Care Matters Weekly: Friday 29 January 2021

This is the Care Matters Weekly update for Friday 29 January 2021, including information on:

• Vaccine update: Care Homes and Home Care providers
• Rapid testing funding
• Rapid testing sites in Sutton
• Streamlined process for outbreak management
• Home Care providers webinar
• Capacity tracker webinars
• Sutton Care Hub survey
• Weekly Q&A with Care Homes
• EUSS – deadline approaching!
• Weekly Information Sharing FAQs, update from the CCG
  • Q&A sessions for staff
  • COVID-19 vaccine
  • Incentive for weekend admissions from hospitals
  • Infection Prevention and Control Information Sharing Webinar for Care Homes
• Wellbeing line provides mental health support

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

Vaccine update: Care Homes and Home Care providers 

As of this week, all Care Homes and Home Care providers registered within Sutton, and Home Care providers commissioned by the London Borough of Sutton, have been sent updated information on the vaccine rollout across South West London for Frontline Health & Social Care Staff.

Individual Eligibility Letters for employees have been sent directly to providers via email, setting out the new process across South West London.

If you are a member of frontline Health & Social Care staff, your employer should be discussing the vaccine with you and issuing you with a letter of eligibility on how to book a vaccine slot.

Providers are reminded to update their relevant national or local reporting system with numbers of staff that have been vaccinated.

Rapid Testing Funding

The London Borough of Sutton has been awarded £527,000 of funding to support Care Homes with the rollout of Lateral Flow testing. 

All Care Homes registered within the borough were sent a letter setting out individual Care Home allocations, on Monday 25 January.

Please note that the deadline for response from Care Homes to pull down their allocation is today, Friday 29 January 2021.

There’s more information in this news update and on the government’s website.

Rapid testing sites in Sutton 

There is a rapid testing site at the Civic Centre in Sutton. It is now open to all staff working in or for the London Borough of Sutton to book a regular weekly test.

Rapid test appointments can be booked online. The Civic Centre site is open weekdays between 8.00am-8.00pm (Monday-Friday).  We are encouraging all staff that do not have access to regular testing to access this provision.

Please be aware that lateral flow tests are for people who do not have symptoms of coronavirus and have not received a positive test for COVID-19 within the last 90 days. They are a self-administered nose and throat swab and this short video explains how the testing process works. 

There’s more information in a recent news update on the Sutton Care Hub.

Streamlined process for outbreak management

The Sutton Health and Care system has developed a streamlined process for outbreak management which utilises specialist skills from different parts of the system.

As soon as a provider receives notification of a positive test result it is imperative that they share this information accurately and at the earliest point by contacting the PHE LCRC on 030 0303 0450 or [email protected] and the Daily Outbreak Control Group on [email protected]

The sooner PHE LCRC and the Sutton Health and Care system are alerted to any issue, prompt and appropriate remedial action can be taken to manage the infection and / or outbreak.

Home Care providers webinar

Home Care providers will have received invitations to a webinar on Tuesday 2 February at 2pm, which will provide updates on testing, vaccinations and infection control payments.

Capacity Tracker webinars

Capacity Tracker have been running 30-minute Webinars for Care Homes at 2:00pm on a Friday, which will be extending into February (see the joining information below).

If any homes want a ‘back-to-basics’ Webinar with Capacity Tracker then please let Paul Harper ([email protected]) know and arrangements will be made.

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join on your computer or mobile app: Click here to join the meeting

Or call in (audio only): +44 20 3794 0272,,70481561#   

United Kingdom, London

Phone Conference ID: 704 815 61#

Find a local number | Reset PIN

Learn More | Meeting options

Sutton Care Hub survey 

We launched the Sutton Care Hub in November 2020 as the single point of access for guidance, resources and information for all staff working across all Sutton’s provider services.

As we move onto phases two and three, we would like to get your feedback to ensure we are developing the site in a way which is most useful for you.

Please complete this short survey to let us know your thoughts.

Weekly Q&A with Care Homes

We are holding a weekly Q&A session for all Care Home Providers, every Wednesday 11am – 12pm, 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.

European Union Settlement Scheme – deadline approaching

If you are an EU citizen, you need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme if you want to continue to live, work and study in the UK after 30 June 2021.

The EU Settlement Scheme allows you to continue to live, work and study here in the UK. It means you will continue to be eligible for:

• public services, such as healthcare and schools
• public funds and pensions
• British citizenship, if you want to apply and meet the requirements

The deadline for applications is 30 June 2021. There’s more information available on the Sutton Care Hub.

Weekly Information Sharing FAQS, updates from the CCG 

Webinar on LFD testing

Thank you very much to those of you who were able to attend this week’s webinar, we shared information on individual risk assessments.

Below, for your information, are this week’s FAQs, presentation and vaccination consent form.

Q&A sessions for staff

We are putting on a series of live Q&A sessions for staff to attend, ask questions or learn more.

Any member of staff from any gender or background who wants to know more can attend both or either of the following sessions:

Wednesday 3 February 2021 at 14.00-15.00

The COVID-19 Vaccination with a focus on Allergies and Health Conditions with Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam and Dr Paul Riley.

Click here to join the meeting

Thursday 4 February 18.30-19.30

Young Fit and Healthy, Why do I need the COVID-19 Vaccine? With Dr Paul Riley and Gassan Yacob.

Click here to join the meeting

Tuesday 9^th February at 11.00-12.00

Race Religion Background or Beliefs COVID-19 Vaccine Information with Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam and Sedina Agama.

Join Microsoft Teams Meeting

Please could you share this invite with your staff who would like to ask questions or find out more on the COVID-19 Vaccine.

All staff are welcome to attend.

If you would like to submit questions in advance please email [email protected] but you are also welcome to ask questions during the session via the chat function or audio call.

The clinicians present will be there to support staff in making an informed choice with evidence based information.

From next week we are also starting daily Q&A sessions 3-4pm and 7-8pm where staff can come and raise questions on the COVID-19 Vaccine. Clinicians will be available to help answer questions during those times. Please see poster attached to this email and share with your staff in the care home. These sessions will be running on evenings and weekends too.

You can access the previous webinars to watch on the COVID-19 Vaccine at the link below:

COVID-19 Q&A with Dr Agnelo Fernandes and COVID-19 experience shared by Erik Cortez

COVID-19 Vaccine Q&A with Dr Agnelo Fernandes, Dr Aditi Shah and COVID-19 experience shared by Vanessa Vyapooree

As you are aware, Care Home staff have been given priority for the COVID-19 Vaccine until the 15 February. After this time vaccine appointments will be opened to the next priority groups and there will be more demand on appointments.  

Please encourage your staff to get the vaccine before 15 February as there are a large amount of appointments available at present. The offer is currently for first dose vaccines only. Second dose vaccines will be offered up to 12 weeks after the first one.

Please access our website, where you can download the booking form for the COVID-19 Vaccination. Any member of care home staff who would like to be vaccinated for covid-19 can email [email protected]

Incentive for weekend admissions from hospitals

As you will be aware, the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the winter pressures, is placing high demand on all health and social care services.  The hospitals in South West London are under a severe pressure and it is important that medically stable patients are discharged quickly 7 days a week and outside of office hours.

We recognise that there are challenges for Care Homes to accept residents from a hospital on the weekend and South West London Clinical Commissioning Group are providing a financial support offer to Care Homes when residents are accepted from hospital on the weekend.  Care Homes are able to apply for a £100 per resident support offer for all weekend returning residents and new admissions. This may be used by the home to support with additional staff or resources to support this weekend work.

The process to claim the £100 is to be confirmed please take note of the residents who are returning this weekend.

This process started on 09/01/21 and will run through until 31/03/21.

We will send out further information on how to claim the money in due course.

Infection Prevention and Control Information Sharing Webinar for Care Homes

We hope to see you at the next Infection Prevention and Control Information Sharing Webinar for Care Homes. Dave Williams will be presenting on Proxy ordering, Debbie Calver will be available to answer any questions on Infection Prevention and Control and also hear from care home managers on how they are supporting and encouraging staff to stay safe with information on the COVID-19 vaccine.

Please click link below to access the next Infection Prevention and Control Information Sharing Webinar for Care Homes on Tuesday 2 February 2020 at 11am until 12 noon.

Join Microsoft Teams Meeting

Wellbeing phone line to provide mental health support

Sutton Council is proudly supporting Sutton Mental Health Foundation (SMHF) to deliver a free phone service for those in need of support within the borough.

This time of year is traditionally difficult for many and with the added complications brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a chance more of us will need support than ever before. 

Those wishing to speak openly, honestly and confidentially about their concerns, can call 0800 0129105, Monday to Friday 10am to 2pm.

Find out more about the service on SMHF’s website.