1. REMINDER Birmingham City Council, Home Support and Supported Living Market Intelligence Questionnaire DEADLINE 1 May 2026 (MIQ) – (Information for all Providers Holding the Home Support 2024 and Supported Living 2023 Contracts)

2. REMINDER Birmingham City Council, Care Homes Market Intelligence Questionnaire (MIQ) – April 2026 – DEADLINE 28 April 2026 (Information for all Birmingham and Contracted Care Homes)

3. Birmingham City Council - Who to Contact in the Adult Commissioning - Regulated Care Team (Information for all Birmingham and Contracted Providers)

4. Birmingham City Council - Safeguarding Portal (Information for all Birmingham and Contracted Providers)

5. REMINDER Birmingham City Council, Supporting Care Home Residents to Vote on 7 May 2026 (Information for Birmingham Care Homes)

6. CONSULTATION UK Health Security Agency update shared by Infection Prevention and Control DEADLINE 20 May 2026 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)

7. Birmingham Public Health - NHS Healthy Choices Quiz (Information for all Providers)

8. REMINDER Birmingham and Solihull Training Hub (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)

9. REMINDER Birmingham City Council, Modern Slavery Lunch & Learn Series, April – May 2026 dates (Information for all Birmingham and Contracted Providers)

10. Skills for Care ASC-WDS Workshop 30 April 2026 - Create an ASC-WDS Account - Access Funding and Help the Sector (Information for all Providers)

11. REMINDER Birmingham Community Healthcare (BCHC) NHS Foundation Trust - Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) - WHO World Hygiene Day Event – 5 May 2026 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)

12. REMINDER Birmingham City Council, Home Support and Supported Living Providers Online Forum (Information for Home Support and Supported Living Providers)

1. REMINDER Birmingham City Council, Home Support and Supported Living Market Intelligence Questionnaire DEADLINE 1 May 2026 (MIQ) – (Information for all Providers Holding the Home Support 2024 and Supported Living 2023 Contracts)

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 – April 2026

The deadline for completion is Friday 1 May 2026

A copy of the questionnaire is available for reference, and to assist in collecting the data required. It must not be used to submit your answers to us. If you would like a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk.

The questionnaire is issued quarterly. A briefing is available which provides details of the questions, information about our approach, and how the data we are requesting will be used. If you would like a copy or need further information, please emailmarketintelligence@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. REMINDER Birmingham City Council, Care Homes Market Intelligence Questionnaire (MIQ) – April 2026 – DEADLINE 28 April 2026 (Information for all Birmingham and Contracted Care Homes)

Please click this link to access the questionnaire:

Care Home MIQ April 2026

The deadline for completion is Tuesday 28 April 2026

This questionnaire is issued quarterly. If you would like details of the questions, please emailmarketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk

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 is available about our approach and how the data we are requesting will be used. A PDF version of the questionnaire is also available for review in advance of completing the online questionnaire. please emailmarketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk.

Report possible abuse or neglect of an adult with care and support needs

3. Birmingham City Council - Who to Contact in the Adult Commissioning - Regulated Care Team (Information for all Birmingham and Contracted Providers)

Commissioning officers are aligned to the five geographical areas of the City and are an assigned point of contact for contracted homes support, supported living, extra care sheltered housing, care home and nursing home providers. The contact deta
ils for commissioning officers in your area can be found here:

Area Commissioning Teams – Contact and Care Provider Forum information

Please also visit our Shaping the Market web pages for a wealth of information on tender opportunities, commissioning mechanisms and systems, our quality monitoring process, fees and payment arrangements, and good practice resources:

Information for care providers

Our Market Position Statements (MPS) are also available within these web pages to help explain our strategic approach to commissioning and priorities and to assist providers in making effective business planning decisions:

Market position statements

For enquiries about an MPS, strategic dialogue or future market developments, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk who will redirect your enquiry accordingly.

For new provider enquiries about how to apply to join our open contracts or any issues with using the CareMatch Portal, please contact marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk

4. Birmingham City Council - Safeguarding Portal (Information for all Birmingham and Contracted Providers)

Care providers are requested to submit safeguarding concerns via the online safeguarding portal wherever possible. Further information and guidance on using the portal and a practice guide on reporting a concern can be found here:

Report possible abuse or neglect of an adult with care and support needs

The following link should always be used to access the portal, and forms should not be saved at risk of not having the updated version if online form is reviewed and amended:

Birmingham CC - Initial Contact

Using the portal:

• Ensures concerns are recorded accurately and promptly
• This will help us triage and respond more effectively
• Provides a clear audit trail for both providers and the local authority

If you experience any difficulties accessing the portal or require support, please contact CSAdultSocialCare@birmingham.gov.uk or call 0121 303 1234 up to 5pm.

Thank you for your continued cooperation and commitment to keeping people safe.

5. REMINDER Birmingham City Council, Supporting Care Home Residents to Vote on 7 May 2026 (Information for Birmingham Care Homes)

Birmingham City Council are requesting the support of care home providers to enable service users to vote and take part in the upcoming election on 7 May 2026. The Electoral Commission have developed guidance to help care staff support the people they care for to vote;

IER - Supporting Applicants to Register.

There are also resources available for voting in England in a number of different languages and aimed at people with different needs; including people who are blind and partially sighted, deaf or hard of hearing and people with learning disabilities and/or autism;

Resources to support specific groups

You can find more information about the different ways service users can vote on our

How to vote

6. CONSULTATION UK Health Security Agency update shared by Infection Prevention and Control DEADLINE 20 May 2026 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)

A consultation on the updated Adult Social Care (ASC) Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) resource is now open until 20 May 2026.

The DHSC commissioned UKHSA to consolidate and update previous Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Resource for Adult Social Care (ASC) guidance to better support the sector in preventing and managing infections. It has been developed through review of existing materials, expert input, evidence review and alignment with policy.

This consultation seeks feedback from key stakeholders on the draft Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Resource for Adult Social Care (ASC). The aim is to ensure the content is accurate, accessible and practical for use across the adult social care sector. Your input will help refine and strengthen the final version before publication

Feedback on the IPC resources is encouraged to ensure the final version of this document meets the needs of ASC Providers particularly in relation to the highlighted areas below:

• whether the guidance is clear, accessible, and easy to navigate.
• how practical and workable it is in real‑world ASC settings.
• whether it reflects current practice and sector needs; and
• any gaps, areas for clarification, or additional support materials that would be helpful.

Please use this link for the consultation documents and feedback form, you will need to click ‘Download all’ to access the documentation

DHSC ASC IPC Consultation Documents - Fast.io

All feedback, questions or correspondence relating to the consultation should be sent to: ascipcresource@dhsc.gov.uk. Please send your responses to this email address to support effective management and collation of feedback by close of play Wednesday 20 May.

7. Birmingham Public Health - NHS Healthy Choices Quiz (Information for all Providers)

Birmingham Public Health are supporting the Department of Health and Social Care and the NHS on a campaign encouraging all adults to take the Healthy Choices Quiz.

This health and wellbeing quiz aims to empower citizens to take control of their health by making small changes day to day. The quiz focuses on 6 lifestyle behaviours – eating, movement, alcohol consumption, smoking and vaping, mental health and sleep. On completion, citizens are directed to advice and guidance for areas they could improve, including a range of free NHS apps and tools.

Birmingham Public Health are asking for your support by posting the assets in the link below on social media to help raise awareness. This will help to reach more citizens and promote healthier choices across our communities.

Thank you for helping to amplify this important resource!

Social media assets are available to download here:

NHS Healthy Choices Quiz Assets - Google Drive

The Quiz can be accessed here:

Healthy Choices Quiz

8. REMINDER Birmingham and Solihull 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

The next sessions are:

27 April 2026 Advance Care Planning 9:30 am - 12:30 pm

27 April 2026 Foundations in Adult Palliative and End of Life Care – 4-day programme

27 April 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

20 May 9:30 am – 4:00 pm

2 June 9:30 am – 3:00 pm

24 June 12:00 pm - 5:15 pm

27 April 2026 Assessment and Care Planning 1:00 pm 2:15 pm

27 April 2026 Care in the Dying Phase 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

29 April 2026 Palliative Care Emergencies 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

29 April 2026 Lunch & Learn: Understanding Sexual Exploitation 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm

29 April 2026 Introduction to Loss and Grief 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

29 April 2026 Wellbeing/Caring for Each Other 3:45 pm - 5:15 pm

9. REMINDER Birmingham City Council, Modern Slavery Lunch & Learn Series, April – May 2026 dates (Information for all Birmingham and Contracted Providers)

We’re excited to launch a new series of 30‑minute Lunch & Learn webinars, developed in partnership with the West Midlands Anti‑Slavery Network (WMASN). These sessions dive into the specific indicators of different types of exploitation, the support available, and the referral pathways you need to know when responding to concerns.

These sessions are aimed at people in a frontline role, commissioning, housing, social care, community safety, or working with partner agencies.

Why attend?

• Quickly build confidence in spotting exploitation

• Strengthen your understanding of safeguarding duties

• Hear real‑world insights from WMASN experts

• Know exactly where to refer and how to get support

• Boost your professional knowledge over lunch

Upcoming Sessions:

• Understanding Sexual Exploitation – 29 April 2026
• Understanding Domestic Servitude – 5 May 2026
• Understanding Organ Harvesting – 14 May 2026
• County Lines – 20 May 2026

10. Skills for Care ASC-WDS Workshop 30 April 2026 - Create an ASC-WDS Account - Access Funding and Help the Sector (Information for all Providers)

The Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) is a free online data collection service that covers the adult social care workforce in England. Data from ASC-WDS is used by key decision makers and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) when planning, funding and monitoring the sector.

Skills for Care have been holding workshops for you to learn about the benefits of ASC-WDS and

a live demo on how to set up an account. The next workshop will be Thursday, 30 April 2026 - 10:30am - 11:30am

This will be covering:

• What ASC-WDS is and how the data is used by key stakeholders
• Benefits of creating an account
• Live demo
• What you’ll need to create an account
• Q&A

Please use this link to sign up for the session:

ASC-WDS Webinar – 30 April 2026

11. REMINDER Birmingham Community Healthcare (BCHC) NHS Foundation Trust - Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) - WHO World Hygiene Day Event – 5 May 2026 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)

Tuesday, 5 May 2026 is WHO World Hygiene Day, IPC are looking for volunteers from care homes to take part in this year’s event. Please contact bchc.ipcdata1@nhs.net to register your interest.

If you have comments/queries or require infection control advice/support, training, etc please contact the team viabchc.ipcdata1@nhs.net or 0121 466 6550

12. REMINDER Birmingham City Council, Home Support and Supported Living Providers Online Forum (Information for Home Support and Supported Living Providers)

You are invited to join our next online forum for Home Support and Supported Living providers. This session will be an opportunity to share updates, raise any issues, and continue working together to strengthen support for people across the city.

When:Wednesday, 13 May 2026
Time:1:30pm – 3:00pm
Where:Microsoft Teams

Join the meeting:
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/3840391786538?p=ZTkHWV6EA3bh4TheFl

Meeting ID: 384 039 178 653 8
Passcode: ru7xC6vj

Agenda:

• Service and commissioning updates
• How commissioners evaluate risk and assess quality
• Space for providers to raise questions and suggest items for the next forum

Your insight and participation are very much valued, and we hope you can join us.