Bejoy spent time with staff and residents at Stowlangtoft Hall in Suffolk and Ford Place in Thetford, Norfolk, which are both run by Stow Healthcare.
During the visit, the care home teams and Bejoy talked about the work being done to avoid hospital admissions among nursing home residents, benefiting both residents and avoiding costs for the NHS.
Bejoy, who is originally from Kerala in India, was interested to see what the group has done to support internationally educated staff who come to work at their homes, helping them integrate into the local community. He spoke with Remy Thomas, who is also originally from Kerala, about her positive experience and the support she’d received since working at Stowlangtoft Hall.
Bejoy also spoke to Sarah Murray, who first worked at the home on a student nurse placement and is now clinical lead, and was interested to find out about career progression and opportunities available to staff within Stow Healthcare.
Ruth French, Director of Stow Healthcare, spoke to Bejoy about the research the homes have been involved in focussing on giving residents decaffeinated drinks to prevent falls. Since the trial, the homes now encourage residents to have decaffeinated hot drinks.
Bejoy said: "I am deeply inspired by the kindness, expertise and commitment demonstrated by the nursing staff at Stow Healthcare. Their collaborative work with NHS partners, alongside their ability to translate evidence-based research into everyday nursing practice, stands as a shining example of how integrated care can transform outcomes for residents and communities alike.
“Through close partnership with acute trusts, they are not only improving patient flow and easing pressure on NHS services but also ensuring that care is delivered in the right place, at the right time, and tailored to each resident's needs. Their innovative approaches are already delivering measurable improvements - reducing patient harm and setting new benchmarks for patient safety in nursing homes.
“At the RCN, we are proud to support our members as they rise to meet the demands of increasingly complex care. I am also grateful for the opportunity to hear some of the inspiring career journeys shared by their staff members.”
