What's New Bulletin 267 - 25 September 2025
This is edition 267 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. Birmingham City Council – New Home Support Provider Quality Scores in CareMatch Portal (Information for Birmingham Contracted Home Support Providers)
2. REMINDER Birmingham City Council - Care Provider Cost Pressure Survey DEADLINE extended to Mon 29 September 2025 (Information for all Birmingham Contracted Care Providers)
3. REMINDER 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. Capacity Tracker Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Updates September 2025 (Information for all Providers)
5. NHS England Midlands Controlled Drugs Team September 2025 - Care Homes Controlled Drugs Newsletter (Information for all Midlands Home Care Providers)
6. REMINDER Care Quality Commission (CQC) SURVEY Share your experience on registration DEADLINE 29 September 2025 (Information for all Providers)
7. REMINDER NHS England - Professional Strategy for Nursing and Midwifery SURVEY DEADLINE 29 September 2025 (Information for all Care Providers Who Employ Nurses)
8. Community Care Collaborative Update - Connect Newsletter for 2025 (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)
9. REMINDER NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) Training Hub September and October 2025 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
10. Birmingham City Council - Free Falls and Frailty Sessions for citizens – 8 and 9 October 2025 (Information for all Birmingham Providers)
1. Birmingham City Council – New Home Support Provider Quality Scores in CareMatch Portal (Information for Birmingham Contracted Home Support Providers)
Birmingham City Council have reintroduced the citizen feedback adjustment to the home support 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.
Providers can see their new quality score in the Care Services Directory here;
The Care Directory - care in Birmingham | Birmingham City Council
The scores will be updated in the CareMatch Portal on the third Wednesday of the month and the Care Services Directory will aim to be updated by the following Friday.
Information about how the quality score is calculated will be available on our Shaping the Market webpages shortly a long with material from the provider engagement events ran on the 22 September and today, 25 September 2025, outlining the new methodology;
Quality monitoring visits | Birmingham City Council
2. REMINDER Birmingham City Council - Care Provider Cost Pressure Survey DEADLINE Extended to Monday 29 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 midnight on Monday, 29 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. REMINDER Birmingham Community Healthcare (BCHC) NHS Foundation Trust - Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) - IPC Care Home Champions Updates (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
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. Capacity Tracker Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Updates September 2025 (Information for all Providers)
Please see below a link to the changes made to Capacity Tracker, which were implemented on Wednesday 24 September 2025.
20250923 whats new september draft.pdf
For support with the Capacity Tracker, please see details below:
- For system support and guidance - please contact NECS Capacity Tracker Support Centre - 0191 691 3729 or necsu.capacitytracker@nhs.net (Open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm, excluding public holidays)
- Changing registration, closing, change of ownership – please contact the CQC - T: 03000 616161, E: enquiries@cqc.org.uk, CQC Provider Portal (Open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.30pm, excluding public holidays)
If you receive an enforcement notice – please contact the NHS Business Services Authority Enforcement Team (NHSBSA) – T: 0300 330 2088, E: enforcement@nhsbsa.nhs.uk (Open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm
5. NHS England Midlands Controlled Drugs Team September 2025 - Care Homes Controlled Drugs Newsletter (Information for all Midlands Home Care Providers)
Please find below a link to the Controlled Drugs Team’s Newsletter for your information. This newsletter contains information to support safe use and handling of controlled drugs in care homes. Please contact Samantha.ewing4@nhs.net for further advice.
Care Homes Controlled Drugs Newsletter
6. REMINDER 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 (see lik below) 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
7. 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
8. Community Care Collaborative Update - Connect Newsletter for 2025 (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)
The latest newsletter for the Community Care Collaborative, is now available. Please take a moment to read the newsletter;
9. REMINDER NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) Training Hub September and October 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:
- 26 September 2025 Dysphagia Safety 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
- 29 September 2025 Involving those affected by patient safety incidents in the learning process
- 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
- 1 October 2025 Navigating the new immigration landscape in the Health & Care sector - 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
- 2 October 2025 Mental Health Awareness - 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
- 2 October 2025 HoBS - Medicine Management at End of Life - 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
- 2 October 2025 Continuing Health Care (CHC) Checklist Training (October 2025) - 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
- 2 October 2025 WMCA Autumn Providers Conference “Taking your social care business forward in an uncertain world” - 9:30 am - 3:00 pm
- 6 October 2025 Introduction to Positive Approaches to Behaviour & Introduction to Safer De-escalation - 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
- 8 October 2025 Reducing Dressing Changes, Improving Clinical Outcomes - 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
- 9 October 2025 Managing Mental Health in a Care Home setting - 10:00 am - 11:00 am
10. Birmingham City Council - Free Falls and Frailty Sessions for Citizens – 8 and 9 October 2025 (Information for all Birmingham Providers)
Birmingham City Council is working with the NHS to provide free walking stick ferrules replacement (the rubber end to a walking sticks and frames) and mobility support, aimed at adults who are at risk of falling to provide information and support to help them feels safer and move more confidently.
Birmingham City Council offer FREE:
- 3-hour drop-in sessions with local NHS professionals
- Walking stick tip (ferrules) checks and replacement (the rubber end to a walking sticks and frames
- Referrals to specialist falls services
Come and speak to your community NHS professionals about ways you can stay well, no booking needed.
Upcoming sessions:
- 8 October 2025 – Hawkesley Community Centre, Kings Norton, 11.00am – 2.00pm
- 9 October 2025 – Cocks Moors Leisure Centre, Kings Heath, 12.00pm – 3.00pm
The information about the sessions is also available on
Please share as appropriate with any