Adult Social Care Update
Less than a month before vaccination as a condition of deployment in care homes comes into force on 11 November. Book your second dose appointment now.
Expanding VCoD beyond care homes consultation closes soon [Image created by freepik.com] The Government's open consultation, seeking views on whether or not to extend vaccination as a condition of deployment in care homes to other health and care settings for COVID-19 and flu, closes soon.
Vaccines are the best way to protect people from COVID-19. Latest estimates suggest 105,900 deaths and 24,088,000 infections have been prevented as a result of the vaccination programme (up to 20 August 2021). If you are yet to contribute, please do so before 11.45pm, Friday 22 October and make your views known.
Social care reform update [Image created by freepik.com] The extensive engagement programme to develop plans for social care reform continued apace this week as DHSC officials met with a range of social care organisations in a new Health and Wellbeing Alliance Social Care subgroup.
Made up of a wide range of voluntary and charitable organisations, the group discussed the vision for social care and how to best engage directly with their members.
DHSC is also working with system leaders, voluntary organisations and charities representing people with lived experience to discuss how system-wide social care reform can best address and support care users who are of working age.
Webinar: COVID-19 medical exemptions for care home workers [Image created by freepik.com] An online webinar, also relevant to volunteers, will include information on the public health aims of making vaccination a condition of deployment (VCoD) in care homes, the CQC enforcement approach, and workforce issues.
The session is scheduled for Wednesday 20 October at 9.30-10.30am. A previous VCoD guidance webinar can be viewed here.
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.
Updated COVID-19 standard operating procedure [Photo by Prasesh Shiwakoti (Lomash) on Unsplash] An updated standard operating procedure (SOP), supporting the deployment of COVID-19 booster vaccinations to frontline care staff has been issued.
This follows recent guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), which identified frontline care workers as one of the groups prioritised for boosters.
Winter vaccination campaign: double your peace of mind [Image created by freepik.com] "As people working in or with the care sector, we all want the best for residents, colleagues and the communities around us. Let’s give them even greater peace of mind by getting vaccinated for flu and COVID-19 and make this the safest, healthiest winter we can." So says Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, in her latest blog.
You can also spread the message with a wealth of resources designed to inform, reassure and encourage your colleagues to book free vaccinations and maximise the prospect of a safe and healthy winter.
Extending free PPE supplies: consultation reminder [Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash] A reminder that the Department of Health and Social Care is considering extending free provision of COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) for health and care sector colleagues beyond 31 March 2022.
There is sufficient stock centrally to continue to support providers. However, we need to be mindful of the impact to the PPE market of continued government intervention. Responses are welcomed from across the sector to inform the Government's decision.
Blogwatch: The secret of care home staffing success [Photo by Georg Arthur Pflueger on Unsplash] Staff recruitment and retention remain long-standing challenges for the care sector, with the coronavirus pandemic adding to the difficulties many providers face. Cygnet Healthcare's Fiona Oxley presents an uplifting and positive take on recruiting great colleagues - and keeping them.
Meanwhile, Sofija Igonkina, from the Evergreen care home in Hastings, explains, in this emotive account, how personal experience and the suffering of residents and colleagues around her, convinced her to take the COVID-19 vaccine and booster jab.
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