COVID RELATED INFORMATION

1. REMINDER Care Homes COVID compulsory vaccination survey, deadline 31 July (Information for Birmingham Care Homes)
2. Infection Control and Testing Fund (ICTF) Extension – (allocations to care homes and CQC registered community care providers with CQC locations in Birmingham)
3. Infection Control and Testing Fund Extension – Application process for discretionary funding (information for care providers with CQC locations in Birmingham)
4. NEW GUIDANCE Frontline health and care staff can work rather than self-isolate (Information for all care providers)
5. UPDATED GUIDANCE Visiting arrangements in care homes (Information for all Care Homes)
6. UPDATED GUIDANCE Arrangements for visiting out of the care home – (Information for all care homes)
7. UPDATED GUIDANCE Coronavirus (COVID-19): admission and care of people in care homes (Information for all Care Homes)
8. UPDATED GUIDANCE Supported living services during coronavirus (COVID-19) (All supported living providers)

IN OTHER NEWS

9. PHE warns of increased health risks as hot weather extends to Friday 23 July (Information for all providers)
10. UPDATE Care Quality Commission (CQC) new guidance for health and social care providers on the new monitoring approach (information for all care providers)

COVID 19 RELATED INFORMATION

1.REMINDER Care Homes COVID compulsory vaccination survey, deadline 31 July (Information for Birmingham Care Homes)

As you will no doubt be aware from the national press release from 16 June 2021, the Government are currently preparing Regulations to allow only vaccinated staff to be deployed into care homes. This includes anyone who has to enter the care home for work including carers, administrative staff, maintenance staff, care home managers and owners, District Nurses, GP’s, social workers, CQC inspectors, faith leaders, therapists, tradespeople etc.

National press release about COVID 19 vaccination of staff in care homes

We know that current vaccine uptake rates across care home staff varies significantly and we do appreciate there is very little confirmed detail at present. However, we are conducting a short survey to help us understand the impact on care homes across the City and to ensure we can collectively mitigate any potential risks of this decision.

We will be conducting a similar survey with potential visiting professionals that we are able to identify, to ensure we do our best to identify any risks.

The deadline for completing this survey is Sunday 31 July 2021

Please use the following link to complete the survey;

Birmingham Care Homes compulsory COVID 19 vaccination survey

2. Infection Control and Testing Fund (ICTF) Extension – allocations to care homes and CQC registered community care providers with CQC locations in Birmingham

Further the government announcement of the extension of the Infection Control and Testing Fund (July to September 2021) the Council is distributing allocations of the automatic passported element of the grant to care homes and community care providers. Grant compliant care homes have been made an allocation of Infection Control funding and Rapid Testing funding. Grant compliant community care providers have been made an allocation of Infection Control funding only.

We have made the decision to recoup unspent Infection Control Fund 2 (ICF2) grants (October 2020 to March 2021) and Rapid Testing Fund (RTF) grants (January to March 2021), by deducting the amounts from this current round of allocations.

• For Locations which declared unspent funds in the April ICF2 and RTF spend returns we will deduct the amount from the ICTF Extension allocation. Where the amount to be deducted is greater than the allocation, no payment will be made and we shall invoice the location for the difference.
• For Locations which did not complete April ICF2 and RTF spend returns the Council is required to seek repayment of the whole grant amount. Allocations for the ICTF Extension will be made but not paid at this point. In these cases we will email the Registered Manager of the home to set out the position, the amount which the Council is seeking to be repaid and will be invoicing for. Only when the matter of previous unspent funds has been resolved will the ICTF Extension allocation be paid.

Allocation lists setting out all of the ICTF Extension allocations have been circulated to care providers. If you don't have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk . For locations which declared unspent ICF2 and RTF funds the list will show the amount deducted and the net payment amount. Where the net payment amount is a negative figure this is the amount we shall invoice the location for. For those locations which did not submit ICF2 and RTF spend returns the ICTF Extension allocation will still be listed, but you will not receive payment and we shall be in contact with the Location’s Registered Manager with further instructions.

Grant conditions letters setting out full details have been circulated to care providers. If you don't have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk Please note the changes to applicable spending measures. Cost to avoid public transport and accommodation costs are no longer a use of the direct funding to care locations; and All testing costs (PCR and lateral flow) are now to be met from the testing funding.

Please complete the Assurance Statement for each location that have been sent to care providers and return these to marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk by Friday 20 August 2021. If you don't have a copy of the Assurance Statement form, please email that address.

Further reporting instructions will be issued through the weekly bulletin.

3. Infection Control and Testing Fund Extension – Application process for discretionary funding (information for care providers with CQC locations in Birmingham)

Further to the government announcement of the extension of the Infection Control and Testing Fund (ICTF), the Council has made the decision to make the discretionary element of the grant funding available to care homes, CQC registered community care locations and day centres through an application process (Please note this is separate to the Infection Control and Rapid Testing Fund elements of the ICTF Extension which are passported automatically to care homes and Infection Control Funds passported automatically to community care locations). The total amount of available funding through this process is as follows:

Infection Control - £694,580.87

Rapid Testing - £606,372.00

The size of allocations made through this process will be dependent upon the number of applications, however our intention is to allocate 70% of the available funds to care homes and 30% to CQC community care locations and day centres. The Council reserves the right not to make allocations or vary the amount of the allocation if the location is not compliant with the grant conditions, or we have reason to believe that the funds will not be spend on measures identified in the grant conditions.

Care homes, CQC registered community care locations and day centres located in Birmingham wishing to apply for discretionary funding should complete and submit the relevant application form below.

Care Homes discretionary fund application form

Day Centres discretionary fund application form

Community Care discretionary fund application form

The deadline for submission of applications is 11.59pm Sunday 8 August, after which applications will no longer be accepted.

4. NEW GUIDANCE Frontline health and care staff can work rather than self-isolate (Information for all care providers)

Frontline NHS and social care staff can attend work rather than self-isolate with testing mitigations in exceptional circumstances under updated guidance.

Please read the full guidance below:

Guidance - Frontline health and care staff can work rather than self-isolate

5. UPDATED GUIDANCE Visiting arrangements in care homes (Information for all Care Homes)

This guidance sets out how care homes can support families and visitors to visit residents. It has been updated to reflect that from 19 July, restrictions will be removed on the number of visitors care home residents can receive overall or on any one day.

Please also see attached the letter from the Minister of State relating to this change in guidance. Visitors will be asked to continue to book appointments, take a test on the day of their visit to the care home, wear a mask throughout their visit, wash hands thoroughly on arrival, and limit close contact with residents. All staff, residents and visitors should be encouraged and supported to get the vaccine as soon as they are able.

The full guidance can be viewed below:

Visiting arrangements in care homes

6. 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. It has been updated to clarify advice on self-isolation, and arrangements for care home staff accompanying residents out of the care home.

The full guidance can be reviewed below:

Arrangements for visiting out of the care home

7. UPDATED GUIDANCE Coronavirus (COVID-19): admission and care of people in care homes (Information for all Care Homes)

This guidance covers how to protect care home residents and staff during the coronavirus outbreak. It has been updated to clarify that where a resident is being admitted from another care home or care facility, care home managers should undertake a risk assessment to determine whether self-isolation is required.

The full guidance can be reviewed below:

Coronavirus (COVID-19): admission and care of people in care homes

8. UPDATED GUIDANCE Supported living services during coronavirus (COVID-19) (information for all supported living providers)

This guidance is for providers of supported living settings. The ‘COVID-19: guidance for supported living’ section has been updated to clarify the policy on limiting close contact and visiting in and out of supported living settings.

The full guidance can be reviewed below:

Supported living services during coronavirus (COVID-19)

IN OTHER NEWS………………..

9. PHE warns of increased health risks as hot weather extends to Friday 23 July (Information for all providers)

Public Health England (PHE) has extended its heat-health alert to Friday 23 July as the Met Office forecasts hot weather will continue for a few more days. Much of England can expect hot weather, particularly in the South West and parts of southern and central England. High temperatures are also expected to persist in these areas overnight offering little respite throughout this period.

Health risks can increase over a prolonged period of heat. PHE has issued a Level 3 heat-health alert which is supported by an amber extreme heat warning issued on 21 July 2021 by the Met Office. The full news story, including the top ways to stay safe during a heatwave, can be read below

Heat-health alert issued by Public Health England - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Please ensure you

• Activate business continuity plans (possible surge in demand)
• Check indoor temperatures are monitored, adjusted and recorded regularly
• Prioritise vulnerable individuals to use cool rooms
• Ensure staff can help and advise clients including access to cool rooms, close monitoring of vulnerable individuals, reducing internal temperatures through shading, turning off unnecessary lights/equipment, cooling building at night
• Ensure discharge planning takes home temperatures and support into account

Please find attached the following Public Health England resources to share with staff and service users where appropriate;

• Beat the heat - Keeping residents safe and well during COVID-19
• Beat the heat – Coping with heat and COVID-19

These resources can also be accessed from the following webpage;

Heatwave-plan-for-england

10. UPDATE Care Quality Commission (CQC) new guidance for health and social care providers on the new monitoring approach (information for all care providers)

The CQC have published information on changes they are making to how they regulate. These changes are now live for all providers (except NHS trusts and dental services). You can read about their monitoring approach and what to expect as the CQC update the way we work on their website

Read the full statement from the CQC Chief Inspector below:

Statement from CQC Chief Inspectors on developing their monitoring approach