Covid-19
UKHSA publishes new COVID-19 guidance | CSW Commercial Partner Citation FREE guide
As part of the government’s ‘Living with COVID-19’ plan, the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) has finally published its updated guidance for employers, businesses, and organisations in England for managing the risk to their workforce from COVID-19 and other respiratory infections.
The new guidance makes it clear that while it’s no longer a legal requirement to directly address COVID-19 in your risk assessments, you do still have Health & Safety obligations to consider, including respiratory health.
To help you navigate through the new guidance, the experts of C&SW Commercial Partner, Citation, have put together a FREE guide.
Please find attached a letter from DHSC Director, Claire Armstrong, on the exemptions process for the vaccination as a condition of deployment regulations. It outlines the non-exhaustive list of medical exemptions from the Covid-19 vaccine and the temporary self-certification system to declare them. This temporary system will expire 12 weeks after the NHS COVID Pass System is launched.
Also attached are the forms care workers can use to self-certify their exemption or self-certify that they have been vaccinated abroad.
As I’m sure you are aware, tomorrow is the last day for an unvaccinated person to receive their first dose, to allow the appropriate time between their first and second dose. Therefore, we are asking you to please cascade these documents to your members as a matter of urgency, so that they are received and understood by care home managers and staff as soon as possible.
Letter from DHSC Director, Claire Armstrong on temporary exemptions process
Covid-19 booster and flu vaccination programme for social care
Please find attached a letter from DHSC Director, Claire Armstrong, on the Covid-19 booster and flu vaccination programmes.
Care home residents; health and social care workers; people aged over 50; those aged 16 to 49 years with underlying health conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19; adult carers; and adult household contacts of immunosuppressed individuals, will be prioritised for Covid-19 boosters. Those eligible for the booster will be contacted directly and boosters for care home residents will be delivered through roving vaccination teams, staff may also be offered a vaccination through these teams however they can also receive their booster via their GP or a hospital hub. Social care workers are also eligible for a free flu vaccine.
A new communications toolkit and range of marketing materials, including Q&A leaflets, posters, social media graphics and email signatures, have been launched for providers to encourage care colleagues to taken up both vaccines. Printed materials are available to pre-order now, and digital assets will be available later this week. Health and Social Care Workers Winter | Campaign Resource Centre (phe.gov.uk)
WHY HAVE THE COVID VACCINATION - INFORMATION FOR STAFF
Information about the Covid-19 vaccination and it is important, it also contains some FAQ’s. Please distribute to all staff who are yet to take up the vaccine. Download the information here.
Draft Covid vaccination requirement letter
NHS COVID’19 booster programme (Phase 3)
The government have announced new regulations making vaccination a condition of deployment for any individual working in a Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulated care home in England providing nursing or personal care, subject to certain exemptions. On this page, we have collated a range of resources to help care providers in implementing these regulations and supporting their people through the change. This includes some practical case studies from organisations that have started to implement these changes already.
Please note that it is a requirement for all care home staff to have received their first vaccination by 16 September 2021. For staff that are yet to be vaccinated, they can access their jab via www.grabajab.net which has a list of walk-in clinics staff can access.
This email is also a reminder that you need to regularly update all areas of the National Capacity Tracker – at a minimum, this should be every 48 hours.
Central Government continues to use this data on a daily basis to identify issues or raise concerns with Local Authorities to investigate further. Therefore, it is really important that the system is kept up to date, particularly vaccination uptake for staff, and residents where you are a care home provider.
The tracker is also a Government requirement and its regular use forms the basis for distributing additional funding support to providers, eg Infection Control Fund.
We appreciate that at times the system experiences data errors so if you notice this then please continue to raise your queries directly with the Capacity Tracker Support Team (tel: 0191 691 3729, email: necsu.capacitytracker@nhs.net and insert ‘Capacity Tracker’ into the subject line.
The government announced updated self-isolation guidance for health and social care staff on 19 July 2021 – Frontline health and care staff can work rather than self-isolate - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
The guidance sets out that where there is a risk to health or safety resulting from reduced care provision owing to staff absence, staff who are fully vaccinated (14 days post second dose) and who have had a negative PCR result, may be brought back to work ahead of the self-isolation period in exceptional circumstances.
Download the risk assessment and process flow chart and covering letter for all providers who are considering using this process in exceptional circumstances.
You are required to contact the Local Authority prior to implementing this process.
Government guidance
On 11 November 2021, it will become law in England for anyone entering a care home to demonstrate they have had both doses of Covid-19 vaccine or have a medical exemption. The responsibility for ensuring everyone who enters the care home is vaccinated or exempt is ‘ultimately’ going to be down to the care home manager.
Chief executive, Professor Martin Green said Care England will “be working tirelessly to support its members in the delivery of the policy. “The 16-week grace period for providers has begun, with the regulations coming into force on 11 November. There has been a lack of central guidance, funding and leadership in helping to support adult social care providers in implementing the regulations.” - LINK
Fortnightly Covid-19 update from health and social care partners
Please find below the sixty-ninth update for care providers in Bristol, North Somerset, and South Gloucestershire.
Care home staff need to have had their first vaccine by 16 September
CQC monitoring vaccine regulation
Sirona Single Point of Access - Message from Jenny Theed, Director of Operations
Care homes and vitamin D supplements
EU Settlement Scheme – applications can still be made
Care Provider online resource library survey
Download the full document here - LINK
Department of Health and Social Care
Please find linked here a letter to local authority chief executives, directors of adult social services, care home providers and care home managers from our Director, Claire Armstrong, to accompany the guidance. If you are able to cascade this letter through your channels, that would be hugely appreciated.
The vaccination as a condition of deployment operational guidance has been published – LINK
Letter from DHSC Director, Claire Armstrong on temporary exemptions process
Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation
JCVI issues updated advice on COVID-19 vaccination of young people aged 16 to 17 - LINK
Care Association Alliance Presentation
A joint presentation by Aileen Buckton (ADASS London) and Dan Short (NHSE London) for the Care Associations Alliance - 4th August 2021.
Download the PowerPoint presentation here.
Care Quality Commission
CQC statement on how they will monitor vaccination regulations - LINK
legal support from royds withy king
Royds Withy King are offering the following support packages, contact James Sage on 01225 730231 to find out more or visit the website.
Vaccine Recruitment Packs – template job ad, offer letter and contract wording for pre and post 11 Nov: £400 plus VAT
Initial advice on the process and risks/pitfalls to avoid: £500 plus VAT
Template correspondence with staff for consultation and dismissal process: £1,200 - £1500 plus VAT.
View their essential update 10th August webinar video recording here
Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid
“Today’s advice from the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) means more young people aged 16 and over can benefit from COVID-19 vaccines. I have accepted their expert recommendations and I have asked the NHS to prepare to vaccinate those eligible as soon as possible.
“The JCVI have not recommended vaccinating under-16s without underlying health conditions but will keep its position under review based on the latest data.
“Those aged 12 to 15 with severe neuro-disabilities, Down’s Syndrome, immunosuppression and multiple or severe learning disabilities, as well as people in this age group who are household contacts of individuals who are immunosuppressed, are already eligible for vaccination. JCVI will continue to review data and provide updates on at-risk groups aged 12-15 and whether any additional groups will be added.
“COVID-19 vaccines have saved more than 60,000 lives and prevented 22 million infections in England alone. They are building a wall of defence against the virus and are the best way to protect people from serious illness. I encourage everyone who is eligible to come forward for both their jabs as quickly as possible.”
