Adult social care update
Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Deborah Sturdy, explains why vaccination of care staff provides protection for us all
19 July 2021 was an important date in the calendar for all of us.
It marked our cautious reacquaintance with many of the freedoms we took for granted before the pandemic arrived on our shores.
As care colleagues, the nation owes you the greatest thanks and respect for the amazing efforts you have made to keep our loved ones safe in the long and arduous journey to this moment. For many of you, particularly those of you working in care home settings, this final easing of restrictions has brought mixed emotions, I’m sure.
On the one hand, you will be taking pleasure in restoring some sense of normality to the lives of residents, their families and friends (although we recognise challenges remain in managing visits safely in some settings).
On the other, you may well be wondering ‘what next?’ The virus is still out there, people are still falling ill, which means we must continue to keep our colleagues, residents and communities safe by following the highest standards of infection prevention and control, testing regularly and isolating when needed.
Many of you, your colleagues and residents will have already been vaccinated with one, hopefully two doses, of an approved COVID-19 vaccine. Thank you for being part of our collective efforts to unlock the country – it is hugely appreciated.
While nationally, the majority of care home staff have been vaccinated, according to the latest published data, only 65% of older care homes in England are currently meeting this minimum level. While we want to see all care homes pass the SAGE thresholds, the over-riding imperative is to maximise and maintain protection across the board.
With this intent in mind, the Government, following wide consultation with the care sector, has taken the difficult decision to make vaccination a condition of deployment in care homes.
I understand the misgivings some have expressed about this. However, I believe this is not about limiting freedom of choice, but about protecting those in society who are most vulnerable to the impact of COVID-19.
The new regulations come into force on 11 November this year (see the next story for a useful timeline). Care providers and their staff need time to prepare, which is why a 16-week grace period has begun, allowing colleagues who haven’t been vaccinated to arrange to have both doses. You can book and manage your vaccinations on the NHSE website.
I know that taking up the offer of vaccination will still be a difficult decision for some of you, but I believe it is ultimately the right one. Speak to your managers, get the information you need to reassure yourself about the vaccines, and book your jabs today. I feel confident it will be one of the best decisions you’ll ever make.
Webinar: vaccination as a condition of deployment Care England, in collaboration with Barchester Healthcare, will be hosting a webinar to provide support for adult social care providers, following the Government’s decision to make vaccination a condition of deployment in care homes.
Guidance: community health 2-hour crisis response standard Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash By 31 March 2022, integrated care systems (ICSs) in England must make sure all over 18s have access to crisis response care within two hours, in their homes or usual place of residence. The guidance sets out essential operational and clinical requirements for NHS-funded crisis response services. This standard builds on existing technical data guidance.
National flu immunisation plan Last year, saw the biggest NHS flu vaccination programme ever, with the aim of protecting as many eligible people as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The annual flu letter describes the revised national flu immunisation programme for 2021/22 and outlines those eligible for the flu jab.
COVID-19 guidance roundup: supporting adults with learning disabilities and autism Guidance for care staff supporting adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults and for people providing unpaid care to these groups, during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been updated.
Resources include fun, instructional videos, such as the one pictured above, demonstrating how to maintain effective infection prevention and control, at home and in other settings.
New landmark strategy to improve the lives of autistic people Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash The Autism Strategy aims to tackle the inequalities and barriers autistic people face, to help them live independent and fulfilled lives. This includes establishing faster diagnoses and better access to health and social care services. The strategy also features commitments to improved educational support, tailored to the needs of autistic children and young people.
Meanwhile, Minister for Care, Helen Whately, has responded to the Care Quality Commission (CQC)’s ‘Out of sight – who cares?: restraint, segregation and seclusion review’. The report looks at the use of restraint, seclusion and segregation in care services for people with a mental health condition, a learning disability or autism.
Blogwatch: reshaping health and care with data Image created by www.freepik.com Matthew Gould, Chief Executive of NHSX and Michelle Dyson, Director General for Adult Social Care at DHSC, set out the Government's health and social care data strategy, with a particular focus on what it means for the adult social care sector.
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