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Care Matters Weekly: Friday 9 April 2021
This is the Care Matters Weekly update for Friday 9 April 2021, including information on: Free PPE provision extended for care workers Reopening Care Homes to visitors (Guidance for staff) […]
Published on 9/04/2021 in Care Matters Weekly | News
This is the Care Matters Weekly update for Friday 9 April 2021, including information on:
- Free PPE provision extended for care workers
- Reopening Care Homes to visitors (Guidance for staff)
- Weekly checklist resource for Care Homes
- Updated visiting guidance for Care Homes
- Visiting guidance posters for Care Homes
- Care Home IPC Champions meeting
- Supporting providers to recruit the best staff
- It’s easier than ever to get the COVID-19 vaccine
- Upcoming training opportunities
- Fire Safety webinar: Keeping the Borough’s population safe
- Proud to Care London rewards scheme daily drop in sessions
- Capacity Tracker webinar every week
- Webinar: practical approaches to working with partners, Tuesday 20 April 11.00am
- Weekly webinar to support Care Homes
- COVID-19 vaccine resources in community languages
- COVID-19 vaccine FAQs
- Subscribe to the Sutton Care Bulletin!
- Tell us what you think of the Sutton Care Hub
- Reminder: EU Settlement Scheme deadline is approaching
- Q&A with Care Homes
- Weekly Information Sharing FAQs, update from the CCG
There are updated testing Action Cards for Care Homes, Homecare and Outbreak Management available on the Sutton Care Hub.
Please share this information with your staff.
Free PPE provision for care workers extended
Following the initial announcement in the adult social care winter plan of free PPE provision to health and social workers until March 2021, the scheme has been extended until the end of March 2022 to better support this critical stage for vaccination and mass testing programmes.
Reopening Care Homes to visitors (Guidance for staff)
Visiting is crucially important for maintaining the health, wellbeing and quality of life of residents.
Welcoming anyone into care homes from the community inevitably brings risk of COVID-19 transmission. However, these risks can be managed and mitigated.
This video for staff helps explain the latest guidance. Please watch and share it.
Weekly checklist resource for Care Homes
We have produced this weekly checklist to assist care providers in meeting all their requirements when it comes to COVID-19 procedures.
The checklist covers everything from testing and outbreak management to infection prevention control and even has reminders of regular meetings and webinars which require your attendance.
It can be checked off digitally, as an interactive PDF, or easily printed and worked through manually. There is a download link below.
We hope this proves useful in helping you meet the requirements and in handing over progress between staff.
Updated Visiting guidance for Care Homes
Updated guidance explaining how care homes can allow two visitors from 12 April is now available. Babies and toddlers will also be allowed to accompany visitors.
A guidance summary for visitors includes what can be agreed with homes regarding the attendance of essential care givers.
Guidance for visits out of care homes has also been updated, removing restrictions on residents aged 65 and older and illustrating how providers can do risk assessments.
Visiting guidance posters for Care Homes
We have produced these one page posters to remind you and your staff of the key considerations when arranging visits in or outside of your care home, in line with government guidance.
Care Home IPC Champions meeting – 26 April
We look forward to welcoming all Care Home Infection Prevention and Control Champions to our very first meeting on Monday 26 April 2021 at 2-3pm.
The meeting is for all IPC Champions (old and new) across S W London and the aim of the session is to lay out the role and responsibilities and discuss the tools and support services available to you.
Email [email protected] to join.
Supporting providers to recruit the best staff
We want to support you to recruit the best staff for all positions from management, to clinical staff, to carers, to administrative support. Therefore, we are currently working on a new section of the Sutton Care Hub focussed on recruitment.
The new Job Portal will list available jobs in the Care Sector from all providers across Sutton. Each care provider will have their own individual log in to post job vacancies. Candidates will be able to register and upload their CVs, or follow a link through to the provider’s website to apply for vacant posts. We want to make it easier for candidates to see all the opportunities which are available to them in Sutton, by putting them in one place. This will support our providers to get the right person for every role they have available. We will be working with you over the coming months to design the recruitment section of the site, including how it will link in to your existing websites / recruitment portals.
It’s easier than ever to get the COVID-19 vaccine
The St Nicholas Shopping Centre in Sutton has been unveiled as south west London’s latest NHS COVID-19 vaccination centre.
Sutton Council and NHS South West London CCG are making it easier and easier for care staff to get their vaccine to help Keep Sutton Safe.
The NHS has given over 2.5 million vaccinations across the capital – join the Londoners who have had their jab by booking your COVID vaccination appointment now. The sooner we get everyone vaccinated, the sooner we can get back to doing the things we love.
It’s vitally important you get your vaccine to keep yourself safe from the virus, to keep your families and colleagues safe, and to ensure those we care for are also protected.
The COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective and will save lives. If you have any concerns about getting the vaccine, speak to your GP or a healthcare professional.
Please be aware, the National Booking Service for first dose COVID-19 vaccinations is temporarily closed to residential and domiciliary care staff, health workers and unpaid carers (who are not already known to health and care services). The NHS has made this change because of anticipated vaccine supply levels through April. This decision will be reviewed.
Care staff and unpaid carers who need first doses can book through their employer or local GP. If you are waiting for your second dose, you will be contacted directly when it is available.
Upcoming training opportunities
There are a number of free training courses coming up for nurses and senior carers to be aware of. All taking place at Sutton Civic Offices.
The training will be: Cardio-Respiratory Exam Masterclass (nurses only) and Phlebotomy and Injection Technique Workshop (nurses and senior carers).
You can find out more information on the Sutton Care Hub. Please contact the Care Home Support Team to book places: [email protected]
Fire Safety webinar: Keeping the Borough’s Population Safe
To commemorate International Firefighters Day (4 May 2021), the London Fire Brigade in conjunction with the Sutton Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB) are hosting a webinar 10am-12pm.
The event will cover:
- Learning from Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs)
- When and how to refer a vulnerable adult for a Home Fire Safety Visit
- Hoarding, Checklists and what to consider
- Community Engagement Panel
- Guidance on assessing fire risk for vulnerable people
- Partnership and collaborative working to increase referrals and decrease risk
Please book your place on this training event to receive the Zoom meeting information.
Proud to Care London rewards scheme daily drop in sessions
London ADASS’ provider reference group members are running daily drop in sessions (Monday – Sunday from 12:00 – 12:30) to support all ASC staff to access the Proud to Care London rewards scheme.
Capacity Tracker webinar every week
Capacity Tracker Webinars for Care Homes are taking place at 2:00pm every Friday.
Click here to join the meeting on your computer or mobile app
Or call in (audio only) on +44 20 3794 0272
Phone Conference ID: 311 948 485#
Webinar: practical approaches to working with partners, Tuesday 20 April 11.00am
This Skills for Care hosted webinar will look at how the pandemic has helped adult social care providers establish new partners and successfully strengthen relationships with existing ones, including those outside the health and social care sector.
Recommended for frontline managers looking to work with partners to deliver high standards of care and support to local communities and beyond.
Weekly webinar to support Care Homes
SW London CCG has organised a supportive webinar for Care Homes with COVID-19 outbreaks each Thursday between 1.00-1.40pm, which you should have all now been invited to.
Debbie Calver, Infection Prevention and Control Nurse Specialist will be available to answer any questions you may have.
The session is a safe place where you can drop in to discuss challenges you may be facing.
You do not need to stay for the whole session and you do not need to introduce yourself but we do ask if you can write your name in the chat box so that we can measure attendance.
COVID-19 vaccine resources in community languages
NHS staff have recorded messages in some of the most commonly spoken languages – apart from English – in the capital to help ensure messages about the importance of getting a COVID-19 vaccine reach all Londoners.
If one of the featured languages is spoken by your staff, please consider sharing the videos (which are available to easily download) to encourage uptake of the vaccine. For ease, you could consider downloading and sharing via Whatsapp Web, which is a free version of the app on your desktop.
For more information, visit the news section of the Sutton Care Hub.
COVID-19 vaccine FAQs
As the vaccine continues to be rolled out across the Borough of Sutton, we know many of you are keen to be vaccinated, but that many of you also have questions about the vaccine.
We have pulled together answers to the questions we hear most often. We will add to this as we hear from you.
Please take the time to read the FAQs.
The COVID-19 vaccine pack for London Care Homes has also been updated.
Please watch this short video from London ADASS and share the link with your staff.
#VaccinationsSaveLives
Subscribe to the Sutton Care Bulletin!
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. Please make sure you have subscribed to receive future editions.
An archive of previous editions can be found on the Sutton Care Hub.
Tell us what you think about 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.
Q&A with Care Homes
We are moving the Q&A sessions for all Care Homes to fortnightly to match the demand for sessions. Please see the Sutton Care Hub events calendar for which weeks the session is on.
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.
Reminder: EU Settlement Scheme deadline fast 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, update from the CCG
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 at weekends too and can be accessed
- via this link: Click here to join the meeting
- or by dialling +44 20 3880 0300 or 0800 026 6146 (Freephone) and using the Phone Conference ID 354 457 979#
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
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.