Issue 129 30.11.22
The weekly online newsletter for the care sector
Overseas nurses arrive to boost operator’s staff A YORKSHIRE care provider has received a much-needed boost to its staff with the arrival of three nurses from more than 4,000 miles away. Thanks to an innovative partnership with its local health trust, Saint Cecilia’s Care Group in Scarborough has recruited the nurses from Ghana. After competing their training in North Yorkshire, the three will be ready to join the company’s nursing homes in Scarborough and Whitby. Harriet Adzoa Anku, Yvonne Ifeyemi Sedo and Evans Sarbeng arrived in Scarborough after a recruitment process which has taken the best part of a year to complete. Director Aaron Padgham said: “It is the result of a long process which began with an application for a licence to bring in overseas staff to provide care and ends with three nurses stepping off a plane in Manchester ready to work with us caring for people in Scarborough and Whitby. “In between there has been a ton of bureaucracy and paperwork and we are indebted to York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for helping us to smooth the process of bringing in the staff we desperately need.” At a time of extreme staff shortages across the country, Saint Cecilia’s needed to move quickly once it had the necessary
licences in place to enable it to recruit from overseas. Drawing on the previous experience the Trust had in recruiting via these channels has saved the care group countless hours and streamlined the process enormously. This pilot scheme – to enable providers to access health trust facilities for staff to study for and take their Objective Structured Clinical Examination – has been a lifeline for Saint Cecilia’s and for the nurses it has recruited. “Without this support, we would have had real concerns about recruiting the staff we need to provide nursing care in our homes,” Aaron added. “The partnership working we have enjoyed with the NHS trust has been first-class and has gone beyond support in getting staff through the OCSE process right through our overall journey to recruit nursing staff from overseas to help us tackle the chronic staff shortages we are currently experiencing. “An extension of this arrangement to more social care providers would bring tremendous benefits to staff recruitment and delivery of care. “It has been a brilliant example of partnership working at its very best and we are indebted to the Trust for their support.” Saint Cecilia’s is bringing in a further seven care and nursing staff from overseas in the coming weeks.
Westerham Place care home residents were delighted to welcome Dotty the pony and her canine companion Pippy the Jackhuahua. The adorable pair visited the home thanks to Karen’s Pets and Ponies. Pippy, a Jack Russell Chihuahua cross, spent most of the visit riding round the home on Dotty’s back much to the amusement of both residents and staff. They were joined by rabbit Sparkle and two guinea pigs called Dusty and Surprise. Home manager Kerry Coates said: “We had such a fun time welcoming Dotty and Pippy. The residents absolutely loved interacting with them and Pippy’s antics had us all in stitches. I’ve seen first-hand the lift that animals give to residents, and it was lovely to see the smiles on everyone’s faces.”
School and home join for project ASTUNE Rise care home in Eston welcomed children from Whale Hill primary school as part of the nationwide Silver Stories project. Every week youngsters from the school will take it in turn reading to residents and chatting and exchanging stories. The nine-year-olds – Rosajean and Penny – read The Zebra who was Sad, The Hippo who was Happy and The Tiger who was Angry to residents Betty, Tom and another Betty. The more than an hour long visit also brought lots of laughter to the group with the children feeling particularly important with their specially made ‘staff’ name badges. Astune Rise’s manager Caroline
Bowstead said the project aims to build strong bonds between care home residents and children and build the youngsters’ reading skills and confidence. She added: “Both Bettys and Albert were elated with the visit from the children. They stayed for more than an hour, and all had a great time. “Seeing everyone involved enjoying the experience and knowing that we’re helping to build a stronger community is very rewarding. The residents can’t wait for the next visit. Silver Stories is a charity based in Cornwall that encourages intergenerational relationships by encouraging children to read stories over the phone to residents in care homes.
Book a demonstration today by calling 01925 386800 or visit www.carebeans.co.uk