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This summer is shaping up to be a very hot one and while most of us enjoy the sunshine, it can be very challenging in care settings. This issue therefore contains advice and resources for the hot weather, including a link for you to subscribe directly to Health Heat Alerts, We have also added key hot weather links to our Provider Engagement Network website.
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.
Hot Weather Advice, Alerts, Resources and Training
Hot Weather Alerts
Although we will continue to send out hot weather alerts using this newsletter and our newsflashes, readers can sign up to receive NHS alerts directly from Heat-Health Alerting system - GOV.UK This is part of the wider Weather Health Alert System user guidance and from the Met Office using this registration form (link to registration form.
Advice
The current Amber Heat Alert means that significant impacts are likely across health and social care services due to the high temperatures, including:
- a rise in deaths, particularly among those aged 65 and over or with health conditions. There may also be impacts on younger age groups
- likely increased demand on all health and social care services
- internal temperatures in care settings (hospitals and care homes) may exceed the recommended threshold for clinical risk assessment
- the heat affecting the ability of the workforce to deliver services
- indoor environments overheating increasing the risk to vulnerable people living independently in community and care settings
- issues managing medicines
- staffing issues due to external factors (for example, affecting transport)
- increased demand for power exceeding capacity
- other sectors starting to observe impacts (for example, travel delays)
You can see all the weather health alerts currently in place across England on the UKHSA data dashboard.
Resources
The Heat Health Preparedness website useful resources including:
- Heat action cards for ASC providers
- Heat action card for ASC commissioners
- Heat action card for VCSE
- Heat action care for health settings
- UKHSA adverse weather plan
- UKHA hot weather communications toolkit
- Heat checklists e.g. Beat the heat: keep cool at home checklist - GOV.UK
Training
Hot weather eLearning is also available for frontline staff from the NHS Learning Hub - eLearning training link
All the above resources can also be found on our webpage - Provider Engagement Network
Please complete the Care Home Health Technology Questionnaire
What do we want to do?
We want to know about the work you do in your care home, particularly if you work with technologies to support your residents' health and wellbeing, or if you've identified health technologies that might help you improve the way you care for your residents.
To help us with this, we are asking you to complete a short online survey on health technology within care homes. By health technologies we mean devices, kits, apps, machines and tests that can help you support, care for or monitor the wellbeing of residents. This could include technologies which help prevent adverse events from happening. We're also interested in your experiences and thoughts about technologies which may enable you to make diagnoses when working with visiting healthcare professionals.
Examples include:
- Falls detection and prevention devices
- Devices to support hydration and nutrition.
- Continence aids.
- Wound management tools
- Technologies that enable you to better communicate with the
- Wider health and social care team
- Remote monitoring technologies.
This survey is being carried out by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) HealthTech Research Centre (HRC) focussing on health technologies which can be used to improve healthcare in underserved community populations, care home residents being one such group.
Click here to fill in questionnaire
Please Continue to Update Capacity Tracker Information
As you may be aware, Devon County Council utilises the NECSU Capacity Tracker to monitor and access care home vacancy information. Following recent updates to the system, we have encountered instances of incorrect contact details, resulting in undeliverable emails or messages being sent to the wrong recipients.
We kindly ask that you take a moment to review and update your contact information on the Capacity Tracker to ensure we are able to reach the appropriate person when arranging placements.
Additionally, please ensure your capacity information is kept up to date. This will help maximise your opportunities to receive referrals and support timely placements.
Have you been able to support clients with Hoarding challenges? We'd love to hear from you!
If you are a provider working with people with hoarding issues or a practitioner signposting people to support services for hoarding, please can you get in touch with more information via socialcarebusinessrelations-mailbox@devon.gov.uk. When sending this ‘hoarding’ to the subject line of your email.
Care & Occupational Therapy Show on 16 July
At Westpoint in Exeter on 16 July The Care & Occupational Therapy Show is the leading Care event in the South West hosting incredible CPD-accredited seminars, industry leading Keynote speakers, live product demonstrations, and networking opportunities.
Speakers include:
● Dr Jane Townson OBE, the CEO of The Homecare Association
● Helen Wildbore from Care Rights UK
● Sue Sheath, the Director of Regulation and Quality Improvement for Barchester Healthcare
All of the speakers and live demos have been CPD-accredited making your time at this event more than worthwhile! Add the 16 July to your calendar and get down to Westpoint for a day of learning, networking, and collaboration!
Get your FREE ticket now! Click here
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.
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