Article published in the Yorkshire Post on 6th October 2009
By Peter Edwards
A training firm has agreed a £253,000 deal with Ideal Care Homes, which is owned by Lawrence Tomlinson, one of the county's most successful entrepreneurs.
Medex Training, based in Sheffield, will train Ideal Care Homes' 500 care workers over the next year. Ideal, of Leeds, will open 11 new facilities over the next 12 months. Mr Tomlinson, who has a portfolio of companies ranging from a business surveyo rs and valuers to an executive helicopter business and a maker of road-racing sports cars, is worth about £300m.
Brackenfield Hall, the first of the new tranche of homes, is due to open this month. It will cater for a range of dementia and residential clients and all Ideal staff will have training from Medex's experts.
Rachel Fletcher, managing director of Medex, whose parent firm is A4E, will give employees a two-week course before their care homes open.
Mr Tomlinson, chairman of Ideal, said: "We felt Medex offered the best possible training programmes to suit our staff's needs. We are committed to delivering over and above the required packages to ensure that the Ideal workforce is the most highly trained, motivated and knowledgeable in its sector."
The training package includes first aid, manual handling, food hygiene, health and safety, fire safety and infection prevention and control.
Ideal ensures its staff are experienced in a range of specialist disciplines, including dementia care and challenging behaviour. Staff also undergo experiential training and role play, whereby they receive personal care as they would if they were a care home resident.
Stacey Crowther, group human resources director, said: "We were keen to compliment the Medex training with our own practical training and so designed a programme which involved staff taking on the role of the resident.
"Staff were somewhat nervous when they found they would be spending the morning in the assisted bath and the afternoon having their oral hygiene tended to by one of their colleagues. However, this has given them an unrivalled insight into the resident experience."
Mr Tomlinson is chairman of LNT Group. In 2005, LNT bought Ginetta Cars, under its LNT Automotive banner. The following year, Mr Tomlinson and his two co-drivers steered the Team LNT Panoz Esperante to first place in the GT2 class of the Le Mans 24-hour race – just three-and-a-half years after he first took up the pursuit.
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/businessnews/Training-package-contract-for-staff.5706939.jp