December 2022 edition

Have you got something to share?

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.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Thank you so much for all your hard work over what has been an challenging year. Your dedication and commitment is very much appreciated, and your support to ensure the safety and wellbeing of those you support has gone above and beyond.

Let’s continue to support each other in 2023 and may the New Year bring happiness and health for us all.

We hope everyone stays safe over the Festive season.

Health

Winter Pack

Please find attached a winter communications pack with key messages from NHS England South West to support people with a Learning Disability. The pack includes links to resources and videos and graphics to be used on social media and shared within your teams.

The pack covers:

• Covid & Flu Vaccinations and reasonable adjustments
• Cost of living information
• Healthy Eating and obesity
• Mental health
• Children and Young people
• Sepsis – knowing the signs
• STOMP/STAMP – making sure you have the right medication
• Annual health checks and health check action plans
• How to stay well this winter
• Making every contact count.

Click on the button below to access this great resource for winter.

Coronavirus

What is coronavirus? Coronavirus is a virus and sometimes called COVID-19. It can make you feel poorly. It is important to keep ourselves and others safe from coronavirus. One way we can keep ourselves safer and healthier this winter is by having our coronavirus and flu vaccines to help stop us getting very poorly. Coronavirus booster vaccine Everyone with a learning disability can have a coronavirus booster vaccine this winter. Your GP surgery will be making contact to book you in for your vaccination over the coming weeks and months.  They might do this alongside asking you to have your Flu vaccination.  This is safe to do. Why is the booster vaccine important? The protection from the coronavirus vaccines doesn’t last forever in your body, so it is important to get your booster vaccine to help keep you safe for longer. When should you have a booster vaccine? It will need to be at least 6 months since your last coronavirus vaccine. Your doctor might suggest that you get your flu vaccine at the same time as your booster vaccine. This is safe to do. What type of booster vaccine will you be offered? There are many different types of coronavirus vaccines. You might not get the same type of vaccine as you had before, but you will be given the one that is right for you. Some things you might feel after your booster vaccine After having the booster you might: have a painful, or heavy feeling in the arm where you had your vaccine for 2 or 3 days have a headache find that your muscles hurt or you are feeling tired feel like you have the flu If this happens you should rest and take paracetamol if you can. Check with someone if you are not sure and always make sure you follow the information on the box. You may feel hot or cold, but this should not last more than 2 or 3 days. If you feel very poorly for more than a few days and have other symptoms stay at home. If you need support, but it is not an emergency, then ring 111. Call 999 in the case of an emergency. A few people have had problems with their hearts after having the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. These are 2 types of coronavirus vaccines. This has mostly happened in young men in the first week after their vaccine. Most people felt better after resting and having some simple treatments. You should ring 999, if: you are finding breathing difficult you have chest pain, or your heart is beating in a different way than usual after you have had your booster vaccine Can you still catch coronavirus after having the vaccine? The booster vaccine doesn’t stop everyone from getting coronavirus, but if you do get it, it should stop you becoming very poorly. It may also take a few days for your body to get some protection from the booster. If you have not had your first 2 coronavirus vaccines If you have not had your first 2 coronavirus vaccines, you can still get these and should have them as soon as you can. You can ask at a local pharmacy, call 119 or click here to book online.

GP Resources

The learning disability charity Mencap has created new GP resources to support people from minority ethnic backgrounds when accessing healthcare services.

The resources come as data reveals that just 276,365 people are on the GP Learning Disability Register out of an estimated 1.2 million people in England with a learning disability (equating to less than a quarter).

The resources, which are now available in 10 different languages, raise awareness of the benefits of the register and encourage under represented communities (like those from minority ethnic groups) to sign up.

It also informs people with learning disability and their families/carers about the reasonable adjustments they are entitled to ask for during GP or hospital appointments.

Click here to read the article on Learning Disability today and help raise awareness.

News

Nursing Strike

Following confirmation from the Royal College of Nursing of planned strike action for Tuesday 15th and Thursday 20th December as this action may affect your organisation you will potentially need to have contingency plans in place to manage this and minimise disruption to individuals. We are sure that you pre-empted this action and have the necessary business continuity in place but the following checklist may help you to prepare:   Have your business continuity plans been revisited, updated, and necessary changes implemented? Plans for loss of staff should form part of Business Continuity plans including District Nurses for example. Think about putting an Industrial Action response plan in place which include plans for the recovery to business as usual following the period of industrial action. If a safety incident occurs involving a resident, what mechanisms are in place to reduce immediate risks and support those affected, where necessary? Are risk assessments in place? How will you ensure continuity of care for palliative and end of life care? Do you need to postpone agreed annual leave to ensure cover? Do you have in place appropriate arrangements for informing individuals and their families of the potential impacts of industrial action? How you will communicate arrangements and impacts to staff? We hope that this checklist will be useful to help you cover all contingencies in the event that you are affected by the Industrial Action. - Gloucestershire Integrated Brokerage Team

Brokerage Updates- Provider Portal

We will shortly be conducting an audit of Provider Portal users and other provider staff contact details held in our finance and Contract Management system, ContrOCC. This is to ensure we are holding the most up to date information. While it is the role of the Portal SuperUsers registered with each provider to advise of any changes to contact details as they occur, it is good practice for the Council to review the overall dataset periodically.

Please be aware that we may be in touch with you over the coming months to check records with you where we need to. We may also take the opportunity to add additional contacts to provider records for information only, which GCC may reference for other communications as needed. These additional contacts would be visible GCC and to Provider Portal users, but will not be set up with Portal access themselves. The SuperUser will also be able to amend / update /delete the details of additional contacts through the Portal.

If you have any queries about managing contacts through the Portal, please email brokeragesystems@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Brokerage Updates- Home Care Providers

Home Care providers: new online system planned for brokerage

Gloucestershire Integrated Brokerage will be implementing a new online system to improve the process of brokering Home Care. We will be piloting the eBrokerage system in the new year with the aim of supporting home care providers to go live with the system in April 2023.  The system will enable better communication between the Brokerage team and providers and will also support wider reporting and market management functions. Further communication about the benefits of the system and plans for rolling it out will be sent directly to our commissioned providers shortly.

Brokerage Updates- Providers Using Electronic Call Monitoring (ECM) for Invoicing

Providers using Electronic Call Monitoring (ECM) for invoicing: advance notice of new Finance Manager installation

As part of developments to our system model we will be installing a new version of the Finance Manager module of the Electronic Call Monitoring System before the end of the current financial year. This will enable visit data to be sent back to GCC’s finance and contract management system, ContrOCC. As part of this work, all unpaid invoices in Finance Manager up to and including those for Billing Period 12 must be finalised by Friday 24^th February 2023. Period 12 ends on Friday 10^th February, so we will all need to be prepared for an intensive period of reconciliation between 11^th and 24^th February. As per the usual process, please do not run any final invoices on ECM until reconciliation has taken place and you are notified by your portfolio lead. The Brokerage team will be taking steps to ensure this will be as smooth a process as possible and we will also write directly to the providers affected with recommended actions and further guidance and reminders as we get closer to the date. If you have any queries please email brokeragesystems@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Capacity Tracker Expectations

To all Care Home and Home Care Adult Social Care Providers:

You should by now have received an update from DHSC on the Adult Social Care Provider Information Provisions that require you to submit data monthly through Capacity Tracker.

The Adult Social Care Information (Enforcement) Regulations 2022 were made law on 10 November 2022 after being debated in both Houses of Parliament and  commenced in December 2022. 

Click here for the full regulations. 

The guidance on the enforcement process will be published in the week commencing 19^th December. This guidance will let you know how DHSC will enforce the information provisions – i.e. what will happen if, from December, you do not update your data monthly, via Capacity Tracker, as outlined in the guidance on data collection first published in July. DHSC have outlined in previous communications that financial penalties will normally be a last resort and the majority of the enforcement process will focus on what support can be given to help you meet the requirements of the Information Provisions. 

Click here to access the guidance on data collection. 

Disability Poverty Campaign

Our Gloucestershire local organisation Inclusion Gloucestershire has joined with the National Disability Poverty Campaign Group. the National Disability Poverty Campaign Group which is disabled people-led, and the Disability Benefits Consortium, a network of over 100 major disability charities and related organisations. In September they wrote to the Prime Minister with a series of ‘asks’ such as increasing benefits in line with inflation and to call urgent attention to the devastating and intensifying levels of poverty faced by disabled people in the UK.  

Click here to see a copy of the letter sent to the Prime Minster.

Click here to see the response back to the group. 

Proud to Care Update

This November, Proud to Care has been focusing on supporting provider recruitment in the Forest of Dean, alongside our regular county-wide services. We have attended 7 events across the Forest, including Newent Library, Coleford and Cinderford DWP and Littledean Food Bank, alongside attendance at Gloucester and Cheltenham DWP job fairs. We have connected 32 candidates to care providers via our career phoneline and in person. We are preparing to launch our new tv advert and newspaper advert in the Forest of Dean promoting care as a rewarding career, so watch out for Proud to Care on your screen and in the Forest newspaper over Christmas and into the New Year! Following the successful pilot of our new locality jobs board with Glos Jobs, we have extended it countywide and will be transitioning over in the next couple of months. Each locality will have its own dedicated jobs page on our website. Click here to see the new jobs board. If you would like to advertise your vacancies on the new jobs board, please email the team at ptc@gloucestershire.gov.uk to get set up. We are looking to involve providers in our social media activities, particularly over the festive season! Please email the team if you would like us to share any good news stories, vacancies or highlight your services.  Proud to Care Team ptc@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Resources

Energy Bill Relief Scheme

Energy Bill Relief Scheme: help for businesses and other non-domestic customers This scheme will provide energy bill relief for non-domestic customers in Great Britain. Discounts will be applied to energy usage initially between 1 October 2022 and 31 March 2023.     The scheme will be available to everyone on a non-domestic contract including: businesses voluntary sector organisations, such as charities public sector organisations such as schools, hospitals and care homes who are: on existing fixed price contracts that were agreed on or after 1 December 2021 signing new fixed price contracts on deemed / out of contract or variable tariffs on flexible purchase or similar contracts For more information click here to visit the government website.

Financial Support to Deliver Better Care Through Technology

Financial Support for Care Providers to deliver better care through technology – Register Now

Gloucestershire will be launching an integrated health and social care digital Programme in early January to help CQC registered care providers develop their digital capabilities.  You can pre-register your interest below.

The aim is to help Gloucestershire care providers use technology to reduce the administrative burden on staff, so that more time can be used to deliver care. This is part of the nationally funded NHS Programme to help digitize across the care and health system.

Gloucestershire is making a long-term commitment to work with care providers to embed technology. This investment is viewed as fundamental to offering stable, sustainable care, connected to and supported by health and social care services, to best serve those your organisation supports and the wider population of Gloucestershire.

The first phase of the Programme will aim to financially support:

• The adoption of digital social care records (DSCR), also known as digital care plans, to ensure care teams have the most accurate, timely information
• Pilot sights to test sensor-based falls prevention and detection technologies to support those at risk of falls, reducing the frequency and severity of falls-related injuries and preventing hospital admissions; and
• Test other care technologies based on local needs to further develop an understanding of what works

For those interested in digital social care records, you can find more details of assured suppliers and how to consider which of them might suit your needs click here.

Full details of the grant offer together with the application process will be published in early January.

If you would like to pre-register your interest, please email sally.williams61@nhs.net

Pre-registration does not place any obligation on your organization to take part but will ensure we have the correct contact details so that all subsequent communications will be sent to the correct person.

Gloucestershire Prepared – Building Resilience Together

Gloucestershire LRF is a multi-agency partnerships made up of representatives from the emergency services, local authorities, the NHS, the Environment Agency and others. We co-ordinate effective and efficient integrated emergency management arrangements within the County of Gloucestershire. Preparing Your Business Even small incidents can impact your normal daily operations.  As a business owner or manager, can you afford not to prepare for disruption? Thinking ahead and preparing for what the weather may bring this winter can make a real difference. There are some simple steps you can take to stay safe and healthy at this time of year – from preparing your home or business to taking care of yourself, your family and neighbours. Their website has a wealth of information about how to prepare for winter click here to access it.

Support Hub

The Support Hub includes links to helpful information and advice and will provide you with the tools you need to save money, look after your mental health and wellbeing and conserve energy. Please click here to visit the support hub pages for more information on: Your circle Info in your area Money Food Energy Warm spaces Transport/travel Your mental health and wellbeing Click here to access the Support Hub

Safe Use of Belts

A guide about the safe use of all belts – our duty of care Please new guidance regarding the safe use of belts. This was requested by the coroner at the start of the year following the death of a gentleman who was open to the Community Learning Disabilities Team in Gloucester.    It is important that if you are supporting individuals who use any equipment which use belts this guidance is shared amongst your teams. Please click on the button below to access a guide on the safe use of all belts.

Inclusive Festive Activities

FREE Inclusive Guide to Festive Events Active Impact how important it is to be able to enjoy the festive season with all the family together. We are pleased to share with you our Inclusive Guide to Festive Events highlighting some of the important accessibility information from just a few of the County's much loved seasonal activities and events.  Whether it's hosting a Changing Places facility, offering adapted sessions for those with sensory requirements or step free access, we hope you can find an event to suit you.  Click here to read the inclusive guide

Sensory Friendly Ice Skating 

The Gateway Ice Rink in Cirencester offers Sensory Friendly sessions every Monday midday from 12 pm - 1 pm. The Ice Rink will be capped at 50% capacity, have low lighting and no loud music. Perfect for individuals with Sensory related disabilities.

Click here to access their website and book a session. 

Inclusion Gloucestershire Research

We at Inclusion Gloucestershire wanted to know what is important or worrying to disabled people now, so we undertook some research in October 2022. We met with 79 people with lived experience of disability or mental health conditions, family carers, people who work in health and social care and other organisations, as well as our own staff and trustees. 30 people filled in Easy Read versions of the research survey and 49 people filled out the survey online. We are in the process of writing up the full report and wanted to share some of the headlines as soon as possible. The top 5 things that were most concerning to disabled people were: Finances (71% were either very worried or a bit worried) Accessing healthcare they need (64%) Accessing support for mental health and wellbeing (54%) Housing (52%) Accessing cost of living information (51%) While 71% were worried about finances, we asked some of the people who said they were not worried and found out that their parents or carers had responsibility for the finances. We went on to ask some parents and carers about their concerns and unsurprisingly finances were very much a concern for them. So the number of people impacted by concern about finances is even higher than 71%. The full report will be available later in December. If you would like to find out more or get access to the full report, please email: charliem@inclusion-glos.org.uk. You can find out information about previous research on our website, click here to access it.  https://www.inclusiongloucestershire.co.uk/research-strategy-and-partnerships/

Training 

Skills for Care Training

Skills for care workforce development fund can now be used to contribute towards the costs of Positive Behavioural Support (PBS) training in adult social care in line with the following levels:     First Step to PBS Foundation Level: As per the First Step to Foundation PBS competence framework - £50 WDF payable PBS Foundation Level: As per the PBS Academy competence framework - £150 WDF payable for foundation as a standalone and if completed as a ‘top up’ to the first step PBS Intermediate Level: As per the PBS Academy competence framework – £300 WDF payable  PBS Advanced Level: As per the PBS Academy competence framework – £450 WDF payable   For more information please refer to the SfC website by clicking here Supporting people with challenging or distressed behaviour (skillsforcare.org.uk) or contact  keryn.morris@skillsforcare.org

Complex Emotional Needs Training

The Complex Emotional Needs team will be delivering training in the new year titled, “Knowledge and Understanding Framework (Understanding Complex Emotional Needs /Personality Disorders and life- threatening distress.)”

This is multi-agency training for people working in services that may respond to people who have complex emotional needs who want to understand this better.

Learning outcomes:

• Explore different perspectives around complex emotional needs associated with the diagnosis of ‘personality disorder’
• Outline different ways of understanding complex emotional needs through examining how someone’s past experiences can affect their present
• Develop an understanding of how to work effectively with people with complex emotional needs.
• Reflect on different approaches to working with people with complex emotional needs and the impact of reactions and responses
• Explore the impact of working with people with complex emotional needs on the wider team

Dates:

You need to book for a cohort of 3 days

• Cohort One Tuesdays: 10/17/24 January
• Cohort Two Thursdays: 23 Feb/ 2/9 March
• Cohort Three: Fridays17/24/31 March
• Cohort Four: Wednesdays12/19/26 April

Location:

Minsterworth Village Hall, Gloucester, GL2 8JH

This is now available to book via LearnPro or through the Proud to Learn team on proudtolearn@gloucestershire.gov.uk

We Need You 

Ambulance Service Improvements

The Ambulance Service wants to improve the service it gives to people with a Learning Disability and Autistic people.  We, Inclusion Gloucestershire, are working on their behalf to find out about people’s experiences and what they think needs to be improved. We want to hear about the experiences of care providers and would be very grateful if you could fill in the online questionnaire below. We look forward to receiving your feedback and we hope this will make a real difference to the service people receive. Click here to access the questionnaire link. Responses can be anonymous, although there is the option to provide personal contact details, if the person filling it in would like to be further involved in the project.