Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if the OTP code device doesn't work?

The OTP code devices are generally reliable, however you might encounter problems with the app and your handset.

When there are problems, they usually relate to one person's handset only rather than everyone's handset that uses that OTP device.

The OTP logs relate directly to your pay, so you'll need to ensure any issues are raised and addressed with the office promptly.

Recording the problem in your notes will not necessarily ensure you are paid correctly since the notes are referred to rather than read in their entirety, though obviously this can always be corrected.

Logging errors are likely to be judged instinctively and according to any patterns found.

What if I forget to log in or out of my visits?

Logging in and out correctly gives you the best chance of being paid correctly for your work - it's an important aspect of your employment and you should be careful to do it properly.

We do however understand that mistakes can happen, and distractions are common in home care!

We will therefore make allowances for the odd forgetful moment if you report mistakes, but it is not acceptable to persistently neglect to log visits properly.

Again, errors will be looked at in terms of the patterns found - it is usually quite intuitive to spot genuine errors.

What if the other carer at my double visit is delayed or I am early?

You will need to fulfil the visits allocated as doubles as double assist at all times.

When a double assist requirement is assessed as necessary it will usually be for support with mobility, but it can also be for other reasons like challenging behaviour.

Where it is for mobility it is OK to perform other support tasks single assist - for example, it is perfectly fine to administer medication and provide food while you wait for your double.

For challenging behaviour, it is obviously necessary for you to fulfil the entire visit double assist because of the nature of the risk.

You cannot 'do your part' and leave before your double arrives.

If there is a significant issue, you should always contact the office for advice.

We need to ensure double visits are well coordinated as a service since we cannot guarantee carers can be paid for waiting indefinitely - please report issues with other carers being persistently late so that we can resolve any issues.

If you move and assist somebody without observing agreed ways of working we cannot cover you on our insurance and you may be held personally liable for any resulting injury - something nobody wants to happen!

Common sense will prevail!

Although we should & do have care plans in place detailing the care and support that you should be providing at each visit, some things should be obvious.

We are great advocates of the 'would I leave my own mother this way?' litmus test at Nouveau Care.

Even if it is not always detailed in the care plan, you should know that basic needs have to be attended to. This means ensuring people are fed, offered drinks, kept warm and comfortable, and treated with dignity and respect.

The same concept applies to training - you will not receive any specific training on certain aspects of the support you provide such as preparing meals, making beds, emptying bins and cleaning laundry.

It is assumed that as a fully functional adult employed in care you have a good working knowledge of how these things are done!

If however you do feel that you need some pointers we're happy to help of course.

When should I use 'Alert Supervisor'?

The 'Alert Supervisor' feature of the Careplanner App is pretty self explanatory - you need to use it when a concern needs to be raised about one of our service users.

However, there are situations in which it is better to either call the office or simply record the issue in your notes.

You should call in an emergency first and foremost, but also in a situation like an accident, incident or fall - including a fall that has happened in your absence or has not resulted in either an ambulance or swift response being called.

When judging whether to use the Alert feature, it is a good idea to consider the urgency of your concern - Alerts may not be picked up the same day.

You'll therefore want to use them to report things like developing pressure areas or sores that could be tended to in the next couple of days. Similarly, you'll need to use an Alert if medication is due to run out soon in no less than 5 days. If there is a minor illness an Alert is also fine.

You should phone the office for matters of immediate concern, such as a suspected UTI or Covid 19. If medication is due to run out the same or next day you should also call the office, or if some urgent shopping is needed.

Some things of note do not require use of an Alert, such as low mood or minor challenging behaviour like declining care.

What should always be reported directly to the office?

Some issues and incidents should always be reported directly to the office.

Falls and challenging behaviour are the obvious example - we have processes to record and investigate any incident which results or could result in harm to somebody.

Medication errors also fall under this bracket - you should phone to report any medication error however minor.

What should I do in the event of a fall?

The golden rule with falls is that you should not engage in any activity that requires you to bear a service user's weight if they can be helped to their feet.

In practice, this means there are very few situations in which you will be able to assist after a fall without calling either Norfolk Swift Response or an ambulance.

You can only assist somebody to their feet if you are absolutely sure they are not injured in some way, so please call the office at all times before assisting if you think it is a possibility.

It should usually only be safe to do this if you have witnessed the fall and can be certain it would not have caused injury.

Sometimes a chair can be put into place to allow the person to pull themselves to their feet, for example.

In the first instance you should check for injury and ask whether the person is in pain before deciding an ambulance is required.

If the situation does not require an emergency response but the person needs assistance to stand, Norfolk Swift Response should always prioritised over calling an ambulance.

What is Norfolk Swift Response?

Norfolk Swift Response is a service run by Norfolk County Council which helps if someone has a fall and is not seriously injured but cannot get up unassisted. They can bring special lifting equipment to assist with moving safely. The service is entirely free for both Nouveau Care and the service users themselves. You can call Norfolk swift response on 0344 800 8020 option 1.