Successful Collaboration Improves the Lives of Residents and Healthcare Workers

The Wales Care Home Project was launched in January as an initiative to safeguard the lives of care home residents and reduce the impact on ambulance services through the distribution of lifting equipment and education of care home staff.

The project has been running for 6 months with nearly 600 care homes taking part across Wales. Over the past months, each care home has received a Mangar Camel Lifting Cushion, which was selected by the Welsh Government and Welsh Ambulance Service as the lifting equipment of choice. Care home staff has received training on post fall management protocols, how to use the lifting device and been introduced to health assessment techniques used by paramedics.

Speaking about the lifting equipment, Ann Chapman, Registered Manager at Bondlondeb Care Home (Pendine Park) said; “It is a very useful addition to our home and will come in very handy.”

Alice Cann, Deputy Manager at Llanfair Grange Care Home continued, “The Camel Lifting Cushion continues to be very good. We have now trained all our staff on using it and it will be very beneficial for the future”.

Toby Stockton, Registered Manager at Ty Draw Lodge Residential Home quickly realised the importance of having lifting equipment available soon after receiving training; “We just had a chap have a seizure in Wentworth Lodge, – we were able to lift him with a lifting device – and although he did need hospital treatment anyway because of the length of seizure – the ambulance crew were very pleased he is up off the floor – Who would have thought within one hour of the training we would be using it!”

Toby Stockton continued; “We are using the ISTUMBLE chart and Camel Lifting Cushion and they are working well at avoiding 999 calls for sure!”

Every year, more than 10,000 residents living in care homes in Wales will fall and usually, manual handling policies restrict options care staff have for lifting. Therefore, care homes commonly rely on a paramedic to perform the lift, even if the faller is uninjured, which puts added pressure on the already stretched Welsh Ambulance Service.

Simon Claridge, CEO at Mangar Health said; “It’s been an honour to be involved in the Wales Care Home Project, especially when you see the positive feedback and results that have already come out of it. In fact, an early project evaluation has shown an 80% reduction in decisions to call an ambulance within the first month of receiving the support package.”

If you’d further information regarding the Wales Care Home Project or would like a demonstration of the Mangar Camel Lifting Cushion, please email sales@mangarhealth.com or call 01544 267674.