Adult social care update
Helen Whately, Minister for Care, presents the latest news, guidance and resources for care sector colleagues
Fifteen months ago, I doubt any of us imagined just how different our lives would become. How all the rituals, routines and reasonable expectations of day-to-day life would soon change. But coronavirus arrived and we found ourselves facing complete upheaval, a period of unprecedented uncertainty with no definitive end in sight.
It is, therefore, a matter of collective joy and relief to see the latest cautious easing of COVID-19 restrictions, helping residents spend more time away from care homes with family and friends. New residents, admitted from the community, will no longer have to self-isolate for 14 days on arrival, subject to satisfying the guidance criteria, meaning a less disruptive introduction to initially unfamiliar surroundings.
Safety remains paramount. Residents will continue to receive the protection of an enhanced testing regime – a PCR test before admission, a PCR test on the day of admission, and a further PCR test 7 days later.
We wouldn’t be where we are, of course, without the continued dedication of care home staff and providers to the highest standards of care, including the strictest infection prevention controls. This concerted effort, in tandem with the continued success of the vaccine rollout, means we can take this step forward.
The safety of all is also why we decided, following the recent open consultation, to make COVID-19 vaccination a condition of deployment in care homes. The vaccine is working, with many thousands of lives saved so far. It’s only right we take every possible step to protect you, your colleagues and residents, for as long as this pandemic lasts.
The new requirement doesn’t come into effect until October, but please don’t wait until then to book your vaccination if you’re yet to have your first or second dose.
If you still have questions, get all the advice and reassurance you need and help us stay on course for the lifting of remaining restrictions next month. When it comes to ‘duty of care’, this is surely one we must all share.
[Image created by freepik.com] For almost a decade, care home open days have seen residences all over the country open their doors to families, friends and local communities.
This year’s event, which takes place across a week (28 June - 4 July), has particular significance, providing an opportunity to reunite care homes with their local communities, while celebrating the incredible care colleagues who have remained on the frontline throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
[Image created by freepik.com] The way data is used across health and care sectors is set to be transformed, giving patients control of their health data and helping staff save more lives through improved care and support.
The draft strategy ‘Data saves lives: reshaping health and social care with data’, published by NHSX, builds on the ground-breaking use of data during the pandemic, with privacy and security of data at its core.
Skills for Care continues to update website with useful COVID-19 guidance updates and resources. This revised Q&A from our departmental colleagues focuses on common queries around visiting and admission protocols.
They include: "How many visitors can attend at one time?" "How are 'essential carers' identified and granted access?" and "How long can residents spend attending activities outside the home?"' Click the link below for detailed answers and other important questions.
See also these essential infection prevention control (IPC) resources. 'Every Action Counts' includes powerful endorsement from our Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Deborah Sturdy.
[Image created by freepik.com] If you’ve not come across DHSC's Regional Assurance team, its members act as two-way information sharers between the Department and local areas.
They use their experience of the adult social care sector to provide informed assessments to the Department and the Minister for Social Care. They also provide opportunities for the sector to influence and inform DHSC about the way current policies are working in the regions.
The team was initially set up to support the delivery of the Adult Social Care Winter Plan but it has continued to provide advice, intelligence and support during the current pandemic. Team member, Suzanne Elwick, Regional Assurance Lead for London, shares her insights.
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