Nurses working in private care homes across Wales have been given a new voice.
The new training and support network is part of an all-Wales initiative by Care Forum Wales (CFW) which represents 550 independent care service providers.
CFW is setting up 10 special interest groups to encourage staff development, including nursing, children and young people, residential, mental health, learning disabilities, dementia and hospice and domiciliary care.
Kim Ombler, the manager of the family-run Glan Rhos nursing home near Brynsiencyn, Anglesey, Kim Ombler is among those leading the drive to set up the care homes nursing group in North Wales.
Nurses and managers attended the inaugural training and study session at the Conwy Business Centre in Llandudno Junction.
Between them, the independent sector care homes of North Wales have more beds than the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
Kim said: “The situation is changing and people are realising that good things go on in the independent sector.
“I have just taken on two new nurses, one with eight years’ experience and the other who qualified two years ago and they would rather work in the independent sector because there is more time be with clients..
“We wanted to try and give nurses working in the private sector more training and we have asked them what they need so that we can take this back to Care Forum Wales.
“There has already been a similar study session in South Wales in Cardiff and we hope there can be one organised in Mid Wales. Hopefully these sessions can be held regularly.
“This year we hope for a second session in September/October and have opened it up to non-CFW members by paying a very small fee,” said Kim, whose nursing home was established by her family 22 years ago.
At the opening session experts from Boots the Chemist provided up to date information on medication, dementia and the effects of drugs.
Kim added: “Because of cut-backs in the NHS there are trained nurses telephoning now to enquire about working in the private sector and they believe they will get a different type of training in the independent sector.”
The extra training for independent sector nurses has also been welcomed by Jane Lewis, manager of Wepre Villas care home in Connah’s Quay.
“It’s nice that an organisation like CFW has thought about training for nurses because in the past there difficulty in finding out information.
“I’ve had a couple of enquiries from nurses in the NHS within the last couple of weeks wanting to work in the independent sector.
“I started out in the NHS and went to work abroad and then returned to work in the independent sector.
One innovative development the group is exploring is to provide a support network to all nurses, initially starting with seven local support groups in each of the seven health board areas of Wales.
One idea is to run an e-mail service for nurses. If they are not able to speak to their manager, for whatever reason, they could e-mail their question and CFW will endeavour to answer any question she, or he, may have.
Nurses have to study to maintain their professional registration and the new support group will offer training days which will meet the professional organisation portfolio requirements.
Former ‘Nurse of the Year’ Rachel Kemp – matron of the College Fields nursing home in Barry – has the job of heading the care homes nursing group. She said a similar launch session in South Wales went well and was “very positive.”
“The feed-back suggests nurses found this very motivational and has been very well accepted by nurses and I believe it will go from strength to strength. Nurses now know that we are here to support them in every way possible,” she said.
“We intend to be proactive and there is definitely support in numbers and nurses are learning that there is support out there and we have a voice.
“People are able to say ‘I am not happy with that and I am not a lone voice, I am not isolated.’
