Policy Updates 23rd May 2022
The following policy updates have been curated from the week commencing 23rd May 2022.
New Policy
Health and wellbeing of the adult social care workforce
Advice for those working in adult social care on managing your mental health and how employers can take care of the wellbeing of their staff. This guidance is for anyone who works in adult social care. It provides advice on how you can manage your personal mental health.It also provides adult social care employers with guidance, tools and advice on how to take care of the wellbeing of staff at work.
Found at: GOV.UK
JCVI interim statement on COVID-19 autumn 2022 vaccination programme
The JCVI’s interim advice to the government on COVID-19 booster doses this autumn for more vulnerable adults, alongside frontline social care and health workers. The advice should be considered as interim and for the purposes of operational planning for the autumn for the NHS, care homes and wider health community.
Found at: GOV.UK
Adult Social Care: Guidance
Information for the adult social care. A collection of the various guidance relating to the Adult Social Care Sector.
Found at: GOV.UK
Updated Policy
Reducing the spread of respiratory infections, including COVID-19, in the workplace
23 May 2022
Added translations.
Found at: GOV.UK
Government & Stakeholder Updates
How coronavirus (COVID-19) compares with flu as a cause of death
An article exploring coronavirus (COVID-19) as an underlying cause of death, compared with deaths due to flu and pneumonia throughout the pandemic. The number of deaths with coronavirus (COVID-19) as the underlying cause has fallen from previous peaks, but it remains higher than the number caused by flu and pneumonia. Is it time to view COVID-19 as we do the flu?
Found at: GOV.UK
UK COVID alert level
Based on advice from UKHSA, we the UK Chief Medical Officers and NHS England Medical Director have recommended to ministers that COVID Alert Level should move from level 4 to level 3. The current BA.2 driven Omicron wave is subsiding. Direct COVID-19 healthcare pressures continue to decrease in all nations and ONS community positivity estimates continue to decrease.
Found at: GOV.UK
Covid-19: JCVI advises further booster for vulnerable adults and health and care workers
An additional booster dose of covid-19 vaccine will be offered to the most vulnerable adults and some health and social care workers this autumn, under draft guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. However, most people in the UK under the age of 65 will be excluded from the autumn booster programme if the interim advice, which has been issued for “purposes of operational planning,” remains in place.
Found at: BMJ
Empowering people with learning disabilities to make end of life plans
Talking about death and dying is difficult for most of us, but historically it has been a huge barrier for people with learning disabilities.
GOV.UK
Adult social care: guidance
Information for the adult social care sector.
GOV.UK
Fair Cost of Care - Capacity Tracker
To support the Fair Cost of Care exercise, the Department of Health and Social Care Capacity Tracker Care Home and Home Care survey has been extended to the 7 June. The survey is an opportunity for providers to share information about who is receiving care in their service for DHSC to better understand the impact the reforms will have on providers and the wider sector. We encourage all providers who have not completed the survey to do so. Completing the survey will help build a comprehensive picture of local need and provision.
Found at: Capacity Tracker
Care England News
Agency Fees for Social Care – Survey
The adult social care sector currently faces significant challenges in both the recruitment and retention of staff. As such, there has been a significant increase in the use of agencies to help fill workforce gaps, which are currently over 10%, to deal with absence due to sickness, and 34% attrition levels. The greater use of agency staff has consequently increased the demand and cost significantly to an unsustainable level. Care England held a discussion with the Department of Health and Social Care in May to discuss pragmatic solutions to this problem. They requested quantitative data to take this issue forward. This survey has been devised as a means of demonstrating the multi-faceted issue of sourcing and paying for agency staff which will underpin ongoing discussions with national stakeholders seeking to provide a sector-wide resolution to this issue.
Found at: Care England
Trade Papers
Committee to explore raising the profile of social care
The House of Lords Adult Social Care Committee will hold two evidence sessions next week to explore the assumptions and preconceptions about those who rely on care, and different methods of raising the profile of adult social care.
Care Management Matters
Care providers mark Dementia Action Week with new initiatives
Leading care home providers, Signature Senior Lifestyle, Anchor and Brunelcare have announced new initiatives to mark Dementia Action Week (16-22 May).
Care Home Professional
Lasting Power of Attorney consultation brings process into the modern age
The Ministry of Justice and Office of the Public Guardian have issued their consultation response on modernising the lasting power of attorney (LPA) process.
Care Home Management