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June 2020 Edition
Welcome to the 2nd edition of the Provider Forum information bulletin. We hope that you, your team, family and friends are continuing to keep safe and well during this pandemic.
In lieu of the Provider Forum, we will send out these bulletins regularly summarising updates from Gloucestershire County Council (GCC), Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), as well as local and national initiatives.
Remember, the bulletin is interactive, so make sure you click the links to get the most out of it.
Have you got something to share?
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We would love to hear your feedback or contributions, so if you have anything which you want to share, or have a question to ask us, email us here. |
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CARE SETTINGS TESTING ROUTES
We recently circulated information on Home Testing Routes but just in case you missed it we are sharing again here. The flow chart is simple to use and has been designed to offer you guidance for the people you care for and your staff. We thought it would also be useful to include the process on Home Testing Routes that Commissioners will take which can be found here.
It is important to note that we are sharing the attached guidance with ALL Adult Care Settings, to include supported living. The national line may be giving varying messages about client groups and settings, so we are keeping local arrangements going in the meantime whilst the issues with national flow are sorted. Therefore, in Gloucestershire, we are not limiting testing to Older Persons Care Facilities.
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PPE UPDATE FROM INTEGRATED BROKERAGE
Many thanks to all of you who have been completing the Covid19 Stock Tool, it has given us invaluable information on stock levels and burn rates and has helped to enable us, along with the Local Resilience Forum, to source enough stock that we have been able to distribute to providers in need of 72 hour top ups and our stocks have remained buoyant.
Now that we are in a more stable environment, we have analysis from the stock tool and stocks of PPE are beginning to become available through national suppliers, we are able to stop using the Stock Tool as the information you have provided has enabled us to forecast future consumption and has assisted planning for future spikes in the virus should they come.
Therefore as of today you will not be required to provide this information to us.
Thank you again for your support with this, we appreciate the time it has taken for you to do this at such a difficult time.
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INFECTION CONTROL / PPE TRAINING UPDATE
Gloucestershire have reached the Government's ‘Call to Action’ target for all registered care homes to be offered infection prevention and control training. This includes:
- All 229 care homes have been offered training (including those who have declined)
- 129 residential and nursing care homes have now been trained on a face to face
- 53 care homes have been trained virtually. This has most been using Zoom by our local 23 trainers across the county
- 40 care homes have declined training. This is mostly due to not wanting the footfall into the care home or them having their own internal infection lead within the care home(s)
The national position of take up for this training/declined was 69.8% as of 27th May 2020, of which 21.8% declined training.
The training has been welcomed by care homes and they have seen it as a supportive process.
Gloucestershire as a Local Resilience Forum wants to go above and beyond the Call to Action and provide this infection prevention and control training to all our domiciliary providers who support our most vulnerable people living in the community, as well those people with a learning disability living in their own home with support. From the beginning of June 2020, the Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service will lead on this training to all domiciliary and supported living homes to ensure we provide an equitable training offer to all our independent providers. This will form part of our response to COVID-19. We will keep you updated on how this progresses
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COVID-19: Temporary Provider Relief funding
Please see below further details on the Provider Relief funding arrangements, which includes the process we are asking providers to follow in order to continue to receive relief payments.
If you do have questions regarding this then please contact ECM.
Support for care providers recruitment – Proud to Care Fast Track Recruitment Update
In response to the needs of employers Proud to Care are adapting our approach to make it more flexible. We now offer three different packages rather than a single end to end process. This means you can select the package that would allow you to most effectively deploy the new recruit within your organisation expediently. In addition to the three packages we also have two stand alone options to support you deploy candidates you have attracted and selected yourself.
For more information read the full provider update and our frequently asked questions.
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NHSmail FOR SOCIAL CARE AND BETTER ACCESS TO GPS
NHSmail is designed to bridge the gap and improve communications between health and social care services, something that is more important than ever due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. NHSmail has undergone a fast track roll out and more information about the benefits can be found here. There is also a quick read NHSmail set up guidance which gives a clear overview of how easy it is to set up and a sign up forum.
NHSmail will allow care providers and health and social care staff to communicate securely. It also comes with the use of Microsoft Teams, meaning GPs could potentially carry out virtual ward rounds over video call with the people you support. Here is a video of Jeremy Welch (GP), doing just that with a care provider in Gloucestershire.
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Updating NHS Capacity Tracker – Care Homes ONLY
Thank you to those who have registered for NHS England's 'Capacity Tracker’ and for continuing to update your information on a regular basis. You will note this is for Care Homes only and does NOT apply to Supported Living, Day Centres or Domiciliary Care provision.
We have been asked by NHS England to urgently increase compliance with the requirement to update all information on the NHS Capacity Tracker whenever there is a change and at a minimum every 24 hours. This includes vacancy and business continuity information. We are grateful to you for ensuring that this task is carried out. If there has been no change, please would you log in to the system here and click ‘save’ on the page where you normally update your data, so that we know we have the very latest information from you.
If you have any queries please do no not hesitate to contact the brokerage systems team.
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COVID-19 UPDATES - GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE |
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HOSPITAL DISCHARGE SERVICE REQUIREMENTS
Please find guidance here that sets out ways care providers should change their discharge arrangements and the provisions of community support during the coronavirus situation. A discharge access model has already been introduced and aims to free up beds as soon as someone is deemed medically fit.
GUIDANCE ON CARE OF THE DECEASED
In these difficult times it’s important to ensure dignity and respect of the deceased is maintained whilst ensuring the safety of people who need to come into contact with the diseased. This guidance is for suspected or confirmed COVID-19 related deaths and when alternative causes of death are known then care of the deceased should follow the usual management practices. Please note, this guidance is under continuous review and can be updated inline with the changing situation.
REUSE OF MEDICINES IN A CARE HOME OR HOSPICE
Guidelines on how to reuse medicines safely and effectively during the coronavirus pandemic can be found here. The medicine reuse scheme covers processes on prescribing handling and administrating and also storing medicine, and at the end of the document is a really useful easy read pathway.
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EMERGENCY SUPPORT FRAMEWORK
CQC have developed an Emergency Support Framework which will be followed during this difficult time in lieu of routine inspections. The Framework is not an inspection and will not be rating performance. CQC will still be utilising the normal sources of data alongside the NHS Capacity Tracker and Update CQC on the Impact of COVID-19. Here is the Emergency Support Framework that has already been presented by CQC.
Are you signed up to the CQC Updates?
CQC Provider Bulletin - This has changed from monthly to weekly with a coronavirus (COVID-19) focus. Sign up here.
CQC Twitter account - For the most up to date, immediate information, Follow CQCProf.
Dedicated coronavirus (COVID-19) webpage - Access the most up to date information and guidance here. FAQs can be found here.
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HELP US HELP YOU
The Help Us Help You Campaign by NHS England has launched an easy read document and one in more detail format which gives information about accessing NHS services during the coronavirus pandemic.
The @NHSAbility team will be tweeting additional resources on the Help Us Help You campaign over the next few weeks. Please give them a follow and check out what they have to say! If you see something you like and want to re-tweet it, we have included some useful hashtags:
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NEW MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR ADULTS DURING COVID-19
Gloucestershire County Council is working in partnership with Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group to introduce a range of new mental health services in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. These new services will be available alongside existing mental health services in order to provide people with options depending on their needs. More information on go live dates and the referral process can be found Stakeholder Briefing.
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Acute Kidney Injury COVID-19
As a result of COVID-19, there are reported increased numbers of acute kidney injury (AKI). Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (GHC) request that all staff become familiar with the signs and symptoms of AKI using the Powerpoint, learning guide and quick reference guide.
They also request that if you have any residents suffering with COVID-19 or AKI that require a hospital admission that you provide a handover for the hospital dietitians detailing what the resident likes to eat and drink and any special dietary requirements or texture modification currently in place. This will help to save time when the hospital dietitians are assessing the resident. On many occasions the residents themselves have been too unwell to communicate directly with the dieticians.
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Yellow Card reporting site for healthcare products used in COVID-19
Please see a letter from Dr June Raine (CEO), Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, on Yellow Card Reporting specifically related to Coronavirus.
NHSX and NHS Digital have worked with telecommunications companies to publish a series of offers to help care homes and care providers get on the internet, or upgrade existing internet connectivity, during the pandemic.
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UPDATE FROM GLOUCESTERSHIRE CARE PROVIDERS ASSOCIATION
We are continuing to temporarily suspend all membership fees in order to assist all providers across Gloucestershire and one of those ways we have identified is to not add additional cost pressures through charging for our services.
In order to fulfil our aims of best supporting providers, we have opened our membership to any Gloucestershire provider to utilise our services. To that end, if you are a provider who is not a member but wishes to engage our services, please complete the simple application form to gain access to the regular webinars.
We aim to continue to bring all providers the best information, advice and guidance from both local and national sources.
Our latest news web page gives providers lots of additional resources too.
The GCPA Board Members wish to thank all the providers for the amazing work that you and your teams are doing during this crisis.
Riki Moody, Chief Operations Officer said ‘In the six years of being with GCPA, I have never witnessed such dedication, passion and spirit as I have since this pandemic started and it is truly an honour to be working alongside you all.’
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ACTIVE IMPACT LAUNCH YOU’RE WELCOME
Active Impact has just launched You’re Welcome - an inclusive online directory and forum that lists lots of events, clubs, groups and places to visit.
This project has redeveloped the previous Barnwood Trust website and now includes an Events Directory, Things to Do listings and a friendly forum.
The website will include information on support available to take part in groups and activities and guidance on how to become more inclusive as a group or organisation. Membership is free and includes personalised newsletters and access to our friendly forum where you can chat about what is available and share your experiences.
If you provide a club, activity or event and you'd like to list it, please sign up; its free!
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EMPLOYMENT UPDATES
The Forwards employment team are still supporting people who are looking for work and also those who are in work or have been furloughed.
Face to face interventions have been replaced by telephone calls and on line activity including an online work club, which started on 6th May. If you would like to refer anyone for help with looking for work or who is in work and struggling, email the team here.
You may also find useful activities on #GEMonline. Anyone can access these sessions including service users or staff. More information can be found here.
Recently, Paralympian Andy Lewis MBE did a short interview, where he spoke about his life and what hurdles he has had to overcome to be where he is today. You can view the short film here. Check out Andy's website for more information on how his expertise can help inspire and instill confidence in you and those around you.
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