What's New Bulletin 68 - 18 November 2021

This is the sixty eighth 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

  1. URGENT ACTION REQUIRED Infection Control and Testing Funding Round 3 - Capacity Tracker not updated weekly (information for all Birmingham providers)
  2. REMINDER Resources for COVID-19 booster and flu vaccinations for social care staff (information for all providers)
  3. REMINDER Please ensure all vaccination information on the Capacity Tracker is up to date – Confirmation pop up added to the system (information for all providers)
  4. Compulsory Vaccination of Care Home Staff (information for all Care Homes)
  5. consultation outcome: Making vaccination a condition of deployment in the health and wider social care sector, Government response (information for all providers)

IN OTHER NEWS

  1. Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care awards – nominations needed (information for all providers)
  2. National Adult Social Care Recruitment campaigns (information for all providers)
  3. Update on NHSX iPads Support Extension (Information for Care Homes that received an NHSX iPad)
  4. EU Settlement Scheme (information for all providers)
  5. Better Security, Better Care - Expressions of Interest to be part of funded on data and cyber security – DEADLINE 19 November 2021 (Information for all providers)
  6. Skills for Care: How to make the most of student nurse placements (information for all providers)
  7. West Midlands Care Association is hosting a virtual coffee catch up (information for providers operating in Birmingham)

COVID 19 RELATED INFORMATION

1.URGENT ACTION REQUIRED Infection Control & Testing Funding Round 3 - Capacity Tracker not updated weekly (information for all Birmingham providers)

The Council is currently working through the process of administering the Infection Control and Testing Fund: round 3 grants. The work has highlighted a significant number of care homes and CQC registered community care locations are not completing the Capacity Tracker to the grant conditions requirement of at least once every 7 days. A list of locations that have not completed the Capacity Tracker on two consecutive weeks (the minimum requirement to be eligible for grant funding) between 20 September and 7 November, has been circulated to providers. If you don't have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk

We are keen that as many care providers as possible can benefit from the funding, so with immediate effect request that the Capacity Tracker is updated by all locations every 7 days. If compliance with the grant conditions cannot be demonstrated by 28 November 2021 grant funding will be withdrawn and reallocated.

The Capacity Tracker can be accessed below. If you need help or guidance in updating this information please contact the Capacity Tracker Support Team on 0191 691 3729 or email necsu.capacitytracker@nhs.net.

Capacity Tracker

2.REMINDER Resources for COVID-19 booster and flu vaccinations for social care staff (information for all providers)

Two new Q&A leaflets have been issued, focusing on COVID-19 booster and flu vaccinations this winter. You can download all care staff winter vaccine materials below, including posters, social media graphics and stickers.

A new winter vaccines communications toolkit is also available, featuring case studies, expert blogs and a range of materials to promote flu and COVID-19 boosters.

3.REMINDER Please ensure all vaccination information on the Capacity Tracker is up to date – Confirmation pop up added to the system (information for all providers)

Please ensure you are regularly updating the Capacity Tracker with COVID-19 vaccination information, including booster vaccinations and flu vaccinations.

For top tips on what information should be entered and where, please see our previous bulletin item below;

Bulletin 63, Item 4 - Capacity Tracker update for Care Home staff regarding COVID exemption self-certification and those vaccinated abroad

Please note, a new confirmation pop up has been added for Care Homes and Home Care provider in the Capacity Tracker. This has been added at the request of the Department of Health and Social Care as part of an additional assurance check that information provided reflects the 'current' position at your location(s). When saving the Daily Cost, Vacancies and Business Continuity page for Care Homes and the COVID 19 Daily Update page for Home Care, providers will now be asked to confirm that the information provided on the page has been reviewed and reflects the current position of the location. For Care Homes this includes the COVID vaccination exemptions, vaccinated abroad and booster dose information provided for all staff and residents.

The Capacity Tracker can be accessed via the link in Item 1 (above). If you need help or guidance in updating this information please contact the Capacity Tracker Support Team on 0191 691 3729 or email necsu.capacitytracker@nhs.net.

4.Compulsory Vaccination of Care Home Staff (information for all Care Homes)

As we have now passed the 11 November deadline requiring all Care Home staff and visiting professionals to be double vaccinated, please find attached a 'Do not enter' poster for the attention of unvaccinated care home workers & visiting professionals which you may find useful to display in your Care Home.

For any staff self-certifying as having a medical exemption, please ensure they start the process of applying for a COVID pass stating they are medically exempt as soon as possible. This process may take a number of weeks, therefore it is important to monitor your staffs 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 your 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

If you find you are experiencing staffing difficulties, then please do get in touch with your Area Commissioners at the earliest opportunity. Contact details of your Area Commissioners can be found below;

Who to contact in the commissioning team | Birmingham City Council

5.Consultation outcome: Making vaccination a condition of deployment in the health and wider social care sector, Government response (information for all providers)

The Government has published its response to the consultation on “Making vaccination a condition of deployment in the health and wider social care sector”.  Subject to parliamentary passage, new regulations will come into force on 1 April 2022 requiring providers of CQC-regulated activities to only deploy individuals who have received a full course of COVID-19 vaccination in line with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance to roles where they interact with patients and service users.

These regulations will require workers who have direct, face to face contact with service users to provide evidence that they have been vaccinated, subject to limited exceptions below. This will include front-line workers, as well as non-clinical workers not directly involved in patient care but who nevertheless may have direct, face to-face contact with patients, such as receptionists, ward clerks, porters and cleaners. They will also apply where a regulated activity is delivered through agency workers, volunteers or trainees, or contracted to another provider.

Some individuals will be exempt from the regulations:

• those under the age of 18

• those who are clinically exempt from COVID-19 vaccination

• those who have taken part or are currently taking part in a clinical trial for a COVID-19 vaccine

• those who do not have direct, face to face contact with a service user, for example, those providing care remotely, such as through triage or telephone consultations or managerial staff working in sites apart from patient areas

• those providing care as part of a shared lives agreement

The full consultation response can be found below:

Consultation outcome overview: Making vaccination a condition of deployment in the health and wider social care sector

IN OTHER NEWS ………………

6.Chief Nursing Adult Social Care awards – nominations needed (information for all providers)

The Chief Nursing Adult Social Care awards have been developed to reward the significant and outstanding contribution made by social care workers and nurses in England and their exceptional contribution to nursing and social care. The addition of the Adult Social Care workforce to these national awards for exceptional individuals demonstrates the recognition across the whole health and social care system of excellence.

Nomination forms have been circulated to care providers. If you don't have copies, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk. There is also an online link below

New award to recognise exceptional practice in adult social care workforce

7. National Adult Social Care Recruitment campaign, ‘Made with Care’ (information for all providers)

This is a reminder that the Department of Health and Social Care’s national adult social care recruitment campaign, ‘Made with Care’, has been launched and will run continuously until March 2022. Created to support care providers in recruiting the dedicated staff they need, this campaign will show the amazing work that care workers do, celebrate the way they empower the people they care for, and shine a light on the emotional rewards of the role, to inspire more people to consider a career in adult social care.

‘Made with Care’ advertising will direct job seekers to the campaign websiteHere they will be able to find everything they need to research a career in adult social care and, crucially, search and apply for adult social care jobs near them through DWP ‘Find a Job’.

Made with Care campaign website

DWP 'Find a job in social care'

8.Update on NHSX iPads Support Extension (Information for Care Homes that received an NHSX iPad)

So that there's not a sudden loss of support for care homes over the winter, NHSX are extending the funding for the Mobile Device Management (MDM) and support until summer 2022. This is part of the Winter Plan to support social care, and the service will continue to be delivered by J24.

The extension is offered on an opt-out basis. This means that all iPads will be transferred to the extended MDM with no change to their set-up, unless a care home gets in touch to opt-out of the extension (NHSX will be issues a survey soon with this option). Care providers and staff who want to continue to have NHSX funded support, don't have to take any action. 

NHSX have evaluated the sim card packages for the iPads and won't be continuing to fund the sim card package over winter. This means that care homes will need to use their own wifi (which most are already doing) or purchase a data only sim themselves. NHSX have already let care homes with iPads know about this.

To answer any queries you may have, NHSX are holding a virtual drop-in session at 3pm on Thursday 18 November, please contact ipad.offer@nhsx.nhs.uk for details of how to join.

NHSX has commissioned Revealing Reality to do an independent evaluation of the iPads project. NHSX want to use the evaluation to help better meet people's needs with future projects. To do this, they need to hear from a range of care staff and providers in the research. To take part please register via the link below, or contact emma.donnelly@nhsx.nhs.uk for more information.

NHSX iPad evaluation

9.EU Settlement Scheme (information for all providers)

The deadline to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme was 30 June 2021 for most people. You can still apply if you have ‘reasonable grounds’ for why you did not apply by the deadline. For example if you are a vulnerable citizen.

The Home Office has announced continuation of funding until the end of March 2022 for many Grant Funded Organisations who are able to provide direct guidance to vulnerable adults who have yet to apply and to those who require support in submitting appeals. The link to these organisations can be found below. All organisations assisting vulnerable adults are encouraged to make contact without delay.

Get help applying to the EU Settlement Scheme

ADASS are hosting a series of webinars, covering the latest position and updates about the EU Settlement Scheme and ongoing issues facing Local Authorities, Principal Social Workers and all organisations supporting vulnerable EU/EEA adults. These will be on the 24 November and the 8 December. Please use the following link to book a place;

 ADASS EU Settlement Scheme webinars

10.Better Security, Better Care - Expressions of Interest to be part of funded on data and cyber security – DEADLINE 19 November 2021 (Information for all providers)

The Better Security, Better Care programme is supporting adult social care providers to improve their data and cyber security arrangements through the use of the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT). The programme is seeking  partners to deliver six new, fully-funded projects. All projects are to be completed by 31 March 2022 and deadline for Expressions of Interest is 19 November.

Projects include:

  1. Training and skills development for the care sector
  2. Supporting people drawing on social care to make informed choices about digital security
  3.  Supporting non-traditional care providers to become DSPT compliant
  4. Learning from other sectors using DSPT (e.g. dentists, pharmacies, opticians
  5. Identify the key market drivers for a digital support service
  6. Evaluation of Better Security, Better Care programme

To find out more and how to take part, please visit:

Opportunities with Better Security, Better Care - Digital Social Care

11.Skills for Care: How to make the most of student nurse placements (information for all providers)

With the help of practitioners from the workforce and input from people who need care and support, Skills for Care has launched a guide which supports the understanding of nursing placements within social care settings. This is the first time such guidance has been produced, and it’s thanks to funding from Health Education England that they’ve been able to do so.

For employers, it’s a quick and easy way to identify what type of experience their setting can offer to a student nurse and how it maps to the nursing curriculum (future nurse standards of proficiency) by using the ten descriptions of different social care settings included in the guide.

Future nurse standards of proficiency

This gives employers a fantastic opportunity to not only develop their training offer but also develop their staff by encouraging them to think about how they could support student nurses in the workplace.

Get involved by using #WeAreSocialCareNurses on social media. To find out more and download the guide, please visit:

How to make the most of student nurse placements

12.West Midlands Care Association is hosting a virtual coffee catch up (information for providers operating in Birmingham)

West Midlands Care Association is hosting a virtual coffee catch up via Zoom, to give providers the opportunity to get together with their colleagues, within the Birmingham area, to discuss recent goings on in the industry, offering support and listening ears in an informal, safe environment. To request joining instructions, please contact enquiries@wmca.care

Tuesday 23 November-

  • Sutton/Erdington- 11am-11:30am
  • Ladywood/Perry Barr- 12:00pm-12:30pm

Wednesday 1 December-

  • 1:30pm - 2pm- Yardley/Hodge Hill
  • 2:30pm - 3pm- Selly Oak/Edgbaston
  • 3:30pm - 4pm- Longbridge/Northfield

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