What's New Bulletin 173 - 30 November 2023
This is edition 173 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. Amber Cold-Health Alert has been issued in the West Midlands (information for all providers)
2. How to obtain free LFD tests for the purpose of testing symptomatic residents who are eligible for COVID-19 treatments (information for Care Homes, Extra Care Sheltered Housing and Supported Living providers)
3. Care Quality Commission (CQC) request feedback on their newly published guidance (information for all providers)
4. Capacity Tracker changes and reminders (information for all providers)
5. Expressions of interest open for ASC workforce development – deadline 10 January 2024 (information for all providers)
6. Skills for Care new resource: Understanding the reasons care workers move on and their future intentions (information for all providers)
7. REMINDER Department of Health and Social Care Made with Care campaign 2023/2024 (information for all providers)
8. Latest Department of Health and Social Care blogs: digitising social care and promoting anti-racist practice (information for all providers)
9. Guidance on Department for Health and Social Care funding for non-consolidated pay awards in non-annex one organisations (information for Care Homes)
10. REMINDER Urgent Community Response Team (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
11. REMINDER CONSULTATION Birmingham's Draft Domestic Abuse Prevention Strategy – Deadline for responses 6 December 2023 (information for all providers)
12. REMINDER NHE England Health Literate Organisation programme: upcoming events December 2023 – February 2024 (information for all providers)
1. Amber Cold-Health Alert has been issued in the West Midlands (information for all providers)
An Amber Cold weather response has been issued by UKHSA/Met Office (see below) for the West Midlands. This means significant impacts are probable across the health and social care sector due to forecast weather (potential impacts listed below) with a drop in temperatures between 28/11/2023 from 18.00 and 05/12/2023 at 12.00. This weather could increase the health risks to vulnerable patients and disrupt the delivery of services.
Please share the following information detailing the cold weather alert levels across England with your staff, service users, communities and partner networks to help ensure that citizens - particularly those who are most vulnerable - are adequately prepared. Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
|
Region |
Warning Level |
Comments |
|---|---|---|
|
West Midlands |
Amber (Level 3) |
Significant impacts are probable across the health and social care sector due to forecast weather conditions, including: observed increase in mortality across the population, particularly in the 65+ age group or those with certain underlying health conditions, but impacts may also be seen in younger age groups; increased demand for remote health care services likely; internal temperatures in care settings (e.g. hospitals, care homes and primary care settings) may fall below recommended threshold for clinical risk assessment; maintaining indoor temperatures at recommended 18°c may become challenging for some, leading to increased risk of vulnerable people; staffing issues due to external factors (e.g. travel delays); other sectors may start to observe impacts (e.g. transport and energy). |
You can access the Weather-Health Alert Dashboard for more information on the National Weather Overview and information about the alert colours and their descriptions in the links below
In addition, please be aware that you can sign up to the Met Office email alert service via the following link:
Weather-Health Alerting system registration form (office.com)
2. How to obtain free LFD tests for the purpose of testing symptomatic residents who are eligible for COVID-19 treatments (information for Care Homes, Extra Care Sheltered Housing and Supported Living providers)
Free symptomatic testing for residents eligible for COVID-19 treatments will continue throughout the winter period as detailed in the guidance below:
LFD tests for this purpose are now supplied by the NHS and should be accessed from a local or online pharmacy. Providers should speak to their chosen pharmacy to discuss access arrangements and whether the pharmacy is able to deliver tests in addition to collection options.
This route will replace the current online and telephone ordering services for free lateral flow tests provided by GOV.UK and 119.
Pharmacies may ask questions about an individual’s medical history to confirm eligibility for free tests and update patient records for future tests orders. Providers accessing tests on behalf of their residents should provide the pharmacy with the details of eligible individuals and any relevant letters or e-mails about COVID-19 treatments, if these are available. The required details include:
- medical condition(s) that indicate the resident is eligible
- the resident’s NHS number (if available)
- the resident’s full name
- the resident’s date of birth
- the address of the care home or resident.
Providers should ensure that there are at least three tests available per eligible individual to enable them to test for three consecutive days if they develop symptoms of an acute respiratory infection. More details from the NHS about this service can be viewed in the link below
here.
For questions about ordering LFD tests for symptomatic residents who are eligible for COVID-19 treatments, please refer to your
local Integrated care board (ICB) website
3. Care Quality Commission (CQC) request feedback on their newly published guidance (information for all providers)
The CQC have recently published guidance (see link below) to support the roll out of their new regulatory framework. To help ensure the guidance is clear to help you feel ready for the new assessments, the CQC are asking for your feedback on the following areas;
- How they gather evidence
- give your feedback here;
- Project • Feedback on CQC's new provider guidance on how ... (citizenlab.co)
- The factual accuracy check
- give your feedback here;
- Project • Feedback on CQC's new provider guidance on the ... (citizenlab.co)
- How they will display your ratings
- give your feedback here;
- Project • Feedback on CQC's new provider guidance on how ... (citizenlab.co)
- How they calculate the first score
- give your feedback here;
- Project • Feedback on CQC's new provider guidance on how ... (citizenlab.co)
- How they will roll out their new assessments
- give your feedback here;
- Project • Feedback on provider guidance on how CQC will r... (citizenlab.co)
- How they will publish their findings
- give your feedback here;
- Project • Feedback on provider guidance on reporting (citizenlab.co)
4. Capacity Tracker changes and reminders (information for all providers)
From the 29 November 2023 care homes and home care providers will see two new questions in the standard input screen and Provider Bulk Update Template relating to Digital Social Care Records:
- Do you use a DSCR system, or are you in the process of setting one up?
- Which system do you currently use, or plan to use?
The answer you provide will enable NHS England to better understand the number of care provider locations who are already benefitting from a Digital Social Care Record and those who need support to implement one. This question is expected to remain in Capacity Tracker for up to 18 months i.e., May 2025.
Important Reminders;
- 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? We recommend that there is more than 1 user registered at each location who can update Capacity Tracker to cover periods of absence
- Going Abroad? Users are reminded that Capacity Tracker is not accessible outside of the UK
- Need Additional Support? Provider Training Sessions are available - see below - and remember to share these with colleagues who are also welcome to join our sessions!
- here
- Need Help? For 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
5. Expressions of interest open for ASC workforce development – deadline 10 January 2024 (information for all providers)
The Rayne Foundation is inviting Expressions of Interest (EoI) from care sector partners to lead workforce development in adult social care. The Foundation has funded organisations supporting care for people in later life since its founding in 1965.
The call is part of Better Careers for Better Care (see link Below),a strategic and collaborative funding programme to support career and professional development opportunities for people working in adult social care and specifically those working with people in later life.
Better Careers for Better Care
The EoI is open until 12 noon, Wednesday 10 January 2024. Visit The Rayne Foundation to find out more;
Proactive Grant-Making | The Rayne Foundation
6. Skills for Care new resource: Understanding the reasons care workers move on and their future intentions (information for all providers)
Skills for Care commissioned Qa Research to undertake this research to better understand the reasons why care workers leave jobs in social care, what factors motivate them to leave, what factors might have motivated them to stay, and their future intentions. This was a pilot project in two geographical areas, the North West and the East Midlands, designed to test a methodology with a view to rolling the research out to the rest of the country to gain a broader picture of the issues at a national level.
The full report can be found here;
7. REMINDER Department of Health and Social Care Made with Care campaign 2023/2024 (information for all providers)
The next phase of the national recruitment campaign, ’Made with Care’, is now live. With national advertising across a range of channels, the campaign aims to shine a light on the rewards of a career in care and inspire people to apply for jobs in the sector.
Along with the national advertising, a brand-new set of resources (see link below) are also now ready for you to download and use to support your recruitment activity.
These resources enable you to use the national advertising to signpost potential applicants to your job vacancies. Following feedback from care providers, they feature new imagery designed to reflect the typical daily routines for care workers in both care homes and domiciliary settings.
You can add your logo and details to the assets – simply visit the resource centre below or campaign page to get started.
New for this year, there’s also a Skills for Care webinar available to download (see below). This provides useful background on the campaign, how to get involved with it and how it can support your recruitment.
8. Latest Department of Health and Social Care blogs: digitising social care and promoting anti-racist practice (information for all providers)
It’s been 18 months since Digitising Social Care launched (See link below), delivering a three year £150m investment to digitally transforming adult social care. Time to reflect on progress made can be seen in the link below with Alice Ainsworth, Deputy Director for Social Care Technology Policy in DHSC.
Other blogs, this month, include the importance of creating safe spaces to report concerns can be seen on the link below and how approved mental health professionals (AMHPs) can support anti-racist practice within mental health services (See link below)
During November there was self care week. Here's another opportunity to remind ourselves why is so important from Helen Donovan, chair of the Self Care Forum. (See links below)
taking more control of our health and wellbeing
Click here to access the Social Care blog;
9. Guidance on Department for Health and Social Care funding for non-consolidated pay awards in non-annex one organisations (information for all providers)
Guidance for eligible employers when applying for funding to support them in making non-consolidated payments relating to the Agenda for Change pay deal to their eligible staff.
The full guidance can be found here;
10. REMINDER Urgent Community Response Team (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
Care Homes in Birmingham and Solihull are advised to contact the UCR (Urgent Community Response Team) in the first instance for urgent care. The team can provide a rapid response service within two hours of your call. This referral service offers an alternative to calling an ambulance and helps to avoid unnecessary hospital admission or readmission. This service has highly skilled and dedicated clinicians who can deliver a rapid response to the urgent care needs of your residents or refer to the ambulance service should the patient need emergency hospital care. Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk and available in the video below:
https://vimeo.com/857526902/322f665305?share=copy
Please contact the team on the numbers below;
- Birmingham UCR team on 0300 555 1919, Option 2
- Solihull UCR team 0121 424 5666
11. REMINDER CONSULTATION Birmingham's Draft Domestic Abuse Prevention Strategy – Deadline for responses 6 December 2023 (information for all providers)
There is ONE WEEK LEFT of the Domestic Abuse Prevention Strategy public consultation, 6 December 2023 is the deadline for responses.
Consultation is currently open on Birmingham’s draft Domestic Abuse Prevention Strategy will shape how partners across the city tackle DA, support survivors and hold perpetrators to account from 2024.
If you’ve not yet shared your thoughts, the online survey (see below) should take about 10 minutes to complete and is completely confidential - your information will not be shared and you will not be contacted about your answers.
To discuss the consultation or strategy with us, or submit responses by email, please get in touch at DAteam@birmingham.gov.uk
Anyone can be a victim of domestic abuse, and we know you may know someone, or have experienced it yourself – there are specialist services available to help and support.
For women:
Birmingham and Solihull Women’s Aid Helpline is open every day 9:15 – 5:15 on 0808 800 0028
is open Monday to Friday 10 – 4.
For men:
Cranstoun helpline is open Monday to Friday 9-5 on 0121 633 1750, or their website below has more information:
For LGBT+:
Birmingham LGBT’s helpline is open Monday to Friday 10am – 9pm and Saturdays 11:30am to 7pm on 0121 643 0821, or their has more information.
In an emergency, please call 999.
12. REMINDER NHE England Health Literate Organisation programme: upcoming events December 2023 – February 2024 (information for all providers)
The Health Literate Organisation Programme provides health and care professionals with health literacy awareness supported by tools, techniques and expert advice. It supports “Health Literacy Champions” to guide their team or services on the health literacy journey. It follows an evidence-based approach to helping organisations become health literate by wrapping the health literacy work in a change management approach to give it the best chance of succeeding and enduring. It consists of:
- Health Literacy Awareness Training
- Health Literate Organisation Workshops
- Access to the Health Literacy Group on the Knowledge Hub
- Guidance from a health literacy expert
- Community of Practice Workshops
These free events, brought to you on behalf of NHS England for health and care organisations across the Midlands will take place on Zoom.
Please book via Eventbrite below. Please note that you must have attended a Health Literacy Awareness session (as part of this programme or elsewhere) to attend a Health Literate Organisation workshop.
|
Event |
Eventbrite link |
|
Health Literate Organisation workshop: Tuesday December 12th 9am to 12noon |
|
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Health Literacy Awareness training: Wednesday 31st January, 2024, 9am to 11am |
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Health Literate Organisation workshop: Tuesday 27th February, 2024, 12th 9am to 12noon |