Greetings!
Welcome to your weekly Wednesday digest of social care news curated by OACP.
In this week's edition:
- reminders of help and support available
- a round up of other local, ICS and national news
We're here to help.
Eddy McDowall, CEO, OACP
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Our strength is your involvement
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Oxfordshire provider networks | up next... |
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Coming soon...quarterly in-person networking events for the whole sector.
Details to follow later in the summer.
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OACP Learning Disability network - for supported living services for people with learning disability/ autism/ ABI
OACP Home Care network - for registered home care providers
OACP-OCA Care Home network - for registered residential and nursing homes
Oxfordshire Registered Manager Network - for Registered Managers and Deputies
Safeguarding Quarterly Network with Oxfordshire County Council and Oxfordshire Safeguarding Adults Board
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OSAB | Training on safeguarding referrals
This level is a basic awareness course for understanding how to make a good safeguarding referral.
It can be completed by all staff that work for an organisation where there is contact with adults with care and support needs.
Staff who do work with adults with care and support needs should also complete the Level 1 (Introduction) and/or the Level 2 (Awareness) and/or Level 3 (Designated Lead) courses before this e-learning (or in-house equivalent).
Book here - you need to be registered on OSAB and logged in
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Oxfordshire Workforce Strategy
Oxfordshire County Council has released a draft of the Workforce Strategy. The intention is to collate views and discuss further at the next Workforce Roundtable in mid-September as below.
The consultation is open until 26 September.
Save the date
- Oxfordshire Care Workforce Roundtable
- Friday 15 September
- 10.30 am - 3.30pm
- Unipart, Oxford
- Details to follow
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Skills for Care Workforce Development Fund
The Skills for Care Workforce Development Fund is now live, meaning you may be able to claim up to £2000 per learner per funding year. With this in mind, Grey Matter Learning has released dates for 3 of the Learning Programmes they provide.
Employers can claim £500 per person, on completion, for each of the programmes advertised above
The links below provide more details:
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Thanks to all the volunteers who helped to shape the strategy.
Action plans are in progress to meet the strategy and will be released by mid-September.
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Active Oxfordshire have been pulling together information of activities in Oxfordshire to get involved in.
Please have a look at their website and see if any are of interest.
These activities are not provided by Active Oxfordshire so please check before attending by contacting the relevant organiser.
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Please find below the slidesets from the International Recruitment Seminar in Wallingford on Tuesday 25 July
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In the meantime the Grant Application process is now open.
This is for CQC-registered providers only based in south-east region.
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Thank you if you have already submitted your grant application.
The first tranche of payments will be made on 31 August.
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Now Live - South East International Recruitment Hub
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International recruitment is a complex process. Don't be caught out. Make sure you are clear what the legal process is and where you can improve support to migrant workers.
And if you are aware of potential concerns about modern slavery, you have several options for reporting:
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unseen UK is the national reporting channel for members of the public, including care operators
- Call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700 or the police non-emergency helpline on 101. In an emergency always call 999.
- If you are concerned about care delivery quality discuss with your local council commissioning team.
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Could Wheels to Work be a solution for your care workforce? |
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Wheels to Work provides a fully serviced and insured 50cc or 125cc moped with maintenance plan, roadside assistance, secure lock, delivery and tracker on a lease arrangement for:
- People new to care (from unemployment/ college/ other sector)
- New starters in a care organisation (transferring from one provider to another)
- People currently working in care (but looking to be more mobile, or spend less on transport)
Applicants can either pay for the package themselves, or apply for a grant from the Care Workers’ Charity (in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council).
A deposit of £150 is required before an individual can collect their moped.
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Supporting Oxfordshire social care workforce |
- Grants and local support
- Accommodation lists
- Hints and tips
- Inspiring stories
- Training and development
- Innovation and horizon scanning
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Number of OACP Members taking advantage of this free Membership offer. |
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If you would like to take advantage of your OACP Membership offer with IHSCM, please contact us for your password to access their services. |
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IHSCM have put together a quick promo video for you just giving a bit of an introduction to your free membership with IHSCM.
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ALL managers who work for you will be able to access these opportunities for free.
If you're not sure if your organisation is eligible as an OACP Member, please contact us.
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Useful local contacts can be found further down, below _Webinars | Podcasts | Events_
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Please find here the most recent UKHSA report. In the context of the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West area, at the end of July, there had been several care homes that have reported a Norovirus outbreak.
BOB IPC team recognise the hard work already ongoing in care homes to mitigate outbreaks of norovirus. The below are some useful tips to help support homes and their residents.
These include:
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Continue to report outbreaks as per the UKHSA guidance.
- Ensure all staff comply with Infection Prevention & Control Standard precautions.
- Continue to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of Norovirus, so that all staff can provide an early warning and allow for quicker containment.
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Ensure any vomit (for whatever reason) is covered as soon as possible whilst a clean-up process is organised, in case it is norovirus, and this will reduce the environmental contamination. This video may help staff to understand environmental spread. There is also shorter version available.
- Always wash hands with soap and water after supporting toileting of residents.
- Use gloves appropriately (when risk of body fluid splash, venepuncture, etc) and always wash hands after gloves removed. Gloves can be a mode of transmission if used inappropriately.
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ICS meetings | care homes
Focused meetings on care homes have started in each place-based locality. It's too early to tell how these ICS-led meetings will make a difference, but in theory it should provide a connection between care homes and NHS commissioners. We will keep you updated on subject matter and actions.
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However, there are no domiciliary care focused meetings and we are following this up, as supporting people at home is the major drive by both NHS and local authorities. |
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Sky News | People left destitute after coming to UK on skilled worker visas to find no job
Reported on 23 August that a scam involving a third party left a Nigerian woman destitute after she paid someone she calls an "agent" in Nigeria £10,000 to arrange a job as a carer in the UK.
Nigeria remains on the red list of countries with which Government guidance warns against recruitment activity.
International recruitment can be fraught with difficulties and dangers. Please make use of our resources as outlined above in the International Recruitment section.
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UKHSA | spread of bacteria in linen
In response to recent queries this summer regarding bacteria being present in linen, UKHSA have issued a summary sheet of best practices for controlling the spread of bacteria.
Main messages:
- In the summer bacteria can grow on linen faster, because of higher temperatures.
- Appropriate handling of linen can decrease the risk of infection from contaminated linen. National guidelines on correct handling of linen are in place and are outlined in the above document.
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HMRC | Tax avoidance schemes
HMRC has issued a letter describing work underway to alert people who may be drawn into tax avoidance schemes.
Tax avoidance is described as, bending the rules of the tax system to try to gain a tax advantage that was never intended by Parliament. It deprives the Exchequer of vital funds, and it can also result in large tax bills for taxpayers who have used tax avoidance schemes that failed to deliver the tax savings they promised.
The letter goes on to say that, the most common form of mass marketed tax avoidance schemes is disguised remuneration (DR). DR avoidance schemes often involve paying some or all of a worker’s pay in the form of a loan, or other payment claimed to be non-taxable, that is unlikely to ever be repaid.
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HMRC | Submitting claims for Research and Development tax relief.
Companies in the nursing home/care home sectors are being targeted by agents or third parties, who encourage them to make Research & Development (R&D) tax relief claims.
These claims are often ineligible. So, company directors need to review all R&D claims submitted on behalf of their company to make sure they're correct.
R&D is a Corporation Tax relief. Companies can claim it on the costs of activities that seek scientific or technological advances in their field as a whole, not just for their own business. R&D can reduce a company's tax bill, or they may get a tax credit instead.
What to do if an agent contacts you:
If an agent suggests your company may qualify for R&D tax relief, you need to ask yourself these questions:
- Is the agent qualified to advise you?
- Has your usual financial advisor ever given you advice on R&D tax relief?
- Before you were contacted, did you know you were undertaking R&D?
- Do you understand what you're claiming for, and do you know what may happen if the claim is later found to be incorrect?
- Do you have evidence to support your claim?
- Does any information you've received about R&D sound too good to be true?
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£250 million to boost NHS capacity with 900 new beds
NHS winter planning will include an additional 900 beds across England to help cut waiting lists, one of Government's top 5 priorities. Under the plans, within our local area, it looks like only Buckingham Healthcare NHS Trust will receive funding of £10,580, although the number of beds that will buy is not specified.
Government's top 5 priorities are:
- Halve inflation
- Grow the economy
- Reduce debt
- Cut waiting lists
- Stop the boats
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NIHR | How to identify dementia in people with hearing loss
Researchers have developed the first reliable test for dementia in people with hearing loss. The test is an adapted version of a standard test for dementia. It is accurate in people with and without hearing loss.
Hearing loss commonly occurs alongside dementia, yet tests for dementia often include verbal questions that rely on hearing. The new test replaces spoken questions with written ones. It was evaluated in a study of 256 people and found to be accurate and reliable. People scored similarly when they were tested 2 to 4 weeks after their first test.
The new test could accurately diagnose dementia in people with hearing problems. However, it needs to be explored further. Women tended to score lower than men, and it was less effective in different languages.
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Nuffield Trust | The next general election will be critical for five areas of health and social care
The Nuffield Trust focuses on 5 key areas that will take centre stage as we roll towards the next UK General Election:
- staffing
- general practice
- social care
- finance
- access to treatment and diagnosis
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Nuffield Trust | Growing numbers of delayed discharges from community hospitals
Community hospitals play a very important role in supporting patients but, unlike with larger hospitals, little has been known until now about how they struggle with delayed discharges. Following a freedom of information request, this chart of the week from Emma Dodsworth reveals the number of patients experiencing delays leaving community hospitals, and highlights the capacity challenges such hospitals face.
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King's Fund | Can AI help put people firmly at the centre of their care?
AI could reduce the literacy and numeracy barriers to self-care, but to do so requires collective action by NHS leaders working with patients, staff and innovators to set a vision and direction in using AI to improve patient empowerment.
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King's Fund | The state of integrated care systems 2022/23: Riding the storm
This recently published report, The State of Integrated Care Systems 2022/23, examines the progress that local systems have made, and opportunities for further development.
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CQC Single Assessment Framework update
As many of you may have seen recently in the CQC bulletin, the Regulator is progressing with plans to implement in November, the new assessment framework. This will be rolled out regionally, starting with providers in the South of England. The key timescales are:
- 230 providers will be invited on to the new portal in August (we presume this will be a mix of health and care providers, eg; ASC, dentists, GPs etc)
- In November, the portal will be rolled out to all health and care providers in the south of England (we presume this is all those in the southwest, south east and London regions)
- Invitations to join the new portal will be sent your Nominated Individuals
- By the end of March 2024, all health and care providers in all regions will have been onboarded
Any assessments from November onwards for providers in the South will be carried out using the new assessment framework. CQC will still schedule assessments by considering the level of risk, so not all providers will need to have an immediate assessment.
In other regions, CQC will continue to use the current assessment framework for now. CQC will provide further updates as each region moves over to using the new framework.
CQC recommend two actions for providers in the south of England:
- Ensure that contact details for your organisation are up to date so that CQC invites the correct people to join the new portal and can keep them informed about the roll-out of the new approach
- Read guidance to help prepare your organisation for the changes in the way regulation will happen
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NHS strikes
A further junior doctors’ strike will take place from 7am on Thursday 24 to 7am on Saturday 26 August.
Please check the relevant links for the latest:
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Webinars | Podcasts | Events |
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CQC series exploring the way they are changing and developing their regulatory approach.
You can now watch the whole series on YouTube.
Our new regulatory approach
NEW: The first webinar in CQC's transformation series, this episode focuses on how we'll roll out our new regulatory approach and provider portal to all health and social care providers
Local authority assessments
Integrated care system assessments
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RVS & DHSC | NHS and Care Volunteer Responders Stakeholder Webinar
Dates available:
Hosted by DHSC and RVS, the charity delivering the NHS and Care Volunteer Responders programme, this webinar will provide a short briefing on the programme, the volunteer support available to the ASC sector and how to make a referral.
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HSE | Free webinar for the health and social care sector on work-related stress
HSE will be hosting the webinar in relation to the work-related stress management standards and the HSE stress indicator tool. There will also be a live question and answer at the end where you can ask our panel of experts any questions you may have.
There were an estimated 303,000 work-related ill health cases (new or long-standing) in human health and social work in the three years affected by the coronavirus. This equates to nearly a third of all reported cases, with 914,000 workers suffering in 2021/22 which resulted in 17 million working days lost.
Half of these ill health cases reported during the coronavirus period were either stress, depression or anxiety related.
Recognising the signs of stress and then acting will help employers to take steps to prevent, reduce and manage stress in the workplace. To effectively manage the risk of stress, you can use HSE's stress indicator tool.
Recently, an additional set of questions, which has been designed to gather data on stress, anxiety and depression of workers that work partly or fully from home, have been developed.
The "home and hybrid working tool", which can be found on the HSE website, is an optional add-on module that explores specific stressors that could be linked to modern working practices. This tool helps employers to understand how these might be related to mental health outcomes.
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Skills for Care London and South East deputy network
- Wednesday 6 September
- 10 am - 12 noon
- Book here
Skills for Care's local deputy manager networks, provide a supportive and informative environment for deputies, team leaders, and senior care staff to discuss challenges, issues, and successes with others working in similar roles. These networks are open to people from all care settings and service types, and they can help you build a valuable support system and expand your professional network.
The theme for this session will be ‘Resilient Managers and Wellbeing’ (How to develop resilience in your roles as deputy manager and techniques to ensure the wellbeing of yourselves and staff).
Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity to learn, grow, and connect with other deputies in the care industry. Join us for a session that will inspire you and help you reach your full potential as a care professional.
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HMRC | Company directors – payroll and you
Covering:
- tax and National Insurance treatment of payments to directors
- expenses and benefits
- payroll information that has to be submitted to HMRC
- keeping accurate records
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Free MS Awareness training for care providers
Due to popular demand, MS-UK has added a second date for its MS Awareness training specifically for care providers.
The session is open to care and support professionals (or volunteers) who may be supporting people with multiple sclerosis. This could be,
- Residential care home support staff
- Domiciliary or home care workers
- Community support workers
- Personal assistants
- Private carers
Please share with any colleagues who you think may benefit and we hope to see you there. The session is free, but if you are able to make a donation for your ticket it will be gratefully received.
For more information, click here to visit our web page.
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Other training and events |
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Sponsored post
In this 5-minute briefing, Martin Wall, Customer Experience Manager for ATLAS eMAR, explains what medication accuracy is, why it's so important, how ATLAS eMAR can ensure it, and much more in this new vidcast.
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Barclays Digital Wings | FREE online courses to master the digital world
- Essential Digital Skills | Digital foundation skills
- From choosing a device to getting connected, there’s lots to learn. In this module we’ll take you through some of the basics to help you get started.
- Essential Digital Skills | Communicating
- Learn how to set up email and other messaging apps, understand how to create shareable documents and get to grips with video calling to help stay connected with other safely and securely.
- Essential Digital Skills | Communicating for work
- Communicating effectively at work is a vital skill, through email, on video calls or in social media posts. Learn more about the digital platforms that help keep you in touch with others at work.
- Digital office skills | Microsoft 365
- Be more productive at work by making the most of your Microsoft applications. Learn how to make better presentations, create effective documents and organise your inbox.
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Trusted Assessor services
Only one other is active in the south east (in Portsmouth).
The Oxfordshire Trusted Assessor service has restarted.
The Trusted Assessor Service for Berkshire east, funded by Frimley ICS, has launched.
For Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire, the Trusted Assessor Service is run for care homes only by Lincolnshire Care Association.
Contact: Michelle Yusuf -
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Community Dental Services in Berkshire
Community dental services are available in a variety of places to ensure everyone can have access to dental health. Some Oxfordshire residents may be registered with Berkshire community dental services.
If you would like the Word version of the form, please reply to this newsletter.
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The Royal Berkshire Care Home Help-line
To facilitate assessment or repatriation, the Royal Berkshire the hospital is running a dedicated Care Home help-line for 2022. Download the flyer here. Please remember the ward should be your first contact.
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Oxfordshire Safeguarding Adults Board consultation line for professionals
- The line operates from 10 am - 3 pm, Monday to Friday.
- Call 01865 328232 and select option 1.
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Free DSPT support for Berks, Bucks, and Oxon
Digital solutions are here to stay!
Contact the DSPT team now to access this free support.
DSPT contact details for Berks, Bucks and Oxon
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Do you have hospital issues? Complaints? Concerns?
Please raise these through the relevant Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). All matters that go through PALS get raised at clinical governance in their particular area of expertise e.g. orthopaedics / LD etc, so it is imperative that any matters that need raising go through this route.
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OACP, BCA and MKB Care working together for you |
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Care Association Alliance | our big family
We are part of the largest national care association, the Care Association Alliance, with over 6,000 members across England.
This informs us of current concerns, we can source potential solutions on behalf of you and it helps inform our local communications.
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Consistent, quality information
We mail out once a week on a Wednesday, so you know when to look out for it. These updates will provide summary advice on emerging issues and signpost providers to government and other statutory agency advice as needed.
Reminder
We are always keen to hear from providers, if you have anything you would like to share with provider colleagues, please send to the usual address. |
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OACP Member offers | OACP works with the following suppliers to bring you market insight, quality products and expert advice. Contact them today...quote 'OACP' |
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Help yourself to help us
Now available to all Oxfordshire care providers.
Spectrum is a well-established buying consortium with an emphasis on the Care Sector including care homes, domiciliary care and supported living. They have been sourcing discounts with major suppliers for their members since 1992.
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Whatever your goals, Citation will help your business to succeed with unrivalled HR and Health & Safety support and expertise for small and medium-sized business.
10% off your first contract as an OACP Member.
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The home of efficient care home management
Every care home business is unique. We understand that. CoolCare4 is designed by experts who know how care home users need their software to work. As a result, our system is simple and intuitive with helpful functions, which fit seamlessly into the operation of your care home.
Software features include all core aspects of care home business admin. From occupancy management to time and attendance, rostering and invoicing, CoolCare does it.
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The platform for outstanding care management.
Our platform gathers insights to help you allocate resources and speed up your day-to-day tasks, so you can focus more on those in need.
Easy and intuitive, it can be used in any setting, without the need for extensive training. Designed alongside support workers and service users, it's the platform of choice for enriching the lives of everyone in care.
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Log My Care is accredited by NHSX as an Assured Supplier for Digital Social Care Records.
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Person Centred Software’s Mobile Care Monitoring is the most widely-used digital care management system in the UK, and the most widely referred software provider within social care.
Over 3,000 care providers using Mobile Care Monitoring.
Get your membership paid for with your first contract.
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RWK Goodman LLP is the preferred legal supplier for sdvice to the care sector in Oxfordshire.
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National Partners with Care Association Alliance |
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Happy with what you are reading?
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Our strength is your involvement.
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