Care Provider Covid-19 Newsletter
August 2022
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Attachments for this bulletin are available for download online
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Successful event
On 9th August our hand hygiene event was held at The Hollies Midsomer Norton which was a tremendous success with over 70 visitors from all walks of life dropping in to learn about germ busting and hand hygiene. Good fun was had by all trying the Ultra Violet Light box challenge. Due to the success, we hope to be holding a further event in the near future – date to be agreed.
In the mean time if you would like a refresher on hand hygiene please drop us an email at– IPC@bathnes.gov.uk we will be in contact to arrange a suitable day and time – your staff can take the ‘ultra violet light box challenge.’
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Supporting our residents hand hygiene
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As we are all aware hand hygiene is one of the most important procedures for preventing the spread of infection and using soap and water is gold standard.
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Staff have regular training and hand hygiene audits are carried out, but have you given any thought to the residents’ hand hygiene?
Some IPC teams in Somerset have provided hand hygiene training to staff to encourage and engage with residents to increase their hand hygiene, eg before leaving their rooms and on return, before tea and biscuits or any time they eat or drink etc Following on from the increase in training there appeared to be a reduction in the spread of infection.
Providers have found this to be particularly helpful with those residents who walk with purpose, however some residents will struggle with using soap and water or gel, so have you thought of using a foam alcohol hand sanitiser?
BANES IPC team are currently able to provide training for staff specifically aimed at supporting residents to maintain a good standard of hand hygiene.
Please email IPC@BATHNES.GOV.UK to book a training session.
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Save the date
UKHSA and NHSE are jointly hosting a winter prepardness webinar on the 14th Sepember 14:00-16:00
Please look out for a separate email over the coming weeks which will have more details and how to attend.
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Current guidance
Please refer to the links below for full details.
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Updated guidance
COVID-19 supplement to the infection prevention and control resource for adult social care link
Updated 24 August 2022
Changes made:
- Updated guidance on asymptomatic testing which will come into force on 31st August 2022. This reflects policy changes that remove guidance for staff to conduct regular asymptomatic testing and remove guidance for visitors providing personal care to test asymptomatically
- Updated discharge from hospital advice to make clear that the period of isolation is continuous and does not restart moving between services
- Removed the document ‘Summary of changes to COVID-19 guidance to adult social care providers’
All IPC guidance on COVID-19 for adult social care settings is in the document in the link above.
Accompanying fact sheet available which has useful tables – particularly around testing of admissions etc.
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Visiting resources
For information on visiting during an outbreak please see the two attachments for more information.
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Outbreak testing for two or more positive cases within a care setting
Just a reminder of the testing required in accordance with current government guidelines with two or more positive cases within a setting:
If you are advised to initiate whole home outbreak testing, in addition to completing rapid response testing for staff, all staff and residents should conduct both an LFD test and a PCR test on day 1 of the outbreak and another LFD test and PCR test between days 4 and 7. The LFD test will allow you to identify and isolate the most infectious cases immediately whilst awaiting PCR results, therefore reducing the risk of the virus spreading.
Please see attached Testing Flow Chart and you will have received a hand delivered laminated copy.
If you have any questions or queries please email IPC@bathnes.gov.uk and one of the team will get back to you.
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Current guidance on mask wearing
Mask wearing for visitors
A face mask when visiting a care home is still a requirement for visitors, particularly when moving through the home. Individual approaches may be needed as the wearing of face masks may cause distress to some residents. In circumstances where wearing a face mask causes distress to a resident, face masks may be removed when the visit is not in a communal area of the care home.
Removal of the mask in non-communal areas may also be considered following a risk assessment if it is hindering communication, or in the case that the visitor is eating or drinking. However, other mitigations should be considered, including limiting close contact, increased ventilation (while maintaining a comfortable temperature)
You will have received a hand delivered laminated copy if you If you would like to print off a poster to remind visitors to wear a mask please see attached or email the IPC Team/
Mask wearing for staff
Face masks should be worn by all care workers and encouraged for visitors in care settings and when providing care in people’s own homes, irrespective of whether the person being cared for is known or suspected to have COVID-19 or not. This is sometimes referred to as ‘universal masking’ or ‘source control’ and is a means of preventing any spread of infection from the mask wearer.
The guidance for adult social care has not changed and mask wearing is still required. Until any changes are announced all the current guidance and IPC measures still apply.
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Admission During an Outbreak
Care homes who wish to take admissions during this time should follow the B&NES Council Discharge Process for admission of patients to care homes during periods of outbreak and complete the BNES Council Care Home Admission risk-assessment, to ensure that it is safe to accept the admission for all concerned.
The Local Authority Public Health Team, Commissioner for Adult Social Care and the Infection, Prevention and Control Team are available to provide support and advice to aid this process.
The purpose of the process and risk assessment is to assure confidence for the resident, their family, your staff and current residents of safety, during this period of high community rates of COVID-19 infection.
Please note that as per the guidance the final decision to accept an admission lies with the Registered Care Manager.
If you are unsure about whether the admission/discharge is a known Covid contact we would recommend you isolate them for 10 days, with the option of release early as per the guidance.
Please contact the IP&C team if you want to take an admission if any of the following apply:
- You are currently under outbreak restrictions
- The admission/discharge is Covid positive
- The admission/discharge is a known Covid contact
If you have and questions or queries please email IPC@bathnes.gov.uk and one of the team will get back to you.
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Safeguarding training
Safeguarding Training is also available and details of how to join can be found on the link Bath & North East Somerset Community Safety and Safeguarding Partnership website.
Managers will need to create an account as detailed in the attached booking guide which can be found on the safeguarding training section.
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Lost property following discharge
We have listened to the Care Home managers concerns about the discharge’s from the RUH and issues around missing items; We have worked with the RUH and have organised a plan for RUH to support care homes following discharge. To be used for those discharged within the last 48 hours.
The plan will be two numbers, unfortunately it isn’t possible to cover with one number. They are:
In hours 9-4 Mon-Friday will be the discharge team admin – 01225 825698. The admin team will take the calls and allocate the task to a DLN on duty who will then follow up, action and liaise with the home.
Out of Hours – Clinical Site team 07766 498314. If the issue isn’t immediately urgent and the task can wait until the morning, this will be handed over to the DLN team. If urgent the CSM team will action.
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Survey
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging time for everyone for the last two and a half years. Life has changed for many of us as we were asked to self-isolate, wear protective masks, respect social distance rules, and move our lives online.
As restrictions have eased and life returns to a new normality, BEMSCA are conducting some research to better understand what impact COVID has had on people, both physically and mentally. They are particularly keen to hear from care home staff and residents from Black and Minority Ethnic communities.
We’d be very grateful if you could share the attached with your staff and any care home residents and encourage them to fill out BEMSCA’s health and wellbeing survey (QR code in the attached document). The survey will remain open until 31 October 2022.
Results from the survey will be shared with BEMSCA trustees and membership, Public Health B&NES and other appropriate stakeholders within this project. BEMSCA can also provide a hard copy of the questionnaire if preferred.
Please contact michaelautonconsultancy@gmail.com if you would like further information or would like a hard copy of the questionnaire.
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Consent process for Autumn Booster Programme and care home visits
In preparation for the Autumn Booster Programme and Care Homes visits please find attached guidance regarding the consent process.
Given the timescales to commence a booster vaccination programme for care home residents, care home staff should start the consenting process next week in advance of the Autumn booster vaccination.
You may also receive this guidance via your GP surgery so apologies for any duplication.
Please see attachment.
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There's Still Time to Grab Your Covid-19 Vaccination First, Second Or Booster Doses
Anyone aged 5 years old and over can book their vaccination appointment online or find a walk-in clinic on the NHS website. You need to be registered with a GP (or call 119) to book online. You do not need to book or be registered with a GP to use a walk-in clinic.
'Grab a Jab'
If you're planning to attend a walk-in, please check the 'grab a jab' website to make sure the site is open on the day.
If you’ve had a positive Covid-19 test, you need to wait before getting any dose of the vaccine:
- 4 weeks, or 28 days if you're aged 18+ and or if you're an at risk 12-17 year old
- 12 weeks, or 84 days if you're aged 12-17
This starts from the date you had symptoms, or the date of the positive test if you didn't have any symptoms. If you or your child have had symptoms of Covid-19, but haven't had a test, you should wait until your symptoms are better to get a Covid-19 vaccine. Talk to a healthcare professional at the site.
Upcoming clinics
All clinics are currently only for 12-year-olds in Y8 and older
Bath City Football Club, 105 High St, Twerton, Bath, BA2 1DB
7th September 11-5.30pm
30th September 11-5.30pm
Bath Citadel Salvation Army, Green Park Road, Bath, BA1 1XE
8th September 11-5.30pm
22nd September 11-5.30pm
'Grab a cab'
‘Grab a Cab’ is open to anyone living in Bath and North East Somerset who is having difficulties getting to a COVID-19 vaccination site. The ‘Grab a Cab’ initiative means residents can now hire a free taxi to get to their vaccination appointment.
To use the service, the COVID-19 vaccination must be pre-booked and the service user will need to show evidence of the appointment to the taxi driver. Evidence can include a screenshot on a mobile phone or tablet, or a printout.
To book the taxi, the person will need to call V-Cars on 01225 46 46 46 and say they would like to book a taxi to a vaccination site on account quoting:
- Account number: BA-TTV 01
- Account name: Grab a Cab
- Password: Vaccination site
Once the taxi is booked, the taxi driver will pick the person up and take them to their appointment. Please be aware that the return journey must be within an hour of the appointment time.
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COVID-19 booster and flu jab this autumn
On coronavirus (COVID-19) boosters, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has now published its final recommendations for this autumn’s programme.
Under the advice, those eligible for a further dose will be:
- all adults aged 50 years and over
- those aged 5 to 49 years in a clinical risk group, including pregnant women
- those aged 5 to 49 years who are household contacts of people with immunosuppression
- those aged 16 to 49 years who are carers
- residents in a care home for older adults and staff working in care homes for older adults
- frontline health and social care workers
The full article is available online.
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DHSC Autumn flu And Covid-19 vaccination data collection
You may have already received this information. details of the changes for the Capacity Tracker in relation to Covid 19 Vaccination and Flu Data are listed on the attachment.
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Mental Health Campaign – Lift someone out of loneliness
Feeling lonely is something that all of us can experience at any point and it can have a huge impact on our wellbeing. It’s important to remember that these feelings can pass and that there are lots of ways we can help each other too.
Fancy a cuppa? Fancy a walk? Sometimes reaching out to each other with as little as three words can make a big difference.
As part of the Better Health: Every Mind Matters campaign, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport are encouraging people to ‘Lift Someone Out of Loneliness’ by taking a simple action to help someone who may be feeling lonely. If we do this regularly, we can all help to lift each other up.
Find out how you can help to lift someone out of loneliness.
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Looking after your wellbeing
With the ongoing pressures we are facing to deliver critical services, we would like to remind you that help and support is available for health and social care staff in Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW).
The BSW Wellbeing Matters team can provide direct access to psychologists and registered mental health clinicians who will use their expertise to help you access support. The BSW Wellbeing Matters Team provides consultation, advice and support to individuals and teams and can help services think about the wellbeing of their staff and offer advice and support as appropriate.
To contact the team to request support, please call 0800 953 9003 and leave a message on the answer phone or alternatively by email - awp.bswwellbeinghub@nhs.net
To find out more about the BSW Wellbeing Matters service visit: http://www.awp.nhs.uk/advice-support/bsw-wellbeing-matters/
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ASC_Commissioning@bathnes.gov.uk
Lewis House, Manvers Street, Bath, BA1 1JQ
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