This week’s newsletter contains items with a number of important dates in them, please check the ones that are relevant to your business.

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.

Updated Hospital Discharge Form from Monday 16 December

As we head towards Christmas,  the wider system  would like to thank you for your continued support for Hospital Discharge Services.

Please note that from Monday 16 December there is new referral form called a  Transfer of Care Form which will used across both Devon and Torbay to standardise approach across all hospital sites.

The New Transfer of Care Form has been generated from feedback from partners across the system with the view that information provided will be clearer, concise and supportive to our providers and clients alike.

As with any new change, we are keen to hear feedback from all once the new form has embedded into practice. We are planning to attend a Care Home Forum in the new year and look forward to hearing your views on the form.

Care Home Holiday Period Payment Dates

Residential and Nursing care home payment dates over the Christmas Holiday period will be:

• Friday 13^th December 2024
• Friday 20^th December 2024
• Friday 10^th January 2025

Capacity Tracker Mandatory Data Submission Window open until 11.59 on 16 December

Please note that the mandatory window for Capacity Tracker data submission is open, until 23:59 on Monday 16 December.

Please remember there is a statutory obligation which requires all registered providers to submit data via the Capacity Tracker between the 8th and 14^th day of every month. Providers risk being issued with a Notice of Intent if they do not update mandatory data 3 months consecutively. i.e., August - October 2024, or 4 times within a 12 month rolling period.  

New infection control question added to Home Care Capacity Tracker

A new question regarding Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) has been added to the Resources and Training section of the ASC Home Care Collection page: 'Have all your staff received up to date Infection Prevention and Control Training?'

This question has also been added to the Home Care Bulk Template.

More information on the IPC question can be found here along with resources to support IPC training..

Further information has also been added to the Capacity Tracker log-in page which can be found here.

Reminder: National Vaccination Booking System open until 19 December

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is calling on South West residents to come forward for flu vaccinations as latest figures show that many eligible people are still to take up the vaccine.

With almost three weeks until Christmas, time is running out to get the vaccine ahead of the festive season for those celebrating.

People have until the end of 19 December to book COVID and flu vaccination appointments on the NHS online booking system, NHS App and 119 phone service.

It will still be possible to book vaccinations after 19 December through local NHS vaccination services, like pharmacies or walk-in sites. However, there will be fewer COVID appointments, and you may need to travel further.

Read the full reminder at UKHSA SOUTH WEST PRESS RELEASE

Digital Care Hub

Run by social care providers for social care providers, the Digital Care Hub provides advice and support to the adult social care sector on technology, data protection and cyber security.

https://www.digitalcarehub.co.uk/

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

Issue 204, 12 December 2024

Are your colleagues missing out? Ask them to sign-up to this PEN newsletter here!

DCC COVID-19 updates

Coronavirus advice to the public

National COVID-19 guidance updates

The GOV.UK website

The NHS.UK website

National vaccination publication collection

The national government page contains vaccination guidance, training resources, consent forms, letters, leaflets, posters and more.

PEN newsletter archive

View previous issues

NICE newsletters and alerts sign up

Keep up to date with the latest news and guidance that may impact on your service and clients via the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)

Sign up to receive NICE newsletters here.

Do you want to know more about sponsorship and compliance for international recruits?

The Devon international recruitment team are planning to deliver international recruitment webinars and podcasts in the new year and we want to hear from you. Please fill in this quick 5 minute form with your feedback to tell us what topics/questions you want to be included and answered: https://forms.office.com/e/dNH3zGECjz

Care England Cyber Security Support

Care England is offering members a free 1 hour cybersecurity assessment and non-members a free 30 minute cybersecurity assessment from Mitigo to help them understand their vulnerability to attack.

Free Cybersecurity Risk Management Consultation - Care England

Storm Darragh Thank you

Thank you for supporting people through Storm Darragh over the weekend. Travel issues and power outages have and continue to impact on service delivery and some people may have been without power for up to 48 hours.

Please encourage people to include themselves on the National Grid Priority Services Register at:  https://www.nationalgrid.co.uk/customers-and-community/priority-services

If you have any concerns about clients relating to lack of power please contact your local Care Direct Plus Centre in the usual way:  https://www.devon.gov.uk/adult-social-care/devon-social-care/contact-us/