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Welcome to the NAG and SOPO newsletter for 25 September August 2020. Feel free to circulate to your colleagues.
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Adult Social Care Winter Plan
The Government published the Adult Social Care winter plan, setting out its ambitions for the sector and the challenges facing adult social care this winter. The plan includes key actions for national bodies (DHSC), local systems (councils and NHS England) and adult social care providers.
The plan covers four themes:
- preventing and controlling the spread of infection in care settings
- collaboration across health and care services
- supporting people who receive social care, the workforce, and carers
- supporting the system
To coincide with publication the Minister for Care, wrote to councils to outline the expectations of local authorities in relation to the adult social care winter plan. The Government also published the Social Care Sector COVID-19 Support Taskforce report, which sets out the progress and learning from the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In our media response, we stressed that councils and care providers have been working constantly throughout the pandemic to support our elderly and most vulnerable people, despite facing significant pressures. While we understand the Government will want clear oversight of the developing situation, further monitoring requirements should not place any unnecessary burdens on providers and councils' vital ongoing work.
Free supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) is good and the right distribution needs to be in place to make sure supplies reach the frontline on time. Councils and providers should also be compensated for PPE already purchased for COVID-19 to date. These measures should be backed-up by ensuring everyone in the community who needs a test can get one. We said that funding should also be kept under regular review, to make sure councils and providers are in the best possible position to respond to a potential second wave and able to increase capacity for care at home, which will be essential to meet demand through the winter.
Testing
The Government has published its rationing list for COVID-19 tests and we are pleased to see that some of our key workers in local government have been made a priority. Those working in acute clinical care will be first priority, followed by care home workers and residents. In care homes, staff will be tested every week, residents will be tested every 28 days and all new admissions will be tested. This includes those with and without symptoms. NHS staff are next in line, followed by targeted testing for outbreak management. Teachers with symptoms are fifth on the priority list.
Councils set to receive housing support for vulnerable people
The Government announced 274 councils will share £91.5 million of funding to help vulnerable people who were housed during the pandemic stay in accommodation this year. An additional £13.5 million fund will be used to enable local authorities to tackle new or emerging challenges.
iPad Offer for Care Homes
The LGA, ADASS and NHSX are working together to improve the connectivity of care homes in time for additional winter pressures as part of the wider joining up care agenda. The first project is the gifting of iPads to care homes in need, to:
- Provide 4G enabled devices to care homes with poor or no WiFi
- Enable access to NHSmail
- Equip care homes with the ability to offer video consultations with medical and social care professionals
- Improve access to health information of residents.
A letter containing full details of this offer will be circulated to health and care colleagues on 26 September, so keep an eye out and forward this on to care homes, in particular those you know to be in greatest need.
Non-COVID stories
Modern slavery in supply chains – New measures to include councils
The Government has published plans to introduce new measures to ensure public bodies and large businesses tackle modern slavery risks in supply chains as part of plans to strengthen the Modern Slavery Act. Public bodies which have a budget of £36 million or more, including local authorities in England and Wales, will be required to regularly report on the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their supply chains.
It is positive that the new provisions recognise the crucial role of councils in combatting modern slavery and indeed many of you already have stringent provisions in place, two-thirds of in-scope councils are already compliant.
The LGA also welcomes clarifications of the reporting requirements and the new online Government reporting service, which the sector has been actively involved with in the development stages. The inclusion of councils in the new provisions will inevitably lead to more work for councils but moving the reporting requirements online will significantly help councils to carry out their own modern slavery due diligence during the procurement and tender process.
We will work with and support the sector to further ready itself for the proposed legislative changes so that in-scope councils are fully compliant and continue to lead the way in preventing and mitigating the risks of modern slavery in our supply chains. The LGA's Modern Slavery online resources hub is full of guidance and tools to help.
Autumn Budget cancelled
HM Treasury have said there will be no Budget this autumn - the Chancellor did however reveal his winter economy plan, which includes a wage subsidy scheme which will aim to stave off mass unemployment over the next few months.
This Job Support Scheme factsheet explains what is covered by the grant, which employers and employees are eligible, and how to claim.
Towns funding
Over 100 towns are to be given additional funding ranging from £500,000 to £1 million to support projects such as new green spaces, the creation of pop-up businesses spaces, pedestrianising streets and creating of new community hubs to support those living alone. This funding is part of the Government’s £3.6 billion Towns Fund.
Preparations for the end of the Transition Period
Government updated the Commons on EU Exit preparations - alongside this statement, the Government has published a reasonable worst case scenario (RWCS) document which contains further information about their RWCS planning assumptions for potential disruption to freight travelling between Great Britain and the European Union at the end of the transition period.
Webinars
Protecting the public purse – 29 September
Looking at the recent MHCLG review of fraud in local authority procurement – with speakers from the team lead writing the report - this is an opportunity to understand best practice to reduce fraud in local authority procurement, particularly in the current environment.
For further information about the webinar please visit this page.
CIPFA - Getting Better Value from ICT Tenders – 29 September
A webinar will support practitioners deliver ICT tenders on time and within budget. Almost every public body is spending heavily on ICT to cope with the "new normal" and as part of digital by default transformation. This webinar will discuss some of the key areas where organisations have experienced difficulties achieving original ICT expectations.
For further details and to book your place, please visit CIPS' website
Decarbonisation of transport webinars
In relation to the Decarbonising transport briefings, the LGA are hosting a webinar to accompany each briefing. See the full list of Decarbonisation of Transport webinars below:
LGA Behaviour Change webinar – 2 Oct 2020
Councils are exploring opportunities to create more resilient communities and address a range of environmental and socio-economic issues, against a backdrop of huge economic pressures.
Drawing on the work of The Centre for Climate and Social Transformations (CAST) and recent studies of lockdown behaviour the webinar will focus on behaviour change and engagement with communities, drawing on examples from local authorities.
National Children and Adult Services Conference (NCASC) - 4 - 6 November 2020
Aimed at local leaders of adults and children’s social care, this annual conference will take place online this year. The joint ADASS, ADCS and LGA event will include a range of keynote, sub-plenary and panel sessions delivered by prominent figures in the adult, children and education sectors, including ministers
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