What's New Bulletin 186 - 29 February 2024
This is edition 186 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. PLEASE READ Upcoming Home Support Tender - Home Support and Quick Discharge Service Recommissioning Update (information for existing and potential home support providers)
2. Birmingham City Council Updated Corporate Safeguarding Policy 2024 (information for all contracted providers)
3. West Midlands Care Association Buddying Scheme for international recruits – funding available (information for Birmingham providers)
4. Changes to the Capacity Tracker from 28 February 2024 (information for all providers)
5. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) new provider portal is available for everyone from 11 March 2024 (information for all providers)
6. REMINDER Urgent Community Response Team (UCR): Support available for Care Homes’ urgent care needs (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
7. Care Home Infection Prevention Control (IPC) Champions Network Meeting 5 March 2024 (information for Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
8. REMINDER Birmingham Registered Managers Conference - Fully funded event 5 March 2023 (information for all Birmingham providers)
9. REMINDER West Midlands Care Association (WMCA) First Monthly Digital Surgery 6 March 2024 (information for all West Midlands providers)
10. REMINDER Birmingham and Solihull Nurses and Clinical Leads Network for Nurses working in Social Care 21 March 2024 (information for Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
1. PLEASE READ Upcoming Home Support Tender - Home Support and Quick Discharge Service Recommissioning Update (information for existing and potential home support providers)
The Council’s Cabinet approved the Commissioning Strategy 2024 for Home Support, Adults and Children. A copy of the final Commissioning Strategy and the full report can be found here:
The current 2019 Home Support Framework Agreement and the 2019 Quick Discharge and Quick Intervention Service contracts are therefore due to end no later than 7 October 2024.
We are therefore writing to all existing providers (and any potential providers who receive this Bulletin) to update on the anticipated tender timescales. At present, the tender is likely to launch week commencing 8 April 2024 but certainly not before Easter 2024.
We will be publishing recorded briefing sessions ahead of the tender launch and these will again be communicated through the Bulletin and on the Council’s dedicate provider webpages at:
Should there be any changes to this timescale, further communication will be issued to assist providers. However, providers should be aware that the legal tender notices will be published via the following links:
www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search
Please ensure you regularly check the Bulletin and tender notices in order to ensure you are aware of any updates or important information.
2. Birmingham City Council Updated Corporate Safeguarding Policy 2024 (information for all contracted providers)
The updated Corporate Safeguarding Policy is now available on the council’s website:
Corporate Safeguarding Policy | Birmingham City Council
The policy has been updated to reference the latest statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguarding Children 2023 and Keeping Children Safe in Education 2023 and includes refreshed hyperlinks.
Care providers are asked to review your own policies in light of the Council’s approach. For our providers who also support children, there are some specific elements of the policy in this regard as detailed above.
3. West Midlands Care Association Buddying Scheme for international recruits – funding available (information for Birmingham providers)
International Recruitment has a different set of challenges compared to recruiting from within the UK, particularly in ensuring that the new recruits feel welcomed and are able to access pastoral support. West Midlands Care Association has secured funding to support buddying activities for international recruits within your organisations. This is to allow you the time to provide the pastoral care that ensures international recruitment is a success.
Care providers located within Birmingham can apply for a small cash grant to support buddying activities within their organisation.
How will it work?
Care providers can apply for a small cash grant of £1200. This grant can be used for backfill to release a member of staff to provide pastoral care to overseas recruits within their organisations.
What is pastoral care?
International recruits very often don't know how life works in the UK. By having a 'buddy' they can turn to within their organisation who can give them guidance on how things work in our country ensures that they feel welcomed and integrate more quickly. Examples may be applying for driving licenses or signposting them to religious organisations.
Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
Funding is limited and on a first come basis.
For more details and to apply visit the webpages on the West Midlands Care Association website;
https://www.wmca.care/recruitment/international/resources
4. Changes to the Capacity Tracker from 28 February 2024 (information for all providers)
The following change has been made to the Vaccination Questions:
The red asterisk (*) that denotes the questions that are part of the mandated collection will be removed from the vaccination questions on the Provider Update pages for Care Home and Home Care providers.
If you have any queries when updating your information, please don’t hesitate to contact the Capacity Tracker Support Centre on 0191 691 3729 ornecsu.capacitytracker@nhs.net.
5. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) new provider portal is available for everyone from 11 March 2024 (information for all providers)
In just over two weeks all providers registered with CQC will be able to create an account on our new provider portal.
We'd previously advised that our new portal would be available for all providers from 27 February. To ensure we give providers the best experience we are moving our launch date to 11 March
From 11 March if you have a role registered with CQC you can use your email address associated with your CQC registration to create an account on our new portal:
Our new portal will offer a better experience when submitting statutory notifications and completing some registration actions.
Until 11 March you can continue using our existing provider portal and submitting notifications via email.
Here's what to do to get ready for these changes:
- Make sure all the contact details (see link below) we hold for your organisation are correct (you'll need to sign up to the new portal using an email address we have on record)
- Watch the video below:
introduction to our new provider portal
6. REMINDER Urgent Community Response Team (UCR): Support available for Care Homes’ urgent care needs (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
Care Homes in Birmingham and Solihull are advised to contact the UCR in the first instance for receiving 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 admissions or readmissions. 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 if emergency hospital care is needed.
For further information, please review the following video below. Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
https://vimeo.com/857526902/322f665305?share=copy
7. Care Home Infection Prevention Control (IPC) Champions Network Meeting 5 March 2024 (information for Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
The next Care Home IPC Champions Network meeting is on Tuesday 5 March 2024 9.30 am – 11:00 am. This is a virtual meeting and can be accessed via this link;
Click here to join the meeting
The agenda will cover the following and all current or potential IPC Champions are welcome to attend:
- The roll out of the “BBE” posters
- Feedback on IPC service following the introduction of CareObra
- Update on the number of outbreaks supported
- “Spring Cleaning”
- Gloveless/Less Gloves campaign (in line with national gloves off campaigns)
- Updated guidance for Acute Respiratory Infection
- Hand Hygiene Day May 5/Notice Board competition
- Ongoing offer of training
The meeting will be hosted by the IPC Team and is open to all Care Home IPC Champions across Birmingham and Solihull care homes.
8. REMINDER Birmingham Registered Managers Conference - Fully funded event 5 March 2023 (information for all Birmingham providers)
Venue: The H Suite, 100 Icknield Port Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham
Date: Tuesday 5 March 2024 Time: 10:00am - 4:30pm
This event is open to All adult social care providers. Ascare homes, supported living and home support sensory loss providers continue to be part of an ongoing regulated procurement activity, please be aware that Officers and Councillors will be unable to discuss any issues relating to the procurement process or associated contracts.
tlds Registered Mangers Network aims to equip managers to:
- Help meet the workforce challenges they face
- Provide access to information, advice & support
- Provide a network of support and reduce isolation
- Support the development of skills, knowlwdge and professional attainment
Full details and booking details can be found on Learningpool.com once you sign in.This event is open to all adult social care providers.
Registered Managers Conference tlds
9. REMINDER West Midlands Care Association (WMCA) First Monthly Digital Surgery 6 March 2024 (information for all West Midlands providers)
The WMCA is working with Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) across the West Midlands to support the roll out of Digital Social Care Records and Sensor Based Falls and Prevention and Detection technology.
If you have any questions about the funding and how you access it, or you need help with the DSPT, feel free to join our monthly session every Wednesday at 10:00am. This will be an open session to support care providers in their ‘digital journey’. You can come along if you have any questions around DSCR i.e, how to procure a supplier, who are the assured suppliers, how to submit expression of interest or complete an application etc.. There will also be a short introduction explaining about the programme and the funding offer.
The first session with be Wednesday 6 March 2024, 10:00am – 11.00am on Microsoft Teams. Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
If you have any enquiries, please contact enquiries@wmca.digital
10. REMINDER Birmingham and Solihull Nurses and Clinical Leads Network for Nurses working in Social Care 21 March 2024 (information for Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
Birmingham and Solihull Nurses and Clinical Leads Network for Nurses working in Social Care would like to invite registered nurses to the next virtual network meeting for Thursday 21 March 2024 02.00pm to 04.30pm.
The meeting agenda will include relevant clinical nursing issues
- Update on Dementia and End of Life
- Stop and Watch
- How to set up organisational learning meetings
- Update from the Social Care Advisory Board
There will be an update from BSOL Integrated Care Board, Skills for Care and West Midlands Care Association on support/resources for nurses.
To find out more about the meeting, and to book your place, please follow this link;
Nurses and Clinical Leads Network (wmca.care)