What's New Bulletin 148 - 8 June 2023
This is edition 148 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. Public Health Yellow Heat-Health Alert (information for all providers)
2. CareFirst ID to be included in Support Plans/Reviews form 5 June 2023 (information for all contracted providers)
3. REMINDER DEADLINE 30 June 2023 to get your first or second COVID vaccinations (information for all providers)
4. Skills for Care: Help us develop the new qualification specification for digital leadership (information for Birmingham and Solihull providers)
5. Skills for Care resources and upcoming events (information for Birmingham and Solihull providers)
6. Safety Notification: Smiths Bivona® tracheostomy tubes (information for all providers)
7. REMINDER DEADLINE 12 June 2023 Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Champion - Poster Competition - Bare Below The Elbow (information for all IPC Champions in Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
8. Sutton Coldfield NNS Community Event – Sutton Town Hall 14th June (information for all providers)
9. Birmingham and Solihull Nurses and Clinical Leads Network for Nurses working in Social Care – virtual meeting 22 June 2023 (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
10. Infection Prevention and Control Care Home Champions Newsletter (information for all Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
11. REMINDER Digital Social Care Marketplace Event – 21 June 2023 (information for all CQC registered care providers in Birmingham and Solihull)
1. Public Health Yellow Heat-Health Alert (information for all providers)
A yellow heat health alert has been issued for the West Midlands and is in effect between 09/06/2023 at 09:00 and 12/06/2023 at 09:00.
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.
Organisations providing health and social care should be aware of the advice and guidance set out as to the actions necessary before and during a Heat-Health Alert Period. Specific advice is available in the links below:
Adverse Weather and Health Plan
https://forms.office.com/e/Bw6mjea6qa
Heat-Health Alerts are sent to the Chief Executive of every Health Trust provider of NHS commissioned care, Local Authority and Social Care Organisation in England. If you would like to add a colleague to receive these alerts, please go to: and share this link within your organisation, or with anyone else you think may benefit from this service.
If you would like to update your registration details, please complete the form here: .
If you have questions or technical problems with the subscription service, please complete the form here:
Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
Thank you for your time and support.
2. CareFirst ID to be included in Support Plans/Reviews form 5 June 2023 (information for all contracted providers)
As you will be aware, the launch of Eclipse last year meant that the Support Plans sent to providers contained a PER reference which related to the Eclipse person record rather than the CareFirst 6 ID, which was included previously.
Any Support Plan/Review forms created on or after 5 June 2023 will have a new section at the end containing the persons CareFirst ID. This will enable Support Plans to be matched with CareMatch Portal referrals and service agreements more easily and also allow providers to use the search function to locate referrals and service agreements using the CF6 id as you would have done historically.
Please ensure that any CareMatch Portal users in your organisation are aware of this change.
3. REMINDER DEADLINE 30 June 2023 to get your first or second COVID vaccinations (information for all providers)
NHS COVID vaccines have saved countless lives, and helped us to live with the virus without fear or restrictions. There are two main changes to the vaccination offer, we need to make our communities aware of:
This spring, the NHS is offering a further vaccination to those at highest risk of severe illness from COVID. This is people aged 75 and over (by 30 June 2023), people with a weakened immune system, and residents of care homes for older adults.
30 June 2023 is the end date of the current offer of first and second COVID vaccinations for everyone aged 5 on or before 31 August last year. Anyone who hasn’t had any COVID-19 vaccinations, but would like to have both their first and second does, needs to book and have their first dose on our before 30 June 2023. After 30 June 2023, you will not be able to get your first or second dose unless you are at higher risk from severe COVID-19.
Those who are eligible for a COVID vaccination can book using the NHS App or visit using the link below or call 119 for free.Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
nhs.uk/CovidVaccination
4. Skills for Care: Help us develop the new qualification specification for digital leadership (information for Birmingham and Solihull providers)
Skills for Care is developing a new qualification specification for a Level 5 Award in Digital Leadership, working with a wide range of health and social care partners.
We need your insights into what knowledge and skills are important for qualified digital leaders who would be leading the use of technology in social care.
We welcome feedback from all staff working in adult social care and not just those who are in digital leadership roles.
It will take approximately 15 minutes to complete the survey below:
5. Skills for Care resources and upcoming events (information for Birmingham and Solihull providers)
Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
6. Safety Notification: Smiths Bivona® tracheostomy tubes (information for all providers)
The National Tracheostomy Safety Project (NTSP) have issued a safety notification on the Bivona silicone tracheostomy range. See the link below. There have been reports of the tubes breaking at various points and this notification will support clinicians/healthcare professionals to increase vigilance in tube care.
Please note, these tracheostomy tubes are used in the community. Please use your local networks, including liaison with primary care and community nursing care, to ensure that patients/carers in the community are made aware of this notification.
Should a problem arise with the tubes, please refer to the safety notification on how to escalate clinical reporting.
Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
7. REMINDER DEADLINE 12 June 2023 Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Champion - Poster Competition - Bare Below The Elbow (information for all IPC Champions in Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
We would like to thank everyone who attended the IPC Champions Training on Friday 5 May 2023. The team were pleased to see how many people turned up and took part.
To our IPC Champions who attended our previous events we’d like to inform you of our poster competition. We are inviting IPC Care Home Champions and their teams to design a poster to raise awareness of “Bare Below the Elbow”
Remember to submit your Posters toipcdata@nhs.netby theMonday 12 June
We would also like to take this opportunity to continue to wish you well in your IPC Champion role and remind you that we are here to support you as and when required.
Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
8. Sutton Coldfield NNS Community Event – Sutton Town Hall 14th June (information for all providers)
Sutton Coldfield Neighbourhood Network Scheme (NNS) are holding a Community Event at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall on Wednesday 14th June 2023 10am to 3:30pm.
The event is focussed on services and organisations which promote wellbeing activities to older and disabled citizens in Sutton Coldfield.
Everyone is welcome to drop-by but please let us know in advance if you are coming by emailing Joe Millington joe.millington@ageconcernbirmingham.org.uk.
Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
9. Birmingham and Solihull Nurses and Clinical Leads Network for Nurses working in Social Care – virtual meeting 22 June 2023 (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
Birmingham and Solihull Nurses and Clincal Leads Network for Nurses working in Social Care would like to invite registered nurses to the next virtual network meeting for Thursday 22 June 2023 02.00pm to 4.30pm.
The meeting agenda will include relevant clinical nursing issues.Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.ukSocial Care Nurse Advisory Council
- Update on Support to Care Homes and the Academy
- Knowledge & Library Services available to Nursing homes.
- Staff wellbeing and mental health support from the administrator at Otterburn
- Workforce magic moments / staff recognition system / staff appreciation wellbeing at Edgbaston Manor
- Mouth Matters at Berwood Court
- Update on student nurse and nurse associates placements
There will be an update from BSOL Integrated Care Board,Skills for Care and West Midlands Care Association on support/resources for nurses. Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
To find out more about the meeting, and to book your place, follow the link below:
10. Infection Prevention and Control Care Home Champions Newsletter (information for all Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
11. REMINDER Digital Social Care Marketplace Event – 21 June 2023 (information for all CQC registered care providers in Birmingham and Solihull)
West Midlands Care Association have organised a Digital Social Care Marketplace Event on 21 June 2023 10:00 am – 02:00 pm where providers can meet assured suppliers, discover the benefits of digital and discuss funding support.
Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk