Policy Updates 3rd January 2022
The following policy updates have been curated from the week commencing 3rd January 2022.
Policy Updates
Following the announcement on 10th December which included updates to testing guidance, please see below for the updated guidance. Care home staff are now being advised to increase testing from 2 lateral flow tests (LFTs) per week to 3 as well as a weekly PCR test. This change in guidance also applies to high risk extra care and supported living services and day care centres.
Care homes - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-in-adult-care-homes
High risk extra care and supported living - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-service-for-extra-care-and-supported-living-settings/testing-service-for-extra-care-and-supported-living-settings
Adult day care centres - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-for-adult-day-care-centre-workers
Additional funding announced for Omicron costs
On the 29th December, the government announced an additional £60m for costs associated with Omicron to be spent in January. The funding details are outlined in the press release which can be found here and a letter sent out to all local authorities which is attached. In essence, the funding is to add to the ICF core priorities but is in recognition of the fact that when the ICF funding was first made available, it did not take in the impact of Omicron.
infection control measures including limiting staff movement, providing transport and accommodation, managing staff absences and self-isolation, and ventilation.
further use of Direct Payments if required to meet care needs.
The grant conditions for this additional funding has not yet been provided for local authorities, and therefore there is likely to be a delay in terms of the funding coming through to providers. (Recognising that many are still waiting for the first tranche of funding from workforce recruitment and retention funding announced in late October).
Changes to Visiting Guidance
The visiting guidance has been updated again. There is one key change in the guidance which is that those who are visiting out of the care home, who are fully vaccinated, now only need to take an LFD every other day for a 10 day period rather than every day. In addition, they have reiterated the statement around nominated visitors, making it clear that they should be unchanged wherever possible.
Care home residents who have had 2 doses of the vaccine, or are exempt from vaccination, should not have to isolate for 14 days after most visits out of the care home, but should take a lateral flow test every second day for 10 days following the visit out.
The updated guidance can be found here.
Local flexibilities around outbreak and staffing management
Finally there has been correspondence with local Directors of Public Health from Jim McManus, the president of the Association of Directors of Public Health, and Jenny Harries, the CEO of the UKHSA. The letter outlines the local flexibilities that DPH have in relation to outbreak management, and balancing risk, particularly in relation to admissions and staffing. The letter is of course open to local interpretation, but we are hearing that parts of the country are using this in relation to shortening the length of outbreak period etc… We will continue to update on this when more detail becomes available.
Updated Policy
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.
22 December 2021: Updated to reflect changes to self-isolation periods for staff in health and care settings.
Found at: GOV.UK
Stay at home: guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection
The self-isolation advice for people with coronavirus (COVID-19) has changed. It is now possible to end self-isolation after 7 days, following 2 negative LFD tests taken 24 hours apart. The first LFD test should not be taken before the sixth day.
Found at: GOV.UK
Fit Note extension period
The Department of Work and Pensions are making legislative changes meaning that from Friday 17 December 2021 self-certification for sickness will be extended from 7 to 28 days for people accessing Statutory Sick Pay, and there will be no requirement for a fit note to access other benefits. This time limited change will end on 26 January 2022. Further guidance on this is available. Whilst we expect this to cover the vast majority of fit note requests, GPs may continue to receive some for access to occupational sick pay depending on individual contractual arrangements.
Wider Stakeholder News
UK secures millions more antivirals to help fight Omicron
The UK has signed contracts to buy a further 4.25 million courses of antivirals for the NHS
Found at: GOV.UK
Reminder: Priority access to COVID-19 Booster vaccinations for social care workers
It’s so important that social care workers, and anyone receiving or giving care, whether paid or unpaid, gets their booster this winter, and I am grateful for the priority that has been given to allow this priority access. In order to get priority access at a vaccination centre, sites will likely ask to see a workplace photo ID, or a recent letter or payslip from their employer as proof of their employment, so do encourage this where possible.
Found at: Skills for Care
Vaccination as a condition of deployment in health and social care settings: our role
This week, parliament passed new legislation on vaccination requirements for staff in healthcare. From 1 April 2022, COVID-19 vaccination will be a requirement for staff providing face-to-face care in healthcare and those social care settings not covered by the existing legislation.
Found at: CQC
Transparent Face Masks
As you are aware the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has been working on a coordinated range of initiatives to enable the creation and availability of safe and effective transparent face masks to health and social care since September 2020.
We are pleased that there are now two products made by UK manufacturers which meet the technical specification set out by the Transparent Face Mask Steering Group. These are just a couple out of many products currently passing through technical assurance.
Technical assurance has now successfully completed on the Alpha-Solway and Contechs transparent face masks, this confirms they are both compliant with the technical specification and can be bought and used in health and care settings, subject to local risk assessments.
This is testament to the success of the UK Government’s UK Make strategy.
We are about to start widely piloting transparent face masks across a variety of settings in the UK to further explore usability. This will provide further evidence on user acceptability and suitability on this new and innovative product type within relevant settings.
We will keep you informed on further developments.