social care | First Response Training

New framework for supporting LGBTQ+ people in later life

Skills for Care have released a new learning framework to help care workers support LGBTQ+ people in later life.

Commissioned and funded by Skills for Care, the new framework has been developed by the “innovative partnership” of Dr Trish Hafford-Letchfield of the University of Strathclyde and the Pride in Ageing programme at the LGBT Foundation.

The Chief Executive of the Foundation said he hoped it would “inspire further conversations” across the sector.

The framework focuses on developing the knowledge, skills and values of care workers to enable them to “work affirmatively, inclusively and effectively” with older people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans or queer (LGBTQ+).

It is intended to be used by social care employers, employees, training providers, regulators, commissioners, policy makers and others. It is hoped that, as well as supporting colleagues’ understanding, it will help to create learning programmes which will enable teams to better support LGBTQ+ people in later life.

The framework was created in collaboration with older people from within the LGBTQ+ community and was published as LGBT+ History Month was recognised across the UK.

Awareness of LGBTQ+ issues in care

Skills for Care states that the experiences of many older LGBTQ+ people may have had a lasting impact on them, and that its therefore vital that anyone providing care and support services for them has an understanding of these.

For example, many people from an older generation may have felt unable to be open about their sexual orientation or gender identity, also regardless of your situation the methods of STD testing are somewhat standard for any person that have sex regardless their orientation.

Some older individuals may have grown up during a time when homosexuality was illegal, or less accepted, and before transgender rights became enshrined in law. Many will have experienced discrimination both in the past and now, despite more recent improvements in the legal status of LGBTQ+ individuals.

The guidance has therefore been developed to help care workers feel confident in supporting LGBTQ+ people with all aspects of their lives, including coming out, if relevant, their personal relationships and support network, and legal rights.

The comprehensive framework provides care workers with a background understanding of key LGBTQ+ issues and awareness and also includes information on:

Health and wellbeing issues later in life
Research about LGBTQ+ inequalities
Provision of personalised care and support, including trans-affirmative care
Intersectionality
Supporting people with dementia or HIV
Intimacy and sexuality later in life

New training programmes for LGBTQ+ awareness

The framework also includes recommendations for leadership, education and service development to enable providers to continue to improve care and support in this area.

Skills for Care says the framework can also be used by adult social care services and organisations to:

Include LGBTQ+ issues when educating and training their workforce
Include awareness of LGBTQ+ issues in everyday care and support of people in later life
Establish the aims and focus of LGBTQ+ education and training based on evidence
Carry out a training needs analysis and develop training which meets a minimum standard of performance and capability in its assessment and provision of care to LGBTQ+ individuals in later life and their communities
Ensure that relevant topics, areas, guidance and learning resources are embedded into recruitment, induction, supervision, appraisal and career progression processes

The CEO of Skills for Care, Oonagh Smyth, said:

“We’re very proud to be part of the creation of this important framework, which we know is something that people working in social care want and need.

“It’s vital that care workers are comfortable supporting people with all aspects of their lives and identities, which includes their sexual and gender identity and personal relationships.

“We know that older LGBTQ+ people may face specific inequalities and challenges, and care workers need to understand these issues so that they can provide the most effective person-centred support to each person drawing on care and support.”

Dr Paul Martin OBE, Chief Executive of the LGBT Foundation said they welcomed the launch of the new framework and added:

“We would like to thank all of those with lived experience who took part in coproduction sessions to develop the themes of this framework, and we hope this piece of work inspires further conversations across the social care workforce around access to equitable, inclusive and affirmative social care for LGBTQ+ communities.”

You can view the framework online now.

Training and development for care workers

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider. They deliver over 7,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food safety, mental health, health and social care and other special focus topics.

Their diverse portfolio includes training awards designed for health and social care organisations, such as Infection Control and Prevention, Safeguarding Adults, Duty of Care, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Person Centred Care and Support and many others.

Their course portfolio spans Care Certificate standards, Level 2 and Level 3 Awards and training for supervisors and managers.

A trainer from FRT says:

“It’s important that care workers have the right skills, knowledge and values to provide safe, person-centred, compassionate and dignified care to all individuals who need their support. This, of course, includes people from gender and sexually diverse communities.

“It’s also important that care organisations and settings are actively promoting and supporting equality, diversity and inclusion and ensuring that their workforce has the right skills to provide truly inclusive care. We are excited to see the impact this new learning framework has and even to work with organisations to develop relevant training programmes as a result.”

For more information on the training provided by FRT, please call them on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Annual social care report reveals impact of pandemic

The latest report into adult social care serves as a “stark reminder” that sector bosses face “significant recruitment challenges” with vacancy rates steadily rising since the pandemic.

Skills for Care have published their annual report on ‘The State of the adult social care sector and workforce in England.’

The report, which is based on data provided by sector employers to the Adult Social Care Workforce Data Set (ASC-WDS), shines a light on the significant impact that the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK has had on both the short- and long-term challenges faced within the sector.

Rise in care worker vacancies, turnover and absences

The data shows that, on average, 6.8% of adult social care roles were vacant in 2020-21, which equates to around 105,000 vacancies being advertised on an average day.

Vacancy rates have steadily risen in the sector since May 2021, when lockdown measures began to ease, and the wider economy started to open back up. By August, vacancy rates had reached their pre-pandemic levels.

The vacancy rate within the sector has remained high at above 6% for the previous 6 years, with turnover rates also persistently high, hitting 28.5% in 2020-21. Turnover did fall during the pandemic, but since March 2021, many adult social care employers have reported that staff retention is now more of a struggle than it was pre-pandemic.

For registered nurses in adult social care, the turnover rate stood at 38.2%, which is much higher than for their counterparts in the NHS (8.8%).

The issue has no doubt been exacerbated by a rise in staff absences, which have nearly doubled from an average of 5.1 days lost in 2019-20 to 9.5 in 2020-21.

Recruitment and retention struggles in care

The report shows that, since March 2021, filled posts have also fallen by around -1.8%. It represents the first time that the number of jobs (filled posts) has fallen in the sector, and as it is happening at the same time that vacancy rates are increasing, it indicates that care providers are struggling with both recruitment and retention.

Skills for Care says that it is important “to make a strong case that these jobs offer highly-skilled careers where you can progress to leadership positions.”

They say that listening to people who use care and support services can help recruiters understand what they want. They need to be supported by people who have the right skills to do so, and people who are trained and developed are then less likely to leave their roles.

Indeed, the report found that adult social care employers with “favourable workplace metrics”, such as high levels of learning and development, had lower staff turnover.

People want to be supported at home

The report also reveals that the steady shift from people receiving support in care homes to receiving support to live in their own homes has been accelerated by the pandemic.

Domiciliary care services were largely responsible for the 2.8% increase in jobs across the adult social care sector, with 40,000 additional jobs recorded within domiciliary care specifically – an increase of 7.4%.

At the same time, care home occupancy rates fell from 86% prior to the pandemic to 77% in March 2021.

Skills for Care says that reforms in the adult social care sector must recognise the desire for people to remain in their own homes.

Recognition and reward for care workers

Although the National Living Wage (NLW) has helped to boost the median nominal care worker hourly rate by 6% since March 2020, the report reveals that employers in the sector have found it more difficult to maintain differentials for more experienced workers.

Care workers with five years’ or more experience in the sector are currently being paid, on average, just 6p more per hour than those who have less than one year of experience.

Skills for Care says that social care is a growing market which currently contributes £50.3 billion to the nation’s economy.

They are now calling for the 1.54 million people who “worked tirelessly throughout lockdown” to be recognised and properly rewarded for their efforts.

They also highlight the fact that social care workers from a Black, Asian or minority ethnicity currently make up more than a fifth (21%) of the workforce. The workforce is also 82% female and almost a third of its members (27%) are aged over 55.

The workforce development charity says that the adult social care sector must embrace this opportunity to become an employer for all.

Skills for Care is committed to working with government and stakeholders across the sector on the upcoming whitepaper to develop a shared vision for a workforce “which enables people to live the lives they want, where they want.”

Creating a sustainable adult social care workforce

The CEO of Skills for Care, Oonagh Smith, commented:

“This report is a stark reminder that our recruitment challenges continue, and to help tackle that we need to properly reward and value care workers for their high skill levels and dedication. We know that this is a priority for the new Government White Paper expected on adult social care this year and look forwarded to seeing the measures contained.”

She added that the social care sector enables “people in our families, our friends and people in our communities to be supported to live the lives they choose. And the workforce in social care are the people that provide that support every day, in every single community.”

Creating a sustainable workforce is now a top priority for Skills for Care, but Ms Smith says: “[…] we know from speaking to employers that the pandemic has had a huge impact on people working in social care. The rich data from this authoritative annual report confirms this pressure, as well as showing us longer term trends in adult social care.”

One doctor told the BBC that a shortage of adult social care workers would have a knock-on effect on the NHS this winter.

Dr Owden, who worked in a hospital discharge ward at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, told the BBC that carers needed to be better paid, with a proper career structure and recognition of their skills. He said a better resourced system would relieve pressure from the NHS when they need it most.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care said they appreciated “the dedication and tireless efforts of care workers throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond,” and said they would be providing “at least £500 million” to support the workforce.

They added: “We are also working to ensure we have the right number of staff with the skills to deliver high quality care to meet increasing demands. This includes running regular national recruitment campaigns and providing councils with over £1 billion of additional funding for social care this year.”

You can download a copy of The state of the adult social care sector and workforce in England report and an infographic showing all the key findings online.

Learning and development opportunities for care

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider. They deliver over 7,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, mental health, health and social care and other special focus topics.

Their course portfolio spans Care Certificate standards, Level 2 and Level 3 Awards and training for supervisors and managers.

They also offer a portfolio of e-learning training courses, including COVID-19 Infection prevention, identification and control.

A trainer from FRT explains:

“It is vitally important that the most vulnerable people in our communities can be provided with high quality, compassionate and person-centred care from the right people at the right time, in the right place.

“We need to recognise and reward the adult social care workforce to ensure this essential care and support is provided.

“There is evidence that providing proper training and further development opportunities can help to improve recruitment and retention issues for employers.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Care providers face ‘catastrophic shortages’ as jab deadline looms

Union leaders warn that care providers could face “catastrophic” staff shortages if the government refuses to scrap its deadline of 11^th November for all care workers in England to be double-jabbed.

The current deadline means that any care home workers or volunteers who have not yet taken up the vaccine must receive their first dose today in order to receive their second dose on time and continue to work in the sector. There are exemptions for those with certain medical conditions.

The policy was introduced to protect people living in care homes, who are among the most vulnerable to the effects of Covid-19.

Severe staffing crisis in care sector

But Unison has estimated that up to 70,000 care home workers in England may not be fully vaccinated by the 11^th November deadline.

They say that this could put many care homes at risk of closure and that care agencies are already unable to provide emergency cover, creating a “severe staffing crisis,” for the sector.

Christine McAnea, General Secretary of the union, said:

“Everyone that can have the vaccine should have the vaccine, but the government has persisted with a heavy-handed approach despite warnings from care employers of the dire consequences.

“This move is damaging a sector already on its knees and undermining trust in the vaccine.”

She added that, if care providers struggle to fill roles vacated by unvaccinated staff, “the level and volume of care offered will be reduced,” and that the policy was “actively driving experienced staff away” from a sector already under immense pressure.

GMB national officer Rachel Harrison commented:

“Forcing vaccination of our key workers is not the way to address vaccine hesitancy.

“Care is already facing a staffing black hole of 170,000 by the end of the year. Even in a best-case scenario, we will lose tens of thousands of key workers if the jab is forced on them.

“How will care bosses deal with these huge staffing vacancies? How can they reassure people residents will receive safe care?”

Care workers feel ‘demoralised’

Meanwhile, David Kelly from workplace management app Deputy said the vaccine policy had left many care workers feeling “demoralised and undervalued.”

He added: “A number have explained they are not ‘anti vaxxers’ but have personal reasons for not wanting the vaccine, ranging from religious and cultural reasons, to health concerns.”

Supporting care staff with training and guidance

Skills for Care has grouped together vaccination guidance and advice from a number of sources to help aid employers in the care sector.

Their locality teams are also available to offer workplace support for local authorities and employers.

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider. They deliver over 7,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, mental health, health and social care and other special focus topics.

Their diverse portfolio includes training awards designed for health and social organisations, such as Infection Control and Prevention, Safeguarding Adults, Duty of Care, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Understanding Mental Health and many others.

They also offer a portfolio of e-learning training courses, including COVID-19 Infection prevention, identification and control.

A trainer from FRT explains:

“This is a difficult issue for both care workers and employers. On the one hand, it is vitally important that vulnerable care home residents are kept safe and that they can be provided with high quality, compassionate and person centred care from the right people at the right time, without being placed at risk.

“On the other hand, vaccination is a personal choice and there are many reasons why someone may choose not to take up the vaccine or may be hesitant. The best that any organisation and any worker can do is to ensure they are properly informed, from credible, reliable sources, about the virus and vaccinations and that they are up to date with all key guidance and advice.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Half of frontline workers say job pressures are ‘out of control’

An 18-month long study into wellbeing within the emergency services has found that frontline healthcare workers are exhausted and at high risk of experiencing mental health disorders and burnout.

The detailed report from mental health digital platform 87percent.co.uk, entitled The State of Mental Wellbeing on the Frontline, reveals that almost 1 in 2 (49%) frontline workers find their work commitments to be “out of control”, while 61% feel tired most of the time.

Over 10,000 frontline workers were tracked from March 2020 to examine how the Covid-19 mental health crisis has impacted this vital and high-pressured sector.

Emergency services face mental health crisis

Key figures from the report reveal the mental health crisis erupting within the sector following a period of enormous pressure. These include:

10% of staff have recently had suicidal thoughts
45% have felt panic or terror
49% have been distressed by unwanted images and memories
33% have difficulty concentrating
32% report regular symptoms of depression and anxiety
40% are at risk of developing mental health disorders
39% report feeling regularly frustrated by their work

The study found that the majority of staff (60%) had an extremely poor work-life balance, with paramedics, emergency nurses and physicians most likely to report this.

The majority of frontline workers also revealed that their job takes a significant toll on their physical and psychological wellbeing, with 65% saying it made it difficult to sleep, while 63% said it prevents them from being physically fit and healthy. Over half (53%) also reported that the pressures of their job make it difficult to relax.

The researchers are warning that frontline healthcare workers are at high risk of developing conditions such as chronic stress, which can lead to burnout.

Commenting on the report, the Medical Director of NHS Practitioner Health, Dame Clare Gerada, said:

“Within the NHS workforce, many report feeling defeated by work, and these challenges are still unaddressed. Now is the time to normalise rather than catastrophise this sector’s distress and reduce the burden of mental illness on those who care for us.

“Every member of this workforce should be given support, and we must make easy access to services a priority. This report is timely and adds to the evidence that a real and genuine focus on the mental health and wellbeing of this sector will have a positive impact for the national health service.”

Proactive policies needed to improve mental health

Meanwhile, 87percent.co.uk say that the data from their study will provide workers and employers with “the tools that are clinically proven to improve their mental wellbeing.”

They assert that digital solutions can give employers insights on the most effective strategies for supporting and boosting the mental health and wellbeing of their staff.

Their clinical director Doctor Serra Pitts, who is also an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, says it’s vital that employers within the healthcare sector are proactive rather than reactive when it comes to managing mental health.

She explained that they can:

“[…] significantly improve the wellbeing of the frontline sector by having proactive policies that help to maintain work-life balance, access to wellbeing resources and expert-delivered training to equip leadership with the skills to understand the wellbeing challenges of their workforce.”

She added: “Crucially, technology can play a part in accurately measuring the mental fitness of workers and driving insights on the most effective wellbeing strategies for organisations. Tailored to their employees’ needs, these can significantly reduce the risk of mental health difficulties and help organisations thrive.”

Training solutions can support mental health

Mental health learning and development solutions can also play a significant role in helping managers, supervisors and frontline workers to recognise mental health risks and proactively support positive mental health and wellbeing across the workforce.

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading national training provider delivering courses in subjects such as health and safety, first aid, fire safety, manual handling, food hygiene, mental health, health and social care, safeguarding and more.

They work with a large number of providers within the health and social care sector, from NHS services to national and local adult social care providers.

An accredited Mindful Employer themselves, FRT’s specialist mental health training courses include Understanding Mental Health, Mental Health Awareness in the Workplace, Managing Stress in the Workplace, Anxiety and Phobias Awareness, Self-Harm Awareness and Suicide Awareness.

They can also provide qualified, approved trainers to deliver accredited Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training courses, including the Adult, Youth and Lite versions.

A trainer from FRT says:

“Those working within the health and social care sector have dealt with immense pressure and sadness over the last two years, including changing guidelines, equipment shortages, overwhelmed services, staff shortages, isolation, illness and loss. They have been at the coal face of this pandemic the entire time. It’s not surprising that it has taken its toll on their mental health and wellbeing.

“It’s vitally important for those within this sector to receive mental health care and support, and for organisations to ensure that relevant mental health training is provided for staff.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Social care reforms to be announced

The Prime Minister is set to announce long-awaited reforms to the social care system in England today (Tuesday 7^th September 2021).

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to present his plans to reform social care in England to MPs and will also announce extra funds to help the NHS deal with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Later today, he will hold a press conference alongside Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi branded the upcoming proposals to overhaul the social care system as “truly historic and ambitious reform,” though some of the expected measures have already been widely criticised.

MPs criticise proposed NI hike

It is expected that Mr Johnson will announce a rise in National Insurance (NI) by around 1.25% in order to pay for the changes needed. The move means breaking a manifesto promise the party made during the 2019 general election.

Despite widespread acknowledgement that major changes are urgently needed within social care, the plans have faced opposition from some Tory MPs and criticisms from Labour, who say the proposed rise in NI will unfairly target young people and those on lower incomes.

It is now understood, however, that pensioners in work will also have to pay the new, so-called “health and social care levy” even though people of state pension age are exempt from NI payments.

Short and long term funding needed

At the start of this week, the NHS was promised an extra £5.4 billion over the next six months to help tackle backlogs that have been made worse by the pandemic.

But the Prime Minister is also expected to tell the Commons today that more funds will be allocated to the NHS for the long-term in order to boost hospital capacity in England to 110% of its current level. In a statement he will tell MPs that the healthcare system has been placed under “enormous strain” and cannot “recover alone.”

It is not known how much money the social care sector will be promised upfront, with longer term funding expected to be “phased in”, though the PM is expected to say that his government will not “duck the tough decisions needed” to fix the country’s “broken” social care system.

It is anticipated that the NHS will be the primary benefactor of the NI rise in the short term, however.

Joyce Pinfield from the National Care Association commented that the social care sector needs funding in both the short and long term.

She explained: “We do need something immediately […] because most care providers are at breaking point.”

Social care system faces significant challenges

The social care sector does face significant challenges – and reforms have been promised, discussed and debated for some time, over successive governments.

During 2019-20, local authorities received 1.9 million requests for social care support, an increase of more than 100,000 requests in five years. While the vast majority (1.4 million) were from older people, 560,000 requests came from working age adults.

Despite this clear rise in demand, total expenditure on adult social care has only risen by £99 million since 2010-11, with council spending in England about 3% lower than it was in 2010.

The growth in demand is in part due to an ageing population, and national charity Age UK estimates that 1.5 million people in England miss out on the help they need.

This issue is compounded by the fact that the social care system faces massive staff shortages. Age UK estimates that there are about 45,000 vacancies across the sector.

The fees that local authorities in England pay for care services can vary widely and people who don’t qualify for free care are often charged much more, with no current cap on costs.

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) have previously called for long-term fundamental changes to the funding of adult social care.

They say:

“Social care needs fixing. Care staff shortages, acute staff retention challenges, a low remunerated workforce, an avalanche of need rising from the pandemic – these underlying issues will only be addressed with a clear Government long-term plan to reform social care, one that gives local authorities sustainable funding, direction and capacity to truly transform lives.”

It’s clear that changes are needed, but former Labour Health Secretary and current Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, believes that the proposed rise in NI is “unfair” and has suggested that ministers should ask all pensioners to make a contribution of 10% of their estate. This would then, he suggests, be topped up by a rise in other taxes, such as capital gains tax.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that they should look “to introduce the NHS principle to social care – everyone would be required to contribute, but everyone would benefit.”

Social care solutions vary across UK

The social care system is devolved across the four UK nations, so separate solutions can be developed by each government.

While in England social care is generally not free and there is no overall limit on costs, things vary across the UK.

In Scotland, personal care is free for those assessed by their local authority as requiring this support. Those living in a care home, however, do still have to contribute towards accommodation costs.

In Wales, some care costs are capped, while home care is free for those aged over 75 in Northern Ireland.

Training and support for social care system

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider.

They deliver over 7,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, mental health, health and social care and other special focus topics.

First Response Training are a Skills for Care Endorsed Learning Provider for the delivery of classroom, e-learning and webinar training to the social care workforce.

As an Endorsed Provider, FRT have also recently been awarded grant funding to provide free Covid-19 Essential Training for adult social care workers, including Rapid Induction training for new starters.

A trainer from FRT explains:

“Adult social care providers and workers do an incredibly important job, and it is essential that they are properly funded and paid so that everyone who requires care and support can access services that are safe, compassionate, person-centred and dignified.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Self-isolation exemption for care staff poses ‘significant risks’

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) has warned that a new exemption from self-isolation rules for double-jabbed care staff poses “very significant risks.”

In a press release, the directors’ body said the policy shift, which means that frontline adult social care staff who have received two doses of a coronavirus vaccine are not required to self-isolate after contact with a confirmed Covid-19 case, could bring further harm to those using services.

Changes to self-isolation guidance

The changes, which came into effect last month, mean that fully vaccinated care workers whose absence could cause significant risks to the health or safety of service users can continue to work even after being contacted by NHS Test and Trace or advised to self-isolate by the NHS Covid-19 app.

Such workers can only ignore self-isolation guidance if they have no Covid symptoms and have received a negative PCR test. They must also have daily negative lateral flow tests for the required self-isolation period.

Staff must also comply with all relevant infection control procedures and should not work with clinically extremely vulnerable people.

The organisation’s management should also ensure that a risk assessment is carried out and authorisation must be granted by its lead professional for health protection or the relevant director of public health.

If, at any point, the staff member receives a positive test or starts to experience symptoms of Covid-19, they must stop working and self-isolate fully.

Temporary measure to alleviate pressures in care

The government introduced the change in guidelines as a temporary measure before the introduction of a general exemption from self-isolation rules for all fully vaccinated contacts from 16^th August. It has been brought in to relieve pressure on care services that were dealing with high levels of self-isolation as a result of rising infection rates.

However, ADASS has said that, while it supports measures to alleviate the immense pressures placed on care staff, it had “concerns that this announcement presents very significant risks,” during a period of high and rising community transmission rates.

The association pointed out that social care staff “work with people who are the most vulnerable to Covid: older, disabled and mentally unwell people, among others.”

They added:

“These are the very people, alongside care (and NHS) staff who have suffered most through the pandemic. Our priority must be to absolutely minimise further harm.

“Our concerns are magnified by the fact that there has been an immediate change in policy with no prior warning, guidance and information about the change and how this can be introduced safely. The policy is intended to be applied on a case-by-case basis, and with a full risk assessment, but the absence of information and guidance raises the risk of blanket applications.”

Calls for urgent guidance and funding

ADASS have called for urgent guidance and funding to support the new policy, while public service union UNISON raised concerns that some “reckless employers” may pressure staff who have had contact with a confirmed Covid case to return to work when it is not appropriate for them to do so.

Christine, McAnea, General Secretary, explained: “If care workers who’ve been in contact with someone with the virus are pushed back to work without proper safeguards in place, the consequences could be dreadful.

“Everything possible must be done to ensure staff in hospitals and care homes don’t bring in the virus or take it home. That includes making sure they are fully paid when sick or isolating.”

ADASS also reiterated their call for urgent, long-term, fundamental changes to the funding of adult social care:

“Social care needs fixing. Care staff shortages, acute staff retention challenges, a low remunerated workforce, an avalanche of need rising from the pandemic – these underlying issues will only be addressed with a clear Government long-term plan to reform social care, one that gives local authorities sustainable funding, direction and capacity to truly transform lives.”

Further support and training

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider.

They deliver over 7,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, mental health, health and social care and other special focus topics.

First Response Training are a Skills for Care Endorsed Learning Provider for the delivery of classroom, e-learning and webinar training to the social care workforce.

A trainer from FRT explains:

“There is no doubt that the Covid-19 pandemic has taken a massive toll on health and social care workers and those who receive care and support services; they have been through so much and are still under tremendous pressure.

“Safe and sensible measures to help relieve this pressure and ensure everyone can receive the highest quality care and support are always welcomed, but it is important that the correct information, guidance and training is in place to safeguard health, safety and wellbeing at all times.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Adult social care sector receives last minute funding boost

The government have announced an extra £250 million worth of Covid funding for adult social care, just three days before existing funds were due to run out.

The funds will be used to help care providers to maintain sufficient staffing levels while controlling Covid-19 infections, and to fund testing, in line with the latest government guidance.

An extra £142.5 million has been promised to help with staffing levels, while £108.8 million is being provided for testing.

The new funds are expected to last until the end of September and the majority of the funding will go to care homes.

Recognition of hard work in the sector

The previous infection control and testing fund was worth £341 million and had been in place since April, but it was due to run out at the end of June, with many care providers warning that they would be left in financial hardship as a third wave of the virus gathers pace in England.

The Chief Executive of Care England, Martin England, said the additional funding was “recognition” of the fact that the sector “has worked extremely hard to continue to protect the people it supports and cares for through extensive infection control and testing procedures.”

The infection control funding can be used by care providers to pay staff who are required to self-isolate their usual wage. It will also enable them to recruit additional staff to enable care home workers to work in only one home or, where required, restrict them to working only with certain residents or in certain areas of a home.

The testing funding will be used to support ongoing testing for staff and visitors, so that people can continue to safely visit individuals who are living in care homes.

Care sector funding reaches £2 billion

The new batch of funding means that the total amount of money provided to the adult social care sector during the pandemic now stands at £2 billion.

In addition, much of the £4.6 billion awarded to local authorities to meet the costs of the pandemic have also been directed to the sector, and adult social care services have also received some of the £2.5 billion hospital discharge funding.

The government has also pledged to fund free personal protective equipment (PPE) for the adult social care sector until March 2022.

The President of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) said they welcomed the latest funding but added that the government must continue to prioritise adult social care in its response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said: “We now need certainty for all other aspects of adult social care funding so that we can ensure that everyone continues to get the care and support they need.”

Training and support for adult social care

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider. They deliver over 7,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, mental health, health and social care and other special focus topics.

They also offer a portfolio of e-learning training courses, including COVID-19 Infection prevention, identification and control.

A trainer from FRT explains: “All those in the health and social care sector have worked incredibly hard during what has been a very challenging and, at times, distressing, year. It is fantastic that the sector is receiving additional financial support to ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable people in society can continue to be met, and that they can be kept safe.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

New awards for outstanding practice in adult social care

New awards are being launched to recognise outstanding contributions in adult social care.

The Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Professor Deborah Sturdy, has announced new gold and silver awards to acknowledge the exceptional efforts of the social care workforce in England and their range of skills, expertise and compassion.

The awards are the first of their kind for the adult social care sector and will mirror the NHS workforce awards introduced by the Chief Nursing Officer, Ruth May.

Nominations for the awards will be on an application basis, with a form requiring support from two signatories, and will be considered by a panel of NHS and adult social care chief nursing officers and adult social care sector representatives.

They will be awarded throughout the year, with Professor Sturdy aiming to present the first award later in 2021.

A press release from the Department of Health and Social Care explains that the gold award is designed to recognise outstanding achievements and performance demonstrated by a nurse or social care worker within their sphere of practice. This can include clinical practice, education, research or leadership.

The silver award is designed to recognise performance that goes above and beyond the expectations of the day-to-day role that a nurse or social care worker is expected to perform. It could be awarded to an individual or a team and can recognise performance within education, research, patient and carer experience, leadership or tackling diversity and health inequalities.

The awards will include all carers across all types of care setting, not only residential care homes.

Professor Sturdy explained that the awards are being launched at an important time for adult social care, as they will celebrate the huge contribution of the workforce over the past year. She said:

“The pandemic has shone a light on the exemplary efforts of our dedicated social care workforce, and I am committed to ensuring we recognise the selfless hard work they do day in and day out.

“The social care workforce more than ever continues to demonstrate unwavering compassion, professionalism and dedication. Not only during the pandemic but every year.

“I am extremely proud to present these awards to colleagues in social care which reflect those for colleagues in the NHS.

“These individual awards recognise exceptional practice and care and rightly give recognition, acknowledgment and appreciation that those individuals deserve.”

The Minister for Care Helen Whately added:

“Our social care workforce has shown such courage in the last year caring for our most vulnerable during one of the most challenging periods many will ever experience.

“I am thrilled to see the launch of these awards and look forward to seeing the deserving recipients.”

You can find both the gold award nomination form and the silver award nomination form online.

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider. They deliver over 7,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, mental health, health and social care and more.

Their health and social care range includes Person Centred Care, Dignity in Care, Duty of Care, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and many more.

A trainer from FRT says: “We know from our personal experience of working with hundreds of adult social care organisations across the UK, the huge commitment and dedication that care workers and nurses bring to their roles every single day. We think it is fantastic that these new awards are being launched to celebrate that.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

New Skills for Care partnership to support managers

Skills for Care has announced that it has partnered with Quality Compliance Systems (QCS) to better support managers in adult social care.

The two organisations have teamed up to better support managers to develop best practice and knowledge, remain up to date with sector developments and share ideas with their peers.

QCS are a major provider of content, guidance and support for the health and care sector.

Any new care provider which joins them will now be offered Skills for Care’s registered manager membership as part of the new package of support offered by the two organisations.

Skills for Care’s Director of Engagement, Georgina Turner, described this offering as “an exciting step in the new partnership agreement, which formally recognises the high regard in which registered managers are held.”

She added that the partnership “acknowledges the incredible breadth of skill and resourcefulness that they bring to our diverse sector. We look forward to working with QCS to ensure registered managers and their staff have access to an even greater suite of resources.”

Meanwhile, the Director of Sales and Marketing at QCS, Simon Bunegar, said they were “delighted to have formed a collaborative alliance with Skills for Care.”

He said that “the close relationship that both organisations have formed with care providers will mean that, collectively, we can better understand and respond to the myriad of challenges that frontline leaders face. This itself, is both a significant and transformative step forward.”

The independent charity, Skills for Care, is a delivery partner for the Department for Health and Social Care and supports employers to develop best practice in the adult social care industry.

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider. They deliver over 7,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, mental health, health and social care and more.

Their health and social care range includes Moving and Assisting, Person Centred Care, Duty of Care, Safeguarding Adults and many more.

They are endorsed by Skills for Care for their classroom, webinar and e-learning training provision for adult social care organisations.

A trainer from FRT says: “Registered managers in adult social care need help, support and guidance, especially after a particularly tough year with the Covid-19 pandemic and its devastating effects across social care.

“It’s great that Skills for Care is partnering with quality organisations to strengthen the support it can offer to managers in the sector.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Skills for Care helps develop new leading centre for social care

Skills for Care have announced that they will be partnering with the University of Birmingham to develop a new centre for adult social care.

The aim of the new IMPACT (Improving Adult Care Together) centre, which will be the first of its kind in the UK, is to put evidence into practice in order to promote and maintain people’s independence and wellbeing.

The centre will receive £15 million of funding over the next 6 years from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), part of UK Research and Innovation, and the Health Foundation.

Skills for Care and the University of Birmingham join a broader consortium of key stakeholders from across all four nations of the UK in order to develop the new IMPACT centre which will focus on:

Leading the way in helping people working in adult social care, carers, and the people they support to make better use of high-quality, practice-based evidence to support innovation in adult social care
Building capacity and skills within the adult social care workforce
Developing sustainable and productive relationships between all of those working across adult social care
Improving our understanding of what helps or hinders when putting evidence into practice

Skills for Care will be part of the leadership team for the new centre and will work with a wide range of academic, policy and practice partners as well as people who have lived experience of using social care services in order to help develop and lead a programme of innovation and improvement across the sector.

The IMPACT centre will benefit from good practice examples and robust evidence from several different sources across the UK, including unpaid carers, adult social care workers and providers, experts in mobilisation and implementation of evidence, commissioners and policy experts and academic teams.

The IMPACT team will be responsible for agreeing priorities and designing, establishing, delivering and evaluating the Centre’s work programme, which is designed to lead to sustainable change in the way evidence is used within the sector.

Jon Glasby, Professor of Health and Social Care at the University of Birmingham, appointed as IMPACT’s Director, said:

“Adult social care touches people’s lives in such important and intimate ways, and it’s crucial that it’s based on the best possible evidence of what works.

“Good care isn’t just about services; it’s about having a life – and the ESRC and the Health Foundation are providing a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make a real difference.”

Meanwhile, the Programme Head for Workforce Innovation at Skills for Care, Jim Thomas, commented:

“Skills for Care is proud to be part of the sector-led partnership that created the IMPACT centre announced today.

“This centre is the first of its kind committed to putting evidence into practice to promote and maintain people’s independence and wellbeing.

“As part of the impact’s leadership team, we will be working closely to support employees to use the impact centres to work to improve workforce development opportunities. We will work closely with our partners in Skills for Care and Development to embed learning across the UK.”

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider. They deliver over 7,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, mental health, health and social care and more.

Their health and social care range includes Moving and Assisting, Person Centred Care, Dignity in Care, Duty of Care, Safeguarding Adults and many more.

A trainer from FRT says: “It’s fantastic that this new centre is in development which will help care workers and providers to learn from good practice and put evidence-based research into practice to help improve outcomes for people using services.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Call to care campaign launches

The public are being urged to consider and apply for both short and long-term work opportunities in the adult social care sector as well as volunteer roles.

The Department of Health and Social Care have launched the next phase in their national recruitment campaign for the sector, which features television, digital and radio advertising aimed at increasing awareness of long-term career opportunities within adult social care.

In addition, the government is also urging people to register their interest in completing short-term paid work to support the sector during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The ‘Care for Others. Make a Difference’ campaign is part of the long-term recruitment drive and seeks to highlight the rewarding, varied and flexible roles available across the adult social care sector.

It aims to build a sustainable workforce for now and the future.

Employers in adult social care can upload details of their vacancies to the DWP ‘Find a job’ platform. They can also access a number of resources, such as expert advice and templates, to run their own local recruitment activity and maximise the awareness generated by the national campaign.

The campaign website features a badging device, enabling employers to co-brand their own materials and link up with the national recruitment drive.

A campaign newsletter is available to keep people up-to-date.

Meanwhile, the ‘Call to Care’ campaign is targeting jobseekers, volunteers and furloughed workers to register their interest online for short-term paid work opportunities in adult social care.

The campaign has been launched in order to support care homes and home care services to meet additional staffing requirements during the remaining winter months.

It comes as absence rates have more than doubled across the workforce in recent months due to self-isolation requirements as the new Covid-19 variant makes its presence felt across the country.

Local authorities and local adult social care service providers will receive details of registrants so that they can contact candidates directly.

Exact roles available will be based on experience, local need and at the discretion of the local authority and local care providers.

Candidates will receive required training, such as in Infection Prevention and the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), be supported with DBS checks and will receive Covid-19 vaccinations in line with key worker status and the priority vaccine scheme.

The Minister for Care, Helen Whately, said:

“Since the pandemic began, we’ve seen thousands of wonderful people step forward to volunteer for the NHS and take part in our truly tremendous national vaccination effort. Today, I’m asking people to step forward to help in social care too.

“We need more people who want to play their part in this pandemic to choose social care. There are thousands of opportunities, from short-term roles to long-term careers.

“Jobs in the care sector are hard work, but they can also be incredibly rewarding. When you get home from work you know you’ve made a real difference for the people you care for. I know we can’t thank you to care workers too many times for what they do.”

Health Secretary Matt Hancock also commented:

“I am urging the public – whether you are a jobseeker, or looking for a new career – to consider working in care.

“We need short-term support while we face the pandemic and to continue to recruit the right people with the right values, now and into the future.

“Great progress has been made on offering vaccines to all older care home residents and care home staff and this recruitment drive will help us continue to fight this terrible virus.”

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider. They deliver over 7,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, mental health, health and social care and more.

Their health and social care range includes Infection Prevention and Control, Health and Safety, Dignity in Care, Duty of Care, Safeguarding Adults and many more.

A trainer from FRT says: “The adult social care workforce is full of dedicated, compassionate workers who are committed to supporting others to lead fulfilling, dignified lives.

“They deserve so much recognition for the hard work they’ve put in over the past 12 months – and the risks they’ve taken on – and it’s vital that they are supported as they continue to navigate the ongoing pandemic and the impact this has on staff numbers.

“Anyone new to social care must complete the Care Certificate standards and should receive further training in key topics to ensure they can provide high-quality care which is safe and person-centred.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Funding boost to support social care sector

The adult social care sector is set to receive a £269 million funding boost to help protect and support staff and those receiving care.

The funds will be split, with a new £120 million fund to enable local authorities to boost workforce capacity and a £149 million grant system to support lateral flow device testing in the sector.

Announced in December 2020, this grant is designed to increase rapid Covid-19 testing of care staff and facilitate safe care home visits from loved ones, where possible.

It comes as the new, more transmissible coronavirus variant has led to a sharp rise in staff absence rates, as care home and home care staff test positive or are forced to self-isolate due to contact with a confirmed case.

Known as the Workforce Capacity Fund, the £120 million fund for local authorities is being made available to:

Provide additional care staff where shortages arise
Provide support for administrative tasks so that experienced and skilled care staff can focus on providing care and support for residents and those receiving care in their own home
Help existing staff to increase their hours, if they wish, through the provision of overtime payments or by covering childcare costs

Infection prevention and control guidance on staff movement in care homes is also being reinforced, with providers reminded that it is vital that they continue to follow the rules in order to keep staff and residents safe.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the fund would “bolster staffing numbers in a controlled and safe way, whilst ensuring people continue to receive the highest quality of care.”

He spoke of the hope offered by the vaccination programme, and explained:

“Many local authorities across the country already have staffing initiatives in place to increase capacity and address staffing issues. These include care worker staff banks where new recruits are paid during training, re-deployment models where DBS checked staff are trained and moved into operational roles, and end-to-end training and recruitment services.

“The £120 million fund will ensure such initiatives can continue, and help other local authorities implement similar schemes.”

Mr. Hancock added that the £149 million grant would support care providers with the costs associated with “setting up safe testing areas, providing staff training and will contribute towards staff time spent administering and receiving tests.”

Local authorities must pass on 80% of this funding to care homes on a per beds basis, with 20% able to be used at their discretion to support the sector in delivering additional lateral flow device testing.

Minister for Care Helen Whately praised care workers for “doing the most amazing job throughout the pandemic,” adding: “In challenging circumstances, they have been caring for some of the people most at risk from this virus with compassion and skill.”

She explained:

“Increased staff testing remains a critical part of reducing transmission. Care homes currently have access to 3 tests per week for their staff, with daily testing for 7 days in the event of a positive case to protect staff and residents.

“Care homes will have additional lateral flow devices to test individuals working in more than one setting before the start of every shift.

“Restricting staff movement remains critical to minimising the risk of transmission. In response to the government’s consultation, the sector called for an increase in staffing capacity instead of regulation to achieve this goal.”

Meanwhile, the CEO of Care England, Professor Martin Green, said they were “pleased” the government had listened to the care sector’s “deep concerns about banning staff movement.”

He added:

“We want to work with the department to ensure the staff capacity fund delivers to the front line and is suitably flexible to reflect the crisis whereby providers are struggling with staff illness and absenteeism in the same way as their colleagues in the NHS are.

“Staff are our most precious resource and we want to do all that we can to support them, especially in these incredibly difficult times.”

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider. They deliver over 7,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, mental health, health and social care and more.

Their health and social care range includes Infection Prevention and Control, Health and Safety, Dignity in Care, Duty of Care, Safeguarding Adults and many more.

A trainer from FRT says: “We work closely with many local and national care providers and know that they have been having such an incredibly tough time during the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK.

“Those who work in care work incredibly hard to provide person-centred, dignified and compassionate care, even in extremely challenging circumstances.

“It is fantastic news that the sector will receive extra funds to help support and protect these dedicated workers and the people they work to support.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Skills for Care investigates key issues affecting BAME workers

A recent survey from Skills for Care has found that adult social care workers from black, Aisan and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds face significant challenges with racism, progression, representation and health.

People from BAME backgrounds account for 1 in 5 of the adult social care workforce in England, but despite playing a crucial role in the care and support of people in our communities, they often encounter racism, discrimination and barriers to progression in the workplace.

The Covid-19 pandemic has also served to highlight and exacerbate existing inequalities within the workforce and wider society, and the survey aimed to capture how it has impacted on BAME workers in adult social care.

People from BAME backgrounds – whether providing or receiving care – have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic. They are more likely to contract Covid-19, are more likely to die as a result, and those in the workforce are more likely to report a lack of access to PPE and unfair treatment.

Skills for Care wanted to clarify the key issues and concerns affecting the sector, so they surveyed BAME leaders and managers across the adult social care workforce about the challenges they faced as a result of the pandemic.

Over 500 social care workers responded, and Skills for Care have revealed that these respondents spoke up about racism, inequality, progression, representation and health.

Three main challenges

Researchers found that 3 main themes came up when asking about the top challenges facing BAME staff in adult social care: racism; progression and representation, and; health issues.

Respondents cited institutional and systemic racism from and within organisations, management and peers and service users as a major challenge.

Workers from BAME backgrounds often felt that they did not have a voice within the organisations they worked for, and they frequently experienced discrimination and inequalities.

BAME staff also reported barriers that prevented them from progressing in the adult social care workforce, particularly into leadership and management positions. They experienced a lack of training and development opportunities and found that people from BAME backgrounds were not represented at senior levels.

There were also anxieties about the increased risks for BAME staff in relation to Covid-19, with respondents often reporting that they did not feel sufficiently protected at work.

Experiences of racism and anxiety about Covid-19 had also contributed to mental health concerns for workers from BAME backgrounds.

Respondents also cited issues regarding pay gaps, lack of confidence, lack of understanding and support and challenges around acceptance, recognition, respect and being valued.

Supporting BAME workers

Skills for Care asked respondents what they could do to better support adult social care workers from BAME backgrounds, and were told they needed to provide more training.

This ranged from training for managers on the health risks posed by Covid-19 to training for BAME workers in topics such as leadership, resilience, assertiveness and dealing with racism, and training for all workers across social care on subjects such as cultural awareness, diversity unconscious bias and practising anti-racism.

Respondents also wanted greater inclusion; they asked Skills for Care to collaborate more with BAME communities in designing their approach, and to make their resources more accessible.

They also said that people from BAME backgrounds could be given a stronger voice at Skills for Care, with greater representation and more opportunities for discussion and engagement.

In terms of wider support to help them progress, respondents said that steps such as mentoring schemes, networking programmes and greater support for their health and wellbeing would help them reach their potential.

Promoting equality

They survey responses also showed that people wanted Skills for Care to undertake an advocacy role, promoting equality and fair pay across the sector.

Skills for Care also asked respondents about relevant topics they could cover in future webinars about inequalities within the BAME workforce.

Their areas of interest included racism, particularly institutional and systemic racism and how to overcome it, organisational policy and practice, equality and inequality, including pay and discrimination, progression and representation, and Black Lives Matter.

Taking action

Skills for Care are now investigating some of the areas of support raised in the survey.

They are organising a series of webinars starting this month to explore some of the issues raised by respondents and are developing a suite of guidance based on the three main challenges identified in the survey.

They’ve also highlighted some of their current resources, such as ‘Confident with difference’, which, they say will “allow you and your team to consider how well you currently embrace diversity and improvements that could be made.”

The workforce development charity will also work with a BAME focus group of 20 individuals to produce guidance and support for career progression.

They are also “exploring how we can embed what we learned across the organisation so that all aspects of our offer include and reflect the BAME community and diverse workforce. We will continue to engage with the sector to better understand support needs and this will be an ongoing dialogue.”

They’ve created a dedicated page on their website to provide a platform for voices from the diverse social care workforce and will continue to commission blogs and articles from BAME authors.

Training in equality, diversity and inclusion

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider. They deliver over 7,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, mental health, health and social care and more.

Their health and social care range includes Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

A trainer from FRT says: “It is important for all organisations and businesses across all sectors to explore what they can do to challenge and remove inequalities and to promote equality, inclusion and diversity.

“We provide training in Equality and Diversity, and undergo it ourselves. We work to ensure that training is inclusive, representative and accessible to all.

“It’s great to see that Skills for Care have taken the time to do this research and that they are putting their findings into action.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

Care homes must be patient over Covid-19 vaccine rollout

Although care home residents are top of the priority list to receive the new Covid-19 vaccine, logistical issues mean there could be a delay in getting it to them.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has called for patience over the rollout of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for Covid-19, which was approved for use in the UK yesterday (Wednesday 2^nd December 2020) and could be available by next week.

Elderly people living in care homes, and the staff who support them, topped the priority list for vaccination, but the JCVI says the list is designed to be flexible.

They revealed that, as hospitals already have the facilities to store the vaccine at the required temperature of -70C, the very first vaccinations are most likely to take place there in order to prevent any doses being wasted. Likely recipients will be care home staff, NHS staff and patients.

The priority list for who will receive the vaccine first is suggested by the JCVI and decided by government.

Professor Anthony Harnden, Deputy Chairman of the JCVI, said the committee’s “clear remit was to decide on prioritisation groups” but it always understood “there were going to be vaccine product storage, transport and administration constraints.”

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, he added:

“We have advised in our statement that there is flexibility at an approach to this list according to what was actually feasible and logistical on the ground, so this is not wholly unexpected – but the clear list that we have drawn out is a list of priority in terms of vulnerability.”

Professor Harnden acknowledged that the delays in getting the vaccine into care homes would be disappointing for residents and their loved ones.

He explained: “I think just a very small degree of patience is required because I think we are at the forefront here in the UK.

“I think the very short-term practical difficulties of getting this out from a storage point of view should not let us all lose sight of the fact that these care home residents and their staff are our utmost priority – and it may well be possible to get the care home staff to be immunised within a local hospital setting.”

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has been shown to offer up to 95% protection against Covid-19.

The UK has so far ordered 40 million doses, which is enough to vaccinate 20 million people against Covid-19.

These doses will be rolled out as quickly as they can be made by Pfizer in Belgium, with the first load available next week and then “several millions” rolled out throughout December, Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said.

Despite this, the majority of the roll-out across the UK will take place next year and the Chief Executive of NHS England, Sir Simon Stevens, has cautioned that it may not be until April 2021 when all those who are most at-risk have received the new vaccine.

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading, national training provider. They deliver over 7,000 courses each year in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, mental health, health and social care and more.

Their health and social care range includes Infection Control, Health and Safety, Personal Care, Safeguarding Adults, Dementia Awareness, Duty of Care, Dignity in Care and many more.

A trainer from FRT says: “The announcement that the UK is the first country to approve use of the Pfizer vaccine for Covid-19 is the good news that we really needed after a tremendously difficult year.

“Obviously there are still challenging times ahead, and we must continue to follow guidelines and be as safe as possible.

“Vulnerable adults in care homes and key workers will be waiting eagerly for this vaccine and we hope the logistics can be worked through to help them get it as soon as possible.

“At FRT we continue to offer safe training with our Covid-19 Secure Pledge that ensures we can help essential workers to stay up to date with key skills in a safe, supportive environment with stringent hygiene and safety measures in place.”

For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.

CQC report: the state of care in the shadow of Covid-19

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published its annual State of Care report, which this year reveals and compares the quality of health and social care in England both before and after the Covid-19 pandemic took hold.

The major report shows that, in the period before the full impact of Covid-19 was felt, care in England was generally good.

There had, however, been very little overall improvement made and some specific areas of concern were identified. These included NHS emergency care, maternity and mental health services.

By 31^st March 2020, more than half of all urgent and emergency care services had a CQC rating of Requires Improvement or Inadequate, while a quarter of maternity services were rated as Requires Improvement.

Within mental health, inspections continued to expose poor care in inpatient wards for people with learning disabilities or autism. The proportion of services rated as Inadequate rose from 4% to 13%, with the majority of deterioration seen in independent services, rather than NHS ones.

In social care, 80% of adult care services were rated as Good and 5% as Outstanding but the absence of a long-term funding plan had left the sector fragile, with investment and workforce planning urgently needed.

In primary medical services, overall ratings remained largely unchanged, with 89% of GP practices rated as good and 5% as outstanding. However, the CQC cautioned that these topline results masked a more volatile situation, with some GP practices deteriorating while others improved.

Covid changes the picture

The report, which is based on inspections and ratings data from 31,000 services and providers and draws upon other information such as staff and public surveys, reveals that these observations remain true following the onset of the pandemic but notes that many other factors within the health and care sector have changed.

The initial response to the pandemic has provided opportunities to learn and things to build on or reassess for the future, while services which were already slow to improve must be sure not to fall farther behind.

For instance, the report highlights how services were able to quickly adapt to the new normal and develop procedures for new ways of working, often making use of technology. The transition to online and telephone GP consultations – something which was previously expected to take place over years – happened almost overnight.

The sector must now address how to retain and develop the best aspects of these new procedures while ensuring that no one is disadvantaged.

In the early days of the pandemic, decisions were made on a fire-fighting basis to prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed, but the report stresses that now is the time to reset priorities to ensure that the longer-term response is more sophisticated and inclusive of all – regardless of what care people need or where they receive it.

Collaboration is key for fighting Covid

Local leaders need to collaborate and build capacity to respond together to the needs in their region.

This renewed focus on people’s needs is made all the more vital by the fact that Covid-19 has had a significantly greater impact on those who were already more likely to experience poorer health outcomes. This includes people from black and minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities and people living in more deprived areas.

During the summer, the CQC reviewed the ways in which health, social care and other local services worked together in 11 parts of the country.

They found that there were differences in the way they responded to Covid-19 but there was evidence that the places with pre-established working relationships and a better understanding of the need in their local areas were better able to care for their local population during the crisis.

Covid ‘magnifying inequalities’

Lessons learned from these reviews need to be used to develop longer-term response plans for the pandemic. The CQC says these plans must recognise the backlog of people who could not access care during the height of the pandemic and the problems that pre-date Covid.

Covid-19 has essentially held up a magnifying glass to problems in the social care sector, including the need for reform, funding and workforce planning.

The CQC’s report about bitcoin360ai noted down carefully and calls for these issues to be addressed urgently and underpinned by a new deal for the care workforce – one which offers clear career progression, attracts the right skills and supports and values staff, with investment in training.

The CQC will continue to support improvement and take action against failing services to protect people from harm. They are particularly working to highlight areas such as commissioning and staffing which demand a national response in order to improve health and care outcomes.

The care watchdog will also be carrying out targeted programmes of work looking at building resilience across the sector as it continues to respond to Covid-19.

The Chief Executive of the CQC, Ian Trenholm, explains that, rather than being a ‘leveller’, the coronavirus pandemic is “magnifying inequalities.”

He says:

“Pre-Covid, the health and care system was often characterised as resistant to change. Covid has demonstrated that this is not the case. The challenge now is to maintain the momentum of transformation, but to do so in a sustainable way that delivers for everyone – driven by local leadership with a shared vision and supported by integrated funding for health and care.

“There is an opportunity now for Government, Parliament and health and care leaders to agree and lay out a vision for the future at both a national and local level. Key to this will be tackling longstanding issues in adult social care around funding and operational support, underpinned by a new deal for the care workforce. This needs to happen now – not at some point in the future.

“Covid is magnifying inequalities across the health and care system – a seismic upheaval which has disproportionately affected some more than others and risks turning fault lines into chasms. As we adjust to a Covid age, the focus must be on shaping a fairer health and care system – both for people who use services, and for those who work in them.”

Investment in the care workforce

First Response Training (FRT) is a leading national training provider.

They deliver over 200 different course types to a wide and diverse client base, providing training in the fields of health and safety, first aid, fire safety, food hygiene, mental health, health and social care and other special focus topics.

They work with hundreds of providers across the health and social care sector, delivering training that meets national occupational and Care Certificate standards and beyond.

Courses available include awards in Infection Control, Person Centred Care, Dignity in Care, Equality and Diversity, Dementia Awareness, Safeguarding Adults and more.

A trainer from FRT says:

“We know that those working in the care sector are an incredibly hard working and dedicated group of people. Many frontline care workers have put themselves at risk and made numerous sacrifices over the last few months to keep the people they support safe and well.

“The care sector is hurting, as they have been hit hard by this pandemic; but they have come out fighting and shown themselves to be adaptable.

“We are pleased that this report has highlighted that, while also detailing where improvements can be made and lessons learned to ensure better care for all now and in the future. Investment in staff training and development is one way of supporting this goal, ensuring staff feel valued and have the right skills to help the right people in the right way.”

For more information about the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or e-mail info@firstresponsetraining.com.