COVID RELATED INFORMATION

1. Reminder regarding action needed for staff claiming medical exemptions to vaccination (information for all care homes in Birmingham)
2. NEW GUIDANCE – Restricting workforce movement between care homes and other care settings (information for all care homes)
3. NEW GUIDANCE – Workforce Capacity Fund for adult social care (information for all providers)
4. NEW GUIDANCE – Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing home care (information for home support providers)

IN OTHER NEWS

5. Message from the Birmingham Health Protection Response Team – Cold Weather Resources (information for all providers operating in Birmingham)
6. Liberty protection safeguards are coming (information for all providers)
7. BSOL Care Homes Managing Deterioration Survey (information for care homes in Birmingham and Solihull)

COVID 19 RELATED INFORMATION

1. Reminder regarding action needed for staff claiming medical exemptions to vaccination (information for all care homes in Birmingham)

Thank you for the work you have been doing with your workforce to ensure staff are double vaccinated or are medically exempt by the 11 November 2021 and engaging with commissioners to ensure effective business continuity planning. As a result of the hard work of yourselves, your staff and partners across health and social care, we are now showing that 96.9% of Birmingham care home staff have had their first dose and 95.5% have had the second. A huge thank you to everyone that has supported this outcome.

However, this message is a reminder that all staff that are either self-certifying as medically exempt or have a COVID pass stating they are medically exempt require a risk assessment carrying out to determine if they can continue with all or some of their duties from 11 November 2021. Any mitigations identified in the risk assessment process will also need to be put in place from the 11 November 2021. Please see the following Government guidance for further details;

Vaccination of people working or deployed in care homes: operational guidance

Please also ensure your staff start the process of applying for a COVID pass stating they are medically exempt as soon as possible, as this may take a number of weeks, and monitor progress towards attaining this before the deadline of 24 December 2021, after which staff that are not double vaccinated or have a COVID pass stating they are medically exempt will no longer be able to work in a care home. Business continuity plans will need to be kept under review as the 24 December 2021 deadline approaches.

The process for staff to follow to gain a COVID pass for a medical exemption is detailed in the following guidance;

COVID-19 medical exemptions: proving you are unable to get vaccinated

2. NEW GUIDANCE – Restricting workforce movement between care homes and other care settings (information for all care homes)

Revised guidance for care home providers on limiting staff movement between settings in all but exceptional circumstances to help reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.

A callout has been added that the guidance below is being updated, but is still applicable.

Restricting workforce movement between care homes and other care settings

3. NEW GUIDANCE – Workforce Capacity Fund for adult social care (information for all providers)

Three new attachments, ‘Workforce Capacity Fund: outcomes and findings, October 2021’, ‘Local authority spending data (WCF)’ and ‘Feedback survey results (WCF)’, have been added to information for local authorities and adult social care providers on the £120 million Workforce Capacity Fund during coronavirus (COVID-19)

Workforce Capacity Fund for adult social care

4. NEW GUIDANCE – Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing home care (information for home support providers)

Information for those providing personal care to people living in their own home during the coronavirus outbreak has been updated to reflect the latest clinical advice from UKHSA. Refer to the summary table in the guidance for a full breakdown of all the guidance updates.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing home care

IN OTHER NEWS……..

5. Message from the Birmingham Health Protection Response Team – Cold Weather Resources (information for all providers operating in Birmingham)

Last week marked the start of the Cold Weather Alert System, which forms part of the Cold Weather Plan for England. This plan aims to prevent the major avoidable effects on health during cold weather periods by raising awareness and sharing guidance to protect the most vulnerable.

Paying attention to cold weather is essential. Whilst it is a significant health risk for many people, simple preventative actions often could avoid many deaths, illnesses, and injuries associated with the cold.

Cold Weather Alert System

Cold Weather Plan for England

Please share the following resource information with your staff, service users and partner networks to help ensure there is ongoing awareness and preparedness during this time:

Heating your home

Organisation	Resource information	Link / Contact information
Birmingham City Council	BCC has produced guidance on several schemes now available to Birmingham residents to tackle fuel poverty, from free installation of central heating, switching energy supplier, support with fuel debts, energy saving measures, energy efficient appliances and more.	BCC guidance
Disability Resource Centre	DRC’s Energy Efficiency Advice Service provides energy related information and advice to disabled people and people with long term health conditions in Birmingham Black Country and South Staffordshire. ​DRC also deliver workshops in the community to allow people to become efficient and effective energy consumers.	DRC website Telephone: 03030 402040
Simple Energy Advice	SEA provide free advice on energy efficiency, grants and bills.	Telephone: 0800 444 202

Winter Wellness

Organisation	Resource information	Link / Contact information
Age UK	Age UK has produced guidance on keeping well this winter, including information on staying healthy, keeping spirits up, managing money, looking after each other, preparing for severe weather and getting the flu jab.	Age UK guidance
Birmingham City Council	BCC has produced guidance on staying safe during severe weather, including dedicated information on winter weather, thunderstorms and lightning, and gales and high winds.	BCC guidance
Groundswell	Groundswell has produced a winter health leaflet for people experiencing homelessness.	Groundswell leaflet
Met Office	The Met Office has produced a range of seasonal advice to help deal with the worst weather throws at us, including guidance on travel, your home, health and wellbeing, your community and being weather ready for winter.	Met Office guidance
NHS	The NHS has produced guidance on how to stay well in winter and this information is available in in large print, audio, British Sign Language and easy read versions.	NHS guidance
SignHealth	SignHealth has produced flu vaccine guidance in British Sign Language and regularly produces COVID-19 guidance in British Sign Language.	SignHealth flu guidance SignHealth COVID-19 guidance
UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)	UKHSA and Age UK have produced a leaflet on top tips for keeping warm and well this winter.

An image produced by the Council that summarises guidance on coping with cold weather and COVID-19 this winter and information from Age UK and the UK Health Security Agency, has been circulated to care providers. If you don't have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk

6. Liberty protection safeguards are coming (information for all providers)

Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS), which will replace Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), are due to come into force in 2022. The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) has produced a short video to encourage the sector to consider how LPS can promote practice which aligns with human rights and the core principles and duties of the Care Act 2014. You can watch the SCIE video below

SCIE video about Liberty Protection Safeguards

You can also access a series of LPS fact sheets on GOV.UK and read this blog to find out why social workers and other care colleagues welcome the changes to come.

LPS Fact Sheets

LPS Blog

7. BSOL Care Homes Managing Deterioration Survey (information for care homes in Birmingham and Solihull)

The survey is about the uptake of deterioration tools in care homes, and should be completed by either the Care Home Manager or appropriate designated lead.

Care homes in Birmingham and Solihull are asked to complete the survey below. If the link does not work, please clear your internet browser cache and try again.

BSOL Care Homes Managing Deterioration Survey