What's New Bulletin 154 - 20 July 2023
This is edition 154 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 Cost of Care 2023 exercise launch - Action Required (Contracted home support, care home, supported living and extra care providers located in Birmingham and the West Midlands region)
2. Birmingham City Council Top UP Policy (information for contracted Care Homes)
3. Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (BSol IBC) Personalised Care Refresher Training (information for Birmingham and Solihull providers)
4. REMINDER UPDATED GUIDANCE Free personal protective equipment (PPE) scheme (information for all providers)
5. REMINDER Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (BSOL ICB) match funding for providers to transfer to Digital Social Care Records (DSCR) Event 21 July 2023 (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull providers)
6. REMINDER Capacity Tracker provider training dates for July to September 2023 (information for all providers)
7. REMINDER Birmingham City Council Commissioners geographical forum dates (information for all Birmingham and contracted providers)
1. REMINDER Cost of Care 2023 exercise launch - Action Required (Contracted home support, care home, supported living and extra care providers located in Birmingham and the West Midlands region)
On the 18 July 2023 we launched our 2023 cost of care exercise. As in previous years the exercise requires you to submit a range of data in relation to the costs of delivering care and support services. The data we gather helps the Council understand costs across the care market and informs the fees we pay. We will not share your individual data without your permission, but we will aggregate the data received and will publish the outputs of the analysis ensuring anonymity.
Please submit your cost of care templates to costofcare@birmingham.gov.uk in advance of the deadline – 11.59pm Sunday 3 September 2023.
If you need to ask a question, please email costofcare@birmingham.gov.uk
Home Support exercise
All locations holding a 2019 home support framework agreement must complete the exercise, which is a contractual requirement.
You are required to complete 2 cost of care templates – 1) the Home Care Costing Tool Tab I. – Standard (Cost +) only; and 2) the Home Support CoC 2023 Additional data template. Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
Submission deadline to costofcare@birmingham.gov.uk - 11.59pm Sunday 3 September 2023.
Care homes
All contracted care homes located in Birmingham or in the West Midlands region (Coventry, Dudley, Herefordshire, Sandwell, Shropshire, Solihull, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford and Wrekin, Walsall, Warwickshire, Wolverhampton, Worcestershire) must complete the exercise, which is a contractual requirement.
We are seeking to collect a reduced amount of data compared to previous years and so you are only required to complete 1 template – the Care Home CoC 2023 Additional data template. Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
Submission deadline to costofcare@birmingham.gov.uk - 11.59pm Sunday 3 September 2023.
Supported Living and Extra Care
All contracted locations in Birmingham or in the West Midlands region (Coventry, Dudley, Herefordshire, Sandwell, Shropshire, Solihull, Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Telford and Wrekin, Walsall, Warwickshire, Wolverhampton, Worcestershire) must complete the exercise, which is a contractual requirement.
We are seeking to collect a reduced amount of data compared to previous years and so are only required to complete 1 template – the Supported Living and Extra Care CoC 2023 Additional data template. Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
Submission deadline to costofcare@birmingham.gov.uk - 11.59pm Sunday 3 September 2023.
Thank you in advance for your participation and timely submissions.
2. Birmingham City Council Top UP Policy (information for contracted Care Homes)
Citizens who are eligible and require a care home placement are entitled to choose where they live. Under the Care Act, if the citizen chooses a care home that costs more than the Council is willing to pay, someone else can make up the difference between that figure and the care home fee - this is known as a Top-Up. However, there are other types of additional payments that are also referred to as Top Ups, including payments to care providers for additional services.
To ensure the Council, citizens and care providers are clear on how the Council will operate Top Ups, we have reviewed our approach and developed; new guidance for social workers; new documents for Third Parties; and updated guidance for care home providers.
The Top Ups and Additional Payments in Care Homes (With and Without Nursing) guidance has been revised and is in use with immediate effect. Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
This document is also available on our website at:
Invoice, payment and fees | Birmingham City Council
This does not change the Council’s contracting arrangements with care providers, however it should provider further clarification. The changes will also allow for Third Party Top Ups, relating to choice of care home (only), to show on the CareMatch Portal referral and service agreement in future.
3. Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (BSol IBC) Personalised Care Refresher Training (information for Birmingham and Solihull providers)
Free online personalised care training is now available from:
Courses include:
- Core skills (1 hour)
- Shared decision making (30 minutes)
- Personalised care and support planning (45 minutes)
- Personalised care and support planning – Maternity (30 minutes)
- Leading personalised care and a junior doctor (1 hour)
Personalised care training is suitable for all colleagues working across Birmingham and Solihull and these courses are Continuing Professional Development (CPD) accredited with a certificate available upon completion.
Over 1,500 professionals across Birmingham and Solihull have completed at least one of these personalised care modules. If you have completed any of the modules and would be happy to talk to the Personalised Care Team about how these have impacted your work, please contact us via email:nhsbsolicb.personalisedcare@nhs.net
For more information about resources to support professionals implementing personalised care please visit:
Personalised care :: NHS Birmingham and Solihull (icb.nhs.uk)
4. REMINDER UPDATED GUIDANCE Free personal protective equipment (PPE) scheme (information for all providers)
This guidance covers the provision of free PPE for all health, social care and public sector workers for coronavirus (COVID-19) infection control, between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2024 or until the Department of Health and Social Care’s (DHSC) stocks for COVID-19 supply are depleted (whichever is sooner). The ‘Estimated stock-out dates by PPE category’ section is regularly updated with current estimates, the full details of which can be found below;
Free personal protective equipment (PPE) scheme
5. REMINDER Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (BSOL ICB) match funding for providers to transfer to Digital Social Care Records (DSCR) Event 21 July 2023 (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull providers)
BSOL ICB and Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB are offering:
- 50% match funding providers to transfer to Digital Social Care Records (DSCR)
- DSCR- Known as electronic care planning, a DSCR enables good quality records that underpin safe, effective, compassionate, and high-quality care. They communicate the right information clearly, to the right people, when they need it. They are an essential part of achieving good outcomes for people in your care which is reflected in the CQC’s including of Digital in their latest strategy.
Hear from Richmond Court Care Home in Dudley about the benefits of moving to DSCR here
Who's eligible? If you’re a CQC registered care provider and you’ve neither made the move from a paper-based system of keeping your care records and care plans nor taken advantage of available funding launched 1 April 2022, then 50% match funding during financial year 2023/24 is available.
You can learn more the ICB grant funding at the upcoming marketplace event 21 July 2023. You can book your place here;
Digitising Social Care - Events (wmca.care)
For further help and advice check out our dedicated DSPT Support Webpages below or call our helpline: 01384 943000.
6. REMINDER Capacity Tracker provider training dates for July to September 2023 (information for all providers)
30 minute Demonstration Q&A Sessions are available for those new to the Capacity Tracker, or in need of a refresh. The sessions will include how the Capacity Tracker updated screens will look following the introduction of mandatory completion.
To find dates and links to attend the Demonstration Q&A sessions, please log into the Capacity Tracker (link below), go to the Help menu, select 'Resource Centre', then 'Events, and then 'Provider Training Sessions'.
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.
7. REMINDER Birmingham City Council Commissioners geographical forum dates (information for all Birmingham and contracted providers)
Please visit the web page below for the list of upcoming area forums with your area commissioners. The forums are an opportunity for care providers to discuss and engage with their area commissioners, other providers and partners on a range of topics as well as sharing good news stories and good practice.
Invites and agenda’s will be circulated prior to the meeting. Please contact your area commissioner if you would like to suggest a future agenda item. Contact details are available on the link above