COVID-19 What's New Bulletin 44 - 3 June 2021
This is the forty fourth weekly 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.
COVID RELATED INFORMATION
- CONSULTATION OUTCOME: Stopping movement of staff between care settings (Information for all care homes)
- UPDATED GUIDANCE Arrangements for visiting out of the care home (Information for all care homes)
- CQC Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) tool for supported living and extra care sheltered housing (Information for all Supported Living and Extra Care Sheltered Housing providers)
- Department of Health and Social Care PPE survey (information for all care providers)
IN OTHER NEWS
- CQC New online resource to support culturally appropriate care (Information for all providers)
- CQC has launched their new strategy (Information for all providers)
1.CONSULTATION OUTCOME: Stopping movement of staff between care settings (Information for all care homes)
The government have published the outcome of the consultation, which ran from 13 November 2020 to 23 November 2020 on plans to minimise the risk of coronavirus (COVID-19) infections by making residential and nursing care home providers restrict the movement of care staff.
The government has decided not to progress with amending regulations to require care home provides to stop staff movement at this time. However, restricting the movement of staff between care settings remains essential to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in care homes. The government has published updated guidance on restricting staff movement between care homes and other care settings. This guidance makes clear that routine staff movement should not be taking place.
The full document can be read below:
Stopping movement of staff between care settings
2.UPDATED GUIDANCE Arrangements for visiting out of the care home (Information for all care homes)
This guidance sets out how care homes can support residents on visits outside of the care home. In ‘Visits out of care homes’, under ‘Individual risk assessments’, updated the guidance to reflect that private cars and taxis are acceptable to use for visits out of the care home.
The full document can be read here;
Arrangements for visiting out of the care home
3.CQC Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) tool for supported living and extra care sheltered housing (Information for all Supported Living and Extra Care Sheltered Housing providers)
The CQC have adapted their care home IPC methodology to be used in community settings such as supported living and extra care. This tool has been developed as a way to seek and give assurance that where providers have responsibility for IPC they are following best practice guidance and working with other relevant agencies to keep people safe.
Providers may find this tool useful for their own purposes.
The tool is not mandatory for CQC inspectors to use on inspection but may be used as part of a focused inspection (depending on the service), where they are looking at the Safe Key Question. It can also be used for targeted IPC inspections if needed. If used on inspection the findings using the tool will not be published on the CQC website.
You can read about the tool on the CQC website.
Infection prevention and control in supported living services and Extra Care housing
4.Department of Health and Social Care PPE survey (information for all care providers)
A new survey asks care providers to share their experiences of receiving personal protective equipment (PPE) via local authorities (LAs) or local resilience forums (LRFs). The Department of Health and Social Care will use your answers to improve communications and help resolve issues including access, quality and delivery.
IN OTHER NEWS……..
5.CQC New online resource to support culturally appropriate care (Information for all providers)
Culturally appropriate care (also called 'culturally competent care') is sensitive to people's cultural identity or heritage. It means being alert and responsive to beliefs or conventions that might be determined by cultural heritage.
The CQC have published information about culturally appropriate care on their website and is available below
6.CQC has launched their new strategy (Information for all providers)
CQC have launched their new strategy after extensive consultation with the public, providers of health and social care services, charities and other partners. CQC’s purpose of ensuring high-quality, safe care hasn’t change, but how it works to achieve this has.
A new strategy for the changing world of health and social care - CQC's strategy from 2021
CQC podcast about the new strategy
To help co-produce how the CQC will implement their strategy, sign up to their digital engagement platform below