PCH events:

Operating model toolkit communities of practice

Four new digitising and streamlining assessment groups supporting improved demand management, enhance workforce morale and delivery of more personalised care. Open to all, each community of practice focuses on a toolkit theme and associated tool cards:

• 13 January 2025 1-3pm Practitioners, workforce, providers and partners – creating an optimal workforce that can conduct efficient adult social care assessments. Tools explored will support you to manage the workforce, enabling joined up working and exploring areas of strength-based practice and resources to support this.
• 15 January 2025 10-12pm Technology, data, information and tools – embed digitisation and data into the way you undertake your adult social care assessments. This will include tools to support the automation of processes, data gathering and analysing and digitisation of assessment processes.
• 10 February 2025 2-4pm People who draw on care and support, and carers – explore the perspective of people and carers who interact with adult social care assessment process and how they find this process. We will explore tools and resources to support people accessing adult social care assessments and those who seek information on the assessment process.
• 13 February 2025 10-12pm Functional processes (including assessment pathways) – explore elements of the adult social care assessment pathway and the associated processes. We will explore tools and resources to support day-to-day tasks completed by your workforce to support people and carers through the assessment journey.

Adult social care information and advice: artificial intelligence (AI) opportunities (16 January 11-12pm)

Hear from councils introducing AI to support people accessing adult social care information online.

Digital skills community of practice

We are delivering a series of community of practice sessions throughout this quarter that will increase digital confidence and technology skills for occupational therapists, social workers, principal occupational therapists, and principal social workers.

Further online events will focus on navigating the requirements of consent with technology (18 February 2-3pm), and embracing technology and AI (6 March 1-2pm and 27 March 11-12pm).

ADASS events:

AI in adult social care webinars (27 January and 26 February)

Hosted by WM ADASS but open to all, these two online events will explore use of AI at the front door and for improving adult social care. Email info@wm-adass.org.uk to register.

PCH publication:

Implementing digital social care records

Our new briefing brings together learning from councils and integrated care systems across the country following this year’s rollout of digital social care records into adult social care registered provision. It spells out the benefits and challenges and provides practical guidance on how to overcome barriers, and support and incentivise good practice.

DHSC publication:

New reforms and independent commission to transform social care - GOV.UK announced last week included new high-level commitments to digital.

FREE VBA training and Vape workshops

We have a FREE Very Brief Advice session booked for 21st January, to support any non-clinical professionals who work on the frontline with clients, service users or any Oxfordshire residents. Due to high demand, we have added a further 10 spaces to the session. I have attached an updated poster - please could you share??

Very Brief Advice can help anyone to have a 30 second conversation, which could save a life. The training will cover background information on smoking and why it is still so important to help the 65,000 Oxon smokers to quit. The trainer will then cover how VBA works and spend time preparing attends on when and how to have the conversation, where to signpost to and how to make a referral or support an individual to do their own. The 2 hour session is online via Teams and tickets can be booked via Eventbrite.

We also have 3 Vape Workshops planned for 2025. These are run by The National Centre for Smoking Cessation Training (NCSCT). This workshop is designed to provide clinical and non-clinical professionals alike, with up-to-date evidence and practice guidance on vapes and vaping. The course follows the evidence and reflects the ever-developing technology of vapes, device selection and use, considerations for use of vapes by young people and pregnant women, clinical guidance on vaping as an aid to smoking cessation and harm reduction, plus answers to frequently asked questions and vaping myths. The one-hour online session is bookable via the link on the poster, directly with Tom at NCSCT.

Please share the attached posters with anyone who might benefit from this useful knowledge and skills. 24-0162 OCC Vaping poster 2025 dates.pdf

Promotion poster - generic VBA (2).pdf

With the ongoing cold period of weather I wondered if it would be possible to highlight the support that Better Housing Better Health can provide, especially with covering costs of additional heating. The service can issue emergency fuel vouchers of at least £50 if people are finding it costly to heat their homes during these colder temperatures. They can also provide other sources of advice and support for a longer term interventions to improve the warmth of the home.

More general advice can be found here on support in Oxfordshire and I attached the coms pack which has a list of other types of support available in the community, such as libraries as “warm spaces” where people can spend as much time as they need for warmth and company. Winter Warmth Toolkit November 2024 (2).pdf

Oxfordshire Association of Care Providers are hosting Oxfordshire Care Awards 2025 in Blenheim Palace 6 May 2025. To see previous years winners and/or submit your nominations visit Oxfordshire Care Awards Celebrating Excellence in Care

Parking Permits for NHS/Social Care and Help To Live At Home Providers may be about to expire soon. There is a new system in place to apply for them.

NHS/Social Care & Help to Live at home (HTLAH) permits

Our parking team have now launched a new online digital permit system that’ll enable you, as Service Lead, to apply for and manage vehicles belonging to those members of staff who go out in our communities. You’ll be able to manage vehicles at the touch of a button in the future. Furthermore, we will no longer issue paper NHS permits however existing permits will remain valid until the end of January 2025.

New parking permit process

The way we process NHS & HTLAH permits has changed. A Service Lead, or equivalent must click on the link ZatPermit - Application Portal and Create an Account. They will then need to Sign Up for access using your email address and creating a password before you can apply for permits. Select a business account using the address of the service before applying for virtual NHS parking permits.

• Please allow 10 working days’ for us to process your application.
• Click HERE for a guide to help you create an NHS business account that I hope you’ll find useful.
• As a reminder, click HERE for a copy of our Terms & Conditions of use. Please ensure existing and new staff are reminded of these.

If you need any assistance, you can contact our team of dedicated advisors Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm on 01865 815649 who will help you set up an account and answer any questions you may have. Alternatively email parking@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Data Enforcement Update

Please find attached DHSC-approved comms that have been shared with the Care Associations. Please feel free to include some of the information in your provider forums/bulletins/newsletters.

Providers at Risk of receiving NOIs by the NHSBSA (the DHSC delivery partners & enforcers)

There are providers (Care Home and/or Home Care) in your locality who did not submit an ASC update in the previous 2 windows (November & December 2024) and they are "at risk" of receiving an "Notice of Intent" and potential subject to a fixed penalty (normally to the value of their CQC registration fee) if they do not update in January 2025.

The next compliance window will open on Wednesday 8^th January and will close on Tuesday 14^th January 2025.

We kindly ask that you contact as many of the At Risk provider(s) in you locality as possible. If you are aware that a Provider is no longer active – please notify CQC or encourage providers to contact CQC directly to de-register - CQC National Customer Service: 03000 616161, enquiries@cqc.org.uk. Please can you also notify us if there are any providers that appear on CT, that are no longer active (as we are collating a list).

You can view the providers who are "At Risk" at any time via the 'Update monthly status ASC collection' report. This can be found by clicking the 'reports' option then 'update frequency' then 'Update monthly status ASC collection'.

You then need to click "Criteria" (top left-hand corner) and select the following criteria (screenshot below - note in the example below that 'Care Home' is highlighted green)

• Primary Field (Grouping) = Local Authority
• Geography = by clicking + and expanding the list and click your specific LA Region XXXXX
• Data Type = defaults to Numbers (leave the default – for the purpose of this query it does not affect the results)
• Registration Status = defaults to both New (< 101 days) AND Established (≥ 101 days), deselect (by clicking) New (< 101 days) which will leave Established (≥ 101 days) selected.
• Provider Type = defaults to Care Home (you will need to rerun this report for Home Care providers by selecting Home Care )
• Last Submission – Select October (this will ensure that only the providers that missed their submission in the previous two months)

The results of the report will be listed below. You will need to clip the + to expand (to show the list of providers) and scroll to the right to view the current month. The providers who have not submitted will be indicated with No.

Alternatively you can export a CSV file (top right-hand corner) with the results of the report and then filter the last two columns on the report (for example Nov 24 & Dec 24) to 'No' to identify the providers who did not submit in the previous two month.

An CSV will need to be generated for each category of providers - export to CSV using Care Home as the criteria for Provider Type AND then repeat the CSV export with Home Care as the criteria for Provider Type.

Previously, the compliance figures (per region) for the previous month, were included (for information) within the "At Risk" email notices. This data (and more) is available in the Monthly Highlight report which is available to all ICBs and LA. If you would like to receive a copy of your region's report (usual produced at the end of each month), please contact your Regional Delivery Manager or email the team via necsu.ctengagement@nhs.net.

Thank you all for your continued support & engagement.

If you have any questions concerning the above, require a reporting demo or want to know how other LAs/ICBs are approaching this – please get in at necsu.ctengagement@nhs.net

Section 277A of the Health and Care Act 2022 – enables the Secretary of State to require regulated providers of Adult Social Care to provide information relating to: • themselves • their activities in connection with provision of ASC in England • persons to whom they have provided such care. The Adult Social Care Information (Enforcement) Regulations 2022 came into force on 1st December 2022. It requires all ASC providers, regulated by the CQC, to update the mandated collection in the Capacity Tracker. The reporting windows are between the 8th & 14th day of each month - or next working day if the 14th is a weekend or public holiday. Frequently Asked Questions is accessible here. Provider training & awareness sessions are available here • These sessions are to help guide providers through the information requests, update methods and reports – they are informal events that offer providers the opportunity to raise any questions or seek clarification. Important Reminders

• Multiple CT Registered Users recommended – to ensure sufficient cover during periods of absence. To register for a CT account, simply click on:

https://capacitytracker.com/register

• Going Abroad - users are reminded that CT is not accessible outside the UK.

• Active providers with 0 service users or 0 staff – providers are required to submit a return, including a 'nil' return where services may not yet have commenced, ceased or are in the process of being updated with CQC.

• Active dual-registered providers that offer both home care and residential care – submissions are required for both services, including a 'nil' return if services are not being delivered. It is essential that providers ensure their CQC registration is up to date and that CQC are informed at the earliest opportunity if services are closed.

• For access and system guidance queries - please contact the Support Centre see details below.

• Change of staff - It is recommended that updating Capacity Tracker is included within providers staff leaver/new starter process with user accounts closed & new user registrations in place. This will ensure that you continue to receive important communications issued via Capacity Tracker and remain up to date with the information submissions.

• Any changes to provider regulated services/specialisms/bed capacity – Capacity Tracker uses CQC information. Until the CQC information is updated, it is essential the providers make CQC aware of any changes at the earliest opportunity and data submissions are maintained by completing a ‘nil return’, until the CQC information has been updated.

• Providers that are closing down/no longer active/changing registration or ownership - please notify CQC directly to de-register, see contact information below. It is essential data submissions are maintained by completing a ‘nil return’, until the CQC information has been updated.

• If you receive an enforcement notice from the DHSC partners, NHS BSA – it's important that providers who receive an enforcement notice to respond directly to the NHS BSA, see contact details below. We remain committed to supporting providers to be compliant with the ASC Information (Enforcement) Regulations 2022 and can ensure the appropriate support and guidance is in place.

Contact Information:

• For system support and guidance - please contact NECS Capacity Tracker Support Centre - 0191 691 3729 or necsu.capacitytracker@nhs.net

(We are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm, excluding public holidays)

• Changing registration, closing, change of ownership – please contact the CQC - T: 03000 616161, E: enquiries@cqc.org.uk, CQC Provider Portal

(They are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 5.30pm, excluding public holidays)

• If you receive an enforcement notice – please contact the NHS Business Services Authority Enforcement Team (NHSBSA) – T: 0300 330 2088,

E: enforcement@nhsbsa.nhs.uk (They are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm)

Cold health alert updated for the South East

The amber cold health alert is in effect from 12PM on 02/01/2025 until 12PM on 08/01/2025 across the South East. The amber alert has a matrix score of 12. This means:

You can see all the weather health alerts currently in place across England on the UKHSA data dashboard.

How to take action if you have a duty to respond

Please review the Weather Health Alert System user guidance to explain how you can use the information contained within the alerts to respond to the forecast weather.

We provide guidance on how to take action for a range of professional groups with a duty to respond, with action cards available for commissioners, health and social care providers, and the voluntary and community sector. Summary action cards are also available below:

· commissioners

· voluntary and community sector

· care homes and other residential settings

· services delivering care to people in their homes

· hospitals and other healthcare settings

For an overview of the weather alerts in place across England, please check the UKHSA data dashboard.

The Met Office may issue National Severe Weather Warnings (for example, snow and ice) with short notice, so you can take appropriate action. Check the Met Office Website to see the National Severe Weather Warnings currently in place.

You can also find information of the latest weather forecast on the Met Office website.

How to protect yourself if you are vulnerable

While exposure to cold weather can affect anyone, some people are particularly at risk. We have published guidance on staying safe during cold weather.

Planning for adverse weather

All organisations should read the Adverse Weather and Health Plan. This is important if you provide health and social care. The plan explains what you should do before and while a cold health alert is in place.

To support local planning, please check the guidance on local resilience forums

About cold health alerts

Chief executives of the following organisations in England receive cold health alerts:

· health trust providers of NHS commissioned care

· local authorities

· social care organisations

The Cold-Health Alert Service in England runs from 1 November to 31 March each year, in partnership with the Met Office. This is the period when low temperatures are likely to occur.

If we observe low temperatures outside of this period, we will issue an extraordinary cold health alert. If this happens, stakeholders should take the usual public health actions.

You can share this email with your organisation or sign up to receive alerts using our registration form. We have a separate form if you would like to update your registration details.

Please let us know if you have a question or have a problem with your subscription.

UKHSA and the Met Office use the Risk Matrix to assign a risk score for each alert. Users can refer the alert’s risk score to the matrix to understand the severity of the alert and likelihood of its impact.

Updates to cold health alerts

UKHSA and the Met Office make daily risk assessments. We will issue a new alert should the alert level change.

Further Advice and guidance

Flood Alerts and Warnings

UKHSA Privacy Notice

*******************************************************************************************

The information contained in the Email and any attachments is confidential and intended solely and for the attention and use of the named addressee(s). It may not be disclosed to any other person without the express authority of the UKHSA, or the intended recipient or both. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not disclose, copy, distribute or retain this message or any part of it. This footnote also confirms that this Email has been swept for computer viruses by Exchange Online Protection, but please re-sweep any attachments before opening or saving. UK Health Security Agency -(https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-health-security-agency)

Please find below the monthly Capacity Tracker newsletter produced by the Regional Delivery team. This monthly guide aims to provide key information relating to the Capacity Tracker system/CareFind website and is a supplementary to the System Champion monthly calls and monthly drop-in sessions.

In this month's newsletter the following topics that will be covered includes:

• Capacity Tracker bed level data – pilot to commence in early 2025
• Winter planning and Discharge support - The Capacity Tracker support offer.
• New online eVisa's – Deadline to complete is 31^st December 2024
• DHSC Reporting Window & ASC Enforcement – Guidance Updates; Key Metrics & Trends (NEW)
• Recent DHSC notice to ASC Providers - Displaced Skilled Workers
• Capacity Tracker – Contract Management Functionality
• CareFind – Home Care is coming
• Regional Deliver Management – current Regional allocations.
• New monthly SC Call meetings and monthly SC Drop-In session – joining details, plus during the next SC Drop In we will be seeking SCs' feedback following the recent changes to the "Monthly Status ASC Collection" report

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Capacity Tracker bed level data – pilot to commence in early 2025

The Capacity Tracker system is planning to pilot new bed level functionality in the new year and we are looking for input from local authorities and providers.

Would your organisation be interested in taking part? Participation in the pilot will enable both the LA and their care home provider community to influence the development and help shape the final version before the functionality is implemented nationally (likely to be within the first quarter of 2025).

The objective of the pilot?

To enhance the quality and efficiency of patient care by collecting additional bed-level information, thereby reducing administrative burdens and streamlining operational workflows. This initiative aims to provide real-time data that supports better decision making and optimises resource allocation.

Why do a pilot?

Undertaking a pilot will help ensure that:

• We get feedback from all participating in the pilot to gauge usability, functionality and user experience.

• Helps validate the assumptions about the new features – do they work as we’ve intended and do they provide the expected benefits.

• Develops Operational readiness – helps ensure that support systems, training, reporting and internal processes that are in use across LA’s, Brokerage & Discharge teams, wider commissioners to be reviewed so that the new ways of working can be embedded more quickly.

What is required to make the pilot a success?

The capacity tracker team need participation and feedback from providers to shape what the new functionality will look like in the full, national release. This is an opportunity for pilot participants to have their say.

If you are interested in participating in the pilot, please contact the project leads (Richardlaw@nhs.net or Patricia.fowler2@nhs.net) for more information.

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Winter planning and Discharge support

The Regional Delivery Management team have reviewed the support offer for Discharge and Brokerage teams, particularly during winter pressures. Is there any additional support that your organisation requires with regards to the use of Capacity Tracker?

If there are any forthcoming forums/meetings/events etc. that you think the Regional Delivery Management team could add value by attending and providing a system update of Capacity Tracker, and our new CareFind website, please get in touch with the your Regional Delivery Manager - contact details below for reference.

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New online eVisa's – deadline for ASC providers to complete is 31^st December 2024

Biometric residence permits (BRP) and biometric residence cards (BRC), are now being replaced with digital proof of immigration, called an eVisa. From the 31 October, new visa applicants are now being issued with eVisa’s, and existing visa holders who currently prove their rights with a BRP, BRC or a passport containing a visa vignette or ink stamp, will need to create a UKVI account to access their eVisa. This needs to be completed by 31^st December 2024 to ensure they can prove their rights without delay or difficulty.

Please share the information in the links below with providers and their employees who are currently in the UK on a visa, as they provide guidance on how to create an eVisa account:

• Information on what customers need to do and by when, including for customers who currently hold a physical immigration document, and a full list of grant funded organisations offering support, is available at www.gov.uk/eVisa.
• Guidance videos explaining what an eVisa is, along with how to access and use one, can be found at: Online immigration status (eVisa): help videos - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Please promote these on your platforms and distribute more widely with relevant stakeholders.
• Download the eVisa Partner Pack - this includes factsheets and guides for organisations, helpful materials to inform your colleagues/organisations you may collaborate with of the transition to eVisa, including a suggested email to send and drag and drop copy for intranets: Partner Pack.

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DHSC Reporting Window – Dec 24 Metrics

Care Homes

Homecare

Many thanks for your hard work, support & continued engagement which has significantly contributed to the achieved compliance totals.

Compliance data can be viewed via the Update Monthly Status ASC Collection report in Capacity Tracker.

ASC Enforcement Guidance 24/25

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/adult-social-care-provider-information-provisions-data-collection/adult-social-care-provider-information-provisions-guidance-for-providers-on-data-collection

Annex A: reporting window periods until March 2025

The reporting window periods are:

• 8 January 2025 to 14 January 2025 (inclusive – both dates included)
• 8 February 2025 to 14 February 2025 (inclusive – both dates included)
• 8 March 2025 to 14 March 2025 (inclusive – both dates included)

The enforcement process, the expectations & the reporting window periods will remain the same (BAU) for 24/25 & the above up-to-date guidance reflects this.

• Next reporting window: 8th - 14th January 2025. Window closes Tuesday 14th January 2025, 11:59 PM.

Top Tips

• For Providers - To update/refresh regularly AND as soon as the reporting window opens; this will ensure the providers receive less reminders and ultimately save time!
• To attend training sessions (provider/discharge/brokerage) to get a better understanding of the system & how to quickly update their information Dec 2024/Jan 2025 Training: click here
• Organisations (especially Care Home and Homecare providers) are encouraged to have additional users registered on CT to cover periods of absence (planned and unplanned). There is no restriction on the number of Capacity Tracker users for organisations. To register for a CT account, click here
• Notices of Intent (NOIs) and Penalty Notices are being issued to providers who repeatedly do not update during the reporting window.

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Recent DHSC notice to ASC Providers regarding Displaced Skilled Workers

The DHSC recently sent the following notice to all ASC providers

International talent available to support your adult social care workforce

International recruitment plays a valuable role in our adult social care workforce. International recruits give the care sector the benefit of their skill and commitment.

However, with increases in international recruitment, we have also seen unacceptable increases in unethical practices and the exploitation of international recruits in the adult social care sector.

Providers found to be unethical in their practices are rightly having their licence to sponsor international recruits revoked. This has led to a significant number of dedicated adult social care workers who have been displaced from their original employer and potentially left without work, through no fault of their own. This means they need to urgently find new employment in the sector with an ethical provider who can sponsor them.

A large pool of dedicated talent is available across England to support your workforce.

Social care providers who have employed displaced workers highly value the compassion and expertise they bring, as one home care manager highlights:

"At Avant Home Care, we recognise the invaluable contributions of skilled care workers who, due to various circumstances, have found themselves seeking new roles. This often-untapped pool of talent offers an exceptional opportunity for the social care sector to bridge workforce gaps with dedicated professionals ready to bring compassion and expertise to those in need. We strongly encourage other social care providers to look to these displaced workers to address staffing needs where needed in our local communities".

If you have vacancies in England and you are looking to recruit international workers, please contact your relevant regional lead from the list below.

Applications for licences and certificates of sponsorship for international recruits can be expedited free of charge when employing a displaced worker.

Please refer to the toolkit of best practice, developed in collaboration with Skills for Care, to support you through the process of ethical international recruitment. All international recruitment must adhere to the Code of Practice.

Please do consider this pool of displaced talent when recruiting international workers.

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Capacity Tracker – Contract Management Functionality

Capacity Tracker includes Contract Management functionality that enables Commissioning organisations to manage contracted ASC providers.

Some of the benefits of using the Contract Management functionality are as follows:-

Commissioner benefits:

• There is a benefit to the LA/ICB in that the vacant beds and contracts are all managed within one place. A report is available to download for the commissioning organisation of the contracts held with Care Homes either in or out of area
• Within the Occupancy Report, commissioners can see vacancy/occupancy data for locations outside of their area that they hold contracts with – via a toggle on the report. A long awaited development for commissioners

Provider benefits:

• When discharge teams are searching for a bed for an individual, they may have a requirement to search for a location that has a contract with a specific LA or Sub ICB. The data would only return those with a contract so it is beneficial to the provider to implement this.

The below short training video provides an overview of the Contract Management functionality.

Video: Capacity Tracker - Contract Management V2 (vimeo.com)

For more information about implementing the Contract Management functionality or if you have further questions, please contact necsu.ctengagement@nhs.net and one of the team will be able to assist and advise.

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CareFind

Quick Overview

• CareFind, developed by NECS with the support of DHSC & NHSE, is a new public-facing website that is available to Care Home providers to promote their services to the public for free.
• Home Care is coming to CareFind – end of the year. Providers are encouraged to participate in the planned Pilot? – To register interest send email to: necsu.ctengagement@nhs.net
• Supports DHSC with Care Data Matters Roadmap & the Secretary of State's technology vision to facilitate access to timely information to help care seekers make informed decisions about their care & to improve patient experience and choice.
• Supports the self-funder market: large proportion of those needing care - fund their own care (ca 140,000).
• Supports Care Homes: Free ‘give back’ to Providers (who update Capacity Tracker) - can aid sustainability.
• Supports LA's & charities: with signposting of any self-funder enquiries.
• CareFind will not display the number of vacancies (as commercially sensitive; available only to Health & Social Care organisations via Capacity Tracker).

The following link provides lots of useful CareFind information and guidance "How to" guides and videos; please share with your Care Home providers.

https://carefind.com/Home/FAQs

You can also find the social media links for CareFind below, so you can spread the word and keep up to date.

https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/necs-carefind/about/

https://www.facebook.com/necscarefind/

Home Care on CareFind – register interest in being part of the pilot by sending an email to: necsu.ctengagement@nhs.net

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Regional Deliver Management

The Regional Delivery teams' regional allocation is as detailed below. If you have any questions or issues with either Capacity Tracker or Carefind do not hesitate to contact your Regional Delivery Manager directly.

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System Champion Call meetings

Following the recent survey of System Champions and feedback received, a change in the frequency of the System Champion Call has been introduced.

The previous weekly SC call has been cancelled and has been replaced with a monthly meeting which is scheduled to take place on the 3^rd Thursday of every month between 10-10.30am - next session is Thurs 16^th January 2025

A new meeting invite has been sent out to all SCs with the new meeting link - below for reference - however we have received reports from some SCs that the invitation has not been received. If this is the case, please let us know via necsu.ctevents@nhs.net. Alternatively create your own meeting link and copy the below new meeting link details.

New Monthly System Champion Call

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 310 582 906 109

Passcode: AvErCD

A cancellation notice has also been sent out for the old weekly SC Call meeting (45min duration). Apologies if this has not been received. Please manually delete the series invite for this meeting as it is now no longer valid.

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System Champion Drop In meetings

In addition to the new monthly SC Call, the Regional Delivery Managers have introduced a new informal drop in session for SCs. The drop in session enables SCs to raise any questions they have with the Regional Delivery team as well as it offering an opportunity to host and delivery ad-hoc/supplementary training which is scheduled to take place on the 1st Thursday of every month between 10-10.30am - next session is this Thurs 2^nd January 2025

At the next SC Drop in (2^nd January) we will be seeking SCs' feedback following the recent changes to the "Monthly Status ASC Collection" report. Is it clear and easy to use? Are there any further changes that you would like to see?

A new meeting invite has been sent out to all SCs with the new meeting link - below for reference - however similar to the SC Call invitation that was sent out, we have received reports from some SCs that the invitation has not been received. If this is the case, please let us know via necsu.ctevents@nhs.net. And again alternatively, you can create your own recurring meeting reminder and copy the meeting link (below).

New Monthly System Champion Drop In session

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 320 318 231 192

Passcode: SV6dWz

Please get in touch if you have any further questions

Best Regards,

Capacity Tracker Regional Delivery Managers

North of England Care System Support

Web: www.necsu.nhs.uk

The feedback from this survey will help us establish the final prices for 2025/26, effective from 1 April 2025.

Key Considerations

• Rates of pay for workers
• Inflationary effects on headline business costs
• National Insurance employer contributions
• Affordability to the council
• Framework rates
• Other authority rates (CIPFA stats

We understand that National Insurance employer contributions will be a significant factor in our decision-making process. To gain a clearer picture of its impact, we kindly ask providers to share data on how these contributions are likely to affect their operations.

We would also like to hear about other considerations e.g. cost staff benefits and expenses provided.

Have Your Say

We value your feedback! Please provide your insights via the survey which can be found here. The consultation is open until 31st January 2025, and your input is essential in shaping the future rates.

We will analyse responses and other factors to set the final prices for 2025/26 and notify suppliers of the outcome following the council's agreement on the budget.

For specific questions, use the comments section or email: carecontractspricereview@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

Dear Care Home Managers

Community Dental Services (CDS) CiC is working in partnership with the county council in delivering this year’s National dental health survey designed to measure the oral health status and needs of care home residents aged 65 and older in each local authority area.

This survey will consist of a short clinical examination and questionnaire interview of those residents who have the capacity to agree to participate, and are NOT on end of life, respite or palliative care.

This information will help to provide vital information to the county council and local NHS to understand the needs of this population group and will inform future oral health planning and commissioning.

Only those care homes which have been randomly selected will participate in this year’s survey, and we will be getting in touch with these selected care homes in the coming weeks.

If you are selected for participation, we would be grateful for your co-operation with our teams in the planning of these visits to your care home. Our professional and highly skilled teams will aim to bring little to no disruption to the care homes daily activities.

Thank you in advance for your continued support for this programme and for recognising the importance of care home residents' oral health. Should you require further information about the planned survey, please contact Kate Peniket Epidemiology Coordinator CDS, on 07342062694