Latest News
Forthcoming events.
Firstly I would like to take the opportunity to thank all our staff in all our homes for their valiant efforts through the snow and bad weather to turn up for their duties.
We are now well into the new year 2012, this is the time when Managers and staff usually get together and talk about new and fresh ideas and talk about all sorts of plans to make the year better for our Residents / Patients.
Naturally, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the Olympic Games will have lots of extra attention, but just in the first half of the year, we will celebrate Valentines Day this month,
St. David's day, St. Patrick's day, Mothers Day in March and Easter in April, not forgetting the Queen's Birthday in June.
In each of our homes the Activities Ladies together with a committee of helpers will plan well ahead of time and make sure each of these occasions will be given that extra bit of attention.
To keep you in touch with recent news, I am happy to report that the extra accommodation we had built at the Oriel Care Home in Stourbridge was soon booked up and the residents love the new orangery.
The recent Re-Launch of the Vicarage Nursing Home went ahead very successfully and the impact was felt immediately.
Plans to further extend the Shrubbery Nursing Home are in with the planners and we will look forward to a favourable result.
In keeping with our emphasis on continually offering our residents the best quality of food, the Kitchen Managers are at the present moment making adjustments to the menus.
Shortly, we will have printed and released our half yearly News Letter which will bring you up-to-date with all the recent news in each of our homes. These I understand will be posted to each one of you.
Rest assured that Margaret, myself, Christine Potter and all her team will do our best to keep all patients in our care, safe and well cared for.
Roger Ephraims.
Managing Director.
February 2012.
Christine Potter
Group Operations Manager.
Christine qualified as an RGN in 1984 gaining experience working on surgical, medicine and orthopaedic units. In 1987 she was appointed as Sister in Charge of an Elderly Care Unit. The following year she was promoted to Day Services Manager fro South Birmingham. This gave her an insight into the many Care Homes in the West Midlands and she was able to assess the suitability of the Homes for the patients.
In 1994 she applied to the Health Authority to be an inspector. This involved measuring private care homes, hospices, private hospitals, dialysis units and other care facilities against appropriate regulations. This work she found very inspiring, her work principally was supporting the Registered Providers to keep improving their Homes. Even though the regulations and the organisation changed, the main theme was to promote a message of consistency.
She was attracted to her current position as it was a ‘family Business’ with the emphasis being on care for the Residents. She quickly recognised that Roger and Margaret Ephraims along with their family are committed in ensuring Residents and Staff alike are well looked after. They are supportive and recognise the importance of meeting the statutory requirements from the Regulatory bodies.
With her knowledge and understanding background Christine will further develop the Homes moving them forward to ensure that Ephraims Care Group is ahead of the legislation changes and other providers.
Food Service in our Group of Care Homes
Just this past few weeks much has been reported about the CQC inspections in hospitals and nursing homes and the unacceptable and poor results for all to see.
In addition to the poor levels of care a further area of concern was the poor quality of food being served and the huge amounts of food uneaten and thrown away as waste.
In my short message this month, I would like to concentrate on our provisions of good food within the Group.
A key strategy for the management team is to consistently provide a high standard of well balanced and nutritious food in our modern and up to date kitchens. We take pride in investing in the latest ovens and baking equipment enabling us to produce meals that have a daily choice of fresh local produce on the menu.
We have appointed experienced chefs to manager our kitchens and produce home cooked meals and cater to our residents needs each day. The menus are constantly changed to emphasise variety and quality.
All our homes constantly receive awards for food, health and hygiene. Allenbrook Nursing Home has achieved a gold standard from Dudley Council for the last five years. Also during the same period it was awarded a five star award for excellent standards of food hygiene.
We make a special effort to cater for the seasonal events during the year including all birthdays. These are great fun and well attended. We encourage family and friends to dine with us as regularly as possible and this provides useful feedback and a feeling of wellbeing in the Homes.
When preparing individual Care Plans our nursing staff take great care to forward all relevant nutritional information in regard to likes and dislikes to the catering manager who actions the findings accordingly.
All of us, as a Team, will endeavour to continue to supply a nutritional, locally produced menu for all residents in our Care.
Roger & Margaret Ephraims.
October 2011.