Care overview
homes to implement more measures to reduce the spread of infection. One forum respondent commented: “It’s hard to remember life before COVID-19 and all the changes to practices and policies are now the norm.” As a consequence, care professionals
were on the brink of information overload, with 91 per cent of respondents experiencing challenges with changing regulations. “It was difficult to keep up to date with all the guidance – and these changes were even harder to implement.” Information needed to be cascaded quickly but according to care home managers this was easier said than done. The ongoing guidance was sometimes complex and confusing and required a large amount of time to read and relay key points to staff, families, and residents. Forty per cent of survey respondents state that, over the past two years, paperwork has seen the most negative change, and 63 per cent are finding increased inspections a challenge. It is worth pointing out here that the whole premise of a residential care home is so an individual can feel supported in a ‘home from home’ environment, where they can feel comfortable in their
between providing a level of ‘human’ care and ensuring that all infection prevention measures are being carried out compliantly. A report on the impact of ‘excessive paperwork’ by The Joseph Rowntree Foundation, a UK charity that seeks to drive social change, highlights that the burden of paperwork can take care home managers away from the activities they should be engaged in to ensure a high-level of care is delivered.
surroundings. Yet, increased infection prevention protocols can create a setting that feels more clinical than ‘homely’. This can add additional strain on staff who, without structured clinical training, might find it difficult to find the right balance
These ‘bureaucracy burdens’ are not just a problem for UK care homes – countries across the EU have their own paperwork complexities to navigate as each country has its own rules and regulations. Then there is the governance that happens at a local level in different districts, jurisdictions, and counties. While more rules and regulations are meant to ensure quality assurance in care, especially when it comes to risk reduction and improved performance, at times it can be conflicting for important stakeholders e.g., families, staff, and residents. Germany, for example, has federal states that had very different regulations in response to COVID-19, so there was a lot of confusion and uncertainty around procedures.
April 2023
www.thecarehomeenvironment.com
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