one magazine - issue 1, december 2011

WIN PRIZESone competitions and offers

“Marcus has

the X Factor”

Care UK tops the hip parade

The easiest turkey

curry recipe EVER

John Adeleye on caring, watching X Factor

and why Simon Cowell should come back.

YOUR OI MIKES | CHARITY ROUND-UP | CARE UK ROCKS!

Issue 01 Winter 2011

Page7

Page4

How to

Norovirus

KNOCK OUT

Pages6, 9, 14-15

Page13

02

EDITOR’S NOTES WITH MIKE PARISH

Welcome to your new quarterly magazine, one. As you can see, it’s not just a little bit different to Care UK News – it’s totally different!

This is one of the changes you asked us to make in last year’s employee survey. We couldn’t have agreed more, so we’ve created a magazine that we hope you agree is a lighter, brighter, more interesting read, but which also deals with some of the tough issues we face on a day-to-day basis.

We really hope you like it, but whatever you think, we want to hear from you! This is your magazine, so we’d love to hear about the features you’d like to see, as well as your news and views. As an extra incentive, I’ve even had my arm twisted to provide some prizes – so check out the coffee break section.

With Christmas a matter of days away, I just wanted to thank you for all of your hard work and effort again this year. For many people Christmas is the one time of the year that caring comes into focus. It’s something we do 365 days per year – even Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

So on behalf of everyone at Care UK and the people for whom we care, thank you, a very Merry Christmas and we look forward to continuing our fantastic work with you in 2012.

Mike Parish

John still has the X FactorFind out what Care UK’s favourite X Factor contestant thought to this year’s line-up and who his money is on for the Christmas Number 1.

WIN with our coffee break competitionsWIN a fantastic iPad2

WIN one of five food ‘hampers’

WIN one of two £25 gift vouchers

WIN a £50 gift voucher

Winter vomiting bug – as traditional as turkey?Find out what it looks like, how it’s transmitted and how to avoid it.

Warning – it’s not great news if you love oysters…

Handling bereavementFor many of us, it’s part of the day job, but are we really dealing with our feelings and do you know where to get the support you need?

CONTENTS

Awards review

Southern Cross colleagues settle in

Nutritional advice

Preparing for winter

Handling bereavement

Our year in pictures

3

4681116

Open Mike

Mike

This is your magazine, so we’d love to hear your news, views and pics. Here’s how to get in touch:

Email [email protected]

Send texts, including pics, to 07435 963888

Nina Metson, one magazine, Connaught House, 850 The Crescent, Colchester Business Park, Colchester, Essex, CO4 9QB

@

Health and Wellbeing

Page13

Page5

p9p7

p14p15

Page10

Get in touch

COVER STORY

One Issue 01 Winter 2011

WIN!

03

WE ROCK!

We love winning awards – it’s a great way to show how good we are and recognise the fantastic work that so many teams are doing. And judging by the recent haul, we’re doing rather well.

The hotel services team at our Eccleshill NHS Treatment Centre in Bradford clinched the Best Cleaned Premises (Health Care) category at the national Kimberly-Clark Golden Service Awards 2011, with a whopping 98 per cent performance rate.

Care UK excelled at the 2011 National Dementia Care Awards, with stars from our residential care division scooping three awards from five nominations (above).

Best Dementia ‘Dignity in Care’ Champion

Take a bow Carole Wardle, manager of our 69-bed Station House nursing home in Crewe.

Best Dementia Care Manager in a Community Setting

Congratulations to Elaine Carruthers, manager of the Orchard Centre - a 24/7 dementia day centre in Epsom.

Best Dementia Care Interior

Heather View, our flagship home in Crowborough, East Sussex, demonstrated how interiors should be done.

Readers of Health Investor Magazine have voted our very own Mike third in the Power Fifty list of people working in the independent health sector. He’s in good company as the list boasts ‘inspirational leaders, dynamic investors and a first-rate advisory community’. Go Mike!

Our health care sonographers (who carry out and interpret ultrasonic imaging) achieved the best score possible from the General Medical Council (GMC) for the accuracy and content of their reports. Brilliant!

We’re going to need a bigger

trophy cabinet!

If you or your team

have won an award,

tell one about it.

Email us at

[email protected]

Going for a gong?


Cleanest hospital

Dementia Care Awards Our Mike tops the charts

Spot-on sonography

04

NEWS

SETTLING IN WITH CARE UKCompleting the transfer of 25 former Southern Cross residential care homes and two learning disability homes has brought a welcome end to an unsettling time for teams and residents.

The plight of Southern Cross and its impact on those affected as the business wound up had been headline news.

The creation of a ‘Project Aurora’ team at Care UK ensured a smooth transition for the new homes, which represented a huge 50 per cent growth in our Residential Care services. A helpdesk was established, fielding

hundreds of calls, ranging from minibuses to washing machines!

Maggie Harrison, manager at Collingwood Court in North Shields found the move a positive experience: “We have found everybody so very, very helpful. Everything was well planned and timed in the right way.

“Those who attended the relative meetings said they were kept well-informed; as did the staff, and the chocolates and pens were a really nice touch. At our recent managers’ meeting everyone said the same – how smoothly the transition has gone!”

We have found

everybody so very, very

helpful. Everything was

well planned and timed

in the right way.

Maggie Harrison

Hitting the top spot

Care UK hospitals ranked best in the UK for hip replacementsCongratulations go to the teams at four hospitals run by Care UK, as well-known hospital performance experts, Dr Foster, declared in November that their work on hip replacements is the best in the country.

The Dr Foster Hospital Guide experts analysed the outcomes of thousands of patients who had undergone hip replacements in a range of hospitals across the country.

They looked at:

•Lengthofhospitalstay

•Likelihoodofrequiringasecondoperation

•Re-admittancerates

Dr Mark Hunt, Managing Director of health care at Care UK said: “We know from patient satisfaction surveys that people treated at Care UK hospitals rate their stay very highly

and we know that our success rates are good but we’ve never been able to measure those outcomes from independently verified data - until this report. These high rankings are a tribute to the dedication and hard work of my colleagues in all of our treatment centres.”


Care UK runs seven hospitals, also

known as treatment centres, on

behalf of the NHS and only treats

NHS patients. Four of these carry out

hip replacements:

• Southampton NHS treatment

centre

• Barlborough NHS treatment centre

(near Chesterfield)

• Sussex Orthopaedic treatment

centre (in Haywards Heath)

• North East London treatment

centre (in Ilford)

05

SHOWBIZ

X Factor is over for another year and the winner’s single is fighting for the Christmas number one!

Before this year’s final, one caught up with John Adeleye, who last year swapped his role as Senior Activity Coordinator at Care UK’s Forrester Court in Paddington, for his shot at the big time on the X Factor...

How has your year been?

It’s been a rollercoaster. I’ve had an amazing year reacclimatising to the music industry again – things that are hard and those that are fun. I’ve been touring again and meeting loads of new people.

What lasting difference has the X Factor made to you?

It’s raised my profile again and given me the opportunity to support the causes I wanted to before X Factor, such as the mental health charity, MIND. I saw what a difference the team at Forrester Court made to the residents – now it’s time for me to help make a difference in my way.

From last year’s show Matt, Rebecca, Cher and One Direction all have albums out. Whose would you buy?

Out of all of them, I’d probably buy Rebecca and Matt’s albums. If I heard Cher’s was really good I might buy it, but her style isn’t really for me.

What do you think to the new panel of judges?

Simon moved on and so has the show. The new judges have done a great job and I can’t take anything away from Gary and the others. But I’d love it if Simon came back through those doors and was sitting in his chair, doing his thing. I’m so glad he was on the panel when I was there.

So who would have to go?

Simon and Gary would be a great double-act. I’d probably removeLouis,whomentoredme last year. I think he’s lost his drive and his passion. He lost all of his acts early on last year and it’s happened again this year. It’s probably

time for him to go.

Who has been your favourite contestant?

Definitely Marcus. He’s got a really cool look that reminds me of my own style and a great voice. He’s really talented and seems to be doing everything right. He also seems like a good guy.

The big question…..

Speaking to John before the final, he thought Marcus would win (but predicted that Amelia would be the biggest commercial success!). Was he right?

Do you think you’ll ever go back into caring?

Maybe. I care every day in one way or another and I know one day I’m going to need to care for someone in my family. I had a great experience in Care UK and learnt a lot. Now I’m taking my time to see what impact I can make. My time at Care UK has certainly helped me see how I want to be looked after in the future.

Following in John’s footsteps, Jai McDowall, a learning disabilities carer from Scotland, won this year’s Britain’s Got Talent.

As well as the £100,000 prize, Jai sang at the Royal Variety Performance in the presence of Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal. The show was screened on 14 December.


Carer Jai’s Royal appointment

Check out the full interview

with John on Eureka

My rollercoaster year

John Adeleye on life after X Factor and how he’s still caring...

That got us thinking; why can’t we find something that ticks all the boxes – that’s tasty, high quality, balanced, easy to cook and can be stored in the cupboard rather than the fridge?

It would go down a storm with our elderly, home-based service users. In fact, anyone who can’t, or doesn’t want to cook from scratch, but still wants something healthy that can be cooked in three minutes flat.

Say hello to the Homecare Select Kitchen

Homecare Select is the name we’ve given a range of optional self-pay, top-up services we’re launching, initially to our community-based customers.

Jon Mace from marketing explains, “There’s a real demand from our service users and their families who want to be able to choose how local authorities spend money on their behalf - and be able to buy additional ‘top-up’ services if they want. At the top of many people’s wish list is a wider choice of food.”

Homecare Select Kitchen is due to launch in January, with 15 meals, plus a range of desserts, which will soon expand to over 60 choices. Each can be delivered in a ‘hamper’ with enough pouches for one, two or four weeks.

Adding value

“As we’re delivering the food, we thought ‘why don’t we put it away for the customer?’” Jon explained, “And how about making lunch while we’re there? And rather than rush off, why don’t we stay with them for an hour as part of our service? The whole concept is very exciting.”

With light bulbs shining brightly above their heads, the marketing team is currently busy working out packaging, delivery options and prices in order to launch the new range. Watch this space!

06

NUTRITION

Most convenience meals are either fast but loaded with salt, or marketed as ‘slimming’ because their portions are so tiny! Why can’t convenience meals taste great and be genuinely balanced?

Pouches of perfectionThe chilli con carne is good, with a nice kick

to it. I’m impressed with the quality of the lamb and the beef that’s been used in all the meals. Sally Amos, Senior Management Accountant for Mental Health

Carefully sourced ingredients

Balanced meals Easy to cook Store in the cupboard Developed in conjunction with

RCS Home Managers COMING SOON - special

meals for diabetics, vegetarians, lower salt, etc

Homecare Select Kitchen

WIN one of five food ‘hampers’The marketing team is so confident that everyone will love its new range, that they’ve given one five 7-day hampers to give away. To win, simply send us your name and phone number by text to 07435 963888 or email [email protected]. Closing date for entries is 5pm on 6 February and winners will be drawn at random on 1 February. Good luck!


WIN!!!

07

250g cooked turkey2 tsp vegetable oilI large onion1 large cooking apple15g sultanas1 tsp ground ginger2 heaped tsp curry powder2 tbs plain flour1 tbs wholewheat flour1 heaped tsp tomato puree425ml water2 tsp lemon juice1 cup mixed vegetables

Care UK tucked into some of the new

meals with a lunchtime taste test.

Over-estimated your turkey? Don’t waste it – here’s a fantastic curry recipe by Iain Stott, Hotel Facilities Manager, that tastes great and is nutritionally balanced too.

Method

1. Dice onions and fry in oil2. Fry diced turkey with curry powder and ginger for one minute3. Add flour and tomato puree and slowly add water and lemon juice4. Add vegetables and apple and simmer for 30-40 minutes until meat and vegetables are tender5. Add sultanas before serving and heat through6. As Gordon Ramsay would say: turkey curry. Done.

The meat in the meals

tastes authentic and the

beef casserole has got a pleasant

ale flavour to it too.

Richard Goulding, Technical

Office Administrator

for LD, Essex

My favourite is

definitely the

meatballs. It’s nice to see a

range that has traditional

meals in it, like

lamb hotpot.

Becky Watson,

PA to MD of Mental

Health

Turkey CurryServes 3-4The taste test...

Easy


If you’ve got a favourite spring recipe for the next issue of one, we’d love to know - please send it to [email protected] and we’ll print the best one!

We want your recipes!

PREPARING FOR WINTER

08

A year ago snow had brought parts of the country to a grinding halt. We were battling snow drifts, motorways were being closed and drivers rescued from cars.

Now, with one of the warmest Novembers on record, it looks like Christmas Day will be a pleasant walk in the sunshine. But what about January or February?

A cold snap can arrive suddenly, so it’s best to be prepared. Severe weather isn’t just inconvenient, it can be life-threatening, particularly for the elderly, who are especially prone to hypothermia and pneumonia.

So make sure you’re prepared for the worst – and be prepared to change your plans if there’s a weather warning.

Here are some essentials to keep in your car during the winter months.

Shovel

Blanket

Extra warm clothes

Torch

First aid kit

Water and long-life food

Pencil, paper, penknife and whistle

.... and your mobile!

Are you ready to battle the elements? • Carersintheworst-hitareashadtowalkor

use public transport to reach their calls. • AteamleaderinBromleywalked15miles

in one day.

• 4X4clubshelpedusgettoinaccessibleareas of Derbyshire, Suffolk, Kent and Essex.

• Office-basedteamsandmanagersvolunteered to help coordinate calls and draft up rotas.

• InLincolnshire,teamsarrangedfortwoelderly people to go into a nearby nursing home as their homes were inaccessible.

Elf and safety at home and work

1,000Decorating accidents

An incredible 80,000 people a year find their festivities cut short by a trip to hospital. So if the idea of a turkey dinner in A&E doesn’t sound appealing, here are some Christmas clangers to avoid!

1,000Christmas

tree-related injuries

350Xmas tree

light-related accidents

And don’t water your

tree with the lights on – nearly 30

people have died doing just that

in the past 14 years!

Another 1,000

injuries or more happen

while decorating homes and offices, and it’s not just the usual falls from chairs, ladders and lofts. Shiny baubles are novelties for toddlers, with reports of children biting into glass decorations!

Deaths from house fires rise by a

staggering 50 per cent over Christmas.

Candles and cooking accidents

are major culprits, especially when

combined with festive tipples and an

influx of house guests.

General slips and

falls make up the

majority of Christmas

accidents, so it’s

worth tidying up as

you go along – and

don’t be tempted to chuck

wrapping paper on an open fire as

it’s often coated with plastics

or chemicals.

In 2010 over 1,000 people were injured by Christmas trees at home or work. Wrestling a Norwegian spruce is virtually a national sport at Christmas, so make sure they are secured in a sturdy base.

100sof slips and

trips

A year ago

Phot

os b

y Jo

hn B

iglin

.

PHOTOS Left - Carers Elda Brito and Carlos EugeniowithPaulLambertofSuffolkLandroverOwners Club. Right -NunoLeitaoandJolanaPlesarova.

1,400Candle fires


09

DR CLAPP’S CASEBOOKDr Richard Clapp, GP Lead for health care, gives one readers the low-down on common ailments.

MIGRAINESMigraines are very severe headaches, which are often combined with other symptoms such as nausea or sensitivity to light.

Sufferers can experience aches and pains for hours, even days, before the migraine sets in. ‘Aura’ symptoms can cause blind spots, flashing lights, or pins and needles and numbness in the arms and legs.

Migraine attacks can last between four and 72 hours, during which sufferers are often prevented from carrying out usual day-to-day activities.

What causes migraines?

In the UK one in four women and one in twelve men are affected by migraines*. The release of the chemical serotonin into the bloodstream is thought to cause migraines as it triggers changes in the brain. However, there is still a great deal of debate and research surrounding their cause.

Other factors which can trigger migraine attacks include:

• Emotional and physical stress and high blood pressure.

• Environmental factors, such as bright strip lighting or looking at a computer screen for long periods.

• Diet and alcohol, with red wine thought to be a particularly strong trigger.

What can be done to treat migraines?

There is no cure for migraines, but it is possible to relieve symptoms. During an attack, the best course of action is to lie in a dark room. Sleeping and eating can also lessen symptoms.

Consult your pharmacist for further advice on choosing pain relief. Ibuprofen and anti nausea tablets are commonly used and it is best to take painkillers as soon as you feel the migraine beginning. This will allow the medication to enter your bloodstream and start working before the migraine begins.

When taking medication, always be careful not to exceed the recommended dosage. If over-the-counter options do not help, visit your GP who will be able to discuss alternative medication options with you.

* Statistics taken from www.migraine.org.uk.

Hear me,hear me!

The latest opportunity to have your say is coming your way

What do you really think to working at Care UK? Are we fulfilling the lives of our residents, service users and customers? Are we helping you lead a fulfilling life?

Whatever you think, here’s your opportunity to have your say, safe in the knowledge that your comments will remain absolutely confidential and can’t be traced back to you.

From Monday 9 January your survey will be making its way to you, either via email, post or your line manager.

Simply follow the link or grab a pen to fill in the survey – it’s easy and only takes 10 minutes to enter electronically or return it in the reply-paid envelope.

And when you’ve finished, there’s also an easy-to-enter draw to win one of two iPad 2s or 10 £50 gift vouchers to help get your New Year off to a great start.

Your opinion really matters. The last survey was in 2010 and we’ve made lots of changes to the way we work since then, both big and small, from introducing perkz employee benefits and introducing one magazine to simply saying thank you more.

Make sure you receive your copy of the survey so you can have your say and help make a difference at Care UK.

Over to you!9 January 2012


10

HEALTH AND WELLBEING: HANDLING BEREAVEMENT

“We must speak up about how we are feeling”

For lots of us at Care UK, dealing with bereavement is part of the job. But does that make it any easier or are we just bottling up our real feelings without recognising the impact the grief has on us? Here we look at how to get through this most difficult of times...

When someone that you have cared for dies it can hit you hard. Because of the jobs we do, it is sometimes taken for granted that when that person dies we can cope. But can we?

Appreciating how we are feeling and how we might process grief is important because it may help us to cope when the death of someone in our care affects us in ways we were not expecting.

The risk is that we ‘soldier on’ without taking time to consider our feelings and the emotional impact of this loss. It is important to recognise any feelings of grief you may have and to seek the help and support you need.

Everyone has a right to grieve and if you feelthiswayyouarenotalone.Lotsofyourcolleagues have experienced this kind of loss and can appreciate how you feel. Here are just a few of their experiences.

“Death is part of life”

JillLloyd,lifeskillssupport worker at Station House in Crewe says:

“We take care of our residents and we listen to their stories. We do become involved and look forward to seeing them every day as we do members of our own families.

“When they pass of course it can affect you, especially if you are new to this job. I always say to new members of staff who can get upset, that death is a part of life and we have to celebrate their life, show their families consideration and how much we care too.

“It is very important for us to support one another, because sometimes it is not easy. We must say how we are feeling and share this with our colleagues and manager and seek help if we need it.”

“It was like losing a member of my family”

South Gloucestershire Care Co-ordinator Ali Hampton worked night and day with a gentleman

with very severe arthritis and got to know him and his family very well.

“He was so lovely, laid back and really liked a joke, and despite everything he had to put up with, was always up for a laugh. I knew that he was dying, but I was not with him the night he died. A colleague phoned to let me know and I was really upset. It was like losing a member of my own family.”

“I’ve dealt with suicide”

Jim Begley is our Health Care Services Manager at Aylesbury Young Offenders Prison. The team has experienced four deaths of inmates in the past 10 years.

Jim worked with one young man at a prison who was struggling to cope with particular issues. Despite everyone’s best efforts to help, he committed suicide, which affected the whole team greatly.

“It hits you hard. It’s tough because staff see them day in, day out, and mix in with them, build relationships, so it does affect you.

“The important thing is to give each other support and to give people the opportunity to talk and share how they are feeling. We have a daily debrief which I think is a very good outlet for people to off-load and share their feelings before they go off.”

The first in our series of regular features with a spotlight on health and wellbeing. We will help you to take care of yourself, cope with the stresses and strains of life and get the work/life balance just right.

• Not thinking clearly

• Difficulty concentrating • Lackofattentiontodetail

• Feeling sad for long periods

• Strong feelings of anger

• Generally irritability

• Sudden mood swings

Recognising the signs of grief


11

7 tips for coping with grief

1. Recognise you are grieving – don’t be afraid to admit how you are feeling and share this if you can with other members of the team.

2. Take care of yourself – lack of sleep or good nutrition can make you irritable at work, depressed or more prone to illness. Eat little and often, and take breaks when possible.

3. Take exercise – this will make you feel better, so find time during your working day for this, even if it’s just a gentle walk in the grounds of your workplace or a local park.

4. Avoid alcohol – if you are feeling anxious when you get home, a drink maytemporarilyquellyouranxiety,butin the long run it doesn’t help.

5. Deal with your feelings – try writing down how you feel and share your thoughts with your closest colleagues.

6. Work on your self esteem – this may have taken a knock, so try writing down your successes and achievements to help you stay positive.

7. Commemorate – you may find it helpful to commemorate the life of the person who has died in your care. Work with the relatives perhaps on a special event to celebrate their life in some special way or create a memory box.

Helping you stay positiveDid you know that you can get counselling and support

through our Employee Assistance Programme for any of

life’s challenges, not just bereavement?

The programme is provided for us by Positive People Company and

is available 24/7 for you:

• Freeservicewithaccesstoexpertadvice,information,

counselling and support

• AllemployeesofCareUKareeligible

• Helpingyoustayhappy,healthy,andfullyfocused

onlife

and work

• Freephone0800282193

• Onlineatwww.ppconline.info(username‘care’,password‘uk’)


12

CONFERENCE

TowerBridgeinLondonwastheinspiringbackdropto our Let’s Talk managers’ conference and there were certainly plenty of bridges built during the day.

A manager has a go at being hoisted.


Your message to us in last year’s survey was clear – communication could be better.

So we set about making this the main subject at our manager’s conference and Expo held inLondoninOctober.

Mike Parish was impressed by the enthusiasm he witnessed from those who were determined to achieve the object of the day – great communication.

Mike stressed the importance of working as one team across divisions, saying “We, our and us are must-use words in our daily work at Care UK from now on.” About 350 managers, including a group of the latest managers to join us from Southern Cross homes, attended the event.

They discussed what they thought great communication was, its importance to the business and how they thought it could be achieved.

Managers also learned about Care UK’s wide range of services, innovations and processes at various stands at the Expo, helping to share knowledge and improve links between different divisions.

At the final session, many managers openly shared how proud they felt to be part of Care UK and agreed to make a real difference in the way they communicate.

Did your manager share their experiences at the conference? Has your manager’s communications improved? Email us at [email protected] to let us know.

Mike finds out what it’s like coping with dementia.

So why is good communication

important…?

“It’s important to me that someone is

listening and takes on board what is

said and makes me feel valued”

“Good communication for me is all

being aware of the goals, the direction,

the expectations, and the roles, so we

are not left looking daft!”

“To be heard and to know where you

stand takes away stress”

“As a manager it’s important for me

that my troops understand what part

they play in the bigger picture”

Managers said what they thought about our existing communications channels.

communications gapBridging the

It’s transmitted via faeces!

It’s transmitted via faecal

contamination by people

who don’t wash their hands

properly after going to the

toilet and then touch you or

surfaces that you touch.

TRUE

It’s killed by hand gels

Washinghandsthoroughlywithwaterandliquidsoapis the gold standard for the winter vomiting bug - alcohol gels may not kill it!

Usedetergent-basedwipesoneverydayequipment to clean surfaces routinely and more often when people are ill.

FALSE

WINTER VOMITING BUGIt’s easily spread, causes violent sickness and diarrhoea and closes hospitalwardsquickerthanyoucansaydisinfectant.Ladiesandgentlemen, we give you (or rather, hope we don’t give you) the winter vomiting bug!

It’s in most UK-grown oysters

The Food Standards Agency recently announced that three quartersofthe8,000UKoystersit tested contained norovirus!

…that the most common organisms found on shared keyboards are faecal flora?

Suddenly, remembering to wash hands properly seems like a very good idea!

It’s a bacteria

It’s actually a virus that lives in the gut that takes eight to 48 hours to incubate.Its real name is norovirus (shortened from Norwalk agent, after the US town where there was an outbreak in 1968)

You can only catch it in the winter

You can catch the winter vomiting bug at any time of the year.

You can’t take anything for it

It has to ‘run its course’. If you catch it,

you should rest, stay hydrated and take

paracetomol for any aches and pains.

You can come back to work as soon as you feel OK

You should stay off work while symptoms persist and for about two days afterwards, to avoid passing it on.

13

TRUE

TRUE

FALSE

FALSE

FALSE

It can be lethal

The bug itself isn’t usually life-threatening, but the dehydration it causes can be, particularly to the vulnerable.

TRUE

Bad news for oyster lovers - 75% of UK oysters contain norovirus


Norovirus: party pooper.

BUG WATCH

DID YOU KNOW?

Managers said what they thought about our existing communications channels.

14

COFFEE BREAK

Hundreds of Care UK employees take part in fundraising activities every year - you lot are jolly marvellous! Here’s just a few…

Anita Churchward, finance manager in Residential Care, raised £122 for St Nicholas Hospice Care by walking 11.2 miles overnight in her pyjamas.

Christine Clinton, who works at Ellesmere HouseinLondon,raised£166.99forMarieCurie Cancer Care during a Paws in the Park sponsored dog walk.

Kelly McInnes, a group management accountant, along with sons Jay and Evan, raised £503.75 for Parkinsons UK during a sponsored walk in Hylands Park in Chelmsford.

Janice O’Brien, theatre manager at Sussex Orthopaedic NHS Treatment Centre, organised a barn dance in aid of the Children’s Chronic Arthritis Association, raising £526.53!

One correct crossword entry and one correct sudoku entry will be picked at random to receive £25 of perkz shopping vouchers. You can enter either competition – or both!

How to enter

By post: Cut out your completed crossword and post it to:

one magazine, Connaught House, 850 The Crescent, Colchester Business Park, Colchester, Essex CO4 9QB.

By email: send a scan or clear photo to [email protected]

Don’t forget to include your name and contact number. Winners will be drawn on 1 February 2012. Good luck!

Prize crossword and sudoku

Charity Champions

WIN £25 OF PERKZ VOUCHERS

Across1 Surname of 1992 Wimbledon Men’s

Singles Winner (6)

5 Sleep (informal) (3)

8 A home in Buckingham or Versailles? (6)

9 An abnormal warming of surface ocean waters in the eastern tropical Pacific (2, 4)

10 Harrison Ford’s on-screen archaeologist (7,5)

11 One twelfth of a foot (4)

12 Varieties include conference, comice and rocha (4)

16 X Factor’s American judge (5,7)

18 Mountain range or a model of motor car! (6)

19 Good or bad ones while you sleep (6)

20 German for one (3)

21 First name of author Hemingway (6)

Down2 Your children’s offspring (13)

3Apieceofplaygroundequipment(6)

4 Found at the North or South pole (6)

5 Nickname for the planet Jupiter (4,2,7)

6 Type of pasta (5)

7 Robin Hood’s maid (6)

13 This family are creepy and they’re kooky (6)

14 1978 film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John (6)

15 ABBA’s home country (6)

17 The very best of something (5)

Did you know?Did you know you can get more bang for your fundraising buck by applying to our Working with the Community fund? Care UK sets aside £25k every year to boost your hard work - find out more on Eureka!

Competition corner


Quick sudoku9 7 6

5 8 3 4 2

4 2 9

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3 5

1 8 2

3 9 7

9 1 6 2 5

1 5 4

1 2 3 4 5 6

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The perkz employee benefit scheme has discounts from great names such as Apple, Dell and Superbreak. For everyday shopping, choose from a range of discounted, re-loadable gift cards from high street retailers including Sainsbury’s, Asda, Argos, Toys R Us and Boots.

It’s fast and simple to register for perkz:

Step 1: Go to www.perkz.com and click on ‘If you are a first time user click here’.

Step 2: Your Company Code is CUK1. Complete the registration and click Submit.

Step 3: You will receive an email. Click on a link to activate your registration.

Step 4: You can now login to perkz and start saving money straight away.

Care UK employees who register with perkz will also be entered into a quarterlyprizedraw.

February’s prize will be a whopping £500 holiday voucher to use against a 2012 perkz holiday offer. Don’t miss out on your chance to win, register with perkz today.

15

Simply cut out the voucher and take it into your nearest store to redeem a free rental on a DVD, Blu-ray or game of your choice when you rent a title at full price.

2 for 1Blockbuster

offer from perkz

Have you registered

for your perkz?

Your letters StarLetter

This edition features some of the best recent Oi Mike! posts from Eureka, but we also want to hear from YOU! Send us yourquestions,commentsandwe’d also love to hear about you and your colleagues. Every letter receives £10 in perkz shopping vouchers, and the star letter receives £50!

Write to us at: one magazine, Care UK, Connaught House, 850 The Crescent, Colchester Business Park, Colchester, Essex, CO4 9QB or email [email protected]

A recently bereaved relative rang me in tears to say that she had just received her bill - just 3 weeks after losing the husband she had been married to for 58 years - it gave no indication of condolence and was not correct either. Whilst Care UK is a business it is a caring business. We deal with death daily and there are good ways to deal with it and bad ways. Ours ought to be the former.

Keren Welch, Manager, Chalfont CourtI believe that helping relatives deal with the final passing of a loved is just part of the overall care we need, and want to provide. On the billing point, I have looked at our template for all final bill letters and they do begin with a condolence. We are double checking that we are using these on all occasions. Of course, like you, I would be horrified if supporting bereaved relatives started and ended with the final bill. We have discussed this amongst the RCS leadership team and have asked Tammy at Hollins Park and Diana at Mitchell House to lead a piece of work suggesting where we can further improve our overall approach to supporting recently bereaved relatives. Toby Siddall, MD, Residential Care Services

Timing is everything


November’s winner is

Mandy Adams, a care

worker with the Weston

Super Mare CS branch,

who received £500 of

shopping vouchers, just

in time for Christmas!

A Eureka MomentI wanted to access Eureka for information and thought, why can’t I access it at home? Is it possible to do this?

Philippa Williams, RGN, Southampton Treatment Centre

Thanks, Philippa. A project is underway to give everyone secure access to certain parts of Eureka. Watch this space!

James Greenman, Group IT Director

It’s Good To TalkI attended the Communication and Expo event on 13th October and wanted to thank you for brilliant day. I am a fairly new manager and it was helpful to find out about the extensive range of services Care UK provides.

Katie Holmes, Manager, Ashleigh House

Lettersmaybeeditedforbrevity,

full versions are all available in the

Oi Mike forum within Eureka.

25 former Southern Cross homes join Residential Care

It’s been another busy one!

www.careuk.com

Harry Sotnick House in Portsmouth is officially opened

RhodesFarmclinicinNorthLondon,whichspecialises in the treatment of eating disorders, joins Care UK’s Mental Health division

Building work in Halstead, Essex gets

underway – a shiny new home, ready in

spring 2012!

The Care UK Christmas card, created by

Mandy Miller (Barlborough NHS Treatment

Centre)

Heather View has its official opening, joining

our Residential Care divisionCommunity Services welcomes its new Swindon

branch team

Two former Southern Cross homes join

our Community Services division

Our Residential Care division scoops three titles at the National Dementia Awards

NHS Buckinghamshire Musculoskeletal Integrated Care Service opens as part of Health Care.

OUR YEAR IN PICTURESFebruary

June

September

November

DecemberOctober

October

May

August

July

one magazine - issue 1, december 2011

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