The Care Home Education Service focuses on educating staff to keep residents well, recognise when residents become unwell and how to effectively escalate concerns to healthcare professionals.
Our journey so far
Since 2016 North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust has successfully developed and delivered a programme of training sessions to all adult care homes across the Stockton and Hartlepool area.
The sessions have been funded by the Better Care Fund (BCF).
Previous partnership working
For the first seven years this was delivered through an alliance of services called the North Tees and Hartlepool Education Alliance (NTHEA). This included the Clinical Education Team at North Tees and Hartlepool, Alice House Hospice, respiratory nurses at North Tees and Hartlepool, falls teams at Stockton and Hartlepool local authorities, Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, stoma specialist nurses and the oral health promotion team.
The aim has always been to;
- Improve knowledge and confidence of both registered and non-registered care staff working in long-term 24-hour care
- Support the workforce to make informed decisions – resulting in a reduction in emergency department attendances and avoidable admissions into hospital
- Improve wellbeing and the quality of care delivered to residents by care staff
From Monday 1 April 2024 the service was refreshed and is no longer an alliance model.
The clinical education team continues to offer services to adult care homes and extra care schemes under the Care Home Education Service, all other services are already established and continue to offer their training and support independently.
Our current offer
The revised Enhanced Health in Care Homes Framework (November 2023) highlighted the implementation of tools to support the identification of deterioration – including escalation plans, soft signs and NEWS2, with an emphasis on digital technology to support people’s health and wellbeing.
In line with this framework, the clinical education team at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust continues to deliver education and support to adult care homes across Stockton and Hartlepool.
What we offer
Our education is delivered bespoke to the care homes needs, including delivery method, duration of sessions and the topics required. Delivery methods include face-to-face, virtual (MS Teams) or e-learning depending on the needs and preferences of the care home.
All training is provided free of charge.
Topics offered
Recognising Deterioration
Soft signs including the ‘Is my Resident Unwell?’ (IMRU) tool, NEWS2 (National Early Warning Score) and SBARD communication tool to support referrals and escalation of concerns.
Access to e-Learning modules including;
- Recognising deterioration
- Understanding sepsis recognition and escalation
- Nutrition in the older person including use of the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST)
- Hydration and urinary tract infection (UTI) prevention including catheter care
- Pressure ulcers and prevention of skin damage
Homes that are in the ‘Responding to and Addressing Serious Concerns’ (RASC) process will be offered bespoke education support from the Care Home Education Service alongside other colleagues within the wider multidisciplinary team.
Useful links
NHS England: Enhanced health in care homes framework (November 2023)Digital health monitoring: information and support
As part of the Care Home Education Service adult care homes across Stockton and Hartlepool have access to digital technology to support monitoring of the health of residents and to support effective referrals to healthcare professionals.
The digital platform used to support this health monitoring Whzan.
This can be accessed by the digital kits (blue box) that have been in place in all adult care homes across Stockton and Hartlepool for a number of years. The platform can also be accessed via a separate tablet or computer via the Whzan app if needed.
As part of the Care Home Education Service, each tablet within the digital kit (blue box) has 4G internet access and an annual subscription to the Whzan website; which is provided free of charge to the homes.
What we expect of all adult care homes across Stockton and Hartlepool:
- To complete regular NEWS2 monitoring of residents to establish the resident’s baseline score
- If a resident is unwell and requires a referral to a healthcare professional, complete a NEWS2 score and the IMRU tool which can be accessed remotely by healthcare professionals to support clinical decision making
- To ensure that the digital kit (blue box) is maintained and in good working order, that replacement equipment is ordered and to report any issues to the Solcom helpline
Useful links
Whzan: Digital remote health monitoring platformSolcom contact
Trust digital support contact
Extra care scheme education offer
From Monday 1 April 2024, the Care Home Education Service has been widened to include ‘Extra Care Schemes’ in Stockton and Hartlepool – which provide assistance for people who have social care needs and require support to live independently.
What we offer
Our education is delivered bespoke to the Extra Care Schemes, including delivery method, duration of sessions and the topics required. Delivery methods include face-to-face, virtual (MS Teams) or e-learning depending on the needs / preferences of the provider. All training is provided free of charge.
Topics offered
Wellbeing of the older person
This includes hydration and UTI prevention and nutrition and skin integrity, focussing on keeping people well and recognising when they become unwell (soft signs of deterioration) and escalation of concerns.
Access to e-Learning modules including;
- Recognising deterioration
- Understanding sepsis recognition and escalation
- Nutrition in the older person including use of the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) tool.
- Hydration and urinary tract infection (UTI) Prevention including catheter care
- Pressure ulcers and prevention of skin damage
Printable resources
These documents are designed to be printed off by professionals and used as a resource within your care home.
Urine colour chart (307kB pdf)
Bristol stool chart (270kB pdf)
Is my resident unwell checklist (134kB pdf)
Useful links
Pressure Ulcer Recommendations and Clinical PathwaySupport with NMC revalidation
- If registered nurses working within any of the care homes covered by the service require support with their NMC Revalidation, the Care Home Education Service can offer support, as needed. Please use the contact details on this page.
How to contact us
Care home education team
Email
[email protected]