Buying and running a care home?

splicecom

Hi,

May be worth looking at this ( the government EFG scheme) - http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/gsdDetail?type=GSD&itemId=1081834978


Also, if you are looking to purchase a going concern -
http://www.redwoodsdk.com/search_results.aspx?L=&T=1


Good Luck

Slinky

It might be worth borrowing Duncan Bannatyne's autobiography from the library. He made a lot of money from care homes in his early career and there was a lot of information in there on the business model he set up. His advice was there is always a govenment leaflet to provide you with useful information on the rules and regs of these sorts of things.

paulabear

Fantastic advice, wish I could thank you more than once each! Just what I was looking for, this is why I come back to this site so much, such helpful people on here
Wine of the World, that's exactly what I want, I've seen it done badly in so many places, and think that with a lot of hard work we could manage it. Slinky, will definitely have a look at that, splicecom and Lizz01 thank you for the links and addresses, will have a good look at those and register with redwoodsdk.
We've decided that if I spend the next few years working towards my management qualification and saving as much as possible, that will mean we have a core team of a qualified social worker, a social care manager, and then my husband, who has experience in accounts and also in catering (he's a bar & catering manager). The idea of catering to a niche client group seems sensible as we'd definitely have a small place, at least to start with, and we'd be more likely to get funding. If it's useful to anyone, I could update this thread as time goes on and things start happening, although it'd be a slow process! Thanks again

Errata

Don't want to rain on your parade, but care homes are going bankrupt at a rate of knots because councils are increasing supporting people in their own homes or in intensively supported independent living accommodation.
Even the biggest care home providers are diversifying into providing home care.

edgex

Errata wrote: »

Don't want to rain on your parade, but care homes are going bankrupt at a rate of knots because councils are increasing supporting people in their own homes or in intensively supported independent living accommodation.
Even the biggest care home providers are diversifying into providing home care.

this is correct
there is a move to enabling more people to stay in their own homes, especially if they require only simple amounts of care

that then leaves care homes with the much more specialist needs, & those requiring expensive specialist equipment

Savvy_Sue

paulabear wrote: »

Myself and my friend are more experienced in the social care side of it but my husband has been a manager in a different field for a while and so has experience in staff management, accounts and so on.

paulabear wrote: »

We've decided that if I spend the next few years working towards my management qualification and saving as much as possible, that will mean we have a core team of a qualified social worker, a social care manager, and then my husband, who has experience in accounts and also in catering (he's a bar & catering manager).

And you are going to need his expertise, possibly more than all your social care experience ...

I would recommend one or both of you trying for a manager or assistant manager role in a care home before planning to open your own. The role where you are responsible for drawing up the rota, keeping the staff happy even when someone goes sick or leaves, balancing the books even when you have to employ staff from agencies to provide essential cover, dealing with staff disciplinary and grievance procedures, training new staff, keeping old staff up to standard, drawing up the risk assessments and dealing with breaches of H&S etc etc etc.

If you still love the idea, all power to your elbow! You are a very special person.

paulabear wrote: »

The idea of catering to a niche client group seems sensible as we'd definitely have a small place, at least to start with, and we'd be more likely to get funding. If it's useful to anyone, I could update this thread as time goes on and things start happening, although it'd be a slow process! Thanks again

DH was talking to someone who is involved with a charity which has traditionally run a couple of small, niche care homes. They are struggling for all the reasons outlined above, but also because the inspection bodies apply the same standards across the board, whether they are relevant or not.

Obviously you can choose your building if you start from scratch, but non-purpose built homes are constantly battling against the need to keep up to date with new regulations and expectations.

Small is beautiful, but it struggles to be truly cost effective!

paulabear

Hi Savvy-Sue that's exactly what I'm going to aim for now, the hands-on experience of managing a home and struggling to cover all bases while keeping the staff happy! After having three small children, should be a doddle... I'm joking obviously I'm looking for positions currently where I'd be able to get the training I want.
I agree with you about the niche market being difficult to make cost-effective, we've been saying that we also need to pick our position carefully in order to have enough of our client group 'available' locally to be able to fill our rooms. It's not enough to have a lovely pretty home in the middle of nowhere and advertise, we need to be seen and heard of in an area where there are people who fit our criteria.
I was recently made redundant from a nursing home who were struggling as several of their residents had recently passed away and they had not been successful in 'filling their rooms' (I think it sounds terrible, like a factory process, but I suppose in practical terms it's necessary and has to be referred to somehow). I saw the problems the lower-rated care home on the Gerry Robinson program was having in doing this and think it would be important to have a very specific package of care detailed for family or guardians of potential service users so that if they came to look at the place they could see eactly what was in place, not just hear vague details about what might happen. I'd also be hoping to encourage involvement from families to whatever degree it was possible, as this is hugely positive for everyone involved (for the most part!) from what I've seen in other places.
Obviously this is speculation and theorising; I'll have a much more practical view of what's possible when I've had more hands-on experience. I know from experience that occasionally after an inspection a home where I worked was asked to make small changes that seemed unneccessary, but we assumed they felt they had to tell us to do something, or they might look like they weren't doing their job properly but that's a good point about purpose-built homes, thank you.
Errata and edgex, thanks, we have been talking about this, I've worked for home care companies too and know that this is being promoted as it's a lot more cost-effective and better for people if they can stay in their own homes as to some degree people going into care can react negatively and become 'institutionalised' to whatever degree; I've seen this happen, a long time ago
We were looking more into mental health, dementia and Alzheimer's disease, or else adults with drugs or alcohol problems (more transient, and this is the one I'm nervous about, but my friend works in a hostel currently so she knows how it works; she's applying for the manager's job at the moment).
Again, thank you for the great advice it's all helpful!

Savvy_Sue

paulabear wrote: »

or else adults with drugs or alcohol problems (more transient, and this is the one I'm nervous about, but my friend works in a hostel currently so she knows how it works; she's applying for the manager's job at the moment).

Are you thinking older adults with drug or alcohol problems, or a 'wet house' for all ages? There is a huge need, but services are often commissioned by the local authority according to what THEY perceive the need to be. If they find the need has diminished (or more likely their budget priorities have changed!) then you can be out in the cold very quickly.

Errata

Devil's Advocte stuff and hope it helps to clarify your thinking

paulabear wrote: »

Hi Savvy-Sue that's exactly what I'm going to aim for now, the hands-on experience of managing a home and struggling to cover all bases while keeping the staff happy! After having three small children, should be a doddle... I'm joking obviously I'm looking for positions currently where I'd be able to get the training I want.
I agree with you about the niche market being difficult to make cost-effective, we've been saying that we also need to pick our position carefully in order to have enough of our client group 'available' locally to be able to fill our rooms. It's not enough to have a lovely pretty home in the middle of nowhere and advertise, we need to be seen and heard of in an area where there are people who fit our criteria.
Most care homes are now dual registered, certainly the startups would be. What nursing experience do you have that would enable you to manage qualified nursing staff - or their manager ?
I was recently made redundant from a nursing home who were struggling as several of their residents had recently passed away and they had not been successful in 'filling their rooms' (I think it sounds terrible, like a factory process, but I suppose in practical terms it's necessary and has to be referred to somehow). Perhaps the correct and dignified term is vacancies, which is what they are - just like a hotel. I saw the problems the lower-rated care home on the Gerry Robinson program was having in doing this Televsion programs are tightly controlled and highly edited, the producers show the public what they think the public will be interested in and entertained by. and think it would be important to have a very specific package of care detailed for family or guardians of potential service users I think you mean residents or people who will use the service. (sorry to nit pick, service user is my bete noir because it's lazy management speak and defines a service user as 'other') o that if they came to look at the place they could see eactly what was in place, not just hear vague details about what might happen. Most care homes have a professionally designed brochure detaling what facilities are available, many also have a website. This is not the same as a detailed package of care, as each individual will be assessed on their needs and they may significantly differ. From this assessment a care plan is developed, which I'm sure you know as you will have had responsibility for ensureing care plans are followed. I'd also be hoping to encourage involvement from families to whatever degree it was possible, as this is hugely positive for everyone involved (for the most part!) from what I've seen in other places. Involving residents families with things like a Relatives Committee can be very useful. Involving familes/friends in 'voluntary' activities with other residents will mean they may need to be CRB checked - that may not sit well with some relatives.
Obviously this is speculation and theorising; I'll have a much more practical view of what's possible when I've had more hands-on experience. Have you previously been a team leader, shift leader, acted up for an assistant manager or manager ? I know from experience that occasionally after an inspection a home where I worked was asked to make small changes that seemed unneccessary, but we assumed they felt they had to tell us to do something, or they might look like they weren't doing their job properly but that's a good point about purpose-built homes, thank you.
No organisation or facility is 100% perfect and well run care homes welcome suggestions from inspectors. If you feel inspectors suggest things just for the sake of it, you have some way to go to understand the process.
Errata and edgex, thanks, we have been talking about this, I've worked for home care companies too and know that this is being promoted as it's a lot more cost-effective and better for people if they can stay in their own homes as to some degree people going into care can react negatively and become 'institutionalised' to whatever degree; I've seen this happen, a long time ago People who live in institutions, which is what care homes are - just like boarding schools for example - will always become institutionalised to a degree. As do the staff. It's unavoidable.

We were looking more into mental health, dementia and Alzheimer's disease, or else adults with drugs or alcohol problems (more transient, and this is the one I'm nervous about, but my friend works in a hostel currently so she knows how it works; she's applying for the manager's job at the moment). People with serious cognitive mental health problems will be residing either in their own homes with support, in a psyciatric hospital with intensive therapy delivered by a multi disciplinary team, or in a low or medium secure unit.
People with organic mental health problems will generally also have significant physical health problems which require care provided by a dual registered home.
People with a substance misuse problem will have their residential treatment funded by NHS/local authority. This funding is patchy and sparse and usually gobbled up by providers who have a long track record. People who can pay for their residential treatment go to well established successful providers.
Again, thank you for the great advice it's all helpful!

paulabear

Errata wrote: »

Devil's Advocte stuff and hope it helps to clarify your thinking

Excellent points and a lot to think about. I hate the term 'service user' too, but got used to using it when writing reports etc; I prefer 'client' or 'resident'. I meant vacancies, yes, sorry, I was rambling I think. And I didn't mean it seriously when I said the inspectors were 'finding things to complain about', it's just what we used to say, as the changes were very minor if there were any, in that particular home. I probably shouldn't have attempted to answer any posts so early in the morning; yes, a package of care pertains to an individual, sorry and from my experience the information provided in any leaflets or websites I've seen has not been very extensive! Maybe I've just been working in the wrong places.

Dual registration is something I need to find out about. Regarding people with mental health problems, however, the home I worked in last was a rehabilitation home which had a number of people with various diagnoses of mental ill-health, some of whom also had special educational needs. Are these the type of people you mean will be going back to hospitals? I can't imagine one of those individuals living independently, I could be wrong however; you certainly sound like you know more than me.
I'm at the very beginning of this, and like I say, any information is helpful as I don't really know where to start looking into what funding is available to what kind of organisation, or what I need to be looking into as regards training. I think I'm capable of doing this but I know I have a lot of work ahead of me. Thanks for your post, it's helped a lot