The Road To Outstanding: Recent Episodes
Care Podcast
A series for people working in social care in the UK to help build a better service. Sharing tips & strategies from great leaders & industry experts
As usual, the final episode of the series is just me, but this also happens to be the final episode of the podcast!
In case you were not aware, I've decided to finish the podcast after this series, and I explain why during the episode. I also share some of the key stats from the podcast including where in the world people listen from and I share a final message and lesson around self-leadership.
LINKS
The Care Leader's Handbook is available on Amazon here
There's more information about The Judgement Index and how we work with care companies here
My new venture: FidlLeaf the workplace wellbeing and personal development platform is here
The podcast Top 10 episodes are:
- Karen Ritson
- Helen McGowen
- Cedi Frederick
- Issac Theophilos
- Sophie Coulthard - 2 Important Lessons In Leadership
- Neil Eastwood
- Andrea Sutcliffe
- Vic Rayner
- Bhavna Keane Rao
- Samantha Buckley
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Today my interview is with Sophy Robson, a part-time care support worker for Bluebird Care. Sophie also has a successful business running nail services and graffiti workshops and I wanted to talk about what attracted her to care as a second career.
Sophy is also actively involved in engagement and marketing for Bluebird, so we talk all things social media and how to use it positively for your business. She also shares more about her photo campaign which changes the way we see care workers in their day to day role.
LINKS
Follow Sophy and Bluebird Care Westminster on Twitter here
Connect with Bluebird Care Westminster on LinkedIn here and Facebook here
You can see the photo campaign we talk about here
The photographer Sandi Friend is here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Today I'm joined by Louie Werth of Care Research, who has recently been involved in some exciting research of Outstanding Home Care CQC reports. Even if you're a care home or a different type of care provider then there will be something of interest in this episode as Louie shares a lot about why research in this sector is so important.
He also gives advice on how to conduct your own research and why it can help you as a care company to progress and provide a better working environment for staff and better quality care for your clients.
LINKS
The Essential Home Care Quality Guide: Be Outstanding is here
The Care Research website is here
Find Louie on LinkedIn here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Today I am joined by Mark McGlade who is the owner of Home Instead Senior Care for Exeter and East Devon.
Mark's office was the first home care provider in the South West to receive an all 5 Outstanding rating - which is an incredible achievement and in fact, over 30% of Home Instead offices have an Outstanding rating, which I discuss with Mark.
He also shares a story of how his team gets involved with the local community, including a story of how they have developed a partnership with the South West Ambulance service which has had fantastic results. I won't spoil it by revealing too much here!
LINKS
Find Home Instead East Devon website here
and find them on Facebook here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Today I'm joined by Sam Watson from NHSmail and Claire Sutton from The National Care Forum to talk all things digital, and not just digital care planning. We talk about NHSmail and the ways it can empower care companies and we also talk about other ways of embracing digital products, including the humble Amazon Echo!
I really enjoyed this episode and the stories that were shared. There's lots in the links below so be sure to check them out...
LINKS
Follow Sam on Twitter here and Claire on Twitter here.
Digital Social Care is on Twitter here and the website is here. NHS Digital is on Twitter here and the website is here
The National Care Forum Twitter is here and the website is here.
The Amazon Echo Dot is available here and it's under £35!
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Today my guest is Raina Summerson who is the Group CEO of Agincare, a large care provider based in Dorset but with locations across the UK.
I didn't know much about Agincare, which is surprising because they are such a large provider and still family owned. We discuss this and also how key messages are communicated and driven through such a large company. Raina also shares the importance of independent providers and how we can work together to keep these businesses sustainable.
I also loved Raina's back story and it's refreshing to hear that someone who was terrible at school (her own words!) could go on to run such a successful organisation.
LINKS
Follow Raina and Agincare on Twitter here
Find the Agincare website here
At the start of the episode I talk about the podcast Who Cares Wins. Find it on Spotify here. It's also on apple podcasts and their Twitter is here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Today my guest is Marie Hart who is Head of HR at Westgate Healthcare. I'd never interviewed someone in a HR role and Marie delivered! She shares some of the steps the company has taken to improve staff retention through different staff engagement initiatives. Everything she shares can be adapted into any care company and some of the ideas were even inspired by the podcast!
I especially loved the wellness fund that Westgate Healthcare have implemented that allows the staff to decide how they want to spend it, Marie shares why they felt this was important to put in place and what the results have been.
LINKS
Follow Westgate Healthcare on Twitter here
The Westgate Healthcare website is here
See the residents picking up litter in the community here
I talk about The Care Leader's Handbook (again!) and the link to it is here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
James Sage, partner at Royds Withy King is my guest today and he heads up the health and social care team for the law firm.
I'd recently attended an event hosted by James and so I was armed with lots of questions about what informal HR processes are and how they can help care companies to improve recruitment and retention, but also avoid a legal pickle further down the line.
We also talk about mental health in social care and how this can impact a care team, and how companies can reduce the risk of discrimination claims, by following good HR procedures.
LINKS
Follow James on Twitter here
The Royds Withy King website is here
More information about the HELP scheme is here
James talks about a book called Our Iceberg Is Melting which is here and I talk about a book called Black Box Thinking which is here
I also talk about The Care Leader's Handbook by myself and Rob Coulthard which is here
The Care Innovation Hub is here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
I'm really excited to bring you two guests in this episode, Ben and Katie from Milkwood Care, who were both under 30 when they stepped into their managers position.
They share with me the challenges they've faced, the support they've been given to thrive in their roles and Ben shares his dramatic story of how his home came to achieve their Outstanding rating.
If you've got aspirations to be a manager, or know someone young who does then it's well worth sharing this episode with them.
LINKS
Find Braeburn's Facebook page here
Find Castleford House's Facebook page here
The Dementia Baby Singalong is here
The book I co-authored "The Care Leader's Handbook" is available here
Ben mentioned:
Issac's book "How To Get Outstanding" which is here
The episode with Cedi Frederick is here
The Facebook episode with Michelle Purse is here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
It's Series 6!
Thank you for your patience. In the first episode I'm speaking with Tarryn Gorre from Kafoodle, a food tech company that supports better compliance and nutrition in care.
We talk about why good training is so critical for care chefs, who have to cook multiple meals for many residents a day as well as manage dietary and complex requirements. Tarryn also shares her thoughts on how Brexit may affect food costs and her vision for the future of nutrition in care, including better options for people living with dementia.
LINKS
Follow Tarryn on Twitter here
Follow Kafoodle on Twitter here
Find out more about Kafoodle on their website here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
It's the fiftieth episode! I can't believe it and thank you for your support along the way.
In this episode I share two important lessons in leadership that have helped me on my own leadership journey and you will hopefully find useful. They will also be featured in my upcoming book - The Care Leader's Handbook, which I am writing with my dad, Rob.
LINKS
Find out more about The Care Leader's Handbook here
If you want to start your own podcast, check out Anchor here
Join in Professional Care Worker's Day by finding out more here
Register for The Residential and Home Care Show here
Download the Skill Will Matrix worksheet here
EPISODES MENTIONED:
Karolina Gerlich - Series 3, Episode 4
Mike Corbett - Series 2, Episode 8
Rob Coulthard - Series 1, Episode 5
Cedi Frederick - Series 1, Episode 1
Building Culture - Series 2, Episode 10
Julia Clinton - Series 1, Episode 6
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Today's interview is with Helen Sanderson, the founder of Wellbeing Teams. Her approach to home care may be radically different to anything you've ever heard, and that's why she's winning all kinds of awards and recently gained the Outstanding rating in her first CQC inspection.
The ideas that Helen shares in her interview do not just apply to home care. No matter what type of service you are in, you will find something to take away from this episode.
We discuss her difficult registration process, what makes Wellbeing Teams different, the inspection itself and what the plans for the future are. Helen also shares a lot of book recommendations which are all linked below.
I have a feeling you'll be listening to this episode twice!
LINKS
Follow Helen on Twitter here
Connect with Helen on LinkedIn here
Find out more about Wellbeing Teams here
Helen references Buurtzorg, a Dutch model of care which you can read about here
We talk about Slack, the collaboration hub for work which you can find here
Here are the links for all of the books Helen mentions: Reinventing Organisations, Being Mortal, Dying For A Paycheck, Turn The Ship Around, How To Get Outstanding
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Today's interview is with Mark Topps, the registered manager at Little Wakering House in Essex. The home supports adults with learning difficulties and mental health needs.
In this episode we discuss how you never stop learning, and how Mark has managed to fit in lots of leadership training, inspired by the poor leadership he witnessed at the start of his journey in care. He also shares his tips on managing work life balance for his team.
Mark is also responsible for leading a petition which hit the headlines last Christmas, after Iceland's advert featuring an orangutan was banned for being deemed political. Mark shares why this struck a chord with him and what happened after he decided to do something about it.
LINKS
Follow Mark on Twitter here
Little Wakering House website is here
Watch the Iceland Christmas advert here
and article about the ban is here
Mark mentions the training he did with My Home Life and their website is here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
My guest today is former doctor and current CEO and co-founder of Florence, a marketplace for carers and nurses to find shifts whilst cutting out agencies. Charles saw the inefficiencies in the current healthcare staffing models whilst working as a doctor and decided to do something about it.
On the show we talk about how Florence works and whether it helps or contributes to the current staffing issues in care today, and we also talk more about technology in general as well as the future of care. Charles had some new ideas we've never discussed before which were all pretty positive about how the care sector might change in the next 50 years. I was excited to hear his fresh take on it.
LINKS
Find the Florence website here
Follow Florence on Twitter here and on LinkedIn here
We talk about Task Rabbit - the handyman service which you can find here
Getting Things Done - the book Charles talks about is available here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
A really packed and exciting episode with David Williams, the CEO of St Monica Trust in Bristol, who shares how they came to be involved with the Channel 4 series "Old People's Home For 4 Year Olds" and we talk all about how to make intergenerational activities meaningful and consistent.
While I had a CEO on the show I really wanted to find out more about David's own journey in care too and the important lessons he'd learned along the way.
David tells some fantastic stories, shares so much advice and really was a gem to interview.
LINKS
Watch Old People's Home For 4 Year Olds here
The St Monica Trust Guide To Intergenerational Activities is here
The documentary Happy which I mention is here
St Monica Trust website is here
Follow St Monica Trust on Twitter here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Today I'm joined by Sara Hornsey, a registered manager who supports adults with mental health illnesses. We talk about the stigma around mental health and how every day really is different in her home.
Sara also discusses LGBT training and the challenge trying to do end of life training in a non-elderly home. She also shares the steps she took to get that outstanding rating from CQC just a few months ago.
As a long time listener it was great to finally have Sara on the show.
LINKS
Follow Sara on Twitter here
Follow Albany House on Facebook here
Find the Albany House CQC report here
Another great article on Albany House here
Sara talked about Issac Theophilos and how his book "How To Get Outstanding" helped her realise she was meeting the CQC criteria for outstanding. Follow Issac on Twitter here, Listen to his episode on the podcast here and buy his book here.
Sara also talks about 6 Steps End Of Life Training and you can find more information about it here.
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
It's important to point out that we do not focus the entire interview on Brexit! But with Brexit plans changing on a near-daily basis I felt it was an important topic to cover, and this episode was recorded the week of 8th April 2019 before the Brexit delay until October had been announced.
My guest is Jodie Sinclair, partner at Bevan Brittan, and we discuss typical reasons a care company might need to speak with a lawyer, why it's better to engage with them sooner rather than later, and around the challenges care faces and is likely to face in the coming year.
I was keen to hear about the differences Jodie had seen in outstanding rated companies and her thoughts on how wellbeing can support better outcomes for the care worker, company and client.
LINKS
Follow Jodie on Twitter here
Connect with Jodie on LinkedIn here
The Bevan Brittan website is here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
I'm delighted to be joined by Isabel Ngwenya who works for Shine Partnerships in London. Isabel supports forensic mental health clients and works as a home care worker and induction support for the company.
Isabel works in a what can be a challenging environment so I was interested to find out what support she gives to clients and how she helps new care workers settle into their roles.
Isabel also credits her company with supporting her when she was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis so I wanted to hear about how they'd done that.
At the time of recording Isabel had just won the regional final for home care worker at the Great British Care Awards, but since recording she went on to win the National award too!
LINKS
The Shine Partnership website is here
The Skills For Care Induction information is here
Follow Shine Partnerships on Twitter here
More about the Great British Care Awards here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
This week I have Bhavna Keane Rao from BKR Care Consultancy talking about going to back to basics when times are tough, but also the differences she sees in outstanding rated companies - and she should know, she has clients all over the country!
Bhavna's experience working for CQC gave her the foundation to start her company when she realised she wanted to truly make a difference and help care providers who had lost their way. As she says "no one wakes up wanting to be a poor provider, they drift into it" and this is a great episode for anyone who wants to address some key issues in their company in order to change.
Bhavna also shares two of her key messages - The Golden Thread and the Hot Potato. You'll have to listen to find out more!
LINKS
The BKR Care Consultancy website is here
Find Bhavna on LinkedIn here
BKR are on Twitter here
I also mention a previous episode on end of life care with Clare Henry which you can listen to here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Series 5 is being kicked off by Helen McGowen who is the Home Manager of Dearnevale, an Exemplar Care Home rated Outstanding by the CQC.
We talk about her career in the Army as a nurse, and how she transitioned to become home manager, as well as the OneCare initiative which creates specially adapted individual houses and flats for service users who do not require the wrap-around care of a home, but still require support for their nursing needs.
I really like this episode to start the series, as Helen shares some really interesting thoughts on work-life balance for staff, and how important work ethic is to achieving your goals.
LINKS
The Exemplar website is here
You can find Exemplar on Twitter here and on LinkedIn here
I also shared a lot at the start of the episode and want to link to a few of the things mentioned:
The Celebrating Women In Aged Care website is here and you can find links to all their social media and how to get involved.
Professional Care Workers Day information is here on the NACAS website. Get the 4th September in your diary!
Matt Hancock's Twitter is here if you want to nag him about coming on the podcast (but be nice!)
The podcast episode with Dawn Hartley who recently gained CQC Outstanding in all 5 of the KLOE's is here. It's well worth a listen.
You can find more information about my upcoming book; The Care Leader's Handbook here.
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
In this final episode of series four I'm sharing a talk I did at the Care Show earlier this year, on why care companies should make the wellbeing of their staff a priority in order to reduce staff turnover.
We focus so much on the wellbeing of our clients in care... isn't it time we took a look at our staff? I also share 5 simple free/low cost strategies to improving wellbeing and I've linked all the various resources below, including my wellbeing policy template.
You can watch the original talk from the Care Show here.
Thank you for all of your support for the podcast and get in touch – sophie@judgementindex.co.uk to nominate yourself or someone else to come on the show! Or tweet me @CarePodcast
LINKS
You can find out more about the Care Workers Fund here
You can find out more about Dave Ramsey and the Total Money Makeover here
You find Monzo bank here
You can find the NACAS research here and the episode with Karolina Gerlich from NACAS here
You can download my wellbeing policy template here
Some great company newsletters that give good inspiration are here: Trello
The Happiness Advantage book by Shawn Achor is here
The Slack app for team communication is here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Lisa Lonsdale and Linda McPartland are from Meadowvale Homecare, Lisa is the registered manager and Linda is a care professional. It was great to hear both of their journeys in care and the great initiatives they are both involved in at Meadowvale.
We talk about overcoming confidence issues, the different services they provide, becoming dementia friendly (and getting the whole community involved) and what happened when Linda won "Carer of the year".
This is a really fun, packed episode with lots of chatting and laughter, but some really good tips shared.
LINKS
The Meadowvale Homecare website is here
You can find Meadowvale on Facebook here
The Dementia Friends website is here
The Great British Care Awards website is here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Kate Pascual is the deputy manager at Quinton House in Stratford Upon Avon and was part of the team that led their journey to digital care planning around a year ago.
I saw Kate host a digital workshop at a care event and thought it would be great to hear about this from the care home's perspective, and hear about the challenges on their journey, and what the benefits have been. People on the workshop had a lot of questions, and I tried to remember as many as possible to ask Kate.
Whilst Kate talks specifically about the digital care planning solution they use at Quinton House, there's a lot of advice and tips for anyone looking to go digital.
LINKS
Quinton House website is here
You can find Quinton House on Facebook here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
End of life. Death. Dying. Don't think that means this episode is going to be depressing. I saw Claire Henry MBE speak at an event recently and was struck at how engaging and occasionally humorous she made the topic.
Claire has a nursing background, is the Director of Improvement and Transformation at Hospice UK and has worked in palliative and end of life care for many years.
In this episode we discuss why it's important to have conversations about death while we are still healthy and how we only get one chance to get end of life care right.
LINKS
Follow Claire on Twitter here, Hospice UK here and Dying Matters here
Hospice UK website is here and Dying Matters website is here
The two films we talk about in the episode are Bounce Back Boy which is here and Homeward Bound which is here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Where do I start with Dawn? She does so much, which you will hear in this episode...
Dawn Hartley has worked in social care for over 30 years and is the Director and registered manager at Community Support Services in Halifax. She is also the chair of her local registered managers network and over recent years has grown her company to include a Best Practice Training company and started a social enterprise to provide paid employment to the people her company supports.
I really wanted to know how she fits everything in, leads a team and manages all the different aspects to her job, let alone set out on a mission to achieve "Outstanding".
Dawn is joined by a previous guest Karen Ritson, who appeared in the second series. Karen has been working with Dawn to improve her evidence for CQC and joins the conversation to share more.
LINKS
Community Support Services website is here
Follow CSS on twitter here
Facebook pages for CSS here, Mixenden Addy here and Pauline Bear Trust here
Best Practice Training website is here
Karen Ritson's website is here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Neil Eastwood is the Author of “Saving social care; the definitive book (and Amazon bestseller) on finding and keeping front line staff. You've probably read the book or seen him speak at an event. He’s also the founder of Sticky People, and he's currently working on a new project, which he shares more about in this episode.
Although I've known Neil for a while, I got to see him speak for the first time recently at a conference and loved his tips on actually finding staff. It's often the question asked by care providers; "how do we actually find people" and a hot topic given the current political climate. This episode is jam-packed with tips so grab a pen and paper and settle in!
LINKS
Saving Social Care website is here
Buy the book here on Amazon
Follow Neil on Twitter here
Email Neil: neil@stickypeople.co.uk
Neil also mentions Helen Sanderson from Wellbeing Teams who you can follow on Twitter here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
A topic we haven't yet covered on the show, but one that is certainly very important. I was delighted when Kerry Parkinson from Asquith Hall got in touch to say they had done a week of LGBT training followed by a Pride Party and would I like to know more.
In this episode Kerry shares how the idea of training their staff so that they could have sexuality needs conversations got started, how they rolled out the training and what the long term benefits have been. I'm so glad we have covered this on the show and Kerry shared so many great resources which can all be found linked below.
LINKS
Asquith Hall website is here
Follow Asquith Hall on Twitter here and Facebook here
The training they had at Asquith Hall was:
LGBTQ Awareness - Barnados
Dr Jane Youell - Older people and sexuality
Jenny Anne Bishop OBE - Transawareness Training
Sexual Health - local sexual health service
Alzheimers LGBT Dementia
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
It's great to be joined by Samantha Bowen from Acorn Network, all the way from Perth, Australia. Samantha is passionate about inspiring and engaging emerging leaders to see the potential of a career in care. I couldn't wait to hear more about that and about her networking program.
Samantha also has a podcast for the sector - which makes us twins (I think!) and is how I first discovered what she was doing over in Australia.
LINKS
The Acorn Network website is here
Follow Samantha on Twitter here
Find the Grey Revolution Podcast here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
I finally managed to get a chef on the podcast so a warning that you may get hungry listening to this episode!
Joining me are Becky and Paul from The Old Rectory, an Outstanding rated home and part of Southern Healthcare. Becky is the head chef and Paul is the registered manager as well as the director for development for the group.
I loved hearing about their ideas and why they decided to start a campaign to improve dining in care. If you have any great photos of the food at your care home then please share on Twitter! We also speak about music, staff culture and how the Old Rectory took inspiration from Apple to achieve Outstanding.
LINKS
Follow The Old Rectory on Twitter here
Follow Paul Courtney on Twitter here
The Old Rectory Website is here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Series Four kicks off with an interview with Vic Rayner who is the Executive Director of the National Care Forum. But that's not all! She is also a trustee of Hestia, a leading London charity providing care and support and she's the independent Chair of the Brighton and Hove Fairness Commission.
The National Care Forum is the strongest voice for the not for profit care sector, and works with it's membership to drive forward the delivery of quality person centred care.
Vic is such a voice, and so knowledgable around what's going on in the sector, that I couldn't wait to interview her and cover some of the big challenges right now including Brexit, the Green Paper and the changing demographics in care. She breaks it all down and explains why it's important to pay attention to what's going on and what you can do to have an impact on it.
LINKS
Follow Vic on Twitter here
The NCF Blog is here
Learn more about NCF membership here
The Competition and Market Authority - Final Report is here
The Skills For Care State Of Adult Social Care Sector and Workforce is here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
Don’t forget to check out our sponsor Sekoia who provide digital care planning for care homes. Their technology is person centred and incredibly simple to use. You’ll make fewer mistakes and save so much time I really recommend heading over to their website and checking them out.
Finally - follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter to keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
In this final episode of the series I cover some key tips to take your recruitment and retention strategies to the next level.
You’re probably doing all of these things to a certain extent, but I always see more that care companies could be doing to really make the most out of it. After all, recruitment and retention are always hot topics and challenges so why not get the full value out of all the effort you’re making?
I delivered this episode as a talk at Health Plus Care and then again through a webinar which you can watch here.
All the links to everything I talk about are below…
Use Company Values As A Marketing Tool
Practical Steps To Build Company Culture
Do Social Media Properly
Take inspiration from Clarke Care’s Facebook Page
Use free tools like Buffer to schedule your posts
Previous episode on Facebook with Michelle Purse, Facebook Expert
Create And Promote A Wellbeing Policy
Research from A Great Place To Work about well being
Brush Up On Your Induction Plan
6 Steps to perfect induction past episode
Use A Tool To Help You Make Better Hiring Decisions
Learn more about the Judgement Index here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
As you'll hear in this interview, it took a while to arrange as we were waiting for the results of Lorraine Clarke's second CQC inspection. Luckily Clarke Care were awarded the Outstanding rating for the second time and so we were able to get the interview recorded in time for this series!
Lorraine was previously a social worker working in the adults team in Bury St Edmunds. She left in February 2014 to start her own home care agency and hasn’t looked back.
It was Clarke Care's social media that first caught my eye and I couldn't wait to know more about how she finds the time to do it, but I also wanted to know more about how she uses different terminology to describe her staff and their roles, and how that changes people's perception of her staff and team. A really inspiring interview.
LINKS
You can follow Clarke Care on Twitter here and on Facebook here
The Clarke Care Website is here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
This interview is with Pia Rathje-Burton from Skills For Care and Rhona McClelland from No Place Like Home.
Pia has worked in social care for 27 years, starting as a support worker for people with learning disabilities before working her way up to a Registered Manager. After 15 years she joined Skills for Care just over a year ago. Her role with Skills for Care is as a locality manager is varied and she is involved with a number of projects including working with the local authorities in the geographical area, integration and transforming care.
Rhona joined No Place Like Home as Registered Manager at the start of a brand new company exactly 5 years ago. Neither the business owner or Rhona had experience of working in the sector but managed to achieve a rating of outstanding after 3 years in the business. Rhona gained such a lot of support by working with Skills for Care, she says she doesn’t know where they would be without the wonderful resources they have provided.... and that is exactly why I thought it would be great to interview them together!
I was fascinated to speak with someone who started in the business with relatively no experience, and how she managed to gain the Outstanding rating so quickly. I was also curious to hear more about the work Skills For Care do, and whether others were fully aware of how much support was being offered by them. If you're fairly new to care or a management position then this is definitely the episode for you!
LINKS
You can follow Rhona on Twitter here and No Place Like Home here
You can follow Pia on Twitter here and Skills For Care here
The No Place Like Home website is here
The Skills For Care website is here
"Being Mortal" by Atul Gawande - the book mentioned by Rhona is linked here
SKILLS FOR CARE LINKS
Registered Manager Network –
Skills for Care facilitate over 150 networks across England. They are always chaired by a registered manager. We do this to make sure that the agenda and the format of the networks are exactly what managers need. We use them to share ideas and best practices. We often have a speaker sometimes someone external sometimes either one of the members or the locality manager talking about topics. #thepowerofnetworks
Good and Outstanding guide – The free to download ‘Good and outstanding care guide’ is a 300+ pages guide to use to achieve or sustain a good or outstanding Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating. The guide provides examples of excellent care and support, and guides providers to make this happen.
Care Improvement Work website – This is a great website; all guides and resources from NICE, SCIE and Skills for Care for each of the 5 KLOEs in one easy place. Its so easy to use, you find the resource that will help you, click on it and then its emailed to you.
Skills for Care Accolades awards. The deadline is the 7 September.
Locality managers - Keep in touch with your local locality manager. Find out if they have any events near you, if they send emails to their local area or can support you in other ways.
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Today's interview is with Laura, Jon and Emily from Cream Care who I met at an awards judging day and just knew I had to have them on!
It was great to interview three people at different stages of their career in care, and they shared some truly innovative ideas that they've put in place at their homes.
Laura has been with Cream for 5 years. Laura started her journey in 1999 as a support worker, it was here she discovered her passion for learning and teaching others, as she progressed within the industry through various managerial posts Laura found her dream job as Training and Development Manager and strives to influence others on their own personal journey.
Jon has worked with Cream since 2007 at Rawlyn House, as the Manager there Jon was instrumental in reaching Creams first Outstanding home with CQC. Jon’s strong leadership skills have led him in to the role as Support Manager to all of our homes, a talent that has been recognised by The Learning Disability and Autism awards as a finalist for the front line leaders award 2018.
Emily Joined Cream in 2016 , in this short space of time she has become an integral part of the team at Rivers. Emily’s passion and commitment to her role has had a tremendous impact on the people who live there and her enthusiasm is exuded amongst her colleagues, Emily has be recognised for all of her efforts for the Support Worker award at this years Learning Disability and Autism Awards.
LINKS
You can find the Cream Care Website here
Follow Cream Care on Twitter here
Find Cream Care's Facebook page here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
This is such a great interview with Debbie Vowles, I have a feeling you will be nodding along and agreeing with everything she says. Debbie was the first "outstanding" rated manager in Bristol, and works for Manor Community, where she manages two of their outstanding rated services.
As Manor Community provide services to people with both learning difficulties and mental health needs I was interested to ask Debbie how she finds the right staff, and what the challenges are. She shared so much and her story about her CQC inspection is so open and honest.
I really encourage you to check out the work Manor Community do, along with their website and blog. They really do share some great resources.
LINKS
You can find the Manor Community wesbite here
Follow Manor Community on Twitter here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
My interview this week is with Pete Dowds, co founder and CEO of Elder - a company who provide live-in care. Pete brings his experience working with Mopp; an app which provides handymen and used his knowledge of technology to start Elder.
I was really interested to hear more about managing a workforce who are not based out of one location. I wanted to know what the challenges are and how you keep a team focused on the mission when they are scattered across the country.
Whether you work in a care home, home care or something else, I think Pete talks about ideas and tips that can help any organisation improve care quality.
LINKS
You can find the Elder website here
Follow Elder on Twitter here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
This week I talk with Karolina Gerlich, who has worked in live-in care and home care and is also a founding director of NACAS- National Association Of Care and Support Workers.
This is quite a long interview but the time flew by as we dicusssed the difference between live-in care and home care and what could be done to build a team environment in these quite often lonely jobs. I also learn more about NACAS and how they are working towards creating a national day for care givers. Karolina beautifully describes it as a "celebration of care delivery"
We also cover one of my favourite topics - work life balance and how people working in care often need to be reminded to take holidays, breaks and even to eat! I'm sure Karolina's words will resonate with so many.
LINKS
You can follow Karolina on Twitter here
You can follow NACAS on Twitter here
NACAS website is here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Shirley Emilio is my guest this week. She's experienced in taking services through major refurbishments whilst maintaining consistency in care and also in turning around poor performing care homes.
We talk a great deal about the steps to take if you're a new manager and know things need to change. We also cover shift handovers - a topic not yet discussed on the podcast.
I love Shirley's down to earth style and how she uses analogies to paint a picture that everyone can relate to.
LINKS
You can follow Shirley on Twitter here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
In 2012, Bill Watson and Peter Hamilton started working together to form Insequa Ltd. Their aim was to create a specialist business support company to deliver informed, expert services to social care providers, and have some fun on the way.
I love the way Bill described what they do at Insequa; taking care of the business side of things so that you can focus on quality. I also threw some pretty big questions at him and really enjoyed his opinions on how we can shape the future of social care in the UK.
LINKS
Insequa Ltd website is here
Follow Insequa on Twitter here
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Welcome to Series Three!
Best friends Marina and Mary live in Bristol. I was interested to find out more about what had made them choose that home, what their considerations were and if they were friends prior to moving in.
In the end we just had a good gossip, and they shared much more after the microphone was switched off!
You may recognise the ladies, or their voices, as they are frequently on our screens on a Friday night, appearing in Channel 4's Gogglebox.
LINKS
Mary and Marina live in a retirement village run by St Monica Trust. You can find their website HERE
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
It's the last episode of series two, and it's gone by in a bit of a blur!
I decided to pick up on a running theme in this series - values and culture. A lot of the guests have talked about company culture and why it's so important, so for this episode I wanted to cover the how. How to shift and change it and what the benefits are.
I run a lot of workshops with care companies looking at this very thing, so I'm used to resistance and stubborness when it comes to change! But with these steps you should be able to make a difference.
Please let me know what you put in place! I love hearing your stories on Twitter.
LINKS
Find me on LinkedIn HERE
My company website is HERE
The Madlibs Culture Game is available as a download HERE
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! See you in June, Sophie
I finally managed to find a resident to interview for the podcast and what a resident! Pat Ison lives in Bristol in an independent living flat, among other types of accomodation including sheltered housing and a nursing home.
I got to meet her face to face and we sat in the dining area while I asked all sorts of questions including how she found her home, what she considered before moving and how easy it was to make friends.
I also couldn't wait to talk with her about her participation in the Channel 4 documentary "Old People's Home For Four Year Old's" which aired in 2017 along with a Christmas special.
I think you can tell I was very fond of Pat and it was great to understand from a resident's point of view what challenges she sees in a care environment and what advice she would give.
LINKS
You can still watch the documentary on Channel 4 OD HERE
If you'd like to send Pat a postcard to let her know you enjoyed the interview, you can contact her HERE
You can find all of the episodes on iTunes, Spotify or Podbean. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Mike Corbett is the Care Portfolio Manager for Closer Still Media and heads up the two largest care events in the country - Health Plus Care at the Excel in London in June, and The Care Show at the NEC in Birmingham in October.
As he's been organising events of 8 years I was keen to get some tips from Mike and understand what he's learned about managing a team. I also wanted to know what was new for the two shows this year, what the key topics would be and why people working in all aspects of care should attend.
Links
Find Mike on LinkedIn HERE
Health Plus Care is at the London Excel on 27th and 28th June. Find the website HERE
Follow Health Plus Care on Twitter HERE and on Facebook HERE
The Care Show is at the Birmingham NEC on 17th and 18th October. Find the website HERE
Follow Care Show on Twitter HERE and on Facebook HERE
You can find all of the episodes on PodBean.com, iTunes or Spotify. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Issac Theophilos has achieved what very few managers have; his home has been rated "Outstanding" not once, but twice, and the second inspection saw the Outstanding rating awarded in all five categories.
I couldn't wait to find out how he did it, and hear more about Issac's ideas about "Collective Leadership", how his team celebrate success, and his journey from Kerala in India, to care home manager in the UK.
LINKS
Follow Issac on Twitter HERE
You can find Issac's website HERE
You can find all of the episodes on PodBean.com, iTunes or on Spotify. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Andrea Sutcliffe doesn't really need an introduction... If you work in social care in the UK you are bound to have heard of Andrea as she is the Chief Inspector for CQC and was recently awarded a CBE for her achievements over the last 30 years.
In this epsiode I was keen to get to know Andrea and ask the questions she may not get asked in her usual interviews. We talk about social media, winding down outside of work and football, and it was great to hear a different side to her.
Andrea also shares some of her thoughts on what it takes to achieve an outstanding service and how "the mum's test" came about. We really did cram as much as possible in this interview and I hope you enjoy it.
Links
You can find the website for CQC HERE
You can follow Andrea on Twitter HERE
You can find all of the episodes on PodBean.com or iTunes. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Pauline Virgo is a physiotherapist based in Devon and runs Zest Physiotherapy For Life, which specialises in physiotherapy for older people.
I was fascinated to talk with Pauline and learn more about reducing the risk of falls in care, how to get people moving about more and what can be done to support bone health.
Links
You can find the Zest Physiotherapy For Life Website HERE
Follow Zest on Twitter HERE
Connect with Pauline on LinkedIn HERE
The National Osteoporosis Society Website is HERE
You can find all of the episodes on PodBean.com or iTunes. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Martin Farrow is the CEO at Optalis who provide a range of care services in the Wokingham borough and beyond.
In this episode we focus on leadership and culture within a care environment, and Martin talks in a very down to earth way about what leadership is in reality - as he says on a "wet Wednesday afternoon"
Links
You can find the Optalis website HERE
Follow Martin on Twitter HERE
You can find all of the episodes on PodBean.com or iTunes. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Carl Drinkwater works for iCareHealth; who have a suite of software solutions for care homes, homes care and pharmacies.
I talk all things tech with Carl but don't let that put you off! We had a really great conversation about how the UK falls behind the US and Australia in terms of moving to digital and he really explains the benefits, how it can improve your compliance and ensure you have more time to deliver quality care.
Carl gives lots of considerations for any care provider who is thinking of making the switch to digital and explained that it should be treated as a change program; making sure the staff are involved and championing the project.
If you've been weighing up whether to "bin the biro" then this episode is for you.
Links
You can find the iCareHealth website HERE
Connect with Carl on LinkedIn HERE
Find iCareHealth on Twitter HERE
Read the iCareHealth Blog (including a few by me!) HERE
You can find all of the episodes on PodBean.com or iTunes. Why not download the free Podbean app if you have an android or use the Podcasts app if you have an iPhone to listen on the go?
You can also follow and join in the conversation over on Twitter and keep up with all of the latest interviews and share your comments. It’s @CarePodcast.
As always, thank you for listening! Sophie
Samantha Buckley is the activities coordinator at the Boynes Care Centre in Worcestershire and last year she won The Carer Magazine award for "Unsung Hero".
I wanted to interview her to understand more about what an activites coordinator does, how she gets the most out of her job and how the sector could attract more people like her.
Links
You can find all of the episodes on PodBean.com or iTunes. You can also follow on Twitter to keep up with the latest interviews and share your comments. It's @CarePodcast.
As always, Thank you for listening! Sophie :)
Karen Ritson worked for CQC for 15 years and has a wealth of experience as a CQC inspector. She left in 2017 and set up her own business; Outstanding Care Consultancy.
I couldn't wait to interview her and get her tips on how a service could improve its rating. This episode is absolutely full to the brim of great advice from Karen, I could have talked with her all day, and I'm sure there is something here for everyone to take away.
If you're struggling to scribble down notes then don't worry! Karen created a guide which is available as a free download - this is going to be an incredible resource for you so don't forget to click to download it!
Links
Top Tips To Achieve An Outstanding Rating is available here
Outstanding Care Consultancy website is here
If you enjoyed this start to series 2 then please share your thoughts with me on Twitter. You can find the podcast at @CarePodcast or find the podcast webpage on PodBean.com
Thank you for listening :) Sophie
For the last episode of series one it's a slightly different format - there is no interview but in this episode I share my top 6 tips and strategies for successful onboarding of new hires.
Onboarding is often missed in the discussion about recruitment and retention so I share what onboarding actually is, why you should be putting these steps in place and how they will contribute to better retention of care staff and ultimately - continuity of care.
I've spoken at length about this at various care events and had promised to cover onboarding in an episode.
The next series will be back in January so listen until the end to find out how to become a participant in series two!
Links
You can watch me deliver this as part of a longer talk at Health Plus Care Show 2017 Here
You can get the Onboarding Bootcamp Email by signing up to the Judgement Index newsletter Here
The Judgement Index website is here
You can find me on LinkedIn here
Thanks so much for your support on this first series and I can't wait to bring you more inspiring interviews in the new year. To get all the latest news find the twitter page @CarePodcast or find all the episodes on PodBean.com
See you in 2018! Sophie :)
Amanda Odd is a care home manager who achieved the CQC rating "outstanding" whilst with her previous employer, at a 112 bed dementia specialist home.
She is now running a brand new service in Dover and I was excited to ask her about the challenges of running a home with brand new residents and staff.
Amanda shares an enormous amount of information in this interview about how to involve the local community, raise money and get to the bottom of what "person centred care" really should be. I'm sure you'll be reaching for a notepad to jot down future ideas!
Links
You can find all of the episodes on PodBean.com or iTunes. You can also follow on Twitter to keep up to date with the latest interviews and share your comments. It's @CarePodcast.
Thanks for listening :) Sophie
Sara McKee is the founder of Evermore, a new model and aspirational lifestyle choice for older people. Sara is not a typical care leader and Evermore is not a nursing or care home, so I was intested to hear more about her vision.
With terms such as "Mulinello" and "Tribe" she is definately thinking differently about how older age living could be in the UK. She shares some fantastic stories about working with purpose and celebrating success which made this interview truly unique.
Links
You can find Sara on Twitter here and Evermore on Twitter here
The Evermore website is here
I mention the "Happy" documentary on Netflix which talks about community living and older age living. You can find the trailer and website for the movie here
As always thank you for listening and join the conversation over on Twitter. You will find me @CarePodcast I always love to hear your throughts and comments. You can also find all the episodes online at PodBean.com :) Sophie
Adam James runs Springup PR, who specialise in helping care providers raise their profile, generate more enquiries and attract new residents.
I pick Adam's brains in this episode to find out how care companies can raise their profile in the local area, what they can do when they have a crisis on their hands, and how to get positive press coverage and why. This episode is jam packed with tips and Adam also has some great freebies on offer...
Links
Adam's FREE guide on how to build the reputation of your care company is here
The Spingup PR Website is here
The Facebook Group for Care owners, CEO's and management is here
Springup PR Twitter is here
It would be great to hear from you if you put any of these strategies in place and secure some good press coverage. Let us know! You can tweet me @CarePodcast and find all the news and links to interviewees.
To listen online just go to PodBean.com and thanks again for listening :) Sophie
Julia Clinton is a care leader who ran an inner city home at the age of 31, moved into the corporate care sector, and is now back doing what she loves the most- having day to day interactions with residents, their families, and the frontline team.
Julia shares so much in this interview about how she took over a home which was at crisis point, and the steps she put in place to turn things around. We also talk about work life balance, winning care awards and Julia shares a great story about dancing grannies vs Honey G's. You'll have to listen to find out!
Links
Julia is CEO of Sonnet Care Homes and their website is here
You can find Sonnet Care homes on Twitter - The New Deanery and St Mary's Court
You can watch the Sonnet Summer Fete (and dancing grannies) here
You can find all the podcast episodes on PodBean.com or iTunes. Don't forget to follow on Twitter @CarePodcast and I love reading your comments so please keep sending them in.
Thanks for listening, Sophie :)
Rob Coulthard is a performance coach who works with care companies to develop values and culture. He is the MD of Judgement Index which was used for the second part of the recent study of outstanding care managers, which Cedi Frederick talked about in episode one.
In this episode Rob talks more about the research and also shares the secrets of the outstanding care companies he works with and the steps they take to create a great culture within their organisations. There's a great story at the end you can go away and try with your team!
Links
The Judgement Index Website is here
The Judgement Index Twitter is here
Download The Judgement Index "Build Your Dream Team With These 5 Strategies" Challenge here
Don't forget you can find the podcast on PodBean.com or on Twitter @CarePodcast. Please do share your thoughts and comments!
Thanks again for listening :) Sophie
Jessica Taylor is a manager who's home has been rated Outstanding in all 5 CQC catagories.
In this interview she shares about the joint effort from the whole company to get them there, and how she has every faith they will achieve it again. She talks refreshingly about wearing jeans and trainers to work because she's a carer first and heels aren't practical and we also get into how they celebrated those 5 outstanding stars.
Links
Jessica works for London Care Partnership whose website is here
You can find all the podcast episodes on Podbean.com or iTunes. If you're on Twitter please follow @CarePodcast and it would be great to hear your thoughts or comments.
Thanks again for listening :) Sophie
Michelle Purse is a Facebook expert with over 20 years experience of helping very busy small business owners with all of their marketing needs.
She shares why having a Facebook page as a care company is a great way to build trust with potential residents and their families, attract new staff and promote events and fundraisers. The episode is jam packed full of ideas so have a notepad at the ready and if the last post on your Facebook page was a month ago she will give you enough ideas to keep you going for at least the next one!
Be sure to check out the links as Michelle has some great freebies for you to get started...
Links
Facebook Fab, Michelle's FREE Facebook Bootcamp is available here
Download The FREE Facebook Content Planner here
My Outsourced Marketing Team Website is here
Michelle's Facebook Page is here and Twitter is here
As we said it would be great to see your Facebook Page so please share it with us! Especially if you have some great stories to share having listened.
You can find the podcast on Podbean.com or on Twitter @CarePodcast please share your thoughts and comments.
Thank you for listening :) Sophie
Nicola Kelly is an oustanding rated manager, who maintained the oustanding rating on a second visit to the home she was managing.
Nicola shares some great stories in this interview which I'm sure many will relate to; including how she felt like an imposter in the early days, how she finds it hard to find work life balance and a great story about one simple change she made in a home that made a big difference.
Links
Find Nicola on Twitter here
Don't forget to share your thoughts on Twitter you can find the podcast by searching for The Road To Outstanding or @carepodcast
Thank you for listening :) Sophie
Cedi Frederick is MD of Article Consulting, who recently led the largest research and study of outstanding managers ever conducted in the UK.
In this interview he discusses the key takeaways from the research and also draws on his own previous experience as a Chief Executive at various care organisations, and how he strived to make a difference in the values and culture of the companies he was in.
Links
"In Our Own Words" The Outstanding Manager Report
Find Cedi on Twitter here
Article Consulting Website
Don't forget to subscribe, leave a rating and review and find me on twitter for news and updates, and I'd love to hear your feedback:
https://twitter.com/CarePodcast
Thank you for listening! Sophie.