What's New Bulletin 240 - 20 March 2025
This is edition 240 of the provider bulletin, containing information on guidance, procedures and new initiatives. Very urgent or high priority communications may still be issued on an ad hoc basis, but we will try to keep these to a minimum
- Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) COVID-19 vaccination: spring 2025 campaign resources (information for all care homes)
- REMINDER: UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reporting tool and response process for Acute Respiratory Infections in adult social care (Information for all West Midlands Providers)
- REMINDER - Birmingham Registered Managers Conference on 25 March 2025. (information for all CQC registered social care services in Birmingham)
- Public Health Survey for Citizens with neurodivergent conditions (information for all providers)
- REMINDER Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - New Rules to Prioritise Recruiting Care Workers in England (Information for all Providers)
- REMINDER The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) – The new Learning and Development Support Scheme (information for all providers)
- Care Quality Commission (CQC) - The CQC Way – Share Your Feedback Today to Shape the Future of CQC DEADLINE 26 March 2025 (Information for all Providers)
- Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) – Skills for Care Updates (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)
- REMINDER NHS England Free Oliver McGowan Training to End 31 March 2025 (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)
- REMINDER NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSol) Support to Care Homes Training March and April 2025 (Information for all Care Homes in Birmingham and Solihull)
- Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System (BSol ICS) Personalised Care and Support Planning (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
- Social Care Nursing Advanced (SPQ) qualification courses starting May 2025 (Information for all Nursing Homes)
1. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) COVID-19 vaccination: spring 2025 campaign resources (information for all care homes)
This guidance covers information on the spring 2025 campaign for eligible individuals. A new leaflet for the Spring 2025 programme has been added.
Find out more below:
2. REMINDER: UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reporting tool and response process for Acute Respiratory Infections in adult social care (Information for all West Midlands Providers)
An online Outbreak Risk Assessment Tool for Care Settings (Care OBRA Tool) is available should you need to contact UKHSA WM HPT (West Midlands Health Protection Team).
Use this service to report:
- a new outbreak of an acute respiratory infection (ARI) - 2 or more people in your setting with symptom onset within 5 days of each other
- a single confirmed case of flu in your setting
ARIs include COVID-19, flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), or unknown respiratory infection including chest infections.
This web-based tool enables care settings to report ARI outbreaks directly to UKHSA via the following web-link without the need to call or email the UKHSA HPT. You will automatically receive guidance on immediate actions required to reduce the spread of infection at your care home.
If you are not able to complete the form, please dial 03442253560 and press option 2.
3. REMINDER - Birmingham Registered Managers Conference on 25 March 2025. (information for all CQC registered social care services in Birmingham)
We have brought together a range of speakers from organisations including the Care Quality Commission (CQC), University of Birmingham, ACAS and Maximus, as well as updates and information from Birmingham City Council, West Midlands Care Association and Skills for Care. (Agenda and venue details are attached). There will be opportunities for networking and a light lunch and refreshments will be provided.
Secure your place – and tell us about any needs you may have - though this link:
Booking closes on Friday 21 March
4. Public Health Survey for Citizens with neurodivergent conditions (information for all providers)
Public Health have a survey for people with lived experience of neurodivergent conditions, such as ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia and/or dyscalculia. This part of their Deep Dive reports, they include a ‘Lived Experience’ chapter. The voices of citizens will help them identify inequalities and areas of unmet need and create recommendations for action.
In the citizens questionnaire there are questions about the citizens experiences and opinions on a number of topics including health and wellbeing, employment, housing and relationships
There is a second survey for people who are carers for those with neurodivergent conditions, with questions focused on the person being cared for, but also explore the challenges of living as an unpaid carer
Please share with any colleagues, partners and citizens as appropriate.
5. REMINDER Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - New Rules to Prioritise Recruiting Care Workers in England (Information for all Providers)
New rules were laid in Parliament on 12 March 2025 which will require employers to prioritise recruiting international care workers already in England before recruiting from overseas. From 9 April 2025 care providers, who want to recruit a new worker from overseas, will have to first prove that they have attempted to recruit a worker from within England who needs new sponsorship. This ensures that those who came to the UK to pursue a career in adult social care can do so and will help end the reliance on overseas recruitment.
Please use the link below for further information:
6. REMINDER The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) – The new Learning and Development Support Scheme (information for all providers)
The DHSC has published a new guidance document on the funding available for learning and development for the adult social care workforce. This fund is called the Learning and Development Support Scheme. The Learning and Development Support Scheme is administered via a new digital online claims service that allows adult social care employers to claim funding for certain training courses and qualifications on behalf of eligible care staff. Funding is available for eligible courses and qualifications that have been both paid for and started between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025 (inclusive).
In order to manage the roll-out, for the first few months access to the service will be via invitation only but providers can complete an expression of interest form to be onboarded onto the new system.
If you have questions about the Learning and Development Support Scheme you can get in touch with the team by emailing ascreimbursement@dhsc.gov.uk
7. Care Quality Commission (CQC) - The CQC Way – Share Your Feedback Today to Shape the Future of CQC DEADLINE 26 March 2025 (Information for all Providers)
From 12 March 2025, the CQC are looking for feedback on a set of draft proposals for a new framework, which they are calling the CQC Way.
They’re collecting feedback through a secure and anonymous online platform (see 'The CQC Way - Partners' link below) where you can add comments, respond to what other people are saying and vote to tell them where they’ve got things right or what they need to change.
If you are a registered person in a provider the CQC regulates (for example, registered manager, nominated individual, or partner) you don’t need to take any action as you’ll be signed up automatically to the platform. You should have received an email with your username and password, and instructions on how to log in.
For anyone else, the CQC want to hear from as many people as possible. If you work in health or social care, use these services or have an interest in effective regulation, they would like your feedback. You can create an account on their online platform today using the link below.
You can share your feedback between now and 26 March.
If you are having difficulties accessing the platform, please contact: support@clevertogether.com
8. Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) – Skills for Care Updates (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)
Some updates on forthcoming training and development opportunities for frontline care staff have been circulated to providers. If you don't have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
For more information, please also visit:
Skills for Care - Workforce development and planning | Birmingham City Council
9. REMINDER NHS England Free Oliver McGowan Training to End 31 March 2025 (Information for all Birmingham and Solihull Providers)
Until 31 March 2025, The Oliver McGowan Training is funded by NHS England and is available free to all CQC registered health and social care providers delivering services in the Birmingham and Solihull area. From April 2025, new arrangements will apply so we strongly recommend that you take advantage of training while it is free and book onto one of the 300+ sessions running between January and March 2025.
The Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training in Learning Disabilities and Autism is for all staff in a CQC registered organisation. Staff must complete Part 1 (The e-Learning) followed by Part 2 (as per the requirements of their job role). Part 2 of the training is divided into Tier 1 (one-hour online learning) or Tier 2 (one day’s face to face training)
Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System are running Oliver McGown Mandatory Training for Tier 2. Information on sessions and venues has been circulated to providers. If you don't have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
10. REMINDER NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSol) Support to Care Homes Training March and April 2025 (Information for all Care Homes in Birmingham and Solihull)
Details of the Support to Care Homes Team virtual training for all Care Home staff across Birmingham and Solihull Care homes has been circulated to providers. If you don't have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
There are valuable informative training sessions on:
- Recognising Deterioration
- End of Life
- Infection Prevention
- Pressure Ulcer Classification
- Falls Prevention
- Introduction to Dementia.
The training will be hosted by the Solihull Support to Care homes Team and is open to all Care Home staff across Birmingham and Solihull care homes and joining details can be accessed via the BSol Healthzone Care Home App or contact Supportto.carehomeservice@uhb.nhs.uk.
Next event: Introduction to Dementia - 25 March 2025, 10am to 11am
11. Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System (BSol ICS) - Personalised Care and Support Planning (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
PCSP is targeted at staff who develop and/or update care and support plans with patients. Getting personalised care and support planning right is essential for people to gain more choice and control over their life and the support they are receiving to manage their health. This Trainer-led, interactive session will cover:
- Benefits of PCSP and the key elements
- High-quality vs sub-optimal conversations
- Quality standards and distorted perceptions
- Conversation frameworks with structured stages
- Developing personalised outcomes
- Challenges of goal setting Application to practice
The first date is Tuesday, 1 April 2025. Book on to the training below:
12. Social Care Nursing Advanced (SPQ) qualification courses starting May 2025 (information for all Nursing Homes)
The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) approval of the Social Care Nursing Advanced qualification (SPQ) is a watershed moment as it is recognition of social care nursing as a specialist field of nursing. The University of Central Birmingham (UCB) are keen to engage with Managers that would like their Registered Nurses to undertake the MSc apprenticeship as soon as possible to help them enrol staff for courses starting in 2025. Please see the presentation attached which provides you an overview of the programme and apprenticeship standard.
If you could be a practice partner or support the programme in anyway, e.g. specialist teaching sessions, then UCB would also like to hear from you too.
This programme will be an excellent choice for Registered Nurses working across health and social care environments, to achieve an SPQ qualification, mapped to the 4 Pillars of Advanced Practice. The modules are specialist, co-developed with our stakeholder groups to provide specialist knowledge, support advanced skill development specifically for Registered Nurses working in adult social care and homeless and inclusion health environments.
Please contact Professor Kathy Riley for further information; K.ARiley@ucb.ac.uk or meparh@ucb.ac.uk