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Along with the latest COVID-19 guidance updates, this week’s issue contains a diverse array of initiatives to help providers, so make sure you are taking advantage of any that are relevant to you.
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.
Latest Vaccination Guidance Updates
COVID-19: management of staff and exposed patients and residents in health and social care settings Guidance on the management of staff, patients and residents who have been exposed to COVID-19.
- Residents who are contacts of a coronavirus (COVID-19) case in social care settings can end their self-isolation earlier than 10 days subject to a risk assessment and negative LFD test results as described in detail in the Admission and care of residents in a care home during COVID-19 guidance.
- The advice for staff returning from travel abroad are not now required to quarantine after travel but should take an LFD test just before the start of their first shift, and should only return to work if this test result is negative. Updated: 14 February.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): admission and care of people in care homes. How to protect care home residents and staff during the coronavirus outbreak. All changes are in section 1, ‘Admission and isolation of residents which’:
- clarifies that the term fully vaccinated (for the purpose of this guidance) is where a resident has received their primary doses and any eligible booster dose
- reflects the change in isolation requirements – residents who are identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 case or who test positive should self-isolate for 10 days.
- reflects the change in isolation requirements following an emergency hospital admission – residents should only self-isolate for 10 days
- provides advice on ending isolation before day 10 – see section 1.7. Updated: 14 February.
COVID-19 medical exemptions: proving you are unable to get vaccinated Updated information on where you can use your proof medical exemption and how this applies in health and social care settings. Applications will also be dealt with within 10 days. Updated: 7 February.
COVID-19 vaccination of people working or deployed in care homes: operational guidance
Updated to reflect the consultation seeking views on revoking regulations making vaccines a condition of deployment for health and social care staff. Updated: 9 February.
Vaccination of workers in social care settings other than care homes: operational guidance
Both of the above guidance documents have been updated to reflect the consultation seeking views on revoking regulations making vaccines a condition of deployment for health and social care staff. Updated: 9 February.
 Overseas vaccination validation clinic at Greendale
The vaccination centre at Greendale, near Exeter, is now running special clinics for people who have had their coronavirus vaccine overseas, so that they can get the details validated and put onto their vaccination record here in the UK.
You can use the service if you:
- are aged 18 years old or over
- have an NHS number
- have received one of these MHRA-approved vaccines outside of England - Oxford/AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria), Pfizer/BioNTech (Comirnaty), Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) or Moderna (Spikevax)
You can check the criteria and book an appointment here including ensuring you have the right gap between doses.
Boosters for staff vaccinated overseas
For those vaccinated abroad and requiring a booster the advice is that they can attend any walk-in centre, taking their proof of vaccination in their home country with them and a clinician will have a conversation with them about the next steps, including ensuring there is the right gap between their second jab and the booster. Find a walk-in coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination site - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Reminder: Care Homes who have residents or staff needing a first, second or booster vaccination...
....can make a request to the CCG vaccination support team d-ccg.devonvaccinationsupport@nhs.net - and the NHS will be in touch to arrange a visit.
If you have staff who remain hesitant please do contact our vaccine hesitancy nurses who can support both you and your staff directly.
Please remember staff vaccinations can be booked through the National Booking Service, by ringing 119, or by attending one of the many walk-ins available across the county or as advertised on social media.
 Reminder to keep Capacity Tracker updated
We’d like to remind residential and nursing care homes to please update the Capacity Tracker each day, and remember to input your bed vacancies and admission status to reflect your true status. Please only list your admission as ‘open’, if you have beds available that we can place people into. If you cannot accept referrals, even for a short period, then please change your status to ‘closed’ and be assured the Arranging Support Team will contact you as soon as you change your admission status back to open again – as reports on homes accepting referrals are generated daily. This will help us to avoid unnecessary calls to homes that are not able to take admissions.
Homes listed as ‘open’ will be contacted by the Arranging support team to place into, and homes listed as ‘Closed’ may be contacted by the Market Management Team to understand why you are closed.
The bed vacancy section & admission status can be found under the Business Continuity Plan which should be updated every 24 hours, even if there has been no change. Further information can be found in the Capacity Tracker User guide click here for link to the page
The regional Capacity Tracker team hold regular briefings, if you would like to dial in to feedback any issues, the next one is being held 22nd Feb 1-2pm, via Microsoft Teams Click here to join the meeting
Finally, we would like to issue a thank you to the care homes who have updated their Capacity Tracker every day during January 2022, who have been contacted separately by the Capacity Tracker South west team.
Free personal assistant, domiciliary care and unpaid carers training
Exeter College is proud to deliver workshops that will enhance your knowledge and skills within your role and provide you with the appropriate tools to confidently and safely care for and support others within your role. The workshops will be delivered via a blended approach of face-to-face and virtual workshops. On successful completion, you will achieve the following:
• Caring Careers Certificate
• Level 2 Food Safety Award Qualification – City and Guilds
• Introduction to Manual handling of people – Exeter College Certificate
Virtual Workshop – Start Dates
• Tuesday 1st March
• Tuesday 3rd May
Physical Workshop- Workshop Dates
• Thursday 31st March 9am – 12pm
• Thursday 26th May 9am – 12pm
How to apply: Contact EllaHymans@exe-coll.ac.uk Reference: Bespoke PCA Training
Include the following information: Full Name, Email Address, Telephone, Preferred Virtual Workshop Date or Preferred Physical Workshop Date
Boosters provide high level of protection against death with Omicron
The latest data from UK Health Security Agency shows that boosters significantly reduce the risk of death with Omicron.
The findings show that around 6 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% 2 weeks after receiving a booster vaccine dose.
The data continues 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.
 CQC Provider Information Return
Each year CQC send an invitation for registered managers to complete the provider information return (PIR) on the anniversary month of the first time they inspected your location. CQC use the information submitted through the PIR as part of their ongoing monitoring that helps understand the quality of care you provide.
CQC have made some changes to the systems they use to send out the PIR. Meaning that you’ll receive your next PIR request from a different email address: surveys@service.cqc.org.uk.
If you have already received a request please continue to use this link. The new system will be in place for new requests from next week. If you have any queries please contact ascinspections@cqc.org.uk
 Latest data reinforces the safety of COVID-19 vaccinations in pregnant women
The NHS is urging pregnant women to get vaccinated as latest data reinforces previous findings on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy.
Previous studies have shown the risk of being severely ill with coronavirus (COVID-19) is higher for unvaccinated women. Out of 235 pregnant women who were admitted to intensive care with COVID-19 between January and September 2021, none had received 2 doses of vaccine.
 Made with Care
The latest phase of the Department of Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) national adult social care recruitment campaign - ‘Made with Care’is live from now until March 2022.
The campaign materials are appearing across England and reaching millions of potential job seekers.
‘Made with Care’ advertising directs applicants to the adult social care website, where they can search and apply for social care vacancies. To take advantage of the campaign you should advertise your vacancies on DWP ‘Find a Job’as this will allow them to be easily found by candidates with the right values
Visit the adult social care recruitment site for expert advice, handy tips and simple templates to use in your local recruitment activity
Make sure your jobs can be found by high-quality candidates by uploading them to the campaign website by following these instructions.
 Team leader and leadership workshops!
Don't miss out on the last few funded places!
Aimed at new team leaders or staff who are soon to take on more responsibility and make that transition into managing others.
- Developing person-centred practice for positive outcomes 15.03.2022 at 1.30 till 4.30
- Managing yourself & your wellbeing 08.03.2022 at 1.30 till 4.30
Book on the leadership development workshops ideal for managers and those in positions of authority who would like to focus on their own leadership and management skills.
- Performance Management Strategies 01.03.2022 at 1.30 till 4.30
- Organisational Culture & Change Management 16.03.2022 at 1.30 till 4.30
- Sales & Marketing 30.03.2022 at 1.30 till 4.30
Booster bookings open to severely immunosuppressed adults
The national online booking system is now open for booster bookings for people aged 16 years old and over who are severely immunosuppressed.
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
CiC is now offering a EAP to all Devon’s adult social care providers, including personal assistants. It's a free and confidential support and counselling service available 24/7 throughout the year.
More information about the programme, posters, leaflets and information packs are available online to share and promote. Whether you’re after practical advice or emotional support with work or personal issues, CiC can offer expert guidance.
You can access the EAP by saying you are from Adult Social Care in Devon. Call on 0800 085 1376 (free) or via email.
Whether you’re after practical advice or emotional support with work or personal issues, CiC can offer expert guidance.
You can access the EAP by calling 0800 085 1376 (free) or via email.
Free training - addressing Health Inequalities
NHS Devon LeDeR team invite you to attend the addressing health inequalities event being held at Buckfast Abbey on 16th March 2022 from 12:45 - 16:30. There will be exciting guest speakers and presentations covering topics identified by LeDeR as needing service improvement with a focus on improving care and experience for people living with a learning disability, autism, or both.
Book now using the following link
A free lunch will be included
The afternoon will cover three topics – Constipation, Cancer screening/ reasonable adjustments and epilepsy. There also will be information stalls with helpful information available to for you to take.
If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact Jennie Newton (j.newton1@nhs.net) or Katy Welsh (katy.welsh@nhs.net)
We look forward to seeing you all at the event!
Carers urged to come forward for vaccine
Bernice, from Plymouth, cares for her husband. She's one of countless thousands of people in Devon who care for a loved one or friend.
Bernice is urging every carer to have their vaccinations and booster. She’s described her experience, and why she feels all carers should get vaccinated.
Carers can receive a copy of that letter from Devon Carers. Contact their helpline on 03456 434 435 or email info@devoncarers.org.uk.
If carers need help to organise their vaccination, please contact the Devon Vaccine Support Team by email or call 01752 398836
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