Policy Updates 8th November 2021

 

Urgent Update and Guidance from NCF : please find time to read this full document urgently. It contains a wide-ranging set of info you will need to be aware off immediately. Thank you to NCF for the guidance.

Download the Guidance

Policy Updates

VCOD in wider social care and health settings

The government has published its response to the consultation on vaccination as a condition of deployment (VCOD) in NHS and wider social care settings alongside an impact statement for the policy. The draft regulations have also been published. We created a briefing based on these documents - see attached and this link. At the outset, let me say that the draft Code of Practice at the bottom of the government response document is a very confusing read and doesn’t appear to align completely with what is written in the actual regulations. We have raised out concerns with DHSC and are seeking further clarity. Be aware that some elements of the new regulations are likely to come into force for care homes when they are passed by parliament (likely in January 2022). 

Do also see Anthony Collin’s blog post highlighting key points and concerns. 

Summary of Key Points

  • The law will require vaccination (or exemption) and will apply to providers of CQC regulated activities (such as home care) and will be in respect of any person they ‘employ or otherwise engage’ who has direct face-to-face interactions with patients or care service users ‘for the purposes of the provision of’ the regulated activity’. This is very broad wording which we are seeking clarity on. In short it will apply to staff carrying out a CQC regulated activity which involves face to face contact with patients or service users. But the consultation response takes this further and states that it would also cover ‘non-clinical ancillary workers who may have direct, face to face contact with patients but are not directly involved in patient care’ – This is very vague and we need to understand what is meant by ‘ancillary’ and how this regulation can possibly apply to them considering they are not typically carrying out CQC regulated activity.

  • Covid-19 boosters and flu vaccinations are not included in the policy scope.

  • Once the regulations have been laid and approved in Parliament, there will be a 12-week grace period before the regulations come into force. Therefore, the policy is expected to come into force in April 2022.

The regulations that introduce VCOD across health and wider social care settings will also include some amendments to the existing care home regulations. Once approved by Parliament, these amendments will take effect in the coming months (possibly in January 2022 for care homes and everyone else from April 2022) and include:

  • An unvaccinated new starter can be deployed in a care home 21 days after receiving one dose of an authorised COVID-19 vaccine. More details below.

  • Staff vaccinated overseas can be deployed but may need to receive a top-up vaccine dose, as per UKHSA advice. The government intends to run the self-certification process for people vaccinated in care homes until the end of the proposed grace period which is expected to be April 2022. More details below.

  • Clinical trial participants will need to evidence their participation in order to be exempt from the requirement The definition of authorised vaccine will be aligned across the two policies

Please ensure you read the briefing attached and at this link. There are large implications for the wider social care sector. 

VCOD in care homes

Tomorrow VCOD goes live in care homes but it was only yesterday that the full impact assessment was finally published! We will be responding to this in due course but our quick analysis shows that there are major omissions in terms of the impact of implementation costs and a number of other unhelpful assumptions. It is also unacceptable for such a document to be published 2 days before the go-live date. 

Ahead of tomorrow, a reminder of the relevant guidance:

Please escalate any issues you face and we will endeavour to alert the relevant people at DHSC/CQC. Be on the look out for a press release and media activity later this evening from us ahead of tomorrow using data from a recent survey. 

Domiciliary, Extra Care, Supported Living and Adult Day Services DHSC Webinars

DHSC is holding a number of webinars over the next month geared towards the registration journey and will be open to attendees to ask testing related queries. 

Updated Policy

Making vaccination a condition of deployment in the health and wider social care sector
Consultation outcome overview, published 9 September 2021
GOV.UK

Government to introduce COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of deployment for all frontline health and social care workers
Health and social care providers in England will be required to ensure workers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
GOV.UK

Health Secretary statement on Vaccines as a Condition of Deployment
Oral statement delivered to the House of Commons.
GOV.UK

COVID-19 vaccination: booster dose resources
Information on the booster dose for eligible individuals.
GOV.UK

Coronavirus: how to stay safe and help prevent the spread
5 November 2021
Latest easy read document added to this page to reflect beyond step 4.
Found at: GOV.UK

Restricting workforce movement between care homes and other care settings
5 November 2021
Added callout that the guidance is being updated, but is still applicable.
Found at: GOV.UK

Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund for adult social care – guidance
Information for local authorities and adult social care providers on the £162.5 million Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund.
GOV.UK

Workforce Capacity Fund for adult social care – updated guidance
Information for local authorities and adult social care providers on the £120 million Workforce Capacity Fund during coronavirus (COVID-19).
Change made: Added 3 attachments: ‘Workforce Capacity Fund: outcomes and findings, October 2021’, ‘Local authority spending data (WCF)’ and ‘Feedback survey results (WCF)’.
GOV.UK

Booster bookings to be opened a month early
From Monday 8th November, the National Booking System will allow someone to pre-book their booster appointment a month before they are eligible

  • Government and NHS updates booster booking system to allow people to book their jab a month in advance, making it easier and more convenient to get a vaccine

  • Change to system means booster can be pre-booked before someone is eligible

  • Booster programme continues at pace with more than 9.3 million top-up jabs already administered

  • Immunity to COVID-19 reduces over time, particularly for older adults and at-risk groups

The government and the NHS have changed the booster booking system to make it even easier for people to get their jab.
Found at: GOV.UK

Advice for care homes during a period of high Covid-19 community infection rates

On 29 October we wrote to all Care Homes regarding the high community infection rates we are currently seeing in South Gloucestershire. Please see attached letter and additional guidance for Registered Managers to consider, particularly when managing visitors to Care Homes.
  

How to use your lateral flow test

Please see updated poster on how to use your lateral flow test. Full information and guidance on testing in adult social care settings can also be found here.

Infection Control Fund Round 3 extension

The Department of Health and Social Care has allocated an additional £388.3 million for infection control, vaccine and testing funding for the period from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022. Adult Social Care Infection Control and Testing Fund: round 3 - GOV.UK
 
The allocation for South Gloucestershire Council is £1,888,604, 70% of the infection control, vaccine and testing funds are to be shared directly with care providers and 30% of funding is distributed at the discretion of the Council. 

News

Covid vaccine rules could devastate social care sector, warns Royds Withy King employment partner
A legal expert at regional law firm Royds Withy King fears the government’s ‘no jab, no job’ policy will deliver a “crushing blow” to the social care sector.
Swindon Business News


Ed Balls becomes a care worker in BBC documentary exposing social care in crisis
A care provider whose Scarborough care homes took part in a two-part TV documentary showing the “challenges facing social care” has invited the government to a question and answer session to hear how it intends to “address the social care crisis.”
Carehome.co.uk

'Major crisis' in care in Cornwall
More than 650 people are stuck in hospital beds and waiting for a home care package as the care industry in Cornwall enters a "major crisis". Cornwall Council says the care industry is facing ongoing pressures with recruiting and retaining staff. The presence of Covid-19 has caused 20 care homes in the county to be closed to admission.
BBC News

Covid-19: Vaccines to be compulsory for frontline NHS staff in England
Frontline NHS England staff will have to be fully vaccinated against Covid, the government is expected to announce later. A deadline will be set for next spring to give unvaccinated staff time to get both doses, Whitehall sources told the BBC.
BBC News

Preparing for Liberty Protection Safeguards – social care blog
A new post, “Preparing for Liberty Protection Safeguards” has just been published on the Social care blog. Positive developments As a qualified social worker, I welcome the changes which Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) intends to bring to the sector. It promotes a better way for how we will work to support individuals who may have their liberty …
GOV.UK

Restricting workforce movement between care homes and other care settings – updated guidanceGuidance for care home providers on limiting staff movement between settings in all but exceptional circumstances to help reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.
Change made: Added callout that the guidance is being updated, but is still applicable.
GOV.UK

Booster bookings to be opened a month early
From Monday 8th November, the National Booking System will allow someone to pre-book their booster appointment a month before they are eligible.
GOV.UK

 
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