News in the Media

Shake up on cards for nursing home

Ashbourne Telegraph - 15-Feb-12

Derbyshire councillors have confirmed a £200m shake-up of care home services that will see older facilities replaced with modern and state-of-the-art residences, aiming to achieve more independence for those in care while also producing more services to specialise in dementia care. read full article

Six wards close after norovirus outbreak

Worcester News - 15-Feb-12

An outbreak of norovirus in Worcestershire has resulted in the closure of six hospital wards as well as two care homes, with health chiefs preventing all the facilities from new admissions in order to prevent further spread of the 'winter vomiting bug'. read full article

Hayes Home rewarded for gold standard end of life care

Dorset Newsroom - 15-Feb-12

A Gold Standard award has been presented to The Hayes Residential Home, in Sherborne, thanks to the service being able to demonstrate high levels of professionalism in carrying end-of-life care, which has also contributed to a fall in hospital admissions. read full article

Abuse claims in care homes rise by a fifth

Get Wokingham - 13-Feb-12

Wokingham Borough Council have confirmed there are concerns over a rising number of care home-related complaints, with a 20 per cent increase relating to various service issues and calls for the Care Quality Commission to make more regular inspections in the area. read full article

Staff praised following care home blaze at Ingoldisthorpe, near Sandringham

Norwich Evening News - 13-Feb-12

Carers of Manor Farm House have been praised for their professionalism after a fire put the lives of residents at risk, with the risk of hypothermia also being a concern while firefighters made the home safe, but residents were successfully kept warm and no one was injured. read full article

Care home residents fed on 2.27 a day

Daily Mail - 13-Feb-12

Care home finances have been assessed and in Sefton, Mersyside, an average of £27.50 was spent per week on residents’ food – the equivalent of £3.93 a day. An unnamed care home spent £2.27 per person, per day. read full article

New Carlisle care home would create up to 100 jobs

News and Star - 13-Feb-12

Planning permission has been requested for a 60 room care home to be built off Wigton Road in Carlyle. read full article

1.4million investment to spruce up care home

Bristol Evening Post - 10-Feb-12

Robinson House is a Bristol care home that owner Brunelcare are currently refurbishing in order to bring up-to-date with modern requirements, with staff having reported positively on the developments that will enable them to further the care provision for elderly people, including many with dementia. read full article

New care home to open this month

Arbroath Herald - 10-Feb-12

A flagship care home designed by Young and Gault Architects is to open this month in Arbroath, with services to be carried out by the Balhousie Care group, in place of the existing Monkbarns Care Home. The development includes its own dementia wing and has created 50 extra care jobs so far. read full article

Three plead guilty to abuse at Winterbourne View Hospital near Bristol

Bristol Evening Telegraph - 10-Feb-12

Eleven carers charged with the abuse of patients at Winterbourne View care home near Bristol, uncovered by a BBC Panorama documentary early in 2010, have appeared at Bristol Crown Court where three pleaded guilty to the ill-treatment andf neglect of residents, but other either denied the charges or made no plea. read full article

Celia Imrie - We just don't take care of our elderly

Daily Express - 09-Feb-12

Actress Celia Imrie agrees with Dame Judi Dench’s recent comments criticising the care system for the UK’s elderly. read full article

Sanctuary 'inspired'

This is South Devon - 09-Feb-12

Sanctuary is a charitable organisation providing affordable housing, care and support in Torbay. They are backing the loveLIFE campaign by organising initiatives region wide. read full article

NHS trusts urged to work with housing associations to deliver long term care

eGOv monitor - 09-Feb-12

The mentally ill, the elderly and the physically disabled could be provided with specialist housing with secondary healthcare on–site, if the NHS released some of its unused land to housing associations. read full article

Boy death carers 'made assurances'

Grantham Today - 09-Feb-12

An inquest has heard how a schoolboy died in a swimming pool at a Devon respite centre, despite care workers being assured by the owners that children were supervised around it. read full article

Care cuts mean elderly patients suffering 'diminished quality of life', says Health Select Committee

Huffington Post - 08-Feb-12

The health select committee warns that the government needs to make clear in its white paper how the quality of life of elderly patients will be improved, as funding pressures are reducing services. In today’s report, MPs recommend elderly care, health and housing need to be joined up. read full article

Four Seasons: Care home provider in new debt talks

BBC - 08-Feb-12

Four Seasons are looking to raise £230 million from private equity groups and existing shareholders. They are the largest care home operator since Southern Cross collapsed and trying to refinance £780m in debt before the deadline in September. read full article

Urgent improvements needed at care home failing in its care

This is Gloucestershire - 08-Feb-12

Following an unannounced visit, The Quality Care Commission has ordered the owners of Royal Court in Cheltenham to make immediate changes for its 48 residents. read full article

World's oldest living twins are still the best of friends at 102 years old with 37 great-grandchildren between them

Mail Online - 07-Feb-12

A care home in Ellon, Aberdeenshire is home to 102 year old twins. Edith Ritchie and Evelyn 'Evie' Middleton (nee Rennie) live at Bonnyton House Care Home and are the world's oldest living twins. read full article

Pledge your support for Dignity in Bucks on National Dignity Day

Leighton Buzzard Observer - 07-Feb-12

The Dignity in Bucks campaign is launched on Wednesday by Buckinghamshire's Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Board (SVAB~), to raise awareness and encourge respect for older people in the county. read full article

Cleobury Mortimer nursing home bid and sale unveiled

Shropshire Star - 07-Feb-12

The plans for a nursing home in Cleobury Mortimer have been unveiled and will go on display this month before a formal application is submitted. The town’s new £1 million medical practice has also had a land deal confirmed. read full article