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ASC Provider Briefing - 22 September 2023
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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 have stayed safe with the recent flooding.
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In this week's briefing: some resources around International Recruitment, a reminder about RAAC, the re-launch of the NHS Green Bag Scheme, a piece about Empowering People with Dementia through Gardening, how to apply for the Somerset Business Awards 2024, a care provider shares their story of switching to Digital Social Care Records, an invitation to a Free Event for Deaf Adults in Somerset, 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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International Recruitment Resources
International Recruitment – A Facebook page has recently been set up as part of a South West regional welcome hub for overseas workers in adult social care. We would appreciate it if all providers could please promote this any staff recruited from overseas as a support and information resource – the link page is: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550750863062.
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Reminder: RAAC – Care Providers
You will have all seen the national news about concerns relating to Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC), primarily impacting on schools and the NHS estate primarily at this time.
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Ensuring the safety of residents and staff is of the highest priority. It is important that those responsible for the management, maintenance or alteration of buildings know whether their buildings contain RAAC and, where they do, they act appropriately to ensure that such buildings are deemed safe.
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As a precautionary measure, and to support local risk management, we would ask that any of our commissioned care providers in Somerset who have identified RAAC concerns please advise us (asccontractsandqualitymonitoring@somerset.gov.uk) alongside any proportionate mitigation and remediation/contingency plans you are putting in place.
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Re-Launch of Green Bag Scheme
NHS Somerset is re-launching the ‘Green Bag scheme’ for patients’ own medicines.
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It is best practice for care home residents to take all their medicines in with them if they require admission to hospital - the Green Bag scheme is intended to both remind and facilitate the patient in taking their medication with them when admitted to hospital or transferring between care settings.
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Green Bag schemes enhance quality of care and overall patient experience and have been shown to:
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- Improve patient safety (reduces prescribing errors, missed doses & inappropriate prescribing)
- Prevent administrative delays (supports medicines reconciliation process & reduces the need to contact GP practices on admission)
- Provide patients with a physical reminder, and the means of bringing all their medicines when admitted to hospital
- Make it easier for health professionals to find out which medicines a patient is taking
- Reduce drug related admissions
- Reduce drug costs and waste
NHS Somerset is asking GP practices to identify patients in the community at higher risk of unplanned admission and to provide them with one or two Green Bags to use in the event that their admission becomes necessary.
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NHS Somerset is also working to facilitate the use of the Green Bag scheme within SWAST and the OOHs service, and also the voluntary & community sector in Somerset.
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Wild Memories: Empowering those with dementia through gardening
World Alzheimer's Day, an international campaign to raise awareness and highlight issues faced by people affected by dementia, took place on Thursday 21 September.
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Dementia is the name for a group of symptoms associated with an ongoing decline of brain functioning, affecting memory, thinking skills and other mental abilities.
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Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia in the United Kingdom. World Alzheimer’s Day is an opportunity for people and organisations to demonstrate how we can overcome these issues and help people live well with dementia.
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Rates of dementia in Somerset are significantly higher than the national average. In 2016/17, 1.0% (5,479 people) of all those on GP practice registers in Somerset were registered with dementia, compared with 0.8% for England.
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For World Alzheimer’s Day, our Adult Social Care Communications team spent time with ‘Froglife’ - a charity that works to protect reptiles and amphibians - to look at their project, Wild Memories.
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Wild Memories is a benefit-rich, hands-on project that empowers those with dementia to work on their local green spaces. The group meet weekly and complete a variety of activities on and around their allotment in Frome. From digging ponds, building wildlife homes and gardening, to creating art & seasonal crafts, writing poems and sharing stories, always finishing off with tea and biscuits!
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Their activities are guided by people’s preferences and abilities as well as the weather and the season. The sessions are free to attend and Froglife can provide free transport. Carers and family members are more than welcome to join.
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Since the project was launched in 2020, Froglife have delivered over 350 activity sessions in and around Frome, with more than 80 people attending. As part of the project they have created two wildlife ponds and installed bat boxes along Frome river corridor.
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If you are living with dementia or symptoms of memory loss, or you are caring for someone who is, you might want to get involved with the Wild Memories project.
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To get involved with Froglife’s Wild Memories project, contact details are below.
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Entries now open for the Somerset Business Awards 2024
Entries opened on September 12th for the Somerset Business Awards.
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Last year, homecare service You Are My Sunshine won Best Small Business Award, and we encourage care services to apply for consideration this year.
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There are new categories, sponsors and judges, including a new Business Resilience and Growth Award to recognise businesses which, despite the soaring costs of doing business, have reinvented their offering to go from strength-to-strength.
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We Went Digital - Our DSCR Story
A care provider has shared their story of going digital:
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"We wanted a new system to document our care notes quickly and easily categorise them."
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"We found a DSCR supplier we liked and we applied for grant funding support through the council."
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"We have gone live and now it only takes 5 minutes to review daily care actions! It is the easiest way to document everything about residents. I like using our new system and it feels professional."
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Events
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Free Event for Deaf Adults in Somerset
How do you feel about mental health support and services in Somerset for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people?
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Do you think services are easy to access and meet your needs?
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Spark Somerset invite you to join them for an event where those questions will be explored.
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You will have the opportunity to learn about the existing services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing people in Somerset and let us know what you think is missing.
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This is a chance for you share your views and help shape support in your area
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British Sign Language interpreters will be present throughout the event and speakers, stall holders and the full agenda will be announced soon.
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Free tickets are available for people who are Deaf, or Hard of Hearing, and those who care for them and include a complimentary lunch and refreshments.
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Spark Somerset can also help with travel expenses if you need it.
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Bookings close at 5pm on Friday 29 September. 30 spaces are available
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This event is being hosted by Spark Somerset, in partnership with Open Mental Health and deafPLUS.
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Date: Saturday, 7th October 2023
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Where? Victoria Park Community Centre, Victoria Park Drive, Bridgwater TA6 7AS
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Parking: Free parking onsite
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If you have any questions, please contact Gill Harrison:
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Thank you to those of you who have already booked a place on our Annual Conference to be held on 8th November. If you are planning to book a place please get your booking form back to us as soon as possible so you don’t miss out. All bookings are to be sent in by 25th October, however we might fill capacity before then.
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We are excited to welcome Jamie McDonald AKA ‘Adventureman’ as our keynote speaker and attached is a bit more information about him. Also attending will be representatives from CQC and Somerset Council who will join us in a Question and Answer panel alongside other adult social care stakeholders. We will be hosting a wide range of exhibitors and in the afternoon you will also have the opportunity to attend two workshops of your choice (details attached). Lunch and refreshments are included in your ticket price and parking is free.
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For a booking form and more information about our conference please visit our website here or email us at admin@rcpa.org.uk .
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We are very much looking forward to seeing you!
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Upcoming Event and Training Reminders
- Care Home and Dementia South West, 26th September, 10am to 4pm. South West Event: Care Home Residents with Dementia: How can we do better together? | NHS England Events
- RCPA Online Workshop: Date Security - Roles and Responsibilities, Thursday 28th September, 11am to 12pm via teams. Sign up on Teams.
- Development of Dementia in Care Homes - Online Event. Thursday 28th September, 10am - 11am. Details on PEN.
- Care Provider Learning Engagement Meeting, Tuesday 3rd October, 2pm to 4pm.
- Basic Dysphagia Awareness Training, Various dates. Details on PEN.
- RCPA Annual Conference, Wednesday November 8th, 9.30am to 4.30pm, Taunton Racecourse. Details on website.
- St Margaret's Hospice - Training for Care Professionals. 30th November, details on PEN.
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Please continue to share or promote these briefings and our webpage to others in your organisations.
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Somerset’s Provider Engagement Team
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