What's New Bulletin 167 - 19 October 2023
This is edition 167 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 PLEASE READ Upcoming Home Support Tender – Final Provider Engagement Event 20 October 2023 (information for all home support providers)
2. REMINDER Care Homes Market Intelligence Questionnaire (MIQ) – October 2023 – Extended DEADLINE 24 October 2023 (information for all Birmingham and contracted care homes)
3. REMINDER IMPORTANT Schedule 13 Birmingham Guidance for Provision of Community Equipment in Care Homes with and without Nursing for Adults [2023] DEADLINE 27 October 2023 (information for contracted care homes)
4. REMINDER Exploring the FUNdamentals Of Infection Prevention & Control Drop-in session 20 October 2023 (information for all Birmingham providers)
5. REMINDER Data Security and Protection Toolkit – new series of webinars October 2023 (information for all providers)
6. REMINDER Please ensure your current insurance documents are uploaded to the CareMatch Portal (information for all Birmingham City Council contracted providers)
1. REMINDER PLEASE READ Upcoming Home Support Tender – Final Provider Engagement Event 20 October 2023 (information for all home support providers)
The Council’s current contract for general Home Support (for adults and children) is due to expire in 2024 and the Council are keen to hear your views about our proposed changes to the Commissioning Strategy.
There is one on line event remaining. We look forward to sharing our plans and hearing your views.
Friday 20 October 2023, 9.30am-12noon open to any current or potential provider Join on your computer, mobile app or room device by using the link below
Click here to join the meeting
2. REMINDER Care Homes Market Intelligence Questionnaire (MIQ) – October 2023 – Extended DEADLINE 24 October 2023 (information for all Birmingham and contracted care homes)
Please find the link to the October quarterly MIQ below. The deadline for completion is extended until Tuesday 24 October 2023.
Please note that this is the first quarterly version of the questionnaire, with some additional questions added to the monthly question set. Details of the questions are included in the attached briefing. 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 previous questionnaires. If this did not include your care home, please ensure that you complete the October and subsequent editions.
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 is a shorter monthly questionnaire, 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, has been circulated to providers, together with a PDF version of the questionnaire for reference. If you don't have copies of these documents, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
3. REMINDER IMPORTANT Schedule 13 Birmingham Guidance for Provision of Community Equipment in Care Homes with and without Nursing for Adults [2023] DEADLINE 27 October 2023 (information for contracted care homes)
This communication is for the attention of all Care Homes signed up to the following: Care Homes – Flexible Contracting Arrangement Terms and Conditions [2023]
Some Care Homes have stated that they are unsure of what is meant (it is not clear) within Schedule 13 where it states in ‘Arrangements & responsibilities for provision and maintenance’ that arrangements and responsibilities could be met by more than one organisation. This would either be CH/BCELS (Care Home or Birmingham Community Equipment Loans Service), CH/CES (Care Home or Community Equipment Services), CH/BCELS/CES (Care Home or Birmingham Community Equipment Loans Service or Community Equipment Services) and CH/SIS (Care Home or Sensory Inclusion Service).
An extract of Schedule 13 Birmingham Guidance for Provision of Community Equipment in Care Homes with and without Nursing for Adults [2023] has been circulated to providers. If you don't have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk - this extract includes only those sections where more than one organisation is listed i.e. CH/BCELS. Please review this extract and if you feel that there is ambiguity and that the wording needs to be reviewed please email your feedback to Chris MacAdams, Commissioning Manager, Commissioning (Regulated Care) at chris.macadams@birmingham.gov.uk
Please ensure that you submit your feedback by Friday 27 October 2023 – thank you.
4. REMINDER Exploring the FUNdamentals Of Infection Prevention & Control Drop-in session 20 October 2023 (information for all Birmingham providers)
Join the BCHC Infection Prevention & Control Team for an engaging, visual, interactive roadshow demonstrating all aspects of IPC, to keep your workplace safe.
This is a drop-in sessions marketplace style event open to all so no need to book, just turn up at Moseley Hall Hospital Lecture Theatre, Alcester Road, Birmingham, B13 8JL. 20 October 2023 10:00 - 15:00
For further information, please contact ipcdata@nhs.net.
5. REMINDER Data Security and Protection Toolkit – new series of webinars October 2023 (information for all providers)
Their webinars will help you complete the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT), whether that’s for the first time, or to review and update your existing listing.
Book places by clicking on the links below
Competing the DSPT for the first time – 24 October 2023, 3-4pm
Review and republish the DSPT – 31 October 2023, 3-4pm
6. REMINDER Please ensure your current insurance documents are uploaded to the CareMatch Portal (information for all Birmingham City Council contracted providers)
It is an important part of your contractual obligations to Birmingham City Council, and a legal requirement, to ensure you have valid insurance at all times. It is important that when you renew your insurance documents you remember to upload a copy to the CareMatch Portal following the instructions in Section 8.8 of the Care Match Portal User Guide;
If you are experiencing technical issues uploading the documents, please contact market.intelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
Reminder alerts were added to the CareMatch Portal in December 2020 to inform you when your insurance documents were coming up to their expiry date and when they had expired to assist you to remain compliant with your contractual obligations around insurance. For further information about this CareMatch Portal functionality and how to ensure you are receiving these alerts, please review the following previous provider bulletin items on this topic;
No evidence of current insurance cover on the CareMatch Portal at the levels mentioned below will be treated as a breach of contract until evidence of cover is provided
The levels and types of insurance required by the Framework Agreement for the Provision of Home Support for Children and Young People with Disabilities and Home Support for Adults and the Flexible Contracting Arrangements for the Provision of Care Homes With and Without Nursing Services and Care and Support (Supported Living) are as follows;
- Employers Liability (including volunteers) Insurance - to be as a minimum in accordance with statutory legislation (currently £5m)
- Public Liability Insurance (including loss or damage to service user’s personal effects) - Minimum £10m
- For nursing homes only: Professional Indemnity / Treatment Cover / Negligence which must be a minimum of £5m
Providers are finding the cost of insurance has risen as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and as such it is important you allow enough time for finding an alternative insurance provider, if needed, before your current insurance expires. Please contact your Care Association to see what support and advice they can offer. It is important that you inform you area commissioners if you are having difficulty arranging future cover before the expiry of your current insurance.
Who to contact in the Commissioning Team?