This edition includes...
- An update from Alexis
- Peer Review
- Sheffield Adult health & social care marketing and recruitment campaign
- The See it Be it Team - volunteers required
- New hiring toolkit
- Employee wellbeing health checks
- Dementia day activities
- Free PPE for the social care sector
- COVID-19 and Flu vaccinations
- Personalisation and Direct Payments Strategy Launch Event
- Automatic Annual Increase to Direct Payments 2023/24
- Care England's action to establish the largest Gas and Electricity Tender for Care Providers
- Webinar - Free support and advice for the health & social care sector
- CQC update
 Looking ahead
I can't believe the first month of 2023 is already over. I hope you got 2023 off to a great start!
I would like to start by saying a huge thank you to all the care sector for all your collective leadership particularly over the winter season.
In 2022, we built upon the listening conversations which took place in 2021 with our workforce, our partners, the people we support and unpaid carers and from that published our very first Adult Social Care Strategy – Living the Life You Want to Live in March 2022, an accompanying Delivery Plan in June 2022 and a future design of adult social care in November 2022. These provided us with a framework to take forward a range of developments to improve the lives and outcomes of citizens of Sheffield.
Over the past year, our teams have worked in partnership with colleagues across Sheffield and beyond to deliver on what you and the people we support told us mattered, which includes:
- Enabling people to live independently through promoting technology enabled care with key projects such as the Happiness Project, our Equipment and Adaptations Criteria and development of a new information and advice self-help hub – Our Sheffield Directory and Digital Strategy will be launched in 2023 along with key projects which further embed our use of digital technologies to enable people to live healthy, independent lives and more easily find out about our services, supports on offer and what we do.
As we look into 2023, we will also see the development of key strategies which will set out how we develop an Autism Inclusive Sheffield, an Emotionally Well, Mentally Healthy and Wellbeing Sheffield and a Valued Social Care Workforce which will be supported by a range of communications and a recruitment campaign later this year.
I would like to thank everyone across adult social care for all your great leadership in taking forward these developments at a time of change and leadership through the pandemic. I am really looking forward to working with everyone this year to enable people to live the life they want to live.
Alexis
 Adult health & social care marketing and recruitment campaign
We have been working very hard to develop an engaging, visually striking and successful marketing campaign (Be the missing piece in someone's life) to recruit frontline adult health & social care staff.
We are therefore proud to announce the launch of our Sheffield Cares marketing and recruitment campaign. The aim of this campaign is to recruit new workers to to the sector for both Sheffield City Council and Providers across the city.
The website and sponsored social media advertising campaign is now live on the following Sheffield City Council social media channels;
- Facebook
- Instagram
- Nextdoor
- LinkedIn
- Twitter
- Sheffield Online Facebook
Recruitment Fair
We have a recruitment fair taking place where people can attend to find out more about a career in adult health & social care.
- Date: Tuesday 21st February 2023
- Time: 11:00am - 2:00pm
- Venue: Sheffield Town Hall
Get involved
We would like a range of health and social care providers in attendance at the event to talk about your vacancies/careers along with job seekers/interested parties. If you're interested in having a stand at our event please email john.chamberlain@sheffield.gov.uk by Wednesday 8 February.
 Peer Review
Adult social care is having a peer review next week (w/b 6 February), to inform our improvement journey and help us prepare for our new inspection regime that starts in April 2023. I wanted to let you know it is happening and to thank those who are generously giving their time to provide feedback.
The peer challenge is co-ordinated by the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and does not have a formal status. However, we will be open and transparent about the findings. ADASS peer reviews are based upon the CQC inspection framework. We believe these are broadly the right measures of success of an adult social care system.
We are encouraging all our staff being interviewed to be completely open and honest – because it’s the right thing to do, and because that’s how we maximise our learning. We know that as partners you’ll take this approach also, as you do with us all the time.
Please free to circulate this to anyone you feel may be interested. If you have any questions about the review, or want to know more, please don’t hesitate in getting in contact using the normal routes.
 The See it Be it Team
Health & Social Care is the biggest employment sector in South Yorkshire, but we often need to proactively inspire and engage with students to encourage them to join our workforce. Knowledge and positive role models are key to achieving this aim.
What we do
We engage with students in Schools and Colleges in many ways, to support the careers’ curriculum and to tell students about our career opportunities.
We coordinate requests from schools to ensure that we have ambassadors from across Health and Social Care to attend events and activities but, all too often, Social Care is under-represented. We would like your support to change this.
We need your help
Each Month the 'See it Be it' team at Sheffield City Council sends out a bulletin to employers with a request for volunteers to attend careers related activities taking place in Schools and Colleges, in future this bulletin will be included in the newsletter giving you an opportunity to send ambassadors to attend events, ensuring that Social Care is represented.
Typical activities include;
- supporting mock interviews
- careers fairs
- what’s my line?
- inspiration days
- and linking curriculum learning to careers.
Contact us
To get involved please contact us for further information.
E: seeitbeit@sheffield.gov.uk
Our Schools’ Engagement Team at the ICB Workforce Hub would also welcome ambassadors from Social Care to support our bespoke activities with Schools and Colleges, please get in touch.
E: Rebecca.mcqueen1@nhs.net
New hiring toolkit to support care providers with safer recruitment
On 6 January, the government launched a Better Hiring toolkit that provides a guide for care sector employers to make informed, safer recruitment decisions.
The best practice toolkit – which can be accessed for free via the link below – provides guidance to support employers with both obtaining and providing effective references and conduct information.
With social care staff and volunteers providing support for some of the most vulnerable people in society, the toolkit is focused upon the safety of the people employers are entrusted to care for and the staff who carry out their roles.
Among the key ambitions of toolkit are:
- a desire to raise standards in the care sector
- providing a one-stop shop for best practice
- encouraging an increase in sharing information – including Barring referrals
Announcement: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-hiring-toolkit-supports-care-providers-with-safer-recruitment
Toolkit: https://www.betterhiringinstitute.co.uk/industry-best-practice/health-social-care
Know your numbers
We have an exciting new project that we are opening to all social care and home care providers in Sheffield called ‘Know your numbers’.
This project is focused on giving social care workers a basic health check which includes BMI, Blood pressure and pulse rate. Each health check will take an average 10-15mins per person.
We will also be signposting social care staff to;
- Wellbeing services
- Menopause support
- and financial wellbeing support
 Dementia Day Activities
People who are living with dementia, may want to join Dementia Day Activities if they are looking for;
- A dementia-friendly place to spend the whole day on a regular basis
- Enjoyable activities based on their interests and what they like to do
For family members or unpaid carers, Dementia Day Activities can provide:
- A regular break from their caring role during the day, to give them time to catch up on THE things they need to do, and provide them with an opportunity to recharge their batteries.
- Reassurance that their loved one is safe, well cared for and enjoying themselves.
Spaces available
There are currently spaces available at Dementia Day Activities sessions in locations across the city, depending on the stage of the person's Dementia journey. All the details (venues, support provided, photos of activities, testimonials, and how to join) the different age-appropriate sessions are available in two new leaflets:
Both of these leaflets, along with other useful Dementia information in Sheffield are also available to download from www.sheffielddirectory.org.uk/dementia
Read about the difference Dementia Day Activities makes to people living with Dementia:
- “All the staff are very friendly, I like the activities and getting to talk to people”
- “I’m too old to be having this much fun!”
- “My son was right (even though I don’t want to admit it) - I really like coming. I like to be busy”
The difference it makes to family members:
- “D was far from willing when he first started attending day activities; it was even a challenge to get him through the door to be honest. But thanks to the positive and patient approach of the staff members he now looks forward to coming and enjoys his time with you. Of course the other great benefit you provide is giving me a much needed break while D is with you”
What the organisations say:
- “We believe that memory loss shouldn’t be a barrier to fun, friendship and stimulation for the mind. We’re passionate about creating a safe, loving and welcoming environment for our members. We sing, we dance, we play, we make things. And above all else, we laugh”
Please share these leaflets with people with Dementia and their carers either electronically or by printing them out.
General dementia advice
And don’t forget, if you’re looking for general dementia advice in Sheffield, contact:
Free PPE to social care sector extended by up to one year or until stock runs out
The Government has announced its decision to extend the central, free provision of COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) to the care sector to March 2024, or until stocks are depleted. The scheme continues to provide protection for frontline care staff, as part of the Government’s Living with COVID-19 strategy.
Further information about the extension and the wider scheme can be found at the link below.
It's never too late to get vaccinated for COVID-19 and flu
Book appointments via the National Booking Service and visit the NHS website to find your nearest pharmacy offering free flu jabs. To promote vaccination to care colleagues, visit the Campaign Resource Centre for free leaflets, posters and social media content.
There is more we can all do to protect our health as the weather changes. The Stay Well this Winter leaflet for 2022/23 is also available to download. This helpful resource provides health information and guidance on how to stay well over the winter months.
Personalisation and Direct Payments Strategy Launch Event
We are pleased to announce that Sheffield’s Personalisation and Direct Payments Strategy was approved by the Adult Health and Social Care Policy Committee on 19th December 2022. You can read a copy of the strategy here.
The Strategy will be launched at an event on Tuesday 11th April 2023, 10am-2pm. which will take place at Sheffield Town Hall. We will be inviting people who use a Direct Payment and other stakeholders to attend the event.
In addition to launching the Strategy and introducing our key priorities and plans, we’ve be told that people would like the opportunity to meet providers who offer support to people using Direct Payments. Therefore an open marketplace of provider stalls is on offer at the launch event.
Providers holding stalls will be able to share information and talk to people who use Direct Payments, their families and other stakeholders about their services. Spaces are limited, so if you are interested, please complete the expression of interest here.
If you are not able to attend the launch event or if we run out of space for stallholders, you can still take part and promote your services. You to record a short video about your organisation and the support you offer which we will share with people at the event.
For more information, please contact Andy Buxton, Commissioning Officer by emailing andy.buxton@sheffield.gov.uk or by phone on 0114 205 2714.
Automatic Annual Increase to Direct Payments 2023/24
There will be an automatic annual increase to individual’s Direct Payments in April 2023. We anticipate being able to confirm new rates with Direct Payment recipients by letter in March 2023.
As Direct Payments recipients are in control of their own support arrangements, this means that any contract/agreement held between a Direct Payment recipient and their provider(s) are private arrangements which the Council is not party to.
What you need to do
If you provide care and support to people who use a Direct Payment and you are proposing an increase to your fees from April, please contact your customers directly in the first instance to inform them and to check they are happy to accept the increase. People will not be aware of the new Direct Payment rates until March therefore we advise that you should wait until then before trying to agree new increases with them.
If your proposed increase is within the new increase of the Direct Payment people will be able to agree this with you directly, however if you propose to increase your fees above the new percentage increase, you must discuss this further with your customer and ask them how they want to proceed.
How your recipients may respond to the change
As Direct Payment recipients are in control of their support arrangements, they have the option to look at how to respond to any increases in fees from their support provider(s). They may choose to do the following;
- Adapt their support arrangements to meet costs within their existing Direct Payment budget
- Use their own money to manage the costs
- Negotiate rates with the provider
- Look at other support or provider options that offer more cost-effective alternatives
After applying the automatic annual increase, the Council will not expect further increase requests unless there are specific circumstances that would cause significant detriment to the individual if the current arrangements stopped. These decisions will be made on an individual basis for the person concerned.
How you can help us
In addition to letters to Direct Payment recipients, we also intend to inform providers, agencies and services about of the new annual increases, however it is difficult for the Council to have a full, current picture of all providers operating within the private market.
To help with this, we are currently building a database of providers, agencies and services who support people with a Direct Payment. The database will enable us to capture key information about the market and develop an effective mailing list to help keep the private market informed and updated about developments.
You can provide your company’s information and register interest by completing the short form here.
Care England is concerned about energy renewal costs faced by care providers since the War in Ukraine and following feedback from our hugely successful energy webinars and our subsequent formal challenge into OFGEM around unduly onerous energy supplier practises, Care England wants to support care providers to secure the best value for money possible for Gas and Electricity.
As energy costs increased, impacting the sector’s financial stability, Care England is mindful of another volatile year ahead, as some energy suppliers remain unreasonable with prices and deals available, seek excessive upfront deposits, and charge hefty risk premiums, coupled with a low appetite to offer competitive deals. The uncertainty around any extension of the government’s Energy Relief Scheme makes it increasingly challenging for care providers to establish energy solutions and stay ahead of the game.
To keep 2023 renewal costs sustainable, accessing the best possible advice will again be key, and to maximise energy supplier interest and offers are keenly priced whilst minimising excessive risk premiums. Care England intends to offer care providers the opportunity to combine energy volumes, to maximise significant economies of scale and is issuing an Exclusive Care England bulk tender for 2023-24 Gas and Electricity 2023 renewals, tendered to all energy suppliers in January 2023.
Care England has been feeding the DHSC, BEIS, the CQC, and Local Authorities with critical energy consumption data built on a model of 55,000 care home beds in England, to ensure they are aware of the real-time impact of energy costs for the sector and believes a sector-wide energy tender for all care providers will help to gather not only the best possible commercial arrangements for participants but to ensure BEIS receives the most relevant market intelligence and data, to help ensure that any ongoing support has the necessary impact on the sector.
It is imperative, especially for the care sector that energy options are identified and analysed appropriately in anticipation of the optimum February to April renewal window, to secure the best possible energy contracts that can be offered to participants regardless of when they renew their energy in 2023.
At this stage, we are asking for expressions of interest, to participate in the energy tender expected which will be facilitated in January/February 2023. This will enable completed tender results to be analysed and completed for each care provider/group, to ensure they can make an informed decision and benefit from the lowest possible price for energy. Further details of how the Tender will work, along with FAQs will follow in late December once we understand the total UK-wide volumes.
Who qualifies? Any care provider (members/non-members) can qualify to participate and benefit once they have expressed their interest:
How do I apply? If you would like to be included in this exclusive tender and benefit from the crucial advice and guidance, at this stage please just register your interest by clicking the EXPRESSION OF INTEREST LINK and provide; contact information, bed/capacity details, the percentage of your Gas and Electricity due, and renewal dates and you will be contacted with the next steps to confirm your participation.
 Webinar - Free support and advice for the health & social care sector
Sheffield City Council’s Adult Social Care team, Business Sheffield team and expert partners from across the system have joined forces to host free monthly webinars aimed at supporting businesses and services within the Health & Social Care sector in Sheffield.
If you missed them, please find the slides and recordings below
Webinar: Practical solutions to support the Sheffield Health & social care sector with both Recruitment & Retention
The webinar covered
- Opportunities to inspire the future generation regarding Social Care
- How to recruit from underrepresented groups to assist with unfilled vacancies
- Professionalising Health & Social Care to aid retention.
Please click here to view the slides from the webinar which also include speakers contact details if you wish to get in contact.
The recording from the webinar can be viewed by clicking here.
Webinar: Energy Saving in the Care Sector
An experienced energy professional provided free and independent support covering;
- Energy saving tips for the sector
- Government energy support schemes and making sure you fully benefit from these
- Other support available
The recording from the webinar can be found here
The presentation slides can be found here
Webinar: Digital innovation
The presentation slides can be found here
If you need any further information or you have ideas about future webinars please contact jade.bann@sheffield.gov.uk
We had previously shared that we would introduce our new regulatory approach in January 2023. Following a full review of our timeline we have decided this will not happen until later in 2023.
Earlier in 2022 we laid out our approach to how and when we would take the next steps in delivering our strategy. Following a review, we have shared an update on our website setting out the approach we will take in 2023.
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