What's New Bulletin 96 - 1 June 2022
This is the ninety sixth 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.
- Birmingham (BSol) urgent primary care access briefing – Thursday 2 June to Monday 6 June 2022 (information for Birmingham care homes and other care providers supporting citizens with BSol GPs)
- Cost of Care Exercise 2022 – Home Support, Extra Care and Supported Living (information for all Birmingham home support, extra care and supported living providers)
- Cost of Care Exercise 2022 – Care homes (information for all Birmingham care homes)
- NEW GUIDANCE COVID-19: information and advice for health and care professionals (information for all providers)
- UPDATED GUIDANCE COVID-19: personal protective equipment use for aerosol generating procedures (information for all providers)
- Care Quality Commission (CQC) recruitment guidance and best practice (information for all providers)
- Survey for Culturally Sensitive End of Life Toolkit 17 June 2022 (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
- Diagnosing dementia in care home settings – DiADeM in action: challenges, benefits and opportunities webinar 30 June 2022 (information for all care homes)
1 .Birmingham (BSol) urgent primary care access briefing – Thursday 2 June to Monday 6 June 2022 (information for Birmingham care homes and other care providers supporting citizens with BSol GPs)
We have been asked to bring to your attention arrangements for access to NHS primary care services over this Bank Holiday weekend. A briefing has been circulated to care providers. Please use this route for the immediate health care needs of citizens you support, wherever possible. If you don't have a copy of the briefing, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
2. Cost of Care Exercise 2022 – Home Support, Extra Care and Supported Living (information for all Birmingham home support, extra care and supported living providers)
We are giving advance warning that we shall be launching our annual cost of care exercise during the week commencing 6 June 2022 with a submission deadline of Sunday 10 July. Full instructions will be issued in due course. However, we recommend that in order to be prepared for the exercise you visit the Local Government Association website using the link below, where you will be able to find a copy of the cost of care tool, full guidance and available support.
Homecare Cost of Care Toolkit | Local Government Association
3. Cost of Care Exercise 2022 – Care homes (information for all Birmingham care homes)
As previously communicated we will be launching our annual cost of care exercise during June 2022. Full instructions will be issued in due course. This year we will be using an online cost of care tool called Care Cubed – Fair Cost of Care. So you are able to complete the exercise you are now required to register your interest so you can create your account and enter data. You should register your interest with Care Cubed using the link below:
Fair Cost of Care Tool - Register interest
Please note large care provider organisations will need to create an account for the group organisation and NOT at individual care home level. If you are the recipient of this message in a care home please ensure that the home’s Nominated Individual (as registered with the CQC) and your organisation head office are informed and made aware of what they need to do.
An Awareness pack has been created for care providers which contains details of how to register and access the tool, as well as overview videos about the tool and how to enter data. You can access the Awareness pack using the link below:
Cost of Care Tool - awareness pack
4. NEW GUIDANCE COVID-19: information and advice for health and care professionals (information for all providers)
This guidance covers background information and advice on coronavirus (COVID-19) for health and care professionals. The full guidance can be found below:
COVID-19: information and advice for health and care professionals
5. UPDATED GUIDANCE COVID-19: personal protective equipment use for aerosol generating procedures (information for all providers)
This guidance covers the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) for aerosol generating procedures (AGPs). A link has been added to NHSE National infection prevention and control manual. The full guidance can be found below:
COVID-19: personal protective equipment use for aerosol generating procedures
6. Care Quality Commission (CQC) recruitment guidance and best practice (information for all providers)
The CQC would like to remind providers of their guidance, good practice and resources relevant for recruiting staff. Registered providers are expected to apply the same processes for staff recruited from abroad (including refugees) as they would for staff recruited in England.
- Regulation 19 – Fit and proper persons employed; to meet Regulation 19, providers must operate robust recruitment procedures, including undertaking any relevant checks.
- CQC recruitment checks; Our FAQs help providers understand what is required to meet Regulation 19.
- Guidance on Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)checks – Section 23; providers must do all they can to ensure that people they appoint from overseas are suitable to work with adults who use care services and/or children.
Recruitment frequently asked questions (FAQs)
The DBS cannot access criminal records held overseas. However, it is still recommended that you undertake DBS checks for workers from overseas in case a person is barred, has a criminal record in the UK, or comes from a country where the DBS does have information sharing agreements. If you wish to check their overseas criminal record, contact the relevant foreign embassy.
Criminal records checks for overseas applicants
Skills for Care’s Guide to safe staffing uses an analysis of CQC inspection reports to help you understand what ‘good’ looks like so you can learn from best practice.
7. Survey for Culturally Sensitive End of Life Toolkit 17 June 2022 (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
Birmingham and Solihull CCG are currently working with partners to develop a Culturally Sensitive End of Life Toolkit. For further information, please see the attached flyer.
To take part in a survey on the topic, please visit the link below. The deadline for completion is 17 June 2022.
Please email kathryn.drysdale2@nhs.net for any further queries.
8. Diagnosing dementia in care home settings – DiADeM in action: challenges, benefits and opportunities webinar 30 June 2022 (information for all care homes)
In October 2021, Norfolk and Waveney CCG initiated a pilot to support dementia diagnosis in care home settings. A memory assessor nurse was recruited to work with care homes to assess residents using the Diagnosing Advanced Dementia Mandate (DiADeM) tool (specifically for care home settings). The initiative has continuously yielded good results from its inception and has released time for primary care teams. From November 2021 to date:
- 101 residents were given a face to face assessment
- 79% of whom were previously unknown to the Mental Health Trust
- 87% were given a diagnosis of dementia or confirmation and coding of a previous diagnosis
- 13% were referred on for further support (for general mental health, physical health, and CMHT); and all residents prescribed antipsychotic medication had this reviewed.
To support areas progressing, or who are keen to establish, DiADeM initiatives, the national dementia policy team are holding a webinar with Zena Aldridge and team at Norfolk and Waveney CCG, to highlight the challenges, benefits and opportunities around using the tool to diagnose dementia in care home settings.
The MS teams meeting is on Thursday 30 June 2022, from 12 midday to 1pm. If you would like to attend this webinar, please register using the link below:
Diagnosing dementia in care home settings webinar
A recording of the webinar will be made available after the event.