|
|
|
|
ASC Provider Briefing - 17 March 2023
|
|
|
Dear Care Provider Colleagues,
|
Welcome to this week's briefing.
|
This week in the briefing: an update on our Proud to Care Recruitment Campaign, information about Nursing Associate Apprenticeships, a reminder about invoices and payments from April 2023, an invitation to training on Mouth and Swallowing Matters, a reminder about the Dementia Wellbeing Service Roadshow, and the usual event reminders.
|
|
Please find the latest news and updates from Adult Social Care below:
|
|
|
|
|
We have candidates waiting!
An update on our exciting My Time to Care campaign. We have had 298 expressions of interest, and have 44 candidates with the right to work in the UK, and a further 68 candidates who need sponsorship, as well as the remainder we are still in communication with.
|
|
|
|
Nursing Associate Apprenticeship
|
The Nursing Associate role was introduced as a result of the Shape of caring review (2015) to create a role which bridges the skills gap between Care Assistant and Registered Nurse. On completion of a two year programme a Nursing Associate will be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and work with autonomy that comes with their own PIN.
|
|
The Nursing Associate role can increase the capacity of any nursing setting to meet the clinical needs of the people in their care. Additional skills and knowledge can support registered nurses enabling them to work at the upper limits of their registration. Differences between the two professions are highlighted in the platforms below.
|
|
|
Within social care settings Nursing Associates can be utilised in a team leader capacity, taking on more nursing duties and acting as a liaison between the care team and the nurse on shift. Increased clinical knowledge can support care planning, whilst enhanced leadership skills enable tasks such as practice supervision and disciplinary meetings. Additionally, a Nursing Associate will be competent in many clinical skills which enable them to undertake nursing specific tasks such as:
|
- Taking and interpreting physical observations such as pulse and blood pressure
- Accompanying GP rounds
- Autonomous administration of medications including, though not limited to, oral, PEG and sub-cutaneous
- End of life care
- Catheterisation
- Venepuncture
- Wound care and dressing selection
- Nasogastric tube insertion and care
- And many more with appropriate training
Whilst Nursing Associate training can be accessed via self-funded or direct entry routes, an apprenticeship programme provides a more accessible option for many candidates. Providing an opportunity for existing employees to progress their careers whilst remaining in their workplace can also act as a powerful toll for both staff retention and recruitment.
|
Course fees can be fully funded via the apprenticeship levy, with non-levy care providers having the potential for a levy transfer to support with these costs. Advice and support on how to access these funds can be provided when accessing training from local education providers.
|
An employer with a trainee Nursing Associate accessing an apprenticeship route will be eligible to apply for additional funding from Health Education England to support the provision of the training, outlined as follows:
|
- For each TNA, an employer will be eligible for total funding of £8,000 over two years (£4,000 per year)
- For trainees that are working at least 50% of their practice time with people who have a learning disability or/ and are autistic, an employer will be eligible for total funding of £15,800 over two years (£7,900 per year)*
This apprenticeship route can allow experienced care staff to progress a nursing career. It allows for an individual’s skills and knowledge to be developed whilst an employer gets the chance to nurture a registrant to enhance their setting.
|
Nursing associate stories: a journey of personal discovery
|
|
|
Reminder: Clarity regarding Invoices and Payments for care providers on Adult Social Care Frameworks from April 2023
From 1 April 2023, Somerset County Council and the 4 District Councils will be replaced by the new unitary Somerset Council.
|
Somerset Council will be the same legal entity as Somerset County Council as the ‘Continuing Authority’.
|
Therefore, all current contracts will continue in effect as if Somerset Council had been the original contracting entity. Both the contractor and the council will continue to be bound by the obligations in the contract. No further action by either the council or the contractor is required to give effect to this transfer.
|
|
Invoice name change from April 2023
|
Invoices will need to be in the name of Somerset Council from 1 April 2023. Incorrect invoices may have to be returned for amendment.
|
To avoid delays to payments, please continue to email your invoices to the correct finance team for approval, with completed delivery notes if relevant:
|
|
As a reminder, the invoices need to follow Somerset Council’s agreed payment periods set out below:
|
|
|
Please contact your existing contract manager or key contact if you have any further queries.
|
|
|
|
Events
|
|
|
Mouth and Swallowing Matters: Linking Oral Health, Dysphagia and Hydration in a Care Home Setting
Join us on Tuesday 25th April 10am – 12 noon
|
Bringing together a range of health and social care professionals whose work helps to improve mouth care, hydration and swallow management for people at increased risk of (aspiration) pneumonia
|
|
Although this has a focus on care home settings, this may be of interest to staff who support people in the community and supported living.
|
|
|
|
|
The new Somerset Dementia Wellbeing Service is a collaboration between dementia services who are working together to improve diagnosis, enhance support in the community, and provide an excellent, consistent service for people with dementia and their carers in Somerset.
|
This spring, to launch the new service, we are running a series of roadshows across the county to showcase support options available to people with dementia and their carers, and give people an opportunity to experience a free mobile dementia simulator.
|
|
|
|
Upcoming Event Reminders
|
|
|
Please continue to share or promote these briefings and our webpage to others in your organisations.
|
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.
|
Somerset’s Provider Engagement Team
|
|
Adult Social Care (ASC) COVID19 Response Team
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
