Oxfordshire County Council : Social Care Provider Engagement

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:

Calling all Adult Social Care staff in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire!

Become a Digital Ambassador and help lead the way in digital confidence and cyber safety No tech experience needed — just curiosity and a passion to make a difference!

Launch Webinar: Wed 5th Nov Time: 1–2 PM

Online (Teams/Zoom)

RSVP by: Tues 4th Nov

Cyber workshops

Train-the-Trainer sessions

CPD certificate

Peer learning & AI guidance

Tools, tips & support hub

Benefits for your organisation:

• Safer online practices

• Improved DSPT & NHSmail compliance

• A confident, cyber-aware workforce

Register yourself or nominate a colleague now:

Digital Ambassador Programme – Registration – Fill in form https://conta.cc/3LsUczk

Let’s build a safer, smarter care sector together!

Are you new to the Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) or haven’t yet published your entry?

We understand that starting your DSPT journey can feel overwhelming — but you’re not alone. That’s why the Oxfordshire Association of Care Providers is hosting a friendly, practical, and FREE in-person session designed to guide you step-by-step through the process.

Event Details

Date: Thursday, 27 November

Time: 10:30am – 2:30pm

Location: Dinton Activity Centre, Sandford Lane, Hurst RG10 0SU

Room: The classroom

Parking: Free on-site

Refreshments & Lunch: Provided

What You’ll Gain

• Step-by-step guidance tailored to your service
• One-to-one support from digital and cyber security specialists
• Dedicated time to work on your DSPT with expert help on hand
• Confidence-building support for first-time users
• Networking opportunities with other providers in your area
• Clarity on what’s required to meet data security standards

Whether you're just starting out or need a little extra help to get over the finish line, this session is designed to make the process easier, clearer, and more achievable.

Please bring your laptop so you can work directly on your DSPT during the session.

Reserve your spot today and take the first confident step toward publishing your DSPT. BOOK YOUR TICKET NOW

We look forward to supporting you!

1. Care Hom2. CAREHOME Manager letter.docxes Resident letter.docxHCP Leaflet FINAL.pdfPt Leaflet FINAL.pdfUrology referral form FINAL.docx

Dear Care home colleagues,

Buckinghamshire Oxfordshire and Berkshire Integrated Commissioning Board (BOB ICB) have commissioned a prescribing service which transfers the prescribing from GP practices to a dedicated service run by Bullen Healthcare. The service will look after the prescribing of urology (catheter) and stoma products for people who are currently using products such as stoma pouches, stoma accessories, catheters (both long-term and intermittent) sheaths, leg and night bags and trans-anal irrigation products and associated ancillary products.

GP practice in the BOB ICB area will be transferring their patient list to the service in a staggered manner over the next couple of weeks and months to enable the service to onboard patients in a manageable way.

From Monday 6^th October all patients from the following practices will have their stoma, catheter and trans anal irrigation products prescribed by the service *excluding patients who currently obtain their prescriptions from the West Berkshire Continence service:

Existing Appliance users

From Monday 6^th October all patients from the following practices will have their bladder and bowel products prescribed by the service *excluding patients who currently obtain their prescriptions from the West Berkshire Continence service:

From Monday 6^th October 2025 onwards, the Appliance Management Service will call your care home for patients registered at the above GP Practices to introduce the service, answer any questions, and confirm which appliances are needed by residents who use them. The service will continue to contact your care home each month to repeat this process, ensuring residents receive their appliances promptly and any issues are identified early.

If you any queries, please contact the service at prescriptionservice.bhg@nhs.net in the first instance.

We will write to you again with details of further practices who have transferred prescribing of these products to the new service.

All new patients discharged from hospitals in the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West with these products will be discharged to the new service. If, however, a patient arrives from an out of area hospital, a referral form is attached to enable the care home to refer the patient to the service.

Please note that requests for all other prescription items (medicines, eye drops, inhalers etc) is not affected by this service and you should continue to order such items in the usual way.

Please find attached a range of information relating to the new Appliance Prescription Management Service

1. Care Homes Resident letter
2. CAREHOME Manager letter
3. Patient leaflet
4. Health Care Professionals leaflet – this is for yourself and dissemination to your colleagues, so they have some information about the service
5. Referral Form for use by any nursing or care homes to register new patients to the service. It can be emailed through to prescriptionservice.bhg@nhs.net as the form is editable.

Best Regards

BOB ICB Medicines Optimisation Team

Anum Mahmood

Medicines Optimisation Pharmacist

Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board

Usual working days: Tuesday to Friday (9am - 2.30pm)

E: anum.mahmood@nhs.net Web: bucksoxonberksw.icb.nhs.uk

M: 07595481748

Office address: Amersham Hospital, Whielden Street, Amersham HP7 0JD

Generic inbox bobicb.medicines@nhs.net

From 29 October 2025 if you drive a car you will need a permit to drive along the following roads:

Without a permit you may be charged £5 per day.

All the details about the scheme and how to apply for permits right now can be found About the congestion charge | Oxfordshire County Council

The Department of Health and Social Care’s successful ‘Make Care Your Career’ campaign returns this October to connect passionate people with rewarding roles in care.

The campaign will launch in October and run to March 2025. Adverts will feature everyday moments between real care workers and recipients and will highlight the rewarding nature of care work and the career progression opportunities available. The adverts will appear across a wide range of channels and reach millions of people. The aim is to inspire jobseekers with the right values to visit the campaign website and apply for roles in their local area.

During the last campaign we saw increased interest in adult social care roles, so make sure you take advantage of the upcoming phase of advertising by:

Posting your vacancies on the campaign website – it’s quick, easy and ensures jobseekers who’ve seen the advertising can apply for your roles.

• Timing your recruitment activities with the campaign – plan job fairs, open days, or recruitment drives during the campaign period when more people will be thinking about care careers.

• Using the campaign resources at no cost – access free posters, social media posts and other templates to help your job adverts stand out
• Adding the campaign logo to your recruitment materials – feature the recognisable ‘Make Care your Career’ badge on your job adverts so applicants immediately connect you with the national campaign they’ve seen advertised.

To find out more and access the campaign resources, visit

https://www.adultsocialcare.co.uk/recruit.aspx

You can also use this link to access the guidance on how to upload a job

https://www.adultsocialcare.co.uk/include/documents/125/Find-a-Job-One-Page-PDF-Guide.pdf

Dear care provider,

Please save the date for the next Workforce Roundtable.

Tuesday 7^th October 2025

09.30am-15.00pm

voco Oxford Thames Hotel, Henley Rd, Sandford-on-Thames, Oxford, OX4 4GX

A finalised agenda will be shared shortly.

To register your attendance please complete the Microsoft Form via the link below. You will then be sent the calendar invite with a more detailed agenda to follow.

Register Here

Best Wishes,

Evie Bennett

Apprenticeship and Engagement Lead (Health and Social Care)

Strategy & Innovation Team – Health, Education and Social Care Commissioning (HESC)

Oxfordshire County Council

evie.bennett@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Call me on Teams

Tues 2^nd Sept 2-3.15pm *BOOK NOW:* https://forms.office.com/e/he8YxJR04Y

*OR*

Weds 5^th Nov 2-3.15pm *BOOK NOW:* https://forms.office.com/e/H2zPr1mtDi

Online via MS Teams

The Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) helps providers to manage their workforce data and provides crucial intelligence to key decision makers such as Government, DHSC, CQC and local authorities. It also gives employers access to safe and free management of staff and training records and the ability to benchmark your workplace against similar providers. More info can be found here: https://www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Adult-Social-Care-Workforce-Data/Adult-Social-Care-Workforce-Data-Set/Adult-Social-Care-Workforce-Data-Set.aspx

The Adult Social Care Learning and Development Support Scheme from the DHSC is providing funding under the LDSS to support learning and development for ‘non-regulated care staff’, including deputy and Care Quality Commission (CQC)-registered managers and agency staff, in England for financial year 2025 to 2026. Eligible ASC employers can claim funding for certain training courses and qualifications on behalf of eligible care staff. This funding is for eligible courses and qualifications that have been both paid for and started between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adult-social-care-learning-and-development-support-scheme

Having an up to date ASC-WDS account is a condition of the LDSS funding.

If you are interested to know more about ASC-WDS, are planning to update your account, haven’t looked at it for a while or want to claim the Learning and Development Support Service funding then this is the session for you! Come along to have a live guided tour and hear all about the many benefits and ask any questions. The session will be hosted by Rachel Reid, Marianne Davis Skills for Care locality Managers in Surrey, Berkshire, Oxfordshire.

This is a local session for providers across the South East.

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We are very pleased to be able to offer CPD-accredited Very Brief Advice (VBA) Stop Smoking Training. This course is suitable for those who come into contact with smokers to confidently ask smoking status, advise on local support and refer to SmokeFree Oxon. These sessions will provide an overview of smoking at a national context, the components of a cigarette, nicotine replacement therapy products, vapes, the health benefits for quitting, a look into the National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT), and the 3 A’s (ask, advise, act).

Contact the team for more information! SmokeFreeOxon.S4H@nhs.net Call 0800 772 3673 | SmokeFreeOxon.co.uk