Care Matters Weekly: Friday 7 January 2022

Supporting Workforce Recruitment and Retention, COVID-19 booster reminder, latest updated guidance on visiting in and out of care homes, testing and the Capacity Tracker, register for a roving flu and COVID-19 vaccine team to visit your care home and more. Please share.

Supporting Workforce Recruitment and Retention, COVID-19 booster reminder, latest updated guidance on visiting in and out of care homes, testing and the Capacity Tracker, register for a roving flu and COVID-19 vaccine team to visit your care home and more. Please share.


Supporting Workforce Recruitment and Retention

On behalf of the London Borough of Sutton

Firstly, we would like to thank you for the continued support and care you are providing to Sutton’s most vulnerable residents. Our social care staff have gone above and beyond to ensure our residents remain safe, receive the care they need and are able to maintain their independence over the past 21 months.  

COVID-19 continues to present an unprecedented challenge for social care along with the normal winter pressures we have all come to know. Working together we have, and continue to ensure that our social care staff provide a safe and high quality service.

In December 2021 the government announced a further round of the Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund to support local authorities and social care providers to maintain safe staffing levels over the winter period, support retention of the current workforce and implement new ideas to increase the social care workforce.

Across South West London (Richmond, Wandsworth, Merton, Croydon, Sutton and Kingston) we recognise that tackling these issues in isolation on a borough by borough basis will not have the intended outcome. The mobility of our workforce supporting residents across the whole region means we need to come together to support the sector in a consistent way. 

Therefore, we have collectively agreed to implement similar arrangements tailored to each borough’s needs.

Each borough will use its Workforce Fund to support providers that are registered in its area, similar to the Infection Control and Rapid Testing Funds – taking a whole market approach.  

Within Sutton we will shortly be liaising with registered providers on our local approach to retention of the current social care workforce and any plans in relation to increasing the local social care workforce.

Keep an eye on the Care Hub for more information.

COVID-19

Make sure you get your COVID-19 booster

With COVID-19 infection rates continuing to rise rapidly, it is vitally important that you get your COVID-19 booster jab to make sure you continue to be protected, and that you help protect your families, your colleagues and those that you care for. 

Please make sure that when you receive your booster you Update the Capacity Tracker

Book your booster online or attend a walk-in

If you wish to book your booster, you can visit the NHS website to book online. Alternatively, many sites across Sutton and London are open to walk-in appointments.

Hearing impaired/BSL user contact

If you have difficulties communicating or hearing, or are a British Sign Language (BSL) user, you can use textphone 18001 119 or the NHS 119 BSL interpreter service.

Temporary suspension of confirmatory PCR tests

New guidance has been published this week about the temporary suspension of confirmatory PCR tests.

From 11 January in England, people who receive positive lateral flow device (LFD) test results for coronavirus (COVID-19) will be required to self-isolate immediately and won’t be required to take a confirmatory PCR test.

Anyone who develops 1 of the 3 main COVID-19 symptoms should stay at home and self-isolate and take a PCR test. They must self-isolate if they get a positive test result, even if they have had a recent negative lateral flow test.

Read the full guidance

Updated guidance: Visiting arrangements in care homes

Guidance updated on 30 December 2021. Page summary:

Sets out how care homes can support families and visitors to visit residents.

Change made:

  • Updated to reflect resident LFD testing following visits out of the care home are required every second day for 10 days, and to add that nominated visitors should remain the same wherever possible

Read the full guidance

Updated guidance: Visits out of care homes

Guidance on visits out of care homes has been updated following the most recent government advice. Please download our guide to visits out of care homes during COVID-19

Updated guidance: COVID-19 testing for adult social care settings

Updated guidance has been published about COVID-19 testing for adult social care settings.

Change made:

  • New ‘Step-by-step guide to COVID-19 self-testing: SureScreen 25 pack nose-only test’ added

Read the full guidance

COVID-19: management of staff and exposed patients or residents in health and social care settings

New guidance was updated on 23 December and is intended for staff and managers in health and social care settings and includes: 

  • Guidance relating to health and social care staff if they develop coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, receive a positive test result or are identified as a contact of a COVID-19 case 
  • Guidance on isolation requirements for patients and residents in health and social care settings after contact with COVID-19 cases 
  • Guidance on repeat testing for COVID-19 for staff, patients and residents in health and social care settings 

Read the full guidance

Stay at home guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection

The self-isolation advice for people with coronavirus (COVID-19) has changed. It is now possible to end self-isolation after 7 days, following 2 negative LFD tests taken 24 hours apart. The first LFD test should not be taken before the sixth day. 

What to do during an Outbreak

End of outbreak can be declared 14 days after onset of symptoms in the most recent case/test date, and once whole home recovery testing of all residents and staff has taken place showing no new positive cases.

Reminders…

Flu and COVID-19 roving vaccination teams for Care Homes: message from the SW London CCG team

There remains a focus on the uptake of flu vaccinations and COVID-19 vaccinations for Care Home staff and we want to support you in any way possible to keep staff and residents protected and safe. Thank you to all those Care Homes who submitted the online form regarding the opportunity for a roving team to visit your Care Home to administer the flu and/or the COVID-19 vaccine to staff and residents.   

Please note that it is not too late to submit the form and you are encouraged to do so so that the CCG can support with the continuation of the vaccines programme to keep your staff and residents protected. 

Please submit using this link.

NEXT STEPS: The roving team will contact the care home directly to arrange a day to visit and administer the vaccines to those that have requested.

PPE eCommerce Portal – register now

The PPE eCommerce Portal is free of charge and managed by the Department of Health and Social Care.

If you are not currently registered to use the portal, please contact the PPE Dedicated Supply Channel team on 0800 876 6802. You should register even if you do not currently need to place an order. 

The latest guidance on the PPE eCommerce Portal is available on the government’s website.

London Adass reporting and National Capacity Tracker reminder – Need some help?

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#

Information sharing

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.

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. 

IPC Champions meeting: 10 January

The 9th IPC Champions meeting will take place on Monday 10 January, from 2pm to 3pm. Held by the South West London CCG, it will include latest updates on IPC.

10 January agenda

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join on your computer or mobile app

Click here to join the meeting

Learn More | Meeting options

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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

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.

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