1. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Update - Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme Grant Determination: 2025 to 2026 (Information for all Providers)

2. REMINDER Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - New Rules to Prioritise Recruiting Care Workers in England from 9 April 2025 (Information for all Providers)

3. West Midlands-Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and West Midland Employers (WME) – West Midlands International Recruitment Hub and Programme update (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)

4. Birmingham City Council - CareMatch Portal Key Messages (Information for contracted Providers)

5. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Capacity Tracker Updates (Information for all Providers)

6. NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) Faculty for Social Care and Independent Sector (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)

7. Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System (ICS) - getUBetter is a self-recovery app (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)

8. REMINDER NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) – Skills for Care Updates (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)

9. Foundation of Nursing Studies (FoNS) - Resilience Based Clinical Supervision 2025(Information for Birmingham and Solihull Nursing Homes)

10. REMINDER NHS Birmingham and Solihull (Bsol) Training Hub (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)

11. NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) – Skills for Care Midlands – Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Workshops 3 and 10 April 2025 (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)

1. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Update - Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme Grant Determination: 2025 to 2026 (Information for all Providers)

Please use the link below for the DHSC Grant Determination Letter. This grant applies to funding claimed from the Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme. This is the 2025 to 2026 edition, which applies to all claims for eligible training courses and qualifications that are paid for between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026 (inclusive), irrespective of when the claim is submitted.

Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme grant determination: 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK

For claims for eligible training courses and qualifications that were paid for between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 (inclusive), see below:

2024 to 2025 edition of the grant determination letter

Where courses or qualifications have been paid for in multiple instalments, the grant determination letter applies according to the date that the first payment was made.

2. REMINDER Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - New Rules to Prioritise Recruiting Care Workers in England from 9 April 2025 (Information for all Providers)

New rules were laid in Parliament on 12 March 2025 which will require employers to prioritise recruiting international care workers already in England before recruiting from overseas. From 9 April 2025 care providers, who want to recruit a new worker from overseas, will have to first prove that they have attempted to recruit a worker from within England who needs new sponsorship. This ensures that those who came to the UK to pursue a career in adult social care can do so and will help end the reliance on overseas recruitment.

Please use the link below for further information:

New rules to prioritise recruiting care workers in England - GOV.UK

3. West Midlands-Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and West Midland Employers (WME) – West Midlands International Recruitment Hub and Programme update (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)

The West Midlands International Recruitment Hub has advise for both providers and international workers and can be accessed here;

http://irwestmids.co.uk/international-care-workers/

Please share this link with your international workers.

Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk. This includes details of free bus travel for care staff; a new guide to support displaced workers; upcoming webinars; FAQs.

4. Birmingham City Council - CareMatch Portal Key Messages (Information for contracted Providers)

From next week providers will notice that the system time out period for sessions on the CareMatch Portal has been shortened to 20 minutes. This is to align the time out period with best practice for keeping information held in the system secure.

5. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Capacity Tracker Updates (Information for all Providers)

Please use the link below to see recent Capacity Tracker updates.

What’s Coming to the Capacity Tracker.pdf

Please see below contact information if you have any queries about the system:

For system support and guidance: contact NECS Capacity Tracker Support Centre - phone 0191 691 3729 or emailnecsu.capacitytracker@nhs.net. They are open Monday to Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm, excluding public holidays.

Changing registration, closing, change of ownership: contact the CQC - phone: 03000 616161, email: enquiries@cqc.org.uk, CQC Provider Portal. They are open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 5:30pm, excluding public holidays.

If you receive an enforcement notice: contact the NHS Business Services Authority Enforcement Team (NHSBSA) – phone: 0300 330 2088, email:enforcement@nhsbsa.nhs.uk. They are open Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm.

6. NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) Faculty for Social Care and Independent Sector (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)

BSol Faculty for Social Care and Independent Sector, The Birmingham and Solihull Education Collaborative is working with organisations across social care to develop and promote training, learning and career development opportunities.

Find out more about how you can shape and benefit from future learning opportunities.

Contact faculty cochairs for more information llatc75261@aol.com / Lucy.McDonald@skillsforcare.org.uk

7. Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System (ICS) - getUBetter is a self-recovery app (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)

getUBetter is a self-recovery app for people with common musculoskeletal injuries or conditions. getUBetter is a safe and effective way to help you self-manage your injury or condition at home, work, and on the move. The app covers a range of musculoskeletal injuries and conditions.

You will get:

Instant and 24/7 access to a personalised programme

Easy-to-follow self-progression exercises

Daily tips and local guidance from day one

Advice on where to seek help when needed

Access to local treatments and services

getUBetter :: Birmingham and Solihull ICS

8. REMINDER NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) – Skills for Care Updates (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)

Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk. This includes some updates on forthcoming training and development opportunities for frontline care staff. Please also visit the link below for more information:

Skills for Care - Workforce development and planning | Birmingham City Council

9. Foundation of Nursing Studies (FoNS) - Resilience Based Clinical Supervision 2025(Information for Birmingham and Solihull Nursing Homes)

A programme is available to nurses and nursing associates in social care. The programme is funded by NHSE and is free of charge. Please use the link below for further information and to book

RBCS for Social Care - Foundation of Nursing Studies

10. REMINDER NHS Birmingham and Solihull (Bsol) Training Hub (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)

Have you visited the Birmingham and Solihull training hub website yet? You can view information as someone working in a primary or social care role in the Solihull / Birmingham area, as a student looking for support with career development or as a visitor wanting to find out more.

Social Care – BSol Training hub

All training events are listed in the calendar section. You can also contact the training hub by email bsol.traininghub@nhs.net or phone: 0121 483 2128.

The next sessions are:

Personalised Care and Support Planning (PCSP) - 1 April 2025 - 9:15 am - 12:30 pm

Continuing Healthcare (CHC) Checklist Training – 3 April 2025 - 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Recognition of End of Life – 4 April 2025 -10:30 am - 12:00 pm

11. NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) – Skills for Care Midlands – Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Workshops 3 and 10 April 2025 (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)

Skills for Care Midlands are running DBS workshops. You can choose to attend one or both sessions. If you want to attend both, please make sure you tick both boxes.

DBS Workshop 1 - Disclosure – Thursday, 3 April 2025 - 1pm - 3pm - on MS Teams

Session Objectives:

Understand the benefits of DBS and your organisation working together

Understand the different levels of DBS checks

Understand the filtering guidelines

Understand when an employee is eligible for a check

Understand the DBS Update Service Understand what Regulated Activity is

DBS Workshop 2 - Barring – Thursday, 10 April 2025 - 1pm - 3pm - on MS Teams

Session Objectives:

• Understand Barring processes at the DBS

• Understand when a DBS Barring referral should be made, including when the legal duty is met

• Understand how to make a good quality Barring referral

• Understand what Regulated Activity is

• Understand what ‘Relevant Conduct’ and the ‘Harm Test’ is

• Have a clear understanding of the potential consequences of not making appropriate Barring referrals and the consequences of being included in one or both Barred Lists

Please follow the link to book your places.

https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/news-and-events/Events/April/DBS-disclosure-and-barring-workshops.aspx