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Regulating staff movement during the Covid19 PandemicStaffing has always been regulated within healthcare services under the CQC (Care Quality Commission) but guidance could be altered due to the current Covid19 pandemic.Care homes in particular are facing a huge change in relation to the movement of staff and more specifically the use of temporary agency staff. The government requested a consultation on their proposal to regulate to stop movement of staff between care settings which closed only a few days ago.The government has found that high usage of temporary workers directly correlates with a high number of Covid19 cases within care settings. Due to this, new regulations around the use of temporary staff within care homes could potentially be enforced in the coming weeks.The proposed policy has been suggested to decrease the infection rates within these settings, but does that throw a spanner in the works elsewhere? Over the past few months I have listened to the stories that nurses have told me about working through the pandemic and it has more often than not been incredibly hard on them. Staff sickness has been high due to positive test results, some staff were and still are self isolating because they themselves are vulnerable, this is all on top of the skills shortage within nursing prior to the pandemic.Staffing problems have led to a strain on many nurse’s mental health. The Nursing Times found that a third of nurses described their mental health as ‘bad’ due to working during the pandemic. To counter this, charity Mind has partnered with other mental health charities to provide mental health services specifically for those on the frontline, including 1-2-1 support.So, what advice would I give you? I’ve provided a few places to start.Retain your current workforce - Losing a crucial member of your care staff at a time like this is going to hit you harder than before. Retaining your current team members will reduce the need to fill these gaps with agency workers. We have some fantastic tools for you to use to assess your retention needs. You can call me to discuss these options.- 02392 852 314Take advantage of nurses on the temporary register - We have heard from a considerable number of nurses that have joined the temporary register who are now looking for permanent positions to complete their practice hours admitting them to the permanent register. This will also help staffing issues in the long term.Speak to us - We have over ten years’ experience of recruiting permanent staff for the healthcare sector. We can provide you with a team of recruiters that have worked tirelessly for their clients over the last few months and are continuing to do so. As a team we have over 34 years of combined experience specific to healthcare recruitment and are proud of the knowledge we have. Whether you are looking to fill one vacancy or many we can provide the attention you need for finding the right candidates. Equally, should you be looking for a new role, we have over 1000 vacancies with our current clients and have sent almost 2000 applications for our nurses this year. If you are looking for a new opportunity, we will take the time to listen to your needs and help you in finding the best position for you.Please call me or my team if you have any questions about your job search or recruitment needs - Emma Platt, 02392 852 314, emmap@wr-health.com

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Modern Recruitment is moving too fast, or are you moving too slow?The hiring process has been stuck in plateau for years. Now the pandemic has hit us, it's pushed us out our comfort zone and forced us to embrace technology in the form of modern recruitment.Don’t get left behind! Don’t miss all the talent. Expand your capabilities - it’s going to make all the difference. No idea where to start? You’re in the right place, here’s what you need to do step by step. Modern Recruitment MethodBe Open MindedEducate YourselfBuild ConfidenceBe SocialBe Consistent Be Open MindedIt’s easy to shut off from change. But, you need to do this. It's important.Modern recruitment methods are science based, you’ll experience behavioral assessments, competency questionnaires, psychometric assessments, conference interviews and my personal favourite - Video CVs. If you're still only working on a basic CV as a candidate, you’ll seem dull and as an employer you’ll seem old fashioned. We all have to change, adapt and grow. Educate YourselfNow you’re ready to embrace this change, you need to learn how to do it. That’s right, it’s back to school for you! Youtube is a great place to start, as well as Linkedin and any articles found on google, just search, Modern Recruitment. Build ConfidenceThe best way to learn? DO IT. Get used to the camera, have a play around on apps/portals etc. You can’t do anything wrong, it will take away the fear of the unknown when it comes to the real thing. Put time aside for this, it will be well worth it.Be SocialYou think you’re already social, well you’re not social enough. This is a different level of social, more commonly known as networking. Now I've scared of you! Modern recruitment requires this, so lets do it!Get yourself on Linkedin, connect with like minded individuals and make a difference on their platform, comment, like and share their posts. This is a simple step in growing your social skills and it will attract opportunities your way. Trust me. More to come on this in future weeks. Be ConsistentNow you’re on a role with the new you, you need to keep it up! Don’t have a small win and stop, keep growing, keep progressing - it won’t stay around forever you must keep going. Not so daunting when you know what to do is it? Although the above is the basic, it's the start of the foundations to the modern hiring process and you will be recognised as an employer and candidate of choice.Gone are the worries about being left behind.EMPLOYERS BONUSStart the science behind your hiring - ready to see how much your business will save? Answer these simple questions… https://wrsearch.goodhire.agency/

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Care Homes Activities Coordinators voted Top Event Planners in the UKIt’s never been more important as it is now for Activities Coordinators in Care Homes to keep spirits high among their residence, which is no easy task especially in the current circumstances. Their target isn’t revenue or sales based, it’s based on joy, laughter and happiness levels. Sounds like a great reason to host an event doesn’t it! So how are Activities Coordinators beating the event planning professionals to the mark, what’s their secret and how can you be just as good as they are? Follow these 5 secret steps to event planning success;Have joy at the heart of what you doThink of the outcome at all timesWork to the residents/guests strengthsHave a supportive teamDon’t over do it!Colten Care Homes are excellent at planning their activities, check out their latest news here. Have Joy at the HeartKeep in mind that not everyone will enjoy all aspects of what you plan, but work to the majority. Will your event make people smile? If people need to do too much work they won’t enjoy themselves - keep things simple and keep joy at the heart of the event. What’s the Outcome?Without the pressure of revenue generating events, Activities Coordinators can be as creative as they like - which becomes much more fun! This is one of the reasons that they do such a great job, their outcome is… joy, happiness and laughter. Starting to see the patterns here?Work to your Guests StrengthsActivities Coordinators within care homes are responsible for the standard health and safety regulations etc as with any event. However, they have the added pressure of the residence individual needs which is a very broad array. Always keep this in mind when you plan your events and activities, are you pushing people too far out of their comfort zone / capabilities? Don’t take away the joy and happiness with your event by pushing people too far. Again, as before, go with the majority but you must keep everyone safe. Have a Supportive TeamNow it’s time to think about you, yes that’s right Activities Coordinators need to be selfish at times. Can you strategically execute this event without causing yourself stress, which of course will show in the event itself. You need support around you from start to finish, this isn’t a big ask, you’ll be surprised how many people are willing to help. Keep this in mind and always reach out to others for support. It’s the key to a smooth running and successful event. You guessed it, more commonly known as team work. Don’t Go Over the TopWe’re all guilty of getting over excited when it comes to event planning but always keep the aim in mind. If you don’t, you risk losing your guests attention which after all the hard work and planning with your team, you want everyone to be engaged in your event. Keep things simple, less is always more. In a nutshell, event planning is hard work but extremely rewarding if… you follow the steps above. Now you should feel confident when planning your events, even in those stressful moments your mind wanders back to the heart of the event. Looking for a career in health care? Look out for our next blog on How to Start a Career in Health Care or check out our current job roles here.

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There’s no denying that as winter approaches, coupled with the ongoing fight against Covid-19, there will undoubtedly be tough times ahead for care homes, their patients and staff. With fresh reports of a second wave of coronavirus in full swing and case numbers increasing by the day, it’s perhaps fair to say that the future looks incredibly uncertain. And for care homes, the need to not only have enough staff to contend with the expected additional pressure on their services the next months will bring, but also ensure the wellbeing of their employees so they stay in their jobs is going to be absolutely crucial. Consequently social care talent strategies are going to be more important than ever. However with news last week that the social care winter plan will give local public health bosses a de facto power to issue blanket bans on visitors in care homes – reminiscent of the action taken during the first lockdown – care homes look set to face additional pressures relating to not only the wellbeing of their patients, but also their own employees. The impact a blanket ban on visitors had on residents and staff at care homes during lockdown was widely documented – and with the very real prospect of this happening once again, the next few months look challenging to say the least for an already under pressure workforce. Live in families at care homes to ease loneliness in lockdownAnd it is perhaps for this reason that one care home group has taken the decision to invite family members to actually move into to the home for a period of two weeks in a bid to keep the most vulnerable people in touch with relatives should fresh lockdowns be imposed. Brendoncare, which operates ten care homes in the South of England, is inviting relatives to stay in a room next to the resident, for free, for a two-week period to help soften the separation residents face. Zoe McCallum, the COO of Brendoncare commented: “It’s a two-week holiday, if you like, when you are in the bubble with your loved one………. We hope it will give people confidence in care homes again. We have to build confidence among the relatives.” Brendoncare is not the only home trying to ease the strain residents have faced during periods of lockdown. Welford Healthcare, for example, has created screened off visitor rooms in two of its homes. Each room is divided by an airtight partition and has an intercom so residents can receive visitors without having contact. One manager at the company’s Arhentum Lodge home, Alison Wingrove, said that “we are booked up two to three weeks in advance…the reactions have been wonderful. You can see how beneficial it has been.”Could this put additional strain on an already pressurised workforce? While there is no denying that any initiatives that address the incredibly difficult time residents have had over the past six months are admirable, it could be argued that the two aforementioned schemes may, in fact, put more strain on staff at homes. With more people in the home itself, coupled with actually managing the logistics of the schemes themselves, it could result in additional workload for employees. And at a time when care homes are struggling with staff shortages – not only due to people being off work due to self-isolation or sickness themselves, but also a historic dearth of talent in the sector – the is a real danger that initiatives like these could in fact negatively impact talent attraction and retention strategies. Arguably in the current climate, this is something that homes can’t afford to miss so it will be interesting to see how each of the schemes plays out in the coming months. Partnering with an expert for immediate and long term talent strategies There’s no denying that a second wave of coronavirus and the additional pressures this will place on care home employees is inevitably going to prove a challenging time for employers in the sector. And it is for this very reason that short and long term talent management strategies are arguably more important than ever for homes. However with talent shortages exacerbated by Covid-19 finding staff, often at short notice is incredibly challenging, which is why homes should be partnering with an expert talent specialist. Our team is on hand to not only source staff at short notice due to our extensive network of candidates available for work, but we can also partner with you to develop a long term talent attraction strategy to ensure that on an ongoing basis you have the right people. Individuals that not only have the requisite skills and experience for the role, but that are also the correct fit for your team. We use a variety of approaches to talent mapping, and we utilise psychometric testing which offers a comprehensive way to assess if an individual’s attributes and behaviours are a fit for your business. There’s no doubt that the next few months are going to be incredibly challenging. Not only have care homes got to contend with the additional pressures they usually face during winter, but added to this is the ongoing fight against Covid-19 and the impact this will have on staffing levels. Effective talent management strategies – that ensure that you are recruiting the people you need and that you are also retaining them on a long-term basis - will be the key to overcoming what lies ahead. Why not let the WR Health team take some of pressure off your team today? We have unrivalled experience in ensuring our clients have the right people in the right roles, and that they are the best fit for their company. The WR Healthcare team is still providing the same high level of service as ever and many of the team are already back in the office. All of our consultants can be reached via their landlines, email, and social media profiles, so if you’re looking to for us to assist your firm with its talent management strategies, get in touch with one of us today.To find out more, contact us today.

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There’s certainly no doubt that Covid-19 has impacted the world of logistics. There were certainly moments during the early stages of lockdown where concerns were raised as to how well the industry would fare. However, the sector was arguably less impacted than others. In fact, in some instances, the pandemic has helped improve the reputation of the arena as the wider public became acutely aware of the crucial role it plays in keeping Britain – and the world – moving. But there’s a new challenge facing businesses now: finding the right logistics skills, and keeping them. A long-standing skills challenge across logistics It’s no secret that logistics has faced a skills shortage for a while now, and it was certainly top of the agenda for many firms prior to the coronavirus outbreak. In fact, just last year the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) released a report with Statista that revealed some rather concerning data. According to the 2019 UK Logistics Monitor, over half (54%) of logistics companies were expecting to see an increase in skills shortages over a five year period. The top three reasons cited for this dearth of talent were a lack of job-specific skills (referenced by 42% of respondents), a lack of work experience (29%) and low wages (25%). In terms of the specific roles that businesses were expecting to struggle to source, software engineers, project managers and executives were predicted to be in high demand but low supply. But it is the tech-specific roles that many felt would be the most difficult to fill. According to the report, 23% of logistics organisations felt that recruiting tech talent is ‘problematic’ and only possible with ‘considerable effort’. Cross-sector job moves Covid-19 arguably alleviated some of these shortages, temporarily at least, as those displaced by the pandemic sought work in other industries that were still hiring. And logistics certainly fell into the latter category. According to recent research from Totaljobs, 7% of the workforce have already switched to a new industry as a result of Covid. And more career moves are on the cards, with the research further revealing that one in five employees are currently considering a future in a different industry. And logistics is one of the areas that is considered popular for those seeking new job security, after all, the pandemic certainly highlighted the resilience of the industry. Considering the above-mentioned elements that are impacting skills shortages, this change in attitudes towards the sector could certainly help overcome the barrier that low wages has had on generating interest in working in the field and, perhaps more importantly, help attract the tech talent that logistics needs. However, while this is good news, it does also throw up a few new challenges. In the first instance, it’s crucial that employers make the most of the continued positive public sentiment before it loses momentum. Looking beyond the usual channels for new recruits and identifying transferable skills from other industries will certainly help keep this new-found respect for logistics front of mind as a career of choice. Focusing on cultural fit of these individuals will also be increasingly important in this new environment. Without the experience or training that you’d normally expect from a candidate, it’s important to know that a new hire will at least fit in with the rest of the business. If they ‘gel’ with your company, its visions and its values, then training the technical side of the role will be much easier. And that leads us quite nicely into the third challenge that logistics employers are facing: an increased need to train and grow the skills they need. Staff development is naturally a key part of the sector, but with more applicants from beyond the logistics arena looking to make a move into the field, there will be a higher demand for skills training. Trade association launches for logistics training providers With this in mind, it’s perhaps no surprise to learn that a new independent trade association was launched last month to bring together specialist logistics training providers across the UK. The Logistics Skills Network – a collaboration between Skills for Logistics (SfL) and leading training provider in the logistics field, Mantra Learning – will work with government organisations and industry leaders to ‘develop and share best practices, knowledge, experience and resources, and offer a communication platform for the coordination of collective interests.’ One of the co-founders of the trade association, and chief executive of SfL commented on the news: “Vocational training has never been properly represented in logistics. This allows us to be a collective voice with lots of training providers working together and will enhance how we’re seen and allow us to properly represent the training industry. "The issue for me and the founders is that the training is very disparate with limited regulation. You have no real national providers, it’s all regional or local. We need a body to properly promote and deal with the government and the DVSA, but also a body that allows training providers to appreciate what they should be doing in this post-Covid world. And without wishing to dismiss what they do, to professionalise them." Finding the logistics skills you need in a post-Covid world It’s certainly been a tough few months and continued uncertainty remains on the horizon for us all as reports of an increase in Covid cases continues to plague the news. However, for logistics employers, there are some glimmers of light in amongst the chaos. We could be at a pivotal point for the sector in terms of skills and talent, but it will take an investment in training and development – not to mention expert collaboration to find transferrable skills from beyond the logistics arena. Here at WR Logistics, our team of experts have extensive experience working with employers to find the right people for their business. If you’re seeking your next hire why not contact the team to find out more about how we can help your firm, including behavioural assessments and comprehensive on-boarding that’s designed to cut costs for your business. In fact, we’re so confident in what we do that we offer a 12-month replacement guarantee should a candidate leave. So, what have you got to lose? Contact us today.

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Back in June we shared some insight into how we think Covid-19 will change the skills needed in social care, with technology driving much of the developments in care homes out of simple necessity to safeguard residents during the pandemic while maintaining family contact. In fact, we have reported the many examples of homes using technology in innovative ways throughout lockdown across our social channels and in our regular ‘Good News Review’ mailers (if you don’t receive these, email emmap@wr-health.com to be added to the mailing list and have uplifting industry stories sent direct to your inbox). But as the country continues to reopen and attempts are made to ‘return to normal’, will we ever go back to caring as we know it, or will care home technology remain in place? According to a recent analysis by carehome.co.uk, tech is here to stay, and staff and residents alike are embracing it. Virtual tours While the pandemic may have prevented in-person visits to homes, the need for residential care has remained. So, in order to continue to allow families of potential patients to take a tour of the facilities when seeking care for a loved one, many homes have turned to virtual tours, and they’ve certainly been valuable. In fact, carehome.co.uk quoted a spokesperson from Halcyon Care Homes where video introductions have proven useful: “We have used the virtual tour for both our care homes. This has been invaluable for us especially during the current pandemic. The tour has allowed those enquiring, the opportunity to look around our care home in great detail. “We offer this feature after we have had a visit giving the opportunity for families and friends to go away and take their time looking at all the facilities we have to offer or, if they are unable to come into the home then this option is great.” Going forward, these tools will make it much easier for families to fit ‘visits’ in at a time that suits them, without taking care home staff away from daily tasks, a win-win all round. Of course, a final in-person visit is the best possible way for anyone to decide which home is best for their loved ones and build the rapport with those who will be caring for them. However, for already stretched social care teams, virtual tours can significantly reduce the time impact that multiple in-person visits will have. And for those potential residents who are perhaps unable to travel to visit multiple locations, having access to this digital facility can really help ease any anxiety during the transition and help them adjust in the lead up to a move. Demand for virtual tech When we consider the benefits that virtual tools have on residents, their family and care home staff, it is perhaps no surprise that specialists in this field – such as Xpansive Digital – have seen a real increase in demand in the last six months. As the company’s director, Justyn Shea, explained: “Anxious relatives naturally want to ensure the older person will be comfortable and content in their new surroundings. The situation can be urgent, with quick decisions required. But how do family members find the best home for their aged parent or relative, especially if they live hundreds of miles away and have limited time to spare from their own busy lives? “A way to identify and experience the most promising homes at a distance could save those relatives a huge amount of time and energy.” “Virtual tours are an ideal addition to any care home website. Managers and staff will be able to direct stressed families in search of the best care home to these powerful online resources, providing reassurance.” Sophisticated care home technology tools Aside from the direct Covid-19 related technology developments like virtual tours, there’s also a raft of tech innovation in the pipeline that could really change the way social care workers operate in the very near future. For example, just last month, Care Home Professional magazine reported the launch of a unique facial analysis tool that can aid care home staff in the identification and management of pain in dementia and cognitively impaired patients. The intelligent pain assessment tool, PainChek®, can analyse facial expressions through artificial intelligence to monitor whether a patient is in pain and alert careers and healthcare professionals. This innovative technology has the potential to significantly impact care where the patient is unable to communicate with carers. For care home staff that work tirelessly to provide the best possible care for residents, this tool has huge potential to change their daily routines for the better. Technology: the future of care homes? Clearly technology will continue to play a role in care homes on a longer-term basis, and the potential it has to assist staff in day-to-day activities make it a worth-while investment. As Professor Martin Green OBE, CEO of Care England, explained, technology really can positively impact care: “The care home of the future will be one that is enabled by technology, and this will improve outcomes for the people in care homes, and it will lift many of the administrative burdens from the staff team, enabling them to focus on the quality of care. Technology will also play a vital part in enabling people in care homes to live as independently as possible and to have choice and control over many more aspects of their lives.” However, it does mean that more professionals will need to be tech savvy in order to make sure the technology really works for them. While training and development of staff will certainly be key, it’s highly likely that we’ll continue to see more employers seeking new hires with a level of experience in numerous tools. That’s where a specialist recruitment partner like WR Health can really add value to your care home. Our team of hiring experts have extensive experience and a wealth of connections across the social care field. Whatever skills you need, we can find them. Why not contact them today to find out more.

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