Care Matters Weekly: Friday 21 January 2022

Apply for Workforce Funding money, mandatory vaccinations and webinar to attend, book a roving vaccination team, updated isolation and discharge from hospital guidance and more. Please share.

Apply for Workforce Funding money, mandatory vaccinations and webinar to attend, book a roving vaccination team, updated isolation and discharge from hospital guidance and more. Please share.


Apply for the Workforce Fund now

Applications are open now to apply for our Workforce Fund that we have created to help meet the demand that we need to grow our adult social care workforce to provide more capacity and help us relieve pressures. 

The funding pot will:

  • Support providers to maintain the provision of safe care and bolster capacity within providers to deliver more hours of care
  • Support timely and safe discharge from hospital to where ongoing care and support is needed
  • Support providers to prevent admission to hospital
  • Enable timely new care provision in the community
  • Support and boost retention of staff within social care

Registered services can apply for this extra funding to support recruitment initiatives. Funds between £500 – £3,000 can be awarded by 28 February 2022. 

Read more about funding examples and next steps to apply

Don’t miss out! – the deadline for applications is 4 February 2022. 

Mandatory vaccination deadline: Guidance for home care and supported living

From 1 April 2022, people carrying out face-to-face, CQC-regulated social care activities will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, unless exempt.

These regulations require registered persons (service providers) at all Care Quality Commission-registered care homes (which provide accommodation together with nursing or personal care) to ensure that anyone who works or volunteers in the indoor premises of that care home in England must demonstrate that they have been vaccinated or have an exemption. The person must be able to prove that they meet one of the following:

  • Satisfy the vaccination requirements
  • Are exempt from vaccination
  • Are covered by other exceptions

This guidance is aimed at:

  • Service providers
  • CQC registered persons
  • people who are employed or otherwise engaged to carry out CQC-regulated social care activity in settings other than care homes
  • people who receive care and support services in these settings

This guidance applies to wider social care settings, including home care, extra care housing and supported living. Read the guidance.

Read the guidance for care homes.

Event: Preparing for 1 April 2022 mandatory vaccination regulations

During February and March Skills for Care will be running three events on the introduction of mandatory vaccinations. These are aimed at domiciliary care and other non-residential CQC-registered services (care homes were covered by events last year):

  • Tuesday 1 February 2022, 9.30am – 11am
  • Tuesday 15 February 2022, 9.30am – 11am
  • Wednesday 9 March 2022, 2.30pm – 4pm

Each session will cover:

  • The latest COVID-19 vaccination policy and guidance
  • What exemption means
  • GDPR issues
  • CQC expectations
  • Responding to recruitment issues

Find out more and sign-up or find details in the Events calendar

Not to late to book a roving vaccination team

It’s not too late to book a roving vaccination team to visit your care home.

The SW London CCG roving teams will provide COVID-19 booster vaccinations and flu vaccinations to all eligible staff and residents. The form should take no more than 5 to 7 minutes to complete. Please note that you will be asked for numbers for staff and/or residents if you want a roving team to visit (question 6 if you tick yes). 

Remember: If you have staff that are not working on the day the team attends your site, you can use your ICF and Vaccine Funding to pay them.

If you haven’t already, ALL care home managers are encouraged to complete the form 

FREE: Making COVID simple webinar

25 January, 5pm – 6.30pm

Expert speakers will use clear and simple terms to explain some of the most complex issues about COVID and the vaccinations that can protect us against it. The session, chaired by Vinice Thomas, Director of Nursing and Quality, will:

  • Include a series of short presentations and a 30-minute Q&A session
  • Interest anyone who finds they often need to discuss COVID with others

Access is open to anyone who works in health and or social care (paid or voluntary), or is a community champion or community leader who regularly discusses COVID and vaccinations with others. The simple explanations of the complex issues covered at this event should help people more effectively explain the benefit of vaccinations and effectively address genuine common concerns often raised. 

Register via Eventbrite now

Updated guidance

Updated guidance: Stepdown of infection control procedures

Updated guidance has been published about stepdown of infection control precautions and discharging patients. Change made:

  • Updated to reflect change in isolation period in hospitals from 14 to 10 days for cases and contacts of cases of COVID-19, as well as clarification of isolation period for severely immunocompromised patients

Read the full guidance

Updated guidance: Management of staff, patients and residents who have been exposed to COVID-19

Updated guidance has been published about the management of staff, patients and residents who have been exposed to COVID-19. Change made:

  • Updated to reflect change in isolation period in hospitals from 14 to 10 days for cases and contacts of cases of COVID-19 and includes new changes to self-isolation periods for staff in health and care settings

Read the full guidance

Information sharing

Webinars for Care Homes

Thank you for joining the Webinar for Care Homes this week – we hope that these continue to support you during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is important to remain diligent in following guidance, using PPE and supporting staff and residents to be vaccinated. 

Next IPC Care Home Champion meeting: 7 February

The next IPC Care Home Champion is due to take place on 7 February, 2pm – 3pm. The topic is the winter readiness plan and shingles with hopefully time for an open discussion.

Download the meeting agenda

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting

Or call in (audio only)

+44 20 3880 0300,,749835730#   United Kingdom, London

0800 026 6146,,749835730#   United Kingdom (Toll-free)

Phone Conference ID: 749 835 730#

Find a local number | Reset PIN

Learn More | Meeting options

Queens Nursing Institute for the new IPC Champions Network updates

Sign up to receive updates from the Queens Nursing Institute for the new IPC Champions Network – you can also sign up via Newsletters.

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Webinars and training

Join senior IPC nurses to learn more about general infection prevention and control training including: MRSA, Tuberculosis, diarrhoea, rashes, wound care, specimen taking, head lice, scabies, respiratory infections, including COVID-19, staff health and more. 

Sessions run online every Thursday between 2pm to 4.30pm. Register at Eventbrite to attend.

Weekly Information Sharing FAQs webinar

The COVID-19 pandemic remains an extremely challenging situation globally and we recognise that this is the case for staff working in Care Homes of all types. We are continuing the weekly Infection Prevention and Control and Information Sharing webinar Tuesday mornings at 11:00am. 

Join Microsoft Teams Meeting

+44 20 3880 0300   United Kingdom, London (Toll)

Conference ID: 855 305 74#

Local numbers | Reset PIN | Learn more about Teams | Meeting options

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#


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

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An archive of previous editions can be found on the Sutton Care Hub.

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