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Financial support for covid-related costs in social care – survey

Scottish Care has published a survey on financial support for covid-related costs in social care. This survey is designed to provide intelligence on the sector’s experience of and need for financial support for pandemic response. We will use this data to provide evidence for further support if the results show this is what is required.

Please take the time to complete the survey, which can be accessed by clicking the button below.

The survey will be open until close of play Friday 16 October.

Access the survey here – https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/MWRRGZT

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Occupational Risk Assessment Tool – updated clarification

On Friday September 18 the Care Inspectorate issued a Provider Update featuring information on the COVID-19 occupational risk assessment tool. It has come to their attention that the information provided was out of date and they have therefore included a clarification below:

The Scottish Government has provided additional guidance on the risk and vulnerability assessment process in relation to the specific risk of COVID-19 to individuals in the workplace.

In particular, this is relevant to those staff members who are returning to work after shielding, those who are returning to normal duties after COVID-19 related restrictions, those who are returning to the workplace after working from home or anyone who has a concern about a personal vulnerability to COVID-19.

The tool can be used to assess the risk and enable employers to support staff by introducing suitable controls. The assessment tool allows the employee to complete an individual risk assessment with their manager using the COVID-19 occupational risk assessment tool. This will support staff and managers to agree a course of action on working duties. The tool can be found at the bottom of the guidance linked to above.

Further guidance on COVID-19 individual risk assessment for the workplace can be found here.

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Information and guidance for care homes version 1.7 – 17 September 2020

The Health Protection Scotland ‘Information and guidance for care homes’ Guidance resource has been updated as of 17 September 2020.  The most up to date version is Version 1.7.

This version includes the following changes:

1 Measures to prevent spread of COVID-19 and protect people at increased risk of severe illness: advice updated
1.2 Spread of COVID-19 in care homes: information updated

3 Providing care to residents during COVID-19 pandemic: advice updated and link to outbreak checklist added
4 Shielding in care homes updated
6 Admission of individuals to the care home: advice updated
7 Testing in care homes: advice updated
9.1 PPE: addition of extended use advice
15.2 Minimise external staff: updated
15.3 Enabling staff to follow key measures described in this guidance to prevent viral spread: information updated of staff support funding
15.4 Staff who have contact with a case of COVID-19 at work: advice updated
15.5 Staff testing: screening logistics update
15.6 Staff who have recovered from COVID-19: advice updated, including for asymptomatic PCR+ and significance for visiting
16 Personal or work travel: advice updated
17 Visiting care homes: visiting advice updated
19 Death certification during COVID-19 pandemic: updated
Annex 1: non-healthcare setting additions updated
Appendix 1: HPT contact email addresses added
Appendix 3: advice updated

The Guidance should be accessed here – https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/web-resources-container/covid-19-information-and-guidance-for-care-home-settings/

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Social Care Worker Toolkit – Seasonal Flu

 

Flu is serious and with Covid-19 around, it is more important than ever to get the flu vaccine.

The seasonal flu campaign will launch on October 1st with a mass media campaign including TV, radio, digital, press and social activity, with the above core theme.

With increased eligibility this year a social care worker toolkit has been developed which providers will hopefully find useful and share with colleagues and contacts.

A social media video asset covering both health and social care workers is also being developed.  It will be available in the next two weeks and added to the links above; highlighting to these groups their vital role in getting vaccinated early to protect themselves and others, including those in their care, and to help the NHS avoid the pressure that a spike in seasonal flu would put on top of COVID-19.

On the social care toolkit there will be a film from Professor Jason Leitch speaking directly to health and social care workers, asking for their support.

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Extension to care home visiting announced

Care home residents will be able to start receiving more visitors, the Scottish Government has confirmed.

Care home residents will be able to have more than one outdoor visitor and will also be able to have one designated person allowed to visit them indoors provided their home meets strict criteria and the visiting extension has been signed off by local Public Health officials, with infection control measures remaining in place.

Since 3 July care homes which have met this criteria have been able to allow residents to meet with one designated visitor outdoors.

A care home will only be able to permit visiting if they have been COVID-free throughout the pandemic or if all affected residents have fully recovered and no residents have had symptoms for 28 days.

Visitors will need to wear face coverings throughout their visit and physical distancing and hand and cough hygiene will need to be adhered to at all times.

Essential visits, including those involving end of life care, have been permitted throughout the pandemic and should continue to be supported by care homes.

Dr Donald Macaskill, CEO of Scottish Care said: 

“The last few months have been exceptionally hard for folks in our care homes and for their families, being separated with only limited, often virtual, contact. At the beginning of July we opened up care homes to outdoor visiting and I am very pleased that in our slow journey back to normal life we can shortly allow the careful start of a degree of indoor visiting subject to local sign off by Public Health Officials. As well as this, it is positive that an increase in the numbers able to visit residents outdoors is now possible.

“Throughout the restoration of family visiting, we have tried to strike the hard balance between getting people back to seeing and being with their families and keeping residents, staff and others safe from the virus. We are very aware of how pernicious this virus is so guidance and measures will remain in place to protect everyone.”

 

Background

LINK TO GUIDANCE

 

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The impact of COVID-19 on social care profile

Final theme: Profile - how has COVID-19 impacted the profile of social care services?

 

Thank you to those who have participated in or circulated the Care Futures surveys so far. If you haven't done so yet, you can still access the surveys here: https://scottishcare.org/care-future-surveys/

The final survey is focused on the theme of ‘Profile’.

In this theme we are interested to explore perceptions of the independent social care sector during the pandemic, relationships with the media, opportunities for enhancing understanding, awareness and profile and the future potential of the sector in relation to its profile.

The survey has 4 sections: Perception, understanding & awareness; Value & recognition; Media, publicity & scrutiny; and Future profile.

If you would like to see the questions in advance to help you complete the survey fully, you can download a PDF of the survey here - download survey questions.

You can also download Word copies of the survey to complete by hand or to distribute to others - download Word survey questions.

We would appreciate your support in circulating the survey as widely as possible across your networks, including to any individuals who access care and support and their families who may like to share their experiences.

If you don’t feel that you have had direct working experience with the independent care sector during the pandemic but you would like to be involved in the second phase of the programme, please let us know at [email protected] and we will be in contact in due course.

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Share wellbeing impacts & supports through COVID-19

Fifth theme: wellbeing- how has wellbeing been impacted and what supports have been useful during COVID-19?

This week the survey is focused on the theme of ‘Wellbeing’.

In this theme we are interested to explore the impacts of COVID-19 on wellbeing for staff, residents, families and people supported as well as the forms, use and value of wellbeing supports.

The survey has 3 sections: Wellbeing impacts, Forms of support, and Future wellbeing.

If you would like to see the questions in advance to help you complete the survey fully, you can download a PDF of the survey here - download survey questions.

You can also download Word copies of the survey to complete by hand or to distribute to others - download Word survey questions.

We would appreciate your support in circulating the survey as widely as possible across your networks, including to any individuals who access care and support and their families who may like to share their experiences.

If you don’t feel that you have had direct working experience with the independent care sector during the pandemic but you would like to be involved in the second phase of the programme, please let us know at [email protected] and we will be in contact in due course.

Thank you to those who have participated in or circulated the Care Futures surveys so far. If you haven't done so yet, you can still access the surveys here: https://scottishcare.org/care-future-surveys/

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Collective Care Future: share your COVID-19 workforce experiences

Fourth theme: workforce - what has your experience of working in social care during COVID-19 been?

This week the survey is focused on the theme of ‘Workforce’.

In this theme we are interested to explore the impacts of COVID-19 on many different aspects of work in social care. 

The survey has 4 sections: workforce impacts; staffing levels, recruitment & induction; skills, training & confidence; and future workforce.

If you would like to see the questions in advance to help you complete the survey fully, you can download a PDF of the survey here - download survey questions.

You can also download Word copies of the survey to complete by hand or to distribute to others - download Word survey questions.

We would appreciate your support in circulating the survey as widely as possible across your networks, including to any individuals who access care and support and their families who may like to share their experiences.

If you don’t feel that you have had direct working experience with the independent care sector during the pandemic but you would like to be involved in the second phase of the programme, please let us know at [email protected] and we will be in contact in due course.

Thank you to those who have participated in or circulated the Care Futures surveys so far. If you haven't done so yet, you can still access the surveys here: https://scottishcare.org/care-future-surveys/

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Collective Care Future: tell us about partnership

Third theme: share your experiences of partnership working during COVID-19

This week the survey is focused on the theme of ‘Partnership’.

We are using the word 'partnership' to describe different organisations or people working together to support care delivery.  We are interested to hear your experiences of working with others in partnership or your experience of care and support as a result of different organisations and people working together.

In this theme we are interested to explore new or different ways of working with wider health, social care, community and other partners that have developed during COVID-19, what the impact of these partnerships has been on care delivery and what forms of support and/or collaboration have been most valuable.

The survey has 3 sections: Experience of Partnership, Impact of Partnership and Future Partnership.

If you would like to see the questions in advance to help you complete the survey fully, you can download a PDF of the survey here - download survey questions.

You can also download Word copies of the survey to complete by hand or to distribute to others - download Word survey questions.

We would appreciate your support in circulating the survey as widely as possible across your networks, including to any individuals who access care and support and their families who may like to share their experiences.

If you don’t feel that you have had direct working experience with the independent care sector during the pandemic but you would like to be involved in the second phase of the programme, please let us know at [email protected] and we will be in contact in due course.

This week the survey is focused on the theme of ‘Partnership’.

We are using the word 'partnership' to describe different organisations or people working together to support care delivery.  We are interested to hear your experiences of working with others in partnership or your experience of care and support as a result of different organisations and people working together.

In this theme we are interested to explore new or different ways of working with wider health, social care, community and other partners that have developed during COVID-19, what the impact of these partnerships has been on care delivery and what forms of support and/or collaboration have been most valuable.

The survey has 3 sections: Experience of Partnership, Impact of Partnership and Future Partnership.

If you would like to see the questions in advance to help you complete the survey fully, you can download a PDF of the survey here - download survey questions.

You can also download Word copies of the survey to complete by hand or to distribute to others - download Word survey questions.

We would appreciate your support in circulating the survey as widely as possible across your networks, including to any individuals who access care and support and their families who may like to share their experiences.

If you don’t feel that you have had direct working experience with the independent care sector during the pandemic but you would like to be involved in the second phase of the programme, please let us know at [email protected] and we will be in contact in due course.

Thank you to those who have participated in or circulated the Care Futures surveys so far. If you haven't done so yet, you can still access the surveys here: https://scottishcare.org/care-future-surveys/

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Collective Care Future: survey on care practice

Second theme: care practice - share your views and experiences

The first phase of the Collective Care Future programme is now underway, focused on understanding the pandemic experience across many different areas of practice both in care homes and care at home.

If you have experience of working or connecting with care homes or care at home services during COVID-19, we invite you to take part in this survey series to share your experience. We’d love to hear from care providers, front line staff, relatives and loved ones of people supported, individuals in care settings and those working in roles in other sectors or parts of the sector who work alongside care services. You can choose to take part in as many or as few of the surveys as you wish.

This week the survey is focused on the theme of ‘Care Practice’. In this theme we are interested to explore the ways in which the delivery of care and support has changed, across areas such as dementia, palliative and end of life care, assessment and care planning.  It includes ways of delivering care which you may have adopted or been aware of previously and those which you have experienced for the first time during the pandemic.

The survey has 4 sections: Impact on Care Practice, Regulation & Guidance, Outcomes & Priorities, and Future Care Practice.

Access survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/carefutures-carepractice

If you would like to see the questions in advance to help you complete the survey fully, you can download a PDF of the survey here - download survey questions.

You can also download Word copies of the survey to complete by hand or to distribute to others - download Word survey questions.

We would appreciate your support in circulating the survey as widely as possible across your networks, including to any individuals who access care and support and their families who may like to share their experiences. 

If you don’t feel that you have had direct working experience with the independent care sector during the pandemic but you would like to be involved in the second phase of the programme, please let us know at [email protected] and we will be in contact in due course.

Thank you to those who have participated in the first survey on Technology.  If you haven't done so yet, you can still access the survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/carefutures-technology