Q&A with our Chief Executive, Phil Norrey
If you missed the latest Q&A session with Phil you're able to watch it back
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Current and future ways of working update
The DCC position remains the same, we should only be visiting an office if we have a clear reason, and all staff team meetings should still be held virtually wherever possible to ensure business continuity and staff wellbeing
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Remember to update iTrent when you've received your flu jab
Guidance has been produced to show you how.
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Our Principles and Behaviours have been update to be clearer, and relate more effectively to our work
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The next round of Leadership & Management Apprenticeships
The next round of Leadership and Management Apprenticeships will commence in April 2022, the closing date for applications for this entry point is 1 December 2021.
Further information can be found on Inside Devon
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Find back copies of newsletters on reSOURCE: Adult Social Care newsletter archive
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 Dear Colleague,
Earlier this year, Phil Norrey, our Chief Executive, gave a clear and direct message to everyone in the organisation that we must be actively intolerant of racism . This was then followed-up with information on what we can all do to help our organisation tackle racism and inequality.
More recently we took a paper to Leadership Group, Phil's management team, that received unanimous support on a number of recommendations including developing an anti-racism plan across the Adult Care and Health workforce and Children's Services workforce.
It will be essential that this work is led in partnership with people with lived experience of racism, and to make that happen, any members of staff from minority black and ethnic backgrounds who want to be involved will be given that opportunity and that must be facilitated.
This work is developing and there will be many opportunities to contribute and shape. Further work is also in progress to support team managers when recruiting to make sure as an organisation we are doing the things that support and encourage a strong and diverse workforce.
With best wishes,
Jennie, Keri, Tim, Solveig and Gary
Jennie Stephens, Chief Officer for Adult Care and Health
Tim Golby, Locality Director - North and East
Keri Storey, Head of Adult Care Operations and Health
Solveig Sansom, Deputy Head of Service: Adult Commissioning and Health
Gary Patch, Deputy Head of Adult Care Operations and Health
Dr Sarah Wollaston has been appointed chair of the Integrated Care System for Devon for the next 12 months.
Dr Wollaston, a practising GP in Devon, was MP for Totnes from 2010 to 2019, during which time she served as chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee in the Commons for five years.
Dr Wollaston succeeds Dame Suzi Leather, who has chaired the Devon health and care system since 2018
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As the days are getting noticeably shorter, please make sure that you take a break during daylight hours, step away from your desk and get outside if you can.
Commissioning SLT have pledged to model this behaviour and hope everyone also thinks about the importance of doing so. Here is a very short clip of Simon Sinek explaining the importance of working in this way.
We've also included a link to a podcast from Michael Mosley exploring the importance of standing-up and the health benefits it can have especially for those who work at a desk all day.
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All Adult Care and Health staff are eligible for a Blue Light Card that offers a range of discounts online and in-store.
There is a £5 charge to receive the card, but there are some significant discounts that make the investment worthwhile.
All the information is available online to help you apply.
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Despite the most testing couple of years our care home providers are still going strong, still providing vital care, and still working in restricted ways in the face of challenge after challenge; challenges that are far from over. We must all do our bit to help.
And that includes making sure that when we visit care homes we are doing so respectfully and lawfully and not compromising the safety and infection control that providers are working so hard to maintain.
If you are visiting a care home it is a requirement that you show your vaccination status, make sure you are aware of how you can do this so we do not risk any CQC action on individual care homes that continue to work so hard.
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Adam Carrick has taken on the responsibility of Mental Health commissioning for Devon, and Vicks Johnson has taken on the responsibility of Learning Disability & Autism commissioning for Devon
Both Adam and Vicks are in joint roles between NHS Devon CCG, Devon County Council & Torbay Council and will work closely with the three organisations to ensure that our commissioning plans are aligned.
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I attended the virtual Social Worker of the Year Award this month and was so proud to be supporting Devon in the Newly Qualified Social Worker Category.
Congratulations to rising stars Flo and Rosie for being shortlisted, keep up the incredible work, we're so proud of you, what great careers are in front of you.
I also want to draw attention to Carers Rights Day today (25 November) and our new Carers Campaign which aims to increase our identification and recognition of hidden or hard-to-reach Carers.
The campaign is running from November 2021 to March 2022 and each month will focus on a different group.
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At our November Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee we were briefed on the on-going finance and performance challenges in adult social care.
The overriding message that we took away from the session is the sheer amount of work that colleagues across Adult Care and Health continue to get through, and at a time when how we all live and work has changed and challenged greatly.
My committee and I want to thank everyone working in Adult Care and Health, in every team in Devon, with our communities and our partners. The skills you have and the way you work in putting people at the heart of what you do is incredible and the foundation of the health and care system.
I also want to thank every officer who has contributed to the many masterclass sessions we have hosted since May. These sessions have been extremely helpful in supporting our new members' understanding of adult social care and where we can try to have an impact. We know a lot of work goes into preparing and delivering these sessions so thank you for all your work.
The committee looks forward to working with you next year as we all strive for a healthier society.
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CareFirst is being migrated to the cloud. This follows a planned roadmap of updates to provide essential upgrades for the continued running of the CareFirst platform.
The changeover weekend will happen from the evening of Friday 14th January 2022 from 8:15pm and will affect most of Saturday 15th.
There a few things that those using CareFirst will need to do ahead of the changeover, please see the following document for details
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Families on low incomes can get help with food and utility costs this winter via the UK government’s new Household Support Fund, which we are administering locally.
The scheme, which runs until Thursday 31 March 2022, can also be used for things like emergency boiler and heating repairs and housing costs.
To access support, you must be a Devon resident over the age of 16 years old and be without sufficient resources to meet your immediate short-term needs.
Applications are made through Devon’s district/ unitary councils, so if you’re struggling with the cost of household essentials this winter, please contact your local district/ unitary council for details about what support is available in your area and how to apply.
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Last week the Public Health Intelligence Team hosted a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment webinar. The webinar is available to watch back if you were unable to attend and it provided an overview of the variety of tools available to help explore the data within the JSNA to help support our work.
It's also worth making sure that you are familiar with the DCC Public Health, Health and Wellbeing pages where you can find more information and data presentations.
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The government has released further details on its plan for the reform of adult social care.
Although a lot more detail is still to come, we have been provided with clearer information on what we will be expecting in terms of how people will be charged for adult social care. A consultation document is expected in the new year.
The proposals make a number of changes to Phase 2 of the Care Act, that although written in legislation was never switched on in 2016.
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Don't forget you can now thank colleagues and recognise their achievements – no matter how big or small through #DCCShoutOuts
All #DCCShoutOuts relating to staff in adult social care are listed alongside news on the 'Adult' tab Inside Devon.
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