News posts of '2022' 'August'

Everyone’s needs are different, especially when it involves caring for an individual’s health. Growing pressures on healthcare services in the UK are causing healthcare professionals to lose sight of the patient they are treating, placing too much focus on their condition or illness.

With the right tools, you can realign your practices, and support people in a way that caters to their specific needs.

What is Person-Centred Care?

Person-centred care involves healthcare workers focusing on certain needs of the individual they are caring for. Co-produced care between professionals and patients ensures their preferences are catered to and helps the individual to feel supported.

Recognising that everyone’s needs are different is essential to this approach. Considering the persons values, circumstances, and lifestyle puts them at the centre of all decisions, and consequently, ensures they feel acknowledged, a sense of equality, and that they are receiving the best care.

Establishing a caring relationship between a patient and carer shows that their relationship is just as important as the help that they receive. Flexibility in services, one-to-one discussions and overall partnership shows that their care is person-centred. It is about “doing things with people, rather than ‘to’ them.”

Why is Person-Centred Care So Important?

Ensuring individuals are at the centre of their treatment results in high quality healthcare, which is important for both the individual and the professional.

Sustaining compassion and dignity illustrates to the patients that healthcare providers see past their condition, and therefore stronger relationships can be built.

Upholding these standards of person-centred care can motivate people to stick to their treatment plans – improving their independence and healthcare journey.

One essential by-product of person-centred care is the opportunity it creates to alleviate the strain placed on healthcare providers in the UK. Patient awareness may work to decrease the unnecessary use of emergency services or unrequired occupancy of vital space in hospitals.

How Can Person-Centred Care Be Delivered?

As a result of how varied person-centred care can be, there are many different approaches in how it is delivered. Some of these include:

•          Emotional support
•          The involvement of family and friends
•          Respecting and understanding people’s values
•          Putting individuals at the centre of all care and decisions
•          Treating people with compassion and dignity
•          Continuous and consistent services
•          Providing communication and information
•          Personalised treatment

Ensuring You Have the Right Facilities

Understanding the ins and outs of person-centred care is the first step in ensuring you can deliver treatment effectively and efficiently. Next step? Making sure you have the correct equipment and facilities in place.

At Andway, we provide a range of products, services, and maintenance to help you keep healthcare in hand. Our reliable and responsive service can assist you in supplying personalised treatment plans, facilitating independence, and supporting each patients’ individual needs.

Still in need of advice? Please get in contact.

Over the past two years the healthcare industry has experienced a transformation in many areas. Despite significant advancements in medical care, obstacles and challenges have emerged alongside them.

As a supplier to the industry, we are always keeping tabs on all aspects of healthcare. Here’s our take on what challenges the healthcare industry faces this year.

An Ageing & Diverse Workforce

A look into the demographics of the NHS workforce reveal imbalance and age gaps between staff members. The NHS has a disproportionate number of older staff of which 30,000 retire each year.

The NHS Annual Inclusion Report 2021-22 reports that just under 80% of its staff members are aged 46-60, with 8% aged 61-65. The statistics highlight the dire need for new starters under the age of 30.

As well as this, social responsibility challenges the NHS and healthcare providers to look at the stratification of its workforce in terms of age, gender, disability, and ethnicity.

Consequently, the NHS aims to reshape its workforce, pledging to improve staff diversity by 2025. The NHS have endorsed targets which will help to increase staff of all minorities and aim to reduce an ageing sector.

Rising Inflation

The aftermath of COVID-19, the task of clearing the NHS’s backlog, and improving services has become an ever-increasingly difficult task due to the current economy and rising inflation.  

A key question faced by healthcare providers is how they can improve care, whilst ensuring value for money and keeping up with the rising cost of living.

It has been predicted that NHS day-to-day spending will increase by an average of 3.6% over the next three years, a catastrophic statistic which will only apply more budgetary pressure to an overstretched organisation.

The introduction of the Health and Social Care Levy will attempt to provide additional funding for this sector. It will also place a new cap on care costs and wider improvements to the social care system. Hopefully, the industry will start to see positive developments as a result of the legislation.

Technological Advancements

A digital transformation in healthcare is also here, a process which has been accelerated by the recent pandemic.

Numerous core services have become digitalised, with a growing number of patients seeking treatment for minor ailments through remote video calls with their GPs.

However, facilitating the utilisation of these new advancements into service delivery is a task which requires staff members to have a greater understanding of how the technology works. This is only adding to staff shortages.

In June 2022, the government published a policy paper titled ‘Data Saves Lives’. It aims to feasibly implement new technology that will save NHS spending and create a smoother integration process for staff.

Overall, technological advancements should not be underestimated. They will fundamentally change the way staff work, requiring them work in new ways or in entirely new roles.

How can Andway Help Healthcare Providers?

With our Healthcare in Hand initiative and Experience Level Agreement, Andway can help you improve as a healthcare provider.

Providing cost control, a reliable and responsive service to all of our customers, we will partner with you to ensure you are given personalised and unrivalled assistance in your Care Home.

Regardless of our age, we all strive for independence and enjoy the range of benefits that come with it. From helping to improve physical and mental health, to boosting confidence and self-esteem, independence gives us a sense of purpose and a better overall quality of life.

It is essential that older people are supported to remain as healthy and independent as possible for as long as possible and receive the highest quality of care when they need it.

While ageing can make independent living more challenging, there are various ways we can support individuals living in care homes to maintain independence in their old age.

Creating Safe and Accessible Living Spaces for Seniors

Senior living has evolved in recent years. Advancements in physical environments, services and technology have transformed the care homes of the past into attractive, comfortable and enjoyable living spaces for senior residents.

By introducing some of the following solutions, independent living can be achievable to many:

•       Medical Alert Systems

Medical alert systems are commonly used in care home and hospital settings to ensure residents’ needs are monitored. Having a medical alert system in place enables seniors to continue living independently, safe in the knowledge that an emergency dispatch, nurse or caregiver can be called for with just the touch of a button.

•       Care Home Modifications

Simple modifications can help seniors living in care homes to maintain a safer and more independent life by minimising the risk of falling and serious injury. Examples of minor modifications include grab rails and toilet aids, which enable various needs, hygiene and otherwise, to be fulfilled independently, and ramps/stairlifts, which are especially useful for seniors living with conditions affecting mobility, such as Parkinson’s, osteoporosis or arthritis.

•       Independent Living Aids

Independent living aids help seniors to remain self-reliant by taking care of simple daily activities. From teapot tippers to tap turners, there are a huge range of independent living products on the market that are designed to assist individuals with strength or mobility issues and boost confidence in the process.

Planning For Safety

Maintaining a safe environment is not only paramount to preventing injury but also to ensuring independence for seniors whose cognitive abilities may be impaired.

Care homes should be equipped with all the necessary fire safety equipment, including specialist smoke alarms, which are especially important for individuals with hearing or visual difficulties, and carbon monoxide detectors. Staff should also be trained specifically in fire safety practises for vulnerable residents.

Working With You to Ensure Independence for Seniors

At Andway Healthcare, we specialise in the provision of products and services designed to facilitate independence in care home environments. Our products are easily applied to a variety of care settings, helping your staff to provide the highest quality of care and the fastest possible response in the event of an emergency.

For expert advice regarding our product range, or to arrange a full site visit, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.