What's New Bulletin 256 - 10 July 2025
This is edition 256 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. Home Support and Supported Living Market Intelligence Questionnaire (MIQ) – (Information for all Providers Holding the Home Support 2024 and Supported Living 2023 Contracts)
2. REMINDER Care Homes Market Intelligence Questionnaire (MIQ) – July 2025 – DEADLINE 18 July 2025 (Information for all Birmingham and Contracted Care Homes)
3. Care Quality Commission (CQC) Update for Adult Social Care Providers (Information for all Providers)
4. Care Quality Commission (CQC) Update for Adult Social Care Providers (Information for all Providers)
5. Care Quality Commission (CQC) Update for Adult Social Care Providers – Changes to Registration Process for New Homecare Applications (Information for all Home Support Providers)
6. Birmingham Community Healthcare (BCHC) NHS Foundation Trust - Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) - National Patient Safety Alert (Information for all Care Homes with Nursing)
7. Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (BSOL ICB) - Dysphagia Safety (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
8. Adult Community Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) team (Information for Birmingham Care Homes)
9. REMINDER NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) Training Hub July 2025 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
10. REMINDER Hospices of Birmingham & Solihull (HOBS) - Training Sessions July and August 2025 (Information for Care Homes with Nursing in Birmingham and Solihull)
11. REMINDER Birmingham Safeguarding Adults Board (BSA) - Safeguarding Adults Practitioner Forum 17 July 2025 (Information for all Birmingham Providers)
1. Home Support and Supported Living Market Intelligence Questionnaire (MIQ) – (Information for all Providers Holding the Home Support 2024 and Supported Living 2023 Contracts)
If your service hold either or both of the Home Support 2024 and Supported Living 2023 contracts, you are requested to complete and submit this questionnaire by clicking this link:
Home Support and Supported Living MIQ – July 2025
The deadline for completion is Friday 25 July 2025
Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
The questionnaire is issued quarterly.
Completion of the questionnaire is part of the terms of the Home Support 2024 and Supported Living 2023 contracts
The purpose of the questionnaire is to collect information to assist our market shaping and development role, the production of our Market Position Statements, fulfil our Care Act duties around ensuring a quality and sustainable market, to help us direct resources, identify areas of risk, and monitor progress towards our strategic aims. It has been co-produced with health colleagues to reduce duplication in data collection, and has been streamlined so that we are only collecting information that is not available to us from elsewhere e.g. the Capacity Tracker.
2. REMINDER Care Homes Market Intelligence Questionnaire (MIQ) – July 2025 – DEADLINE 18 July 2025 (Information for all Birmingham and Contracted Care Homes)
Please click this link to access the questionnaire:
The deadline for completion is Friday 18 July 2025
This questionnaire is issued quarterly. Details of the questions are included in the attached briefing. Please note that we have removed the question about numbers of staff holding the skilled worker visa, because this information is collected via your Capacity Tracker return
Completion of the questionnaire is part of the terms of the Care Homes 2023 contract, for contracted providers, but we ask all Birmingham care homes to take part in the process to help us meet our responsibilities to all Birmingham citizens.
Many thanks to staff at the care homes who completed the previous questionnaires. If this did not include your care home, please ensure that you complete this and subsequent editions.
The purpose of the questionnaire is to collect information to assist our market shaping and development role, the production of our Market Position Statements, fulfil our Care Act duties around ensuring a quality and sustainable market, to help us direct resources, identify areas of risk, and monitor progress towards our strategic aims. It has been co-produced with health colleagues to reduce duplication in data collection, and has been streamlined so that we are only collecting information that is not available to us from elsewhere e.g. the Capacity Tracker.
Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
3. Care Quality Commission (CQC) Update for Adult Social Care Providers (Information for all Providers)
Constipation is a common condition that can affect people of all ages, but when left unmanaged, it can lead to serious complications such as faecal impaction. CQC is reminding providers to have robust systems in place to identify and support people at risk, particularly older adults, those with learning disabilities, and individuals taking medications known to cause constipation, such as antipsychotics or clozapine. Person-centred care planning, regular monitoring, and awareness of red flag symptoms are essential to prevent harm. NHS England has published a range of helpful resources to support carers, professionals, and people with learning disabilities in recognising and managing constipation effectively. Please use the link below for further information.
Managing constipation in adult social care settings - Care Quality Commission
4. Care Quality Commission (CQC) Update for Adult Social Care Providers (Information for all Providers)
The CQC have published an update on how they are improving how they to rebuild delivering good regulation.
In this update they have summarised what they are currently working on to:
deliver more assessments
improve the experience of regulation
strengthen our leadership
make changes to our assessment approach.
Please use this link for further information:
How we are working to rebuild good regulation - Care Quality Commission
5. Care Quality Commission (CQC) Update for Adult Social Care Providers – Changes to Registration Process for New Homecare Applications (Information for all Home Support Providers)
As part of the CQC’s ongoing work to rebuild effective regulation, they are making changes to the registration process for homecare providers. This aims to reduce delays and address the growing backlog of applications.
Please use this link for further information:
Better registration process for new homecare applications - Care Quality Commission
6. Birmingham Community Healthcare (BCHC) NHS Foundation Trust - Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) - National Patient Safety Alert (Information for all Care Homes with Nursing)
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 the National Patient Safety Alert and related slides in relation to a National Patient Safety Alert issued in response to an outbreak of Burkholderia stabilis ST480 suspected to be associated with non-sterile alcohol-free skin cleansing wipes.
To date 48 confirmed cases and 3 probable cases of B. stabilis (ST480) have been identified across England, Scotland, and the Republic of Ireland.
Burkholderia species has been recovered from several non-sterile, alcohol-free, skin cleansing wipe products including those used for wound care and included in first aid kits.
The National Patient Safety Alert is intended to reinforce safe practice concerning the use of appropriate products for intravascular access device care and care of broken skin including wounds.
When providing skin care to resident’s staff should only use wipes marked as sterile on any broken skin including wounds.
7. Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care Board (BSOL ICB) - Dysphagia Safety (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
Social care workers and the Care Quality Commission attended a webinar presented by Nestle on Dysphagia Safety on 3 July 2025. There was a fantastic response to the training session delivered by Gail Summers from Nestlé. With over 250 social care professionals in attendance, the engagement and enthusiasm was beyond expectations. It was an amazing the interest in dysphagia safety. The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the value of the session. Look at the training hub for future sessions. If you would like an in-person dysphagia safety training session contact gail.summers@uk.nestle.com
8. Adult Community Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) team (Information for Birmingham Care Homes)
The Adult Community Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) team have recently updated their referral form. Please see below the link to their website which has contact details and a link to the new form on the right-hand side of the page. Please can all referrals be on this form from now on. If you have any queries about whether a referral is appropriate or whether they have already received a referral, please contact them by phone on 0121 466 2150 to discuss. Please use this link for further information:
9. REMINDER NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) Training Hub July 2025 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
The Birmingham and Solihull Training Hub Website is for those working in a primary or social care role in the Solihull / Birmingham area. The information is for students looking for support with career development or a visitor wanting to find out more.
Please use this link for training, further information and booking:
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.
The next sessions are:
11 July 2025 Virtual Training Session – Multi drug resistant organisms (MDRO)/Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
17 July 2025 Continuing Health Care Fast Track Pathway Training (July 2025) 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
21 July 2025 Introduction to Positive Approaches to Behaviour & Introduction to Safer De-escalation 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
29 July 2025 Medication Management - 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
30 July 2025 Mental Capacity Act Awareness Training - 9:30 am - 12:00 pm
10. REMINDER Hospices of Birmingham & Solihull (HOBS) - Training Sessions July and August 2025 (Information for Care Homes with Nursing in Birmingham and Solihull)
Please see below the upcoming HOBS Online (via Zoom) Training sessions in July and August 2025, with the booking links included below:
Mental Capacity - An Introduction to the Mental Health Capacity Act 2005
How to assess capacity
Best interest decisions
Wednesday 16 July, 1 Hour (1.00pm - 2.00pm)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1320083869389?aff=oddtdtcreator
Nausea & Vomiting
Common causes of nausea and vomiting in palliative care patients
Pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions
How to support with the emotional impact of severe symptoms at end of life
Wednesday 20 August 1 Hour (1.00pm - 2.00pm)
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1320087740969?aff=oddtdtcreator
Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please emailmarketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
11. REMINDER Birmingham Safeguarding Adults Board (BSA) - Safeguarding Adults Practitioner Forum 17 July 2025 (Information for all Birmingham Providers)
Booking is now available for the next Safeguarding Adults Practitioner Forum.
Date: 17 July 2025
Location: West Midlands Fire Service HQ, 99 Vauxhall Road, Birmingham B7 4HW
Time: 1:00pm - 4:30pm
Cost: Free
The Birmingham Safeguarding Adults Board are holding a frontline Practitioner Forum about Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards including Right Care Right Person and the obstacles front line Practitioners may face in Birmingham when working with adults with care and support needs, with a particular focus on prevention and safeguarding.
Places are limited and we ask that you only book if you are committed to attending this face-to-face session. If you do book and then not able to attend, please cancel the booking on Eventbrite.
The BSAB reserve the right to prioritise and cancel bookings.
For further information and booking: