 These important newsletters from your Adults and Health Leadership Team (AHLT) will regularly update you on developments within the directorate, including important information about the COVID-19 situation.
Please prioritise these newsletters so you are up to date with any changes that may affect you.
Welcome to this latest edition of the Adults and Health Newsletter.
COVID-19 updates
Following our communication to you yesterday regarding the COVID-19 vaccinations, we are aware that many of you are trying to book appointments outside of normal working hours and we appreciate the reasons for this.
To make best use of the vaccination capacity, however, and to support the NHS to deliver the target for priority 2 vaccinations, we need you to book the first available slot in the booking system that you can balance with your workload demands. Please try not to book too far ahead when there are earlier appointments available. We appreciate the pressures under which you’re working but ask that wherever possible, you book a vaccination slot during the working day. We are asking managers to be as flexible as possible about releasing staff whilst recognising the need to ensure that we do not compromise service delivery. This is in line with our corporate policy, which allows reasonable time off for appointments.
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Following a situation where a COVID-19 positive staff member passed around the virus in one of our main hub buildings, we now recommend that all staff who have to come into the office for business-critical working wear a face covering while moving about or in close contact with other people.
This does not negate the need to follow safety measures like social distancing already in place across our buildings, including keeping a two metre distance from others, and regular hand washing. If you have any symptoms you must go home immediately, arrange a test and remain at home to avoid transmission of the virus.
As cases across West Sussex continue to remain some of the highest in the country, we must do all we can to stay safe and reduce transmission of the virus at all times. It's very important that if you have a business-critical need to be in an office building that you abide by the social distancing measures put in place by Facilities Management, and follow the guidance.
Please remind yourself of the guidance when in the workplace.
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Wear a face covering when moving about our buildings;
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Use remote working tools to avoid in-person meetings;
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Only arrange face-to-face meetings where absolutely necessary and maintain a two metre separation throughout;
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Avoid transmission during meetings, for example, avoid sharing pens and other objects;
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Provide hand sanitiser in meeting rooms and remember to wash your hands regularly with soap and warm water;
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Hold meetings outdoors or in well-ventilated rooms whenever possible;
- For areas where regular meetings take place, use floor signage to help people maintain social distancing;
- Please book meeting rooms in advance to allow for cleaning;
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Do not exceed the maximum capacity designated for rooms or bring extra seating into marked spaces. Meeting room capacity has been updated on Outlook and should be clearly stated within each room; and
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Ensure your desk is cleared each evening so that it can be cleaned and sanitised.
Have you completed a risk assessment?
If you are coming into the workplace, please ensure you have completed the COVID-19 Employee Risk Assessment with your line manager to ensure you can work safely. If you have already completed the risk assessment, you should continue to review it with your line manager to make sure it remains up to date.
For more information and guidance around dealing with COVID-19 including working from home, risk assessments and self-isolation, refer to the COVID-19 HR Briefing which can be found in the Big Exchange Library and within the HR Zone on The Point.
What to do if you have symptoms
Please note that if you develop symptoms and you require a test, it's really important that you follow the COVID-19 Testing Guidance which can be found in the Big Exchange Library and within the HR Zone on The Point.
Information and guidance on working arrangements for schools and keyworkers, redeployment and for clinically extremely vulnerable employees can be found here.
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Directorate updates
This month sees the introduction of some changes to the mental health social care service model, as part of a phased introduction.
Under the new operating model, social workers employed by the County Council who were seconded to Sussex Partnership Foundation Trust (SPFT), will move back under the direct line management of the council. This will be taking place on a phased basis, between now and the end March.
The new operating model has been developed in close collaboration with SPFT to ensure that we continue to deliver seamless support to people of working age who use our services as we transition to the new arrangements. Our social workers will work closely with people affected by the change to review their needs and will liaise with SPFT staff as necessary.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the relevant mental health team and ask to speak to the team manager for your area as follows.
Southern: duty number – 03302222388 email:WAMH.Southern@westsussex.gov.uk
Northern: duty number – 03302222944 email:WAMH.Northern@westsussex.gov.uk
Western: duty number – 03302228855 email:WAMH.Western@westsussex.gov.uk
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Firstly, we want to express our thanks for all your hard work at this incredibly challenging time and secondly, to inform you that as planned, we have begun to share the findings from the Community Lens Survey with team managers who are now able to share this with practitioners.
Once again, we would like to express our gratitude to the large number of colleagues who responded to the survey - your honest feedback on the challenges faced and the many excellent ideas for developing community-led support in West Sussex are so helpful. We absolutely appreciate the significant pressure and demands that you are all facing at the moment and have been encouraged to hear examples of how you have been able to use creative community-focused solutions to support customers at this time.
With the current position of business continuity, the Peer Forums are suspended for an initial six-week period. We will be keeping this under review and we will update you on whether we decide to extend the period. Work was of course already underway regarding how to make the forums as effective as possible, including using feedback received through the Community Lens Survey (such as using them at the earliest possible stage in the assessment process). When they do return, therefore, these suggested improvements will have been implemented to ensure everyone’s time and effort is used to best effect.
REMINDER: Community Solution Request Form
As mentioned in the 2 December newsletter, a ‘Community Solution Request Form’ has been created. Practitioners can use this form to request support from Communities Directorate colleagues to identify community solutions for customers where they believe it would be beneficial, but they have been unable to identify anything suitable. The form is located on the Supporting Lives Connecting People SharePoint site. If you have any issues accessing the form please contact Supportinglives.connectingpeople@westsussex.gov.uk.
Once completed, the information is automatically submitted to Communities Directorate colleagues who will share their knowledge of existing local solutions, or work to explore new ideas based on the request submitted.
Please ensure that before you submit the form you have used all the ‘tools’ or contacts at your disposal, for example:
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CLIO2, our in-house database containing details of community-based help;
- other community databases;
- local community groups or charities that you are aware of; and
- conversations with Prevention Assessment Teams (PATs) and Partnerships & Communities Team colleagues.
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Are you using CLIO2 yet? Would you like an online tour or refresher?
Thank you to the large number of colleagues who attended the CLIO2 online tour/refreshers in December to find out what CLIO2 offers, how to login and make searches, and to suggest improvements. Please let us know if you were unable to join one of the tours but would like to attend, so that we can plan further dates. Email Ruth Davis, Principal Librarian Enquiries, Learning & Enterprise.
CLIO2 is based on the existing Council & Local Information Online system operated by our Library Service and is a managed community information resource which can help us meet our residents’ needs. It covers topics such as support accessing food, befriending and wellbeing services and more specialised support, such as for those bereaved. It also has the potential for further development to support us into the future.
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The British Association of Social Workers (BASW) has organised a webinar focussed around two surveys based on social workers' experiences of working through COVID-19. The first survey was from April to August 2020 and the second was undertaken during December 2020.
Headlines of the survey results together with reflections on social workers' experiences throughout 2020 from the survey findings will be shared, together with information on the 'coming soon' policy brief and practice guide.
Time: Thursday 4 February 2021 12.30pm-1.30pm
Cost: Free for BASW members, £10 (+£2 VAT) for non-members
For further details and to book your place, visit the BASW website.
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Please follow the guidance below when ordering or returning WSCC laptops and other IT equipment.
New Starter and Other IT Equipment Requests –delivery timescales
Due to heavy demand and COVID-19 restrictions (the need to quarantine equipment for 72 hours before it is dispatched), the delivery of all IT equipment is now taking longer than usual - up to 15 business days from order. Please factor in this timescale to hiring and induction timetables for new staff.
Returning Old Laptops
Staff can drop off old laptops and other IT equipment at the following locations:
- Staff entrance at Centenary House, Worthing – please use crate sitting in the Security Office on the right
- Post Room at Parkside (County Hall North), Horsham
- Post Room at Durban House, Bognor Regis
- Post Room / Stores, County Hall, Chichester
Please note: Before returning laptops, please log an Account Deletion/Equipment Collection request via Service Desk Online stating which location you will return equipment to. Please also place a piece of paper between the screen and keyboard detailing the name of the last user along with IT request number, to assist us in updating our asset register and tracking devices.
Why you shouldn’t swap laptops with a colleague…
It is the responsibility of every line manager to ensure that all equipment is returned to IT when an employee leaves WSCC. This includes laptops, to ensure that all data and information of a potentially sensitive nature are removed, and that the device is properly prepared for the next user.
Laptops cannot simply be swapped between users and doing so contravenes WSCC IT Acceptable Use Policy which states:
- Any laptop, smart phone or other council IT equipment allocated to a user is for the sole use of the assigned individual and must not be shared with council colleagues unless authorised to do so; and
- When no longer required, IT equipment must be returned to IT Services. It must not be passed directly to another user unless specifically authorised through IT services (this is to ensure that personal data is not inadvertently shared).
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There are a range of services available to staff who are looking for mental health support.
Staff in Mind
Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has launched the Staff in Mind mental health service for NHS and social care staff, on behalf of the Sussex Health and Care Partnership Integrated Care System (ICS).
The service is for people experiencing emotional or psychological difficulties and is an added opportunity to raise awareness of staff mental health and wellbeing, and to encourage people to seek support from colleagues, their line manager, friends, family, and employer support services.
Mental Health Support Service
You can get confidential support and advice from a trained healthcare professional from the government-led initiative Mental Health Support Service. You do not need to have a diagnosed condition to use the service.
You do not have to get Access to Work to get support from the Mental Health Support Service, but you must be eligible.
To get mental health support you can apply for Access to Work. You can also contact one of the Mental Health Support Service providers directly. They are:
Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
This is a free 24-hour confidential helpline to support staff with any personal or professional problems affecting their home or work life, health and general wellbeing.
More details about the EAP can be found on The Point.
Phone: 0800 030 5182
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The Department of Work and Pensions COVID-19 Winter Grant Scheme has been launched by Citizens Advice in West Sussex (North, South, East) and Arun and Chichester Citizens Advice in partnership with the County Council. Help can be in the form of paying gas, electricity and water bills, boiler repairs, or purchasing blankets. Other help such as mobile phone top ups, energy advice, and benefit checks referral for specialist debit advice may also be available.
If you are working with a family or vulnerable person who could benefit from this support, please refer them to Citizens Advice using the online referral form.
Further information about the grant scheme can be found on The Point.
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Our annual report for residents of West Sussex setting out how adult social care services performed during 2019-20 has recently been published and is available on our website. Developed in partnership with people who use our services, family and friend carers and other stakeholders, the Local Account details our work during the year and demonstrates our achievements, priorities and challenges. It also explains how the budget was spent and outlines current activities and plans for the future.
This year our Local Account is published online in a new and more creative format. Individual pages, sections and the whole document can easily be printed if required and a pdf version can be downloaded.
If you have any queries please email: localaccount@westsussex.gov.uk.
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