Download our latest Social Care highlights for England below. It features the latest updates on an urgent critical cyber vulnerability alert, a cold weather alert, COVID updates and more!
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New Infection Prevention Network launched for social care – November 2021
A new network of champions has been launched to help maintain and continuously improve standards across the care sector. For more information click here.
Urgent critical cyber vulnerability alert – Published 13th December
The Department of Health and Social Care have noted a critical cyber alert to all adult social care providers. For more information click here.
COVID-19: guidance for contacts of people with confirmed coronavirus infection who do not live with the person – Updated 16th December
Guidance updated to reflect that people should undertake a test every day for 7 days or until 10 days since their last contact with the person. For more information click here.
COVID-19: stay at home: guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus infection – Updated 16th December
Guidance updated to reflect that people should undertake a test every day for 7 days or until 10 days since their last contact with the person. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund for adult social care, Round 2 – Updated 16th December
Guidance published on the £300 million Workforce Recruitment and Retention Fund, Round 2. For more information click here. An additional press release can also be found here.
Cold Weather Alert issued by UKHSA – Published 17th December
Cold weather alert issued over the next week. For more information click here.
Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019: Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS) – Updated 17th December
Letter issued highlighting a delay to the implementation of LPS. For more information click here.
Statutory Sick Pay: employee fitness to work – Updated 17th December
Guidance updated to include ‘if an employee goes off sick on or after 10 December 2021, up to and including 26 January 2022, you cannot ask them for proof of sickness until they have been off for 28 days or more.’ For more information click here.
Adult Social Care Infection Control and Testing Fund: round 3 – Updated 20th December
Two new Local authority reporting templates added. For more information click here.
Cold Weather Alert issued by UKHSA – Published 20th December
Cold weather alert issued. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Test and trace support payment scheme: claiming financial support – Updated 20th December
Guidance updated to reflect self-isolation exemptions. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Self-isolation for COVID-19 cases reduced from 10 to 7 days following negative LFD tests – Press Release 22nd December
Announcement of new guidance in self-isolation rules. For more information click here.
COVID-19: stay at home: guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus infection – Updated 22nd December
Guidance updated to reflect changes to self-isolation rules. For more information click here, other related guidance updates include:
Working safely during coronavirus
Guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection
Coronavirus: how to stay safe and prevent the spread
Management of staff and exposed patients and residents in health and social care settings
COVID-19: stepdown of infection control precautions and discharging patients to home settings
Guidance for contacts of people with confirmed coronavirus infection who do not live with the person
NHS Test and Trace: what to do if you are contacted
COVID-19: medical exemptions: proving you are unable to get vaccinated – Updated 22nd December
Guidance updated to include information on care home staff self-certificating that they are medically unable to get vaccinated. For more information click here.
COVID-19: providing unpaid care – Updated 22nd December
Guidance updated on daily testing for contacts of positive cases, as well as a new section on face coverings and information about COVID-19 booster eligibility. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Enabling safe and effective volunteering during coronavirus – Updated 22nd December
Guidance updated in line with plan B guidance. For more information click here.
COVID-19: carers urged to get COVID-19 booster now – Press Release 23rd December
Announcement urging all unpaid carers, care home and homecare workers to get the booster vaccination. For more information click here.
COVID-19: testing in adult care homes – Updated 23rd December
Guidance updated to include ‘testing within 90 days of a positive result’ section. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Find help and support if you have long COVID – Published 24th December
Guidance published on the range of support available for people suffering from long COVID. For more information click here.
Biggest visa boost for social care as Health and Care Visa scheme expanded – Published 24th December
Care workers, care assistants and home care workers to become eligible for Health and Care Visa for a 12 month period. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Guidance for people whose immune system means they are at higher risk – Published 24th December
Guidance published for people aged 12 and over whose immune system means they are at higher risk of serious illness if they become infected with coronavirus. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Guidance on protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from coronavirus – Published 24th December
Guidance updated for people previously considered clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Management of staff and exposed patients and residents in health and social care settings – Updated 30th December
Guidance updated with the removal of the ‘Symptomatic worker flowchart for return to work following a COVID-19 test’. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Visiting arrangements in care homes – Updated 30th December
Guidance updated to reflect testing that is required following visits out of the care home; every second day for 10 days. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection – Updated 30th December
Guidance updated to clarify advice for children and young people, as well as an infographic updated. For more information click here.
Cold Weather Alert issued by UKHSA – Published 3rd January
Cold weather alert issued. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Prime Minister reissues call for public to get boosted and announces new critical workforce testing measures – Press Release 4th January
Press statement from the Prime Minister highlight the need for people to get a booster jab and the prioritising of testing for critical workers who cannot work from home. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Confirmatory PCR tests to be temporarily suspended for positive lateral flow test results – Press Release 5th January
UKHSA announces changes to the PCR testing system from 11th January. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Pre-departure testing removed for vaccinated travellers – Press Release 5th January
Announcement that testing and border measures are changing for fully vaccinated travellers arriving in England. For more information click here.
COVID-19: How to do a coronavirus rapid lateral flow test – Updated 5th January
Video links updated to reflect PCR rule changes. For more information click here.
Cold Weather Alert issued by UKHSA – Published 6th January
Cold weather alert remains across the UK, UKHSA advices people to stay warm. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Testing for adult social care settings – Updated 6th January
Guidance updated with the removal of ‘on-site testing and self-test attachments’. A ‘Step by Step Guide to COVID-19 self-testing’ has been added around the nose only pack. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Travel to England from another country during coronavirus – Updated 7th January
Guidance updated to highlight that from 7th January the requirement to quarantine on arrival back into England has been removed if you qualify as fully vaccinated. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Management of staff and exposed patients and residents in health and social care settings – Updated 7th January
Guidance updated to clarify returning to work after a continued positive LFD. For more information click here.
Vaccination as a Condition of Deployment Regulations – News story 7th January
Confirmation that the regulations have now been signed and the 12 week grace period has begun. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Travel to England from another country during coronavirus – Updated 9th January
Guidance updated to highlight that you can now choose a lateral flow test or a PCR test as your post arrival test. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Making and Registering an LPA during the coronavirus outbreak – Updated 10th January
Guidance updated to reflect the Government’s guideline dates. For more information click here.
COVID-19: guidance for households with possible infection – Updated 11th January
Guidance updated to remove requirement for people testing positive on an LFD test to have a confirmatory PCR test. For more information click here, other related guidance updates include:
Management of staff and exposed patients and residents in health and social care settings
Guidance for contacts of people with confirmed coronavirus infection who do not live with the person
Cold Weather Alert issued by UKHSA – Published 11th January
Cold weather alert issued for parts of England from 13th to 17th January. For more information click here.
COVID-19: Testing in adult care homes – Updated 12th January
Guidance updated on what to do in case of a positive COVID-19 result. For more information click here.
Policy Updates
- All coronavirus policies and Resource Centre documents continue to be reviewed and updated in light of government updates. Please see your dashboard for the latest changes
- In particular, a new policy for domiciliary care has been released in light of the requirement for mandatory vaccinations being approved, please refer to the Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccinations Policy and Procedure for more information
Risk Assessment Updates
- All risk assessments continue to be updated in light of government updates