What's New Bulletin 134 - 2 March 2023
This is edition 134 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.
1. REMINDER Norovirus outbreak guidance (information for all care homes)
2. Care Quality Commission (CQC) new medicine guides for people working in adult social care (information for all providers)
3. Ombudsman issues good record keeping guide (information for all providers)
4. Help make sure everyone knows they need photo ID at polling stations (information for all providers)
5. Improving data and digital technologies across adult social care (information for all providers)
6. New learning framework to support those working with LGBTQ+ people in later life (information for all providers)
7. Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) (information for all providers)
8. REMINDER Digitising Social Care – Funding available until end March 2023 (information for all providers)
9. Survey into care delivery and support systems cyber resilience (information for all providers)
10. REMINDER NHS mail Weekly Drop-in Sessions, Hosted by The NHS mail team at NHS Digital (information for all providers)
11. Birmingham Registered Managers Conference 21 March 2023 (information for all Birmingham providers)
12. REMINDER Care Home: Chair Based Exercise Training Pilot various dates March 2023 – June 2023 (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
13. Social care research: get involved (information for all care homes)
14. Level 2 Cold Weather Alert (information for all providers)
1. REMINDER Norovirus outbreak guidance (information for all care homes)
Cases of norovirus infections are rising, with laboratory reports continuing to note outbreaks in care home settings. Please review the existing guidance on managing outbreaks to help stop the spread of infection.
Outbreaks in care home settings
You should not attend care settings if you have vomiting and diarrhoea. You should not return to work until 48 hours after your symptoms stop. This advice applies to adult social care colleagues and care home visitors.
For further information, please see the previous bulletin item 9 Norovirus – high case numbers reported in older age groups, when to report to the West Midlands Health Protection Team (UKHSA);
2. Care Quality Commission (CQC) new medicine guides for people working in adult social care (information for all providers)
Earlier this month the CQC published three new adult social care medicines best practice guides. These cover:
Managing medicines in supported living
Managing medicines in Shared Lives schemes
Electronic medicines administration records in adult social care
Each guide looks at best practice in managing and recording medicines and can be downloaded from their website using the links above.
3. Ombudsman issues good record keeping guide (information for all providers)
The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) has issued a new guide on good record keeping to help care providers learn from the complaints it upholds. Poor record keeping is a common problem they find when people raise a complaint. The guide focuses on a number of case studies highlighting the common issues the LGSCO sees, and also includes good practice tips to help you avoid the problems from occurring in your services. It also sets out their approach to investigating complaints on this matter, including information on electronic record keeping, and references other regulatory bodies’ guides to meeting the requirements on record keeping.
The guide can be downloaded below:
Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman - Good Record Keeping Guide
4. Help make sure everyone knows they need photo ID at polling stations (information for all providers)
Many care home residents, and those you provide home care to, vote by post or proxy. However, if you support anyone to vote at polling stations, please make sure they bring photo ID for the local elections 4 May.
Photo ID that you will need to vote
The deadline to register to vote is 11:59pm, Monday 17 April 2023.
Anyone without a form of accepted photo ID can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate. They must do this by 5pm Tuesday 25 April. For information about how to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate, see below:
For more information click the following link to download and print a guide for staff and volunteers working with older people.
Voter ID resource - Guide for Staff and Volunteers - Group 4 | Electoral Commission
5. Improving data and digital technologies across adult social care (information for all providers)
The recently published ‘Care data matters’ draft guidance sets out the Government’s roadmap for transforming adult social care data in England.
If you are an adult who draws on care, an unpaid carer, or a care professional delivering or commissioning services, click the link below to tell us the information you need from providers and local and central government to get effective support.
Meanwhile, Michelle Dyson, Director General for Social Care at the Department of Health and Social Care, explains the importance of good data in the ongoing reform of social care.
The Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework guidance has also been updated, ahead of the framework going live from April 2023.
Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework Guidance
Share your views below
6. New learning framework to support those working with LGBTQ+ people in later life (information for all providers)
Skills for Care has published a new learning framework for working with LGBTQ+ people in later life. It aims to provide a base for identifying the insights, knowledge, understanding and skills that the social care workforce needs to help work affirmatively, inclusively and effectively with individuals from gender and sexually diverse communities. The framework is intended to be used by social care employers, employees, training providers, regulators, commissioners, policy makers and others. It will help build their own knowledge of LGBTQ+ issues, support colleagues’ understanding, and to create learning programmes which will allow teams to better support LGBTQ+ people in later life.
Find out more below:
LGBTQ+ learning framework (skillsforcare.org.uk
7. Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) (information for all providers)
At the end of January, more than 50% of CQC regulated care providers were signed up to an Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) account with Skills for Care. The information you provide on ASC-WDS is used to share insight on sector and workforce issues with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and other government bodies. This helps to update decision makers as they plan, fund, and monitor the sector.
An account provides a place to manage your staff training records and provides access to funding for staff training. The benchmarking feature can support workforce planning, as you can compare your workforce metrics with similar providers in your area. You can also access the Skills for Care Benefits Bundle which includes a range of discounts and special offers on products from Skills for Care and other endorsed learning providers.
Sign up below:
Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (skillsforcare.org.uk)
8. REMINDER Digitising Social Care – Funding available until end March 2023 (information for all providers)
You can submit a no obligation expression of interest now to secure your funding award you do not need to have chosen your Assured Supplier or be in the process of implementation.
Submit Expression of Interest (EOI) Here
Digitising Social Care (DiSC) is a national program to support Adult Social Care Providers make the move from paper to electronic dedicated care planning and a records management system referred to as a Digital Social Care Record (DSCR).
A DSCR can help you to:
- Improve quality and safety, due to having access to latest NHS and care information, ensuring the right care is provided at the right time
- Improve productivity, through reduction of time spent by management and staff on paperwork and other administrative tasks
- Reduce errors, by ensuring an individual''s care needs and preferences are known to every professional involved in their care
- Reduce admin and delays, associated with the admission and discharge process
- Improve CQC ratings, and provide the evidence that you deliver care at the regulatory standard, remotely
You can find out more on the West Midlands Care Association (WMCA) below, or phone on 01384 943166
Digital social care records funding
9. Survey into care delivery and support systems cyber resilience (information for all providers)
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), in collaboration with the Care Provider Alliance (CPA), is surveying the products and services used in the sector and how critical they are to delivering care services. As cyber attacks on businesses across all sectors are ever-present, both DHSC and the CPA recognise that if one of your suppliers is affected, it could have a serious impact on the people you care for, your staff, and your business.To better understand and engage with the supply chain, DHSC and CPA need to know the types of service you use. Using your responses to this short survey, research will build a picture, helping them to help you.
The survey is live until 10th March 2023, and will take around 10 minutes. Respondents to the survey will also receive an insights report after the end of the project.
You can take part in the survey below;
10. REMINDER NHS mail Weekly Drop-in Sessions, Hosted by The NHS mail team at NHS Digital (information for all providers)
The NHS mail team now offer care providers a weekly drop-in session to support with NHS mail 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 NHS mail.
Every Wednesday between 11am and 12pm. Click the link below on the day to join the meeting
11. Birmingham Registered Managers Conference 21 March 2023 (information for all Birmingham providers)
The Birmingham Registered Managers Conference is taking place on Tuesday 21 March 2023, 9:30am to 4,30pm at The H Suite in Birmingham
We have a variety of keynote speakers, facilitated groups discussions and Networking opportunities, for more information and to book your place see the attached flyer.
To book a place, please use the link below:
Birmingham Registered Managers Conference - March 2023 (learningpool.com)
12. REMINDER Care Home: Chair Based Exercise Training Pilot various dates March 2023 – June 2023 (information for all care homes)
Birmingham & Solihull ICB are pleased to announce the availability of a training course aimed at empowering and skilling care teams to improve the health of residents through the model of regular structured exercise sessions.
We would like to help you give a member of staff the skills and confidence to lead exercise classes and encourage movement in your residents, safely and effectively. The fully funded pilot is aimed at reducing the number of falls in the elderly by intervening to improve their physical fitness levels and strength. Even the smallest amount of exercise will help improve mobility and flexibility/range of movement along with coordination.
Our training partner, Amac are going to be offering a free place on their ‘Chair-based Exercise Instructor Course’ for every older adult care home across Birmingham and Solihull. This will require staff to be able to attend two three-hour Zoom workshops on consecutive days.
A flyer with more information has been circulated to providers. If you don't have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
if you would like to learn more about and book a place on the next available session, please contact Liz.Lee@amactraining.co.uk.
13. Social care research: get involved (information for all care homes)
The VIVALDI Social Care Project began discussions recently around the importance of research in the sector, how this can improve the lives of people living in care homes and improve staff morale.
Next month, they are hosting a webinar as a way for providers, their teams, relatives, integrated care boards (ICBs) and local communities to hear about their progress and ask any questions, ahead of the official launch at the Residential and Home Care Show in April this year.
Residential and Home Care Show
If you would like to get involved in this project, click the link below to register:
14. Level 2 Cold Weather Alert (information for all providers)
A Level 2 Met Office Cold Weather Alert has been issued for the West Midlands and other parts of the UK. There is a 70% probability of severe cold weather and icy conditions between Monday 6 March and Wednesday 8 March. This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services.
Please share the following information and attached guidance with your staff, service users, communities and partner networks to help ensure that citizens - particularly those who are most vulnerable - are adequately prepared:
West Midlands - Level 2 (Yellow) - 70% - Increasing confidence for a cold spell of weather Monday to Wednesday. Temperatures are expected to be widely below average, both by day and night, with widespread frosts overnight. A north to north-easterly airflow is likely to bring isolated snow and hail showers. Ice an additional hazard throughout.
In addition, please be aware that you can sign up to the Met Office email alert service via the following link:
Thank you for your time and support. Kind regards,
Health Protection Team, Public Health Division, Birmingham City Council, The Council House, Victoria Square, Birmingham, B1 1BB