About Dementia Care

Dementia Care was set up as a registered charity in 1993 to provide services for people with dementia and their carers. We provide specialist care, support and advice to people with dementia and other neurological disorders, such as acquired brain injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.

We also support a small number of people with functional mental health disorders and learning disabilities where our skills meet individual’s specialist requirements.

We offer 24-hour care in people's homes, respite care, dementia designed specialist day services at our centres in Newcastle upon Tyne and Hexham and our unique independent supported living housing.

We also help carers and family members by sharing our knowledge through offering training and advice on practical care support and when needed, specialised respite care.

As a care provider, we are regulated by the Care Quality Commission and, as a registered charity; we are regulated by the Charity Commission.

We pride ourselves in offering the best quality of life for people with dementia and their families by:

  • treating everyone with dignity, respect and kindness,
  • training our staff to the highest standards and supporting them to be the best that they can be,
  • listening to what you want and acting upon it,
  • investing in providing first rate care at prices consistent with a charity; and
  • pushing forward the standards in dementia care to provide better care for people, investing in research, training and support for other professionals and carers.

Independent Supported Living Houses

Recognised as a beacon of good practice, our small group, independent supported living model of care is unique for people with dementia. Four or five people live together within a ‘family’ atmosphere, supported by our highly trained and dedicated staff in a safe and secure environment.

Home Support

Our support is tailored to each person’s individual needs. Call times range from 30 minutes to 24 hour support on a 1:1 basis. Care is provided to; help around the house, provide companionship, give personal care, maintain hygiene, administering medication, shopping and cooking, household duties and accompanying people on trips out

Respite

People staying in our Respite Centre have full use of the wide range of facilities on offer in our Newcastle Day Centre, including taking meals in our restaurant. However, there is a separate lounge and kitchen/dining room in the Respite Centre for when people want some quiet time.

Newcastle & Hexham Day Clubs

We currently have two day centres, one in Newcastle upon Tyne and a smaller one in Hexham, both of which offer specialist care in a cheerful and sociable environment.

The centres offer a full range of activities, including exercise classes and dancing, singing and musical activities, shared reminiscing and nostalgia sessions, arts and crafts and cookery, along with the opportunity to enjoy outings and other social occasions.

About the role:

Job Title:Care & Operations Manager (Newcastle)

Location:Bradbury Day Centre (travel will be required)

Salary:£36,400 per annum

Hours:37 hours per week, Monday – Friday

There may be some occasional out of hours work.

Notice:2 months

As Care & Operations Manager you will be responsible for overseeing and managing all of Dementia Care’s care and support services. The role will be varied with a key focus on meeting CQC and other audit requirements, whilst ensuring there is a strong team of people in place overseeing and delivering a high standard and quality of care.

The role will provide support in some aspects of Health & Safety and HR, however this will be in conjunction with the Head of Operations and Head of HR & Training.

Best practice and audit and compliance will form a key part of this role.

Key aspects of the role are:

Best Practice

  • Ensuring that all individuals receive person-centered support in line with their support plan and/or individual requirements.
  • Ensuring that the quality of a person’s life is maintained and/or improved and that people with dementia and other neurological disorders are given full support to achieve the best possible outcomes.
  • Actively promoting a positive image for Dementia Care.
  • Working in conjunction with the Head of Best Practice to ensure ongoing compliance with CQC and Skills for Care standards and best practice in all aspects of the operational remit.
  • Producing, amending and rolling out of policies and procedures.
  • Working with the Head of Best practice to ensure the training needs of all Care & Support Workers are being met in line with best practice and in line with the needs and requirements of those we support generally and in specific packages.
  • Collaborating with the Head of Best Practice to maintain a culture of continual service improvement, ensuring that delivery is fit for purpose and line with current and future business needs.
  • Being a member of Care Quality Committee

Deliver of Care Quality

  • Managing, monitoring and reporting on the performance of each contract through understanding specific contract requirements, monitoring information and reporting mechanisms.
  • Supporting service specific managers and Specialist Workers to develop their services in accordance with the service agreement.
  • Conducting periodic internal reviews and audits to ensure that compliance procedures are adequate, proportionate, understood and followed.
  • Working in conjunction with the Head of Best Practice to ensure ongoing compliance within the remit of commissioned contracts.
  • Taking shared responsibility for the quality management and audit programmes to ensure high standards; participating and/or leading in external audit of organisations.
  • Monitoring and auditing compliance and risk assessment management procedures and report any discrepancies/concerns.
  • Managing the production of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Compliance figures, reporting to the SMT; providing narrative and additional updates where required.
  • Ensuring service specific managers and Specialist Workers take appropriate responsibility for the financial management of their respective areas, monitoring monthly income and expenditure against budgets, taking action where necessary.
  • Ensuring that all care and operational policies and procedures are adhered to by all employees and that appropriate audit procedures are in place to ensure compliance.
  • Attending, contributing and feeding back where relevant on the outcomes and information provided at meetings both internally and externally.
  • Providing reports to the SMT as required; including reports detailing progress against contract requirements, statistical data and evaluation as required.

Operations

  • Ensuring all opportunities to take on new care packages are explored and where suitable agreed by the Coordinating Manager.
  • Ensuring proficiency in the use of the iCare Management Information System (MIS), including rostering; providing support to cover absences as required.
  • Managing the smooth running of administration procedures within the operations department, ensuring probations, appraisals, supervisions, sickness meetings and all employee relation issues are clearly and accurately recorded in a timely manner.

Networking & Relationship Building

  • Developing and maintaining proactive and professional relationship with commissioners, contract managers and funding leads for all service areas.
  • Networking and engaging a variety of external stakeholders and strategy groups in the region.

Health, Safety & Risk

Liaising and supporting the Head of Operations to ensure:

  • Quality audits and Health & safety assessments are conducted across all services and action plans implements as required.
  • Effective risk assessment/personal safety procedures and protocols are in place to protect service users, volunteers and staff in accordance with Dementia Care policy and procedure, ensure regular and ongoing review.
  • Service and project leads inform the SMT and relevant external agencies of heightened risk, significant changes in risk and follow safeguarding procedure at all times.
  • Ongoing monitoring of quality of service, including people and environmental risk management through implementing a quality audit system in order to manage issues and drive service improvement.

Management

  • Managing and developing a team; ensuring the necessary Supervisions and Appraisals are carried out to date. There will be wider, indirect responsibility for approx. 120 Care & Support Assistants/Workers
  • Managing, recording and coordinating responses to complaints in line with Dementia Care policies and procedures.
  • Cascading agreed internal and external processes in line with legal obligations.
  • Managing the completion of Care Certificates for all Care & Support Workers within the 12 week timescale.

Employee Relations

Liaising and supporting the Head of HR & Training to ensure:

  • Investigation and disciplinary meetings take place as required.
  • Delivery of training sessions and/or briefings to staff teams, in areas such as best practice and implementing new care and operational policies and procedures.
  • Continuous professional development takes place for yourself and team.

General

  • Ensuring all services are securely storing and managing records.
  • Participate in the submission of tenders.
  • Any other ad-hoc duties necessary for the role.

Person Specification

To be successful in this role, it is essential that you have the following:

  • A Level 4 Management and Leadership or equivalent qualification.
  • A minimum of 5 years’ recent and relevant experience managing regulated activities within a care environment.
  • Experience of managing a team.
  • Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
  • Strong understanding of Microsoft packages including Outlook, Word and Excel.
  • Excellent networking and negotiation skills.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills; ability to interact with people across the whole of Dementia Care and externally.
  • Willingness to take on the Registered Manager status for Home Support and Independent Supported Living (ISL) if required.
  • Experience of using a care based Management Information System.
  • An ability to work under pressure, manage a high volume workload, meet targets and deadlines and respond effectively to changing priorities
  • An ability to work in a busy environment that often demands high levels of concentration while coping with frequent interruptions
  • Access to a car for work purposes (with the necessary car insurance and MOT certificate) and flexibility to travel to alternative locations if required.
  • Empathy and patience
  • A person-centered approach to your work.
  • Excellent attention to detail.

Desirable:

  • Experience of working with people with dementia and/or other neurological disorders.
  • Experience of delivering training.

Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOEs)

Dementia Care recognises the significance of the KLOEs which have been developed by CQC; these are used for CQC inspectionand set a positive benchmark for behaviour and performance. The KLOEs form a benchmark for standards and expectations within the role.

  1. Safe…
  • You deliver a service for employees and where appropriate the people we care for, which is safe and well managed where risks are considered and policy and procedures are adhered to.
  1. Effective…
  • You ensure best practice is at the forefront of your actions; completing all mandatory learning and development and complying with legislation within the care sector and your specific role.
  1. Responsive…
  • You ensure a person centred approach is taken at all times, service specific and departmental paperwork is accurate and up to date, as is, where appropriate the paperwork for the people in our care, colleagues and third parties are given the opportunity to be heard.
  1. Well-led…
  • You support in the provision of a high quality service which adheres to the vision, values and ethos of Dementia Care.
  1. Caring…
  • You respect the opinion and input made by colleagues and third parties, you maintain confidentiality and take a positive approach.

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Employee Name:……………………………………………

Employee Signature:……………………………………….

Date:………………………..………………………………….

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