Adult Social Care COVID-19 Bulletin Issue 217: 11 November 2021

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Updates for providers.

Issue 217: 11 November 2021

The most up-to-date information from these bulletins can be found on our website.

For general advice about COVID-19 please go to: nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/


This bulletin covers:

Vaccination: new requirement for frontline social care staff; working in a care home from 11 November; booster jab resources

Recent COVID-19 guidance and updates: lateral flow testing

Training: infection prevention and control drop-in for PAs and carers; webinar: personalised care and support for people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities

Wellbeing and health: support for PAs; diabetic eye screening

Get involved: adult social care research opportunity


Vaccination

Social care staff: new vaccination requirement

Social care and health providers in England will have to ensure workers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 under Government plans announced on 9 November 2021.

Regulations will apply to social care and health workers who have direct, face-to-face contact with people while providing care - such as home care workers, volunteers, nurses, dentists and doctors, unless they are exempt.  

The rules will also apply to ancillary staff including porters or receptionists who may have social contact with clients but are not directly involved in their care.  People will need to provide evidence that they have been fully vaccinated.

This will apply across the Care Quality Commission-regulated social care and health sector.

Responding to the news, the Homecare Association  said that it supported vaccination of the home care workforce as it helped to protect those receiving and giving care from serious illness. But, it argued, persuasion was likely to be more effective than compulsion in encouraging uptake.

The requirements will come into force in the spring, subject to the regulations passing through Parliament.

There will be a 12 week grace period between the regulations being made and coming into force to allow those who have not yet been vaccinated to have both doses. Enforcement would begin from 1 April 2022, subject to parliamentary approval.

Working or volunteering in a care home from 11 November

Today, Thursday 11 November, marks the Government’s deadline for those working or volunteering in care homes to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 unless exempt.

Fully vaccinated currently means two doses of the vaccine.

Guidance:

proving you are unable to get vaccinated

temporary medical exemptions

The Department for Health and Social Care has written a letter, hosted on the Skills for Care website, for care home providers to share with visiting professionals and tradespeople.

The letter outlines who the policy does (and does not) apply to, how people can evidence vaccination exemptions and what the role of a registered person is when implementing the policy.

Booster jab resources

Booster jab resources were updated on 9 November 2021, adding links to large print, Braille and audio versions and a British Sign Language video.


Recent COVID-19 guidance and updates

Lateral flow testing

Guidance on how to do a rapid throat and nose COVID-19 test and report the results was updated on 8 November 2021. The test is only for people who do not have symptoms of COVID-19. 

The update added information on ordering a lateral flow test and Dari, Farsi, Hindi, Pashto and Slovak translations.


Training

Infection Prevention and Control drop-in session 

The Personal Assistant (PA) IPC project team has organised an online drop-in session for PAs and carers.

The session, on Microsoft Teams, is open to all PAs and carers (including unpaid carers) working in the community.

It takes place on 30 November 2021 and runs from 11am to 12pm

Amy Hobbs-Boyd, Project Support Officer, said: “The session offers a space for discussion about recent experiences.  It also provides an opportunity to ask questions or seek advice about infection control or COVID-19 from an infection control advisor.” 

Register your place by emailing: PAIPCProtectCovid19@eastsussex.gov.uk

Don’t just mind the gap, close it

Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) is holding a webinar on 2 December 2021 from 12pm to 1pm, ‘Don’t Just Mind the Gap, Close It’.  The webinar aims to raise the profile and understanding of what good personalised care and support looks like for people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities. 

Participants will discuss what they are proud of, what they have learnt, the barriers they face and how they are tackling those barriers.

Register your place


Wellbeing & health

Wellbeing and support for personal assistants

Skills for Care has an online event on 24 November 2021 from 10am to 12.30pm which offers the opportunity to hear about sources of support and guidance for personal assistants and to discuss issues such as PA wellbeing, moving on from the pandemic, and keeping safe online.

Diabetic eye screening

If residents/clients have diabetes, they’ll get a letter asking them to get their eyes checked at least once a year. People will be invited when their next screening appointment is due. 

Explainer: diabetic eye screening and why it is offered

What happens at diabetic eye screening


Get involved

Find out more about adult social care research

Social care is a priority theme for the Applied Research Collaboration Kent Surrey Sussex (ARC KSS).  And it is holding an online event on 6 December 2021 from 12pm to 2pm on research priorities for adult social care.

ARC KSS says the session will share information about the areas that emerged from previous stakeholder engagement and online focus groups: innovative practice; challenges for the sector and priority areas for ARC KSS research to support evidence-based service change.

The event will also offer networking opportunities with delegates choosing a breakout room based on their interests and experience to discuss the chosen theme in more depth.

Book your place on Eventbrite


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