Getting ready for Christmas? ClouDoc has some tips for your health and social care service in preparing for this year’s festive holiday.
Tip #1 – Get your shift/rota planning sorted
Sort and send out your staff rotas as soon as possible to allow your staff members to make their plans over the festive season. Most care staff will understandably want to spend time with their family, especially on Christmas Day, so you might need think about some incentives that encourage staff members to come in on these highly coveted periods of leave.
Incentives you may want to consider include:
- Enhanced pay during the festive period
- Half shifts (instead of a 12 hour day, staff work the morning or afternoon)
- Time off in lieu
- Alternating Christmas and New Year shifts
- Allocating annual leave
- Swapping shifts
- People that do this year’s shifts get next year’s shifts off
Care staff who use public transport will need a walkable rota or to be given lifts on Christmas and Boxing Day, and there will be reduced services on other bank holidays.
Tip #2 – Meeting people’s needs
Transport will need to be available to assist people in attending church, for example, and on the day preparations need to be made to ensure visits are scheduled around time sensitive events such as the King’s Speech.
Make sure to involve people in decorations – both in the choosing and putting up!
Staff should be attentive to people receiving services saying things like “It isn’t Christmas without…” and trying to make person-centered customs happen.
Staff and services should also be aware that Christmas isn’t always a jolly time for everyone, older people especially may express grief for lost loved ones or the past in general.
Tip #3 – Make procedures relating to gift giving clear
There’s nothing in the regulations that specifically forbids accepting gifts, but services might choose a total ban to avoid any ambiguity. Clearly defined parameters in which gifts can be exchanged is a suitable solution for your service.
Merry Christmas from ClouDoc! If you’re interested in compliant documents on a useful management system, give us a call on 0330 808 0050 or take a look at our packages.
