Policy Updates 16th August 2021
The following policy updates have been curated from the week commencing 16th August 2021.
NEW POLICY
Self-isolation removed for double jabbed close contacts from 16 August
Following the 16-August changes to self-isolation guidance, the guidance for social care settings has been updated.
Due to the success of the vaccination programme, the Department of Health and Social Care are now able to remove the self-isolation requirement for fully vaccinated people who are:
A contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19;
Returning to their care home following a planned hospital stay; or,
Transferring from another care facility.
In adult social care settings, the self-isolation exemption for fully vaccinated contacts means:
Staff who are a contact can continue working if they have no symptoms and have a negative PCR test, followed by daily LFD tests for 10 days (from the point of contact). If the staff member works with patients or residents who are clinically extremely vulnerable to COVID-19 (as determined by the organisation), a risk assessment should be undertaken, and consideration given to redeployment during the 10-day period;
Residents in care homes who are a contact should not be required to self-isolate if they have no symptoms and have a negative PCR test. This should be followed by daily LFDs for 10 days (from the point of contact). Residents can continue to receive visitors unless there is an outbreak in the care home; and,
Visitors to care homes who have been identified as a contact are advised against visiting for 10 days after contact unless absolutely necessary. Where visits do occur, visitors should have received a negative PCR result, and a negative LFD result on the day of their visit.
The below pieces of guidance have been updated:
Admission and care of residents in a care home during COVID-19 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Guidance on care home visiting - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Visits out of care homes - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
COVID-19: guidance for supported living - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
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 update 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.
Found at GOV.UK
3 in 4 UK adults receive both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine
Latest data shows 60,000 deaths and 66,900 hospitalisations have been prevented by the vaccines.
Three-quarters of UK adults have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine as the phenomenal roll-out continues
2 doses provide over 90% protection against hospitalisation from the Delta variant, which is the dominant strain in the UK
Latest data shows 60,000 deaths and 66,900 hospitalisations have been prevented by the vaccines
Found at: GOV.UK
UPDATED POLICY
Capacity Tracker: Test and Trace Statistics
Care Homes and Home Care providers will now be able to view their own testing data within Capacity Tracker.
In addition, ALL Capacity Tracker registered users will now be able to view aggregate Test and Trace statistics on either a National, Regional or more local level.
Further guidance on how to use the Capacity Tracker Test and Trace Statistics report can be accessed here.
Found at: Capacity Tracker
COVID-19: management of staff and exposed patients and residents in health and social care settings
Guidance on the management of staff, patients and residents who have been exposed to COVID-19.
12 August 2021: Updated in line with changes to self-isolation for contacts from 16 August.
Found: GOV.UK
COVID-19: guidance on protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable
Information for protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from coronavirus (COVID-19).
11 August 2021 - Updated translation versions.
Found at: GOV.UK
Withdrawing the COVID-19 MCA and DoLS guidance
Following the lifting of restrictions on 19th July 2021, the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and deprivation of liberty safeguards (DoLS) during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic guidance has now been withdrawn. In spite of this, the care and treatment of people who may lack the relevant mental capacity remains of great importance and must always be guided by important principles of the MCA, which may in some cases include the utilisation of the safeguards provided by the DoLS. This was and is the case, before, during and after the pandemic.
Practitioners should also note that the urgent authorisation form (form 1B) in Annex B should now no longer be used and instead form 1 should be used for all requests. All the relevant forms can be found here.
Where decisions may need to be made in relation to COVID-19 care or treatment, for someone who may lack the relevant mental capacity, practitioners should follow their usual processes, including the best interest decision-making process. If you have any questions or queries about how the principles of the MCA can be applied to pandemic-related decisions, or in relation to the withdrawal of this guidance, then please do get in touch.
GOVERNMENT AND STAKEHOLDER UPDATES
CQC - How we will assess quality and update ratings from August 2021
We're starting to introduce some changes to how we will regulate from August 2021. This follows our consultation on changes for flexible and responsive regulation and our response to the feedback.
CQC
Test and Trace Statistics available within Capacity Tracker from Monday 16th August 2021
From the evening of Monday 16 August 2021, Care Homes and Home Care providers will be able to view their own testing data within the Capacity Tracker.
Further guidance on how to use the Capacity Tracker Test and Trace Statistics report will be posted on the Resource Centre on the evening of Monday 16th August 2021. This can be accessed by registered users.
Found at: Capacity Tracker
Visiting arrangements in care homes – updated guidance
Sets out how care homes can support families and visitors to visit residents.
Change made: Updated ‘Guidance on care home visiting’ to reflect the change in guidance on 16 August that you no longer have to self-isolate after confirmed close contact with a positive case of COVID-19 if you are fully vaccinated or under 18. Temporarily removed ‘Summary of COVID-19 guidance for visitors’ while it is being updated.
GOV.UK
Statement of Impact – The Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021: Care England analysis
Subsequent to the Statement of Impact being published, Care England has consulted its membership on some of the key figures presented within the document. This paper contains Care England’s analysis of the Statement of Impact and our analysis of the implications for adult social care providers.
Found at: Care England
NIHR Visit-id: a study of care home visiting arrangements for older people during COVID-19
Can you spare 20 – 30 minutes to complete an online qualitative survey (answering in your own words) about the development and implementation of your care homes visiting policy for older people during Covid-19?
Researchers are seeking senior care home staff to take part in a research study about visiting arrangements for older people during the Covid-19 pandemic.
For more information send email to info@careengland.org.uk.