COVID RELATED INFORMATION

1. Adult Social Care Infection Control and Testing Fund – 1 April to 30 June 2021 (Information for all CQC registered locations in Birmingham – care homes and community services)
2. Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake (information for all Birmingham providers)
3. UPDATED government guidance: Arrangements for visiting out of care homes (information for all care homes)
4. UPDATED government guidance: Visiting arrangements in care homes (information for all care homes)

IN OTHER NEWS

5. Message from the West Midlands ADASS – “Call to Care” care worker matching service (Information for all West Midlands providers)
6. REMINDER Birmingham Clear Air Zone (Information for all care providers operating in Birmingham)

COVID RELATED INFORMATION

1.Adult Social Care Infection Control and Testing Fund – 1 April to 30 June 2021 (Information for all CQC registered locations in Birmingham – care homes and community services)

Further to the Government announcement of the Adult Social Care Infection Control and Testing Fund, we have allocated funding to eligible care homes and community care locations in Birmingham. The following documents have been sent to all Birmingham care providers. If you don't have copies, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk

Grant conditions letters – this document forms the grant agreement and sets out further details, conditions, spending measures and reporting requirements.

Assurance Statement appendices – please complete and return this form to marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk by 21 May 2021 confirming acceptance of the grant funding and agreement to the conditions.

Allocation lists – this sets out the amounts distributed. We expect payments to reach bank accounts within the next 7 days.

2.Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake (information for all Birmingham providers)

Understandably there has been a lot of interest in Covid-19 vaccine uptake amongst care home residents and staff, as well as the wider adult social care workforce. We know that many of your staff were keen to get vaccinated and as a result, current Covid-19 vaccination levels across adult social care regulated provision in Birmingham are as follows (based on data from the National Capacity Tracker at 29/4/21):

• 91% of care home residents in older adults care homes have had their first vaccination
• 70% of all care homes staff have had their first vaccination
• 71.5% of staff in older adults care homes have had their first vaccination
• 66% of staff in younger adults care homes have had their first vaccination
• 52% of staff in non-care homes (Home Support/Supported Living/Extra Care) have had their first vaccination

We appreciate that managers have worked tirelessly - having conversations with staff, ensuring they have accurate information and outlining the benefits - however there is still some way to go before we meet the target of 80%. Current SAGE advice is that maximum protection is provided in care homes once 90% of residents and 80% of staff have received both vaccine doses. For non-care homes we clearly have much more to do to reduce the impact of Covid. For both care homes and non-care homes, please do continue to encourage your staff, make sure vaccine data is accurately recorded on the National Capacity Tracker and get in touch with the Council via marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk if there is any support you or your staff need with encouraging vaccine take-up.

Finally a reminder that the current national consultation on older adults care homes deploying vaccinated staff remains open until 21 May 2021. You can submit your comments and responses to the consultation questions by following the link below:

Consultation on making vaccination a condition of deployment in older adult care homes

3.UPDATED government guidance: Arrangements for visiting out of care homes (information for all care homes)

A letter dated 30 April 2021 from the Department of Health and Social Care regarding updated guidance on visits out of care homes has been sent to all care home providers. If you don't have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk

The full guidance can be reviewed below:

Arrangements for visiting out of the care home

4.UPDATED government guidance: Visiting arrangements in care homes (information for all care homes)

The above guidance sets out how care homes can support families and visitors to visit residents. The summary of guidance for visitors has been updated to include changes to PPE advice.

The full guidance can be reviewed below:

Visiting arrangements in care homes

IN OTHER NEWS…

5.Message from the West Midlands ADASS – “Call to Care” care worker matching service (Information for all West Midlands providers)

There are hundreds of potential care workers keen right now to work in independent adult care settings across the West Midlands. They have responded to the Government's national call for care workers to urgently support your work and build a long-term career in social care. You could be matched within days via a new free service that will put in you in touch with applicants who live in the region and want to work locally. The applicant matching service is being offered by the West Midlands Employers organisation (WME).

6.REMINDER Birmingham Clear Air Zone starts on 1 June 2021 (Information for all care providers operating in Birmingham)

The Clean Air Zone is everywhere within the A4540 Middleway (but not the Middleway itself) and the charging period is midnight to midnight with no limit on entry/exit within the area. The charge must be paid six days prior to the visit, the day of the visit or six days after. Failure to do so will result in a Fixed Penalty Notice being issued. Please ensure this message is shared with your staff and that you discuss this with all employees who use a car to get to work or to carry out their job role.

For more information, including temporary exemptions and financial incentives, please see Bulletin 31, item 9

Bulletin 31, with information on Birmingham Clear Air Zone