Oxfordshire County Council : Social Care Provider Engagement

Values Based Approaches - workshops funded by Oxfordshire CC – last chance to attend this year!

To book click this link: https://events.skillsforcare.org.uk/vbr24oxfordcc

Values Based Interviewing: 16th April 2024, 10-3.30pm

Valuable conversations: 23^rd April 2024, 10-3.45pm

These will all be virtual - on zoom. There are 2 workshops covering different aspects of Values Based Approaches to Recruitment and Retention and these are aimed at managers and others responsible for recruiting. You can choose to attend both workshops, or just 1.

For Values based interviewing we suggest that it is best practice that at least 2 colleagues are trained in each organisation. So, if you do not have colleagues who are already trained then you may decide to submit 2 applications for 2 staff.

The workshops will cover the following. The approaches in values based interviewing can be used for all recruitment including overseas recruitment.

Just to let you know there have been two new NICE Guidelines and one NICE Quality Standard published.

For ease we have enclosed the links below.

Hearing Loss in Adults Assessment & Management https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng98

This guideline covers some aspects of assessing and managing hearing loss in primary, community and secondary care. It aims to improve the quality of life for adults with hearing loss by advising healthcare staff on assessing hearing difficulties, managing earwax and referring people for audiological or specialist assessment and management.

The guideline covers adults aged over 18, including adults whose age of onset of hearing loss was under 18 but who present for the first time in adulthood.

Stroke Rehabilitation - https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng236

This guideline covers rehabilitation after stroke for over 16s. It aims to ensure people are assessed for common problems and conditions linked to stroke and get the care and therapy they need. It includes recommendations on the organisation and delivery of rehabilitation in hospital and the community.

Transition from children’s to adults’ services - https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/qs140

This quality standard covers the period before, during and after a young person moves from children’s to adults’ services in all settings where transitions from children’s to adults’ health or social care services take place. It covers all young people (aged up to 25) using children’s health and social care services who are due to make the transition to adults’ services. This includes young people with mental health problems, disabilities and long-term, life-limiting or complex needs, rare diseases and those in secure settings or under the care of local authorities. It describes high-quality care in priority areas for improvement.

Each year the council reviews its fees and payments for providers of adult social care and support services.

We are now undertaking an annual review of prices paid to our contracted care providers and we want your views on the inputs that should be included in our decision making.

We will take the views expressed in this survey, alongside other considerations including sustainability and value for money when determine the final uplift and ceiling prices for 2024/25, which will start on 1 April 2024.

Introduction

The services that contracted providers deliver within Oxfordshire play an important role in helping to meet the needs of vulnerable adults and supporting the social care and health economies in the county. The Care Act (2014) places a duty on local authorities to promote the efficient and effective operation of the market for adult care and support as a whole and to ensure that there is sufficient capacity within the social care market to meet its current and future commissioning requirements.

We are now undertaking an annual review of prices paid to our contracted care providers and we want your views on the inputs that should be included in our decision making.

In setting our rate for 2024/25 we propose to look at the following inputs:

• Information from ADASS and LGA
• The announced increase in the National Living Wage
• The actual increase to wages that have occurred from previous annual uplifts
• Inflationary pressure indices
• The affordability of any proposal
• Our current ceiling rates and review processes
• How we compare with our neighbouring authorities (both geographic and statistical neighbours)

In the Chancellor’s November 2023 autumn statement, no new additional funding was announced to cover inflationary uplifts to fees in Adult Social Care. Therefore, the council will need to consider how this is managed within its existing funding. As you will see in the budget papers, like many councils, Oxfordshire County Council will need to make significant savings to ensure that they remain viable over the medium term. The vast majority of adult social care spend is with providers such as yourselves. It is therefore necessary for us to understand the opportunities for savings, efficiencies and cost reduction.

Have your say

The survey will remain open until 12^th January 2024

Once the survey has closed, we will analyse responses received together with other considerations including sustainability and value for money.

We will use this as the basis to determine the final uplift and ceiling prices for 2024/25 and we will write to all suppliers with the outcome.

If you have any specific questions, please use question 10 which will be monitored throughout the process. Or you can email: carecontractspricereview@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

The survey can be found here.

The Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, and Berkshire West (BOB) Personalised Care Training team have launched a free, interactive training session to build discussion skills around vaccine hesitancy: Let’s Talk About Vaccines.

The training explores the issues, myths and barriers around vaccine hesitancy, providing attendees with the techniques and approaches to help people make informed choices.

Our Head of Ill Health Prevention, Alicia Siraj, has written an inspiring blog on the importance of this training, including attendees’ feedback (on the webpage link below).

https://www.bucksoxonberksw.icb.nhs.uk/your-health/personalised-care-training/lets-talk-about-vaccines-training/

The next five available dates are:

Wed 3 Jan 09:30-12:00

Thu 4 Jan 13:00-15:30

Mon 8 Jan 09:30-12:00

Thu 11 Jan 13:00-15:30

Wed 17 Jan 09:30-12:00

Other dates are available on the link above.

We have some upcoming courses and workshops that may be of interest to you. Please see below for information and bookings.

Values Based Approaches - workshops funded by Oxfordshire CC – last chance to attend this year!

To book click this link: https://events.skillsforcare.org.uk/vbr24oxfordcc

Values Based Interviewing: 16th January 2024, 10-3.30pm

Valuable conversations: 7th February 2024, 10-3.45pm

These will all be virtual - on zoom. There are 2 workshops covering different aspects of Values Based Approaches to Recruitment and Retention and these are aimed at managers and others responsible for recruiting. You can choose to attend both workshops, or just 1. For Values based interviewing we suggest that it is best practice that at least 2 colleagues are trained in each organisation. So if you do not have colleagues who are already trained then you may decide to submit 2 applications for 2 staff. The workshops will cover the following. The approaches in values based interviewing can be used for all recruitment including overseas recruitment.

Skills for care: Free recruitment workshop in the South East

Our popular Safe & Fair recruitment workshops are back on the road! Are you an employer looking to expand your talent pool? Did you know there’s a wealth of potential talent who can often be looked over due to making mistakes in their past? This free, in-person workshop will help you understand your rights and responsibilities when handling criminal records. It will help you increase your knowledge and build confidence when dealing with criminal records, whilst breaking down barriers to employment and taking your safeguarding responsibilities seriously.

Spaces are limited, book your place now: Wednesday 17 January 2024, 09:30 -16:30, Holiday Inn Gatwick North: https://bit.ly/SAFcrawley

I'm a technophobe, get me out of here - taking the fear out of digital for social care managers – watch the recording now

If you missed it - This Skills for Care webinar provided registered managers with support and practical information that can help get them started on their digital journey. Our aim is to help everyone embrace technology and plan their digital journey, one step at a time. We were joined by a panel of registered managers who discussed their experiences and shared their top tips. Digital, data and technology (skillsforcare.org.uk)

Let’s Talk About Vaccines – free workshops

The BOB ICB Personalised Care Training team have launched a free, interactive training session to build discussion skills around vaccine hesitancy. This training is useful for staff because:

• Staff can get ready for winter by learning how to start conversations about the importance of flu, and other, vaccinations.
• Talking about vaccinations will increase uptake, improve population health, and reduce demand for services.
• Staff will build their confidence, skills and knowledge for having vaccination conversations, learning techniques and approaches to help people make informed choices.

This training uses approaches from:

• Making Every Contact Count (MECC)

• Shared Decision Making

• Motivational Interviewin

Upcoming training dates:

December

Mon 4th Dec 23 0930 – 1200hrs

Tue 12th Dec 23 0930 – 1200hrs

Wed 13th Dec 23 0930 – 1200hrs

Thu 14th Dec 23 1300 – 1530hrs

Fri 15th Dec 23 0930 – 1200hrs

January

Wed 3rd Jan 24 0930 – 1200hrs

Thu 4th Jan 24 1300 – 1530hrs

Mon 8th Jan 24 0930 – 1200hrs

Thu 11th Jan 24 1300 – 1530hrs

Evening sessions

Wed 6th Dec 23 1730 – 2000hrs

To book your place email: bobicb.personalisedcaretraining@nhs.net

Exclusive Skills for Care registered manager members webinar | Overview of audits for different service types

Thursday 22 February 2024 | 14:00 – 15:00 | Zoom

In partnership with Quality Compliance Systems (QCS), join us at our first-ever joint webinar, exclusively available for registered manager members.

We will provide an overview of audits for different service types, how audits are used most effectively, and the range of support and practical advice available for social care providers from Skills for Care and QCS. You’ll also learn how effective auditing helps you demonstrate high-quality, safe, and person-centred care, good governance, and continuous improvement.

With the roll-out of the CQC’s new Single Assessment Framework, audits will become more important for social care providers in demonstrating how they keep people who draw on care and support safe, develop a cycle of continuous improvement, and have good governance in place in their service.

This is an exclusive webinar for registered manager members only.

Register here - https://sfca.re/3SWwsFB

If you are not a registered manager member and would like to join, please visit here - https://sfca.re/3GfMyTj

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
• They 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)

Values Based Approaches workshops - funded by Oxfordshire CC

Don't miss the last chance to attend this year!

To book click this link: https://events.skillsforcare.org.uk/vbr24oxfordcc

• Values Based Interviewing: 16th January 2024, 10-3.30pm
• Valuable conversations: 7th February 2024, 10-3.45pm

The workshops will all be virtual - on zoom.

There are 2 workshops covering different aspects of Values Based Approaches to Recruitment and Retention and these are aimed at managers and others responsible for recruiting. You can choose to attend both workshops, or just 1.

For Values based interviewing we suggest that it is best practice that at least 2 colleagues are trained in each organisation. So if you do not have colleagues who are already trained then you may decide to submit 2 applications for 2 staff.

The workshops will cover the following. The approaches in values based interviewing can be used for all recruitment including overseas recruitment.

Dear Colleague,

This year, as part of the BOB ICS Care Home and PEoLC winter planning, we are hosting a series of open mic sessions on a range of topics relevant to care homes and social care colleagues. These sessions will be recorded, so should you not be able to attend, we will send out the link to rewatch.

The upcoming event details are as follows:

Please note: You do not need to sign up or register beforehand, just join via links above.

Any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us via bobicb-bw.bob-carehome@nhs.net.

Many Thanks

The BOB ICB Care Home Team

BOB ICB Care Home Team

Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board

Generic Email: bobicb-bw.bob-carehome@nhs.net

Web: bucksoxonberksw.icb.nhs.uk

The digital transformation funding opportunity has now been extended to support you to transition from paper to Digital Social Care Records (DSCR).

One-off grant payments are available to providers who fulfil the following criteria:

• Adult social care provider
• CQC registered
• Located and registered within BOB ICB’s footprint. You can use this link to see if you are within the footprint Find your ICS and Partners - National Care Forum
• Moving from paper care records to digital care records
• Implementing a system from the assured supplier list before April 2024 Assured Supplier List
• Retrospective grant funding for a system already purchased (Post April 2022) is also available

Next steps

In order to register your interest, please complete the Expression of Interest form (EOI) attached to this email and email it to disc.enquiries@channel3consulting.co.uk.

We need Expression of Interest forms submitted to us as soon as possible. The funding pot is finite but we do not want you to miss out on this opportunity. The Expression of interest form can be found here.

You will be fully supported through the grant fund application process. If you would like any assistance with completing the paperwork, please email disc.enquiries@channel3consulting.co.uk and we can set up a convenient time to assist you.

Many thanks,

Jeannie Brown

Senior Digital Delivery Lead

Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board

Skills for Care: Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS) demo & Workforce Development Funding information session - your questions answered!

Wednesday 10^th January 3-4pm on 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.

The Workforce Development Fund supports the provision of high-quality care and the continuing professional development (CPD) of staff across the adult social care sector by providing a contribution towards the costs of vocational learning. The fund allows you to claim back money towards the costs of paid staff completing a broad range of adult social care qualifications, learning programmes and digital learning modules.

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 Workforce Development Funding and meet the eligibility criteria 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 and Buckinghamshire and Liz Bailey Workforce Development Funding local lead.

This is a local session for providers across the Berks, Ox, Bucks and Surrey area.

To book your place please email: rachel.reid@skillsforcare.org.uk