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ASC Provider Briefing - 28 October 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 in the briefing: information about Business Continuity, vaccination drop-ins, learning from LeDeR about dysphagia, a guide to culturally appropriate care from Skills for Care, information about Support for Cost of Living and the important of Staying Warm, a reminder about the Data Security Protection Toolkit, as well as new events and event reminders.
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Please find the latest news and updates from Adult Social Care below:
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Business Continuity - Fuel Disruption
We have experienced a number of issues over the last year with fuel shortages and the impact on power supplies from storm Eunice. The Local Government Association has put together some supportive guidance related to business continuity. Within this there is a section on The Care Provider Alliance (CPA) which has produced a series of guides and top tips for adult social care services in England to help with business continuity planning that you might find useful.
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COVID-19 Vaccinations for Social Care Staff in Somerset
With Covid rates and hospital admissions on the rise, it’s really important that all social care staff are able to get their covid vaccinations and protect themselves, their patients and their loved ones as soon as possible. All social care staff are able to have their free vaccination now and can make appointments online https://bit.ly/SomersetCovidBookings or by calling 119.
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There are also a number of clinics across Somerset that are pleased to offer a ‘walk-in’ option for Autumn Boosters. Here are the opening days and times and locations. Clinics can be busy at times, so your patience is very much appreciated if you do need to wait for a little while.
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- Tower Vaccination Clinic, Tower Street Taunton, TA1 4AF. 7 days a week (8am–8pm)
- Alfred Gillet Trust Building at Clarks Village, Street, BA16 0BQ. 7 days a week. (Mon to Sat 9am-5pm: Sun 9am-4pm)
- Minehead Community Hospital, Luttrell Way, Minehead, TA24 6DF. Tues and Sat (8.30am-5pm)
- Wellington Community Hospital, Bulford, Wellington, TA21 8QQ. Mon-Thurs (9am-5pm)
- Bridgwater Community Hospital, Bower Lane, Bridgwater, TA6 4GU. Sat and Sun (9am-5pm)
- Cheese and Grain, Market Yard, Justice Lane, Frome, BA11 1BE. Thursdays (9am-4pm)
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LeDeR Learning Brief: Dysphagia
The LeDeR programme aims to improve care, reduce health inequalities and prevent early deaths of people with a learning disability and autistic people
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LeDeR have published a report on Dysphagia learning from a recent coroner's report. You can view the report here.
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New Guide to Support Culturally Appropriate Care
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Our ‘Culturally appropriate care guide’ was written to help anyone involved in the care and support of individuals to have a clearer understanding of culturally appropriate care and what that may mean to individuals they support. The guide covers a broad range of topics that will help you to learn about and be sensitive to people’s cultural identity or heritage.
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To support the learning within the guide, we've also published a series of resources for use in training and development. These cover supporting individuals from ethnic minority groups and backgrounds, stereotyping, and supporting relationships and people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and others (LGBTQ+). They can be used individually, or as part of a whole package of training.
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Latest Covid-19 Outbreak update
(Friday 28 October 2022)
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Although for many the pandemic has passed, we are seeing increased cases across Somerset. Coupled with the flu we will need all of you to continue your focus on infection prevention and control and to continue to work with us to reduce the opportunities for disease transmission. We are still experiencing high levels of system pressure.
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Support for Cost of Living
A package of support has been approved to help support Somerset people deal with the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis this Winter.
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- Financial assistance with food and energy bills through the household support fund: Apply here.
- A 'Warm Welcome' network of venues where people can find warmth and company
Targeted support for clinically vulnerable people in cold homes.
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Public Health Catch Up: Staying Warm
This week Clinton Rogers looks ahead to how we can stay warm this winter. He speaks to Kate Thomas from the Centre for Sustainable Energy about the support they offer, including giving advice and offering grants to those who need to make changes to their homes.
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Clinton hears from Public Health Consultant, Alice Munro about the health dangers that cold weather brings, and why it is so important for people to stay warm during the winter months. He also visits St George's Church in Taunton to hear about how they are providing a warm space within their local community.
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Reminder: Data Security Protection Toolkit
Better Security, Better Care has partnered with RCPA in helping local care providers to evaluate and improve their data and cyber security. This is a national and local support programme designed to support you.
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As a care provider, you know how important it is to keep people’s information safe, and to protect your business from the risk of a data breach or cyber attack. The Data Security Protection Toolkit covers both paper and digital records to reassure everyone you work with that you are taking data security seriously.
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What is the Data Security Protection Toolkit (DSPT)?
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The DSPT is an online self-assessment tool, that you complete and publish annually. The toolkit guides you through your legal and contractual requirements regarding the Data Protection act 2018 and GDPR.
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All CQC registered care providers should complete the DSPT at least once a year. Publishing the DSPT will allow you access to other services and opportunities. For example, you must have completed the DSPT if you deliver services under an NHS contract; use shared health and care records; or use NHSmail.
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RCPA is your local support hub for completing the DSPT working alongside Better Security, Better Care who offer national support. RCPA have dedicated support solely for the attention of assisting care providers in working through the DSPT. RCPA offers to all care providers one on one support to answer anything related to the DSPT or data security.
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Events
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Financial Wellbeing Webinar
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Friday 4 November, 2pm to 2:45pm “Taking Care of Your Finances”:
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Pension Geeks and Isio will host a financial wellbeing seminar that focusses on how to better manage your money and the keys to good budgeting.
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The seminar is open to all, so register online now and please feel free to share this with your friends and family.
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Technology Enabled Care Come and Try Event
To celebrate national Occupational Therapy Week, Somerset County Council are holding a TEC Come and Try Event at the new Shepton Mallet Independent Living Centre (SILC) on Thursday 10 November 2022 from 10am – 4pm (Mendip District Council Offices, Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet, Somerset, BA4 5BT).
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The drop in event will give people the opportunity to get ‘hands on’ with technology from TEC providers who will be providing demonstrations on the day. The session is aimed at people working in the health and social care sector, not the general public at this stage.
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We are asking people to book in for an hour slot for participation in to ensure everyone has the opportunity to try the equipment and spend time talking to SILC colleagues as well as the technology providers who will be there on the day. You will also be able to look around the ILC if you have never visited before.
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Reminder: Somerset Winter Readiness Briefing
Support your local communities to stay well and cope with rising living costs this winter. This online event on Thursday 10 November between 11am and 12.30pm will give you an overview of who is more vulnerable in winter and how to signpost to the range of support available in Somerset.
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👉 Keeping warm – places and help available to keep warm this winter
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👉 Keeping well – immunisations and emotional wellbeing and support
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👉 Financial wellness – how to manage finances when costs are rising
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👉 Essentials – support with food and other essentials
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👉 Planning for cold and extreme weather
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This online briefing is for health and care professionals, paid and unpaid carers and volunteers working with people and communities who may be more vulnerable this winter.
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Upcoming Event Reminders
- Quality Improvement for our Patients, People, and Planet. Monday 31st October to Friday 4th November. View the agenda.
- Skills for Care: Becoming a disability confident employer. Tuesday 1st November, 10am to 12pm. Register on Zoom.
- Care Provider Learning and Engagement Meeting, Tuesday 1st November, 2pm to 4pm. View details on website.
- Age UK Somerset Flexercise Workshop Wells, Wednesday 9th November, 10.30am to 12.30pm. More details on website.
- Optimal Handed Care, 4 sessions on 8th and 9th of November. Book on Eventbrite.
- Mouth Care Matters: Looking After People's Oral Health; A Training Session for Health & Social Care Professionals, Tuesday 6th December 9.30am to 11.30am. More details on Maxcourse
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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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