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ASC Provider Briefing - 06 April 2023
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Dear Care Provider Colleagues,
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Welcome to this week's bank holiday briefing.
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This week in the briefing: an update on Covid-19 testing in health and social care, news about Somerset Council, congratulations on recent CQC Inspections, a reminder to get in touch about Registered Manager Changes and inspections, a consultation and other news from the Department of Health and Social Care, information about Optimal Handed Care Training, and information about our Care Provider Learning and Engagement Meetings, 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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Government ends routine Covid-19 testing across health and social care settings
Routine Covid-19 testing has ended for most staff and patients in England.
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Under the new measures, symptomatic and asymptomatic Covid-19 testing will no longer be available for staff and patients in health and care settings minus some exceptions.
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Testing will continue for people in the community and residents in care settings if they have symptoms and are in a vulnerable group that is eligible for Covid-19 treatment, to speed up access to treatment.
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If an outbreak is suspected, the provider should inform the health protection team (HPT). However, they are not required to wait for advice from the HPT (or other relevant local partner) if they feel they are able to initiate the risk assessment independently. Further support will be available from the local HPT (or other local partner according to local protocols) at the care home’s request.
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Only the first 5 residents with symptoms of a respiratory infection will be asked to take an LFD test to identify if there is an outbreak of COVID-19. This is in addition to ongoing testing for symptomatic individuals eligible for COVID-19 treatments.
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Flags are flying as a new era dawns in Somerset with the official launch of Somerset Council.
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The new, single council’s logo features on flags that are flying at council offices in Bridgwater, Shepton Mallet, Taunton and Yeovil.
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Somerset Council replaces the four district councils, Mendip, Sedgemoor, Somerset West and Taunton, and South Somerset, and Somerset County Council, bringing services, staff, and elected members under one umbrella.
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This will free up resources, including £18million every year, to protect jobs and services; grow Somerset’s voice nationally; help to deliver the investment in business and infrastructure; and drive action to tackle climate change.
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The change will make it easier for customers to access the services they need – there will be a single telephone number 0300 123 2224 and a single website www.somerset.gov.uk. The number of Customer Access Points across Somerset has almost doubled from 12 to 19.
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Somerset Council, with 110 councillors, will be one of the largest unitary councils in England – with 512 services – and its scale will enable innovative approaches to tackling the big challenges faced today.
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Adult Social Care Fees and Charges, 2023-24
Please use the web link below to view a Key Decision taken on 30 March 2023 by the Lead Member for Adult Social Care regarding the Adult Social Care Fees and Charges.
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Should you have any questions or queries, please contact the report author: James Sangster, Service Manager, Adults Commissioning, contact details: james.sangster@somerset.gov.uk
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CQC Care Provider Inspection Outcomes – March 2023
Somerset Council would like to formally recognise and send our congratulations to the following care providers in Somerset who achieved an overall ‘Good’ rating in their inspection reports published last month (March 2023):
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- The Rectory Care Home - focused inspection (sustaining ‘Good’ rating)
- Mountbatten Nursing Home - focused inspection (sustaining ‘Good’ rating)
- Rossetti House - first inspection under new provider
- Fir Villa Residential Home - focused inspection (sustaining ‘Good’ rating)
- Croft House - sustaining ‘Good’ rating
- West Abbey focused inspection (overall rating improving from ‘Requires Improvement’ to ‘Good’)
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We know how hard our care colleagues work to provide personalised and compassionate care for the people they support and recognise the many demands and challenges continuing to face the sector.
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These inspection outcomes are a great achievement and help Somerset to continue to deliver the high-quality care we all aspire for.
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Communications – Registered Managers and CQC Inspections
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Just a gentle reminder for all CQC Registered Providers please.
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You are required to inform CQC of any changes to your Registered Manager, please also notify Somerset Council of such changes.
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In addition, please ensure that you keep Somerset Council updated about your CQC inspections i.e., notify us that you are being inspected/have just been inspected, provide copies of written feedback at the time of inspection, both draft and final reports etc.
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We appreciate and thank you for your continued support in keeping us updated.
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Care workforce pathway for adult social care: call for evidence
This call for evidence will inform the development of a new care workforce pathway for adult social care. We would like your views on what should be included within the pathway. We will consider those views when developing the first iteration of the pathway, which we intend to publish in autumn 2023. We will provide more information on this and planned implementation to the sector in due course.
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This call for evidence will run for a period of 8 weeks and is open to everyone.
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- as an individual
- on behalf of someone else
- on behalf of an organisation
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Government sets out next steps to support social care
- Building on the People at the Heart of Care white paper, the government has set out plans to further digitise the social care sector and bolster the workforce
- Alongside the plan, the Better Care Fund framework, published today, will ensure at least £16.8 billion is spent to make sure people receive the right care in the right place at the right time
- Plans will support the Prime Minister’s ambition to cut waiting lists by reducing pressure on urgent and emergency care and freeing up beds for those who need them
Government unveils taskforce chair to boost older people's housing
Professor Meyer, a leading expert in care for older people, will chair the Older People’s Housing Taskforce, spearheading work to support the growth of a thriving older people’s housing sector across the country.
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The taskforce will work across housing, heath, and care sectors to drive an increase in the volume and range of housing options and make recommendations to the Government.
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The appointment was unveiled as part of the government’s Adult Social Care Implementation plan published by the Department of Health and Social Care today.
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Optimal Handed Care
Optimal Handed Care are continuing to run their series of 3 day RoSPA Level 4 course in Advanced Moving & Handling – single handed care. This course offers a nationally recognised qualification which is a great opportunity for professional development and career progression. Those that qualify become Somerset’s Optimal Handed Care Ambassadors and will be offered further opportunities for practice and development at regular intervals. They will also be invited to neighbourhood and countywide support networks.
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The course is free of charge and is planned by Somerset County Council to become a mandatory requirement for all Registered Managers, Key Trainers and risk assessing Supervisors to attend. It is part of Somerset’s integrated health and social care strategy to provide optimised person centred care which is safe and dignified, using shared risk assessment, equipment and techniques. Their vision is for this approach to be used in all of Somerset’s acute and community hospitals, care homes and within individual’s own homes within the next 2 years.
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They are advertising 2 offers:
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- The OHC Clinical Core Group understand that it can be difficult for Care Providers to release their Managers, Key Trainers and risk assessing Supervisors for a 3 day course. With this in mind, they are inviting those people to apply for a “split course”, where they attend Day 1 (the theory day) one month and attend Days 2+3 (the practical days) another month. This split course, like the 3 day course is also free of charge and can be completed in any order.
- The OHC Clinical Core Group also understand that some Registered Managers and Deputy Managers may not be involved in delivering care support to individuals or do not wish to have the nationally recognised qualification. These Managers have the opportunity to attend Day 1 of the course as a stand-alone training session, to learn about the evidence base for this approach; the legal framework; risk assessment; and change management. These elements of the course will provide you with the essential information and skills to be able to manage the Care Workers within your organisation; support them to accept the necessary changes; and help you to deal with any challenges you might face.
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Course dates are as follows with no limit to the number of nominees for Day 1:
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14-16 March: Ambassador Course 4 at Bath & West Showground in Shepton Mallet – 3 Care Provider places are still available for the 2 practical days
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19-21 April: Ambassador Course 5 at Canalside in Bridgwater – the 2 practical days are fully booked but open to nominees for the reserve list
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5-7 September: Ambassador Course 6 – venue to be arranged
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26-28 September: Ambassador Course 7 – venue to be arranged
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17-20 October: Ambassador Course 8 – venue to be arranged
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To nominate yourself or one of your colleagues for a place on one of these courses, please email Nicky Cooper (nicky.cooper@somerset.gov.uk) (OC Clinical Lead) and Sean Taylor (sean.taylor@somerset.gov.uk) in L&D with your name, job title, contact telephone number and email address.
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The OHC Clinical Core Group would also like to make you aware of a Review Day at Canalside in Bridgwater on Tuesday 16 May, with Debbie Harrison of A1 Risk Solutions attending as the main guest speaker. All of the newly qualified Ambassadors will be invited to a closed session in the morning and Care Provider Managers, Key Trainers and risk assessing Supervisors will be invited to join them in the afternoon for an interactive session exploring how the approach is being adopted in Somerset and the plan for the next 2 years.
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Events
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Care Provider Learning and Engagement Meeting
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The agenda for 2nd May LEM
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- Lucy Champion – IPC service update and presentation
- Emma Savage and Kerrie Jose – update on Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF)
- Amy Rogers – Safeguarding session
- Nigel Pluckrose – SILC update
- Jamie Brockhurst – Redcrier training offer
Please do get in touch if you would like a specific topic to be discussed or if you would like to present, maybe share a good news story or share problematic areas where the audience can support.
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The LEMS are a resource for you! Our Care Providers of Somerset.
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Upcoming Event Reminders
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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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