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ASC Provider briefing - 29 April 2022
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Dear Care Provider Colleagues,
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Welcome to this week's briefing.
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We hope you will join us on Tuesday, May 3rd at 3pm for the Provider Webinar and Q&A with Mel Lock (Director of Adult Social Care). Teams Meeting Link. This link can also be used to view the recording of the webinar afterwards.
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This week's briefing includes training opportunities and resources, some news regarding the High Court ruling, a request for volunteers for some research the Public Health team are doing and a request for feedback on working conditions from Engage, as well as an update from the Speech and Language Therapy Service, and a range of new and upcoming events.
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Please find the latest news and updates from Adult Social Care below:
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Latest Covid-19 Outbreak update
(Friday 29 April 2022)
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We have seen a further reduction in our 7 day rate per 100k this week, today being reported at 211.1 (for the period 19th to 25th April).
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High Court Ruling on Government Policies
On 27 April 2022, the High Court ruled that Government Policies on discharging untested patients from hospital to care homes in England at the start of the Covid pandemic had been unlawful. The ruling came after two women took former Health Secretary (Matt Hancock) and Public Health England to court. In their judgement, Lord Justice Bean and Mr Justice Garnham found the decisions of the then health secretary to make and maintain a series of policies contained in documents issued on 17 and 19 March and 2 April 2020 were unlawful because the drafters of those documents failed to take into account the risk to elderly and vulnerable residents from non-symptomatic transmission which had been highlighted by Sir Patrick Vallance in a radio interview as early as 13 March. For more info visit: Covid: Discharging hospital patients to care homes 'unlawful' - BBC News
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We have much to learn from this decision and our response to the pandemic. We do hope that despite the challenges we have all faced together, we have helped others understand the vital role that Social Care plays in society and that the lessons learned through very difficult experience will help shape an improved response to Social Care moving forward.
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This case has also highlighted the significant difficulty some providers are having with respect to their insurance cover and whether this remains in place should the home accept an admission of a potentially positive resident. We are seeking national action and clarification around this issue and will continue to support providers in every way that we can.
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Request For Volunteers For Short 15 Minute Interviews
Impact of Covid on older adults (70+) or people with long term conditions
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The Public Health team are keen to do some brief interviews with people who work with either older adults (70+) or people with long term conditions. We want to ask them how they think Covid has impacted the lives of this large cohort of people, who have been told they are more vulnerable/at risk, and what might help them adjust to life with no Covid restrictions.
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We would like to speak to a few people next week – we only need 10-15 minutes (though if you have up to 30 minutes we would gladly speak to you for longer). If you would like to give your views please contact behaviouralscience@somerset.gov.uk
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Update on Speech and Language Provision for Care Homes
The Adult Speech and Language Therapy Service have written with an update regarding the provision of services to care home.
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Free Training: 2-Day Mental Health First Aid Course
Do your teams work with high-risk individuals/ vulnerable adults?
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Is there an increasing need for Mental health Support for your clients and/or service users?
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Do your teams feel equipped to provide a mental health intervention?
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Have your staff been trained in Mental health First Aid, and this was 3+ years ago?
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We are pleased to share with you that we can now offer the 2-day Mental Health First Aid Course (MHFA England) for free, to professionals and volunteers working with vulnerable adults. This course is funded by Public Health at Somerset County Council and is part of the implementation of the Somerset Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
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Please be aware that due to the high demand for this course, returning an application form DOES NOT automatically mean that you are given a place on the course. However, we try to ensure we take one-two applications per organisation on each course. All applicants will be contacted after the closing date letting them know if they have been successful or not.
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I would be grateful if you could please share as appropriate and should you have any questions, please get in touch with Jessica Mckeith jess.mckeith@mindinsomerset.org.uk
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Deconditioning Resources
This suite of five resources is intended to support individuals, health and care professionals and commissioners to take action to overcome the reduction in physical activity and resultant deconditioning effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on older people.
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Have your say: Improving conditions for social care workforce
Engage Britain are looking for ideas to make working conditions better for care workers, so more people want to stay in their jobs and more people can be recruited to deliver great care to everyone that needs it.
They want your ideas on:
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- Improving working conditions
- Improving training and career progression
- Helping carers feel more valued
- How you would describe great care
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Reminder: Fair Cost of Home Care Consultation
Further to the meeting on 7th April that some of you attended and subsequent information sent to all, please see below details of sessions that are being run for providers by the developers of the Cost of Care Toolkit.
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The self-funder market is likely to be severely impacted by the extended means test thresholds so it is really important that we get a good understanding of the fair cost of care in Somerset and your engagement in this would be really helpful. The below session should help make the tool a bit easier to use.
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If you have any queries on this or anything else please do not hesitate to get in contact.
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Home Care Cost of Care Toolkit Demonstration and Q+A for Home Care Providers.
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The Care and Health Improvement Programme are running 3 webinars where the developer of the Home Care Cost of Care Toolkit, ARCC, will talk through how the tool works. These sessions are 90 mins, split evenly between ARCC demonstrating the Home Care Cost of Care Toolkit and how it should be completed and then taking general Q&A queries. This sessions are for a care provider audience only and are free for all to attend. The sessions are repeats of each other so individuals only need to attend one. Please click the links below to register for the session, then select Book Now at the top of the Event Page. When registering, please select non-member organisation and enter your details as requested. Please do check your junk mail inboxes for sign up confirmations and if there are any issues with registering, do email Marketsandcommissioning@local.gov.uk
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New and Upcoming Events
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Modern slavery – Awareness information workshop for social care providers
Monday 9th May, 13:00 - 14:30
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Providing modern slavery awareness is key to increasing victim identification and helping survivors to access statutory support. Everyone has a role in spotting the signs of modern slavery and responding to it, and we have a shared duty of care to ensure that people arriving in the UK from Ukraine, and other countries, are protected from the risk of abuse, harm or neglect.
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This informative workshop is for social care providers interested in understanding more about modern slavery in the UK today and helping to identify when someone might be a victim of modern slavery.
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The session will be led by Hestia, leading provider of modern slavery support in London and the South East, who provide CPD-accredited training on modern slavery packages to professionals across the UK.
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This workshop, hosted by Skills for Care and the National Care Forum (NCF), will be invaluable to those in supervisory or workforce development roles in adult social care. Attendees will gain a wider knowledge of the dynamics at play in modern slavery situations, help in identifying red flags and how to signpost to the relevant services.
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Attendees will also take away with them practical tools including Hestia’s ‘spot the signs’ toolkit.
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Increasing the Somerset Nursing Associate Workforce: maximising the full potential of the Nursing Associate role
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Wednesday 25th May, 09:30 – 13:00
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Are you interested in exploring how the role of the Nursing Associate could support care delivery within your setting? Providers are invited to join a free Virtual Conference hosted by colleagues from Somerset NHS Foundation Trust:
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This online event will include national and local speakers who will cover:
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- How nursing associates are making a positive contribution to care delivery across all settings including social care
- The importance of the role as a member of nursing team
- What is like to be a nursing associate in practice
- Opportunities to grow your own nursing associates using a locally-based apprenticeship pathway
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Upcoming Event Reminders
- Weekly meeting: Every Friday at 3pm the Health Protection Team host a meeting to answer any questions care providers have about updated Covid guidance. Teams meeting link.
- Provider Webinar and Q&A with Mel Lock, 3rd May 3pm to 4pm. Webinars.
- Skills for Care Registered Manager webinar: New Managers - what resources and support is available, 18th May, 10:00am to 10:45am. Register on Zoom.
- Somerset End of Life Care Conference, 19th-20th May, The Canalside Conference Centre, Bridgwater, TA6 6LQ. Details on website.
- PPE 'Out and About' event, 27th May, Bristol Marriot City Centre, BS1 3AD. PPE ‘Out and About’ Event
- Skills for Care: Have your say: Inform the future of learning and development in adult social care, various dates. Specific dates and more information here.
- Infection Prevention Society’s Care Home Special Interest Group Event, 8th June, 9.30am to 3pm, Clay Cross, Derbyshere. Book on Eventbrite.
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Updated Guidance
- No new guidance this week.
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Please continue to share or promote these briefings and our webpage to others in your organisations.
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Our incident room mailbox and contact details (see below) remains operational during core working hours so please get in touch if you have any urgent concerns or queries we can look to assist you with.
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Somerset’s Provider Engagement Team
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Adult Social Care (ASC) COVID19 Response Team
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