Social Care In Vision (Last update: 05.03.21) | QCS

Social Care In Vision (Last update: 05.03.21)

Dementia Care
March 5, 2021

Another weekly update from our team of care specialists. It includes updates on Coronavirus,  Testing, Workers Movement between Care Homes and more. Download here!

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COVID-19: Oximetry @Home Services for Care Home Residents – Published 19th February   

This website provides free guidance to support people to monitor their own oxygen levels with pulse oximeters, including people in care homes. For more information, click here.

COVID-19: Guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable – Updated 25th February

The guidance has been updated to reflect the new shielding end date; the shopping and support sections have also been updated. For more information, click here. It is important to note that this may impact on care homes who are planning to re-open to visitors and advice from resident’s GPs and PHE advice may be required.

COVID-19: Testing services for extra care and supported living settings– Updated 25th February   

A new version of the guidance has been released. For more information, click here. 

COVID-19: Free tablets to improve lives of thousands of people with learning disabilities – Published 25th February 

A new £2.5 million Digital Lifeline Fund has been created to provide devices, data and digital support to people with learning disabilities, where they cannot afford to go online. For more information, click here.

COVID-19: Letter to businesses on workplace testing – Published 25th February   

This letter highlights free COVID-19 testing for staff where they cannot work from home. For more information, click here.

COVID-19: Organisation testing registration: Record of users – Updated 25th February   

This guidance has been updated to reflect changes to the data fields within the record keeping spreadsheet, whilst providing more guidance on how to complete and upload it successfully. For more information, click here.

COVID-19: Essential workers prioritised for COVID-19 testing – Published 25th February   

This document highlights a list of essential workers prioritised for PCR testing. For more information, click here. 

CQC: Provider Information Return Pilot – Announced 25th February

As part of the weekly CQC update for adult social care providers, the CQC have announced a pilot of an updated version of the Provider Information Return. The pilot is voluntary and will test the changes made to the PIR, including a reduction of almost a third of questions.

COVID-19: Supporting adults with learning disabilities or autistic adults – Updated 26th February

This document has been updated to include reference to the ‘COVID-19 Response- Spring 2021’ roadmap. For more information, click here.

COVID-19: Advice for pregnant employees – Updated 26th February   

This document has been updated to include reference to the ‘COVID-19 Response- Spring 2021’ roadmap. For more information, click here.

COVID-19: Testing guidance for employers – Updated 26th February  

This document has been updated following the evolution of the private-sector testing. For more information, click here.

COVID-19: Getting tested – Updated 27th February   

This document has been updated to include lateral flow testing for secondary school children and for people who work in a school. For more information, click here.

COVID-19: Rapid flow testing for households and bubbles of school pupils and staff – Published 27th February   

This guidance highlights rapid flow testing has been introduced for households and bubbles of school pupils and staff when schools reopen. For more information, click here.

COVID-19: The DBS Conference for 2021 has been announced – News Story 27th February   

A virtual DBS event will be held on 24th and 25th March with the main theme centred on making recruitment safer- looking to the future. For more information, click here.

COVID-19: All households with children of school age to get 2 rapid COVID-19 test per person per week – Press Release 28th February   

As schools reopen, whole families and households will be able to test themselves twice a week from home. For more information, click here.

COVID-19: Restricting workforce movement between care homes and other care settings – Published 1st March   

Guidance for care homes on limiting staff movement has been published between settings in all but exceptional circumstances to help reduce the spread of coronavirus. For more information, click here. QCS has published an Action Card on this to support managers.

COVID-19: Fast Track Access to NHSmail – Update 2nd March   

The NHS has reviewed the original waver to access NHSmail without completing the Data Security and Protection Toolkit, which was due to end on 31st March 2021. This has now been extended to 30th June 2021.

New Data Security and Protection Toolkit Status for Care Providers – Update 2nd March   

There are three different levels of DSPT compliance with the Entry Level being introduced on a temporary basis and only available for social care providers; it was due to end in March 2021. A new Approaching Standards status will be introduced on 5th March 2021 and is a new status available to care providers to demonstrate good progress, when they have not yet reached the Standards Met level.

Providers who are completing the DSPT at local level using the location’s V code will see the Approaching Standards view from 5 March 2021.

Providers who are completing the DSPT with a head office code beginning A or C will see the Approaching Standards view from 19 March 2021.

DSPT submissions need to be published by 30 June 2021.

ACTION:

  • If you have already published a self-assessment for 2020/21 at Entry Level, you will need to reassess your publication and achieve Approaching Standards as a minimum by 30 June 2021
  • If you have already published a self-assessment for 2020/21 at Standards Met, no further action is required for 2020/21
  • If you have not previously registered for the DSPT and have not completed a submission, please do so by 30 June 2021

COVID-19: Restricting Workforce Movement between Care Homes and Other Care Settings – Updated 3rd March

The guidance has been updated on retesting within 90 days of a previous positive test result. For more information, click here.

COVID-19: Budget 2021 Sets Path for Recovery – News story 3rd March

The budget sets out a £65million three-point plan to provide support for jobs and businesses as we ease out of lockdown. For more information, click here 

COVID-19: New Specialised Support to Help those Living with Obesity to Lose Weight – Press release 4th March

Children, adults and families will be supported to achieve and maintain a healthier weight through £100 million of government support. For more information, click here.

Policy Updates from QCS

  • All coronavirus policies and Resource Centre documents continue to be reviewed and updated in light of these government updates
  • A new Four-Step Roadmap document is available in the Resource Centre alongside a fact sheet on Maintaining Safe Behaviours as we ease out of the lockdown
  • A new easy read document on the Census has been published
  • An action card on limiting staff movements between settings has also been produced