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ASC Provider briefing - 13 May 2022
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Dear Care Provider Colleagues,
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Welcome to this week's briefing.
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This week's briefing includes a reminder about coronavirus testing, news about quality assurance, returning to nursing and student nursing placements, a survey about the NHSX supplied iPads, a report from ADASS, details on the Workforce Development Fund, some wellbeing resources including the Somerset Wellbeing Conference, a chance to get involved in Dementia Action Week, as well as the usual event reminders.
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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 13 May 2022)
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We have seen a further reduction in our 7 day rate per 100k this week, today being reported at 106.4 (for the period 3rd to 9th May).
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Testing
A few reminders and updates regarding testing:
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- The delivery mechanism for PCR swabs has now changed to a Royal Mail Tracked 24 system.
- Once ordered, PCR swabs will be delivered within 24 hours.
- Deliveries will not take place on Sundays, but will every other day including bank holidays.
- Importantly, care homes need to manage their stocks so they always have enough stock available to them to complete a round of whole home testing
- This guidance document was last updated on 9 May 2022 – a care home outbreak testing flowchart for staff and residents was added.
- All staff should continue to test using LFD twice a week
- Symptomatic staff and residents need to test via LFD immediately and re-test if negative 48 hours later
- If either a staff or resident tests positive – rapid response testing should commence where all staff perform daily LFDs (days they are working) for 5 days
- Outbreak testing remains at days 1 and days 4-7
- Outbreak recovery testing takes places after 10 days of no positive cases
PAMMS
Return to Nursing
We are currently working with colleagues in Somerset Foundation Trust to review the potential to support return to nursing programmes and in particular where any care provider has an individual who is keen to return to nursing but requires support to achieve the necessary competency sign offs. We would welcome conversations with any providers who may have potential staff who would be willing to work with us to pilot this approach. Please contact us at ASCCovid19@somerset.gov.uk if you have potential staff and would be interested in working with us.
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Local Elections
Introduction from Sarah Harvey
My name is Sarah Harvey and I would like to introduce myself to you all.
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I have been seconded part time as the CPEP (clinical placement expansion programme) lead for Somerset. I am also the student lead at YDH.
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All nursing students who are attending an NMC approved course require time attending placement so that they can learn and develop their clinical skills and knowledge. Having a variety of placement opportunities is crucial for them to understand and experience the vast range of care provisions that are available to people requiring care and support during their life time. As registrants and our future work force, the placements attended as students enables them to explore future career options.
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Social Care is an area that the CPEP project is hoping to explore and expand
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The number of students needing placement time is going to increase over the next year as the Universities and Colleges in Somerset will be looking for placements areas to support an increasing number of students who are attending a variety of courses which require these placement hours.
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This includes University Centre Somerset who are to have their first BSC in Adult and Mental Health Nursing starting September 22. They are based in Taunton.
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The purpose of this role is to try and increase placement capacity across Somerset. Not only does this allow the universities to successfully use Somerset for their students, but hopefully will increase the workforce numbers of the future which we all know are vital to sustaining the services provided in Somerset.
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As part of this role I am very keen to understand what you already do to support students currently. I would be very grateful if you could give me an update regarding the number of students that you already accommodate and any information about the course they are on, either nursing or AHP. If you can tell me which university you currently liaise with that would be useful too.
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I am not looking to change existing placement areas but to map out what is already happening. If you would like to increase your placement offers or work in partnership with other providers I can help to facilitate this.
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If you do not already have students but would like to have more information about being able to do this I am happy to advise further.
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As part of this role I can offer support with assessor and supervisor updates and support along with providing some funding to allow this training to take place. This can also include support with assessments and understanding the paperwork that is required by the students. I am currently putting a team together who will be in a position to do this with you
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If you would like some further information please do not hesitate to contact me, Sarah Harvey - HARVEY, Sarah (NHS SOMERSET CCG) sarah.harvey39@nhs.net
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I look forward to hearing from you.
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NHSX iPads
In winter 2020, to support the pandemic response, NHSX procured and gifted 11,000 iPads to care homes across the country. The iPads were to support care homes to access remote health consultations and wellbeing services for the people in their care, and to help keep residents connected to their loved ones during the pandemic
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We will be ending central funding for mobile device management support in June 2022. Mobile Device Management software helps to keep an iPad safe, and means that an iPad can have a custom set-up depending on the needs of the user.
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NHSTD & Jigsaw 24 have launched a survey to collect the views of care homes with NHSX iPads. We have extended this survey for two weeks and it will now close on Friday 20th May.
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You can access the link for the survey here.
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A question and answer document to support the next steps can be found here. It will shortly be made available via the Digital Social Care Website, where you can find all other resources relating to the iPad offer. In the meantime, if you or your team have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch by emailing ipad.offer@nhsx.nhs.uk
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ADASS Survey: Waiting for Care and Support
- More than six in 10 councils that responded (61%) say they are having to prioritise assessments and are only able to respond to people where abuse or neglect is highlighted, for hospital discharge or after a temporary period of residential care to support recovery and reablement. (1)
- 506,131 people were waiting for assessments, reviews, and/or care support to begin (2)
- There has been a 16% increase in the number of hours of home care that have been delivered since Spring 2021, but that dipped from a high of over 41m hours in Autumn 2021 in the first quarter of this year as staff vacancies and sickness impacted (3)
- Almost 170,000 hours a week of home care could not be delivered because of a shortage of care workers during the first three months of 2022 (4). That is a dramatic seven-fold increase since Spring 2021
This new evidence shows that despite staff working relentlessly over the last two years, levels of unmet, undermet or wrongly met needs are increasing, and the situation is getting worse. The growing numbers of people needing care and the increasing complexity of their needs are far outstripping the capacity to meet them.
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Despite great achievements in increasing the amount of care provided, there is an even starker rise in the support now needed, with more people left without essential care to maintain their health, and dignity and lead good lives in their communities.
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Not only are people waiting longer for care assessments, reviews, care packages and personal budgets, but family carers are having to shoulder greater responsibility and are being asked to take paid or unpaid leave from work when care and support are not available for their family members.
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Making the focus of resources on acute hospitals, without addressing care and support at home, means people deteriorate and even more will need hospital care.
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Responding to the findings, Sarah McClinton, ADASS President said:
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“We have not seen the bounce back in services after the pandemic in the way we had hoped. In fact, the situation is getting worse rather than better.
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“Social care is far from fixed. The Health and Social Care reforms go some way to tackle the issue of how much people contribute to the cost of their care, but it falls short in addressing social care’s most pressing issues: how we respond to rapidly increasing unmet need for essential care and support and resolve the workforce crisis by properly valuing care professionals.
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Cathie Williams, ADASS Chief Executive said:
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“Without action to prioritise care and support in people’s homes and local communities, it will take years rather than months to fully recover.”
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“We need a funded plan so that we can ensure that everyone gets the care and support they need, with more of the Health and Social Care Levy being used to fund care and support in people’s homes and communities over the next two years. People cannot wait for funding trickle into adult social care and wider community services”.
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This highlights the scale of the challenge ahead and the importance of the continued joint working that will help us find the solutions.
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Workforce Development Fund 2022-23
Applications are now open for large national organisations and lead organisations of employer-led partnerships.
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The Workforce Development Fund (WDF) supports the provision of high quality care and the continuing professional development (CPD) of staff across the adult social care sector by providing a contribution towards the costs of vocational learning.
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The deadline for applications is the 17th May, 2022.
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Mental Health Awareness Week
Tips to combat loneliness – practical steps you can take to promote your wellbeing and tackle loneliness:
3 Step Approach to tackling loneliness - Marmalade Trust
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- Acknowledge loneliness and don't feel embarrassed
- Reach out and tell someone how you are feeling
- Take action - build up your local community
Get involved in the largest collective sharing of loneliness experiences and together let’s shatter the stigma around loneliness. Share your experiences and send a powerful message to others, using the hashtag #IveBeenThere and #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek.
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Below are links to great resources and support available, please share with your networks;
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Mindline - 24/7 listening and support service 01823 276 892, 0800 138 1692
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The Mix - Free confidential help for under-25s to get support online and via a helpline:
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Call The Mix free on 0808 808 449 or text "THEMIX" to 85258
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Silverline - Free 24-hour confidential telephone helpline offering information, friendship and advice to people over 55: call Silverline on 0800 4 70 80 90
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Men's Shed - Community spaces for men to connect, converse and create.
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Get involved! Dementia Action Week
16 – 22 May
Next Monday sees the launch of Dementia Action Week, a national campaign to raise awareness about dementia. Be sure to follow our social media, where we’ll be sharing some great news and videos.
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Of course, we’d also love you to get involved and share your own pictures, videos, and comments with us on social media – please use the following hashtag: #DementiaActionWeek
Want us to repost? Tag us in on Twitter / Facebook / Tiktok
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Somerset Wellbeing Conference
Please click here to view the full timetable of events at this year’s event and click here to book your places now
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Other training relating to emotional wellbeing, including ShinyMind and ReactMH can be found on the Training Guidance page of our website.
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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.
- Skills for Care Registered Manager webinar: New Managers - what resources and support is available, 18th May, 10:00am to 10:45am. Register on Zoom.
- Care Provider Home Care Cost of Care Toolkit Demonstration and Q&A, 19th May, 10:00am to 11.30am. Details on website.
- Somerset End of Life Care Conference, 19th-20th May, The Canalside Conference Centre, Bridgwater, TA6 6LQ. Details on website.
- Increasing the Somerset Nursing Associate Workforce: maximising the full potential of the Nursing Associate role, 25th May, 9:30am to 4.30pm. Details on PEN.
- 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, Derbyshire. Book on Eventbrite.
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Updated Guidance
- See above for details on the updated testing guidance.
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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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