What's New Bulletin 271 - 23 October 2025
This is edition 271 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. FINAL REMINDER Birmingham City Council - Home Support and Supported Living Market Intelligence Questionnaire (MIQ) – DEADLINE 28 October 2025 (Information for all Contracted Home Support 2024 and Supported Living 2023 Providers)
2. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) – Adult Social Care funding for Oliver McGowan Training now Available (Information for all Providers)
3. Home Office Update - International Recruitment and Immigration Changes – Home Office Overview Events (Information for all Providers)
4. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Update - Adult Social Care (ASC) Winter Letter 2025 to 2026 (Information for all Providers)
5. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme Grant Determination: 2025 to 2026 (Information for all Providers)
6. NHS England Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (Information for all Providers)
7. Skills for Care Updates for November 2025 (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)
8. RE MINDER NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) Training Hub October/November 2025 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Providers)
9. REMINDER Birmingham Community Healthcare (BCHC) NHS Foundation Trust - Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) - IPC Care Home Champions Annual Expo 24 October 2025 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
10. Birmingham Safeguarding Adults Board (BSAB) - Birmingham Self-neglect and Hoarding Birmingham Multi-Agency Guidance and Procedures Workshop 18 November 2025 (Information for all Birmingham Providers)
1. FINAL REMINDER Birmingham City Council - Home Support and Supported Living Market Intelligence Questionnaire (MIQ) – DEADLINE 28 October 2025 (Information for all Contracted Home Support 2024 and Supported Living 2023 Providers)
If your service holds 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 – October 2025
The deadline for completion is Tuesday 28 October 2025
The questionnaire is issued quarterly. Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
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. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) – Adult Social Care funding for Oliver McGowan Training now Available (Information for all Providers)
The DHSC have now provided a means by which adult social care providers can be reimbursed for Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism.
The Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme is now open and receiving for Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training on Learning Disability and Autism. This scheme helps remove barriers to training by offering reimbursement for eligible courses and qualifications including Oliver McGowan Training which supports adult social care staff to deliver quality service for autistic people and people with a learning disability.
The funding operates on a first-come, first-served basis, so we'd encourage employers to explore what's available as soon as possible. Staff work tirelessly to support some of our most vulnerable people, and they deserve high quality training.
Please use this link for full details:
Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme
or
3. Home Office Update - International Recruitment and Immigration Changes – Home Office Overview Events (Information for all Providers)
Following the recent immigration rules changes to end overseas recruitment of care workers and senior care workers, the Home Office and DHSC hosted a series of webinars for providers. The Home Office has produced a Q&A document about international recruitment that responds to some of the questions asked by participants at those sessions.
Immigration White paper – Key Immigration Rule Changes. The Home Office is hosting a series of online events between 22 October 2025 and 4 November 2025 to provide an overview of changes.
Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
4. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Update - Adult Social Care (ASC) Winter Letter 2025 to 2026 (Information for all Providers)
Please see below a link to ASC letter from Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State for Care, setting out the priorities for adult social care this winter.
Adult social care winter letter 2025 to 2026
5. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme Grant Determination: 2025 to 2026 (Information for all Providers)
Please use the link below for guidance on the Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme grant determination: 2025 to 2026.
Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme grant determination: 2025 to 2026 - GOV.UK
6. NHS England Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (Information for all Providers)
Please note that the NHS England Patient Safety Incident Response Framework will soon be implemented for social care. For further information, please visit the NHS England website and look for the Patient Safety Incident Response Framework section.
NHS England » Patient Safety Incident Response Framework
Free training is available here
NHS Patient Safety Syllabus training - elearning for healthcare
7. Skills for Care Updates for November 2025 (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
8. REMINDER NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) Training Hub October/November 2025 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Providers)
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:
28 October 2025 The DSPT and Data Protection in General for Home Care - 10:00 am - 11:00 am
28 October 2025 Managing Continence - 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
30 October 2025 Creating a positive workplace culture seminar - 10:00 am - 3:30 pm
30 October 2025 The DSPT and Data Protection in General for Care Homes - 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
3 November 2025 Midlands ASC-WDS (Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set) workshops 9:30 am - 10:30 am
3 November 2025 Safeguarding adults – for managers and newly appointed safeguarding leads 9:30 am - November 4 @ 5:00 pm
4 November 2025 A Mile in My Shoes – Dementia Awareness - 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
5 November 2025 The Palliative Care Pathway – preparing for Winter Pressures 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
6 November 2025 Positive Behaviour Support 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
6 November 2025 Continuing Health Care (CHC) Checklist Training (November 2025) 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
9. REMINDER Birmingham Community Healthcare (BCHC) NHS Foundation Trust - Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) - IPC Care Home Champions Annual Expo 24 October 2025 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
IPC Updates:
- 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.
10. Birmingham Safeguarding Adults Board (BSAB) - Birmingham Self-neglect and Hoarding Birmingham Multi-Agency Guidance and Procedures Workshop 18 November 2025 (Information for all Birmingham Providers)
BSAB are hosting a face-to-face Workshop about the use of the Birmingham Self-neglect and Hoarding Birmingham Multi-Agency Guidance and Procedures.
This guidance was implemented in Winter 2022 across Birmingham. BSAB are now in the process of reviewing these and would like to establish:
- The awareness of the Birmingham Self-neglect and Hoarding Birmingham Multi-Agency Guidance and Procedures
- How useful the guidance and procedures are
- Any barriers faced
The session is aimed at frontline staff and leaders from agencies across Birmingham who work with adults with care and support needs.
The session will be facilitated by Dr Carolyn Kus - BSAB Independent Chair and Ash Manzoor - BSAB Board Manager.
BSAB - Self Neglect Guidance and Process Workshop
Tuesday, 18 November 2025 9:30am – 12:00pm - The Hub at West Midlands Fire Service
Click here for further information and to enrol:
BSAB - Self Neglect Guidance and Process Workshop Tickets, Tue 18 Nov 2025 at 09:30 | Eventbrite