What's New Bulletin 109 - 1 September 2022
This is edition 109 of the 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.
- Are you or anyone you know interested in a job in Adult Commissioning within Birmingham City Council? (information for all providers)
- REMINDER COVID-19 autumn vaccination booster programme (information for all providers)
- Message from the Department of Health and Social Care regarding mandatory data submissions through the Capacity Tracker (information for all providers)
- Upcoming Provider Training Sessions (information for all providers)
- Home Falls Prevention Update - OT Trusted Assessors (information for Birmingham Home Support and Extra Care Sheltered Housing Providers)
- Birmingham & Solihull Care Home Deterioration Network Conference 28 September 2022 (information for all Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
- Infection Prevention Control (IPC) Care Home Champions Training Event 7 October 2022 (information for Birmingham Care Homes)
- REMINDER Digital Social Care and Better Security, Better Care - Briefing 17 June 2022 (information for all providers)
1. Are you or anyone you know interested in a job in Adult Commissioning within Birmingham City Council? (information for all providers)
Birmingham City Council Adult Social Care are recruiting to a number of roles across commissioning. Please see the list of opportunities on the site below. We would be grateful if you would share the link with your networks.
2. REMINDER COVID-19 autumn vaccination booster programme (information for all providers)
GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE COVID-19 autumn vaccination booster programme and resources (information for all providers)
People aged 50 years and older, residents in care homes for older people, those aged 5 years and over in a clinical risk group and health and social care staff will be offered an autumn booster of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. Appointments will be available from the National Booking Service shortly.
The full guidance and resources can be found below;
COVID-19 vaccination: autumn booster resources
A letter from the Deputy Director of Adult Social Care Operational Resilience has been circulated to providers. If you don't have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
REMINDER Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System message re preparation for the launch of the autumn/winter COVID/Flu vaccinations (information for all Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
Information from the Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System has been circulated to providers, around the plans to start rolling out the flu and vaccination programme in Birmingham and Solihull from the 5th September with an aim that all care home vaccinations are completed in ten weeks. If you don't have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
The information contains a list of preparatory steps for care homes to take. In summary the ask is for care homes to;
Please commence the consenting process as soon as you can for flu and covid (Mid-August). The consent forms can be found below:
COVID-19 vaccination: consent forms and letters for care home residents - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Encourage all of your staff to take up a flu and covid vaccination (starts 5 September 2022)
Email our COVID inbox with any queries on BSOLCovid-19VaccinationSVOC@uhb.nhs.uk
Changes to the Capacity Tracker around Flu and Covid-19 Vaccination Data Collection
While COVID-19 continues to circulate this Winter, the Department of Health and Social Care must continue to understand and monitor uptake of COVID-19 and flu vaccinations. As such, they request your continued support in encouraging uptake of both autumn boosters and the flu vaccine to all who are eligible.
The following questions which apply to Patients, Directly Employed Staff and Agency/Bank will be removed from the Capacity Tracker:
- Number known to have had the FIRST DOSE of the COVID Vaccination in the UK
- Number known to have had the SECOND DOSE of the COVID Vaccination in the UK
- Number known to have had the COVID vaccination BOOSTER in the UK
- Number known to have had the second BOOSTER in the UK
The following questions will be added to the Capacity Tracker:
- Number known to have received a full primary course of the COVID vaccination
- Number known to have received an Autumn booster (the Autumn Booster will refer ONLY to those delivered on or after 5 September 2022)
- Number known to have received this season's flu vaccination. Please restrict flu vaccine responses to the those that are delivered between September 2022 and March 2023 (inclusive)
A full primary course does not include COVID boosters. For most people, a full primary course is defined as 2 doses of COVID vaccination. For a small number of people, however, including people who were vaccinated abroad, people who have received a single-dose vaccination such as Janssen, or people who are severely immunosuppressed, a full primary course may mean a different number of doses.
An Autumn booster is defined as any booster delivered under the Autumn booster campaign, expected to begin in September 2022, as announced in May 2022 - see below
JCVI provides interim advice on an autumn COVID-19 booster programme
Please contact Capacitytracker-guidance@dhsc.gov.uk if you have any queries.
3. Message from the Department of Health and Social Care regarding mandatory data submissions through the Capacity Tracker (information for all providers)
This month marked the first submission of mandated data reporting in the Capacity Tracker under the Health and Social Care Act 2022. We greatly appreciate your submissions and efforts to achieve a high response rate, with 93% of care home providers and 79% of home care settings updating their data on time. These submissions strengthen the Department's ability to provide oversight and support to the ASC sector. Data is used to support high-quality commissioning, systems assurance, and risk management across the UK, and to help people make informed choices about their care through transparent and accessible use.
If you were unable to submit your data within the reporting window, please see below for guidance on how to register and where to access support. The key support routes are extracted below for ease.
- For support completing or updating the system, accessing or using the reports and analytics, you can reach the NECS Support Team by phone 0191 691 3729 or by email capacitytracker@nhs.net.
- For guidance on how to answer specific questions, you can email capacitytracker-guidance@dhsc.gov.uk.
- For administrative amendments, account support and more, you can contact NECS at: capacitytracker@nhs.net.
Guidance for providers on data collection
The next mandatory submission window during which your data update is required is between 8 and 14 September 2022.
If you believe you have been incorrectly identified as being required to submit data, please contact capacitytracker-guidance@dhsc.gov.uk
4. Upcoming Provider Training Sessions (information for all providers)
These sessions are for providers who are new to the Capacity Tracker, or who would like a refresh of how to use the system. The sessions will cover;
- Registering new users and approving accounts
- Bulk Uploads (where needed, for 5 or more locations)
- Updating information – provider details, contact details, opt in email preference
- Updating information – DHSC mandated and operational & benefits of updating the system
- Questions
Care Home Sessions
Friday 2 September 2022 11am to 11:45am Meeting ID: 386 678 719 068 + Passcode: ABTTFS
Friday 9 September 2022 2pm to 2:45pm Meeting ID: 355 237 849 330 + Passcode: 9R2V4T
Home Care Sessions
Friday 2 September 2022 2pm to 2:45pm Meeting ID: 343 719 740 945 + Passcode: VZoN6D
Friday 9 September 2022 10am to 10:45am Meeting ID: 389 552 851 607 + Passcode: xQRYwV
5. Home Falls Prevention Update - OT Trusted Assessors (information for Birmingham Home Support and Extra Care Sheltered Housing Providers)
Details of a falls prevention services for citizens who live in their own homes have been circulated to providers. If you don't have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk - it is run by Age UK Birmingham and is free for citizens who are over 50 and have a disability or long term health condition. The service now provides an Occupational Therapy Service as well for eligible Birmingham Citizens,
6. Birmingham & Solihull Care Home Deterioration Network Conference 28 September 2022 (information for all Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
The aim of the conference is to gather representation from Mental Health, Learning Disability and Dementia care homes from across Birmingham & Solihull Nursing and Residential homes. To discuss and share a variety of subjects that centre around resident deterioration identification and learn about new services that can support care homes in the future.
The event is on Wednesday 28 September 2022, 9am – 4:30pm at Birmingham City Football Club.
For further information and to book a place please visit the link below:
Care Home Deterioration Network Conference 28 September 2022
7. Infection Prevention Control (IPC) Care Home Champions Training Event 7 October 2022 (information for Birmingham Care Homes)
The Infection Prevention Control Care Home Team are re-launching their IPC Champion Programme following their hugely successful training, last year. They are proud to announce they are re-launching with a re-branded, bigger and better program. A flyer with further information has been circulated to providers. If you don't have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
To book a place call 0121 466 6550 or email Ipcdata@nhs.net.
8. REMINDER Digital Social Care and Better Security, Better Care - Briefing 17 June 2022 (information for all providers)
A national briefing about the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) from Digital Social Care has been circulated to providers. If you don't have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
This edition includes;
- Care providers urged to check data protection arrangements by 30 June 2022
- Data security strategy and commitments re social care
For further information on Better Security, Better Care, and the help available to care providers with NHS Mail and completion and of the DSPT, please see this page on the Birmingham City Council website below: