PEN weekly newsletter 26 November 2020

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  Supporting health and social care providers in Devon

Welcome to our latest newsletter

Welcome to another edition 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 lots of information which has been published in a rapidly changing situation as we are preparing to emerge from the second national lockdown. Please make sure you follow the links to the latest guidance and remember that we are doing our best to keep information updated on our Provider Engagement Network website


REMINDER

Infection Control Fund (ICF) Round 2: Second Payment

We anticipate that service providers will receive their second payment from the ICF in early January. To be eligible to receive the second payment providers MUST meet the eligibility criteria set out in the grant agreement. That is:

  1. Your organisation has returned the monitoring forms. Monitoring form 1 was due Monday 16 November. If you missed the deadline then please submit ASAP. Monitoring form 2 is due on 21 December. We cannot make the second payment to providers if we do not receive all the monthly monitoring forms.
  2. Your organisation is regularly updating the CQC Home Care Tracker or the Care Homes Capacity Tracker at least weekly. For Care Homes this also means updating the new Adult Social Care ICF questions on the Capacity Tracker on a weekly basis.
  3. Your organisation is reporting that the first instalment will be spent by 31 December 2020 and that the first and second instalments (full grant payment) will be spent by the end of the financial year, 31 March 2021. 

If you are experiencing issues with any of the above then please contact us urgently. Further ICF information is on the Provider Engagement Network website


Visiting care homes

Receiving visitors is an important part of care home life and maintaining opportunities for visiting is of vital importance to the health and wellbeing of residents.

The national guidance for visiting arrangements in care homes requires the local authority Director of Public Health to make a risk assessment about visiting care homes in their area.  Devon’s Director of Public Health has stated that there are no restrictions recommended at the moment and if any restrictions are required we will communicate them both directly to affected providers and via the PEN website.

Individual care home visitor guidance must be in line with the government guidance on visiting care homes and on working safely in care homes. It must also comply with the advice of the Director of Public Health and result from a dynamic risk assessment.

The national guidance sets out measures that can be put in place to provide COVID-secure opportunities for families to meet using visiting arrangements such as substantial screens, visiting pods and window visits. We encourage care homes to use such measures and to communicate their individual policies to the family and friends of their residents.


Devon care homes in visitor testing pilot

As well as the Director of Public Health is not issuing a restriction on visits to Devon care homes, a number of Devon homes have been participating in the high profile national pilot to test visitors to homes, as reported positively in the local media:

Devon care homes take part in rapid results Covid-19 test trial

Ingenious Devon care homes are reuniting residents with their families

Testing pilot in Devon and Cornwall aims to 'reunite' care home residents and families


Testing for personal care staff

From this week care workers looking after people in their own homes will be able to access weekly coronavirus tests as explained in this national press release: Homecare workers to be tested weekly for COVID-19. The guidance on Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for homecare workers sets out how regulated providers can order their regular tests.


Testing roll-out overview

Here is a quick guide to current national plans to roll out testing for all types of social care.


Test kit courier collection portal change

The test kit courier collection booking portal web address has been updated.


Care homes testing appeal for good practice

We are planning to work with providers involved with the lateral flow testing pilot to learn from their experience and develop some practical questions and answers that can support other care homes. If you have an interest in sharing any good practice from your care home with regards to supporting family visits then please contact Heather Mills.


Car sharing and contact tracing

Please be aware that staff who car share, even if they are wearing appropriate PPE, are classed as close contacts by NHS Test and Trace.

For more detailed advice on car sharing and the Test and Trace close contact definition please visit our PEN website


Reminder

Free mask fit tester training

Care staff who use Filtering Face Pieces must have masks which fit securely to their faces. As the type of masks supplied will soon change, staff should take up the free fit tester training arranged by NHS Devon. The first two sessions are on Friday 27 November from 9.00am to 12noon and on Friday 4 December from 1.00pm to 4.00pm with eight places on each course and more courses to follow. Please contact NHS Devon to book a space.


Ordering eye protection PPE

Eye protection is recommended for care of clients where there is risk of droplets or secretions from the client’s mouth, nose, lungs or from body fluids reaching the eyes (e.g. caring for someone who is repeatedly coughing). Social care guidance requires assessment of the above risk to establish whether eye protection is required.

If eye protection is required, regulated providers can order visors via the PPE Portal. If providers are unable to access PPE through the Portal, and they require emergency stocks, they can request visors, glasses / goggles and 70% alcohol wipes from Devon County Council by completing the PPE Request form.

Unregulated providers, Personal Assistants and Carers can access PPE for free via DCC.


Cleaning eye protection products

Protective Goggles – goggles with elastic straps are single use and should not be cleaned and reused.

Protective Glasses – those with plastic arms can be cleaned with soap / detergent and water followed by disinfection using 70% alcohol wipes. For protective glasses with detachable catch lanyards, please remove and dispose of these lanyards as they cannot be sufficiently disinfected.

Face visors with foam strips can be cleaned with soap / detergent and water followed by disinfection with 70% alcohol wipes. Visors with a foam strip across the top on the inside can only be reused by the same member of staff.

For full guidance relating to what PPE to wear and when please visit the PEN website.


Celebrating success

Devon Carers recognised nationally

A pioneering new project involving staff from Devon Carers, working with hospital teams to support unpaid carers with hospital discharge and to reduce hospital admissions, has been shortlisted for a prestigious national award.

System lead support for carers award symbol

Remember to share your good news stories in this newsletter!

Revisit previous good news stories

Issue 5: 26 November 2020


Are your colleagues missing out? Ask them to sign-up to this PEN newsletter here!


National vaccinations programme briefing

Plans to roll out a national COVID-19 vaccinations are well underway, including updated advice on priority groups.  


Guidance on local restriction tiers

In readiness for the end of the national lockdown, guidance on Local restriction tiers has been updated and  new posters have also been produced. The government will announce which areas are in which tier on 26 November 2020, but please note that there is no differentiation in the revised tier system regarding guidance on care home visiting


Care home providers – national weekly Q&A session for the Capacity Tracker

The NHS England Commissioning Support Unit are holding weekly calls for care home providers that have any questions about the Capacity Tracker system. The next meeting will be on Tuesday 1 December between 1.00pm – 2.00pm and every Tuesday at the same time until 22 December inclusive. To join please click on the meeting link.


Infection Prevention and Control training

Care staff are invited to join one hour practical on-line education sessions provided by the specialist nurses of Devon’s Community Infection Management Service. There  is an ongoing series of sessions on hand washing and donning and doffing of PPE and a single session on infection, prevention and control food safety training on Wednesday 2 December at 2.00pm. These are interactive sessions with an opportunity for questions and comments, including suggestions for future content. To book a place please go to Eventbrite.


Winter Plans

The National Covid-19 Winter Plan presents a programme for suppressing the virus including current priorities for the overall roll out of testing, along with all other measures to protect the NHS and the vulnerable, and provide a route back to normality.

The government has also published plans to support people’s wellbeing and mental health during the pandemic through their National Winter Wellbeing Plan.


Health and Safety Executive spot checks

The Health and Safety Executive are conducting spot checks on infection control. To verify that an inspector is from the HSE please ring 0300 790 6896.


The Help Overcoming Problems Effectively (HOPE) courses for care homes

Places are still available on the six week HOPE course starting on 13 December in South Devon and Torbay. Find out more about the HOPE programme.  For further information about the course please contact HOPE.


RESTORE2 training in South Devon and Torbay

RESTORE2 training sessions in South Devon and Torbay are taking place on Thursday 3 and Thursday 10 December from 2.00 - 5.00pm. Please read more about RESTORE2 training.


Ian Hobbs new role

Senior Commissioning Manager, Ian Hobbs, is taking on a new role promoting the value of our independent sector workforce, including  a campaign to support improved terms and conditions of care workers.


save the date

Webinars, online training and forums reminder

Make sure you have the opportunity to participate in local and national webinars, online forums and training by visiting our website.


PEN events calendar

Check the calendar for future events.


DCC COVID-19 updates

Coronavirus advice to the public

Weekly stakeholder briefing


National COVID-19 guidance updates

The GOV.UK website

The NHS.UK website


National reports

Thousands more health workers to benefit from visa extensions

Expanded study tests immune response of care home staff and residents


PEN newsletter archive

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