Welcome to this week's newsletter, published for adult social care providers.
We continue to offer our gratitude to providers during this current period in which staffing has turned into an extremely challenging issue.
As well as putting together the most recent guidance and advice in this newsletter, we have done our best to keep the PEN website updated, so please remember to visit it for the latest guidance in this fast-changing environment.
Your suggestions on how to improve the website are always welcome.
Vaccination of care home staff: national guidance and local FAQs
From 11 November 2021, anyone working or volunteering in a care home will need to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus, unless exempt. This also applies to those coming into care homes to do other work, for example, healthcare workers, tradespeople, hairdressers, and beauticians.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has published operational guidance to support the implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 (‘the regulations’).
The 16-week vaccination grace period for all care home workers began on 22 July. This means that, to meet the date the regulations come into force, workers have to have their first vaccinations no later than Thursday 16 September. The guidance is lengthy but has separate sections for local authorities, registered persons, staff, residents and their families and visiting professionals.
This letter from DHSC Director, Claire Armstrong, accompanies the guidance, setting the context for adult social care.
We have created a set of new Frequently Asked Questions on this issue. That FAQ webpage also contains links to more guidance and other useful resources for providers to use.
National webinar on care home staff vaccination
The Department of Health and Social Care is hosting a webinar on Tuesday 17 August, from 12:30pm to 1:30pm, for care home managers and providers to outline key points and to give providers the opportunity to have their questions answered.
How to work safely in domiciliary care - guidance update
The guidance was updated on 9 August with the inclusion of a paragraph on what PPE to use when supporting an individual or client on visits out. In essence, you wear the same PPE when with a client outside their home as you would do inside the home carrying out a similar activity.
Guidance on protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable
This guidance is for everyone in England who has been identified as clinically extremely vulnerable from coronavirus.
As restrictions have been eased following the move to Step 4 of the roadmap, we are advising clinically extremely vulnerable people, as a minimum, to follow the same guidance as everyone else. It is important that everyone adheres to this guidance.
Infection Prevention Control and testing funds Round 4 (July – September 2021)
Thank you to everyone who was able to complete and return their Grant Agreements by the deadline.
Please note the payment conditions:
- complete the Capacity Tracker at least twice (two consecutive weeks) before payment is made
- have committed to completing the Capacity Tracker at least once per week following payment until Thursday 30 September 2021
- have committed to providing the local authority with two monitoring returns in August and October (breaking down spend by calendar month)
- providers in receipt of rapid lateral flow tests are required to register the results as per the lateral flow testing in adult social care settings guidance
- the grant monies must be spent by Thursday 30 September 2021.
The deadline for reporting July spending (Reporting Point 1) is midday on Tuesday 31 August.
Should you have any queries please email us.
Please continue to check the Provider Engagement Network website for updates regarding the Infection Control Fund and other COVID-19 news.
Capacity Tracker updates
A care homes Q&A session on Tuesday 24 August from 9:30am to 10:15am will be hosted by our regional Capacity Tracker lead Donna Schell. The session is care home focused but all Capacity Tracker users are welcome. Joining link
Capacity Tracker completion reminder
Following recent confirmation of the mandatory vaccination regulations coming into force from 11 November, we are reminding care homes to regularly update the staff vaccination data fields on the Capacity Tracker.
This information informs national, regional and local intelligence which is used to identify any potential market issues and triggers local calls to care homes. If you don’t want us to call, please remember to regularly update the Capacity Tracker.
Please update the weekly and monthly Infection Prevention and Control questions on the Capacity Tracker as well.
Contact details for the Capacity Tracker support.
Care Home Locality Forums
The next round of Care Home Locality Forums will be held in September:
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North - Tuesday 14 September, 11:00am - midday
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South - Wednesday 15 September, 10:00am - 11:00am
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East - Thursday 16 September, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
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West - Friday 17 September, 1:30pm - 2:30pm
These forums are engagement opportunities for care home providers and registered managers, Devon County Council Market Management Team and the locality Assistant Director / Social Care Operational team. If you did not receive the calendar invite please email us. You can view all of the previous forums minutes in the online library.
Care home locality meeting (South Devon only) on
Friday 13 August from 11:00am to midday
In response to a request from care homes in South Devon we will be offering a chance to meet to hear updates from acute and community healthcare providers, social care and the independent sector. We will also review any relevant changes to guidance and work together to find solutions to hot issues.
Vaccine communications toolkit for adult social care
The Department of Health and Social Care has produced a toolkit of resources that is tailored for the adult social care sector: Vaccine communications toolkit for adult social care. The toolkit is regularly updated and includes:
- a stakeholder Q&A on the COVID-19 vaccines
- guidance and resources addressing common concerns about the vaccines, such as fertility, ingredients, allergies and speed of delivery
- advice on how to reassure people about taking the vaccine
- video clips of clinical experts discussing the vaccines
- video clips and case studies of social care workers sharing their own vaccination stories.
Steps to take following the death of a person who worked in adult social care - updated guidance
This guidance was updated on 9 August with details of a life assurance scheme for eligible frontline health and care workers who die from coronavirus contracted in the course of their frontline essential work.
Contained Outbreak Management Funding for commissioned care homes
Devon County Council has provided grant funding to care homes with DCC and NHS placements on a ‘per commissioned bed’ basis to cover a period of six months from August 2021 to January 2022. We have written to providers directly, please contact us if you have any queries.
Care home providers survey on Locality Forums
We are really interested in receiving feedback from care home providers about the Care Home Locality Forums and invite you to complete this short survey by 5:00pm on Friday 13 August. The results of the survey will help shape and influence future meetings and the results will be shared in the September forums.
Visiting arrangements in care homes: PPE and learning disability
Visiting arrangements in care homes guidance
There may be challenges in following PPE recommendations when providing care particularly for people with learning disabilities, mental health problems, autism and dementia. For example, face masks may cause distress which can result in behaviour that may cause harm to the resident or others.
A comprehensive risk assessment should be undertaken for each resident identifying the specific risks for them and the carer to develop appropriate strategies to safely manage those risks. It is important that in doing this you do not alter the recommended PPE items in any way as this could reduce their effectiveness in protecting staff or the people you are providing care for.
Please see guidance for care staff supporting adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults for more information.
COVID-19 Vaccination Ambassador Programme
The NHS in Devon is looking for people from the health and social care sector to volunteer as COVID-19 vaccination ambassadors as part of their work to address inequalities amongst our under-served communities.
Find out what being a COVID-19 vaccination ambassador involves on Inside Devon.
Knowing risks helps make better decisions: useful films
Four short videos are being used to remind us to 'know the risks' as we go about our day to day lives.
From socialising indoors or out, the messages are simple:
- if you need to meet indoors, let fresh air inside
- when you're out and about, keep your distance
- reducing contact is still a key way to prevent catching or passing on the virus
- given the choice, try to meet outdoors as much as possible.
Knowing the risks, helps us make better decisions. We can all make small changes that make a big difference.
Blogwatch: experience of vaccines as a condition of deployment
Dr Pete Calveley, Chief Executive of Barchester Healthcare, sets out how they have encouraged residents and colleagues to take the COVID-19 vaccine, as the first social care provider to launch a vaccination policy.
Read their post and further great content on the social care blog
How CQC will use people's experiences of care in our new regulatory model
To support the delivery of our new strategy we are developing how we use people's experiences of care in our future approach.
We'd like to hear your thoughts on our early thinking about how we use people's experiences of care in our regulatory model. You can read more about this work and share your thoughts on the CQC digital engagement platform, CitizenLab (you will need to log in to access this).
Equipment amnesty response to supply chain pressures
Supply chain pressures are leading to a shortage of vital equipment such as mobility and toileting aids, hoists and hospital beds that help vulnerable people in Devon to live independently at home.
We are asking people who no longer need their community equipment, to return it.
Collection of the equipment from people’s homes is free and Millbrook staff will collect the items from the property.
The amnesty will run from Monday 9 August to Monday 30 August. People should call 0330 1248 214 to arrange a collection.
The Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS)
This is an online service funded by the Department of Health and Social Care and managed by Skills for Care. ASC-WDS collects data about care providers and the workforce. As well as providing key insight to government, ASC-WDS allows you to access the Workforce Development Fund (money to help you train your staff). It allows you to store all your staffing, training and qualifications data in on place.
You can learn more about the service and watch a short video on the Skills for Care website.
Support the family’s coronavirus life assurance scheme application (if applicable)
Please note that if a family is eligible to apply, under this scheme, then the employer should certify and support their application for a £60,000 lump sum payment from the NHS and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme 2020.
The scheme is non-contributory, meaning there is no cost to staff or employers.
Vaccination research
REACT study shows fully vaccinated are three times less likely to be infected.
The latest REACT-1 study findings from Imperial College London and Ipsos MORI show COVID-19 infection rates are three times lower for double vaccinated people.
Analysis carried out by Public Health England (PHE) suggests the vaccination programme, as of 15 July 2021, has prevented between 11 and 12.5 million infections and between 35,200 and 38,600 deaths since the start of the vaccination programme.
ONS: Short report on Long COVID, 22 July 2021
This paper prepared by the Office for National Statistics for the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), gives lots of insight into Long COVID.
AMS: COVID-19 preparing for the future – Looking ahead to winter 2021, 2022 and beyond
This paper was presented by the Academy of Medical Sciences (AMS) on COVID-19 and is looking ahead to winter 2021, 2022 and beyond.
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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