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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 new Omicron variant means we all have to work even harder to protect ourselves and the people we serve, so make sure you continue to read the latest national guidance and announcements and any local advice issued alongside them.
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.
 Latest national booking information for frontline social care staff
We have just been informed that you can now use the national booking service to pre-book a booster dose of the vaccine if it's been two months (61 days) since your second dose and you're in one of these groups:
Please note that although you can pre-book a booster dose from two months (61 days) after your second dose, the appointment dates you'll be offered will be from three months (91 days) after your second dose.
Latest local walk-in vaccination centers
We put together details of walk-in vaccination centers available across Devon (including Plymouth) over the next week to help staff get their booster vaccinations.
Care home staff self-certification for vaccination exemption extended
The Department of Health & Social Care have announced extension of the cut-off date for self-certification of care home staff for exemption from vaccination. This applies to everyone who has registered a self-certification before 24 December 2021 and means that self-certification forms will continue to be valid until 31 March 2022, so long as they have been received before 24 December 2021.
The extension has been announced in this letter from the national Director of Adult Social Care Delivery issued on 8 December.
Adult Social Care Infection Control, Testing and Vaccination Fund: October 2021 – March 2022. Reporting Point 1
Thank you to everyone who completed the grant agreement to claim the latest round of government funding for infection control.
Details for Reporting Point 1 have been sent and the deadline for returning the monitoring form is Friday 7 January 2022.
Here are links to the monitoring forms:
Please note that completion of the monitoring form is a requirement of the grant agreement. Failure to comply will impact on your eligibility for any further funding through this grant.
For any queries and to return the monitoring form, please contact us.
Guidance on visiting arrangements in care homes
This guidance was updated on 3 December and it sets out how care homes can support families and visitors to visit residents, and clarifies that isolation should happen:
- if following an emergency stay in hospital
- if they test positive for COVID-19
- if following a visit that has been deemed high-risk following an individual risk assessment.
Personal Assistants (PAs): eligible for free flu vaccination
All PAs are eligible for a free flu vaccination from their GP practice or a local community pharmacy.
COVID-19 Guidance Overview: management of staff and exposed patients and residents in health and social care settings
This document brings together guidance on the management of staff, patients and residents who have been exposed to COVID-19. It clarifies wording around isolation requirement and to reflect LFD testing requirement after returning from another country for health and social care staff, as laid out in the central alerting system 9CAS) alert.
- Staff who have travelled to England from another country are required to adhere to national entry and self-isolation requirements. There are specific instructions for those entering from countries on the red list.
- Health and social care staff entering from any country not on the red list are required to take a PCR test on or before day two after their return. They must self-isolate until they receive a negative PCR test result. If the PCR test result is positive, they must start ten full days isolation from the day of their test and follow the Stay at home guidance.
Supported living COVID-19 guidance - reminder
This guidance for providers of supported living settings is in line with the latest clinical advice from the UK Health Security Agency.
Booster programme expansion headline announcement
Key messages on the latest national expansion of the booster vaccination programme are that:
- the booster programme is to be expanded to include all adults, with a reduced time between the final primary dose and booster of three months
- people who have received a third primary dose due to immuno-suppression will be offered a fourth dose as a booster
- all eligible age groups will be offered the booster by the end of January
- boosters offer a much higher antibody response
- current vaccines are likely to be at least partially effective against the Omicron variant
- the best chance of a Christmas with loved ones is to be vaccinated
- the most vulnerable people will be vaccinated first before the programme is opened further
- people are being asked to wait their turn and not try to book before being contacted, unless already eligible
- capacity is being expanded nationally through further use of hospital hubs, cutting other burdens on primary care and pharmacists, with additional funding for vaccinations.
 All contacts of suspected Omicron cases must self-isolate for ten days, regardless of their age or vaccination status
The government's guidance has been updated to reflect changes to self-isolation requirements for contacts of people who have been identified as a suspected or confirmed case of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
These contacts must stay at home and self-isolate for ten days, even if they are fully vaccinated or aged under 18 years and six months.
If you are a contact of someone with COVID-19 that has not been identified as a suspected or confirmed case of the Omicron variant, and you are fully vaccinated or aged under 18 years and six months old, you are not required to self-isolate.
You may be entitled to a one-off payment of £500 through the NHS Test and Trace Support Payment scheme if you are required to stay at home and self-isolate or you are the parent or guardian of a child who has been told to self-isolate.
 What is the Omicron COVID-19 variant?
The more a virus spreads, the more chance it has to change or mutate. Often these changes have little impact, but sometimes they help the virus survive and lead to new variants being identified.
This most recent variant has been named Omicron by the World Health Organization, following the pattern of Greek code-names like the Alpha and Delta variants.
Scientists are particularly concerned about changes to a virus's spike protein, which is the part that helps it enter human cells.
The Omicron variant contains a large number of spike protein mutations as well as other changes, so it is now very different from the original virus that emerged in Wuhan, China. This means that the vaccines, which were designed using the original strain, may not be as effective.
However, some of the changes in this variant have been seen before in others, which gives some insight into their likely role in the virus.
Urgent work is ongoing internationally to fully understand how these mutations may change the behaviour of the virus with regards to vaccines and treatments. Early indications suggest this variant may be more transmissible.
Inspections using remote technology
Following pilot work in 2020 and the consultation on flexible regulation that took place earlier this year, adult social care inspectors can now undertake care at home inspections without a site visit for home care (domiciliary care agencies) and extra care housing services, if key criteria are met.
the Care Quality Commission has developed this methodology as an additional tool for inspectors to use so they can gather the evidence for home care services without the need to visit. They have updated their website with information on this methodology.
Devon's director of public health urges extra caution in response to Omicron variant
With temporary measures to prevent the spread of the new COVID-19 Omicron variant coming into force today, the Director of Public Health Devon, Steve Brown, and the Chair of NHS Devon Clinical Commissioning Group, Dr Paul Johnson, are urging people to be extra cautious.
"This is another reminder that this pandemic is not yet over," said Steve Brown, Director of Public Health Devon.
Dr Paul Johnson, Chair of NHS Devon Clinical Commissioning Group, said:
"We’re still learning about the Omicron variant, but we can be clear that social distancing, regular hand washing and wearing a mask where appropriate can reduce the spread of all strains of COVID-19 as well as of seasonal flu.
"As the temperature drops it’s really important to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and seasonal flu".
COVID-19 rates across Devon remain above the national average with the highest levels in Torridge and North Devon.
Most cases continue to be in the primary and secondary school age population. Thankfully we’re not seeing the high case rates reflected in hospitalisations and where people are admitted to hospital with coronavirus, most are getting better quickly. This could be because they are likely to be younger and vaccinated.
New UKHSA study provides more safety data on COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy
Analysis by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) of women giving birth has reinforced international evidence that COVID-19 vaccines have good safety record in pregnant women.
This is the first data published in England and it showed that those women who had received the COVID-19 vaccination had good birth outcomes.
COVID-19 vaccination as condition of deployment: Q&A
The Care and Provider Alliance (CPA) updated its Q&A on COVID-19 vaccination as condition of deployment, following the government’s announcement on 9 November 2021 that it intends to legislate to make COVID-19 vaccination a condition of deployment in health and the wider social care sector.
CPA is developing a separate Q&A for other social care providers that will be affected by the extension of requirements to their services. This Q&A only relates to care homes.
 Government launches new ten-year vision for adult social care
People who need care, the social care workforce and unpaid carers will benefit from the ten-year vision for adult social care.
The white paper is part of the government’s wider social care plans, backed by £5.4 billion, which, for the first time, provides a limit to the cost of care for everyone in the adult social care system and significantly increases state support.
The government has set out further details on how over £1 billion for system reform will be spent over the next three years.
New Transforming Social Care campaign
Transforming Social Care is a new campaign explaining the government’s plan to reform social care, featuring testimonies and information about the changes to come, including the social care workforce. It digs deeper into the white paper's proposals and discover how it will benefit individuals, families and our wider communities.
How reform supports our amazing social care workforce
With or without reform, the quality, reliability and effectiveness of our adult social care system depends on a workforce that feels valued, supported and encouraged to be the best.
Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, explains why the reform plans are about the people delivering services as well as those receiving them.
 Stay well in winter
In cold temperatures certain age groups are more at risk.
Check out the NHS advice on how to stay well in winter.
CQC fees scheme for 2022/23
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) fees scheme, which covers all of the CQC's costs of regulation including registration, monitoring and inspection, will not change in 2022/2023.
Since there is no change to CQC's fees scheme, CQC will not be consulting on fees this year.
You can find out more about the fees scheme, how to pay fees, an update on non-payment of fees and the fees calculator at the CQC website.
'Because we all care' campaign
January 2022 will see the return of CQC's 'Because we all care' campaign.
The campaign aims to support and encourage more people to feedback on health or social care services that they, or a loved one, have experienced.
If you want to get involved with the 'Because we all care' campaign or want to find out more, please email Jay Harman.
Funded Nursing Care research appeal
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is conducting research on NHS-Funded Nursing Care (FNC). If your nursing home has residents who are eligible for FNC, then DHSC would like to hear from you.
To participate, you will be asked to provide:
- information about your nursing home
- information about shift hours for a recent payroll period
- nursing payroll costs for May and October 2021.
Nursing homes should have received an email with an excel template for completion. If you have not received this, would like support in completing the template or any further information, please contact the team.
Free virtual interactive performances for care homes from Constella Opera Ballet
Delivered by some of the UK’s most exciting musicians and dancers who also work with the Royal Opera House, English National Opera and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra via Zoom.
Please view YouTube video about the service and contact Constella to set up performance for your care home.
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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