What's New Bulletin 297- 7 May 2026
This is edition 297 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, Residential and Nursing Providers Online Forum 22 May 2026 (Information for Residential and Nursing Providers)
2. Birmingham City Council - Dementia Action Week 2026 Campaign (Information for all Providers)
3. REMINDER Birmingham City Council - CareMatch Portal Key Messages – Keeping User Accounts Up to Date (Information for Contracted Providers)
4. REMINDER Birmingham City Council – Birmingham Connect to Support (Information for all Providers Operating in Birmingham)
5. REMINDER Care Quality Commission (CQC) - Draft Assessment Frameworks – Deadline 12 June 2026 (Information for all Providers)
6. Mental Health Foundation – Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 (Information for all Providers)
7. REMINDER British Geriatrics Society - Free eLearning Course on Frailty (Information for all Providers)
8. REMINDER Skills for Care Updates for May 2026 (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)
9. REMINDER Birmingham City Council, Home Support and Supported Living Providers Online Forum 13 May 2026 (Information for Home Support and Supported Living Providers)
10. REMINDER Birmingham and Solihull Training Hub – Training dates in May 2026 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
11. Social Care Institute for Excellence Mental Capacity Act Training (Information for all Providers)
1. Birmingham City Council, Residential and Nursing Providers Online Forum 22 May 2026 (Information for Residential and Nursing Providers)
You are invited to join our next online forum for Residential and Nursing 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: Friday, 22 May 2026
Time: 11:00am – 12:30pm
Where: Microsoft Teams
Join the meeting:
Residential and Nursing Providers Online Forum 22 May 2026
Meeting ID: 356 307 074 697 195
Passcode: fZ276vP3
Agenda:
- Service and commissioning updates
- “Skills For Care” – update (Jamie Bloomfield – Locality Manager Skills for Care)
- 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.
2. Birmingham City Council - Dementia Action Week 2026 Campaign (Information for all Providers)
- Dementia Action Week 2026 (18–24 May)
Dementia Action Week 2026 (18–24 May) is a national awareness campaign led by the Alzheimer’s Society each year in the UK. It brings people together to raise awareness and support those affected by dementia. With 1 in 3 people currently undiagnosed, this year’s theme highlights the importance of early and accurate diagnosis, which can make a real difference to people and their families.
If you’re concerned that someone you care for is showing symptoms, encourage them to speak to their GP. Click the links below to find out why diagnosis is important and to download the Alzheimer’s Society checklist for dementia symptoms.
- Birmingham Dementia Hub
Visit the BCC Dementia Hub for clear, trusted information on what dementia is, its stages, accessing care and support, and planning for the future. The site is easy to use and signposts local services across Birmingham.
Visit the Birmingham Dementia campaign click below to find out how you can join in the free activities on offer in Birmingham.
- Call to action - Become a Dementia Friend Today!
Dementia changes lives, but understanding can change everything. Become a Dementia friend today and stand with people living with dementia and those who care for them. Click the link below to find out how you can become a Dementia Friend.
Together, we can make Birmingham more dementia‑friendly.
3. REMINDER Birmingham City Council - CareMatch Portal Key Messages – Keeping User Accounts Up to Date (Information for Contracted Providers)
Commissioning request providers to check that their CareMatch Portal Users are up to date. Section 8.7 of the User Guide for providers using Care Match Portal explains how to do this. If Users have left your organisation and no longer need access to the system, please contact marketintellingence@birmingham.gov.uk. This message would need to come from either a registered manager, owner, or staff that have the permission to Manage Users.
User Guide for providers using Care Match Portal
If you are not sure after reviewing the guidance how to check which Users are assigned to your organisation please contact marketintellingence@birmingham.gov.uk who can assist with this.
4. REMINDER Birmingham City Council – Birmingham Connect to Support (Information for all Providers Operating in Birmingham)
For any provider wishing to promote their services or any of their activities, please be aware that we are unable to include these in our Bulletin. You will be able to share your information using Birmingham Connect to Support though. You can do this by following the link below and clicking on ‘Products and Services’ at the top right, and then ‘Add a listing’ on the following page. This will take you through to a page where you can sign up to be able to add products and services.
Please use this link to access Connect to Support
CtS Home | Birmingham Connect to Support
5. REMINDER Care Quality Commission (CQC) - Draft Assessment Frameworks – Deadline 12 June 2026 (Information for all Providers)
The CQC’s proposals in their consultation ‘Better regulation, better care’ included moving away from a single assessment framework to separate frameworks that are more specific and relevant to the health and care sectors that they regulate. They have now developed an initial 4 draft sector-specific assessment frameworks for:
- adult social care
- mental health care
- primary care and community services
- secondary and specialist services (hospitals)
They would now like to hear your views about the draft frameworks. Your feedback will be used to further refine each framework ahead of testing this summer. Please use the links below to read the proposals and give your view. The period for sharing your feedback will close on Friday, 12 June 2026.
- News: Our update covering our proposals to evolve and improve our approach to assessing and rating health and social care providers
- Give your views on draft sector-specific assessment frameworks
6. Mental Health Foundation – Mental Health Awareness Week 2026 (Information for all Providers)
Mental Health Foundation (MHF) - Mental Health Awareness Week 11 – 17 May 2026
This Mental Health Awareness Week the MHF are asking people to join them in taking action to support good mental health. Even small actions can help you feel hopeful and less powerless. And while your individual actions matter, when we come together, we are even more powerful. Please use the link below for further information.
Mental Health Awareness Week | Mental Health Foundation
Become a workplace supporter - This site also includes information on becoming an official supporter of Mental Health Awareness Week and will gain you access to everything you need to get involved with the week, show your support and make a meaningful impact. Please use this link for further information
Championing Mental Health in the Workplace 2026
7. REMINDER British Geriatrics Society - Free eLearning Course on Frailty (Information for all Providers)
The link below takes you to a comprehensive in-depth resource on frailty in older people. It is aimed at health and social care professionals who provide care and services for older people living with frailty. This e-learning course is funded by NHS England and is free until the end of June 2026.
Frailty - Identification and Interventions | British Geriatrics Society [bgs.org.uk]
8. REMINDER Skills for Care Updates for May 2026 (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)
Please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk for the Skills for Care updates for May 2026.
9. REMINDER Birmingham City Council, Home Support and Supported Living Providers Online Forum 13 May 2026 (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:
Home Support & Supported Living Provider Forum
Meeting ID: 384 039 178 653 8
Passcode: ru7xC6vj
Agenda:
- Introduction
- Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC‑WDS (Jamie Bloomfield – Locality Manager Skills for Care)
- Risk Management
- Quality Monitoring Visits
- Provider Discussion – what would you like to see at the next forum?
Your insight and participation are very much valued, and we hope you can join us.
10. REMINDER Birmingham and Solihull Training Hub – Training dates in May 2026 (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:
13 May 2026 T.I.M.E Wound Assessment 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
14 May 2026 Lunch & Learn: Understanding Organ Harvesting 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
19 May 2026 Catheterisation Training 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
20 May 2026 Birmingham and Solihull Registered Managers Network Meeting 9:30 am - 11:30 am
20 May 2026 Syringe Driver Management 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
20 May Lunch & Learn: County Lines 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
20 May 2026 Symptom Management 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
21 May 2026 Social Care Institute for excellence Mental Capacity Act Training 12:30 pm - 22 May 5:00 pm
21 May 2026 Dysphagia Safety 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm
11. Social Care Institute for Excellence Mental Capacity Act Training (Information for all Providers)
Continuing Professional Development (CPD)-accredited training course will give you better knowledge and understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) for senior staff and managers. Thursday 21 and Friday 22 May 2026
Mental Capacity Act (MCA) training course for senior staff and managers - SCIE