Care England Policy Updates
Practical tips to prepare for an inquest
Many providers will at some point be involved in an inquest by virtue of delivery of care and services to the elderly and vulnerable.
Initial contact from the coroner’s officer can be by telephone or in writing (e-mail or letter) and typical early requests may be for:
Resident care plans and records;
Incident reports.
Risk assessments.
Statements of staff.
It is crucial that careful attention is paid to dealing with any or all such requests and that there is an understanding of wider implications. The purpose of this briefing is to highlight the practical steps that providers should take to minimise the impact of the inquest and to be ready to deal with any simultaneous or consequent action following the death by the regulator and/or safeguarding and/or police authorities.
Read the full Care England briefing here.
Practical tips to minimise the effect of CQC enforcement action
Many providers will have been affected by CQC enforcement action, including:
Fixed penalty notices;
Notices of Proposal;
Section 31 notices;
Investigations and prosecutions.
It remains to be seen what effect the Single Assessment Framework will have on this. However, the purpose of this briefing is to highlight the practical steps that providers should take to minimise the impact of enforcement action.
Read the full Care England briefing here.
Enhanced health in care homes
NHS England has published a revised version of the Enhanced Health in Care Homes framework which sets out the principles for delivering proactive, personalised care for people living in care homes including those with learning disabilities or autism, mental ill-health or rehabilitation needs.
This update reflects best practice and new ways of working since the COVID-19 pandemic including the use of digital technology to improve integrated working and information sharing across health and social care teams. It expands on priority clinical areas such as structured medicine reviews, nutrition and hydration, falls prevention, skin and wound care, leg and foot ulcers, mental health, dementia and palliative and end of life care.
Read the full NHS England Framework here.
Six eLearning modules to develop you and your team
Skills for Care rounded-up six online learning modules for social care managers and their teams, and highlight how you can claim from the Workforce Development Fund (WDF) towards these modules.
The eLearning modules include:
Introductory modules for managers, covering topics including supporting and developing teams; regulation and governance; communication, and decision-making.
Creating an inclusive organisation, designed to develop leadership skills and promote career progression. Includes topics such as discrimination; promoting EDI; leadership and management, and personal branding.
Moving Up covers confidence; personal branding; communication; leadership, and identifying strengths and weaknesses. The popular programme supports Black and Asian managers and aspiring managers to take the next step in their career, and to overcome and challenge discrimination and obstacles they may face.
Learning from events, designed to support managers to carry out learning reviews which look at what can be learned from experiences and actions that haven’t gone as planned.
CQC eLearning which can help you to prepare for CQC inspection and improve your rating.
Read the full Skills for Care article here.
Have your say on care home catering, and win a Fortnum and Mason Hamper!
One of the most important parts of a care home residents’ day is mealtimes. We want to understand the impact mealtimes, the dining experience, and the dining environment have on residents and loved ones and welcome your views via two short 3-minute Apetito led surveys each of which will offer you a chance to win a Fortnum and Mason hamper for you or your care service to enjoy and you will also receive a copy of the final report.
Your input will help to understand how services compare to help shape and improve mealtimes across the sector. Survey 1, Survey 2.
Air filtration systems do not reduce the risk of picking up viral infections
Research funded by the NIHR has found that air cleaning technologies designed to make social interactions safer in indoor spaces are not effective.
The research was funded by the NIHR Health Protection Research Unit (HPRU) in Emergency Preparedness and Response.
They studied evidence about whether the technologies reduce the risk of catching airborne respiratory or gastrointestinal infections. The researchers found the technologies do not stop the spread of infections in buildings.
Prof Paul Hunter, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “Air cleaners are designed to filter pollutants or contaminants out of the air that passes through them.
The researchers analysed evidence about microbial infections or symptoms in people who had been exposed - or not - to air treatment technologies. All of the 32 studies analysed were conducted in real world settings such as schools or care homes. The researchers did not include any studies carried out during Covid because so far none of these have been published.
Lead researcher Dr Julii Brainard, also from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said:
“In short, we found no strong evidence that air treatment technologies are likely to protect people in real world settings.
“Our findings are disappointing - but it is vital that public health decision makers have a full picture. Hopefully those studies that have been done during Covid will be published soon and we can make a more informed judgement about what the value of air treatment may have been during the pandemic.”
Read the full NIHR report here.
Public health grants to local authorities: 2023 to 2024
Local authorities (upper tier and unitary) are responsible for improving the health of their local population and reducing health inequalities.
In 2023 to 2024 the total public health grant to local authorities will be £3.530 billion. The grant will be ring-fenced for use on public health functions.
The local authority circular sets out the allocations and conditions for using the grant.
Details of the indicative public health allocations for the year 2024 to 2025 are available in the attached spreadsheet ‘Public health local authority allocations 2023 to 2024’.
Updated the total public health grant and allocations to local authorities in 'Public health ring-fenced grant 2023 to 2024: local authority circular' and 'Public health local authority allocations 2023 to 2024'.
See also the written ministerial statement about the allocations for 2023 to 2024.
Read the full DHSC guidance here.
Government offer to NHS consultants to pave way to end strikes
The government and unions representing consultant doctors in England have reached an agreement to put an offer to union members following constructive negotiations.
Talks were opened with the British Medical Association (BMA) and Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association (HCSA) last month to find a fair and reasonable way forward.
All parties strived to find a fair deal for NHS consultants but also one that acknowledges the wider economic pressures facing the UK and the need to continue to bring down inflation.
The government was clear that the headline pay uplift for 2023-24 was settled through the pay review body process. This offer builds on that and focuses on measures that will address consultant concerns while introducing contractual reforms. The core contract for consultants has not been updated for 20 years and this offer will modernise it, including through offering enhanced shared parental leave, in line with other NHS staff.
Read the full DHSC update here.
Tenders and contract opportunities for adult social care
The link below lists recent tender and contract opportunities for adult social care providers to consider.
North Northamptonshire Council: Provision of Information, Advice and Support Service For People With A Sensory Impairment
https://www.publicsector.co.uk/contractalert/511808
London Borough of Hackney: Single Homeless Prevention Programme
https://www.publicsector.co.uk/contractalert/511880
Manchester City Council: Early Help for Adults Navigator Service
https://www.publicsector.co.uk/contractalert/511911
Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council: Reablement Scheduling and Care Management System
https://www.publicsector.co.uk/contractalert/512021
GB-London: Understanding the management and monitoring of waiting lists for adult social care
https://www.publicsector.co.uk/contractalert/512058
Click here to see tender and contract opportunities.