Adult Social Care Update
Just three weeks before vaccination as a condition of deployment in care homes comes into force on 11 November. Book your second dose appointment now.
New £162.5 million fund to boost social care workforce [Image created by freepik.com] Care homes and home care providers will benefit from a new £162.5 million workforce retention and recruitment fund to bolster the dedicated care workforce.
Local authorities (LAs) across England will soon be able to access the fund based on their need, helping to boost the number of people working in adult social care and supporting those already working in the sector to continue to deliver high quality care.
The ring-fenced funding, available until the end of March 2022, will support (LAs) working with providers to recruit staff. It will also be available to help retain the existing workforce - through overtime payments and staff banks of people ready to work in social care - and will provide further capacity to support their health and wellbeing through occupational health.
Social care reform update: positive engagement continues [Image created by freepik.com] Social care reform has co-production with those delivering and receiving services at its heart. As part of the Government's broad engagement programme in the run up to the White Paper due later this year, the Department of Health and Social Care has begun very constructive discussions with charity sector representatives.
These included Mencap, MS Society, Sense and the National Autistic Society, who came together with other valued partners for a workshop session to fine tune longer-term priorities, with a particular focus on empowering, strengthening and sustaining the care workforce.
Find out more about the scope of those discussions in this upbeat blog from Mencap’s Director of communication, advocacy and activism, Jackie O’Sullivan.
COVID-19 medical exemptions for care home workers [Image created by freepik.com] If you are unable to receive COVID-19 vaccinations for medical reasons, recently published guidance explains what you need to do to prove your status and share this important information with your employer.
A reminder that a letter from DHSC's Claire Armstrong, Director of Adult Social Care Delivery and COVID-19 Response, providing further details on exemptions, including self-certification, has been sent to care colleagues and local authorities.
Winter vaccination programme: new video explains benefits for care staff and residents Vaccinations are vital to help protect care home residents and care staff this winter from flu and COVID-19.
Health and care professionals attended Evergreen Care Home in Hastings to vaccinate residents and explain the importance of getting both vaccines this winter. If you’re a frontline care worker and haven’t booked yours yet, please do so now.
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Consultation update: Last chance to share your views on VCOD and PPE extensions
[Image created by freepik.com] Time is running out to share your views on whether or not vaccination requirements should be extended to other health and care settings for COVID-19 and flu. The consultation closes at 11.45pm on Friday 22 October. Don't miss your chance to have your say.
A reminder the Government is also considering extending free provision of COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) for health and care sector colleagues beyond 31 March 2022. This consultation closes at 11.45pm on Friday 31 October.
New digitising social care tech fund launched [Image created by freepik.com] To unlock the power of digital technology, NHSX has launched an £8 million Digitising Social Care Fund as part of the Unified Tech Fund.
This fund will help scale up adoption of digital social care records within the care sector, adopt technologies that help prevent falls and make sure providers have appropriate high speed internet.
To find out more, visit the Unified Tech Fund application page or email the team at adultsocialcare@nhsx.nhs.uk
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