What's New Bulletin 59 - 16 September 2021
This is the fifty ninth 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
- COVID Vaccine for Care Home Staff (information for Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
- COVID-19 Response: Autumn and Winter Plan 2021 (Information for all providers)
- Government Press Release: Most vulnerable to be offered COVID-19 booster vaccines from next week (Information for all Care Homes)
- REMINDER Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Champion/Lead Study Day – 22 and 23 September 2021 (information for Birmingham Care Homes)
- Business continuity briefings for care homes - mitigating risk of possible staff shortages from 11 November - DATES 21 and 24 September 2021 (information for Birmingham Care Homes)
- REMINDER Please ensure you are regularly updating the Capacity Tracker with staff vaccination information (information for all care homes)
- NEW GUIDANCE Easy read version of COVID-19 vaccination of people working or volunteering in care homes published (information for all care homes)
- CONSULTATION LAUNCH: Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for frontline care and health staff – 22 October 2021 deadline for responses (Information for all home support, supported living, extra care sheltered housing providers)
- Flu immunisation for social care staff: PHE release new guidance materials (Information for all providers)
- Social Care Day of Remembrance and Reflection (information for all providers)
IN OTHER NEWS
- REMINDER Open Book 2021 exercise (information for all providers contracted with Birmingham City Council)
- Capacity Tracker – Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Survey into Workforce Challenges September 2021 (information for all providers)
- REMINDER Webinar on the Care Quality Commission's new monitoring approach – 20 September 2021 (information for all providers)
COVID 19 RELATED INFORMATION
1.COVID Vaccine for Care Home Staff (information for Birmingham and Solihull care homes)
The legal deadline for care home staff to have their COVID vaccinations is now upon us, but we would still like to encourage and support as many staff as possible to have their first or second vaccination(s), in order to meet the deadline of 11 November, to be double vaccinated.
Please find updated communications materials below, to support your conversations with your staff.
Poster: Updated poster (three) to display in prominent staff areas. This is being sent to you by post.
Video: An updated short video can be used on social media, or any other suitable online channels you have, will be shared very soon.
Medical exemption: Temporary medical exemptions have now been announced which will apply until 12 weeks after the Covid Pass system goes live. Staff will be able to self-certify for a range of conditions which are included in the Temporary medical exemptions for COVID-19 vaccination of people working or deployed in care homes guidance - see below. Please do make sure you review this with relevant staff.
Further resources: There are a range of resources and FAQs available on the Birmingham and Solihull vaccination website below:
What you need to know – Birmingham & Solihull NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Service
Where to go for a vaccination: Please inform staff that it is quick and easy to have a vaccination, with many sites now available across Birmingham and Solihull, with no appointment needed. For the latest information, visit:
Walk-ins – Birmingham & Solihull NHS COVID-19 Vaccination Service
We will be in touch again next week, with new communications materials and information, specifically regarding second doses.
2. COVID-19 Response: Autumn and Winter Plan 2021 (Information for all providers)
The government has published the ‘COVID-19 Response – Autumn and Winter Plan 2021’ setting out plans for autumn and winter 2021/22 in England.
Read the press release below
Prime Minister sets out autumn and winter Covid plan
Read the full plan below:
COVID-19 Response: Autumn and Winter Plan 2021
3. Government Press Release: Most vulnerable to be offered COVID-19 booster vaccines from next week (Information for all Care Homes)
Millions of vulnerable people are to be offered a COVID-19 booster vaccine from next week as the government confirms it has accepted the final advice from the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
The programme will be rolled out to the same priority groups as previously. This means care home residents, health and social care workers, people aged over 50, those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19, adult carers, and adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals will be prioritised.
However, there will be flexibility in the programme, allowing all those eligible to receive their booster from 6 months after their second doses. This approach will allow more vulnerable people to be given their boosters quicker.
Read the full press release below
Most vulnerable to be offered COVID-19 booster vaccines from next week
4. REMINDER Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Champion/Lead Study Day – 22 and 23 September 2021 (information for Birmingham Care Homes)
Birmingham care homes are invited by Birmingham Community Health Care Trust (BCHC) and Birmingham City Council to send their IPC champions/IPC leads to a study day at Birmingham City Football Stadium on either the 22 or 23 September 2021. The aim of the day is to enable IPC champions/leads to identify and support improvement with infection prevention and control practice within their workplace and to build a network of champions to drive improvement/share good practice across the sector.
To book please contact the IPC Care Home Team on 0121 466 6550 (option 5) or email IPCdata@nhs.net
Please see our previous bulletin item for further information about IPC champions and the BCHC dedicated IPC service to care homes;
Bulletin 46, Item 5 - Birmingham Infection Control Service.
5. Business continuity briefings for care homes - mitigating risk of possible staff shortages from 11 November - DATES 21 and 24 September 2021 (information for Birmingham Care Homes)
Thank you to all of you who have engaged with Commissioners over the last few weeks by submitting information on vaccine uptake in your home. The next stage of the project is to ensure all providers have robust business continuity plans to mitigate any risk associated with potential shortages of staff on 11 November.
The Council’s Corporate Resilience Team will be holding 2 briefings with care home providers. These will be practical discussions to support homes with considering the key issues and also how to develop a business continuity plan.
The dates of the virtual meetings are 21 September 2021 2:30pm to 4pm and 24 September 2021 9.30am to 11am.
Please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk to book a space and you will be sent an invitation to join the Microsoft Teams meeting. There will be a presentation by Georgie Collett from the Council’s Corporate Resilience Team and then an opportunity for you to ask any questions relating to business continuity. A Commissioning Manager will also be available on the call to answer questions.
In the week commencing 27 September all care home providers will then be asked to submit their business continuity plans, we will be able to give you a template if required and also some prompts to consider. Commissioners will require that business continuity plans are returned within 5 business days. Commissioning Officers will review each business continuity plan before the end of October and work with you to ensure plans are robust and to identify any support that the Council or partners may be able to offer.
We do hope you will be able to join one of the sessions next week.
6. REMINDER Please ensure you are regularly updating the Capacity Tracker with staff vaccination information (information for all care homes)
Please ensure you are regularly updating the vaccination questions in the Capacity Tracker as this data is used by Adult Social Care Staff and Health colleagues to target resources and assess risk. Guidance on updating these questions is available in the What's New section of the Resource Centre, after you have logged in to the Capacity Tracker. You can also contact the Capacity Tracker Support Team on 0191 691 3729 or email necsu.capacitytracker@nhs.net
7. NEW GUIDANCE Easy read version of COVID-19 vaccination of people working or volunteering in care homes published (information for all care homes)
From 11 November 2021, anyone working or volunteering in a care home will need to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus (COVID-19), unless exempt. This guidance has now been published in easy read format.
The full guidance can be found below:
COVID-19 vaccination of people working or volunteering in care homes (easy read)
8. CONSULTATION LAUNCH: Mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for frontline care and health staff – 22 October 2021 deadline for responses (Information for all home support, supported living, extra care sheltered housing providers)
The Government is seeking views on plans for staff in health and care settings in England to be required to have COVID-19 and flu vaccines to protect vulnerable people.
A six-week consultation has launched looking at whether requirements should apply for health and care workers (not just those working in care homes), those in contact with patients, and people receiving care
Consultation on mandatory vaccination for frontline health and care staff
It would mean only those who are fully vaccinated, unless medically exempt, could be deployed to deliver health and care services. The consultation will also seek views on whether flu vaccines should be a requirement for health and care workers.
Read the full consultation document and find out how to take part below:
Making vaccination a condition of deployment in the health and wider social care sector
9. Flu immunisation for social care staff: PHE release new guidance materials (Information for all providers)
Flu vaccination for social care staff directly working with people clinically vulnerable to flu is strongly encouraged. Public Health England (PHE) have developed this guidance to support staff to ensure there is high uptake of the flu vaccine this season.
Those eligible for a flu vaccination include all social care workers and social care workers working with children who are clinically vulnerable to flu.
Download the guidance and resources below:
Flu immunisation for social care staff
10. Social Care Day of Remembrance and Reflection (information for all providers)
The past year has been a difficult time for the entire adult social care workforce, which is why a Social Care Day of Remembrance and Reflection has been launched, hosted by The Care Workers' Charity and fully endorsed by the Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Deborah Sturdy in a heartfelt post for the DHSC Social Care blog. The day, announced during this year's Professional Care Workers' Week will take place in March 2022.
Meanwhile, care colleagues can make use of a life assurance scheme for frontline NHS and social care staff who contract coronavirus during the course of their work. It is non-contributory and covers staff who provide care for people who have contracted coronavirus or who work in health or social care settings where the virus is present. Details of how to claim can be found on the NHS Business Services Authority website.
Find out more about how you can pay tribute to colleagues past and present below
Social Care Day of Remembrance and Reflection
Deborah Sturdy's post for the DHSC Social Care blog
NHS and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme
IN OTHER NEWS…………….
11. REMINDER Open Book 2021 exercise (information for all providers contracted with Birmingham City Council)
Further to previous bulletins, we want to take this opportunity to remind you of the Open Book 2021 cost gathering and analysis exercise for Care Homes and CQC Registered Home Support and Supported Living Locations. A letter providing further details and instructions, as well as the care cost templates which we encourage you to complete, have been circulated to providers. If you don't have copies, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
Completed forms should be submitted to OpenBook2021@birmingham.gov.uk by 3 October 2021. In addition to the instructions and in-form guidance you can email us at OpenBook2021@birmingham.gov.uk with any questions or clarifications, and we will do our best to support you.
Thank you in advance for your participation.
12. Capacity Tracker – Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Survey into Workforce Challenges September 2021 (information for all providers)
DHSC are asking Care Homes and Home Care providers to complete a short survey available within Capacity Tracker from 13 September onwards. In the past few weeks, DHSC has heard from the sector and care organisations who they work closely with, that challenges in sustaining sufficient workforce capacity and capability are increasing, with some reports that this is now more difficult than ever before, or during the height of the pandemic. Reports suggest that absences, staff leaving and increased difficulty in recruiting new staff, are all factors contributing to the challenges.
However, these reports are not currently reflected in the workforce-related data that DHSC have. Monthly staff vacancy rates reported by Skills for Care do not appear to be rising significantly (and are still below pre-pandemic levels) and DHSC is not seeing significant increases in absence rates or providers reporting ‘Red’ workforce status in Capacity Tracker, which remain lower than at the peak of the pandemic.
To better understand the workforce challenges the sector is facing, and to plan what measures DHSC could introduce to support providers, they are asking both home care and care home providers to provide feedback through this short survey. All the surveys completed by providers are extremely valuable and will be reviewed by DHSC. Although each survey is not anonymous (as DHSC would like to understand more about where these pressures are greatest) an assurance is given that individual provider details will not be shared outside of DHSC.
Completing the Survey
- Once logged in to the Capacity Tracker (see item 6 above), Care Home and Home Care providers can access the survey via the Home Screen, then selecting their provider Setup/Update tile and the DHSC Workforce Challenges September 21 Survey hyperlink option
- The survey should take less than 5 minutes to complete
- DHSC may ask you to repeat this survey in the future to track if the situation is worsening or improving but will only do this if absolutely necessary
If you have any questions about the DHSC Workforce Challenges September 2021’ Survey, please email Capacitytracker-guidance@dhsc.gov.uk
13. REMINDER Webinar on the Care Quality Commission's new monitoring approach – 20 September 2021 (information for all providers)
Join the CQC webinar to hear how they are monitoring and prioritising inspections at the moment. You'll also be able to ask questions through the live chat. This event is aimed at providers and professionals who work in health and social care, organisations who represent them, and other stakeholders. It will take place on 20 September at 3pm and will be led by Sue Howard, Deputy Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care.
CQC will discuss our monitoring approach which is a development from the transitional monitoring they did last year. The developments carry on the progress in how they monitor services in three key areas by:
- improving their ability to monitor risk to help CQC be more targeted in their regulatory activity
- bringing information together in one place for inspection teams, presented in a way that supports inspectors with their decision making
- testing elements of how they want to work in the future, including how they provide a more up-to-date view of risk for people who use services.
You can find more information about the CQC’s monitoring approach below:
What to expect from CQC's new monitoring approach
You can register for the webinar below: