Care Matters Weekly: Friday 18 December 2020

Please be aware that this is the final Care Matters Weekly update for 2020 and they will resume on Fridays from 8 January 2021.

Urgent news will still be updated on the Sutton Care Hub before then.

This is the Care Matters Weekly update for Friday 18 December 2020, including information on:

• COVID-19 vaccine frontline staff survey
• Care at Christmas
• Sutton Care Bulletin launch
• LFD testing – flowchart and FAQs
• Homecare testing
• Testing over the festive period
• Additional reminders regarding testing
• Weekly Q&A with Care Homes

The latest guidance on Testing, PPE and Training can be found in the relevant sections on the Sutton Care Hub website.

COVID-19 vaccine frontline staff survey 

The vaccine is our best protection against the virus and will be key to enabling us to return to our normal way of living. For more information on the vaccine please visit the Sutton Care Hub’s COVID-19 page.

As a member of our frontline staff in Sutton, your role as an ambassador in this process is key. Equipped with accurate, reliable information, you are well placed to be able to best advise those individuals and their families you support who will be in-line to receive the vaccine. 

Across the South West London Health and Care Partnership we are asking health and care staff to give us their views about the COVID-19 vaccination. Please complete this short survey by Sunday 20 December.

Please share your honest opinions. The survey should only take around 10 minutes to complete.

Everyone who completes a survey will have the opportunity to be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 Amazon voucher.  

The survey will close on Sunday 20 December 2020. Thank you for taking the time to share your views. 

Care at Christmas

The response to Sutton Council’s Care at Christmas initiative was incredibly positive, with 19 local schools making cards and letters of thanks, producing art and videos to be shared with the borough’s 79 care homes.

Packages were sent out for delivery this week, so should now be with providers.

As part of this project, local schools have also helped produce Sutton’s very own 12 Days of Christmas. Keep checking the link for updated content for residents and staff to enjoy each day in the build up to 25 December.

Sutton Care Bulletin launch 

The first edition of the Sutton Care Bulletin launched this week. Please sign up for future bulletins.

LFD testing: Flowchart and FAQs

Information on Lateral Flow Device testing has been added to the relevant page of the Sutton Care Hub’s COVID-19 section. There is also the latest guidance on how best to use them and a list of FAQs compiled by the Council’s Public Health team and Sutton Health and Care.

Homecare testing 

Every agency that has ordered test kits has now either received their kits or will receive them this week.

You will be able to order your next round of test kits 21 days after your email to confirm the delivery date of your last order of kits.

You will receive an email confirming when you are eligible to place an order for your next round of test kits.

Please visit the government’s website for further guidance for home care worker testing.

Testing over the festive period

Regular testing should continue over the festive period.

Collections from Royal Mail priority post boxes will be made every day except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, however, there will be a special collection timetable operating between these days. This means there will be fewer collections, and collections will be earlier than usual.

Please ask all your homecare workers to check their nearest priority box before they test during this period, and ensure they post their test at least an hour before the last collection.

Ordinarily, we have asked homecare workers to test on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, but during the festive period, people can also test on Wednesday 23 and Wednesday 30 December.

Additional reminders regarding testing 

• Regular testing of staff and residents in care homes must continue until further guidance has been provided by the DHSC.
• Once you receive the results of your regular testing, submit them using the online form. 
• When ordering your home’s supply of PCR test kits, please ensure you request enough to complete all of the necessary testing, for all staff and residents, to cover the period before you are able to reorder. 
• Staff should not attend work if they have any symptoms e.g. a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or loss of/change in sense of smell or taste.
• If you have any queries relating to testing, you can contact the national Coronavirus Testing Contact Centre by calling 119. Lines are open 7 days a week, 7am – 11pm.

Weekly Q&A with Care Homes

We are holding a weekly Q&A session for all Care Home Providers, every Wednesday 4 – 5pm, via google meet. The session will give you an opportunity to ask questions and discuss situations arising due to COVID-19. The session is optional, and you can drop in and out of the session as you are available.

If you have any questions you would like to share in advance of the session please send to [email protected] and mark FOR Q&A LOG. Questions may be asked during the session which have not been submitted in advance, however please note we may need to come back to you with an answer at a later date.