able to use money from a new £300m fund to pay for bonuses, give care staff early pay rises, fund overtime and recruit new staff. The fund is part of a package of new measures.....
Less than a third of staff in 65+ care homes and 70% of residents received booster
10 Dec 2021
Under a third of staff (29 per cent) working in England’s care homes supporting people aged 65+, have received a booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, while 70 per cent of residents were given it, prompting criticism of the government's.....
Families banned from care home visits at Christmas outraged by No 10 party
09 Dec 2021
Who cares if there was a Downing Street party last Christmas when Covid restrictions were in force across the country? Families of care home residents, with some facing a second Christmas without their loved ones, have been having.....
Dominic Raab admits care homes had 'tough time' in pandemic
08 Dec 2021
Deputy Prime minister Dominic Raab admitted care homes have had “a really tough time during the pandemic” while on a visit to meet staff and residents at Home of Compassion in Surrey. The Conservative MP.....
Older people's falls reduced by 43% thanks to checklist used in 84 care homes
08 Dec 2021
A three-year study involving 1,657 residents in 84 care homes across England has led to a checklist which has reduced residents’ falls by 43 per cent. Academics at Nottingham University worked with.....
Government urged to 'redirect' care home provision towards not-for-profit sector
07 Dec 2021
The National Care Forum (NCF), which represents not-for-profit care providers offering support to over 200,000 people, has said the government must act to ensure Britain’s care provision is "redirected" towards the not-for-profit.....
Protesters demand council rethinks shutdown of seven care homes
07 Dec 2021
Protestors have demonstrated outside local authority offices to oppose the proposed closure of seven Derbyshire County Council-run care homes. ‘Save Our Care Homes’ campaigners gathered outside the authority’s.....
Accordionist and piper bring 'joy' to Scottish care home residents with live music sessions
06 Dec 2021
A care home in Scotland is hosting regular live music sessions featuring an accordionist and a piper, with residents saying the performers bring “so much joy”. Pine Villa care home run by Mansfield Care now.....
Doorstep carols, Christmas markets and reindeers cheer care home residents
06 Dec 2021
Care home residents across the UK are rehearsing to belt out some Christmas tunes and are inviting the public to join them in ‘Doorstep Carols’ - Britain’s biggest annual caroling sing-along on 15 December. Residents.....
'Chaotic' changes to mandatory vaccine policy left care homes feeling like 'guinea pigs,' says care chief
06 Dec 2021
The mandatory Covid vaccine policy that has been implemented in England has left care homes feeling like “guinea pigs” with the government making “last minute decisions” and "chaotic changes", according to Vic Rayner, chief executive.....
Two girls give out 128 Christmas gift bags to care home residents who 'might be sad'
03 Dec 2021
Belle and Dottie Linehan have handmade 128 gift bags full of treats and for care home residents of Four Acres Care Home based in Studley and Brambles Residential Care Home in Redditch as the girls thought the residents “might be sad”. With.....
HC-One invests £17m to increase wages for care workers in 'new pay and reward' scheme
02 Dec 2021
Care home group HC-One has announced its largest ever investment of over £17 million to pay care workers above the Real Living Wage and ensure the work they do is “well rewarded, respected and professionalised.” From.....
Social care white paper 'does little' to tackle workforce pay and high vacancy levels
01 Dec 2021
The government has delivered its long-awaited social care white paper which includes spending £150m on digitisation and £500m on training the social care workforce, but MPs and care leaders said it 'does little' to tackle workforce.....