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