PEN weekly newsletter 4 November 2021

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Provider Engagement Network and NHS logo Header

  Supporting health and social care providers in Devon

Welcome to this week's newsletter, published for adult social care providers.

We once again thank all providers for their ongoing hard work in challenging times.

You may have noticed that this is our 52nd issue. We've been publishing the newsletter for a year now and what a year it's been. We hope that the newsletter has given you some useful information and sources of support in these challenging times.


COVID-19 national Winter Plan updated with comprehensive provider guidance links

The government has now updated its national COVID-19 Winter Plan for adult social care into a document which brings together information and guidance on all relevant topics including Infection Prevention and Control, PPE, COVID-19 and flu vaccination, hospital discharge and more, with discrete sections on action for providers.

Pleaser read The adult social care: COVID-19 winter plan 2021 to 2022.


Care homes: additional funding support for commissioned beds

As a follow up to the email sent to you on 10 August 2021 titled “Care Homes: additional funding support – commissioned beds”, DCC has written to care homes to confirm DCC will be making a second and final payment on Friday 5 November.

Please remember, this grant is based on your commissioned long stay placement numbers at June 2021 and has been calculated on a ‘per commissioned bed’ basis for DCC and NHS CCG placements only. The grant covers a period of six months from August 2021 to January 2022.

This grant should not to be confused with the recently announced Round 5 Infection Control Grant, Rapid Test Fund or Vaccination Fund all of which will be covered by future notifications.

Please contact us if you have any queries.


Vaccination guidance: flexibility for most vulnerable

This clinical guidance has been updated to allow flexibility in booster programme for most vulnerable people.

COVID-19 boosters will be given earlier to those at highest risk where this makes operational sense.

It will for example allow care home residents who may have received their second doses at different times to be vaccinated in the same session, as long as it’s been five months since their second dose.

It may also help with other vulnerable groups, such as housebound patients, so that they can have their flu and COVID-19 vaccines at the same time.


Layers of cheese with holes

Prevention is multi-layered and we need all its layers to be effective

We've drawn inspiration from Swiss cheese this week, and shared an analogy used by the BBC to describe the importance of all prevention measures, in the fight against coronavirus. 

Case rates are rising. The vaccination programme is going well, with booster jabs among our older and eligible population, and vaccinations now available for 12 to 15 year olds. 

But as effective as the vaccine is, it can't be used in isolation as a measure to combat coronavirus. 

The Swiss Cheese analogy describes prevention as a range of different Swiss cheese slices. On their own, they're less effective, but combined, they offer much more protection against viruses. 

It argues that alongside the vaccine, we need face coverings, regular hand washing, testing, socialising outdoors, distancing – all of these measures add up to a more effective level of protection and prevention than just one on its own. 

We like the analogy and thought it was worth sharing. 


All you need to know about flu

We published a special vaccine-themed Connect Me update with all you need to know about flu.

It’s especially important that eligible children aged two or three years old (on 31 August) are offered the flu vaccine this year.

All pregnant women are also eligible for the free flu vaccine. There’s evidence that pregnant women have a higher chance of complications if they get flu, particularly in later stages of pregnancy.

Find out more about the flu jab in pregnancy.


COVID-19: vaccine information for people without an NHS number is available in range of languages

An NHS letter is available in over 20 languages to explain to people without an NHS Number how to get the COVID-19 vaccine. It reassures people in this situation that they do not need to have a GP or an NHS number and that COVID-19 vaccines are available to every adult living in the UK, free of charge without any immigration checks.


Enjoy the season's festivities safely

With Friday 5 November upon us, many people may be out this weekend to celebrate the occasion.

We want everyone to enjoy themselves but as coronavirus is an airborne virus, any gathering of people, especially indoors, increases the risk of transmission. So enjoy the weekend, but wrap up warm and celebrate outside. If meeting indoors with people you don't live with, make sure it's well ventilated – leave the window or door open to let fresh air in.

We've published a few tips to help celebrate the season safely.

Fireworks

COVID-19 vaccination of people working / deployed in care homes: the role of the Care Quality Commission

With this regulation coming into effect on Thursday 11 November 2021, CQC would like to remind providers of their role in carrying out duties in line with Health and Social Care Act.

Below is the statement issued by CQC:

"We're aware of concerns regarding the vaccination as a condition of deployment duty, introduced as part of changes to the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 (‘the Act’). Some of these concerns have been raised around the role of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in monitoring compliance with this requirement.

We understand that COVID-19 pandemic has, and continues to be, an extremely difficult time for care providers, staff members, people using services and their representatives. We recognise the lengths that many staff members and volunteers within services have gone to, to keep people safe during this challenging period.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) have amended the Act. From 11 November 2021, all care home workers and other visiting professionals will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, unless they have an exemption or there is an emergency. More information about the exemptions and what is an emergency is detailed in their operational guidance

Our role is to regulate against the regulations as they are set by government. As such, we encourage providers to read the operational guidance issued by DHSC on 4 August 2021 and to take the necessary actions to be prepared for this duty to come into place.

We consider that vaccination is an important measure in protecting people who live in care homes and from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have encouraged providers to encourage and facilitate vaccinations of their staff who are eligible to have a vaccination. 

The requirement forms part of the fundamental standards and will be monitored and enforced in appropriate cases by us. We will not begin monitoring this until it becomes a duty on 11 November 2021. We will continue to use our existing assessment and enforcement policies and take a proportionate approach, to ensure the welfare and safety of people who use services. We will always treat each matter individually and consider the individual circumstances when undertaking an assessment and deciding on any possible next steps."


COVID-19 test scam alert!

A scam text message has been doing the rounds this week, saying: 

"NHS: You have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19. You must self-isolate for 7 days and order a PCR Testing Kit."

It then directs you to a link designed to look genuine at first glance, but take a closer look and you'll see that it doesn't link to the real NHS website. And if you click on the link, it could then ask you to pay for a testing kit. 

This is a scam. If you receive a text like this, please delete it. Do not click on the link or respond to the message. 

Find out how you would genuinely be contacted by NHS Test and Trace online.


Mulicolour raised hands holding the word: diversity

Black History Month - social care blogs

With Black History Month behind us, here are two blogs reflecting on the Workplace Race Equality Standards (WRES) for social care:


Registered Managers Network meeting

The next meeting is on Wednesday 17 November from 2.00pm to 3:30pm. The meeting is also open to deputies, senior managers and directors in Devon, Torbay and Plymouth.

The next agenda includes updates on Workforce Development Fund, how to respond to a COVID-19 outbreak and 'food for fingers' project. This is also an opportunity for providers to ask questions, share experiences and raise concerns.

To register please follow this link. If you have any questions please contact Ann Woolway.


Mental Health Provider Training

The Devon Partnership NHS Trust and Devon County Council are organising a supervision course, which will take place on Monday 29 and Tuesday 30 November. It's a two full day course and to gain the certificate you will need to fully participate in both days.

The course is aimed at staff working within the helping professions of mental health and learning disability. It will provide the opportunity to develop individual style of practising as a supervisor. 

The course will cover: what is supervision, roles and responsibilities of supervision, models of supervision, tasks of supervision, barriers to supervision, benefits of good supervision listening skills, transference and countertransference, ego states,
challenging conversations, issues for discussion, supervision skills practice and setting up peer groups.

To book a place please contact the organiser.


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


Issue 52,  4 November 2021


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


Proud to Care Logo

Proud to Care support

Proud to Care can support with your recruitment and retention needs. Sign up on our FREE jobs board to post your vacancies.
We offer our candidate matching service, ambassadors scheme, social media boosting and lots more.

We have our updates page with news on current opportunities, resources and initiatives. Take a look to see what you could access. To find out more how we can support you, please email Proud to Care.


Find Your Calling campaign reminder

Remember that you can share our recruitment assets on your channels to help spread the word and help to fill vacancies in adult social care.

Our Find Your Calling campaign is encouraging those who may be looking for work or training opportunities to consider beginning a career in care.

The core campaign content is a powerful and emotive film, to inspire people to consider a role in care. We want as many people to see this as possible.

Proud to Care Devon is calling for people who are interested to complete a quick online form

Applicants will get a call back and the offer of free one-to-one telephone support, providing careers advice and information about jobs and training in care and health.


National adult social care recruitment campaign launching in November

The Department of Health and Social Care is rolling out the latest phase of the national adult social care recruitment campaign, ‘Made with Care’, which will run continuously until March 2022.

Advertising will be run across radio, video on demand and digital channels, directing people to adultsocialcare.co.uk to find out more about adult social care and search for vacancies near them.

You can run local recruitment activity and upload your jobs to the DWP ‘Find a Job’ platform.

Expert advice, templates and a new toolkit of recruitment assets will also be available from the campaign resource centre in time for the launch of the campaign.

For further updates, sign up to the campaign newsletter.


The Health and Social Care Skills Accelerator Programme

Access our exciting new Health and Social Care Skills Accelerator Programme, which provides a variety of free, flexible introductory courses, digital skills, further education and more. All designed to support you and your team to progress and develop. Find out about our amazing offers today on our training and education page.


CQC publish annual 'State of Care' report

The CQC's annual State of Care report is now available to read. It's an assessment of the state of health and social care in England looking at the quality of care over the past year. It is the first of its kind to cover a full year of the pandemic.


Cold Weather Plan for England

The Cold Weather Plan for England has been published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The plan outlines actions and advice for reducing preventable cold weather-related deaths and ill-health and includes advice and guidance on keeping well and staying warm during cold weather.


New joint briefing from The King's Fund, The Health Foundation and the Nuffield Trust

Following the government's announcement on social care reform last month, The King's Fund, The Health Foundation and the Nuffield Trust published a new briefing. The briefing sets out how to move the debate on from the cost of social care to its value, by making the economic, social and political case for further investment.

Read the latest King’s Fund update.


ENLIVEN - Extending active life for older people with cognitive impairment and their families

ENLIVEN is a three year project based at the University of Exeter working with small businesses to make the wellbeing benefits of outdoor activity more accessible to older people with cognitive impairment.

If you are interested in getting involved in this project then please contact ENLIVEN.


Care home safety project participation request

The University of Kent is conducting a project on how to define and measure safety in residential care homes and would like to invite care home managers and care workers to take part.

If you're interested in this study, email Nick Smith and Robert Darton.


National COVID-19 guidance updates

The GOV.UK website

The NHS.UK website


DCC COVID-19 updates

Coronavirus advice to the public

Weekly stakeholder briefing

Coronavirus local dashboard and data (report on confirmed cases and deaths at a district level).


Intergrated Care System for Devon (ICSD)

Integrated Care System for Devon (ICSD)

ICSD is a partnership of health and social care organisations working together with local communities across Devon, Plymouth and Torbay to improve people’s health, wellbeing and care. Their website contains general information on vaccination including FAQs.


National vaccination publication collection

The national government page contains vaccination guidance, training resources, consent forms, letters, leaflets, posters and more.


NHS Devon vaccination stakeholder briefings

Read the latest weekly briefing and view previous ones.


Save the date logo

Webinars, online training and forums in one place

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


Preventing Falls in Older People - training course

Join this one-day interactive training course on Preventing Falls in Older People to learn how to create and embed effective fall prevention strategies.

Thursday 27 January 2022 from 9.15am to 4.00pm

To view the agenda and to register please visit this website.


Medicines Safety Week

The first week of November marks the annual Medicines Safety Week. This year the focus will be on vaccines and reporting side effects. The campaign aims to ensure those looking to report any vaccine side effect know where to go and what to do. 

To report side effects or to find out more about the #MedSafetyWeek please visit the Yellow Card scheme website.


PEN events calendar

Check the calendar for future events.


PEN newsletter archive

View previous issues