What's New Bulletin 266 - 18 September 2025
This is edition 266 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 Birmingham City Council – Home Support Provider Information Events – Introduction of Citizen Feedback Adjustment to Quality Scores CHANGE OF DATES 22 and 25 September 2025 (Information for Birmingham Contracted Home Support Providers)
2. REMINDER Birmingham City Council - Care Provider Cost Pressure Survey DEADLINE 24 September 2025 (Information for all Birmingham Contracted Care Providers)
3. Birmingham Community Healthcare (BCHC) NHS Foundation Trust - Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) - IPC Care Home Champions Updates (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
4. Care Quality Commission (CQC) SURVEY Share your experience on registration DEADLINE 29 September 2025 (Information for all Providers)
5. REMINDER Birmingham City Council - World Alzheimer's Month 2025 (Information for all Birmingham Providers)
6. REMINDER NHS England - Professional Strategy for Nursing and Midwifery SURVEY DEADLINE 29 September 2025 (Information for all Care Providers Who Employ Nurses)
7. REMINDER Skills for Care Updates for September 2025 (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)
8. REMINDER NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) Training Hub September 2025 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
1. REMINDER Birmingham City Council – Home Support Provider Information Events – Introduction of Citizen Feedback Adjustment to Quality Scores CHANGE OF DATES 22 and 25 September 2025 (Information for Birmingham Contracted Home Support Providers)
Birmingham City Council will be reintroducing the citizen feedback adjustment to provider quality scores from 24 September 2025. The quality score is used as part of the package of care allocation process on the CareMatch Portal to identify the highest quality offer. At these sessions we will remind providers of why we are introducing the citizen feedback adjustment and will explain the methodology to be used. We look forward to seeing you there.
Please save one of the following dates and times and click on a link below to register in advance to attend.
PLEASE NOTE THESE DATES HAVE CHANGED, apologies for any inconvenience caused:
22 September 2025 11:00am – 11:45am
Home Support Provider Information event 22 September 2025
25 September 2025 12:30pm – 1:15pm
Home Support Provider Information event 25 September 2025
Information about how the quality score will be calculated going forward will also be available on our Shaping the Market webpages here;
Quality monitoring visits | Birmingham City Council
2. REMINDER Birmingham City Council - Care Provider Cost Pressure Survey DEADLINE 24 September 2025 (Information for all Birmingham Contracted Care Providers)
As part of the Council’s 2025 approach to gathering evidence from care providers to inform our 2026 fee uplift proposals, we are seeking a range of feedback and information about last year’s fee increases, current and emerging cost pressures, and sustainability risks across the sector.
To facilitate this you are invited to complete an MS Form questionnaire and submit this to us by 12.00 midday on Wednesday, 24 September 2025.
N.B. there are two questionnaires, one for care homes and one for home support, supported living and extra care providers. The questionnaires are the same, but please complete the one appropriate to your service provision type. If your service is dual registered, e.g. a care home which also provides home support, and you can of course submit two questionnaires if the information you wish to submit is service type specific.
We want to assure you that any information you provide will be viewed by the Council only. Data shall be anonymised, aggregated and analysed. If the Council decides to publish or share any of the data or analysis this will be done on an anonymised basis and no individual information or comments will be attributed to a specific company or organisation.
Please see the links to the questionnaires below. Should you have queries in relation to the survey please email costofcare@birmingham.gov.uk
Care homes survey
https://forms.microsoft.com/e/3r2LCHm7nA
Home support, Supported Living, and Extra Care survey
https://forms.office.com/e/HbBsFsV2H6
3. Birmingham Community Healthcare (BCHC) NHS Foundation Trust - Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) - IPC Care Home Champions Updates (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
The IPC Care Home Champions newsletter for September has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
This edition of features articles on the following:
- IPC Champion of Champions Awards
- IPC Virtual Training
- SEPSIS Awareness Month
- Care Home Outbreaks
- All this and more...
Further IPC Updates:
- Wednesday, 15 October 2025 is Thank your Cleaners Day, please share how you’ve marked this day with IPC and your fellow IPC Champions.
- Friday, 24 October 2025 marks our third IPC Annual Expo, this is a walk-in event at Moseley Hall Hospital. IPC would like to invite their IPC Champions and Care Home friends and colleagues to attend between 10.00am – 3.00pm.
- Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk.
If you have any comments/queries regarding the above, require infection control advice/support, training, etc please contact the team via bchc.ipcdata1@nhs.net or 0121 466 6550
Thank you all for your continued engagement and support.
4. Care Quality Commission (CQC) SURVEY Share your experience on registration DEADLINE 29 September 2025 (Information for all Providers)
The first few months as a newly registered provider are important and the CQC want to make sure you feel supported every step of the way.
The CQC are inviting providers to complete a short survey to help improve its welcome communications. Your feedback will guide how they share key information, offer practical support, and signpost essential resources during the early stages of registration.
Please use the following link to complete the survey;
Project: Share your experience on registration | Care Quality Commission
5. REMINDER Birmingham City Council - World Alzheimer's Month 2025 (Information for all Birmingham Providers)
September is World Alzheimer’s Month, a global campaign to raise awareness of dementia and challenge stigma. This year the theme is “Ask about Dementia” and “Ask about Alzheimer’s”, encouraging open conversations to support early diagnosis and reduce stigma.
World Alzheimer’s Day is observed on 21 September 2025, alongside the release of the World Alzheimer Report by Alzheimer’s Disease International, which this year focuses on:
Throughout September, there are various events, activities, and initiatives taking place across Birmingham to mark the occasion. For details, please click on the links below and visit the Dementia Hub at Birmingham City Council for bitesize information about dementia from how to reduce your risk, why diagnosis is important and tips on how to talk to your GP as well as how you can get help with daily living or help to stay in your home. In addition to information, advice and support for carers and signposts to free awareness sessions for anyone supporting a family member or friend living with dementia.
Please share this with citizens and their families.
6. REMINDER NHS England - Professional Strategy for Nursing and Midwifery SURVEY DEADLINE 29 September 2025 (Information for all Care Providers Who Employ Nurses)
You are invited to complete this survey to inform the conversation and strategy:
Defining the next era of nursing and midwifery
To frame this part of the conversation, NHS England has identified a number of areas focussed on the profession’s role in working in and with neighbourhoods and communities, prevention and health promotion, addressing global health challenges, research and innovation, and digital and technology. We also need to consider how we better support all nurses, midwives and nursing associates to maximise opportunities throughout their career.
7. REMINDER Skills for Care Updates for September 2025 (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)
The Skills for Care updates for September 2025 has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
8. REMINDER NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) Training Hub September 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:
19 September 2025 WMCA Safeguardng Adults Awareness Course - 9:30 am - 1:30 pm
22 September 2025 Introduction to Positive Approaches to Behaviour & Introduction to Safer De-escalation - 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
22 September 2025 Global Majority Nursing network - 10:00 am - 12:30 pm
22 September 2025 Introduction to Positive Approaches to Behaviour & Introduction to Safer De-escalation - 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
22 September 2025 BSAB Practitioner Forum – Diabetes and Safeguarding Adults - 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm
23 September 2025 Falls Prevention - Role of the Falls Prevention Team - 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
23 September 2025 The DSPT and Data Protection in General for Home Care - 10:00 am - 11:00 am
24 September 2025 Person Centred Care - 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
24 September 2025 Catheterisation Training - 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
25 September 2025 Stoma Care Training - 9:00 am - 10:00 am
25 September 2025 HoBS - Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) - 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
26 September 2025 Dysphagia S