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Welcome to this week's newsletter, published 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 week’s announcement to delay the full easing of COVID-19 restrictions underlines the importance of vaccinations, ongoing infection prevention control measures and the need to follow the latest guidance.
Remember that we do our best to keep the content and structure of our Provider Engagement Network website up-to-date and your suggestions how to improve the site are always welcome.
Vaccination a condition of employment in care homes - new law announced
The government hosted a public consultation from 14 April to 26 May 2021 on a proposal to make COVID-19 vaccination a condition of employment in care homes with older adults. On the basis of that consultation, the government will enact new legislation which means that from October 2021 (subject to Parliamentary approval and a subsequent 16-week grace period) anyone working in a CQC-registered care home in England for residents requiring nursing or personal care, must have two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine unless they have a medical exemption.
The press release announcing this important decision.
The formal government response to that consultation.
Press release announces further easing of care home visiting restrictions
The government intends to further relax visiting restrictions in care homes from 21 June.
A press release, issued in advance of the formal the guidance, states the following:
New admissions:
- From 21 June, people admitted to a care home from the community will no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival, so residents will have a less disruptive introduction to their new home.
- To ensure this happens safely, residents will undergo an enhanced testing regime: a PCR test before admission, a PCR test on the day of admission and a further PCR test seven days later.
- If a person is admitted from a hospital or another care home they must also self-isolate.
Essential Care Givers:
- The role of the Essential Care Giver has been strengthen so every resident should be able to nominate a friend or a family member to provide extra care on their visits. Essential Care Givers can continue to visit during outbreaks.
- The Essential Care Giver role is intended to provide additional support from someone with a unique personal relationship with the resident.
- They have access to the same PPE and testing supply as care home workers and should be allowed to continue to visit during periods of isolation or where there is an outbreak.
Outward visits:
- Currently residents can only leave the care home for a visit if outdoors or for high-priority reasons, such as a dental or GP appointment. They will now be able to leave the care home for more social reasons without having to isolate.
- Care homes will need to conduct individual risk assessments to ensure visits out are not high risk.
- Decisions about an individual resident’s visits outside of a care home should be taken with the resident’s assessed needs and circumstances considered. The care home should balance the benefits of visits out of the care home against a consideration of the risks to others in the home, where necessary.
- Individual risk assessments should take into account: the vaccination status of residents, visitors and staff, levels of infection in the community, variants of concern in the community, where the resident is going, the activities they will undertake and the transport they intend to use.
- Care home residents would still need to isolate for 14 days following a visit out that would be deemed high risk through a risk assessment or after an overnight stay at hospital.
We are expecting national guidance to be published soon and will communicate that as usual.
Government guidance - updates
Overview of adult social care guidance on coronavirus (COVID-19) Updated on 10 June to include new information on funding for social care, defining and reporting outbreaks and testing.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) illustrated guide for community and social care settings. Updated with an illustrated PPE guide.
How to work safely in care homes. Updated infographics for putting on and taking off PPE.
How to work safely in domiciliary care in England. Updated infographics for putting on and taking off PPE.
 Vaccinations for those age 21 and over
People who turn 21 on 1 July or earlier are now eligible for vaccination, as are all frontline health and care staff, so please use the National Booking Service and if staff have trouble getting appointments using the national system then they can book locally. Please email NHS Devon or call 01752 398836.
Second doses brought forward for people over 40
In response to advice from the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, the government has set out that appointments for a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine will be brought forward from 12 to eight weeks for the remaining people in cohort 10 (people in their 40s) who have yet to receive their second dose. This is to ensure priority groups have the strongest possible protection from the Delta variant of the virus at the earliest opportunity possible.
Fertility, pregnancy and breastfeeding advice
Two videos have been produced for use on social media with women explaining their decision to have the Covid-19 vaccine. Watch Danielle’s and Joanna’s fertility videos
Latest government advice on pregnancy, fertility and breastfeeding states that
- Anyone who has already started vaccination and is offered a second dose whilst pregnant, should have a second dose with the same vaccine unless they had a serious side effect after the first dose.
- There is no need to avoid pregnancy after COVID-19 vaccination. There is no evidence that COVID-19 vaccines have any effect on fertility or your chances of becoming pregnant.
- The Joint CommiVI has recommended that the vaccines can be received while breastfeeding. This is in line with recommendations from the USA and the World Health Organization.
We’re hearing of people with symptoms of coronavirus, using the rapid lateral flow testing kits to establish whether they have the virus and then getting on with their day. But anyone with symptoms should self-isolate and arrange a PCR test and stay self-isolating pending the result.
The latest data in Devon shows the largest volume of positive cases among young people and the younger working age population, 20 to 39 year olds.
Capacity Tracker update
Home care support sessions
The Capacity Tracker team are providing four engagement sessions specifically for home care providers. There will be a short demo on the Capacity Tracker, information on reports and a chance for providers to feedback to the team. The sessions are on Wednesdays from 23 June to 14 July from 10.00am to 11:00am.
Vaccination news
Please ensure your second dose vaccine information for staff is updated. The team have reported that the vaccination position remains the same for residents, with the Capacity Tracker reporting 95% for the first dose, with a 1% increase to 91% for the second dose. Staff vaccinations are 86% for the first dose. However, the second dose is still their focus area for reporting. There has been a slight increase by 1% to 74%.
If you have any queries about the above or the Capacity Tracker, please contact the Support Centre on 0191 691 3729 or via email.
 South West Cyber Resilience Centre
This Home Office funded South West Cyber Resilience Centre partnership offers free and inexpensive cyber services for local small and medium sized enterprises and third sector organisations.
Businesses can register for free core membership and a package of nationally-produced guidance from the National Cyber Security Centre. They’ll follow this up with personal contact and a regular newsletter to keep you abreast of the latest scams and threats. They’ll also offer regular free webinars with acknowledged experts. So it’s a one-stop shop that helps you get safe and stay safe. You can register for free core membership and use the site for information and advice.
 Scams Awareness Fortnight - Monday 14 June to Sunday 27 June
Scam Awareness Fortnight is a national campaign run by Citizen's Advice which helps spread awareness about how to spot and report potential scams.
Funding secured to support Devon's economic recovery
Devon County Council secured funding to support some of the local economies hardest hit during the pandemic and help Devon's recovery.
In partnership with Exeter City Council, Torbay Council and Torridge District Council, we've been awarded more than £2.3 million of government funding to deliver local regeneration schemes. You can find out more about the projects that will benefit from the funding on our website.
We also successfully bid for £640,000 from The Heart of the South West Local Enterprise Partnership to grow our award-winning network of work hubs. They provide flexible-term, value for money office space, equipped with modern facilities and are ideal for small businesses that may have started from home but need larger accommodation.
For more information and guidance, and to download an application form, please visit the Devon Work Hubs website.
 Could you host a clinical student in your nursing home?
In addition to being a welcomed extra pair of hands, a student placed in your home could support with the following:
- An occupational therapy student could undertake a seating assessment for an individual and support individuals to pursue their hobbies
- A dietetic student could work with an individual to increase their nutritional intake and support the review of menu plans
- A nursing student could assist with personal care and wound management
- A physiotherapy student could assist with falls risk assessment and support individuals with movement programmes
Hosting students in your home will enable you to showcase your service and is likely to support the recruitment and retention of your work force. Importantly, you and your team will influence the practice of the future clinical workforce by promoting collaborative and cohesive professional relationships, as well as enhancing your team’s own professional development. Additionally, there is a payment of approximately £100 per week, per student for placements of four weeks or more.
If you recognise the opportunities for your organisation please get in touch with Terrie Chaplin (Clinical Placement Expansion Programme Lead), mobile: 07494 873454.
 Celebrating success - Claymation film made by people with learning disabilities
A new stop-motion animation created by people with learning disabilities and their support workers in Devon was released in time for the G7 summit.
The animation aims to highlight how the impact of climate change can directly affect marginalised people such as those with disabilities.
Local people with learning disabilities, many of whom are supported by the charity United Response, worked with Devon-based creative groups to help shape the animation’s narrative and storyline. They were supported to decorate the animation’s set and narrate the film.
They also recorded a behind-the-scenes documentary. Both the animation and documentary are available on United Response’s YouTube channel.
This is the third production from the Devon group over the past year. The group created their debut animation on isolation and loneliness last summer, following it up with a film on disability hate crime just a few months later.
Kate Conroy, senior service manager for United Response’s Wellbeing Devon project, said:
“We decided to make this animation because of the G7 summit coming to Cornwall. It is an important opportunity to raise awareness of the bigger issues around climate change and help people understand the difference they can make so we can all live a more sustainable life.
“We want the G7 to listen to the voices of people with learning disabilities and hope this animation will help disabled people realise they can make a difference too – we want to involve everyone in the fight against climate change.”
Remember to share your good news stories in this newsletter
Has your support helped transformed someone’s life? Have you got innovative practice to share? Send us your celebratory photos and words and we’ll help share good practice.
Revisit previous good news stories
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