East Midlands Care Home Awards
If you know of a care home or carer who goes that extra mile, why not nominate them for an East Midlands care home award?
Please click on the flyer below for more information:
East Midlands care home awards flyer
No Change to Healthcare Guidance
No change to healthcare guidance poster Feb 22
Whilst there are lots of changes outside of health and social care settings, inside health and social care settings....its NO change
In line with the Government Guidance at Farthings there is:
- No change to the 'Stay at Home' guidance; if a member of staff develops symptoms of Covid-19 or has a positive LFT they will continue to not attend work for 10 days (unless they have two consecutive negative LFTs 24-hours apart after day 5, their isolation may end before 10 days). If a resident develops symptoms or has a positive test they will receive in-room care for 10 days (unless they have two consecutive negative LFTs 24-hours apart after day 5, their isolation may end before 10 days). Visitors and visiting professionals are to continue their current testing arrangements, if they develop symptoms or receive a positive test they should not enter the home.
- Asymtomatic Testing; regular asymtomatic testing of both staff and residents will continue as per the Government Testing Guidance, currently the staff team will undertake a LFT before every shift and residents will be PCR tested monthly. This enables us to quickly identify individuals who are likely to be highly infectious and enables them to stay away from work to reduce transmission and keep our residents safe.
Essential Care Givers
All Essential Care Giver visits MUST be pre-booked through our online booking system: https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/[email protected]/bookings/
All residents are able to choose an ‘Essential Care Giver’. This is someone who provides not only companionship but also additional care and support to their loved one. Essential Care Giver’s can visit during periods of isolation or if there is an outbreak of coronavirus (providing the Essential Care Giver does not have covid-19). As an Essential Care Giver you will be required to take frequent coronavirus tests and wear appropriate PPE.
The Essential Care Giver role is vitally important to supporting residents’ health and wellbeing. Every resident at Farthings can choose an essential care giver to benefit from companionship and additional care and support provided by someone with whom they have a personal relationship.
Essential care givers must follow the same testing arrangements as staff, for both regular asymptomatic testing and in an outbreak situation. Further information about testing regimes can be found in the care home testing guidance.
Essential care givers should read and follow the appropriate guidance for using PPE in the different care scenarios laid out in the guidance on how to work safely in care homes. PPE recommendations are different depending on whether direct personal care or companionship is being provided. More information on how to safely put on and remove PPE can be found in the guidance and visitors should also be encouraged to view the video demonstration.
Essential care givers will be supported by the staff at Farthings as they put on and take off PPE for the first few visits to ensure they are doing so correctly. Essential care givers will also be briefed on the relevant IPC measures in place and the areas of Farthings they will have access to. Essential care givers should remain at least one meter from staff and any other resident they may encounter.
If you wish to discuss the Essential Care Giver role further, or your loved one has nominated you to be their Essential Care Giver, please get in touch with Lynne Fardell-Wain (Registered Manager) on 01777 838219 or email [email protected]
Visitor Guidance
All visits MUST be pre-booked through our online booking system:
https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/[email protected]/bookings/
Bedroom, Marquee & Garden Visits
- Every resident can have unlimited visitors who will be able to enter the care home for regular visits in the residents bedroom (up to 2 at a time and only 2 on any one day).
- A visitor questionnaire is to be completed before coming into the Home and the visit must not take place if the visitor has/is:
- feeling unwell; even if they have tested negative for COVID-19 and are fully vaccinated and have received their booster.
- if visitors have any symptoms that suggest other transmissible viruses and infections, such as cough, high temperature, diarrhoea or vomiting, they should avoid the care home until at least 5 days after they feel better
- visitors who are not legally required to self-isolate are advised against visiting the care home (for 10 days) if they have been identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19, unless absolutely necessary, even if they have been fully vaccinated. Where visits do take place, visitors should have received a negative LFT earlier in the day of the visit.
- been in contact with someone who is covid positive
- been instructed to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace
- A Coronavirus Lateral Flow Test (LFT) must have been conducted on the day of the visit. These can be provided and taken at Farthings or can be taken home to conduct prior to visiting.
- It is a legal requirement for LFT’s to be logged on the government website https://www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result utilising Farthings Unique Organisation Number (UON) 10122059 and evidence of negative result MUST be seen prior to entry to the Home.
- Full PPE MUST be worn at all times throughout the visit, this includes, IIR facemask, apron and gloves all of which will be provided.
- The visitor will be escorted to the marquee or residents bedroom.
- Visitors are politely requested to maintain strict social distancing from other residents, visitors and staff at all times.
- Staff will return to escort visitors out of the Home at the end of the visiting time or visitors can press the residents call bell to request to be escorted out.
Gate, Window & Virtual Visits
- Visitors are also able to have gate, window or virtual visits but they must still be booked via the above booking link
- The resident will be ready waiting for the visit to take place at the booked time
- A face covering must be worn if conducting a gate visit and strict social distancing must still be adhered to
- During a window visit the window must remain closed
- Virtual visits will be supported by a member of staff if required
Visits Outside of the Home
- Any visits being conducted outside of Farthings MUST be discussed with the Registered Manager beforehand, this is to enable a Risk Assessment to be carried out and to establish whether any isolation will be required upon return to the Home.
