As part of the Dundee HSCP response to Covid-19 we recognise the need for all providers of health and social care services and supports to have up-to-date and accurate national and local information.
NATIONAL INFORMATION SOURCES
Official information can be found at the following sources, and is being regularly updated:
- General info from NHS Inform – https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/coronavirus-covid-19#overview
- Advice from Health Protection Scotland – https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/a-to-z-of-topics/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov/
- NEW Care Inspectorate COVID-19 Outbreak Notifications – The Care Inspectorate has changed some of their COVID-19 notifications to make them easier to use. There are now four specific notification categories: suspected cases of COVID-19, end of suspected outbreak of COVID-19, confirmed cases of COVID-19, and end of confirmed COVID-19 outbreak notification. You can find more details at: https://www.careinspectorate.com/index.php/news/5825-covid-19-outbreak-notifications?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
- NEW Recovery Community and Mutual Aid groups COVID-19 Guidance – The Scottish Government has reminded providers that non-NHS peer-led support groups such as AA can continue to offer face-to-face and group support where this is deemed essential and where appropriate protective measures (such as physical distancing) are in place. Guidance has been drafted by the Scottish Recovery Consortium can be accessed at: https://scottishrecoveryconsortium.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/V1.-SRC-Recovery-Community-Guidance.pdf
- NEW Delivering Care at Home and Housing Support Services, Care Inspectorate Report – The Care Inspectorate has published ‘Delivering care at home and housing support services during the COVID-19 pandemic’. The report draws together the views of health and social care partnerships and service providers about their experience of care at home and housing support services during the first phases of the pandemic. The report is intended to help to inform future planning for, and improvement, in these services. You can read the report at: Care Inspectorate Report
| It is important to note that the situation is evolving and therefore NHS Inform and Health Protection Scotland resources should be checked regularly by all providers for updated information.
KEY MESSAGES NEW Free Flu Vaccination for Social Care Workers Providing Direct Personal Care – Every winter, frontline workers in health and social care are encouraged to get vaccinated against flu. This year, more than ever before, it is vitally important. In recognition of the critical need to protect the most vulnerable in our society, all health and frontline social care workers this year are eligible for a free NHS flu vaccination. Social care workers providing direct personal care are eligible to receive a free flu vaccination in any participating community pharmacy across Tayside from Monday 28th September. This includes workers providing direct personal in community care for people at home, including housing support and Personal Assistants. Social care workers should contact the pharmacy of their choice and agree a time with the pharmacy to receive their vaccination. They must take a copy of the letter attached to this update (which includes a list of participating pharmacies) and a work ID badge as proof of eligibility. Further details are attached to this update. Community pharmacies will be the primary route for eligible social care staff to get vaccinated this year. Eligible staff who are employed by Dundee City Council should access vaccination using this route – you will not be offered a vaccination through the Council’s own programme. Some eligible social care staff may also be invited to be vaccinated as part of the adult flu programme (because they are in an eligible age group or at risk group); please use the occupational community pharmacy route if you can as this will assist in managing the demands of the expanded flu vaccination programme this year. Please note that care home staff will be offered vaccination within their place of work and there will be separate contact with care homes in relation to this. Free NHS Flu Vaccination at Community Pharmacy NEW Dundee Carers Partnership COVID-19 Engagement – The Dundee Carers Partnership want to hear about the experiences of unpaid carers, young carers and the workforce during the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19). The Carers Partnership plans actions to support adults and children who support a family member, partner, friend or neighbour who needs help because they are a disabled adult or child, have a long term illness or condition (including Mental Health), are affected by frailty in older age or by substance use. We want to hear from you, so that we can learn more about your experiences and use the information and views you share to develop our future plans and Covid-19 recovery support to offer the best support we can to carers. We would value your input by providing us with your feedback. We have two surveys that you can choose from: 1. If you are an unpaid carer or young carer living in Dundee, or you are caring for someone living in Dundee, we would value your input by providing us with your feedback, click here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CPCovid-19carerssurvey 2. If you work with unpaid carers as a volunteer or someone employed to support carers or to support people of all ages who have the support of unpaid carers, click here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CPCovid-19workforcesurvey As part of this engagement, we are also inviting organisations to facilitate focus groups with carers they support as another mechanism to capture carers views and experiences of Covid-19. This will help us to capture additional information from carers about their lived experiences of the Covid-19 pandemic, views on what’s currently working well and what could be improved and suggestions/ideas to inform future Covid-19 planning and recovery. If you are currently supporting carers and are interested in facilitating a focus group session, then we would greatly appreciate your involvement with this. If you would like to organise a focus group on behalf of your organisation please contact Lucinda.godfrey@dundeecarerscentre.org.uk for information and to request materials to support this. ACTIONS FOR PROVIDERS TO CONSIDER At this time we continue to advise all providers to pro-actively consider the following issues:
If any provider is unable to meet these timescales they should discuss this with the Social Care Contracts Team as soon as possible. The Team will also be happy to discuss any service / provider specific queries in relation to this guidance. PUBLIC HEALTH – KEY MESSAGES Public Health bodies continue to promote the FACTS campaign to everyone living in Scotland:
Comprehensive public health advice for members of the public is available at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/infections-and-poisoning/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-covid-19-general-advice Anyone working in health and social care should also follow any setting specific guidance from Health Protection Scotland, which will be available at https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/a-to-z-of-topics/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov/ NHS Inform are aware that people may be anxious about seeking health care for conditions other than COVID-19 but want to emphasise that:
hscproviders@dundeecity.gov.uk Kathryn Sharp |