Oxfordshire County Council : Social Care Provider Engagement

Winter Prep checklist for care providers-OCC-PH.docx

Dear Colleagues,

Please find attached a comprehensive Winter Preparation checklist for care providers. This resource was originally developed by our PH colleagues in Buckinghamshire and has been adapted for use in Oxfordshire.

Feel free to share this checklist with relevant colleagues and partners as appropriate.

Best Wishes

Shakiba

Dr Shakiba Habibula

Consultant in Public Health Medicine, Oxfordshire County Council

Hon. Senior Clinical Lecturer, Medical sciences Division, University of Oxford

Tel: 07392318880

Email: Shakiba.habibula@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Web: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk

Oxfordshire County Council, County Hall, New Road, Oxford, OX1 1ND

Dear Care Provider,

We hope this message finds you well. We are writing to encourage you to take part in an important survey being conducted in partnership with the Oxfordshire Association of Care Providers (OACP). This year, we will not be hosting our own annual survey. Instead, we are working closely with OACP to gather valuable information and insights from providers like yourself.

Your participation is crucial in helping us understand the current landscape and ensure that the sector’s needs are accurately represented. The information collected will inform future planning and support for care services across the region.

For your reference, information on current fees can be found here:

Fees and reviews | Oxfordshire County Council

Thank you in advance for your time and contribution. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions.

Kind regards,

Many thanks for your hard work through the year. Please see link below to share to ensure we keep people as safe as possible.

Social care and community equipment services – change in provider

Good morning all,

Thank you for your continued commitment to supporting those who rely on care and support services.

Please find an attached letter highlighting the latest updates on infection prevention and control, winter preparedness, flu vaccination and visiting.

20251711 Flu uptake letter.docx

20251211_O_Winter 2025 IPC Letter to ASC Sector.docx

I would be grateful if you would carefully read this, share it with relevant people in your organisation and ensure that the guidance is actively promoted.

Your ongoing support is much appreciated.

Kind regards,

Claire

For Information : Earned Settlement Open Consultation.

1. Introduction and summary of proposed changes

The Home Secretary has announced changes to the pathway to settlement and launched a consultation on these, including how they should be implemented. The changes aim to ensure that the immigration framework remains fair, sustainable, and responsive to the needs of the economy and society. The government is concerned that that lower-wage migrant workers including those on the Health and Care visa, are less likely to make a net fiscal contribution over the long-term.

2. What’s being considered in the consultation?

• Increasing the default qualifying period for settlement from 5 years to 10 years, as set out in the Immigration White Paper Restoring Control over the Immigration System.
• Increasing the qualifying period for settlement to 15 years for those in the Skilled Worker and Health and Care routes in a role below RQF level 6 (this includes care workers and senior care workers).
• Introducing a “No Recourse to Public Funds” (NRPF) condition at settlement, aligning with existing visa conditions.
• Earned settlement criteria, requiring migrants to demonstrate sustained good conduct, contribution, and integration rather than automatic entitlement after a fixed period.

The considerations informing the redesign of settlement will be based on four core pillars, designed to ensure that applicants make a meaningful contribution to UK society and meet clear, measurable standards. These four core pillars will be: Integration, Contribution, Character and Residence.

3. What does ‘settlement’ mean and how is it changing?

• Settlement refers to a person’s right to live in the UK permanently without any immigration restrictions. It is also known as Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
• The 2025 UK Immigration White Paper, Restoring Control over the Immigration System, introduced significant reforms to how migrants can settle in the UK.
• Settlement used to be granted, mainly based on a qualifying time in the UK. Migrants will now need to earn settlement by demonstrating sustained good conduct, contribution and integration.
• Currently, someone working here on a skilled migrant visa, can apply for settlement after 5 years of being here. The proposal is for this to increase to 10 years, and application will only be possible for those who:

1. Have a clean criminal record
2. Speak English to a high standard
3. Make a measurable economic contribution
4. Have no Debt in this country

• For people who are considered low-skilled/ low wage- including those who arrived on Health & Care visas, the settlement period is proposed to be 15 years (on the basis that this group represent significant fiscal costs to the UK, including high levels of dependents)
• Earlier settlement could be achieved for an outsized contribution to national life. The proposal describes examples of this such as high talent, high taxpayer, level of seniority in public services, and/or volunteered extensively in communities.
• Settlement will be quicker for spouses/dependents of British citizens, British nationals (overseas) from Hong Kong.
• It is proposed to delay settlement for those who contribute less to our public life. By this, the proposal describes people who:
  1. have claimed benefits
  2. have entered illegally
• There is a proposed 20yr settlement pathway for refugees (who will remain on core protection support).
• The Consultation is interested to hear specific views on settlement for:

1. Children
2. Members of armed forces
3. Victims of certain crimes

• In addition to proposing changes to those who qualify for settlement, and the period that they will have to wait to settle, this consultation considers the rights provided to those given settled status. Specifically, there is a proposal that welfare benefits should not be available to those who have settled status but reserved for those with British citizenship.
• The proposed changes to settlement will apply to everyone in the country today who does not already have indefinite leave to remain.
• Those with settled status will retain this. Migrants who are here as part of the EU Settlement Scheme, the Windrush Scheme, or the pathway to settlement for children in care/care leavers are out of scope of this consultation.

4. Engaging in the consultation:

The government consultation is open until 12^th February 2026 and you can participate here: Earned settlement - GOV.UK. The full detail of the consultation can be found on line, but in summary, the consultation focusses on three areas:

1. increasing the baseline qualifying period for settlement to 10 years
2. increasing the qualifying period for settlement to 15 years for those in the Skilled worker route in a role below RQF level 6 (equivalent to a bachelor’s degree), and
3. implementing a No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) condition at Settlement.

The Home Office has committed to further engaging across government and with the health and care sector on the consultation and proposed changes and have said that they will provide further details on this in due course.

As you will be aware, the flu season has come several weeks early this winter, and for that reason, we believe that it is important to ensure that as many staff in the Adult Social Care sector, take up the offer of flu vaccination for this season, as quickly as possibly.

Please click link below to a letter with communications for the sector on the flu vaccine campaign for this season, including information on the vaccine from UKHSA, and information on eligibility and how to book a flu vaccine for your staff. Please ensure this is disseminated to all of your staff and colleagues.

Pop along to Refresh Café and chat with our Turning Point staff, and other community services to find out what support is available in our area.

Whether you are struggling with housing, finances, employment, substance use, or feeling isolated and a little bit lost, we can help link you in with the right service to meet your needs.

A hot meal and refreshments will be provided free of charge.

Join us at: Vintage Refresh Café, 131 Cowley Road, OX4 1JJ

Monday 24^th November; 2-4pm

Monday 8^th December; 2-4pm

Anna and the team at Refresh

anna.lamb@turning-point.co.uk

Recent safety reviews have identified significant risks associated with hot water bottles, including:

• Burn injuries caused by direct contact with skin or accidental leaks.
• Material degradation over time, which can lead to splitting or bursting.
• Incorrect filling practices, such as using boiling water or overfilling, increasing the risk of accidents.

To ensure the safety and wellbeing of those you support, it is crucial to have clear guidance in place to manage these risks when using hot water bottles. For more detailed information click RoSPA- Keeping safe as well as warm: How RoSPA is reducing the risk of burns from hot water bottles

From Monday 3^rd November all patients from the following practices will have their bladder and bowel products prescribed by the service:

From Monday 3^rd of November all patients from the above practices will have their bladder and bowel products prescribed by the new service *excluding patients who currently obtain their prescriptions from the West Berkshire Continence service: