1. Birmingham City Council, Provider Focus Groups – Opportunity to Feedback to Birmingham City Council – Update on Next Steps (Information for all Care Providers that Support Citizens Funded by Birmingham City Council)

2. Birmingham City Council - Supporting Routine Health Investigations (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)

3. REMINDER Birmingham City Council - CareMatch Portal Key Messages – Password Resets (Information for Contracted Providers)

4. Forward Carers – Carers Week 8 – 12 June 2026 (Information for all Midlands Providers)

5. Care Quality Commission (CQC) Update for Adult Social Care Providers (Information for all Providers)

6. REMINDER Care Quality Commission (CQC) - Draft Assessment Frameworks – DEADLINE 12 June 2026 (Information for all Providers)

7. Skills for Care Updates for June 2026 (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)

8. REMINDER Birmingham and Solihull Training Hub – Training Dates in June 2026 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)

9. REMINDER Skills for Care – Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) Virtual Tour 16 June 2026 (Information for all Birmingham Providers)

10. REMINDER Birmingham City Council - Learning Disability, Autism and Mental Health Provider Forum (In person) – 18 June 2026 (Information for all Birmingham Providers)

11. REMINDER British Geriatrics Society - Free eLearning Course on Frailty until the end of June 2026 (Information for all Providers)

12. Birmingham Safeguarding Adults Board(BSAB) - Safeguarding Adults Practitioner Forum: Supporting Individuals Experiencing Self-Neglect 2 July 2026 (Information for all Birmingham Providers)

1. Birmingham City Council, Provider Focus Groups – Opportunity to Feedback to Birmingham City Council – Update on Next Steps (Information for all Care Providers that Support Citizens Funded by Birmingham City Council)

Four Provider Focus Groups were arranged in Autumn of last year (18 August / 20 August / 28 August / 2 September 2025) via Microsoft Teams. Each session ran for 90 minutes - they were open to all Care Providers that support citizens funded by Birmingham City Council.

The purpose of the Provider Focus Groups was to give you an opportunity to feedback on how you think the Council is performing in key areas – Social Work / Occupational Therapy / Safeguarding / Commissioning / Communication & Relationships.

Over the coming weeks / months we will update as to what actions we have taken in response to the feedback received.

The following is a progress update from the Commissioning Team, but should you require further information on this please email Market Intelligence at marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk

• Many providers said they don’t know who to contact for strategic discussions or weren’t aware such conversations were possible.
• Sharing of information collected via Market Intelligence Questionnaires was requested along with an understanding of how the data is used.

Not all care providers are aware of the Senior Commissioning Officer / Commissioning Officer as aligned to the five geographical areas of the city. These details can be found here:

Area Commissioning Teams – Contact and Care Provider Forum information

Steps will be taken to promote this detail and the wealth of other information that can be found at the Commissioning web pages at https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/stm. This will be via bulletin updates and other one-off communications by the Commissioning Team.

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.

Reminders of this will be shared periodically with the market via the weekly provider bulletin.

All contracted Home Support providers have been contacted by a Senior Commissioning Officer (SCO) / Commissioning Officer (CO) and all Care Homes / Supported Living providers have access to a SCO / CO. The Commissioning Team have ensured that all newly contracted Care Home and Supported Living providers have been prioritised for a 'meet and greet' by a SCO / CO. Provider forums have restarted and will take place every 3 months, details of which will be publicised via the weekly provider bulletin.

The Commissioning Team are working towards publishing anonymised data collected via the Market Intelligence Questionnaire to share with the market by the end of the year. Details of how the data collected for each question is shared with partners and used are included in the quarterly requests for the data; please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk to request a copy.

2. Birmingham City Council - Supporting Routine Health Investigations (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)

It is imperative as part of care provision that providers support citizens to ensure that they have regular health reviews.

This may mean that doctors or other health professionals require citizens to undergo health screening, for example the collection of urine or faecal samples or that citizens undergo more invasive tests, for example mammograms and prostate examinations.

It is the expectation that all citizens are supported to provide samples or attend appointments to ensure illnesses that may be potentially life threatening are diagnosed at the earliest opportunity and the appropriate treatment given.

Please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk for further information.

3. REMINDER Birmingham City Council - CareMatch Portal Key Messages – Password Resets (Information for Contracted Providers)

For security reasons, users will be asked to periodically update their passwords for access to CareMatch Portal. Below are some tips to assist with this.

Tip One - For updating passwords that are due for renewal – CareMatch Portal will now ask Users to reset their passwords every 90 days. Please be aware that individual browser settings may auto-populate new password fields with passwords saved for other sites. To avoid difficulty logging in following a password reset, please delete all auto filled password fields and type in your new password from scratch.

Tip Two - If you are logging in but receive the message below, please contact the Market Intelligence Team for your account to be unlocked before using a new password. If the account is locked before you requested a new password, it will remain locked. Once unlocked, you can use your new password.

“You have been locked out due, as your logon credentials have been repeatedly entered incorrectly. Please contact marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk”.

4. Forward Carers – Carers Week 8 – 12 June 2026 (Information for all Midlands Providers)

Carers Week 2026 takes place across the West Midlands from 8–12 June 2026, offering a wide range of opportunities for unpaid carers to access support, advice and wellbeing activities.

Events include hospital pop-ups providing guidance on discharge processes, local drop-in sessions, wellbeing workshops, and community marketplace events.

In Birmingham, a highlight is the Carers Week event at Symphony Hall on Wednesday 10 June (10am–3pm), bringing together partner organisations, information stands, workshops and entertainment in one place.

Many sessions are free and require no booking, making it easy for carers to attend. Colleagues are encouraged to share this information with carers they support and promote participation in local events. Please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk for the timetable of events.

5. Care Quality Commission (CQC) Update for Adult Social Care Providers (Information for all Providers)

Please use the link below for the regular CQC update for providers working in adult social care.

Adult social care: information for providers

6. 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.

• Better regulations, better care
• Give your views on draft sector-specific assessment frameworks

7.Skills for Care Updates for June 2026 (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)

Please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk for the Skills for Care updates for June 2026.

Headlines include:

• BSOL Registered Managers Network September meeting
• New BBCS ICS Cluster Social Care and Independent Sector Faculty relaunch event
• Adult Social Care – Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) Introduction and support webinars
• Funding for 26/27 to support workforce development
• ASYE Drop in sessions
• Strengthening recruitment and retention - Insights, recommendations and practical actions
• Care Workforce Pathway support programme - now recruiting new care providers
• Other Partner News

8. REMINDER Birmingham and Solihull Training Hub – Training Dates in June 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:

9 June 2026 Adult social care nursing: Leading through innovation 9:30 am - 4:00 pm

10 June 2026 Management of Biofilms in non-healing wounds 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

19 June 2026 Managing Dysphagia Workshops in 2026 9:30 am - 3:00 pm

24 June 2026 Palliative Care Emergencies 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

24 June 2026 Introduction to Loss and Grief 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

24 June 2026 Wellbeing/Caring for Each Other 3:45 pm - 5:15 pm

9. REMINDER Skills for Care – Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) Virtual Tour 16 June 2026 (Information for all Birmingham 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.

The service helps care providers run their business and manage their staff training needs. It can also provide access to funding for staff training.

The data collected is vital to the Government, the Department of Health and Social Care, local authorities and the Care Quality Commission as it allows them to plan, fund and monitor the sector.

Learn more about the ASC-WDS account benefits

The next ASC- WDS virtual tour is scheduled for the 16 June 2026 10:30 - 11:30am.

This session is designed to give social care providers who do not yet have an ASC- WDS account a demonstration of how the service works.

Care providers who already use ASC‑WDS may also wish to join as a refresher on how to make the most of their account. Please click below to register.

Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set

10. REMINDER Birmingham City Council - Learning Disability, Autism and Mental Health Provider Forum (In person) – 18 June 2026 (Information for all Birmingham Providers)

The next Learning Disability, Autism and Mental Health Provider Forum will take place on Thursday, 18 June 2026 in person 10:00am – 12:30pm kindly hosted at Precious Homes, 4 Ashfield Avenue, B14 7AP

Light refreshments will be provided. Full agenda to follow nearer the date.

If you would like to book a place, please book via the following form below.

Learning Disabilities, Autism and Mental Health Provider Forum

If you need to cancel your place after booking, please email Rebecca Claridgerebecca.claridge@birmingham.gov.uk

11. REMINDER British Geriatrics Society - Free eLearning Course on Frailty until the end of June 2026 (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

12. Birmingham Safeguarding Adults Board(BSAB) - Safeguarding Adults Practitioner Forum: Supporting Individuals Experiencing Self-Neglect 2 July 2026 (Information for all Birmingham Providers)

Bookings are now open for the next BSAB Safeguarding Adults Practitioner Forum: Supporting Individuals Experiencing Self-Neglect.

• Date: Thursday, 2 July 2026
• Location: The Hub at West Midlands Fire Service, 99 Vauxhall Road, Birmingham B74HW
• Time: 1:00pm – 4:30pm
• Cost: Free

Please click the link below to book your ticket

BSAB Practitioner Forum: Supporting Individuals who are Self-Neglecting

The Birmingham Safeguarding Adults Board is hosting a Practitioner Forum for frontline workers to explore practice challenges in responding to self-neglect, including barriers to engagement and the complexities practitioners may face when working with adults with care and support needs in Birmingham, with a focus on prevention and safeguarding.

Places are limited and we ask that you only book if you are committed to attending this face-to-face session. If you do book and are not able to attend, please cancel the booking on Eventbrite. The BSAB reserve the right to prioritise and cancel bookings.

We look forward to seeing you there.