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March Staff Meeting Minutes
Staff meeting – March 2023
What is going on well for the staff/company? Everyone had a chance to share
- Communication between carers and clients is good.
- Communication between carers’ management good
Areas to focus on
- More hours for the carers -It is improving but could be better. – Zack explained the hours and how these are allocated. The challenge around drivers where discussed. Staff encouraged to take on driving lessons.
- Communication between carers during double-ups -Perhaps to choose the right time to correct each other.
- Concerns around discussions that take place between staff around sharing fuel costs. This is mainly around how to share this fairly depending on how many hours the trip is for the driver and passengers.
- Carers could try and resolve issues amongst themselves by open communication.
Staff doing double-ups –
- Each person does things differently, but the service users have been assessed to require support for that length of time. If we are offering care quickly rather than thinking about how we offer the care. It is about how we offer the care and how they feel after our care delivery. The delivery of care involves cleaning, companionship, and self-care lets show compassion during this care delivery, please.
- Carers could allocate a leader each time when we complete a task – Carers can swap leadership so that carers do not argue or look like they are teaching each other what to do in front.
- For carers to get licenses so that the drivers can get off days as they wish
Culture conversations
Sophie shared her observation about cultural differences when delivering care. Sophie observed that in this country you would need to explain the next stage and check if they are consenting/ agreeing for a carer to offer the care.
Some differences and learning shared about telling the patient what the carer plans to do. We would like to comb/brush your hair, how do you feel about it? Would you like to do it yourself or would you prefer for us to do it? Please can I move your head slightly? So that we can brush the back of her head? How does that feel? How do you normally have your hair? Smile and speak low tone, and try to make an effort to pronounce the words in such a manner that they understand, check that they have understood your request.
Carers advised to check service user preference – Would you like a cup of tea? How do you like your tea? Do you like it black (no milk) or white (with milk)? Do you like it weak (lots of milk) or strong (little milk)? Does the tea look okay?
Discussed some learning from some of the experiences carers experienced in the month. The carer shared a situation where the patient turned off the TV at the client’s request. They switched off the television from the main point, they put the remote on a table and upon leaving they forgot. The carers were advised that we look after patients who are bedbound. We therefore need to make sure that before leaving their house everything they may need is within reach.
Carers shared an experience where the family advised that they did not have a bowl to wash Mum at the time. He advised for carers to use the one in the sink. When the carers got to the client the carers were informed by the client that she had sourced another bowl for personal care and the son did not know. The client then asked the carers to get another bowl from the wardrobe. We advised that where the client can talk, we need to ask them and not the family to involve them if they can make those decisions.
The team discussed car sharing and how the team is currently managing. Some discussions around individual experiences during driving and sharing expenses. Drivers talked about car expenses e.g. insurance., MOT, Service/Repair, Road tax, and fuel The team talked openly about some of the worries and conflicts they have faced. The team talked about the experience of both the driver and the non-driver. The team reminded that anyone who is employed by the organization has stated that they can drive however on arrival in the country they then stated that they cannot drive because they drive on a different side of the road.
February Staff Meeting Minutes
The meeting began with introductions and roles and welcomed new workers (May and Agnes)
Topics Discussed
Annual leave – Annual leave entitlement. Explained annual leave entitlement and how this can be taken. The South East annual leave year starts on 1 April and ends on March 31st. Explained that the start date determines how much staff will get. Annual leave entitlement is 28 days a full working year.
Staff Wellbeing
Discussed staff well-being and the importance of staff feeling well. This can be in the form of exploring everyone’s needs raising concerns and working with the management and team to seek some way forward. Staff conflicts will also be looked at to resolve problems together. Management was clear about treating each person as an individual listening to them and trying to seek resolution individually and then as a group where this is applicable across the board.
Discussed management approach to have an open-door policy where patients and staff can raise concerns as they arise. This is to encourage issues to be resolved as they come and allow people to move on. This is in recognition that everyone wakes up to try and do a good job but we do not always get it right. If you feel that things are not going as well as they should please approach us. Management will also want to support you with personal issues you may have and see of we can support or signpost you to the right support
Contracts and Working times directives discussed.
Staff encouraged to check the contracts. 48-hour Opt-out form discussed, and the form is to be emailed to everyone and those who are willing to work above 48 hours to email back
Travel expenses!
Discussed travel expenses and how these are being paid currently. The company pays £1.25 for the drivers. This covers part of their travel costs but staff who car share can discuss fuel costs as individuals.
Payment reviews to match minimum wage requirements in April
From 1st April 2024 the UK minimum wage will increase to £11.44 per hour. The current minimum was £10.42 per hour. The Tean will be reviewing yours to step up to match the change.
Learning from Incidents and Celebrating some of our successes
Chris shared his learning from an incident – Positive practice about finding his client on the floor. Unwitnessed fall and their wife was present. Wife and patient was asking Chris to lift him off the floor. The patient could not get himself off the floor. Management was contacted and an ambulance was contacted for support. They advised them to make themselves comfortable on the floor and they attended. Chris left for his next call. Later on in the evening Chris went back and was told the patient was deceased
Tanaka shared his experience about one of his clients who had left the home and he found them wandering out in the rain. The patient was soaking wet and he supported the client back in the home, ensured the client was warm, and contacted management to raise concerns. The family was informed and advised the patient has a note with his address in his pocket normally to support him with getting back home in case he forgets. The patient was appreciative of the support however felt that the current plan to keep the address in their pocket would support his well-being by going out regularly.
Mike shared his learning from experience where he realized that the next of kin was not putting the heaters on. The next of kin agreed to do this. He wrote this in his notes to ensure that the room he was in was warm Ambulance crew who had attended had raised a concern that the house was not habitable because house was not warm enough however Mike was able to share that he was documenting each time about putting the heat on and ensuring room is warm each time. It was emphasised that the Warmth and cleanliness of our client’s homes are very important in our delivery of care. We must check each time our clients’ well-being.
Farlen shared an incident with some learning for the team. The patient was deceased around 06;00 hours. Farlen contacted Clara who advised her to inform their wife who was in the house. Clara contacted the deceased’s daughter and son. The daughter attended where Farlen was still there, but she stated that she would wait for her brother. The family informed Farlen that they did not know what to do and Farlen advised that if they contacted Clara, she would be able to advise. Learning for us was that we are not to assume that families have made plans or know what to do in the event of losing their loved one. Where possible we are now proactively supporting families to explore what support they may require in the event of losing their loved one.
Grace shared incident where patient has an incident where the client was to hold her hand on the bar and get up in a bath however lost her grip and this led to her almost falling. staff supported her but she sustained a skin tear. The patient was supported. staff applied a paster dressing which was in the house. Learning was that we are not to apply dressings and posters etc on the wound but advised to tell family, being open and honest, and then district nurses. Carers advised that we are to acknowledge our limitations and call in experts to do patient dressing to reduce the risk of infection
Elijah shared his experience where he reported that the patient’s family had offered him money to cover a night shift. Elijah refused but on reflection, he went back the next day and was told the client was diseased. Elijah felt that it was helpful that he did not accept the offer as it is possible that the client would have died with him which would mean that he would not be covered by the company.
Mike shared his experience where he had been informed by his family about another staff member’s concerning practice and he was told it was between them and he had not raised however family ended up raising this as a safeguarding. He reflected that perhaps he should have told management which might have prompted a local resolution.
Driving, breaks, and off days were discussed.
Management prompted staff to use their driving licenses and those who do not have licenses to actively seek to drive as the role requires people to drive to access people in their homes. Staff encouraged to ask Zack for annual leave. Management discussed the offer that is there to support people to buy cars using the company scheme. Staff were encouraged to approach management if they required support.
Spot checks
Chris and Michael have recently had some training to attend calls and use checklists to do spot checks to ensure that we are all working to a certain standard. Mike and Chris will let you know what their findings are and Clara will also do some,
Team thanked and date for next meeting to be discussed.
Important Documents
TOP TIPS & REMINDERS
DO’
Work within the Care Plan, let your line manager know if you are asked to do additional things. Always be asking yourself “Is the Care Plan meeting the customer’s stated outcomes or needs?”
Always remember you are in the customer’s home; ensure you give them the independence they need, support them in making decisions.
If you have any problems/worries/concerns about you or your customer inform your line manager or the on-call manager as soon as possible. We would rather you ring us and get things correct then make a mistake via an assumption.
Ensure everything is documented such as medication on the eMAR chart, critical incidents and visit records. Document anything that is important to customer or to you.
Ensure that all changes to medication or creams are advised to your line manager or the on-call manager as soon as possible so that the eMAR (electronic documentation) can be updated.
Ensure the customer is always appropriately dressed and covered, even during periods when personal care is being given.
Ensure all appliances are switched off once they have been used.
Never lift/ move the customer unless agreed in the Care Plan.
For some clients in domiciliary care ensure the food in the fridge is checked daily and not expired. For all live in clients ensure the food in the fridge is checked daily and not expired.
- Inform your line manager or the on-call manager if you are ill or sick for any reason.
- It is expected that you pre-agree menus, check suitability of ingredients, cook and eat with the customer on a daily basis. Special diets should be agreed prior to the start of the assignment.
- It is expected that you pre-agree menus, check suitability of ingredients, cook and eat with the customer on a daily basis. Special diets should be agreed prior to the start of the assignment.
- For live-in ensure that you provide or receive a handover of knowledge at every break so that critical changes in needs are understood. For domiciliary check on Care Control if their any handover notes or read the previous days notes to check for critical changes.
- Socialisation, becoming part of the customers daily support structure, is a critical ingredient of the success of any Live-In assignment. It is expected that you encourage social interaction with family & friends or other local supporters and engage in daily activities that support the customers changing personalisation needs.
DON'T
You are in the customers home, there should be no guests coming to visit you. The customer is a vulnerable adult and their home should be kept confidential.
For live in care or some long day/night shifts under no circumstance you leave the customer alone in their property unless it’s specifically covered in the care plan or your line manager or the on-call manager has instructed you to, even when instructed to leave by the customer or their family. There is always a reason why the customer has a live-in carer or a sit in carer.
For live in care, in your daily rest break, ensure you take only a 2 hours, no more. Inform your line manager or the on-call manager if you are going to be late for any reason, the relief carer may have somewhere else to get to.
Do not take or spend any money without documenting with itemised receipts. i.e. shopping for the household.
Do not use the customer’s phone or wi-fi without specific written approval unless it’s in an emergency. Remember that watching TV, YouTube or similar videos on your personal device will use significant wi-fi bandwidth and you may be requested to compensate customers for overuse.
Do not drive the customer’s car unless you have been insured correctly for business use.
Do not drink alcohol at all or take any other substances in the customer’s home which are not “over the counter” medications or prescribed by a doctor.
Do not leave the customer’s house empty and unsecured for any reason, unless agreed with your line manager.
You must not use the customer’s address as your UK home address unless we have expressly agreed in writing that you may do so AND with the agreement of the customer, save that you may register with a local GP, dentist or other medical practitioner as living temporarily at the customer’s address, for the sole purpose of obtaining personal medical treatment or care address, for the sole purpose of obtaining personal medical treatment or care.
For live-in care if you feel the accommodation or facilities provided by the customer is inadequate for any reason (i.e. disturbance at night, lack of mobile signal, etc.) such inadequacies should always be discussed with your line manager. In no circumstances should this be raised by you with the customer or their family.