What's New Bulletin 190 - 28 March 2024
This is edition 190 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 - Home Support and Quick Discharge Service Recommissioning Update – planned tender start date w/c 08 April 2024, recorded briefing session now available (information for existing and potential home support providers)
2. UPDATED GUIDANCE Infection prevention and control in adult social care: acute respiratory infection (information for all providers)
3. Reminder of Support available for URGENT CARE NEEDS of Care Home residents (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
4. UPDATED GUIDANCE CareMatch Portal User Guide (information for all contracted providers)
5. CONSULTATION Birmingham Carers’ Partnership Strategy Consultation: have YOUR say by 10 April 2024 (information for all providers)
6. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) update: Capacity Tracker Mandatory Adult Social Care Provider Data (information for all providers)
7. REMINDER Birmingham City Council Fee increases – 1 April 2024 (information for all contracted providers)
8. REMINDER NHS funded nursing in care homes is set to increase from April 2024 (information for all nursing homes)
9. REMINDER Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) provider sessions on visiting and accompanying in care homes – 3 April 2024 (information for all care homes)
10. Support to Care Homes Training for April 2024 (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
11. Care Quality Commission (CQC) attendance at the Care Show London 24-25 April 2024 (information for all providers)
1. REMINDER PLEASE READ Upcoming Home Support Tender - Home Support and Quick Discharge Service Recommissioning Update – planned tender start date w/c 08 April 2024, recorded briefing session now available (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 8April 2024. 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:
Contracts Finder - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
A recorded briefing session on How to apply for a 2024 Home Support or Quick Discharge Service contract through the CareMatch Portal is now available here;
Please note any transcripts or subtitles have been produced automatically and there may be some transcription errors. Please refer to the text on the slides as the primary source of information.
An accessible version of the slides in the recording will shortly be available here;
Tender opportunities | Tender opportunities | Birmingham City Council
Please note the CareMatch Portal User Guide has recently been refreshed and further details added around the application and correspondence sections. Please ensure you are using the latest version of the user guide by accessing here;
CareMatch Portal | Birmingham City Council
Please ensure you regularly check the Bulletin and tender notices in order to ensure you are aware of any updates or important information.
2. UPDATED GUIDANCE Infection prevention and control in adult social care: acute respiratory infection (information for all providers)
This guidance covers infection prevention and control measures to reduce the spread of viral acute respiratory infections (ARIs), including COVID-19, in adult social care settings. The following section has been updated in line with changes to outbreak testing and testing upon discharge from hospitals into care homes from 1 April 2024; ‘IPC in adult social care: acute respiratory infection’. There is updated text on visiting to reflect new CQC fundamental standard.
The full guidance can be found here;
Infection prevention and control in adult social care: acute respiratory infection
3. Reminder of Support available for URGENT CARE NEEDS of Care Home residents (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
Care Homes in Birmingham and Solihull are advised to contact UCR (Urgent Community Response Team) in the first instance for receiving urgent care who 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 patient/s or refer to the ambulance service should the patient need emergency hospital care. Please refer the Exclusion and inclusion criteria, Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
For further information, watch this video on UCR services here:
https://vimeo.com/857526902/322f665305?share=copy
Please call:
- Birmingham UCR team on 0300 555 1919, Option 2
- Solihull UCR team 0121 424 5666
4. UPDATED GUIDANCE CareMatch Portal User Guide (information for all contracted providers)
The CareMatch Portal User Guide has been refreshed and further details added to the sections listed below. Please ensure you are using the latest version of the user guide by accessing it from our CareMatch Portal page on the Shaping the Market webpages;
CareMatch Portal | Birmingham City Council
Updated sections;
- Section 3 Applying for a Contract; how to start applications via different routes, amending applications after submission, procurement correspondences about a submitted application, logging into the system.
- Section 6 Offers; withdrawing an offer or changing a decision to decline a referral
- Section 8 My Providers and Users; which users can apply for a contract, changing notification settings and user permissions, ‘How do I add a document (Including renewing my insurance)’
5. CONSULTATION Birmingham Carers’ Partnership Strategy Consultation: have YOUR say by 10 April 2024 (information for all providers)
The Draft Birmingham’s Carers Partnership Strategy has been developed by a range of partners including Integrated Care Board (ICB) Birmingham City Council, Birmingham Children’s Trust, providers, and voluntary and community sector colleagues. It represents Birmingham’s vision and continuing commitment to Carers, alongside a commitment to partnership working.
Carers make a critical and often under-appreciated contribution, not only to loved ones, neighbours and friends, but to the sustainability of the health and social care system. It has already been well established that most people are likely to be affected by or have caring responsibilities at some stage in their lives.
Have your say here;
6. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) update: Capacity Tracker Mandatory Adult Social Care Provider Data(information for all providers)
On 1 December 2022 new powers were introduced under the Adult Social Care Information (enforcement) Regilations 2022 (see link below) that allows the Secretary of State to require social care providers to share information relating to them and their provision via the Capacity Tracker – the DHSC data collection tool.The new powers also allow the Secretary of State to issue a financial penalty to those providers who do not share their information or share information that is false or misleading.
Adult Social Care Information (Enforcement) Regulations 2022
The following ‘top tips’ have been shared by the Capacity Tracker team to help ensure providers are regularly submitting the mandatory Department of Health and Social Care data within the monthly reporting windows;
- To update/refresh as soon as the window opens; less reminders/saves time chasing!
- To attend CT training sessions to get a better understanding of the system & how to quickly update their information.
- Care Home Training (April-May 2024):
- Click here
- Homecare Training (April-May 2024):
- Click here
- To have additional users registered on CT to cover periods of absence.
- To register for a CT account, click below:
Support remains available to new and existing providers who may require assistance:
NECS Capacity Tracker Support Centre: necsu.capacitytracker@nhs.net or by calling the Support Centre (8am-5pm Mon-Fri, excluding public holidays) on 0191 691 3729
The Capacity Tracker also has an integrated Resource Centre with helpful user guides and video tutorials to support you with using the system and uploading your information as required.
7. REMINDER Birmingham City Council Fee increases – 1 April 2024 (information for all contracted providers)
Following the Council’s approval of its budget on 5 March 2024, we are now able to confirm the increases to fees payable from 1 April 2024. Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk This will shortly be available on our website using the following link:
Care fees | Care fees, invoicing, variations and top ups | Birmingham City Council
For the avoidance of doubt, the fee increases are only applicable to care packages delivered by care providers which have been awarded the most recent and current versions of our care home, supported living, and home support contracts. These are:
- Care homes and Supported Living – Flexible Contracting Arrangements [2023]
- Home Support for Sensory Loss – Framework Agreement [2023]
- Home Support for Prisons - Framework Agreement [2022]
- Home Support for Children, Young People with Disabilities and Home support for Adults [2019]
- Quick Discharge and Quick Intervention Home Support for Adults [2019]
The fee increases are not applicable to contract holders of older or expired versions of these contracts.
8. REMINDER NHS funded nursing in care homes is set to increase from April 2024 (information for all nursing homes)
NHS funded nursing in care homes is set to rise by 7.4%; the standard weekly rate will increase from £219.71 to £235.88 as of April 2024. Those working at a higher rate will see an increase from £302.25 to £324.50.
Read more about increased funding for nursing in care homes here;
Increased 2024 funding for nursing in care homes - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
9. REMINDER Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) provider sessions on visiting and accompanying in care homes – 3 April 2024 (information for all care homes)
In December 2023, the DHSC announced legislation to make visiting and accompanying a fundamental standard of care.
Visiting is crucial to the health and wellbeing of those receiving care as it ensures that people remain connected with loved ones and their community. They should also have people to support and advocate for them when they are at their most vulnerable.
The new legislation will come into force on 6 April 2024. The DHSC is running a series of online information sessions via Teams, with support from Care Quality Commission (CQC) colleagues. These will explain what the legislation requires you to do as a provider and you will be able to ask any questions you might have about the guidance.
Sessions take place on:
- Wednesday 3 April for care home providers
10. Support to Care Homes Training for April 2024 (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk. This details the Support to Care Homes Team virtual training for the month of April 2024 for all Care Home staff across Birmingham and Solihull Care homes.
There are valuable informative training sessions this month on;
- Management of Deterioration
- Infection prevention
- Pressure Ulcer prevention
- Falls
- Dementia awareness
The training will be hosted by the Solihull Support to Care homes Team and is open to all Care Home staff across Birmingham and Solihull care homes and joining details can be accessed via the BSol Healthzone Care Home App.
Instructions on how to download the BSol Healthzone Care Home App have been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk Please see the previous bulletin item 3 here for further information about the App;
What's New Bulletin 184 - 15 February 2024 - Care services providers' bulletin (birmingham.gov.uk)
11. Care Quality Commission (CQC) attendance at the Care Show London 24-25 April 2024 (information for all providers)
The CQC will be hosting the “Meet the Inspector” hub at the Care Show London on 24-25 April 2024. Attendees can book a meeting with the inspectors, discuss their concerns, and receive advice on how to improve their CQC ratings. The conference programme includes the latest sector updates and best practices to help you improve your care service, with a focus on understanding what the upcoming election means for social care and providing insights into hiring and retaining staff. Attendees will be able to attend CPD-accredited sessions delivered by over 100 speakers, meet more than 150 suppliers, and network with colleagues. Complimentary passes are available for care and healthcare professionals, those working for a social care provider, allied healthcare, NHS, and public sector professionals.
Book a space here;
Care Show London - The event that celebrates the whole care sector