Adult Social Care Update
if you work in an adult care home, there are just 13 weeks left to get your COVID-19 vaccinations before the 11 November deadline.
New guidance on self isolation Image created by freepik.com Most fully vaccinated care staff who are close contacts of COVID-19 cases can now routinely return to work, provided they have had a negative PCR test. Daily rapid lateral flow tests will need to be taken for 10 days as a precaution.
Staff working with clinically extremely vulnerable patients or service users will need a risk assessment carried out by a designated person in the workplace before they return to work.
Self-isolation is no longer required for fully COVID-19 vaccinated residents, following the latest changes to admissions and care of residents guidance.
Updated advice includes changes to self-isolation requirements for staff coming into close contact with residents confirmed or believed to have COVID-19. Additional information for staff returning from international travel is also included.
Visits into care homes Image created by freepik.com Individuals notified as close contacts of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 are advised not to visit care homes, in order to protect vulnerable residents.
They can continue to visit in exceptional circumstances, such as when a resident is nearing the end of their life.
More generally, the guidance continues to make clear visits should take place in accordance with current testing regimes.
Visits out of care homes Image supplied by Michelle at unsplash Under the latest update to visiting out guidance, care home residents will no longer be asked to self-isolate, following a transfer from another care facility, or following a planned overnight stay in hospital, subject to risk assessments. Residents admitted to care homes, following emergency overnight admissions to hospital, must still self-isolate for 14 days.
Residents are also advised against travel to amber list countries, but if they do, they are advised to self-isolate for 14 days on their return. Care providers should continue to conduct individual risk assessments for visits outside care homes.
New guidance for care workers and people they care for in supported living settings Image created by freepik.com This update clarifies circumstances where self-isolation will be required following discharge from hospital.
Fully vaccinated recipients of care identified as close contacts will not be required to self-isolate subject to satisfying the latest criteria. Meanwhile, fully vaccinated workers will not be required to isolate and can return to work, provided they fulfil current testing requirements.
The update includes revised guidance on infection prevention and control, visits in and out of supported living settings (self-isolation criteria) as well as what to do in the event of COVID-19 outbreaks.
Don't miss this winter vaccines webinar Photo by Prasesh Shiwakoti (Lomash) on Unsplash This year, NHS England and NHS Improvement will be rolling out new marketing materials to promote uptake of this winter’s essential vaccinations for social care workers and NHS staff.
The webinar will showcase new campaign materials, messaging and communications available shortly on the Public Health England Campaign Resource Centre.
Join the webinar from 3 - 4pm on Thursday 19 August to find out how you and your colleagues can help ‘spread the word’.
Vaccination as condition of deployment: operational guidance From 11 November 2021, anyone working or volunteering in older people's care homes must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, unless exempt.
These regulations require registered persons (service providers) at all Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered care homes to make sure anyone who works or volunteers on the premises demonstrates they have been vaccinated or have an exemption.
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