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Welcome to the NAG and SOPO newsletter for 28 August 2020. Feel free to circulate to your colleagues.
This newsletter is now delivered through our corporate service that handles all our various e-bulletins.
Manage or create a subscription - read our previous bulletins.
Personal protective equipment
A gentle reminder that the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) sent a letter to Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) (pdf), following previous communication on the role of LRFs in the distribution of PPE. The current emergency supply of PPE to LRFs via MHCLG will end by 11 September, however DHSC are offering one additional drop of PPE to each LRF to help build local reserves.
PPE in Day Services - DHSC Information Request
The DHSC PPE Demand and Strategy team are looking to gather data to ensure they have a clear understanding of the supply, usage and requirement of PPE in day services. They would be happy to receive responses which are estimated or approximate figures. They appreciate that this information may not be readily available and covers a range of different services, but any indicative information would be helpful.
- How many a) local authority funded b) local authority part funded, c) privately owned and d) voluntary sector managed day services are registered in your local authority?
- The size and type of the day services: the type of care provided, how many are building based (with walls) or are without walls, how many sessions are held per day and how many days are the services opened per week? how many how many individuals do they provide care to and how many staff are present?
- How many day services used PPE before the pandemic? How was this PPE obtained?
- Which PPE items are used?
- Since the pandemic have day services been able to access PPE through: a) the local authority
b) the local resilience forum
c) the PPE portal
d) directly through wholesalers/suppliers
Please email ppefuturedemand@dhsc.gov.uk with your responses to better help inform this research.
Modern slavery risks for care workers
The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a significant strain on the care sector and there is increasing concern that there may be increasing risk of modern slavery in the recruitment of care workers. Risk factors include the shift to recruit online, rather than face-to-face, which may disguise the signals for which staff are trained to look. Nottingham Rights Lab, who work closely with the LGA have published a research briefing (pdf) with some really helpful and practical recommendations for local authority commissioners.
Opening up
Back to school transport
The Department for Transport (DfT) has published back-to-school transport materials that will help you communicate to parents and children the guidance about cycling or walking, and explain to those using public transport how to do so safely.
Social Work Together
With many councils experiencing rising demands for children’s social services, you may be interested in our Social Work Together campaign to help you hire experienced social workers without the cost of agency fees. This free campaign aims to help you find social workers living in your area, who may be available for both temporary and permanent positions.
Public transport
You may find a new guide published by the Department for Transport (DfT) useful. This aims to help transport organisations in England understand how to provider safer workplaces and services for themselves, their workers and passengers. DfT has also written a joint letter with the Health and Safety Executive to provide guidance on access to hygiene facilities (pdf) for drivers.
As the Government announces more localised restrictions across the country, DfT has created a number of communications materials to support stakeholders to share messaging around what this means for those travelling in the affected area. The materials contain messages around cycling, walking or driving to avoid public transport as well as travel safely guidance if public transport has to be used.
Schools
As children begin to return to schools from next week, the Government has published guidance for schools and further education providers on the initial supply of coronavirus home testing kits for pupils, teachers and staff. All schools and further education (FE) providers will receive an initial supply of 10 home test kits. Home test kits are only be offered to individuals in the exceptional circumstance that the school or FE provider believes an individual may have barriers to accessing testing elsewhere.
Non-COVID stories
Government Commercial College – Contract Management Foundation training relaunch
Thanks to all of you who have already registered and completed the Government Commercial College contract management e-learning modules. Now we are starting to return to some sort of business as usual we wanted to remind you to complete any learning outstanding on this. We have had some excellent feedback on the modules themselves and great engagement from councils.
We’ve had confirmation from Cabinet Office that councils can register and complete the foundation module free of charge for the rest of this financial year. The module takes around 12 hours to complete and should be completed within 90 days. If you or colleagues are interested, please contact productivity@local.gov.uk.
Centre for Public Scrutiny – Scrutinising Climate Action
The LGA has worked closely with the Centre for Public Scrutiny and has published a guide to help councils play a leading role in tackling the climate crisis at a local level. The resource, which sets out 10 scrutiny questions – including; Has the council reviewed its investment strategy, supply chains and procurement models to give due consideration to climate change impacts?’ The resource will help all councils and policymakers to embed the necessary environmental, social and cultural changes that communities need to see to build resilience to respond to climate challenges such as investment strategies and transport plans. The LGA is hosting a webinar for councils to outline a practical approach for scrutineers to understand and seek oversight on climate action in their localities – full details below
Design in the Public Sector
There is one week to go until applications for this year’s Design in the Public Sector Programme closes. You can apply here and learn how design tools and methods can help tackle climate change at a local level or include a sustainable procurement challenge which you are grappling with. For those of you who are interested, you can find more information on the application page which includes Frequently Asked Questions.
Applications must be submitted by Friday 4 September.
Webinars / e-learning
Procurex National Engage (online) – 9 September
An ongoing theme in today’s public sector marketplace is the need to realise improved value for money through ‘smarter’ procurement. Procurex National 2020 is designed specifically to help both buyer and supplier communities to meet the efficiency challenges of today and tomorrow, in addition to enhancing overall skills and capabilities. Find out more on the Procurex National Engage 2020 website.
LGA Webinar - Scrutinising climate action – 18 September
Children’s Social Care and the Spending Review - 29 September
Institute for Government Webinar
This event will look at what level of funding is needed for children's social care, what the right balance is between early intervention and crisis support and which of the changes made in response to the crisis should be kept.
Visit their website for further details of how to book.
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