Regulated Care Sector

Welcome to our new and improved bulletin, we have now gone fortnightly. Following your feedback, we have altered the format.
If you have any further comments, please do not hesitate to contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Here you will find all the latest news, information and events happening across the care sector.

This week: 26th July 2021

Data Security Protection Toolkit

FREE webinars and training sessions that are being delivered by your Better Security, Better Care Programme, Local Support Partner, who are Liverpool Social Care Partnership. All webinars and training sessions are held online (you have the choice of attending via Zoom or Teams) and are delivered as part of the Better Security, Better Care Programme.

Registration
To register please either visit http://www.lscpinfo.co.uk/DSPT or; Telephone 0151 270 1703 / 07745 888 199

LSCP Training Dates July-Aug

Latest Gov.UK Announcements

Please follow this link to read the latest Government Coronavirus announcements: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

NHS Vaccination Support Offer

Care Homes with a high number of staff who have yet to be vaccinated are to be contacted by colleagues from Lancashire County Council in relation to whether or not they wish to take up the following offer from the NHS:

A visit by an NHS representative to discuss the wider benefits of vaccination to staff and also an opportunity for staff to ask questions about any concerns
A mobile vaccination unit to potentially be deployed to the home to undertake vaccinations of staff

It is strongly recommended that any homes that are contacted do take up this offer as this will help to ensure that care staff and people who live in care homes remain healthy and safe.

NECS Capacity Tracker - IMPORTANT UPDATE

Capacity Tracker Bulletin - letter from DHSC to Providers and Local Authorities - https://capacitytracker.com/home

Change to IPC (weekly) visiting questions from evening Monday 19th July 2021 - https://capacitytracker.com/home

**You will need to login into your NECS profile to access the updates found on the home page**

Strategic Priorities survey

We would also like to know what your Strategic Priorities for the upcoming year.

Please follow this link to let us know of your top 3 strategic priorities over the next 12 months. This is to assist us with ensuring our priorities, across the system are aligned - https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/7R7WV5B

Visiting Professionals and Evidence of Negative Tests

Please note there are 3 different asymptomatic testing regimes for NHS Staff

ELHT Staff = WEEKLY LAMP TESTS – Staff should be able to provide evidence of a negative test within the last 7 days.

LSCFT Community Staff = Staff are currently using 1 of 2 regimes
• TWICE WEEKLY LATERAL FLOW TESTS - Staff should be able to provide evidence of a negative test withing the last 72 hours.
Or
• WEEKLY LAMP TESTS - Staff should be able to provide evidence of a negative test within the last 7 days.

The aim is that all LSCFT staff will move to weekly LAMP testing.

Rationale
Lateral flow antigen testing has a lower sensitivity than LAMP technology.
Therefore due to the increased sensitivity of LAMP tests these are now being used in asymptomatic staff testing.

Please note any staff who test positive will be exempt from testing for 90 days – evidence of the positive test result should be sought and dates of the exemption period should be verified.

If any further support is required plesae contact Laura Forsythe on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

2. Pathway

Discharge to Assess Improvement Event- Staff feedback

In preparation for an improvement event focused on the Discharge to Assess pathway a survey has been developed to help us better understand from the staff that work across the D2A pathway their experience and understanding of the current pathway.

The feedback from this survey will help us better understand the current pathway and any issue staff currently have whilst caring for residents while in a D2A placement. This will then help to develop a future pathway that will ensure it deliver the care and support patients/ residents need.

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/QGDNRH7

Either click on the link below or scan the QR code

Direct referral for therapy services

If you would like to refer direct to therapy services please contact - East Lancashire 01254 358008 Blackburn with Darwen 01254 283455

Falls Lifting Service

The service can help reduce the discomfort and stress of residents who have fallen, as well as the demand on North West Ambulance Service (NWAS). I am writing to let you know that you are now able to access the 24 hour service without charge, by calling the Progress Lifeline Control Centre on 01772 436 783 in the event of a fall where there is no obvious injury. The emergency home responders (EHRs) are trained in injury assessment and moving and handling people. They use a battery operated mobile lifting chair called a ‘Raizer’ that helps people off the floor to an almost standing position, making it easier for them to transfer from the chair. The EHRs will usually attend your residential or nursing home within 1 hour of being contacted, the average response time is just 27 minutes. On arrival they will complete an initial triage to establish if the patient is suitable to lift. If they think there is an injury, or it’s unsafe for the person to be lifted, NWAS will be contacted. Otherwise, they will lift the patient and then refer onward to other services, such as local falls prevention, if appropriate. The team have been issued with PPE and will be wearing this prior to entering the premises, they have all received infection control training, which includes the disposal or decontamination of PPE and equipment between visits. Onward referral to falls local prevention services (where patient consent is obtained) is part of the offer. If you have any questions about the service, please don’t hesitate to contact Steven McKiernan at Progress Housing Group or Kenneth John at BwD & East Lancs CCGs. Contact details :Steven Mckiernan, Service Delivery Manager, t: 01772 450642, m: 07765231213, e: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

3. Policies & Procedures

CARE HOME VISITING GUIDANCE

We have rising infection rates in Pennine Lancashire.

Please ensure your Visiting Protocol and Decontamination policy is updated to reflect this:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visiting-care-homes-during-coronavirus/update-on-policies-for-visiting-arrangements-in-care-homes

Please ensure the following:

Visits should be pre-arranged with an accompanying risk assessment.
Care home staff should ensure visitors are not displaying any symptoms of COVID-19 and that none of the visitor’s household members are isolating.
Visitors should continue to take lateral flow tests.
Visitors should wear appropriate PPE and hand hygiene carried out before and after the visit.
Visitors should keep physical contact to a minimum.
Visitors should also be careful to ensure they observe strict social distancing from other residents, visitors and staff at all times.
If the visit takes place inside the room should be well ventilated with windows open.

In the event of an outbreak in a care home, the home should immediately stop visiting (except in exceptional circumstances such as end of life) to protect vulnerable residents, staff and visitors. Essential care givers can continue to visit unless there are specific reasons not to do so.

4. Training opportunities

Post registration community specialist qualification (SPQ)

The NMC has an open consultation until the 2 August 2021 which includes the development of an additional post registration community specialist qualification (SPQ) which could be open to include nurses working in the adult social care sector. This is a really important development for nursing in the care sector as it is a clear move by the NMC to recognise the importance of this critical nursing role and acknowledge the level of complexity, responsibility, leadership and autonomy.
Please can we encourage everyone to take part in this consultation via the link below which will take you to the NMC website and then there is a link from that to the survey.

Building on ambitions for community and public health nursing - The Nursing and Midwifery Council (nmc.org.uk)

The consultation is quite long and covers all 5 current community SPQs, however you do not have to answer all of the questions and it is possible to skip sections.
There are some key questions relating to the additional SPQ, which are important and worth completing.

Frailty E-Learning

Frailty E-Learning for excellence in frailty identification, assessment and personalised care - https://www.e-lfh.org.uk/programmes/frailty/

Healthier Lancashire and South Cumbria Training Guide

HLSC Social Care Training Pack June 2021

Online training diabetes programme for Care Homes

Sanofi have announced a national online training diabetes programme for Care Homes called Sanofi Cares. The programme has been independently developed by EDEN (leics diabetes) and will be delivered by EDEN. It is available across the UK for registered and non registered practitioners who care for people with diabetes in care homes. Up to 4 places per care home available. https://www.diabetesmatters.co.uk/sanoficares.html

COVID 19 / PPE IPC Training

Do you or your staff need PPE refresher training or do you have any new starters? If so contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (IPC Nurse) who can arrange this at your convenience via Zoom or MS Teams.

5. Coronavirus & Vaccinations

COVID-19 vaccination booster programme and flu vaccination programme

A reminder to all health and social care workers that the COVID-19 vaccination booster programme and flu vaccination programme will commence in September. Frontline health and social care workers will be offered a third COVID-19 booster vaccine as well as the annual flu vaccine. Please start to have conversations with your staff around the importance of attending for these vaccination boosters. If staff have not had their COVID vaccination, please sign post them to the National Booking system where they can get vaccinated locally. To support these conversations there are resources available on NHS App - NHS (www.nhs.uk) and modules on vaccine hesitancy on www.e-Lfh.org.uk which are free to access.

e-Learning for Healthcare - providing e-learning to educate and train the health and social care workforce www.e-lfh.org.uk

Please report single Covid cases to LCC IPC Team

FAO Managers - please ensure you report all SINGLE CASES (in staff or residents) as soon as possible to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as well as logging on NECS - as these incidents may trigger Rapid Response Testing.

FAN USE & COVID 19 Key Points

1. Fans should only be used if absolutely necessary & on a short term basis with an accompanying risk assessment
2. The use of fans should be included in the organisation Infection Control policy, decontamination policy and cleaning schedule
3. The fans (including blades) must cleaned and disinfected regularly and between uses
4. The fans must stay in a resident’s room and not be moved between residents without cleaning and disinfection.
5. Fans should not be used in communal areas but could be used in resident’s own rooms with the door closed
6. Ensure windows are also open during fan use to allow for ventilation and locate fan in such a way as it directs the air towards the window
7. Fans should not be used near where AGPs are being performed or near shielded or vulnerable residents

Have your staff received the COVID Vaccine?

We are seeing a rise in COVID cases in Pennine Lancashire. Please encourage any unvaccinated staff to access one of the Pfizer vaccine pop up sites across Blackburn, Darwen, Accrington and Burnley Hospital. These can be accessed outside of the national booking system using this link: https://www.healthierlsc.co.uk/CovidVaccination/blackburn

Please follow our CCG Facebook Pages for live Vaccine clinic information:

How to work safely in Care Homes - updated guidance:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-how-to-work-safely-in-care-homes

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-how-to-work-safely-in-care-homes/personal-protective-equipment-ppe-resource-for-care-workers-working-in-care-homes-during-sustained-covid-19-transmission-in-england

6. Domiciliary Care

7. Primary Care

Pathway

Access to Primary Care remains unchanged for all areas. Homes in Pendle and Hyndburn can now contact your GP practices directly. The new pathway is here

If you are experiencing any difficulties with clients who have fallen and are on the floor (especially if you have contacted 999 and you have been advised that there might be a long wait for an ambulance), please call ICAT who can facilitate a 2 hour response to avoid the person being on the floor for a long period of time.

Primary Care Briefing

The latest primary care briefing can be found here

Primary Care - please use these contact details to log any issues

Following on from the Coffee & Engagement session on the 9th June and issues raised around contacting Primary Care, please use these contact details to log any issues -
Customer Care Team
Telephone: 0800 032 2424
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Please also continue to report any concerns into the CCG's connect inbox - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Also if someone wants to make a formal complaint and doesn’t want to do this through the Practice Manager at the practice concerned they can do this through NHSE:

NHS England
PO Box 16738
Redditch
B97 9PT

Tel: 0300 311 22 33 (Mon – Fri 8am-6pm)
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

8. Digital IT & Data

Electronic Red Bag Pilot

Pennine Lancs Regulated Care Team are partnering with the LAPIS (Learning for Adult Social Care Practice Innovations and Skills Development) project. LAPIS is a three-year European participatory action research project lead by Lancaster University, and partners with five other sector specialist organisations and learning providers across the EU.

One of the pilots that is being proposed is to test the concept of an Electronic Red Bag. This would look to transport a resident’s Red Bag Documentation via a QR code through their journey from care home to hospital and back to the care home. This would reduce the need for care homes to handwrite/ print resident red bag documentation when it has been decided a resident is to be admitted to hospital. The Electronic Red Bag Documentation would instead be transferred via a QR code that can be scanned by ambulance staff and hospital staff.

We are looking for five care homes in Pennine Lancs that would be willing and able to to take part in this pilot.
If you would like to take part please contact Mazz Akhtar - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Video Consultation care home training programme

Lancashire & South Cumbria ICS has partnered with Redmoor to support care homes with holding reliable, consistent remote video consultations.

Its purpose is to help staff hold video consultations with health and care professionals and connect care home residents with loved ones remotely. Each home will be offered a training session with follow up 1-1 support from the Redmoor Support Desk if required.

The sessions will run for 45 minutes between 9am-5pm Monday-Friday. Workshop times will be booked according to the staff availability.

The programme content will consist of the following topics:

Introduction to care home technology
Basic IT skills/using devices
Video consultation etiquette
Benefits of using technology in care homes – some user examples
Video consultations good practice guides
Security and confidentiality considerations

We are looking for 35 Pennine Lancs care homes that would be willing and able to take part in this free support service package being offered.

If you would like to take part please contact Mazz Akhtar - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

9. Key dates and information

Care Allocation Service Team Contact Details

Please note the service now uses capacity trackers to determine bed availability. This means you WILL NOT receive a daily phone call from the CAST team. All other processes remain unchanged. If you have any question or concern please contact Service Manager Mandy.
Mandy Griezans IDS Service Delivery Manager 01254 732146 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

NW ADASS in partnership with CQC

CARE HOME QUALITY WEBINARS July, September and October
Please see flyer - NWADASS Webinars

Pennine Lancashire Care Provider Forum

No need to book, just use this link to dial in - Join Microsoft Teams Meeting - dates in table below.

		Aug-21	Sep-21	Oct-21	Nov-21	Dec-21
PL Care Sector Coffee & Engagement Sessions	Second Wednesday of each month 2-3	11th	8th	13th	10th	8th
PL CCG Care Sector Provider Forum	Last Tuesday of each month 2 - 3.30	31st	28th	26th	30th	28th

Coffee and Engagement Events – Second Wednesday of each month, 2pm-3pm

Calling all Regulated Care Providers! Please join us for a coffee and chat session to have your say! The purpose of these sessions are to support the Regulated Care sector to provide high quality and safe services and to be a fully integrated part of the Pennie Lancashire Health and Social Care service delivery model by listening to, learning from and working together. Please use this MS teams link to dial in at 2pm on the dates below, no need to book. Click here to join the meeting We look forward to seeing you there. Please see dates in the table above.

10. Spotlight on: our feature about you, your residents, staff and settings

Alex Mellor - Care Home Specialist Nurse for Blackburn with Darwen

I would like to introduce myself as the new Care Home Specialist Nurse for the Blackburn with Darwen area, employed by LSCFT.

My main purpose of role is promote the health and wellbeing of care home residents and prevent unnecessary hospital admissions to acute settings. It is great that I will be working closely with commissioning groups, local authorities and health and wellbeing services, as well as working collaboratively with District Nursing teams and other community teams, to ensure that all care home residents receive high quality person centred care.

I will also be attending the virtual ward rounds, which I am aware that you attend, and will be able to support and participate in the care planning of your residents.

I have recently been to all the Care Homes and met with some of the managers, deputies or senior carers on duty support. If you would like me to arrange a meeting with yourselves, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

I am really excited to be appointed to this role. I really feel that together we will be able to share good practice and identify any learning, and work together to address this.

Contact Details:

Alex Mellor
Care Home Specialist Nurse for BWD
Daisyfield Mill
Appleby street
Blackburn
BB1 3BL

01254 283449
07779456472

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Working hours are 08:30-16:30 Mon - Fri

11. Health and Wellbeing

Health and Wellbeing Bulletin

CCG Wellbeing Bulletin July Edition is available to view here

Healthier Lancashire and South Cumbria Social Care Wellbeing Toolkit

Wellbeing guidance and resources tool for social care, which brings together a range of easy to use, bite size resources and information support around finance and wider support.

HLSC Social Care Wellbeing Toolkit June 2021

Please be aware that the Connect email address remains operational. You can report any issues or good news in relation to any local health care services to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Regulated Care Sector

Here you will find all the latest news, information and events happening across the care sector.

Questions? Go to: https://eastlancsccg.nhs.uk/

Facebook us: Pennine Lancashire Regulated Care Providers | Facebook

Questions? Go to: https://eastlancsccg.nhs.uk /