What's New Bulletin 90 - 21 April 2022
This is the ninetieth weekly provider bulletin, containing information on guidance, procedures and new initiatives. Very urgent or high priority communications may still be issued on an ad hoc basis, but we will try to keep these to a minimum.
- Questionnaire about Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Champions – EXTENDED DEADLINE 26 April 2022 (information for all Birmingham Care Homes)
- NHSmail Drop-in Sessions, Hosted by The NHSmail team at NHS Digital (information for all providers)
- Slides from the Birmingham Health Protection Response Team and Adults Commissioning “Living with Covid” provider events (Information for all providers)
- REMINDER NEW GUIDANCE: Changes to infection prevention and control in adult social care (information for all providers)
- REMINDER UPDATED GUIDANCE Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for adult social care services (information for all providers)
- REMINDER COVID-19 vaccination: spring booster guide and resources for those aged 75 and older and older residents in care homes (information for all providers)
- REMINDER Infection Control and Testing Fund round 3 – Final spend reporting (information for all Birmingham providers)
- REMINDER Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund round 1 and 2 – Final spend reporting (information for all Birmingham providers)
- REMINDER Department of Health and Social Care, Social Care Reform Markets Survey – Have your say – Deadline extended to 3 May 2022 (information for all providers)
1. Questionnaire about Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Champions – EXTENDED DEADLINE 26 April 2022 (information for all Birmingham Care Homes)
In November 2021 the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in partnership with The Queen's Nursing Institute (QNI) launched the infection, prevention, and control (IPC) champions network. The aim of the IPC Champions Network is to help maintain and continuously improve standards across the care sector.
New Infection Prevention Network launched for social care
Sign up to receive the IPC Champions Network Newsletter
Birmingham also commissioned an Infection Control Service in December 2020 to provide a dedicated Infection Prevention Control (IPC) service to care homes. The team is made of up of infection control nurses and the service is available until September 2022. You can find out more about this service below:
We are asking Birmingham Care Homes to complete the questionnaire below to ensure we have up to date information on dedicated IPC champions (also known as IPC leads or IPC link workers) for the purpose of targeting communications (such as a regular newsletter), establishing a network of champions, and sending invitations to IPC events to share information, good practice and guidance. The questionnaire is below:
Infection Prevention & Control Champions’ questionnaire
The deadline for the questionnaire is Tuesday 26 April 2022
2. NHSmail Drop-in Sessions, Hosted by The NHSmail team at NHS Digital (information for all providers)
The NHSmail team now offer care providers a weekly drop-in session to support with NHSmail queries. There will be no agenda or slides, this is an open session to give care providers the opportunity to ask questions about NHSmail, directly to the NHSmail team, just pop in, ask your question and leave once you have your answer. No registration is required to attend but please note this session is for care providers only and not those in supportive roles for NHSmail.
Please click on the link below to join the session on the day.
Every Wednesday between 11am and 12pm. Click the link below to join the meeting
Join an NHS Mail drop-in session
3. Slides from the Birmingham Health Protection Response Team and Adults Commissioning “Living with Covid” provider events (Information for all providers)
Birmingham Health Protection Response Team and Birmingham Adults’ Commissioning Team held a number of provider meetings over the last two weeks to go over the recent changes to government guidance as we Learn to Live with COVID.
The sessions covered the following;
- Latest Public Health Guidance Around Outbreaks & How To Manage Them In Care Settings
- Update on IPC Guidance & Practice, Reminder of The Relevant Websites
- BCC Expectations Regarding Covid Positive Hospital Discharges As We Learn To Live With COVID
- Questions/AOB
The slides from these events are available and have been circulated to providers. If you don't have copies, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
4. REMINDER NEW GUIDANCE: Changes to infection prevention and control in adult social care (information for all providers)
This guidance sets out how to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in adult social care settings in England. This guidance applies from 4 April 2022. A summary document has also been produced with tables that are designed to highlight where guidance about COVID-19 for adult social care providers has been changed.
The following guidance should be consulted for full information on these changes, and on measures that remain unchanged;
Infection prevention and control in adult social care: COVID-19 supplement
The summary table of the changes can be found below:
Summary of changes to COVID-19 guidance for adult social care providers - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The following guidance has been withdrawn;
COVID-19: management of staff and exposed patients and residents in health and social care settings
5. REMINDER UPDATED GUIDANCE Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for adult social care services (information for all providers)
This guidance outlines the COVID-19 testing available for staff, residents, and visitors for all adult social care services. COVID-19 testing in adult social care guidance has been added. The full guidance can be found below;
Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for adult social care services
The following related guidance has also been updated;
Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for homecare workers
Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing in extra care and supported living settings
Coronavirus (COVID-19): testing in adult care homes
Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing for adult social care services
6. REMINDER COVID-19 vaccination: spring booster guide and resources for those aged 75 and older and older residents in care homes (information for all providers)
People aged 75 years and older, residents in care homes for older people, and those with weakened immune systems are being offered a spring booster of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. Appointments are available from the National Booking Service. A field has been added to the Capacity Tracker for care homes to be able to report the number of residents receiving a second booster where relevant. The full guidance can be found below:
Resources can be found below:
COVID-19 vaccination: spring booster resources
7. REMINDER Infection Control and Testing Fund round 3 – Final spend reporting (information for all Birmingham providers)
Further to the distribution of the Infection Control and Testing Fund round 3 grant funding, all recipient locations are now required to provide final spend reporting declarations for all months from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. The attached allocation lists set out the amount and breakdowns of the funds distributed. Please complete and submit the relevant online form using the links below for each CQC registered location which has received the grant from Birmingham City Council. Deadline for submission was15 April 2022, but late submissions can still be accepted.
Care Home Final Spending Report
Community Care Final Spending Report
Please ensure that you input the correct CQC location name and ID number when completing the forms. Incorrect details will render the form invalid and it will be classified as a non-return.
8. REMINDER Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund round 1 and 2 – Final spend reporting (information for all Birmingham providers)
Further to the distribution of the Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund round 1 and 2 grant funding, all recipient locations are now required to provide final spend reporting declarations up to 31 March 2022. Allocation lists setting out the amount of the funds distributed have been circulated to providers. If you don't have copies, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk . Please complete and submit the relevant online form using the link below for each CQC registered location which has received the grant from Birmingham City Council. Deadline for submission was 15 April 2022 but late submissions can still be accepted.
Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund round 1 and 2 Final Spending Report
There is a single form covering both care homes and community care locations – please ensure that you input the correct CQC location name and ID number when completing the forms. Incorrect details will render the form invalid and it will be classified as a non-return.
9. REMINDER Department of Health and Social Care, Social Care Reform Markets Survey – Have your say – Deadline extended to 3 May 2022 (information for all providers)
On 7 September 2021, the Prime Minister announced changes that will affect the care home and home care provider market. To help understand this market better, DHSC is asking care home and home care providers to complete their survey now available within the Capacity Tracker; Care Home and Home Care providers can access the survey from their respective Manage your care homes or Manage your home care provider pages. The deadline for responding has been extended to 3 May 2022. The survey is an opportunity for providers to share information about who is receiving care in their service and information about that care. This will help DHSC to understand what its reforms will mean in practice for residents, service users, and provider businesses. It will also help monitor how reform is affecting the care market in the coming months.
If you have any further questions relating to the DHSC Care Home and Home Care Markets Survey, please email:capacitytrackerfeeratesurvey@dhsc.gov.uk
The Capacity Tracker can be accessed below:
If you have questions or queries regarding how to update the data and where to report specific scenarios, please contact capacitytracker-guidance@dhsc.gov.uk.
If you are experiencing technical issues with Capacity Tracker, please contact necsu.capacitytracker@nhs.net or the Capacity Tracker Support Centre on 0191-691-3729.