Care home information

This page brings together key information, guidance and support for local care homes. It includes learning opportunities, incident reporting information and practical guidance to support safe, person-centred care.

Care home training

Care home staff can access a range of learning opportunities delivered and supported by the Learning and Development team and partners across the Health and Social Care Partnership, voluntary sector and private sector.

You can find current courses, learning opportunities and workforce development information on our Learning and Development pages.

Reporting incidents in Perth and Kinross care homes

Providers must notify Perth and Kinross HSCP within 24 hours of any incident, accident or near miss that has the potential to affect the health, safety or welfare of a resident.

This should include the resident's SWIFT or AIS number where available.

You can use the care home incident reporting form to report an incident.

Further guidance is available in the recording and reporting of incidents in a care home leaflet. Information about keeping adults safe is also available on our Adult support and protection pages.

NHS Tayside care home information

NHS Tayside provides a dedicated webpage for care home managers, with access to key contacts, clinical referral forms and training information for managers and staff.

This can be used alongside local Perth and Kinross care home information to help staff access the support, guidance and clinical resources they need.

Reducing pressure ulcers in care homes

Pressure ulcers can be an unwanted complication of illness, physical disability or increasing frailty. Older people living in care homes are among the most vulnerable and may be at higher risk of developing pressure ulcers.

Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership has worked with national and local partners, including Healthcare Improvement Scotland, the Scottish Patient Safety Programme, the Care Inspectorate, Scottish Care and local care homes, to support improvement in this area.

Local care homes are encouraged to follow agreed standards, guidance and good practice resources to support the prevention and management of pressure ulcers. This includes using consistent approaches to assessment, prevention, monitoring and escalation where needed.

Information for residents and families about preventing pressure ulcers is also available through national resources.

• Safeguarding adults protocol: pressure ulcers and raising a safeguarding concern - GOV.UK
• Provision of pressure relieving equipment for care home residents - standard operating procedure | Right Decisions 
• Risk assessment | Diagnosis | Pressure ulcers | CKS | NICE
• Pressure Ulcer Safety Cross (PDF, 85 KB)
• Pressure Ulcer Safety Cross Guidance (PDF, 201 KB)
• Podiatry Request for Assistance Care Home (PDF, 62 KB) (For PRINT)

Reducing falls in care homes

Falls can have a significant impact on a person's wellbeing, confidence and independence. Older people living in care homes are more likely to fall than those living in their own homes, and the effects of these falls can often be more serious.

A range of factors can increase the risk of falling, including frailty, long term conditions, reduced mobility, medication and unfamiliar surroundings. However, the right support and early action can help reduce both the risk of falls and the harm caused by them.

Care homes are encouraged to take a proactive approach to falls prevention by reviewing current practice, identifying areas for improvement and using appropriate tools and guidance to support staff.

This may include:

• completing a falls self-assessment
• developing a local falls resource for staff
• using falls risk assessment and post-fall review tools
• supporting staff with training and awareness raising
• embedding falls prevention into day-to-day care

Falls prevention is everyone's responsibility, and local resources can help care homes build this into everyday practice.

• Falls portal | British Geriatrics Society
• Falls - NHS
• Managing falls and fractures in care homes for older people | Care Inspectorate 
• NHS Tayside - Mobility, Falls and Equipment

Enablement

Enablement, sometimes called reablement, is about helping people re-learn skills or develop new ones so they can maintain or improve their independence and quality of life.

In care home settings, support can sometimes focus too much on doing things for people rather than with them. Over time, this can lead to residents losing confidence, everyday skills and opportunities to remain active and involved in daily life.

In Perth and Kinross, we want to support a positive culture where care is built around the resident and where people are encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves, with the right support in place. This can help improve independence, physical health, confidence, self-esteem and overall wellbeing.

Enablement can be part of everyday activities such as:

• getting washed and dressed
• preparing or having breakfast
• making the bed
• taking part in hobbies and leisure activities
• walking and increasing movement throughout the day

Graded activities

Everyday activities can be broken down into smaller steps to help residents build confidence and skills over time. This approach can support people to take part in meaningful activity at a level that is right for them.

When thinking about an activity, it can help to consider:

• physical demands such as movement, strength, posture and energy
• sensory needs such as vision or touch
• concentration, memory and understanding
• motivation and emotional wellbeing
• the environment, equipment and space available
• timing and pace
• safety

This approach can support more personalised care and help residents remain active and involved in daily life.

• Reablement | Care Information Scotland