Please remember that the new Devon County Council Care Home Contract and Older Persons Care Homes Fees Model is effective from 10 November and the signed contracts must be returned by 7 November.

If you have an NHS Nursing Home contract then please note that the new agreement must be signed by 29 October and no new placements, including hospital discharges, will be made with providers who have not signed and returned the agreement.

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.

Reminder: New Devon County Council ASC Care Home Contract & Older Persons Care Homes Fee Model – Effective 10 November 2025 

Just 15 calendar days left to return your signed contract to continue receiving new placements from 10 November! 

Devon County Council’s new Adult Social Care (ASC) care home contract and fee model for older persons care homes will come into effect on 10 November 2025. To continue receiving referrals - including hospital discharges - all care home providers must sign and return the new contract by 7 November 2025 to ensure that they receive referrals from the 10 November. 

A big thank you to all the providers who have already submitted their signed contracts and supporting documents! 

Helpful Reminders from Early Submissions include: (more support can be found in the slides below)

• CQC Number: Ensure the contract includes the specific care home's CQC number, not the provider’s overall CQC number.  
• Insurance Documents: Please attach a PDF copy of the relevant insurances, as issued by your insurer (for example a copy of the schedule of insurance).  
• Signing the Contract: Insert your electronic signature (image) into the signature field and return the document in Word format. 
• Please note: This contract applies only to care homes within Devon County Council’s administrative boundaries. It does not apply to homes in Plymouth or Torbay.

Haven’t received the contract email? 

• An email from DCC Procurement was sent on 16 October with full instructions. If you didn’t receive it, please contact: procurementpeople-mailbox@devon.gov.uk

Support Workshops: 

To help providers understand and implement the new contract, DCC is hosting online workshops: 

• 28 Oct (14:00–16:00) – Registered Managers
• 30 Oct (09:30–11:30) – Registered Managers
• 4 Nov (14:00–16:00) – Registered Managers

Registration links were emailed on Friday 17 October. If you didn’t receive them, contact: socialcarebusinessrelations-mailbox@devon.gov.uk  

The first workshop took place today and was well attended. Thanks to all the providers who took part – click this link to view the presentation slides  

ASC all ages Contract and Older Persons Fee Model Implementation FAQs will be produced and shared throughout the programme on the PEN website. 

Under 65s Care Home Market  

Thank you to the providers who joined the drop-in session on Tuesday 21 October. We look forward to continuing these conversations and more at our upcoming new Care with Accommodation for People with Disabilities forum on Thursday 6 November, 14:00–15:30. Further details will be shared soon.   

Please see the linked video https://youtu.be/UYbcTnQbhO0 which was sent out to Under 65 Care Homes this week giving further information regarding the contract and how it applies to your home. 

NHS Devon Nursing Home Contract 29 October Deadline – Please Check Your Inboxes

A reminder to all providers to check all email folders, including junk/spam, for important information regarding the NHS Nursing Home Contract, effective from 10 November 2025.

Emails were sent by the NHS Devon Contracting Team from d-icb.contracting@nhs.net on Friday 17 October, with follow-up emails on Monday 20 October for any out-of-office replies.

Please note: No new placements, including hospital discharges, will be made with providers who have not signed and returned the agreement.

To avoid disruption, please ensure the completed information is returned by Wednesday 29 October 2025.

The ICB is committed to supporting providers through this process. If you have any questions or haven’t received the information, please contact the team at d-icb.contracting@nhs.net, marking your email FAO Tom Ham / Bethan Knight.

New Care with Accommodation for People with Disabilities (CwA for PwD) Forum

Our first virtual forum for providers delivering Care with Accommodation for People with Disabilities (CwA for PwD) will be on:

Thursday 6 November 2025 from 2 - 3.30pm

This is for all providers who deliver accommodation-based care for people with disabilities such as Supported Living, Under 65 Care Homes, Shared Lives and Extra Care Housing.

You should have received an invitation link already via email but if you have not and would like to join us, please email Social Care Business Relations socialcarebusinessrelations-mailbox@devon.gov.uk so we can add you to the distribution list.

Community Services - Celebration of Strengths-Based Working Event 2 December

We’re inviting you to come and join us and respond to research and themes we have identified through co-production, and look at how these stories will enable us to shape future commissioning.

It will explore the 5 key changes to unlock an equal life, from Research in Practice and Social Care Future:

• Communities where everyone belongs
• Living in the place we call home
• Leading the lives we want to live
• More resources, better used
• Sharing power as equals

We want to drill down into strengths-based ways of working, and understand the diverse offer already available to people. This will help us in our goal to shape the future of social care commissioning in Devon.

Details of workshops taking place on the day are included on the booking page. To book your place please click here, spaces will be limited to 2 per organisation initially, but we will expand this if we have capacity.

National Spotlight on Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set – Empowering the Adult Social Care Sector

Over 20,000 care providers across England are now using the Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) — a free, secure online tool that’s transforming how the sector manages workforce data.

Developed by Skills for Care, ASC-WDS helps providers track staff training, qualifications, and turnover, while offering access to vital funding through the Learning and Development Support Scheme (LDSS). The data collected also informs national policy, helping shape decisions made by local authorities and the Department of Health and Social Care.

Care providers who join ASC-WDS benefit from benchmarking tools, exclusive discounts, and streamlined workforce planning. With just a few clicks, organisations can contribute to a stronger, more informed adult social care system.

Click here for more information

Good News Story – Classic Cars and BBQ at Barnstaple Care Home Fundraiser

On Sunday 21 September, the peaceful village of Heanton Punchardon was filled with the rumble of engines and the smell of a sizzling BBQ. Heanton Nursing Home welcomed more than 20 classic vehicles from the North Devon Sports and Classic Cars Club, turning a quiet corner of North Devon into a lively celebration.

The owners of the cars were just as thrilled as residents, proudly lifting bonnets and swapping stories about their beloved classics. Laughter and chatter carried across the drive. “It brought such a wave of nostalgia,” said Home Manager Abi Denford. “You could see the joy on people’s faces as they shared their stories and for those living with dementia on a complex journey, those moments of connection through nostalgia are especially powerful.”

St Augustine’s Church, right next door to the home, was wonderfully supportive. Announcing the event during Sunday service. As a result, several people came straight over afterwards, including Rev. Glyn Lewry, who spent a long time chatting and admiring the cars.

The BBQ was a real hit, with locally sourced meats provided by Reeds Butchers in Braunton. Alongside the food, there were lots of warm conversations about the home, dementia, and interest in Heanton’s household model of care.

Plans are already underway for an even bigger Classic Car Show in 2026. The afternoon also had a bigger purpose; this year’s event raised a total of £365.35 for Alzheimer’s Research UK.

Learn more about Heaton at Heanton Nursing Home - Devon Nursing Home

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 245 23 October 2025

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.

Disability Together is the new name for Living Options Devon

We are proud to share that Disability Together is the new name for Living Options Devon.

For 35 years, our charity has been working alongside Disabled people to break down barriers and create opportunities. Over 10,000 people use our services every year – from wellbeing and peer support, to advice, training and advocacy.

As we’ve grown, it became clear our old name no longer fully reflected who we are or the people we support. In some cases, it was even acting as a barrier to people finding us.

Our new name, Disability Together, puts Disabled people firmly at the heart of the charity. It reflects the supportive, collaborative way we work – alongside the people who use our services, and with the partners and communities we collaborate with to meet local needs.

Alongside the new name, our strapline - Because every ability matters - reflects our belief in inclusion and equality. Our new logo is an abstract flower, made up of unique and different-sized shapes, it represents the diverse services, people and abilities that together make our charity what it is today. 

What hasn’t changed is our mission: to create access and opportunity for Disabled people to live with more choice, control and independence. Details of support and services can be found on our new website: www.disabilitytogether.org.uk or by emailing info@disabilitytogether.org.uk 

Devon County Council Launches £150,000 Levy Transfer Pledge to Boost Apprenticeships in Care and Education

Devon County Council have opened a new Levy Pledge to support Care Services and Education and Childcare in Devon! £150,000 has been pledged to fund the apprenticeship training costs in this sector. We would appreciate if you shared this information with your network so that we can support as many businesses as possible to fund their apprenticeships. If there is someone more appropriate to send this to, please do let us know their email address so we can add them to our contact list.

'Our apprentice has been a fantastic addition to the team, bringing fresh ideas and enthusiasm while developing valuable skills. The Levy Transfer has been a huge support, allowing us to invest in their training without financial strain. It’s been a win-win for both our business and our apprentice’s future!'

To apply to this pledge, please visit: Transfer fund details for Devon County Council (KN8LNK)

There is more information about how to apply on the Gov.uk website, there is also a YouTube Video here: View and apply for transfer opportunities - YouTube showing how to apply. If you have any questions or need any more information, please do let us know by emailing the apprenticeships team at apprenticeships@devon.gov.uk.

Devon County Council Extends Partnership with Flourish for Social Care Training

In a significant boost for the social care sector, Devon County Council has announced the extension of its partnership with Flourish, a leading eLearning platform, to provide subsidised online training for adult care providers. This initiative, which has been extended until 31st March 2026, aims to enhance the skills and knowledge of the social care workforce through accessible and affordable education.

Flourish's Click eLearning platform offers a comprehensive range of free online training and information tailored specifically for social care professionals. The platform can be accessed at a nominal fee of £1 per learner, per month, plus VAT, for the Adult Social Care online course bundle. Devon County Council will subsidise two-thirds of the cost, making this an incredibly cost-effective opportunity for care providers.

"We are thrilled to continue our collaboration with Flourish," said a spokesperson for Devon County Council. "This partnership underscores our commitment to supporting the professional development of our social care workforce, ensuring they have the necessary tools and knowledge to provide high-quality care."

https://flourish.co.uk/partner/devon-council

Reminder - Work for Yourself?

Microproviders are self-employed, local people offering all kinds of good quality, reliable, professional care and support to others in their community. Almost anyone can do this but often they benefit from support to get started or to check they are legal and getting the key things right. Simon Tickner is the Microprovider Project Worker for Devon and can offer free support if you are keen to know more. Check out the website PA/Microproviders - Disability Focus to read more or make an enquiry if you’d like Simon to contact you.