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Care Providers give critical support to the most at-risk citizens in our communities, and the leadership of social care in Wales is proud for your continued commitment and hard work.
This information bulletin should be read in conjunction with the most recent advice from Public Health Wales (PHW) and Welsh Government.
The aim of this briefing is to keep providers informed of the latest updates, provide advice and respond to general enquiries.
Topic | Detail | Links | ||
Social Care Wales | ||||
Workforce wellbeing and support (reissue of information and new support offer) | A reminder of support available:
In addition, Social Care Wales in partnership with Age Cymru are developing an offer of peer support for care staff who have experienced more significant losses, and are experiencing grief and loss
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Health and well-being resources to help
Time for You Meeting Registration - Zoom
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-and-social-
Please get in touch with rebecca.cicero@socialcare.wales to find out more | ||
WeCare.Wales Rapid Recruitment pilot in
| In response to concerns about the availability of workers as a result of Covid-19, a rapid recruitment programme is being piloted with the aim of fast-tracking people into jobs across the sector. A free four-day online training course (28 & 29 Jan and 3 & 4 February) will cover the essentials needed to start work in social care. The course is mapped to the All-Wales Induction Framework for Health and Social Care workers. Recruits will need to be available to attend all four days.
Potential recruits are being asked to register their interest on the WeCare Wales jobs portal. They will then be contacted for a telephone interview, as first part of the screening process for their suitability to work in social care.
If you have a newly appointed member of staff i.e. within four weeks of the set training dates and are having difficulties training them as a result of Covid-19, we may be able to offer them a place on the course. Please contact us at contact@wecare.wales to discuss.
The pilot will be evaluated by SCIE, with plans for further courses in February to April. Please visit WeCare.Wales for details of future courses and how to submit job opportunities.
In response to the current Covid pressures, other regions are also looking at opportunities to establish a similar programme as part of mutual aid and contingency plans. | Training course - employers ENG
For further information contact: Karen Wakelin Rheolwr Datblygu a Gwella Improvement and Development Manager Ffon: 029 2078 0610 E-bost: Karen.Wakelin@SocialCare.Wales
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Care Inspectorate Wales | ||||
Lateral Flow testing devices in care homes in Wales
| Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) emailed all adult care homes last week on behalf of Welsh Government, regarding testing visiting professionals using Lateral Flow testing devices. Care homes in Wales have been provided with a supply of LFD tests in preparation for personal visitor testing, and these kits may be used for testing of professionals too.
Care home staff have had training and guidance on the use of LFD tests available to them since mid-December, and should be referring to the guidance document attached to this letter. Welsh Government advise care homes to ensure a number of staff have been trained in utilising the LFD tests, to avoid scenarios where there is no trained staff member available to test a visiting professional who needs to attend someone living in the care home. |
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Public Health Wales | ||||
COVID-19 vaccination: frequently asked questions FOR HEALTH & SOCIAL CARE PROFESSIONALS (Public Health Wales) | Public Health Wales has updated its FAQs for health and care professionals on the covid vaccination. | |||
World Health Organisation (WHO) | ||||
World Health Organisation (WHO) updated guidance
| WHO has published updated infection prevention and control (IP&C) guidance for long-term care facilities in the context of COVID-19. | |||
NHS Business Services Authority | ||||
NHS and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance scheme | This scheme pays £60,000 to the beneficiary of social care workers where the death can reasonably be linked to COVID-19 and the nature of the job role. | https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-and-social-care- | ||
Welsh Government | ||||
Oral Statement: COVID-19 Vaccine Strategy
| Vaughan Gething MS, Minister for Health and Social Services | |||
Infection prevention and control (IP&C) templates
| The attached template has been created to support care homes to think about how IP&C guidance can apply in their specific setting. This came about as a result of a commitment in Welsh Government’s winter plan for social care, and has been informed by discussions with stakeholders including Public Health Wales, Local Authority Environmental Health Officers and IP&C Local Health Board representatives. Completion of this template is not mandatory, and some local authorities and health boards have developed similar templates and processes for homes in their areas. This template may be useful to services reviewing their IP&C arrangements in those areas where similar documentation is not already in place. |
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COVID-19 vaccination strategy
| How we will protect our population from COVID-19 through vaccination. | https://gov.wales/covid-19-vaccination-strategy
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Expectations of remote learning for pupils in exam years
| Read more about expectations of remote learning for pupils in exam years. | https://gov.wales/expectations-remote-
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Guidance for higher education: Keep Wales Safe (COVID-19)
| What the higher education sector can do to protect the health and safety of students, staff and their community. | https://gov.wales/guidance-higher-education
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National Minimum Standards (NMS) for regulated childcare: COVID-19 guidance
| How the temporary changes to some standards in the NMS have been reintroduced to support childcare providers caring for all children. | https://gov.wales/national-minimum-standards-nms-regulated-childcare-covid-19-guidance
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Further education: coronavirus
| Changes to learning, exams, and attending schools and colleges during the coronavirus pandemic. | https://gov.wales/further-education-coronavirus-guidance
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R value
| Copies of the data that defines the R value. |
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Deaths from Covid
| The number of deaths from Covid. |
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Stay Home to Save Lives – thank you to community volunteers
| The Deputy Minister and Chief Whip, Jane Hutt, today thanked the legion of community volunteers across Wales, who are working hard to help keep you and your loved ones safe and cared for in these very difficult times. | https://gov.wales/stay-home-save-lives-thank-you-community-volunteers
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Written Statement: Suspension of travel corridors
| Mark Drakeford MS, First Minister | https://gov.wales/written-statement
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Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination centres
| List of towns and cities where coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination centres are operating or planned. | https://gov.wales/coronavirus-covid
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An employee assistance programme (EAP) for all those employed in social care | An employee assistance programme (EAP) was launched on 4 December 2020 for all those employed in the social care workforce in the private and voluntary sectors in Wales, including personal assistants. Posters and information about the service have been sent out to workplaces about how to access this EAP.
This service is provided by Care First who can help with a wide range of work, family and personal issues. From work-life balance to childcare information, relationships to workplace issues, health and well-being, the EAP service can provide support to deal with issues that affect us all at some point in our lives. | If you have any queries please email EAPqueries@socialcare.wales
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Rebalancing care and support white paper consultation | This consultation document seeks views on proposals to introduce new legislation to improve social care arrangements and strengthen partnership working to achieve the vision set out in the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 for people who need care and support and carers who need support. Proposals include setting out a clear national framework to support services to be planned regionally and delivered locally, and for the strengthening of partnership arrangements. | Link- https://gov.wales/sites/default/files
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