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Today’s issue comes hot on the heels of the announcement to bring forward the removal of remaining pandemic restrictions for the general public, but the need for vigilance and caution does, of course, remain in the care sector.
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.
National vaccination letter sent to all regulated providers except care homes
Last week we featured a link to the Department of Health and Social Care letter on mandatory vaccination for regulated providers.
To clarify, that letter was sent to all Care Quality Commission-regulated settings except care homes. It is still unclear to us at this time whether any further guidance will be issued in relation to care homes.
Vaccination guidance updates
Consultation on removing vaccination as a condition of deployment for health and social care staff. Press release issued on 31 January to reflect Omicron becoming dominant variant.
Here are the written statements made by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Sajid Javid, which were issued on Thursday 3 February and it updates the verbal announcement made to Parliament on 31 January.
COVID-19 vaccination of people working or deployed in care homes: operational guidance. Updated: 3 February 2022.
Vaccination of workers in social care settings other than care homes: operational guidance. Added call-out box to reflect that the government has announced its intention to revoke the regulations making vaccines a condition of deployment for health and social care staff, subject to parliamentary process. Updated: 3 February 2022.
National consultation on staff vaccination ends 11:45pm on 16 February 2022
Participate directly using this link
National Homecare Association statement on vaccination requirement changes
Homecare Association statement on consultation on revoking regulations requiring vaccination as a condition of deployment.
Testing guidance updates
COVID testing available for Adult Social Care. This document contains very useful flow charts and was updated at the start of February.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for adult social care settings. This summary document was updated on Friday 4 February.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): testing in adult care homes. Updated on the use of LFT and removal of PCR testing. 4 February 2022.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for adult day care centre workers and service users. Updated to reflect changes in asymptomatic regular testing guidance for staff. 4 February 2022.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing guidance for extra care and supported living settings. Updated to reflect changes in asymptomatic regular testing guidance for extra care and supported living staff. 4 February 2022.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for home care workers. Updated to reflect changes in asymptomatic regular testing guidance for home care workers. 4 February 2022.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for anyone working in adult social care who is not part of regular testing at work. Updated to reflect changes in asymptomatic regular testing guidance for adult social care workers who are not part of a regular testing regime. 4 February 2022.
Throat and nose test (Innova 25) for care home staff: COVID-19 rapid test kit instructions. Step-by-step guide for COVID-19 self-testing for adult health and social care staff. N.B. Rapid tests are only for people who do not have symptoms of COVID-19. Updated information about how to get a test kit and get help with doing the test. 3 February 2022.
Other guidance updates
Visiting arrangements in care homes. As announced in our Newsflash on Wednesday 1 February, this guidance was updated to reflect the fact that there is now no limit on visitor numbers; following a normal visit out, residents do not need to test or self-isolate, and, following an emergency hospital stay or other high-risk visit out, residents should self-isolate for 10 days, with testing arrangements to end isolation sooner. Updated 2 February 2022.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): admission and care of people in care homes. Added note that this guidance will be updated and directed users to press release 'Government eases social care restrictions after booster success'. Updated: 4 February 2022.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice for pregnant employees. Advice on risk assessments in the workplace and occupational health during the coronavirus pandemic. Updated: 31 January 2022.
Devon domiciliary care and supported living vaccination success
We are pleased to report that within the Devon County Council area 96% of domiciliary care staff and 95% of supported living staff have now had their first vaccination. This means our local vaccination take up amongst those staff is amongst the best in the country and we thank providers and staff accordingly.
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.
If you have staff who remain hesitant please do contact our vaccine hesitancy nurses who can support both you and your staff directly.
 Public Health Director appeals to care home visitors asked to make arrangements before they visit
Around half of the 317 care homes in Devon currently have two or more linked cases of coronavirus among staff and residents, a challenging situation given the government's change to care home visiting rules to allow more visits.
Under the new national rules, care home visitors are asked to make arrangements with care homes in advance of their visit, so that care home providers can manage the number of people attending at any one time, to ensure safety for residents and staff.
Steve Brown, Devon's Director of Public Health, has therefore made the following statement to the public:
"Visiting loved ones and friends who live in care homes is vitally important to the resident's wellbeing. We want there to come a time soon when additional restrictions will not be needed, but while cases in Devon care homes remain high, we ask visitors to make arrangements with their care home in advance of their visit, so that the care home can manage risk of infection to residents and staff. And that visitors follow the care home’s own policy, through careful hand hygiene, wearing of appropriate Personal Protective Equipment, and using lateral flow device tests prior to visiting."
 Care workers thanked and encouraged to take up vaccine
Take up of the vaccine in Devon has been pretty good, especially among older age groups. But there are locations where take up could be better.
There has been particular encouragement to care workers to take up the vaccine - important for the protection it gives them personally from catching coronavirus and potentially becoming seriously unwell, but also because it reduces risk to the people they care for, and their families and friends.
Koren is the Managing Director of Mulholland Care Agency in North Devon. She says:
"I had the vaccinations to protect myself and those around me.
"Working through the pandemic has been a really scary time for our care workers, especially in the early days. And we were all over the moon when the vaccinations arrived.
"Having a vaccination is one of the most important things that a care worker can do right now - not only to protect themselves, but to protect their colleagues, their service users, their families and their friends."
Koren and other care workers have recorded their thoughts to encourage other care workers to take up the vaccine. Hear Koren talk about why she chose to get vaccinated.
 Vaccine ambassadors urge people to get vaccinated
New films featuring Devon’s Vaccine Ambassadors offer encouragement and reassurance to people from communities across the county who are not yet fully vaccinated.
Devon has 20 Vaccine Ambassadors, recruited by NHS Devon from across health and social care, local authorities and charities since March 2021. The ambassadors represent different communities, including some that have been more hesitant to have the vaccine. Their role is to listen to their communities, promote reliable information about the COVID-19 vaccination and help people to have confidence to have their vaccine. Between them, they have worked with hundreds of people across Devon from diverse communities.
Mohamed Muganzi, Manager of Piety Mosque in Plymouth, is featured in the films encouraging worshippers arriving for Friday prayers to have their vaccine. He said:
“It’s very important that they get vaccinated. It’s protecting themselves and protecting us. If one person came in infected, we have over 1,000 others who could get infected.”
Adult Social Care Infection Control, Testing and Vaccination Fund: October 2021 – March 2022: second reporting point
Thank you to everyone who has already completed and returned the second Monitoring Form for the latest round of government funding for infection control.
Please note that the deadline is Friday 18 February.
Monitoring links:
Community Care Services Monitoring Form R2
Care Homes Monitoring Form 2
Please note that completion of the monitoring forms 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 email us.
Reporting of anti-vax activity
Please remember to report any anti vax disruptions that you experience (email, telephone, physical demonstration, face to face challenge) in your care setting using this simple form, known as an ‘SBAR’.
This is not a mandatory requirement, but completion of the SABR form will ensure that the issues that you have seen can be reported both nationally and locally.
If you would like further support please email us.
 A look at our Appreciative Inquiry into Adult Social Care
Back in December, we held an interactive event which brought together system leaders, care workers, care providers and colleagues from one of our local care partnerships to celebrate the work being done by the adult social care sector in Devon, and ask the question: “How can it be even better?”.
The event was just one part of what will be a sustained campaign to better value and reward our adult social care workforce.
You can watch this summary film for an insight into what took place and the commitments that were made at the event.
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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