What's New Bulletin 196 9 May 2024
This is edition 196 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 REMINDER Home Support Tender - Home Support and Quick Discharge Service Recommissioning Update – Clarification Period closes at the end of today 9 May 2024 (information for home support providers)
2. PLEASE READ Home Support Tender - Home Support and Quick Discharge Service Recommissioning Update - application process is due to close at 12:00 midday 16 May 2024 (information for home support providers)
3. CONSULTATION Birmingham Adult Social Care Internal Day Centre Consultation: Your day, Your say Deadline 9 July 2024 (information for Birmingham providers and residents)
4. Care Quality Commission (CQC): Final guidance on visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals and hospices (information for all care homes)
5. Open University Free Course: Introducing relational care (information for all care homes)
6. REMINDER Can you offer a placement opportunity to a student nurse (information for Birmingham and Solihull nursing homes)
7. REMINDER Mobility Impairment Deep Dive - Questionnaire for Citizens, Carers and Professionals – deadline 10 May 2024 (information for Birmingham providers)
8. Free Online Deaf & Hard of Hearing Awareness Training 14 May 2024 (information for all Birmingham providers)
9. REMINDER Skills for Care: Training available and how to claim funding for adult social care courses and qualifications in 2024-2025 (information for all providers)
10. REMINDER Health Innovation West Midlands Deterioration and Quality Improvement in Care Homes 14 May 2024 (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
11. REMINDER Raising awareness about Cancer - Cancer Champions, Talk Cancer Training 5 June 2024 (information for all Birmingham and Solihull providers)
1.PLEASE READ REMINDER Home Support Tender - Home Support and Quick Discharge Service Recommissioning Update – Clarification Period closes at the end of today 9 May 2024 (information for home support providers)
The Council launched its tender for Home Support and the Quick Discharge Services on 9 April 2024.
As bidders (providers) will be aware from the Council’s tender documentation and communication, any questions about the tender must be submitted via the Questions function in the CareMatch Portal. The responses to which are being published regularly here:
Tender opportunities | Tender opportunities | Birmingham City Council
This update is to confirm that the tender clarification period will end today, 9 May 2024.
Please ensure you follow the more detailed guidance available before logging a clarification - including ensuring you read the tender documentation in full and checking the clarification log for any similar questions prior to logging a new clarification:
Any clarifications relating to the Home Support and the Quick Discharge Services tender received after today will not be answered, but answers to previously asked and answered questions will remain available here:
Tender opportunities | Tender opportunities | Birmingham City Council
If you have a technical enquiry about using the CareMatch Portal, you can continue to contactmarketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk up until the tender closes (12:00 midday 16 May 2024). Please be aware the Market Intelligence Team can only answer technical questions relating to the CareMatch Portal and not about any other aspect of the tender process.
2. PLEASE READ Home Support Tender - Home Support and Quick Discharge Service Recommissioning Update - application process is due to close at 12:00 midday 16 May 2024(information for home support providers)
Please note that the tender application process is due to close at 12:00 midday 16 May 2024.As stated in the ITT document (Document 001 The Instructions P2170 Document for Potential Suppliers Invitation To Tender (ITT)), potential supplier’s MUST ensure plenty of time is allowed for uploading the submission prior to the deadline for SSQ submissions.
The clarification process for the 2024 contracts closes today, 9 May 2024. This covered questions about the procurement exercise or how to complete the Questionnaire. Please refer to the clarification log for all questions asked and answered;
Tender opportunities | Tender opportunities | Birmingham City Council.
You can also check the ITT document (Document 001 The Instructions P2170 Document for Potential Suppliers Invitation To Tender (ITT)), which is available from the list of dropdown documents under each contract heading on the CareMatch Portal;
Please see the following useful resources for how to start an application;
- User Guide for providers using Care Match Portal | Birmingham City Council
- YouTube video;
- How to apply for a 2024 Home Support or Quick Discharge Service contract through the CareMatch Portal
Information on how to review and amend submitted applications before the deadline can be found under Tech3 in the Clarification log here;
Tender opportunities | Tender opportunities | Birmingham City Council
How can I get support with the CareMatch Portal during the tender?
CareMatch Portal Support Step 1
Review the tender instructions document and any guidance in the CareMatch Portal by hovering over the “i” icon next to the question, to check you are entering the correct type of information.
CareMatch Portal Support Step 2
Review the CareMatch Portal User guide for instructions, which can be found here:
User Guide for providers using Care Match Portal | Birmingham City Council
Watch the recorded briefing session on
CareMatch Portal Support Step 3
Check the Clarification Log and bulletins, as we may have published some further information already to support you:
Tender opportunities | Tender opportunities | Birmingham City Council
CareMatch Portal Support Step 4
Only after you have attempted to resolve your technical issue using the above support, should you contact the Council’s Market Intelligence Team via email at marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
In your email requesting technical help, please include the email address you are using to log in to CareMatch Portal and, if applicable, the Registration number of the contract application you are having problems with (you can find the number on your Registrations page). Please ensure you give as much detail as possible in your email, including screenshots where possible and which stage of the process you are stuck at. The team will respond by email and will only contact you by phone if they cannot resolve easily by email.
Please be aware the Market Intelligence Team can only answer technical questions relating to the CareMatch Portal and not about any other aspect of the tender process. Please see guidance above for how to raise procurement/tender related questions.
3. CONSULTATION Birmingham Adult Social Care Internal Day Centre Consultation: Your day, Your say Deadline 9 July 2024 (information for Birmingham providers and residents)
Adult Social Care are undertaking a 9-week consultation on Internal Day Centres in the City. The consultation started on Tuesday the 7 May 2024 and ends on Tuesday the 9 July 2024.
The aim of the consultation is to ensure the internal Day Centres provide the appropriate support in an appropriate setting with citizens feeling part of their community and able to thrive and reach their full potential. We must also ensure we respond to our budget challenge whilst still supporting the citizens in the city who use the Centres, their carers and family members.
The purpose of the consultation is to make sure that everyone has a chance to tell the Council about their views on our proposals for the Adult Social Care Day Centres in Birmingham. The consultation is called ‘Your day, Your say’. The feedback that everyone provides will be analysed and will inform a report that will be considered by Birmingham City Council’s Cabinet Members in September 2024 and a decision will be made about the future delivery of the Day Centres.
Full details of how to get involved are available as follows:
4. Care Quality Commission (CQC): Final guidance on visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals and hospices (information for all care homes)
The CQC have now published final guidance to help providers understand and meet the new fundamental standard on visiting and accompanying in care homes, hospitals, and hospices. This follows a consultation earlier this year, which was limited to the CQC guidance about the new fundamental standards. 553 responses to the consultation were received.
In their responses people often expressed support for the principles contained in the guidance and fundamental standard and can relate this to their own experiences.
For further information read the
and
for more information.
5. Open University Free Course: Introducing relational care (information for all care homes)
The Open University has launched a free course:
Relational Care is a developing approach to supporting people with an emphasis on seeing the individual as part of a network of supportive and mutual relationships. Research shows that relational care is more effective in improving the wellbeing of those living and working in care settings and enabling them to enjoy a much fuller life. It represents a move to where people are not solely ‘givers’ or ‘receivers’ of care.
The course will introduce residential and day care setting providers, managers and staff to the concept and headline benefits of relational care and what contributes to its practice.
To find out more about the course, visit;
Introducing relational care: Introduction | OpenLearn - Open University
6. REMINDER Can you offer a placement opportunity to a student nurse (information for Birmingham and Solihull nursing homes)
Students are the future of our profession and it is our priority to ensure that they are supported to complete their studies (NMC 2021). At Birmingham and Solihull Training Hub, we are tasked with identifying practical placement opportunities for students across five universities. We strive to identify social care to our future nurses to allow them to opportunity to choose this route as a first choice career path. We are sometimes met with stereotypical questions, which indicate a misunderstanding of what social care is all about. We need your support to address these issues and reinforce this career pathway, by asking you to provide students with the opportunity to see what a rewarding and progressive sector social care is.
In return for hosting a student nurse on a full time 6-week placement, your organisation will attract a payment of tariff totalling£812.25.Birmingham and Solihull Training Hub will support you along the process and with the completion on an educational audit and SSSA (Standards for Student Supervision and Assessment) Training, all free of charge.
Please get in touch today to start that process and help promote this rewarding but often misunderstood branch of healthcare;bsoltraininghub.nurses@nhs.net
7. REMINDER Mobility Impairment Deep Dive - Questionnaire for Citizens, Carers and Professionals – deadline 10 May 2024 (information for Birmingham providers)
Birmingham City Council are writing a report (known as a 'Deep Dive') about citizens living with a mobility impairment in Birmingham. This includes information about the prevalence of mobility impairments in Birmingham, associated health conditions and health inequalities, in addition to mapping local services.
You can take part in this survey as citizen, carer or professional. Please ensure you select the correct link from the below;
Mobility Impairment Deep Dive - Questionnaire for Citizens:
https://www.birminghambeheard.org.uk/bcc/mobility-impairment-deep-dive-questionnaire-for-ci
Mobility Impairment Deep Dive - Questionnaire for Carers:
https://www.birminghambeheard.org.uk/bcc/copy-of-mobility-impairment-deep-dive-questionnaire
Mobility Impairment Deep Dive - Questionnaire for Professionals:
https://www.birminghambeheard.org.uk/bcc/mobility-impairment-deep-dive
8. Free Online Deaf & Hard of Hearing Awareness Training 14 May 2024 (information for all Birmingham providers)
Join the Deaf Awareness Training (DAT) on Tuesday 14 May 2024 at 11am - 12pm via Zoom. DAT can help you understand the needs of Deaf family, friends or employees. For employers, this can enable you to make reasonable adjustments in line with your responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010.
This session is open to employers, professionals, community groups, volunteers and family members. Everyone is welcome. Full details are available here;
FREE Online Deaf & Hard of Hearing Awareness Training Tickets
9. REMINDER Skills for Care: Training available and how to claim funding for adult social care courses and qualifications in 2024-2025 (information for all providers)
Search this year’s list of adult social care training courses and qualifications (see link below)to find opportunities for you and your team.
adult social care training courses and qualifications
In order to claim funding you need to register and upload your workforce data to the Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS), a free online data collection service that covers the adult social care workforce in England. Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk. There will also be a national webinar (see link below) where you can take a virtual tour of the Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set(ASC-WDS).
Tuesday 11 June 2024, 9:30am - 10:30
10. REMINDER Health Innovation West Midlands Deterioration and Quality Improvement in Care Homes 14 May 2024 (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (BSol ICB) would like to invite you to a webinar event focusing on the management of deterioration and quality improvement in care homes across the Birmingham and Solihull region on 14 May 2024 at 2:00pm - 4:00pm.
Join the webinar for insightful discussions, informative sessions, and practical tips to enhance the care provided in these crucial settings. Whether you're a healthcare professional, caregiver, or simply interested in the topic, this event is perfect for anyone looking to make a positive impact on the well-being of residents in care homes. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn, connect, and innovate in the field of healthcare!
Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk.
11. REMINDER Raising awareness about Cancer - Cancer Champions, Talk Cancer Training 5 June 2024 (information for all Birmingham and Solihull providers)
Delivered by nurse trainers, the online, interactive workshop will equip and empower you to raise cancer awareness in your community. The training is on Wednesday 5 June 2024 at 10:00am to midday.
The training is suitable for you if you are able to promote health and wellbeing in your community. The Talk Cancer training can help you to make your conversations more impactful by
- Increasing your knowledge of key messages around reducing your risk of cancer, the national cancer screening programmes, and spotting cancer early
- Building your confidence to talk to the public about cancer
- Helping you to encourage people to make healthy changes, access local services and visit their GP promptly with any concerns
For further information, email Kafilla Munir: Kafilla.munir2@nhs.net