|
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.
The government’s latest announcement on care staff vaccination was made this week and we are committed to providing you with guidance and other information such as FAQs as we receive it.
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.
Government announces mandatory vaccination for all frontline care staff
On Tuesday 9 November the Health and Social Care Secretary announced to Parliament that frontline health and social care workers, including volunteers who have face-to-face contact with service users, will need to provide evidence they have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to be deployed into care settings. Here is the statement to the House, which was followed by this press release.
The government response to the national consultation on this issue contains the proposed wording of the regulations, see pages 60 to 70.
We will communicate any further information and links to guidance as soon as they published.
Vaccination of people working or deployed in care homes: operational guidance
From Thursday 11 November 2021, anyone working or volunteering in a care home will need to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus, unless exempt. It is the manager's responsibility to check staff vaccination status. For further guidance please see the operational guidance.
Please also be aware that care home staff should refuse entry to anyone who cannot provide evidence that they have had two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine or that are medically exempt. The regulation applies to all CQC regulated care homes in England. Ambulance clinicians and first responders are however exempt from these requirements.
Answers to FAQs issued by the Department of Health and Social Care regarding exemptions have been updated.
 Adult Social Care Infection Control, Testing and Vaccination Fund: October 2021 – March 2022
The Infection Prevention and Control Grant (IPC), Testing and Vaccination Fund has been extended to support providers from October 2021 until March 2022.
The purpose of this fund is to support adult social care services (including those with whom the local authority does not have a contract) to:
- prevent the spread of infection
- ensure adequate testing is completed
- support staff to become fully vaccinated.
Grant agreements have been sent to eligible providers and must be completed and returned by Friday 12 November.
Please note:
Any purchase of service or goods using grant funding may have a tax implication. Providers should check with their accountants for advice and support.
For detailed guidance, including grant conditions, please visit Adult social care extension to Infection Control and Testing Fund 2021.
If you have any queries please email us.
Home care national guidance updated
The provision of home care guidance has been updated and it includes a revised section on how home care providers can manage the people they are caring for safely and what to do if someone being cared for develops COVID-19 symptoms.
Get your free flu vaccine and COVID-19 boosters
Don't forget: frontline adult social care workers are still eligible for a free flu and COVID-19 booster vaccine to help boost their immunity this winter.
Communications toolkits and marketing materials, including Q&A leaflets, posters, social media graphics and email signatures, remain available for care providers to encourage colleagues to take up both vaccines. Printed materials are available to pre-order, alongside digital assets for use on social media.
 Third dose versus booster – what’s the difference?
We're familiar with hearing the terms 'booster jab' and 'third dose', but what's the difference? They're not the same and both are really important in protecting us against coronavirus.
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) announced in September that people with severely weakened immune systems at the time of their first and/or second COVID-19 vaccination, would receive a third dose as part of the standard vaccination schedule.
Its purpose is to increase their level of protection against the virus, because they will not have reached the same levels of immunity as others after their two primary doses. Then, around six months later, that person should receive a booster jab.
Booster jabs help maintain and extend the length of protection received from first and second vaccinations. They're being rolled out to eligible people starting by invitation to those most at risk. That roll-out will extend to all people aged 50 years old and over, and the government said that anyone eligible can now get their booster jab from their nearest walk-in vaccination centre, so long as it’s been six months since their second jab. You can also book an appointment online via the National Booking System.
The invitation people receive to come forward for their third dose or booster jab will have taken into account their health at the time of their first or second vaccinations. But if you're concerned about whether you've been invited for the right one at this stage, please contact your GP.
COVID-19 testing clarified
We're hearing that some people are taking a second test at the end of their ten day isolation period (following a positive PCR test), to see if they are still infectious and then are continuing to isolate because that second test is positive.
You do not need to take a PCR test at the end of your isolation period. Once you have completed ten days isolation, and providing you are feeling well, or if the only symptoms you have are a cough or loss of smell (which can last for several weeks), you are then able to return to normal activity, while continuing to take the usual precautions such as using face coverings, good hand hygiene and making sure rooms are well ventilated.
The reason being, if you've just finished self-isolating, you're likely to test positive for a while because the virus is still present. But by then, it's much less likely to transmit to others.
The public health advice is to not take a PCR or LFT for 90 days after testing positive with a PCR test, unless you develop new symptoms during that time. If you develop symptoms during that time, re-test using PCR. Similarly, the advice is to wait 28 days after testing positive with a PCR test to have your COVID-19 vaccination.
 COVID-19 infections reach their highest level
The latest findings from Imperial College London and Ipsos MORI show prevalence of COVID-19 infections are the highest recorded since the study began in May 2020, and the highest prevalence is in the South-West.
Steve Brown, Devon's Director of Public Health, said the latest data needs to be a wake-up call.
"These latest figures show that we can't be complacent. These are the highest rates of infection since this study began, and they need to be a wake-up call to all of us.
"Coronavirus is very much still in our communities, and while the vaccine is great, we must not rely solely on it to keep us safe.
"We need everyone who is eligible for a third dose or a booster jab to come forward without delay.
"And we need everyone to take steps to mitigate risk to themselves and others."
Visit the government website to find out more about what you can do to protect yourself and others from coronavirus.
 'Made with Care' national recruitment campaign
The new adult social care recruitment campaign ‘Made with Care’ has be launched. It will run continuously until March 2022.
Created to support care providers in recruiting the dedicated staff they need, this campaign celebrates the amazing work care workers do for people they support.
Make the most of this campaign by running your own recruitment activity, using the expert advice and templates available on the campaign resource centre and advertising vacancies on the DWP ‘Find a Job’ site.
Stay updated with the campaign by signing up to this newsletter and follow the campaign's Facebook page.
A message from Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care
"I’m delighted Made with Care, the government’s new social care recruitment campaign in England, has now be launched to encourage many more people to pursue careers in social care.
It’s estimated there will be almost 500k extra job opportunities in adult social care by 2035 and more than 105,000 vacancies to be filled."
 Devon 'LoveCare' event invitation
Devon County Council has been working hard all year with a range of national, regional and local partners to find new ways to address the workforce challenge facing adult social care. We’ve been co-ordinating this with our colleagues in the NHS and wider local government through our ‘LoveCare’ programme.
We’ve already thanked care workers for their commitment throughout the pandemic and made a public Call To Action. Our new Proud To Care campaign was launched in October and we want to build on this momentum through a ground-breaking Appreciative Inquiry event, which we hope you will be able to 'witness'.
On Friday 3 December between 9.30am and 12.30pm, we will be bringing together system leaders (nationally and locally), care workers, care providers (from our PEN co-design group) and colleagues from one of our Local Care Partnerships to celebrate social care and ask: “How can it be even better?” We have made a series of short films which will act as a stimulus for discussion and action. The materials prepared for the event will be made available for wider awareness-raising and will help shape a Prospectus For Change to address our workforce challenge.
Because of COVID-19 restrictions, we can only have a small number of people actually in the room but technology means we can invite many hundreds more to join us. The chat function in Teams will enable us to capture your thoughts and the event will be webcast so that the wider public can observe and offer their views.
The event is one part of what will be a sustained campaign in the coming year to better reward and value our care workforce.
We hope that you will be able to accept this invitation. Please respond to Julie Treleaven to confirm that you are able to attend or if you wish to send a deputy.
'Safe and Well for Winter' webinar for care home and domicilary care providers
The webinar is on Thursday 18 November from 2.00pm until 3.00pm and will cover the following topics:
- Symptoms – circulating infections and viruses, infection prevention and control, diarrhoea and vomiting
- ‘Get vaccinated’ and update the Capacity Tracker
- Co-administration of vaccine safety
- Vaccine challenges: delays / supply problems
- Refresh testing guidance awareness
- Refresh isolation guidance and staff return to work guidance awareness
- Contingency planning
- Visiting and essential care givers
- Managing family expectations
- Reminder of requirement to complete CQC notifications of staff levels impacting on care service delivery.
 Celebrating success - Exmouth care home wins the Great British Care Awards regional final
Many congratulations to Cathy Rant, Registered Manager and her team at Cranford Residential Home in Exmouth. They won the Great British Care Awards Regional finals for workforce development. Claire Smith, Beckie Anderson and Kerri Crisp, who are all part of Cranford’s training centre went to Bristol to the award ceremony and will be entered into national finals in March 2022.
Cathy has developed a successful accredited training programme with progression routes for all staff, which is integral to effective recruitment and retention at Cranford. Cranford is an Approved Training Centre and has five registered trainers who deliver in excess of 20 courses to their staff.
Cranford Residential Home has also been shortlisted for the Caring-UK national award 'Commitment to Workforce Development'. The award ceremony is in December 2021 as covered in the Exmouth Journal.
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
|
