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Care Matters Weekly: Friday 4 March 2022
Updated news on VCOD, goodwill payment to staff, new PPE portal, new summary guidance documents and more. Please share.
Updated news on VCOD, goodwill payment to staff, new PPE portal, new summary guidance documents and more. Please share.
- Updated: Vaccination as a condition of deployment (VCOD) consultation
- Goodwill payment for staff
- New PPE portal
- Webinar reminder: digital technology and the benefits for social care staff
- Summary guidance documents: testing, admission, isolation, visits
- New guidance: Spring booster does for eligible individuals
- Guidance changes – Help from London Borough of Sutton Public Health team
- Webinars and Training
- Sutton Care Hub Job Portal
Update: Vaccination a condition of deployment (VCOD) for health and social care staff
The results of the recent consultation have been announced.
As a result, the regulations will revoke the requirements that CQC registered persons only permit those who are vaccinated against COVID-19, unless otherwise exempt, to be deployed for the provision of a CQC-regulated activity in health and/or social care, and to enter CQC registered care home premises.
The regulations will come into force on 15 March in order to provide certainty for employers, their staff, patients and people who receive care or support ahead of 1 April when regulations extending the requirement to health and wider social care were due to come into force.
Goodwill payment for staff
As part of the Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund, the London Borough of Sutton is making available to CQC registered Social Care staff a prepaid card containing £120 for you to spend in south west London.
About the prepaid card/voucher:
- Staff MUST work in a CQC registered Social Care Provider that is registered in Sutton to apply for a card
- Only one card per individual is permitted
- The card will be loaded with £120 and will have a letter attached setting out how it can be spent
- Money on the card will need to be spent by 30 April 2022. Any unspent money after this date will be claimed back by the Council
Your manager will be in touch with you to give you a voucher for you to take to redeem your card.
New PPE portal
A new online platform to order personal protective equipment (PPE) in England has been launched. The new system builds on user feedback to improve the experience of those using the site.
There is an ongoing migration period from the previous system to the new platform, and from 4 April 2022, all customers will be automatically redirected to the new PPE portal from the previous site. The new platform will be managed by NHS Supply Chain.
Webinar reminder: digital technology and the benefits for social care
Last year, the government set out its vision for digital transformation of the social care sector in People at the Heart of Care.
The Adult Social Care Technology and Digital Skills Review is the starting point in delivering this vision. The review examined the effectiveness of digital technology in adult social care, and the barriers and enablers to developing workforce digital skills.
This month, Future Care Capital and Skills for Care will be hosting events reflecting on the research and considering next steps. Register for the next event on Thursday 10 March, 1.30pm – 4pm.
Summary guidance documents: testing, admissions, isolation, visits
We have produced some summary guidance sheets for care home managers, which aim to simplify some of the more confusing government guidance. Please download the below pdf documents:
- Summary of Testing Guidance
- Summary of Isolation Guidance
- Summary of Admission Guidance
- Summary of Visiting In a Care Home Guidance
- Summary of Visits Out of a Care Home Guidance
Guidance changes? Help from London Borough of Sutton Public Health team
There have been a number of changes in guidance over the recent weeks. If you need any help or advice on the changes please contact the London Borough of Sutton Public health team. Drop them an email [email protected]
New guidance: Spring booster dose for eligible individuals
New guidance has been published containing information on the spring booster dose for eligible individuals.
People aged 75 years and older, residents in care homes for older people, and those with weakened immune systems will be offered a spring booster of coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine. Appointments will be available from the National Booking Service shortly.
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.
+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.
Keep up to date
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