South Glos Information for Providers
Learning Difficulties Development Fund - 2025/2026 - now open
The Learning Difficulties Development Fund (LDDF) for 2025/2026 is now open for applications.
All applications must be made on the Supplying the South West Portal page (https://www.supplyingthesouthwest.org.uk/ ) before 10am on Monday 24th February 2025. Please see attached advert.
The contract details should be visible on the opportunities page of the ProContract Website and should you need to you can search for the contract using this reference number – DN755984 or by searching “The Learning Difficulties Development Fund – 2025/2026”.
The funding dates should the project be successful will run from the 01st of April 2025 to 31st of March 2026. More information on what projects were previously funded last year can be found on Learning difficulties development fund (LDDF) | South Gloucestershire (southglos.gov.uk)
Vaccination Data on Capacity Tracker – CQC registered providers
Please can you remind all providers who are completing the capacity tracker that the continue to complete the vaccination section and provide accurate data? It would appear some providers are either not completing this section or just adding incorrect data against other sources that are being provided. As a local authority our up take (reported) is very low compared to others.
UKHSA Update & Guidance for 2025
You will all be aware from the media and your own experiences that winter is presenting us all in the health and social care services with some significant challenges. UKHSA are predicting that the peak in influenza is yet to be reached and we continue to see significant clusters of Norovirus across the region and cases of Covid-19 being reported, all of which are impacting on both staff and patients and our system resilience across the region. To reduce some of these challenges please can you share and implement the guidance below with all staff within your organisations.
Reinforcing Infection Prevention and Control guidance
Infection prevention and control: quick guide for care worker s most helpful: Infection prevention and control: quick guide for care workers - GOV.UK
The key messages are:
Hand hygiene
Respiratory hygiene
PPE – there is no recommendation for universal face mask use. Staff should follow local guidance in any settings they are visiting and wear suitable PPE for any care they are undertaking.
Vaccination – all frontline health and social care staff are eligible for free flu and Covid-19 vaccines. Whilst the national booking system is now closed pharmacies are continuing to offer flu vaccines and you can call 119 free of charge to find pharmacies still offering the flu vaccination. This service will close after 31 January 2025.
If you have any queries relating to this guidance or particular challenges within the work you are undertaking for the residents of South Gloucestershire please feel free to contact Matt Britt, Strategic Commissioning Manager Matthew.Britt@southglos.gov.uk
Adult Social Care update from UKHSA - Norovirus Guidance
The 2024/2025 season has seen a high level of norovirus activity, which began earlier than usual. This is expected to result in increased outbreaks in care homes this winter. A letter from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) outlines the implications and recommendations for care homes. This includes information on infection and prevention control (IPC), reporting outbreaks to Health Protection Teams, supporting resident health and wellbeing and guidance for supported living settings.
In addition, for info: Visiting
A reminder that outbreaks should not automatically stop visiting completely. Consideration should be given to reducing visitors and ensuring that appropriate mitigations are in place to prevent transmission – risk assessment is important (for the care setting to undertake, based on the guidance and regulations below).
Supporting safer visiting in care homes during infectious illness outbreaks - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) and
Regulations for service providers and managers: related guidance - Care Quality Commission