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Welcome to this week's newsletter, published for adult social care providers.
As we fast approach the government deadline for those working in care homes to get their first dose of the vaccine, please make sure that you are aware of how and where staff are able to access the vaccine. More detail is provided below.
We once again thank you for your hard work under pressure in this challenging period and we will continue to help you keep abreast of developments.
Remember that we keep the content and structure of our PEN website up-to-date and your suggestions on how to improve the website are always welcome.
Making vaccination a condition of deployment in the health and wider social care sector
The government has today published its consultation: Making vaccination a condition of deployment in the health and wider social care sector. As anticipated this builds on the previous consultation that took place in the summer that led to mandatory vaccination of staff and visitors in care homes unless they are medically exempt.
The government is now seeking views on whether or not to extend vaccination requirements to other health and care settings for COVID-19 and also for flu.
The proposal would include any frontline health or care worker who have face-to face contact with patients and clients through the delivery of services as part of a CQC regulated activity.
The consultation is open until Friday 22 October 2021.
 Reminder
Seven days left until Thursday 16 September
Thursday 16 September is the last date for care home workers to get their first COVID-19 vaccination dose, so they are fully vaccinated by the time the regulations come into force on 11 November 2021.
For care home staff, this means they will only be able to continue to work inside a care home if they are vaccinated, unless they are under the age of 18 or medically exempt.
From 11 November 2021 registered persons (the person registered with the CQC as a manager or service provider) must ensure that they do not allow anyone to enter the inside of a care home, unless they have had a complete course of doses of an authorised vaccine or fall into one of the exempted groups.
Current and new residents and their family/friends do not have to be fully vaccinated but should continue to be encouraged to do so.
However, prospective residents entering a care home do have to be fully vaccinated, this also applies to any family or representatives accompanying them. They are in effect being treated as visitors.
In the majority of cases we know that through working with us and colleagues in the NHS, vaccination take-up amongst care home residents and staff has been high (in Devon the vaccination rate is 95% first dose and 91% second). However, if you are one of the small number of homes where some staff have not yet received the vaccination and would like further advice and support then please contact us.
Capacity Tracker updates
Donna Schell (regional representative for the Capacity Tracker) is holding a Q&A session for care homes and home care on Wednesday 29 September from 4:00pm to 5:00pm.
New vaccination questions
Following a request from the Department of Health and Social Care, care homes, hospices, home care providers and local authorities, questions relating to the COVID-19 vaccination roll-out have been updated as follows:
• number known to have had the first dose COVID-19 vaccination
• number known to have had the second dose COVID-19 vaccination
• number known to have had the COVID-19 vaccination booster
Also, a single question has been added to monitor the uptake of this season's flu vaccination:
• number known to have had this season's flu vaccination
Track and Trace information is now on the Capacity Tracker
You can compare your organisation with your area: select ‘Reports’ then ‘Test and Trace Statistics’.
Note: this data is NOT collected on the Capacity Tracker, but is made available for your reference.
If you have any questions about the Capacity Tracker then please contact the relevant teams.
Remember to check PCR test kit expiry dates
We know that some care homes will have stocks of PCR test kits that are approaching their expiry date. It would be hugely appreciated if you could conduct an inventory of your PCR test kit stocks and use the ones with the closest 'best before date' before any others, in order to avoid wasting kits.
If you have confirmatory PCR test kits that are approaching their expiry date, please feel free to use these up as part of your regular PCR testing regime.
Infection Prevention Control and Testing Funds Round 4 (July – September 2021)
Thank you to everyone who was able to complete and returned their Grant Monitoring Form by the deadline of 31 August.
The monitoring form due by Friday 15 October 2021 will require spending data for August and September to be broken separately for those two months. Please consider this when keeping records.
Should you have any queries please email us.
Please continue to check the Provider Engagement Network (PEN) for updates regarding the Infection Control Fund and other COVID-19 news.
Care home locality support forums
These forums are engagement opportunities for care home providers and their registered managers, Devon County Council Market Management Team and the locality Assistant Director/Social Care Operational team.
The next round of Care Home Locality Forums will be held in September:
North – Tuesday 14 September, 11:00am – midday
South – Wednesday15 September, 10:00am – 11:00am
East – Thursday 16 September, 1:00pm – 2:00pm
West – Friday 17 September, 1:30pm – 2:30pm
If you have not received the calendar invite please email us stating which locality meeting you would like to receive invites for (North, East, South or West).
You can view all of the previous meeting minutes in the online library.
Devon Care Home Collaborative (DCHC) registered managers education sessions
DCHC is hosting a range of educational offerings for registered managers with support from Skills for Care. There will be a focus on leadership development and hot topics including workforce resilience and dismissal for non-vaccination.
The first session will be on Wednesday 15 September from 2:0pm to 3:30pm, with subsequent sessions on 17 November 2021 and 16 February 2022.
To book places or suggest topics please email DCHC.
COVID-19 vaccination as condition of deployment: regulatory overview (presentation and Q&A)
You can access the Q&A and the presentation from the webinar held on 23 August 2021.
Preparing for vaccinations in Autumn/Winter 2021
Please find attached a letter from Department of Health and Social Care Director, Claire Armstrong, on preparing for vaccinations in Autumn and Winter of 2021. The letter includes information on COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters, as well as flu vaccinations.
Vaccination as a condition of deployment: workforce and HR issues
Webinar on Thursday 16 September from 4:00pm to 5:00pm
This Care Provider Alliance webinar for adult care home managers and HR leads will look at the HR and workforce management issues of implementing mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations as a condition of deployment in adult social care homes in England.
Visiting care homes, plus Essential Care Giver
Webinar on Friday 17 September from 9:30am to 11:00m
This Care Provider Alliance webinar for adult care home managers, staff, residents and relatives will look at good practice and how to overcome the barriers to rolling out the Essential Care Giver role and wider visiting arrangements for residential care settings.
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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