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ASC Provider Briefing - 02 September 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 for the relaunch of Care Provider Learning and Engagement Meetings at 2pm on Tuesday September 6th. Full details in the Events section below.
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This week in the briefing: information about the Autumn/Winter Vaccination campaigns, an update from the Capacity Tracker, and Learning from Serious Cases from SSAB, as well as the usual event reminders.
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A big thank you to all providers who completed the Cost of Care templates. Responses were received from 30% of active home care providers and 43% of eligible care homes. We fully appreciate the amount of time and effort that was put in to this exercise. We will now begin analysing the returns and the valuable insight gained from this will be fed back to the DHSC in October.
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Please find the latest news and updates from Adult Social Care below:
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Autumn/Winter Vaccinations
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This Autumn and Winter we expect to see both flu and Covid viruses circulating. With the UK experiencing its first flu season since 2019, the population will have less immunity than previous flu seasons. Preparations for the potential impact of this on our population’s health and well-being, centre on vaccination for both Flu and Covid-19, targeted to at risk groups. The best way to protect ourselves our friends, our families, and the people we care for is by taking up all the vaccinations that we are eligible for.
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Flu Vaccination
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) have widened the offer of the free flu vaccine to more eligible groups. These additional groups will only be eligible once the most vulnerable, including previously announced pre-school and primary school children, those aged 65 years and over and those in clinical risk groups, have been offered the jab.
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The additional groups set to be offered the free flu vaccine in England will be:
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- all adults aged 50 to 64 years (including those who turn 50 by 31 March 2023)
- secondary school children in years 7, 8 and 9, who will be offered the vaccine in order of school year (starting with the youngest first)
If eligible for a free flu vaccine, people will be sent a invitation to book an appointment either at their GP or a local pharmacy. Everyone who is eligible for the free flu vaccine will be able to get it. When having a appointment for a Covid-19 booster vaccine at a GP surgery or pharmacy, you may also be offered a flu vaccine at the same time.
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Its really important that people do not delay booking their flu vaccine appointment so that you can get both vaccines together. Only some people will be offered both vaccines at the same time.
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Covid Vaccination
People aged 50 years and older, residents in care homes for older people, those aged 5 years and over in a clinical risk group and health and social care staff will be offered a booster of Covid-19 vaccine this autumn.
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The autumn booster is being offered to those at high risk of the complications of Covid-19 infection, who may have not been boosted for a few months. As the number of Covid-19 infections increases over the winter, this booster should help to reduce your risk of being admitted to hospital with Covid-19.
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Some people who can get a booster dose of the Covid-19 vaccine are also eligible for the free annual flu vaccine. If you are eligible for a flu vaccine, you may be able to have them at the same time – if not please go ahead anyway, you can catch up with the other vaccine later. Please wait to be called forwards by the NHS.
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Walk In Covid Vaccination Clinics
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The Autumn Booster vaccination programme starts on the 5th Sept and all clinics are likely to become very busy. If you have yet to have your 1st, 2nd or initial booster, please consider getting it now. Please check Grab a Jab to find a clinic near you.
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Latest Covid-19 Outbreak update
(Friday 02 September 2022)
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We are seeing reduced numbers of positive Covid cases and fewer outbreaks in care settings. We are still experiencing high levels of system pressure.
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Somerset Safeguarding Adults Board (SSAB): Learning from serious cases
All safeguarding is complex, challenging work but this is never more so than when an individual dies or is seriously harmed through abuse or neglect. The impact on families, carers and the professionals involved should not be under-estimated, and is never taken lightly by any organisation or professional. A vital role of the statutory Safeguarding Adults Board is to seek assurance on the effectiveness of local safeguarding activity and to ensure practice continually improves. It is required to commission Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs) to identify whether lessons can be learnt about the effectiveness of multi-agency working to safeguard adults at risk.
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The SSAB has recently published 3 case reviews/briefings, and to support multi-agency awareness, is sharing the following Practice Briefings today:
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- 'Susan': A Safeguarding Adults Review was commissioned in to the death of ‘Susan’ (pseudonym), had a significant health condition that required daily medication, and concerns were identified with the way organisations worked together to safeguard her. https://bit.ly/3SVUj5I
- 'Mrs L': In this case a Safeguarding Adults Review (SAR) was not commissioned as it was determined that Mrs L’s case did not meet the criteria for a SAR. However, it was agreed to instead undertake a review of Mrs L’s case to determine what, if anything, the organisations involved might have done differently when she moved between two care homes and to develop a practice briefing based on this https://bit.ly/3c1jP9d
- Kathleen: Following referrals to both the Safer Somerset Partnership and SSAB that did not meet the criteria for either a Domestic Homicide Review or a Safeguarding Adults Review, it was agreed that it would still be beneficial for an independently chaired review to take place to explore the learning for how agencies worked together for a period of approximately six years prior to Kathleen’s (pseudonym) death. This was due to initial fact finding identifying extensive involvement by many agencies that related to domestic abuse and vulnerability. A one page briefing has been produced which identifies the key learning from the case. https://bit.ly/3LKIb30
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As of the 1st of September, there have been changes to some questions on the capacity tracker and reports and bulk upload. Please see this communication for details.
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Reminder: Flexercise Workshops
These workshops are aimed at people who work with or have an interest in enhancing the lifestyle of the not so young. The workshops are open to volunteers, carers from nursing and residential homes, helpers in day care centres and officers or ‘active’ residents from sheltered homes.
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The workshop will provide the necessary information that an individual will require to lead an activity session so that you can volunteer with us to help older people in your area stay more mobile, improve mental health and enhance their later years.
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- Edgar Hall, Somerton - Wednesday 21st September 2022 10:30-14:30
- Victoria Park Community Centre, Bridgwater - Wednesday 19th October 2022 10:30-14:30
- Wells Town Hall, Wells - Wednesday 9th November 2022 10:30-14:30
For more information or if you have any questions please contact the Ageing Well team.
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Events
Care Provider Learning and Engagement Meetings (LEMs)
Care Provider Learning and Engagement Meetings (LEMs) have been on hold since Covid overtook priorities and took the world by storm. The great news is LEMS are coming back and will be held the first Tuesday of every month, 2-4pm, starting 2pm, 6 September 2022. The meetings will be virtual you just need to click on the link below, subsequent virtual links will be sent on a monthly basis via the provider brief.
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Anna Baverstock, Paediatrician, Lead for Senior Doctor Wellbeing is the guest speaker at the first session (06/09/22) – speaking about “Kindness” and sharing wellbeing resources. It’s a chance to reset the clock, see where we are now and how to move forward. Following this there will be a Question and Answer period giving you our Care Providers of Somerset the opportunity to share your visions of the LEMS, what you want to achieve from them, what you want to discuss, what you find beneficial, which professionals you would like to attend and any other ideas you have. The LEMs are a resource for ALL of you.
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We understand attendance may be difficult due to conflicting demands, annual leave etc, so the LEMS are open to everyone in your organisation from Operational Directors to Care assistants and admin staff. It’s also possible to attend part or all of the meeting and we will record them so you can watch them when the time is right for you.
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Join on your computer or mobile app
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Meeting ID: 386 355 623 016
Passcode: Exr9X6
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Phone Conference ID: 141 576 771#
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Places still available:
Workforce Planning Workshops
Do you want to understand more about social care workforce planning? A good workforce plan will help your organisation be more successful and ensure you have the right people with the right skills at the right time to meet the needs and future opportunities for your business and the local population.
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Skills for Care is working in partnership with Somerset County Council to deliver a free to attend learning and development opportunity for care provider employers across Somerset to engage them in workforce planning and workforce re-design.
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This will consist of two face-to-face half days sessions that will describe what workforce planning is, national and local drivers, how to affect change and workforce transformation, as well as provide a number of practical resources.
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This will be followed by a virtual follow-up session to share ideas, learning, any challenges and hear from others.
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After attending the course, delegates will be able to:
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- Define what is workforce planning
- Explain why it is important
- Demonstrate how find relevant data and summarise using templates
- Interpret data, local and national drivers to establish priorities to create a workforce plan
The workshops are targeted primarily at those with a responsibility for workforce transformation and re-design from any size of organisation, for example senior managers/owners, nominated individuals, registered managers, HR leads.
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These workshops will take place in two cohorts. You can select your preferred cohort when you register.
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Wednesday 14 September 2022 and Tuesday 20 September 2022
10:00 – 13:00 (09:30 registration)
The Albemarle Centre, Taunton
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Wednesday 28 September 2022 and Tuesday 04 October 2022
10:00 – 13:00 (09:30 registration)
The Albemarle Centre, Taunton
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Both cohorts – virtual session
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Thursday 17 November 2022
10:00 – 12:00
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Upcoming Event Reminders
- Walk For A Life - World Suicide Awareness Day Walk. Saturday 10th September, 10am. Walk for a Life website or view the Facebook Event
- South West Care Home Network Meeting. Wednesday 14th September, 10am to 12.30pm. Register here.
- Application of the Mental Capacity Act for 16 and 17 Year Olds, Tuesday 11th October 2022, 9am to 1.30pm. See the flyer, and book your place here.
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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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