What's New Bulletin 163 - 21 September 2023
This is edition 163 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 Care Homes Market Intelligence Questionnaire (MIQ) – September 2023 – EXTENDED DEADLINE 26 September 2023 (information for all Birmingham and contracted care homes)
2. Capacity Tracker changes and reminders (information for all providers)
3. Webinar invite: NHS and Care Volunteer Responders programme October 2023 (information for all providers)
4. Digitising social care: CQC endorses move to faster, safer, better care records (information for all providers)
5. REMINDER Adult Social Care Workforce Survey on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) (information for all providers)
6. REMINDER Think Local Act Personal survey: views needed on personalisation and community support (information for all providers)
7. REMINDER UPDATED GUIDANCE Free personal protective equipment (PPE) scheme (information for all providers)
1. REMINDER Care Homes Market Intelligence Questionnaire (MIQ) – September 2023 – EXTENDED DEADLINE 26 September 2023 (information for all Birmingham and contracted care homes)
Please find the link to the September monthly MIQ below - the deadline has been extended until Friday 26 September 2023.
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 responsibilities to all Birmingham citizens.
Many thanks to staff at the care homes who completed the July & August questionnaires. If this did not include your care home, please ensure that you complete the September and subsequent editions. We are looking into ways to share the information back to the market on a geographical basis (e.g. individual returns won’t be identifiable). We will up date you via this bulletin about how you can access it.
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 about our approach and how the data we are asking for will be used.about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
2. Capacity Tracker changes and reminders (information for all providers)
Following recent advice from the Department of Health and Social Care, confirming the rollout of this year's Autumn/Winter Flu and COVID-19 Booster vaccination programme, please note the following:
Vaccinations: Additional Fields relating to Flu and COVID-19 Booster Vaccinations have been added to the Provider Update page
Please Note: Providers who have inadvertently added COVID-19 (Autumn) Booster figures into the COVID-19 (Spring) Booster field will need to log back into the Capacity Tracker and re-enter their COVID-19 (Autumn) Booster data
Bulk Template: The Bulk Update Template has been amended to include the new vaccination data fields
Winter Planning Guidance: The NHSE has published a set of recommended winter roles and responsibilities which build on the objectives outlined in the 'Winter Letter' to deliver a resilient winter period, with specific reference to Capacity Tracker. Please see the link to the full document below:
Working together to deliver a resilient winter: System roles and responsibilities
Updating Capacity Tracker? It is recommend that there is more than 1 user registered at each location who can update Capacity Tracker to cover periods of absence .
Need Help? Provider Training Sessions are available - see here - and remember to share these with colleagues who are also welcome to join our sessions!
Need Additional Support? Please contact our Support Centre, Mon - Fri (excluding Public Holidays) 8am - 5pm by phoning 0191 691 3729 or emailing necsu.capacitytracker@nhs.net
3. Webinar invite: NHS and Care Volunteer Responders programme October 2023 (information for all providers)
New dates have been added to this informative webinar series, which you can access at the link below. Discover the volunteer support available in adult social care, learn how to make referrals and take the opportunity to ask questions.
We also want to identify any additional volunteer roles which you believe could best support social care providers and individuals in receipt of care.
Complete this short survey to have your say
Sign up for the webinars here;
NHS and Care Volunteer Responders Webinar for Adult Social Care Tickets, Multiple Dates | Eventbrite
4. Digitising social care: CQC endorses move to faster, safer, better care records (information for all providers)
High-quality care planning is at the heart of delivering safer, more personalised, care. Moving care plans into a digital format, called a digital social care record (DSCR), makes it easier for care providers to manage care and respond to people’s needs more rapidly.
TheDigitising Social Care programme is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care and delivered through a joint DHSC/NHS England team. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) supports the programme, which aims to encourage and support adult social care providers registered with us to adopt digital social care records.
Digitising Social Care programme
You can find the blog here;
Digitisation is the power to improve care - Social care (blog.gov.uk)
5. REMINDER Adult Social Care Workforce Survey on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) (information for all providers)
Have you participated in the new national Government survey yet? It aims to capture the experiences of those working in adult social care to support improvements over time.
Skills for Care in partnership with Ipsos and The University of Kent, have launched the survey on behalf of the DHSC. The survey is open to people working in any care-related role across all settings in adult social care, including personal assistants and employees in local authority adult social care departments.
The survey will contribute to the Government’s understanding of working conditions and experiences for the adult social care workforce – such as working hours, pay, capacity and training - and the forms of support which could make adult social care a better place to work.
The data collected through the survey will be vital in aiding government decisions on how to support the adult social care sector and workforce.
This is an important opportunity for everyone working in adult social care to share their own experience of working in care and help to shape future offers of support.
You can take part in the survey here;
Adult social care workforce survey (skillsforcare.org.uk)
6. REMINDER Think Local Act Personal survey: views needed on personalisation and community support (information for all providers)
The Department of Health and Social Care is seeking views on Think Local Act Personal (TLAP)’s work across the adult social care sector. TLAP provides services and products encouraging personalisation and community-based support, including those used by local authorities, service users, providers and the social work profession.
Your feedback will provide insight on topics including take-up of services and the impact you feel it has on your work in adult care settings and services. The survey takes around five minutes to complete and is open till 30 September 2023. All responses will remain confidential and fully anonymised.
You can take the survey here;
DHSC are seeking your views (office.com)
7. 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;
The full guidance can be found here;