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Care Matters Weekly: Friday 18 June 2021
Please share this information with your staff. Updated guidance Care Homes and Supported Living Care Homes Transitional safeguarding Reminder: EU Settlement Scheme deadline fast approaching (2 weeks remaining) COVID-19 Vaccine […]
Published on 18/06/2021 in Children's services | News
Please share this information with your staff.
- Updated guidance
- Reminder: EU Settlement Scheme deadline fast approaching (2 weeks remaining)
- COVID-19 Vaccine
- Information sharing
- Webinars and Training
- Sutton Care Hub
Updated Guidance
Care Homes and Supported Living
Admissions guidance for care homes, local health protection teams, local authorities, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and registered providers of accommodation for people who need personal or nursing care
- The guidance has been updated. It sets out how to admit and care for residents safely and protect care home staff.
- Information on how to put local procedures in place to minimise COVID-19 infection risks for people in supported living settings has also been updated.
Please see Overview of adult social care guidance on COVID-19 for further information.
Care Homes
Care home residents can stay overnight as visiting restrictions ease
- Care home residents will be able to spend more time with family and friends, including overnight stays as part of an easing of visiting restrictions.
- Currently, residents can only leave the care home for a visit if outdoors or for high-priority reasons, such as a dental or GP appointment, but will now be able to leave the home for more social reasons without having to isolate
- From 21 June, people admitted to a care home from the community will no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival, so residents will have a less disruptive introduction to their new home.
- To ensure this happens safely, residents will undergo an enhanced testing regime – a PCR test before admission, a PCR test on the day of admission and a further PCR test 7 days later.
Please see the Full guidance for further information.
Transitional safeguarding
Updated Transitional safeguarding guidance
- A joint, independent briefing explaining how adult social work can help support and protect young people as they move into adulthood has been published on GOV.UK. The authors believe it is essential to develop approaches promoting continuity of care, and an awareness of a young person’s changing needs, as adult support takes over from children’s services.
- Guidance on the admission and care of residents in care homes and shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable has also been updated.
Please see Guidance and regulation for further information
Reminder: EU Settlement Scheme deadline fast approaching (12 days remaining)
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
With less than 4 weeks to go, Leader of the Council, Ruth Dombey, urges EU citizens currently living in Sutton to apply for the EU Settlement Scheme.
COVID-19 vaccine
Care Home staff working must be fully COVID-19 vaccinated with both doses
Following an extensive public consultation with thousands of care staff, residents and families, from October 2021 (subject to parliamentary approval and a 16 week grace period), people working in CQC-registered care homes must have two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, unless they have a medical exemption.
This decision means care home residents and staff will be better protected from death and serious illness from COVID-19. It will apply to all workers employed directly by the care home or care home provider (on a full-time or part-time basis), those employed by an agency, and volunteers.
Those coming into care homes to do other work, for example healthcare workers, tradespeople, hairdressers and beauticians, and CQC inspectors, will also have to follow the new regulations, unless they are likewise medically exempt. A further consultation will be launched on whether to extend this new requirement to other health and social care settings and will also consider inclusion of the flu vaccine.
Book your COVID-19 vaccination here
The below text is taken from Making vaccination a condition of deployment in care homes: government response
Scope of the policy
We note the calls for staff caring for younger adults with people with a learning disability and autistic people or other vulnerabilities to be treated in the same way as staff caring for older adults. We recognise that respondents and stakeholders made the case that, if the policy were to proceed, it should be broadened to cover these groups. The case for broadening the scope has also been advocated by representatives of the learning disability sector. Analysis by Public Health England[footnote 7] showed that the pattern and number of deaths in care homes for people with a learning disabilities and autistic people (which are typically small, often with less than 10 beds) in the spring of 2020 was similar to the number of deaths in small care homes registered for other groups (mainly older people).
Change 1: We are extending the scope of the policy to all CQC-registered care homes, in England, which provide accommodation for persons who require nursing or personal care, not just those care homes which have at least one person over the age of 65 living in their home.
Read more at: Making vaccination a condition of deployment in care homes: government response
Walk in Vaccine centre (Health & Social Care Staff ONLY) – St Nicholas Shopping Centre
The coronavirus vaccine is safe and effective and remains our best protection against Covid-19 and the surest route to a return to normal life. Across Sutton, we have now delivered over 100,000 vaccinations.
If you are a front-line health or care worker you are eligible for the Covid-19 vaccination, but haven’t got around to booking your appointment, come along to the St Nicholas Shopping Centre, you do not need an appointment.
Please bring proof of employment like your work ID badge and a letter from your employer to confirm your eligibility as a front-line health or care worker. Front-line health and social care staff can use the National Booking System to book a specific appointment at a wide range of vaccine centres aswell. You can do this by visiting this webpage or by calling 119. The full list of South West London vaccination centres is available here.
| St Nicholas Shopping Centre, SM1 1AY is open 8am – 6:30pm. |
The site can be accessed at two main doors at either end of the centre with both entrances being suitable for wheelchairs. It can also be reached from the St Nicholas car park which has a walkway across the main road with direct access to the first floor of the centre. Lifts are also available.
Information sharing
Weekly Information Sharing FAQs from SWLCCG
Thank you very much to those of you who attended last week’s Information Sharing Webinar for Care Homes.
The format of the FAQs has been changed to enable an easier read, please share the FAQs weekly with your staff in the care home.
Attached to this email you will find the weekly information sharing FAQs DHSC How to Work Safely (care homes) guidance ’Frequently Asked Questions’, the slides from last week’s digital update and Apprenticeships slides which include contact details on how to find out more.
A procurement for an ‘Urgent Care Planning’ tool will commence shortly in SWL and your participation in this process will be highly appreciated. Currently, Coordinate My Care (CMC) is being used, however, the contract for CMC is coming to an end and the procurement process is to ensure that the most appropriate tool will be identified for all service users, including care home residents.
It will be appreciated if you are able to join the procurement process and work with other people on the panel in choosing the most suitable care plan tool that suits the needs of all service users. Your commitment for this exercise will be 4 – 5 days over a period of a month and evaluation of written submissions over a week – 10 day period, 2 half days of moderation and half a day of demonstrations.If you are interested, or you require further information, please do get in touch with Lucy Colleer [email protected]
– – –
Thank you very much to those of you who attended this week’s Information Sharing Webinar for Care Homes.
Attached to this email you will find:
- Weekly information sharing FAQS,
- Letter to all care homes from NHSE&I and ADAASS,
- Updated COVID-19 one to one Vaccination hesitancy pack,
- Slides from presentations from this week Digital and Training offers.
You may be aware the Delta variant is the most predominant COVID-19 strain circulating in the UK at present.
Cases of infection have been increasing in South West London.
Vaccinations have now opened up to all adults over 18.
The recommendation from SAGE (the government’s scientific advisory group for emergencies) is that care homes should have 90% vaccination rates among residents and 80% vaccination rates among staff, for safety.
However, not all homes in London have reached these levels. We recognise the challenges that providers are facing in this, despite your significant work to date.
As we move to the 19th July, the NHS and councils in London are working to ensure maximum vaccination uptake across London, so that all people can be protected from Covid 19 when restrictions are lifted. As part of this, we are reaching out to you to offer further support to reach the SAGE safety thresholds. With that in mind, you will shortly be contacted by your care home liaison link officer.
We would like to develop an individualised plan with you for your home, agreed by you, in the coming days that will support you to achieve the SAGE standards.
We want to understand the issues that you are facing and work with you to identify any additional support you need.
Any questions around COVID-19 Vaccines please do not hesitate to contact: Care [email protected]
Please click link below to access the next Information Sharing Webinar for Care Homes on Tuesday 22nd June 2021 at 11am until 12 noon.
+44 20 3880 0300 United Kingdom, London (Toll)
Conference ID: 855 305 74#
Local numbers | Reset PIN | Learn more about Teams | Meeting options
Visual guides for the ASC ‘How to Work Safely’ PPE guidance
Working in conjunction with key stakeholders, Public Health England recently updated the How to Work Safely in Care Homes in England and How to Work Safely in Domiciliary care in England PPE guidance. The accompanying visual guides have been updated to further support care workers to follow the updated PPE guidance and good infection prevention control measures, in conjunction with local policies. The guides outline what PPE to wear, when, and how.
Updated visuals:
- Putting on PPE home carer / Putting on PPE Care Homes – New infographic merges the two previously published guides; content and advice is mirrored for the two sectors.
- Taking off PPE home carer/ Taking off PPE Care Homes – New infographic merges the two previously published guides; content and advice is mirrored for the two sectors.
- PPE guide for community and social care settings including care homes: What PPE to wear and when – an illustrative guide – New illustrative guide merged to include advice for care homes, community care and other social care settings.
Please see the new visual guides.
New Infection prevention control campaign toolkit launched
Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Deborah Sturdy, has launched a new campaign, ‘Every Action Counts: Because I Care’, stressing the importance of infection prevention and control (IPC) measures for care providers, staff and visitors. The comprehensive toolkit features posters, digital assets and social media posts to help care providers reinforce local messages. For some personal reflections on the importance of IPC, do make sure you visit the DHSC Social Care blog. More resources will be available over the coming weeks. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].
Carers Week, message from Matt Hancock
It’s Carers Week, the second to take place during this pandemic. These seven days of appreciation and awareness raising have become more important than ever, as we celebrate the bravery, dedication and commitment of a group of people without whom the past 14 months would have been even more challenging.
I’m talking, of course, about unpaid carers who, alongside our amazing health and social care colleagues, have continued to support, protect and care for their loved ones even as restrictions made an already difficult situation even more so.
I know how challenging those early weeks and months of the outbreak were, particularly for younger carers, already juggling the demands of school, college and work. My department ran focus groups with some of these incredibly resilient young people last year. They helped us develop and refine the guidance they needed to navigate safely through lockdown and continue to provide effective care for those closest to them.
Raising awareness of young carers and their families’ needs has also been crucial. Part of this effort involved £11 million of government funding to Barnardo’s ‘See, Hear, Respond’ programme, which reached more than 100,000 children and families, whose support networks were impacted by pandemic restrictions. Access and advice to services and other forms of support were widened thanks to this amazing scheme.
If you are a carer, care worker, or know someone who is yet to book their first dose, please do so now, to protect you and your loved ones. It’s what caring is all about. And if you have had your first jab, please make sure you get the full protection of the second.
While our vaccination programme does its work, I’m really grateful for everything you’ve been doing on infection control, which is just as important in people’s homes as it is in care homes. Personal protective equipment (PPE) for COVID-19 needs is available to unpaid carers who do not live with the person they care for, free of charge, until the end of March 2022. Click here for details of how to register and order free PPE in your area.
This combination of vigilance and vaccinations will help us move down our road to recovery, and restore some of the experiences we’ve all been missing. Thank you once again for everything you’ve been doing to help your communities, and the people you care for, at this time of national crisis.
PPE End User Survey
Please complete : Survey for providers who use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) – PPE Distribution Customer Satisfaction survey – DH eXchange (kahootz.com)
This survey will, provide useful information on the following important areas:
- Just a general understanding of the sector, which we often do not have direct contact with
- Gathering information on future options for the PPE portal
- Understanding what items of PPE they are missing that DHSC should be offering
- Understanding the fit-testing landscape better
- Feedback on protected characteristics and inequalities that effect PPE use
- Just ways to generally improve the experience of PPE for all
CMO Messaging – Personal protective equipment and heat: risk of heat stress
Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) in warm/hot environments increases the risk of heat stress. This occurs when the body is unable to cool itself enough to maintain a healthy temperature. Heat stress can cause heat exhaustion and lead to heat stroke if the person is unable to cool down.
Measures to control the temperature of clinical environments and enable staff to make behavioural adaptations to stay cool and well hydrated should be made. Staff may require more frequent breaks and the frequency of PPE changes may increase, with a resulting increase in demand.
Access the further information and actions
Webinars and training
Trainee Nursing Associate (TNA) Webinars
The sessions will give employers and potential applicants more information about the role, such as funding and the application process.
To join us, please click on the link to register for one of the dates below:
IPC Champion meeting for Care Homes
You do not need to have been to the first two to access this one. The meeting is open to ALL IPC leads or Champions in Care Homes. Care Homes will have received an email with joining instructions.
Skills for Care London & SE team will be running a virtual roadshow
The event will run on Tuesday 13th July 10:00am – 12:30pm and cover:
- Practical tips and guidance for ensuring the continued wellbeing of your staff
- Local initiatives that can support your recruitment
- How to re-establish – and build – local partnerships.
There will also be an update from CQC
Weekly Capacity Tracker webinar
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#
Weekly Q&A with Care Homes
The Q&A sessions for all Care Homes now take place monthly, to match the demand for sessions. We will also host a quarterly forum with providers. Invites will be sent to all managers.
Please see the Sutton Care Hub events calendar for which dates the sessions are on. They Q&As will be on the third Wednesday of each month.
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.
Sutton Care Hub
Using the Sutton Care Hub Job Portal
To support Sutton’s care providers to recruit the best staff for all positions from management, to clinical staff, carers and administrative support, we have created the Sutton Care Hub Job Portal.
Take one minute to provide feedback on how you would like to receive candidate applications from the hub.
This new section of the website allows providers to list available jobs in one central location, which potential employees can then publicly access allowing them to submit their applications, streamlining the recruitment processes across the care sector in Sutton. More information about the new section, including login details, has been emailed to providers.
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.
Keep up to date
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