Join our regular networks and share your concerns, find support and discuss the latest news. |
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Oxfordshire provider networks
Fortnightly
- OACP-OCA Care Home network: Wednesday 2-3 via Zoom. Next meeting: 4 May
- OACP Home Care network: Monday 1-2 via Zoom. Next meeting: 9 May
Monthly
- OACP Daytime support network: 2nd Friday in the month via Zoom. Next meeting: 13 May
- OACP Learning Disability network: last Tuesday in the month 10-11 via Zoom. Next meeting: 31 May
Plus
- Registered Manager Network: Thursday 28 April 1.30 - 3.00 pm via Zoom
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A Spring Bank Holiday weekend upcoming with the weather more relevant for winter. If you do get out, take your scarf and mask to avoid a cold/ covid-19/ hayfever combo. Ne'er cast a cloot afore May is oot. |
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Fair Cost of Care
We are moving swiftly towards shortening timescales for the implementation of the national Fair Cost of Care exercise. It seems that, as expected, there will be a range of tools being used across the country. Care Analytics was used for care homes in the East Midlands. Care Cubed is being used in the South West. Some local authorities are looking to use the LGA-ADASS-ARCC tool for Home Care with a consultant to collate and analyse the data. There are a couple of webinars demonstrating this toolkit listed in Webinar city below.
DHSC Requirements and Guidance - recap
On Friday 25 March DHSC published the Market sustainability and fair cost of care fund 2022 to 2023: guidance, which follows the Market Sustainability and Fair Cost of Care Fund announcement in Dec 2021. Local Authorities have been sent updates in the week commencing 4 April which have started to filter through to providers already.
Home Care Toolkit and Support - update
The Home Care Cost of Care Tool and Guidance can now be accessed on the LGA website. All FCC related tools, support and information will be posted via that link in future. The web page and the tool itself are publicly accessible and may be shared with providers by Local Authorities who have chosen to adopt this model to collect home care costs as part of their FCC and Market Sustainability Plan process.
Care Home Cost of Care Toolkit - update
The Care and Health Improvement Programme (CHIP), jointly delivered by ADASS and the LGA, has also commissioned a Care Home Cost of Care Tool that will be freely available to all councils and providers. A small number of provider and local authority colleagues have been invited to actively participate in the development finalisation of the tool which will be available to Local Authorities week commencing 16 May. Those providers will be attending workshops over the next 4 weeks and will test the tool with data in early May prior to the tools launch week commencing 16 May. We expect to see the tool shared with providers by those Local Authorities who agree to use it.
Cost of Care – Support
Now the DHSC guidance has been published, and the sector is clearer on what is required, Councils are able to commission their own support and at a national level, a variety of support is being developed by CHIP. National care associations are working with CHIP on this to ensure the right support is available to councils and care providers as they deliver cost of care work in the next 6 months.
Interestingly, North Yorkshire, which is one of the trailblazers, is paying providers £250 as a recognition of the half / full-day's work to complete whatever template is used. Wouldn't that be a nice offer to encourage widespread engagement? It is important that as many providers engage as possible as we want to demonstrate that the current cost of care is more than the current rates paid.
We know from the LGA that there is an understandable fear that Government will not stump up the necessary settlement to cover funding needed. We have to ignore this for the moment - the focus must be on demonstrating the current gap. When we have more news of local plans, we'll let you know.
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Infection Control and Testing funding
DHSC Regional Leads have been asked to gather feedback on the process for receiving Infection Control (and Testing) Fund allocations. They want to understand the burdens that came along with the grants and are aware that the process could have been smoother than it was. This will ensure any future grants are delivered in a more effective way.
Would you share their thoughts? We would be happy to organise a small group meeting with our local Regional Lead if you would like to present your views in person.
The questions are below and we need to provide a South East response by Friday 6 May so if we could have feedback by Thursday 5 May that would be perfect.
- What were the benefits of the fund and its administration?
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Did you think the fund had its intended impact to support the ASC sector in its response to Covid-19, specifically in relation to supporting IPC measures to reduce the rate of Covid-19 transmission within and between care settings?
- As you know, the grant conditions of this funding required that local authorities pass a proportion of funding directly to providers to be used for specific measures and that local authorities use the remaining funding at their discretion to support care providers to take additional steps to tackle the risk of COVID-19 infections. What were the benefits/challenges to the specific grant conditions of how this funding could be distributed and utilised?
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What lessons do you think the Department can learn to employ for future adult social care funding?
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Do you have any views on a more effective way to distribute funding rapidly to providers? taking into consideration a scenario where the spending needs to be very targeted.
Alternatively, reply to this mailing and we will collate your thoughts.
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Also, please don't forget to sign the provider-led petition asking for Infection Control and testing funding to be reinstated supporting care workers to receive full pay whilst on sick leave from covid-19.
Government is increasingly hiding behind 'Covid-19 is just another sickness - deal with it' attitude.
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Updates to COVID-19 Testing in Adult Social Care Guidance
We spotted an update to this guidance published on 19 April, but we were initially unsure what actually changed, because the change-log doesn't always specify what's changed.
The key update to the guidance is in section 2.1 'Symptomatic Testing for Staff and Residents' which now directs you to the IPC COVID-19 Supplement to explain when symptomatic testing processes should be followed. This is ahead of an update to the COVID-19 supplement in the coming week or two to reflect clarifications to symptomatic testing. An NHS Test and Trace newsletter email containing information summarising the planned updated guidance has now been sent to managers of services.
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The annual Tripartite flu letter has been published by DHSC, UKHSA and NHSE setting out further detail for the 2022-23 season. This makes it clear that care workers can get access to the flu vaccine for free in 2022-23 early.
Specifically, the free offer is for frontline staff employed by the following types of social care providers without employer-led occupational health schemes:
- a registered residential care or nursing home
- registered domiciliary care provider
- a voluntary managed hospice provider
- Direct Payment (personal budgets) or Personal Health Budgets, such as Personal Assistants
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Liberty Protection Safeguards - Register for Lived Experience Events
Government also understands that not everyone will want to tell it what they think about its plans by responding to the consultation survey. The government will therefore be holding a number of online events where people with lived experience of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and the Mental Capacity Act will have the opportunity to tell the government what they think about the Liberty Protection Safeguards and what this might mean for them.
Government expects that each event will be held online and will be roughly two and half hours long, with half an hour for breaks. The events will be run by DHSC and led by Hilary Paxton who has previously led events for people with lived experience about the Liberty Protection Safeguards.
If you or someone else that you know would like to attend one of these events, please fill in and submit this form.
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Clarifying points about the consultation and giving some thoughts about parts of the Code that people have suggested are not clear: https://vimeo.com/702952253
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About parts of the Code which people have made clear they don't agree with: https://vimeo.com/702951823
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Some complicated questions put by people about the Code: https://vimeo.com/702951511
Important caveats: none of these represent legal advice, and all of them represent Alex RK's own views.
A rapid reaction overview of the LPS consultation is here, and an (updated) LPS resources page is here
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WRRF
Due to the complexity of the document layout, we have created a spreadsheet that is easier to read. However, the spreadsheet does not recreate well in pdf format (which is the only format allowed for document links in these newsletters). In short, download the full spreadsheet from our website
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Watch again
The Oxfordshire Care Awards were held on Monday 25 April.
Many congratulations to all Winners and Highly Commended.
All nominated individuals and organisations will get a certificate to recognise the value in which their colleagues hold them.
A longer piece will be published shortly.
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Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) | How are ICSs uniquely placed to address health inequalities?
Part of the integrated care webinar series
- Thursday 28 April
- 2.00 – 3.00 pm
Tackling inequalities in outcomes, experience, and access is one of the key purposes of ICSs. This webinar explores how ICSs can deliver this ambition and use their new structures and leadership to make a step-change in how we address health inequalities. Drawing on local practice to demonstrate how partnership working supports this agenda, we discuss the key success factors, opportunities and challenges for ICSs.
The Integrated Care webinar series looks at Integrated Care System (ICS) development, including the information, guidance and tools being prepared for publication as part of the NHS England and NHS Improvement ICS Implementation Programme; and sharing good practice and learning.
Keynote speaker:
- Dr Bola Owolabi, Director – National Healthcare Inequalities Improvement Programme at NHS England and NHS Improvement
- Dr Owolabi who will be joined by Susannah Howard, ICS Programme Director, Suffolk & North East Essex ICS amongst other guests.
There’s a Q&A session - an opportunity to ask the panellists questions.
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Imagine the future of our dementia care community
A series of online meetings to imagine and co-produce the future of our dementia care community
An Open Space event convened by the Journal for Dementia Care/Dementia Publishing and facilitated by Ladder to the Moon/Vibrant Communities.
- Thursday 28 April
- 2.00 - 4.00pm
A community for progressive dementia care practice is needed in the UK, and we want you to be part of bringing it to life. We would love you to bring your skills, experience and insights to this event or another of the online meetings we plan to hold leading up to the relaunched, live UK Dementia Congress in November. We need voices from all care settings and sectors, including people living with dementia and all carers.
For details and to book a free place go to:
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- Keep up with Employing Asylum Seekers and Refugees in the UK
- 28 April 2022
- 3.00 - 3.45pm
This is a free event to help businesses integrate asylum seekers and refugees into the workforce of their organisation while ensuring full immigration compliance. The seminar will cover:
- Right to work of asylum seekers and refugees – the difference between restricted and unrestricted right to work
- Employer’s right to work checks – be prepared for April changes
- Record keeping and compliance
- Sponsoring workers from overseas
- Q&A
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DHSC webinar on supporting implementation of the Infection Prevention and Control: Resource for Adult Social Care guidance
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Home Office webinar: Ukraine: Guidance for Employers and Landlords
These are not sector-specific webinars, but Home Office have said they are planning sector-specific webinars at a later date.
The UK is moving as quickly as possible to ensure that those fleeing Ukraine can find safety in the UK through the Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine. In addition, the Ukraine Extension Scheme which opens on 3 May will allow Ukrainians already in the UK on temporary visas to extend their leave here.
Ukrainian nationals and their family members, who are granted a visa under one of these routes, will be given three years’ leave in the UK, as well as full access to work, rent, study, and public funds.
Join officials from the Home Office, Department for Work and Pensions, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and the Refugee Employment Network for an explanatory webinar on:
- visa routes for Ukrainian nationals
- how to carry out right to work/rent checks, and
- support and guidance for employers and landlords.
There will be further information on how employers can help Ukrainian nationals who decide to take up employment whilst in the UK.
This presentation will be followed by a short Q&A session with officials via Sli.do.
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You Matter Social Care wellbeing webinar – coping with difficulties (for BOB ICS region)
Living in uncertain times can be stressful, especially with a variety of difficult factors affecting our lives across the world. We actually have always lived with uncertainty and cannot predict the answers to many different questions - most of all what the future holds. All we can really know is what is happening right now in this moment and, as best we can, respond to that.
Stephanie Goulbourne, Locality Lead and Clinical Supervisor for You Matter (the Bucks and Ox Wellbeing hub), will lead a wellbeing session for all social care staff, focusing on:
- Difficulties, loss and how we are affected - such as job loss, grief and bereavement, financial loss or difficulties.
- Coping strategies - how to manage and cope with stress.
- How You Matter can help - signposting and other resources.
Why not join the conversation to find some common ground with colleagues on difficulties that are affecting many of us across the globe and how you can cope. Hear from others and share your experiences in an open and safe online space.
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Explore how charities are reacting to the cost of living crisis in Oxfordshire
The post-COVID world is looking difficult at the moment, with the perfect storm of the pandemic, Brexit and the war in Ukraine causing global price hikes. With inflation hitting 30-year highs and the prices of fuel, materials and services increasing by huge proportions, the cost of living crisis is hitting us all; but what is the effect on people’s lives in Oxfordshire?
At this webinar we will explore the impact on those local communities that were already disadvantaged and struggling, and understand the priorities of local charitable organisations as they face this next challenge.
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Dr Mark Fransham, Senior Researcher at the Department for Social Policy and Intervention at the University of Oxford, who will give a presentation on the causes and effects of this global issue
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Teresa Archer, Chief Officer at Citizens Advice West Oxfordshire, who will give a view of how the crisis is affecting demand for advice on debt and benefits
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Fiona Steele, Director at Good Food Oxfordshire, who will talk about food poverty and how communities in Oxfordshire are affected.
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As discussed in previous mailings, Hestia are running Modern Slavery: Awareness training for social care providers
- Monday 9 May 2022
- 1.00 - 2.30pm
The National Care Forum (NCF) and Skills for Care invite anyone in a frontline managerial role in adult social care to attend a 90-minute workshop. This will help in understanding more about modern slavery in the UK today and helping to identify when someone might be a victim of modern slavery. The session will be led by Hestia, leading provider of modern slavery support in London and the South East, who provide CPD-accredited training on modern slavery packages to professionals across the UK.
This workshop will run 4 more times, with the next on 7 June. Further dates to be shared when we have them.
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Home Care Cost of Care Toolkit Demonstration and Q+A for Home Care Providers.
The Care and Health Improvement Programme are running 3 webinars where the developer of the Home Care Cost of Care Toolkit, ARCC, will talk through how the tool works.
The sessions are 90 mins, split evenly between ARCC demonstrating the Home Care Cost of Care Toolkit and how it should be completed and then taking general Q&A queries.
These sessions are for a care provider audience only and are free for all to attend.
The sessions are repeats of each other so individuals only need to attend one. Please click the links below to register for the session, then select Book Now at the top of the Event Page. When registering, please select non-member organisation and enter your details as requested. Please do check your junk mail inboxes for sign up confirmations and if there are any issues with registering, do email Marketsandcommissioning@local.gov.uk
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The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training in Learning Disability and Autism
The final evaluation for the trial of this training is expected very soon and will be presented at a free stakeholder forum
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Wednesday 25 May 2022 (previously scheduled for Thursday 28 April).
This event will be a celebration of how far we have come and evaluation partners NDTi will provide an overview of the final evaluation report - which will help to shape the rollout of the Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training in Learning Disability and Autism.
This event is open to everyone including people who use health and care services, and families and carers:
*Registrations will close for this event on Wednesday 11 May 2022.
If you have already registered for the postponed April event, there is no need to register again.
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Skills for Care is looking to organise some short virtual events with JobCentre Plus and the National Careers Service and are looking for some volunteers to help with recruitment into the care sector open across Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire
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Sessions for job seekers – these sessions will tell individuals about working in the sector and any employers who speak at them can also signpost to specific vacancies so it’s a good opportunity to advertise.
The request is could you speak for 10 minutes about working in your part of the sector (care home, home care, supported living or PA) on any of the following dates:
Sessions for job seekers:
- Thursday 9 June – 11 - 12
- Thursday 8 September – 11 - 12
- Thursday 10 November – 11 - 12
- Thursday 19 January 2023 – 11 - 12
- Monday 13 March 2023 – 11 - 12
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Grey Matter Learning
8 programmes of Lead to Succeed and Well Led across 2022.
If you are registered on ASWDC (Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set) and compliant by 31 March you can claim back up to £500 per person that completes a programme before the end of May.
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BCA, MKB Care and OACP working together for you. |
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Care Association Alliance | our big family
As well as a constant stream of questions and answers by email from around the country, we are also part of the CAA weekly teleconference - Wednesdays at 10am. This informs us of current concerns and potential solutions and helps inform our local communications.
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Consistent, quality information
We are mailing out once a week on a Wednesday, so you know when to look out for it. These updates will provide summary advice on emerging issues and signpost providers to government and other statutory agency advice as needed.
Reminder
We are always keen to hear from providers, if you have anything you would like to share with provider colleagues, please send to the usual address.
Receiving this newsletter for the first time?
We are adding new colleagues all the time.
OACP
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OACP Member offers | OACP works with the following suppliers to bring you market insight, quality products and expert advice. Contact them today - click on the logo... |
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Help yourself to help us
Now available for all Oxfordshire care providers.
Spectrum is a well-established buying consortium with an emphasis on the Care Sector including care homes, domiciliary care and supported living. They have been sourcing discounts with major suppliers for their members since 1992.
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