What's New Bulletin 156 - 03 August 2023
This is edition 156 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. Care Homes Market Intelligence Questionnaire (MIQ) – August 2023 – DEADLINE 18 August 2023 (information for all Birmingham and contracted care homes)
2. Key dates announced for the roll-out of the new Care Quality Commission (CQC) provider portal and regulatory approach (information for all providers)
3. Care Quality Commission (CQC) Blog: Driving improvement for autistic people and people with a learning disability (information for all providers)
4. NHS and care volunteer responders programme: new webinar dates announced August and September 2023 (information for all providers)
5. Home Office fire safety in care homes survey DEADLINE 31 August 2023 (information for all care homes)
6. Department of Health and Social Care: Give your views on the learning disability and autism training for health and social care workers DEADLINE 19 September 2023 (information for all providers)
7. National honours: Nominate social care colleagues and help inspire others (information for all providers)
8. Digitising social care: Data security and protection toolkits (information for all providers)
9. Digital Social Care Records (DSCR) (Information for all providers)
1. Care Homes Market Intelligence Questionnaire (MIQ) – August 2023 – DEADLINE 18 August 2023 (information for all Birmingham and contracted care homes)
Please see the link below to the August monthly MIQ. The deadline for completion is Friday 18 August. Care Homes that returned an MIQ in July will be sent the link to the email addresses provided also.
Completion of the questionnaire is part of the terms of our current contracts for contracted providers, but we ask all Birmingham providers to take part in the process to help us meet our Care Act responsibilities to all Birmingham citizens.
Many thanks to staff at the 138 care homes who completed the July questionnaire. If this did not include your care home, please ensure that you complete the August and subsequent editions. We are looking at ways to publish this data back to the provider market after we have collected a few months data and will inform you through this bulletin how it will be shared.
The purpose of the questionnaire is to collect information to assist our market shaping and development role, the production of our Market Position Statements, fulfil our Care Act duties around ensuring a quality and sustainable market, to help us direct resources, identify areas of risk, and monitor progress towards our strategic aims. It has been co-produced with health colleagues to reduce duplication in data collection, and has been streamlined so that we are only collecting information that is not available to us from elsewhere e.g. the Capacity Tracker.
We will only be collecting data that we will use and at the frequency we need it. There will be a shorter monthly questionnaires, a slightly longer quarterly questionnaire with some additional questions, and a slightly longer still annual questionnaire.
Further information on our approach and how the data we are asking for will be used has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
2. Key dates announced for the roll-out of the new Care Quality Commission (CQC) provider portal and regulatory approach (information for all providers)
Provider portal
In August, the CQC will invite the first group of health and social care providers to log onto a new provider portal. They will be able to explore its functionality as part of a new and updated range of digital services that make it easier to interact with them.
The CQC will roll out the new portal to all providers in phases from September. Each provider will be invited onto the portal with their login details and guidance on how to use it.
The CQC want to streamline how they collect data to support their new approach to regulation, as this will help them to assess in a smarter, more consistent way. The new portal plays a large part in helping to make that a reality and will make it easier for providers to share information with the CQC.
New regulatory approach
In November, the CQC will start to use their new assessment framework (see link below). This will be rolled out regionally, starting with providers in the South of England. Any assessments from November onwards for providers in the South will be carried out using the new assessment framework.
their new assessment framework
The CQC will still schedule assessments by considering the level of risk, so not all providers will need to have an immediate assessment.
In other regions, the CQC will continue to use their current assessment framework. The new assessment framework will be rolled out to other regions by the end of March 2024, and the CQC will provide further updates as each region moves over to using the new framework.
What can you do to get ready?
Ensure that contact details for your organisation are up to date (use link below) so that the CQC invite the right people to join the new portal and can keep them informed about the roll-out of the new approach.
Read the guidance below to help prepare your organisation for the changes in the way the CQC regulate.
Make sure you are signed up to receive CQC bulletins to get the latest information using the links below:
Make sure you’re signed up to receive CQC bulletins
Read more about how the CQC are implementing these changes here;
Our transformation plan and new approach - summer update - Care Quality Commission (cqc.org.uk)
If you were unable to secure a place at the upcoming webinar on the CQC changes, a recording will soon be available here;
3. Care Quality Commission (CQC) Blog: Driving improvement for autistic people and people with a learning disability (information for all providers)
In her first blog as the CQC’s interim Director of People with a Learning Disability and Autistic People, Rebecca Bauers talks about how they can drive change and improve standards of care.
Rebecca writes about the importance of listening to the voices of people with lived experience and how the CQC have been gathering insight to shape their priorities.
She also explains how the CQC intend to use their new powers to assess integrated care systems and local authorities.
Listen to the blog here;
Rebecca Bauers: Driving improvement for autistic people and people with a learning disability
4. NHS and care volunteer responders programme: new webinar dates announced August and September 2023 (information for all providers)
Join a webinar to find out more about the NHS and Care Volunteer Responders programme and the support available to adult social care providers.
NHS and Care Volunteer Responders
The webinars are hosted by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Royal Voluntary Service. You’ll hear more about the programme, the volunteer support available to care providers and how to make referrals. You will also be able to ask questions.
Various dates are available during August and September. Sign up here for a webinar;
NHS and Care Volunteer Responders Stakeholder Webinar Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite
5. Home Office fire safety in care homes survey DEADLINE 31 August 2023 (information for all care homes)
The Home Office has launched a survey for Responsible Persons under the Fire Safety Order (FSO) 2005. The survey is anonymous, free and optional, and includes questions about you and the buildings you are responsible for. It also asks about your experiences of current, and awareness of future, fire safety legislation changes. The survey should take about 15 minutes to complete and will close at midnight on Thursday 31 August 2023.
Findings will be used to inform policy development work in the UK. You can take the survey here;
Responsible Persons survey (homeofficesurveys.homeoffice.gov.uk)
6. Department of Health and Social Care: Give your views on the learning disability and autism training for health and social care workers DEADLINE 19 September 2023 (information for all providers)
The government want to hear your views about guidance covering learning disability and autism training for people who work in health and social care.
The Oliver McGowan code of practice sets out how providers of health and social care can make sure their staff receive learning disability and autism training suitable for their role. What you tell the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) about the code of practice will help shape the final version of the code.
The code of practice is named after Oliver McGowan, whose tragic death in 2016 highlighted failures in care that could have been prevented.
We believe that it is essential that autistic people and people with a learning disability have access to safe, high-quality care.
Take part in the consultation here;
GOV.UK: Consultation - Oliver McGowan draft code of practice
The consultation is open until 19 September 2023.
7. National honours: Nominate social care colleagues and help inspire others (information for all providers)
Do you know someone working or volunteering in social care who deserves national recognition for going the extra mile? The honours and award scheme is open to anyone making an exceptional contribution to their communities.
In the first of a series of blogs from previous recipients, renowned champion of disability awareness, diversity and inclusion, Clenton Farquharson CBE, explains how recognition has inspired him and others to keep making a difference. See the links below:
If you know someone who has gained the respect of their peers, displayed moral and physical courage, or showed real innovation and entrepreneurship, click the link below.
8. Digitising social care: Data security and protection toolkits (information for all providers)
Congratulations to all care providers who successfully published their Data Security and Protection Toolkits for 2022/23 (See below). This is a reminder that, since 30 June 2023, the DSPT for 2021/22 cannot be used as evidence of current arrangements.
Data Security and Protection Toolkits
If you have finished reviewing your DSPT, we strongly advise you to complete and republish it as soon as possible to make sure it is valid. You can get free guidance and direct support from the Better Security, Better Care programme.
Visit Better Security, Better Care here;
Better Security, Better Care. - Digital Social Care
or contact your local support partner using the link below for tailored assistance to publish the toolkit.
9. Digital Social Care Records (DSCR) (Information for all providers)
DSCR enable information to be shared securely and in real-time, with authorised individuals across the health and care sector. This helps to reduce risks and supports a more personalised care approach.
NHS Transformation Directorate's work, in partnership with Digital Social Care, aims to support the Department of Health and Social Care's white paper (People at the Heart of Care) target of ensuring 80% of our registered care providers use electronic care planning solutions, by March 2024. (See link below)
Department of Health and Social Care
This new video offers a useful overview of the benefits of using DSCR.
Watch the video here;