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This week we have a shorter issue than usual as we are right in the middle of the summer holiday period, despite all the rain. We are therefore reminding you of some of the training and support available, which we hope you will take advantage of, whatever the weather.
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.
New Outbreak Reporting Process from 7 August
A new Southwest UKHSA Outbreak reporting and response process for Acute Respiratory Infections (Covid-19,Flu or an unidentified Acute Respiratory Infection using the web-based OBRA Tool will be in place next week.
This Care OBRA Tool has been developed further to the reporting of ARI outbreaks directly online without the need to call or email the HPT first, thus saving valuable time.
Care settings will enter information about their outbreak including their Unique Organisation Number (the same UON used to order new COVID-19 test kits or register test results).
The system will perform an initial triage to assess whether the report concerns:
- a single case or an outbreak
- a residential/nursing care home or another type of ASC setting
- a low-risk, medium risk, or high priority outbreak according to the combination of red and amber flags
You will receive two automated emails:
- An “ACKNOWLEDGEMENT email” with a Care OBRA reference number and a copy of your data
- An “ADVICE email” providing immediate information/advice on how to manage the situation reported
You may also receive an additional “advice email” if, for example, you are reporting a COVID-19 outbreak AND a single case of Flu.
UKHSA will then assess the data (within 1-2 working days) and take further action if specialist advice is required. For example, we might call you, send a follow-up email with specific advice, inform relevant partners, such as, LA PH team, IPC, & ICB.
Out of normal office hours, the Care OBRA tool will instruct you to call the HPT out of hours teams if you are reporting a high priority outbreak.
The aim of this new tool is to allow adult social care settings to:
- Report their outbreaks and single cases of flu without the need to ring or email the HPT beforehand
- Collect all the relevant information and enter it into an electronic platform at a time that suits them
- Receive a summary of the data entered in the Care OBRA Tool
- Receive immediate email advice on how to manage their situation and automatically identify the higher risk situations
Further information is available on our PEN webpage at:
Managing and reporting COVID-19
National Market Sustainability and Improvement Workforce Fund - announcement for this winter
On 28 July the Minister of State for Care announced this Winter’s grants to local authorities from the national Workforce Fund. The purpose of the grant is to provide additional support to local authorities in England towards expenditure lawfully incurred or to be incurred by them. It is intended to enable local authorities to make tangible improvements to adult social care, in particular to increase social care capacity through increasing social care workforce capacity and retention, reducing social care waiting times and increasing fee rates paid to social care providers.
£5.437m will be paid to Devon County Council in September and further information about the Fund can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/market-sustainability-and-improvement-fund-workforce-fund/market-sustainability-and-improvement-fund-workforce-fund-grant-determination-and-conditions-2023-to-2024-no-316803
 Did you know, you can advertise and manage your vacancies for FREE using Proud to Care’s self-service Jobs Board? By doing so, you can benefit from:
- Direct applicants from your adverts, with email alerts when applications are received.
- Suitable candidates being matched to your vacancies through our Job Matching Service.
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Top tips on how to attract the best candidates to your job adverts.
- Your own account and dashboard where you can easily post, update, or relist your vacancies.
- Social media posts on Proud to Care’s accounts and on local Facebook Community Pages to increase the exposure and reach of your vacancies.
To find out more, please email Proud to Care.
Affordable, Devon Based, Quality Assured Healthcare Training from Life Lessons
Are you looking for regulated, accredited, cost effective, quality Healthcare Training delivered by an experienced, knowledgeable and personable trainer? Training that your staff will engage with and enjoy?
Life Lessons Training offers over 35 different Healthcare courses including mandatory training, induction training and update training. We can come to you and do some in house training or you can come to us, the choice is yours!
Contact Rosie by leaving a message on 07543 678002 or emailing rosie@lifelessonstraining.com or visit www.lifelessonstraining.com
Self-Neglect Provider Training
Here is the full list of all the training offers with Grey Matter Learning and details on how providers can access below.
A selection of eLearning that might be suitable for Self-Neglect:
How to access Grey Matter Learning
To sign up for an account, all providers and personal assistants contact the Grey Matter Learning team. Select access training and then complete the contact us page that you would like an account under the Devon County Council funding. A member of the Grey Matter Learning team will then be in touch with you to set up an account.
‘Pinpoint’ – the Devon Community Directory
PinPoint is Devon's community directory, used by the public, GP’s, health sector, DCC staff in order to find suitable services and support in their local area. Please can providers ensure you have your company/ service details registered on here and ensure the information is always up to date. It is populated by providers through setting up an account. If you need help or see any errors please email pinpoint@devon.gov.uk
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.
Webinars, online training and forums in one place
Make sure you have the opportunity to participate in local and national webinars, online forums and training by visiting our website.
Remember to share your good news stories in this newsletter
Has your support helped transform someone’s life? Have you got innovative practice to share? Send us your celebratory photos and words and we will help share good practice.
Revisit previous good news stories
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