Welcome to our latest newsletter
Welcome to another issue of the weekly newsletter for adult social care providers, issued on behalf of Devon County Council's Director of Adult Social Care Services and Director of Public Health and NHS Devon’s Chief Nursing Officer. This issue contains important information on staff self-isolation and how to report COVID-19 cases, plus our usual set of national and local updates which we also post on our Provider Engagement Network website.
Please make sure you follow the latest advice and please accept our ongoing thanks for the vital work you are undertaking for the people of Devon.
Staff do not always need to self-isolate if a service user tests positive
Please note that section 6 of the national guidance for health and social care settings covers 'Contact risk assessment and exemption criteria'.
That guidance states that if health and social care staff are providing direct care to a patient or a resident with COVID-19 and are wearing the correct PPE in accordance with the current IPC guidance, they will NOT be considered as a contact for the purposes of contact tracing and isolation, and will NOT be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
If, however, a staff member has been in close contact with a confirmed COVID-19 patient or service user while not wearing PPE, or had a breach in their PPE while providing personal care, they should inform their line manager, who must then complete a risk assessment and follow guidance accordingly.
If the risk assessment concludes there has been a significant breach or close contact without PPE, the worker should remain off work for 14 days.
How to report symptoms and confirmed COVID-19 test results in your social care provision
For symptomatic clients the following protocol needs to be followed:
- Alert DCC by emailing the COVID mailbox. All symptomatic cases need to be flagged irrespective of whether they are DCC, CCG, DPT or self-funded.
- For regulated: providers must update CQC Home Care Tracker (Personal Care) or Care Homes Tracker (Care Homes).
For symptomatic staff or those who are required to self-isolate the following protocol needs to be followed:
- Alert DCC by emailing the COVID mailbox.
- For regulated: providers must update CQC Home Care Tracker (Personal Care) or Care Homes Tracker (Care Homes).
For confirmed cases following a positive test result immediately take these actions in addition to the above:
- Notify Public Health England by calling 0300 303 8162, Option 1 then Option 1 again.
- Alert DCC by emailing the COVID mailbox.
- For regulated: providers must update CQC Home Care Tracker (Personal Care) or Care Homes Tracker (Care Homes).
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For staff members only: A RIDDOR report is required where the member of staff is known to have contracted coronavirus through contact with a confirmed positive case through the course of their work.
Reporting should be made in accordance with advice offered by the Health & Safety Executive.
Councils ready to support most clinically vulnerable
Devon County Council and the District Councils in Devon are ready to support residents who are identified as being 'clinically extremely vulnerable'.
Information about the range of support available to people identified as being clinically extremely vulnerable is published on our website.
Down’s Syndrome added to vulnerable list
Adults with Down’s Syndrome have been added to the ‘at risk’ groups listed as having a high risk of developing complications from coronavirus infection. Here is a reminder of the updated national guidance, which is of particular importance to Supported Living providers at the moment.
An easy-read version of the national letter sent to all clinically extremely vulnerable people is available from the Down’s Syndrome Association.
Accessible resources to help you communicate about COVID-19
Short Survey about working with Allied Health Professionals
Skills for Care want to find out how well Allied Health Professionals such as speech and language therapists work within social care using this short survey which should only take about 20 minutes to complete.
Celebrating success - Sam’s online cookery course takes off!
Sam runs weekly online cookery courses with the support from New Key, who have now offered him permanent employment. The sessions empower people with learning disabilities to develop cooking skills as well as other related skills such as shopping, budgeting and IT, and they are fun too. Read Sam's story.
Here is Sam ready to cook chicken korma. Check out Sam's recipe and easy read shopping list and see John proudly presenting his ready dinner.
Remember to share your good news stories in this newsletter!
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