What's New Bulletin 205 - 11 July 2024
This is edition 205 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 UPDATED Cost of Care Exercise 2024 – Action required 18 August 2024 deadline – (Younger adult (18-64 yrs) care homes and supported living services located in Birmingham and the West Midlands region, and which are contracted to Birmingham City Council and Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System)
2. REMINDER PLEASE READ Home Support Tender - Home Support and Quick Discharge Service Recommissioning – Update on timeline (information for home support providers)
3. Guidance on Care Quality Commission (CQC) single assessment framework (information for all providers)
4. Care Quality Commission (CQC) surveys (information for all providers)
5. Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (BSOL) Quality Team - web page (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
6. South and City College Birmingham Health Care Support Worker apprenticeship (information for all care homes)
7. REMINDER Social Care Nursing Advanced (SPQ) qualification courses starting September 2024 (information for all nursing homes)
8. Digital Social Care (DiSC) and Digital Care Hub webinar 16 & 23 July 2024 (information for all providers)
9. REMINDER Birmingham City Council Social Value Briefing remaining July 2024 sessions (information for contracted care home and supported living providers)
10. Skills for Care webinar: System approaches to support delegated healthcare 17 July 2024 (information for all West Midlands providers)
1. REMINDER UPDATED Cost of Care Exercise 2024 – Action required 18 August 2024 deadline – (Younger adult (18-64 yrs) care homes and supported living services located in Birmingham and the West Midlands region, and which are contracted to Birmingham City Council and Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System)
On 8 July we launched our 2024 cost of care exercise. This year’s exercise is being carried out jointly by Birmingham City Council (BCC) and our NHS partners Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System (BSol ICS).
This year’s exercise will focus on gathering cost data in relation to supported living services and younger adult care homes located in Birmingham and the West Midlands region, and which are contracted to the BCC and BSol ICS. Please note that for care providers contracted to Birmingham City Council completion of the exercise is a requirement of the contract and therefore mandatory.
As in previous years the exercise requires you to submit a range of data in relation to the costs of delivering care and support services. The data we gather will help the Council and NHS understand costs across the care market and inform the fees we pay. We will not share your individual data without your permission, but we will aggregate the data received and will publish the outputs of the analysis ensuring anonymity.
Submit your cost of care templates to costofcare@birmingham.gov.uk in advance of the deadline – 11:59pm Sunday 18 August 2024.
If you need to ask a question, email costofcare@birmingham.gov.uk
- Supported Living services:
- You are required to complete the Supported Living Costing Tool 2024 Tab I. – Standard (Cost +) only. Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. To request a copy, email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
- Submission deadline - 11:59pm on Sunday 18 August 2024.
- Younger Adult Care homes (18 to 64 years old):
- You are required to complete the Care Home Costing Tool 2024. Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. To request a copy, email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk N.B. please use the latest costing tool in the message and not that in the launch message on 8 July 2024, as this contained a small error in the operating profit calculation function. If you have already submitted your return, it does not materially affect the data you have supplied and we will amend the calculation on your submitted form.
- Submission deadline - 11:59pm on Sunday 18 August 2024.
Thank you in advance for your participation and timely submissions.
2. REMINDER PLEASE READ Home Support Tender - Home Support and Quick Discharge Service Recommissioning – Update on timeline (information for home support providers)
There has been a delay in the provisional project timescales published in Document 001 The Instructions P2170 Document for Potential Suppliers Invitation To Tender (ITT). The procurement team have advised us that applicants should be notified of the outcome in the near future. We will provide progress updates as appropriate through this weekly provider bulletin or a special provider bulletin sent to the same distribution list.
If you are not subscribed to the weekly provider bulletin but would like to be, email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk.
3. Guidance on Care Quality Commission (CQC) single assessment framework (information for all providers)
The new CQC assessment approach is live across the country, but there are lots of things you can do to increase your understanding of the new approach.
The CQC’s expectations of care is not changing and their current ratings and 5 key questions will stay central to their approach.
On the CQC website you can find clear guidance that covers the different aspects of our regulatory approach, including which evidence categories we prioritise for each sector, to help you feel ready for a new style assessment. You can read the guidance here;
Guidance and regulation - Care Quality Commission (cqc.org.uk)
4. Care Quality Commission (CQC) surveys (information for all providers)
There are a number of open surveys that the CQC would like provider feedback on, see further below.
·How well do you understand how CQC is changing? In 2023 the launched a communication campaign to ensure all health and social care providers and professionals understand what these changes are, what they mean for them and what they need to do to prepare for these changes being implemented.
·To help measure how successful the campaign has been so far, and how well you understand these changes;
How well do you understand how CQC is changing? June 2024 (typeform.com)
New assessment approach Share your feedback on the new assessment approach. Your insights and opinions are crucial in helping the CQC understand how well this new method is working and where they can make improvements;
Feedback on CQC's new style assessments (typeform.com)
Assessment frequency The CQC are working towards publishing more detail on how frequently they will assess providers going forward. To support this work they would like some feedback on some initial questions;
CQC Regulatory Approach Advisory Group - express your interest (typeform.com)
Relationship management The CQC are developing their approach to relationship management. To support this work they are looking for your feedback around some initial questions;
CQC Regulatory Approach Advisory Group - express your interest (typeform.com)
5. Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (BSOL) Quality Team - web page (information for all Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
Please visit the web page on the link below which includes useful information on;
- Quality support available
- How the team collaborate with partners
- Quality improvement resources
- Support for the social care work force.
- Best practice information
- Details of the Care Home App
BSOL ICB Quality Team Web Page
If you would like more information about the BSOL Quality Team, email nhsbsolicb.qualitychc@nhs.net.
6. South and City College Birmingham Health Care Support Worker apprenticeship (information for all care homes)
Details about the apprenticeship have been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk.
For further information contact Jane Hands Business Consultants:
- phone: 07977 704214
- email: jane.hands@sccb.ac.uk.
7. REMINDER Social Care Nursing Advanced (SPQ) qualification courses starting September 2024 (information for all nursing homes)
The NMC approval of the Social Care Nursing Advanced qualification (SPQ) is a watershed moment as it is recognition of social care nursing as a specialist field of nursing. The University of Central Birmingham (UCB) are keen to engage with Managers that would like their Registered Nurses to undertake the MSc apprenticeship as soon as possible to help them enrol staff for courses starting September 2024. Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. To requesta copy, email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
If you could be a practice partner or support the programme in anyway, e.g. specialist teaching sessions, then UCB would also like to hear from you too.
This programme will be an excellent choice for Registered Nurses working across health and social care environments, to achieve an SPQ qualification, mapped to the 4 Pillars of Advanced Practice. The modules are specialist, co-developed with our stakeholder groups to provide specialist knowledge, support advanced skill development specifically for Registered Nurses working in adult social care and homeless and inclusion health environments.
Please contact Professor Kathy Riley for further information; K.ARiley@ucb.ac.uk
8. Digital Social Care (DiSC) and Digital Care Hub webinar 16 & 23 July 2024 (information for all providers)
DiSC have commissioned Digital Care Hub to facilitate a number of webinars for the adult social care sector. The first of the series are as follows;
16 July 2024 2:00pm to 3:30pm The benefits of a Digital Social Care Record – there will be a mix of information, from a provider, Louise Pearson giving an overview of all her MOP benefit work
Masterclass: The Benefits of Digital Care Records Tickets, Tue, Jul 16, 2024 at 2:00 PM | Eventbrite
23 July 2024 2024 2:00pm to 3:30pm What do standards mean for me - Claire Hessey, DiSC senior programme manager will be talking through the DSCR standards and the link to the ASL
MASTERCLASS: What are data standards? Tickets, Tue, Jul 30, 2024 at 2:00 PM | Eventbrite
Digital Care Hub will be facilitating a further range of webinars over the coming months, so please do check their website regularly to share with your providers;
Events | Digital Social Care (digitalcarehub.co.uk)
9. REMINDER Birmingham City Council Social Value Briefing remaining July 2024 sessions (information for contracted care home and supported living providers)
Commissioners are currently in the process of facilitating briefing sessions for Care Homes to discuss your responsibilities under the Flexible Contracting Arrangements 2023 (FCA) regarding Social Value. As part of the FCA 2023 all care homes are required to complete and submit a yearly action plan. Failure to comply may result in a contract breach and contractual compliance interventions by Birmingham City Council.
The briefing sessions will be facilitated by Rokneddin Shariat - Policy and Governance Manager. Also in attendance will be Osaf Ahmed, Commissioning Manager and Sharon Muxworthy Commissioning Manager.
You need only attend one of the briefings listed below;
- 17th July 2024 14.00 – 15.30 via Microsoft Teams
Meeting ID: 314 452 102 856
Passcode: UzCMTN
- 23rd July 2024 midday to 1:30pm via Microsoft Teams
Meeting ID: 386 837 034 427
Passcode: ZaXHfC
Familiarise yourselves with Schedule 17 of the FCA and the social value action plan attached below in advance of the meeting, attached for convenience. We look forward to meeting you at one of the briefings.
10. Skills for Care webinar: System approaches to support delegated healthcare 17 July 2024 (information for all West Midlands providers)
This webinar takes place on 17 July 2024 1:30pm to 2:30pm. Join this webinar to deepen your understanding of our delegated healthcare guidance and learn about integrated, system approaches to support delegated healthcare. Cath Roff, MBE, Project Director: Social Care Transformation for Leeds City Council and her colleagues will discuss their community wellbeing pilot and work on a better community home care partnership system. This session will be of interest to local authority and NHS commissioners, and anyone connected to their integrated care system (ICS).
Follow this link for further information and details on how to book a space;