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As we go to press we have received details of the verbal announcement to Parliament on mandatory staff vaccination and the letter issued to regulated providers by the Department of Health & Social Care. We will share any further information when we receive it but, in the mean-time, vaccination remains the best protection against COVID-19 and we are continuing to promote vaccination bookings.
We do our best to keep the content and structure of our PEN website up-to-date in these fast-changing times and your suggestions on how to improve the website are always welcome.
Mandatory vaccination: oral statement to Parliament and letter from Department of Health & Social Care
On Monday 31 January the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Sajid Javid updated Parliament on vaccines as a condition of deployment with the following verbal statement.
We will publish further information about this announcement when we receive it, but we are still promoting vaccination of all care staff as a key way of combating COVID-19, and national and local vaccination arrangements remain in place.
If you have staff who remain hesitant please do contact our vaccine hesitancy nurses who can support both you and your staff directly.
Vaccinations can be booked through the National Booking Service, or by ringing 119, or by attending one of the many walk-ins available across the county or as advertised on social media.
On 2 February the Department of Health and Social Care wrote to all CQC-regulated providers with clear advice that these employers do not serve notice of termination to employees in connection with the vaccination regulations, but also encouraging everyone who is eligible to get their vaccinations and their booster.
Government eases social care restrictions after booster success
Restrictions in place to prevent the spread of Omicron in adult social care will be eased following the success of the booster roll-out.
- Unlimited visiting for care home residents to return, subject to local risk assesment.
- Reduced isolation following a COVID-19 infection for those receiving care.
- Changes will ensure those providing and receiving care are kept safe while increasing freedoms for residents.
National care home visiting restrictions eased but local outbreak restrictions remain
On 31 January the guidance on visits to care homes was updated in line with the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, as communicated in our Newsflash that day. In Devon we currently have many homes with outbreaks and our information to the public is reminding them that the national relaxation of visiting arrangements does not apply in those settings.
The national guidance document is a long one which must be read in full. It states that providers are expected to facilitate visits wherever possible, and to do so in a risk-managed way.
The national guidance is clear that all care home visits must be carefully risk-managed including refusing visits on the grounds of safety.
The detailed updated guidance covers:
- how visits should happen in all circumstances
- safe visiting practices
- when different visiting arrangements are needed
- sources of information and support
and includes sections on:
- infection prevention and control (IPC) measures
- individual risk assessments
- testing arrangements
- isolation on return from some high-risk activities out of the home.
This guidance is based on regularly reviewed clinical advice.
Other latest guidance updates
Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for home care workers: information for agencies sets out how home care agencies in England can order regular tests for their staff. The update includes the removal of confirmatory PCR after a positive LFT and updated advice on testing within 90 days of a positive result. Updated: 26 January 2022.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for anyone working in adult social care who are not part of regular testing at work and unpaid carers. Updated to reflect the removal of confirmatory PCR after a positive LFT and updated advice on testing within 90 days of a positive result. Updated: 26 January 2022.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing service for extra care and supported living settings. Updated to reflect the removal of confirmatory PCR after a positive LFT and updated advice on testing within 90 days of a positive result. Updated: 26 January 2022.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for people receiving direct payments. Full guidance for people receiving direct payments and personal assistants to reflect the latest guidance on the COVID-19 booster programme, travel and self-isolation, and the extension of the free PPE scheme until 2023. Updated: 26 January 2022.
The Government updated the guidance on infection prevention and control for seasonal respiratory infections including COVID-19 and on the management of staff, patients and residents who have been exposed to COVID-19. The update reflects a change in the isolation period in hospitals from 14 to 10 days for cases and contacts of cases of COVID-19. Updated: 17 January 2022.
Boosters provide high level of protection against death with Omicron
The latest data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows that boosters significantly reduce the risk of death with Omicron. Key findings are that:
- six months after a second dose of any of the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines, protection against death with Omicron was around 60% in those aged 50 and over. However, this increased to around 95% two weeks after receiving a booster vaccine dose.
- The data continue to show high levels of protection against hospitalisation from the booster. After a Pfizer booster (after either primary vaccination course), vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation started at around 90%, dropping to around 75% after 10 to 14 weeks.
- After a Moderna booster (mRNA-1273) (after either primary vaccination course), vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation was 90% to 95% up to nine weeks after vaccination.
Vaccination pledge to Black communities
A pledge to support people in Black African and Black African Caribbean communities to take up their COVID-19 vaccinations has been backed by 65 prominent health and community leaders across the country.
In an open letter, published by the Caribbean and African Health Network (CAHN), they back COVID-19 vaccination as safe and offer to be available for open and honest discussions about it, promising that questions will be met with respect and compassion.
Teams can support the pledge and download social media assets to use in their engagement with Black communities via the COVID-19 Vaccine Equalities Connect and Exchange Hub
Engaging with underserved communities and priority groups about COVID-19 vaccination
These resources support engagement with priority groups and underserved communities to help answer their concerns and boost uptake of COVID-19 vaccine:
- Fact cards featuring trusted health professionals for use in presentations, websites, and digital messaging channels to help counter misinformation
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NHS letter from Dr Nikki Kanani, available in 24 translations and graphic cards encouraging people without an NHS number to access COVID-19 testing, treatment and vaccination without charge and, if they wish, register with a GP.
 Beware of COVID-19 scams - reminder
Criminals are sending text messages, emails and making phone calls, pretending to be from the NHS, to steal money, financial details and personal information relating to the COVID-19 booster vaccine.
Stay alert and remember:
- the COVID-19 booster vaccine is free
- the NHS will never ask for payment or any financial details
- the NHS will never arrive unannounced at your home to administer the COVID-19 booster vaccine
- do not respond to requests for money or important personal information such as bank details or passwords
- be alert to links and attachments in unexpected text messages or emails.
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the management of COVID-19 outbreaks across all adult social care provider services
The SOP, which provides the structure and guidance for DCC teams to support providers through a COVID-19 outbreak in their care service, has been updated to take account of learning and developments over recent months.
DCC has enhanced the guidance for Community Service Managers (CSM) when they are making a decision to request a new placement / admission prior to formal closure of the outbreak. The structure of the guidance / checklist allows the CSM to consider all of the risks and measure in place to control the outbreak before making the decision to request a new placement.
We recognise that ultimately the provider will need to make their own decision about whether they can safely meet the person’s care needs, and are looking to support that process at an early stage where possible.
For a copy of the check list and CSM details please visit the PEN webpage
Care Quality Commission's (CQC) updated regulatory approach
The CQC has updated their regulatory approach to take account of the current context and the lifting of national restrictions from Tuesday 1 February. From February, CQC will focus our activity on services where there is evidence that people are at risk of harm, where we can support increasing capacity across the system and identifying good practice that we can share to drive improvement.
For adult social care services this includes:
- achieving our ambition to complete 1000 infection prevention and control (IPC) inspections in adult social care
- rapid response to requests to set up new Designated Settings.
- activity to rate adult social care services that are registered and not yet rated
- inspections of adult social care providers currently rated as Requires Improvement to identify where improvement has taken place and re-rate where possible.
Leadership Development and Team Leader Education workshops
Team leader education:
Leadership development:
Access training funding through the Workforce Development Fund (WDF)
To make a claim from the 2021-22 WDF you need to:
- sign up to access the fund by Monday 28 February 2022
- update your ASC-WDS account(s) in line with the requirements for WDF by Thursday 31 March 2022
- submit your claim by Tuesday 31 May 2022.
WDF allows you to claim back money towards the costs of your team completing a broad range of adult social care qualifications, learning programmes and digital learning modules.
Please go the funding page for more information and for details how to apply.
Dementia training update - complex training postponed but other opportunities remain
We have currently postposed plans for a bespoke complex dementia training for care homes, this is put on hold due to the current pressures with releasing staff for training. Thank you to those of you who have already helped inform the bespoke training. If you are interested in being involved in further discussions, please to get in contact with Sarah Dent.
Other funded offers for dementia awareness / training are however currently available:
Mera Peak Challenge
John Powell and Unicare Devon are fundraising in support of Headway Devon and Rowcroft Hospice with an exciting challenge. John said:
"Throughout 2021-2022 we have been hiking as many UK peaks as we can and have already scaled Tryfan, Blencathra and Pen Y Fan but our biggest challenge looms - Mera Peak! Let's think about that: 23 stone, one year to get in shape and then climb 6476 meters over a 22 day expedition. The oxygen level drops from 20.9% at sea level to only 9% which means every additional bit of weight carried has a huge impact, but hey let's do it!"
Find out more and support this great endeavour.
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.
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