Adult Social Care Update
Less than two weeks before vaccination as a condition of deployment in care homes comes into force on 11 November. Book your second dose appointment now.
Social care reform update: working closely with the sector Vector created by pch.vector - www.freepik.com The government is due to publish the System Reform White Paper by the end of this year. It won’t just focus on how people pay for care but will look at how we build more inclusive, supportive communities where services are moulded to people’s needs.
The DHSC is working closely with the sector, with constructive discussions already taking place with charity sector representatives, including Mencap, MS Society, Sense and the National Autistic Society, who came together with other partners for a recent workshop session focussed on working age adults. You can find out more about this workshop, and what was discussed, in this blog from Mencap’s Director of communication, advocacy and activism, Jackie O’Sullivan
Autumn Budget and Spending Review 2021 Photo credit: HMT This week the Chancellor Rishi Sunak presented the Autumn Budget and Spending Review to Parliament, confirming £5.4bn for adult social care reform funding over the three-year Spending Review period. This includes £3.6bn to reform the social care charging system and enable all local authorities to move towards paying providers a fair rate for care, and £1.7bn to institute major improvements across the social care system in England.
The government is also providing councils with £1.6bn of new funding each year of the SR period for social care and other services, and the flexibility to increase the adult social care precept by 1% per year. This means core spending power for local authorities is estimated to increase by an average of 3% in real terms each year, including investment in social care reform. This is the largest and most sustained increase in core funding for local authorities in over a decade.
Vaccines as a condition of deployment: assets for sharing with professionals visiting care homes The DHSC has produced a letter for care home providers to share with visiting professionals, tradespersons, and volunteers about the new regulations on Covid vaccinations coming into force on 11 November 2021.
The letter outlines who the policy does and does not apply to, how individuals can evidence vaccination exemptions and what the role of a registered person in CQC registered care homes is when implementing the policy. You can download the letter from the Skills for Care website here.
We have also created a new poster for staff to use in care homes from 11 November to inform visitors about who needs to show they are vaccinated or exempt under the new regulations.
Public urged to get flu and COVID-19 vaccines A nationwide advertising campaign is underway calling on the public to get their COVID-19 booster and flu jabs, to protect themselves and their loved ones this winter.
The multimedia campaign is running on outdoor billboards, broadcast and community radio and TV to support the national vaccine drive. Read the advertising campaign press release on GOV.UK here.
The winter vaccines communications toolkit for adult social care has also been updated on the Campaign Resource Centre. The toolkit is designed to support care providers with running their own winter vaccinations campaigns to encourage staff to get their flu vaccine and COVID-19 booster.
Round three of the Infection Control and Testing Fund out now People vector created by stories - www.freepik.com Round three of the Infection Control and Testing Fund has been published. The fund includes £25 million to support care workers to access COVID-19 and flu vaccines over the winter months. This will ensure social care staff who need to travel to receive their COVID-19 or flu vaccinations are paid their usual wages to do so and can be supported with travel costs.
Updated PPE guidance Photo created by benzoix - www.freepik.com Eligible health and social care providers can order PPE through the portal to meet the increased need that has arisen because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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 Sunday 31 October
UKHSA publish Cold Weather Plan for England Vector created by stories - www.freepik.com The Cold Weather Plan for England has been published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). The plan outlines actions and advice for reducing preventable cold weather-related deaths and ill-health and includes advice and guidance on keeping well and staying warm during cold weather.
Blog watch: Black History Month social care workplace race equality standard People vector created by jcomp - www.freepik.com The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is among 18 local authorities signed up to the social care workplace race equality standard (WRES) initiative. Read this personal view on what this endeavour could mean for respecting, celebrating and empowering our racially diverse care sector. Read WRES: a uniquely personal perspective on the social care GOV.UK blogsite here. Meanwhile, Nimal Jude, Practice Development Consultant at the Social Care Institute for Excellence explains why the WRES is essential in our efforts to recognise, support and elevate the diversity of the social care workforce. Read Nimal's WRES blog on the social care GOV.UK blogsite here.
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