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Care Matters Weekly: Friday 12 February 2021
This is the Care Matters Weekly update for Friday 11 February 2021, including information on: Have you had yours? Rapid testing fund – Care Homes COVID-19 vaccine first dose data […]
Published on 12/02/2021 in Care Matters Weekly | News
This is the Care Matters Weekly update for Friday 11 February 2021, including information on:
- Have you had yours?
- Rapid testing fund – Care Homes
- COVID-19 vaccine first dose data collection
- Webinar: Vaccinations and HR
- Sign up for the next Sutton Care Bulletin
- Have your say on the Sutton Care Hub
- Rapid testing site in Sutton
- At risk groups to receive Vitamin D supply
- EU Settlement Scheme – don’t miss the deadline
- Weekly Q&A with Care Homes
- Weekly Information Sharing FAQs, update from the CCG
The latest guidance on Testing, PPE and Training can be found in the relevant sections on the Sutton Care Hub website.
Please share this information with your staff.
Gracewell staff have had theirs! Have you had yours?
We are pleased to see staff at Gracewell of Sutton care home have received their COVID-19 vaccine and are happy to explain why it was important they did.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine is safe and effective. It gives you the best protection against coronavirus and helps to stop its spread.
Health and social care workers are eligible for the vaccine and we would encourage you to register, in order to protect yourselves, those you work with and care for, and your family and friends.
More general advice on the vaccine and information on how to register for an appointment can be found on the dedicated vaccine pages of the Sutton Care Hub.
The question is: have you had yours?
Rapid Testing Fund – Care Homes
Please ensure that your Testing Lead attends one of the final two Testing webinars on either:
Failure to attend one of these sessions will result in the Council not releasing your allocation and returning it to DHSC. If you require access details of the webinars, click on the date you wish to attend above.
COVID-19 vaccine first dose data collection
All providers are required to update their relevant data reporting system on eligibility and first dose vaccine by the end of Monday 15 February.
- Care Homes – Update Capacity Tracker with latest information
- Home Care Provider – Update the London Adass Tool with latest information
- Other Providers – you will receive a form directly from the Council to complete via [email protected]
Webinar: Vaccinations and HR and Employment law considerations
Date: 16 February (11.45am – 1pm)
This webinar, which is being run by Citation and which is aimed specifically at the care sector, will look at the following questions:
- What am I required to do in relation to the vaccination programme?
- What are my responsibilities/obligations as an employer?
- Can employees refuse the vaccine?
- Do I need a vaccination policy?
Sign up for the next Sutton Care Bulletin
The second edition of the Sutton Care Bulletin will be published this month, so please make sure you have subscribed in time to receive it!
The Sutton Care Bulletin features a round up of good news stories and successes from across Sutton’s care sector, as well as useful information, guidance and resources.
An archive of previous editions can be found on the Sutton Care Hub.
Have your say on the Sutton Care Hub
As we move onto phases two and three of the website, we would like to get your feedback to ensure we are developing the Sutton Care Hub in a way which is most useful for you.
Please complete this short survey to let us know your thoughts.
Rapid testing site 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.
At-risk groups to receive Vitamin D supply
Vitamin D supplements will be supplied to clinically extremely vulnerable patients and care home residents. These groups are at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency as they have spent more time indoors this year.
Deliveries will be free of charge, starting in January 2021, and will provide four months’ worth of supplements to last through the winter months.
More information is available on this plan on the Sutton Care Hub, but please contact [email protected] (07881 510712) or [email protected] (020 7360 9549), should you receive a supply or have any questions or queries.
EU Settlement Scheme – reminder
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 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.
Weekly Information Sharing FAQs, update from the CCG
Thank you very much to those of you who were able to attend this week’s webinar, where we held a Q&A session on the COVID-19 Vaccine. Below, for your information, are this week’s FAQs.
We have 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. These sessions will be running on evenings and weekends too and can be accessed via this link: Click here to join the meeting
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
As you are aware, Care Home staff have been given priority for the COVID-19 Vaccine until the Monday 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 the 15 February as there are a large number 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 the NHS SWL website for more information.
Any member of care home staff who would like to be vaccinated for COVID-19 can email [email protected] further information is available in the FAQs.
Incentive for weekend admissions from hospitals
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.
We hope to see you at the next Infection Prevention and Control Information Sharing Webinar for Care Homes. The link below gives you access to the next Infection Prevention and Control Information Sharing Webinar for Care Homes on Tuesday 16 February 2020 at 11am until 12 noon. Where Sima Haririan will present a mini restore session on recognising soft signs of deterioration and escalation and Debbie Calver will give a local update and answer any IPC questions.
Keep up to date
Subscribe to the Sutton Care Bulletin for regular updates on the big news and latest guidance from the Sutton Care Hub.