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Please note that there are under 2 weeks left to get COVID-19 Autumn boosters for staff. There are still plenty of winter illnesses in circulation so we are encouraging as many people as possible to take up this vaccination offer while it lasts.
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.
Less than 2 weeks, to get your COVID-19 autumn booster vaccination
Social care staff are being strongly urged to have their COVID-19 autumn booster vaccination before the provision stops on 12 February 2023.
If you’re a health or social care worker, or an unpaid carer or personal assistant to a friend or relative, you’re particularly at risk from catching flu and COVID-19 and passing them on to the people you care for.
One Devon Integrated Care Partnership has produced four encouraging films featuring our very own care workers in Devon and clients explaining their decision to have the vaccination.
COVID-19 and flu vaccinations are free on the NHS and you are urged to get them as soon as possible. Nationally the hospitalisation rate for flu/COVID-19 patients has been increasing, with over 5000 people in hospital with flu across the UK in recent weeks. If you missed any previous doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, don’t worry, you can still get them from a vaccination centre near you.
How to book your COVID-19 vaccination
Visit the National Booking Service, call 119 or find a walk-in appointment through the online vaccination walk-in finder.
How to book your flu vaccination
Visit the Flu Booking Service to book an appointment at a community pharmacy. You can also get a flu vaccination through your GP practice.
Hospital Discharge Support
We all know that health and social care is currently under a great deal of pressure.
Anything that helps someone leave hospital when they are medically fit to do so is critical to their ongoing recovery and helps the broader system, from ambulance delays due to handing patients over in A&E to improving wider patient flow.
When someone is waiting to leave hospital and it has been agreed to discharge to a Care Home, either for a long-term placement or for 'step down' support, the Capacity Tracker (CT) can assist discharge teams by reducing the number of speculative calls checking the status of vacancies which add burden to Care Homes. Ensuring the data in CT is as up to date as possible is the best way to avoid additional calls. Calls made are then able to be more focused on discussing the care needs of specific individuals.
What is needed by Care Homes?
- Update your vacancies whenever the status of your vacancies change or, at least every 48 hours
- Ensure that your list of available Services is reviewed – particularly, it is essential that if your location is able to provide short stay/step down services then this is made clear on the Capacity Tracker
- Advise discharge teams making speculative calls that your vacancy information is up to date so they gain confidence and reduce speculative calls – direct them to your CT data
Devon's first ICS Social Care Nursing Forum
The Devon Integrated Care System (ICS) is hosting the first Social Care Nursing Forum on 10 February 3-4pm.
The Forum is open to all Registered Nurses working in social care and the Registered Managers and Providers of their service
This the first of four Forums that will take place in 2023 for all Registered Nurses working in Social Care and forms part of the drive for Devon Integrated Care System to fully understand the work of the social care sector.
Microsoft Teams meeting link.
Trainee Registered Nursing Associates - September 2023/April 2024 intake
Registered Nursing Associates (RNAs) – what they are and why we need them!
RNAs are hands-on, skilled nursing staff, usually with a background in the care industry, who bridge the gap between Healthcare Support Workers and the Registered Nurse. They work within a multi-disciplinary team and provide clinical skills and assessment that unregistered staff cannot undertake, and therefore improve client wellbeing and clinical outcomes.
The benefits of taking on Nursing Associates include:
- Improved Staff retention rates with investment into career pathways and increased job satisfaction.
- NAs have NMC Registration
- Offers clear progression pathway to staff that is fully funded
- Immediate clinical decision making on hand for residents from a Registered NA, rather than relying on external RNs visiting.
- Investment in the progression of being able to manage residents with higher complex needs and the ability serve a wider market of potential residents.
- Fewer long-term costs than staffing with Registered Nurses
- Funding given to providers to support learners
- Course fees fully funded – Level 5 university level qualification for your staff
- Recruit carers and support through NA training – recruitment tool
Find out more about Nursing Associates here.
Plymouth Marjon University host a 8 week remote ‘Bridging Programme’ for trainee NAs to help their move into Higher Education.
Be part of the future of Social Care Nursing
To find out more contact Jennifer Lunnon, Adult Social Care Nursing Lead by emailing jennifer.lunnon@devon.gov.uk
Care home fees uplift 2023-24
Devon County Council has written directly to all Devon care home providers with details of the proposed annual fee increases for 2023 – 24.
The Council is proposing to uplift the rates it pays for care home placements by the nationally accepted measures of inflation applicable in September 2022, and to account for the increases to the National Living Wage which are to be applied from April 2023. The Increases are outlined here:
The proposed rates will be for implementation during April 2023.
Personalised fee model
Accommodation cost inflation:
- residential accommodation payment increases to £396 per week
- nursing accommodation payment increases to £414 per week
Care hour Inflation
- the care hour inflation element rate increases by 8.26% per hour
- the care cost hourly rate, including on-costs will increase to £14.16 per hour
Banded and non-banded rates
The banded fee model rate will increase by 9.86% to 11.02% and the non-banded fee model rate will increase by 10.38%.
If your organisation has not received formal notification of these changes, please contact: socialcarebusinessrelations-mailbox@devon.gov.uk
National Reconditioning Games in North Devon
National Reconditioning Games: To all North Devon Care Homes, it is not too late to be part of the National Reconditioning Games, February 2023! Over this month, your residents can work together on some basic activity challenges and earn medals for your care home! If you'd like to join in, please email Liv.sanford@nhs.net.
Higher Development Award - Unlocking potential & being the best you can be!
Fully funded personal development programme, level one pilot providing experienced employees from all Health and Social Care settings with the opportunity to develop core knowledge, skills, behaviours and values required to progress and be the best that you can be.
You will have the opportunity to work alongside others within the sector, enhancing your understanding of how your role links to the multidisciplinary team, and meets the needs of your organisation and the wider sector. You will develop your Maths, English skills and participate in a Workplace Improvement Project. It will be delivered by Exeter, Petroc, South Devon and Plymouth colleges, starting in March/April 2023. Find out more here!
NHS car lease scheme
Did you know that care Workers are eligible to access the NHS Car Lease Discount Scheme. Of course, there are multiple companies who provide lease car arrangements, and this will be a personal choice. Devon County Council does not endorse any particular scheme or lease hire company. We are merely signposting to options you may wish to consider.
With the NHS discount scheme staff could potentially get a 50% reduction in the arrangement fee discount. (I did a worked example on a ‘city car’ and the estimated cost was around £137 per month – potentially less).
The sticking point if you employ international recruits is credit referencing. I am advised the best way around this is for care providers to subscribe to the governments Salary Sacrifice scheme, which is cost neutral for the employer and would save the employee and employer money (Lease hire companies can advise).
A Salary Sacrifice scheme could deliver employee benefits. Both the company and its employees will make significant financial savings by adopting Salary Sacrifice, and it will also make a substantial contribution to your wider Corporate, Social and Environmental responsibilities. By ‘sacrificing’ part of their salary and getting a company car in return, some employees will be able to reduce their overall tax bill. For employers, it’s a cost-neutral way of lowering National Insurance Contributions and reducing carbon footprint, as well as attracting and retaining staff.
Funded wellbeing training in North Devon
Northern Care Homes Team - RESTORE2
What is Restore2?, it’s a tool used by Residential, Nursing Homes and Domiciliary Care Agencies to recognise and escalate deterioration in individuals in their care.
The fully funded training can be provided either face to face or virtually via MS Teams for all Care Services in North Devon. Complete the Pre Training Assessment form, once you have completed this a member of the team will contact you to book a training date.
Are you struggling with the cost of living? Reminder!
There's some useful advice on our website for residents and businesses in Devon who are struggling to afford to pay for their energy, water, food or other essential items. It includes information about support for low-income families via the Household Support Fund, such as free school meal holiday vouchers, the holiday activities and food programme and 'Fuel, Food and More' grants.
There's also help for those using pre-payment meters, and who are struggling to meet their energy needs, via Citizens Advice Devon.
The Warm Spaces website has a map of places in the community that are free to go and be comfortable and warm with no judgement. They include places such community centres, churches and libraries.
If you can't afford the food you need, you can contact one of Devon's foodbanks listed on our PinPoint website. There are a number of supermarkets, cafés and restaurants offering free or £1 meals for children during the school holidays.
Are your contact details up-to-date?
We encourage providers to update their contact details (especially email addresses) with the Procurement team. We use these details to communicate with providers. It is very important that we reach the correct person in your organisation to receive appropriate referrals and timely updates from DCC, and that you do not miss out on any opportunities. Please ensure we have your most recent email address.
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