What's New Bulletin 239 - 13 March 2025
This is edition 239 of the provider bulletin, containing information on guidance, procedures and new initiatives. Very urgent or high priority communications may still be issued on an ad hoc basis, but we will try to keep these to a minimum
1. Home Support Citizen Feedback Adjustment to Providers Quality Scores (Information for All Contracted Home Support Providers)
2. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - New Rules to Prioritise Recruiting Care Workers in England (Information for all Providers)
3. Care Quality Commission (CQC) - The CQC Way – Share Your Feedback Today to Shape the Future of CQC DEADLINE 26 March 2025 (Information for all Providers)
4. REMINDER Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Learning and Development Fund DEADLINE 21 March 2025 (Information for all Providers)
5. Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) Clinical Learning Alert (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
6. Birmingham and Solihull Training Hub (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
7. Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) End of Life Care Toolkit (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
8. Birmingham and Solihull Community Care Collaborative - Connect March 2025 Newsletter (Information for all Providers)
9. CANCELLED NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) Student Placement Information Webinar 18 March 2025 12.30pm to 13.30pm (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Nursing)
10. REMINDER NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSol) Support to Care Homes Training March and April 2025 (Information for all Care Homes)
11. REMINDER LIVE WEBINAR – West Midlands-Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and West Midlands Employers - International Recruitment (Information for all West Midlands Care Providers)
12. REMINDER Continuing Health Care (CHC) Fast Track Training Events 2025/2026 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
13. CANCELLED Birmingham and Solihull Nurses and Clinical Leads Network for Nurses working in Social Care, Thursday, 20th March 2025 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Nursing)
14. REMINDER Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust - Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) – Updates and Training March and April 2025 (Information for Care Homes and IPC Care Home Champions)
1. Home Support Citizen Feedback Adjustment to Providers Quality Scores (Information for All Contracted Home Support Providers)
It was proposed at the Mobilisation Event for New Providers on 4 September 2024 that for the first six months of the contract, citizen feedback data collected during the review process would not be used to adjust the quality scores of providers. This was to allow new providers to establish a citizen feedback record.
Upon reviewing the data available at 6 months it has been decided there is not a sufficient volume of data at this time to be able to fairly apply the citizen feedback adjustment. It is now the intention to add the citizen feedback adjustment into providers quality scores at 12 months.
For an explanation of how providers quality scores are currently calculated and integrated into the supplier selection process, please review section 6 of the following document;
2. Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - New Rules to Prioritise Recruiting Care Workers in England (Information for all Providers)
New rules were laid in Parliament on 12 March 2025 which will require employers to prioritise recruiting international care workers already in England before recruiting from overseas. From 9 April 2025 care providers, who want to recruit a new worker from overseas, will have to first prove that they have attempted to recruit a worker from within England who needs new sponsorship. This ensures that those who came to the UK to pursue a career in adult social care can do so and will help end the reliance on overseas recruitment.
Please use the link below for further information:
3. Care Quality Commission (CQC) - The CQC Way – Share Your Feedback Today to Shape the Future of CQC DEADLINE 26 March 2025 (Information for all Providers)
From 12 March 2025, the CQC are looking for feedback on a set of draft proposals for a new framework, which they are calling the CQC Way.
They’re collecting feedback through the link below where you can add comments, respond to what other people are saying and vote to tell them where they’ve got things right or what they need to change.
If you are a registered person in a provider the CQC regulates (for example, registered manager, nominated individual, or partner) you don’t need to take any action as you’ll be signed up automatically to the platform. You should have received an email with your username and password, and instructions on how to log in.
For anyone else, the CQC want to hear from as many people as possible. If you work in health or social care, use these services or have an interest in effective regulation, they would like your feedback. You can create an account on their online platform today using the link below.
You can share your feedback between now and 26 March.
If you are having difficulties accessing the platform, please contact: support@clevertogether.com
4. REMINDER Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Learning and Development Fund DEADLINE 21 March 2025 (Information for all Providers)
The Department of Health and Social Care launched the Learning and Development Support Scheme in September 2024, providing funding for adult social care workforce training. Employers can claim funding for eligible training and qualifications through an online service administered by NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA).
To submit claims for the Learning and Development Support Scheme, eligible employers must set up an account on the online claims service. Sign up via the link below:
After completing the form, NHSBSA will schedule an onboarding appointment to help set up your account and submit claims. Claims for training courses started and paid for between 1 April 2024, and 31 March 2025, must be submitted by 21 March 2025. For qualifications, 60% reimbursement can be claimed upon payment, with the remaining 40% upon completion. Internal training claims are now accepted with proper evidence, including proof of payment. For further details, visit:
or contact ASClearninganddevelopmentsupport@nhsbsa.nhs.uk.
5. Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) Clinical Learning Alert (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
The Integrated Commissioning Board (ICB) Clinical Quality Assurance Team are committed to sharing best practise, themes and trends, lessons learnt and improving quality, please use the link to see the Clinical Learning Alert recent themes and trends from Clinical incidents.
Dignity and Respect
Modern Day Slavery
Further information can be found on the link below:
6. Birmingham and Solihull Training Hub (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
Have you visited the Birmingham and Solihull training hub website yet? You can view information as someone working in a primary or social care role in the Solihull / Birmingham area, as a student looking for support with career development or as a visitor wanting to find out more.
All training events are listed in the calendar section.
You can also contact the training hub by email bsol.traininghub@nhs.net or phone: 0121 483 2128.
7. Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) End of Life Care Toolkit (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
The Birmingham and Solihull end of life care toolkit is aimed at staff in any setting who want to improve their knowledge and skills in delivering end of life care. It has been created by professionals from Birmingham and Solihull, who are dedicated to sharing the most current and relevant information with clinical teams and the public.
The toolkit can be found here;
8. Birmingham and Solihull Community Care Collaborative - Connect March 2025 Newsletter (Information for all providers)
The latest edition of Connect, the newsletter for the Community Care Collaborative will soon be available on their website. The collaborative is the partnership between all health, social care, and voluntary sectors across Birmingham and Solihull. Please use the link below to access the latest and previous issues.
9. CANCELLED NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSOL) Student Placement Information Webinar 18 March 2025 12.30pm to 13.30pm (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Nursing)
Please note that this webinar has now been cancelled.
For further information, please contact Shelly Caines Healthcare & Nurse Associate Facilitator & Practice Educator E: shelly.caines@nhs.net M: 07774822934
10. REMINDER NHS Birmingham and Solihull (BSol) Support to Care Homes Training March and April 2025 (Information for all Care Homes)
Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk. This includes details of the Support to Care Homes Team virtual training for all Care Home staff across Birmingham and Solihull Care homes.
There are valuable informative training sessions on:
Recognising Deterioration
End of Life
Infection Prevention
Pressure Ulcer Classification
Falls Prevention
Introduction to Dementia
The training will be hosted by the Solihull Support to Care homes Team and is open to all Care Home staff across Birmingham and Solihull care homes and joining details can be accessed via the BSol Healthzone Care Home App or contact Supportto.carehomeservice@uhb.nhs.uk.
Next event: Introduction to Dementia – 19 March 2025 - 9.30am – 11.00am.
Instructions on how to download the BSol Healthzone Care Home App have been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
11. REMINDER LIVE WEBINAR – West Midlands-Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) and West Midlands Employers - International Recruitment (Information for all West Midlands Care Providers)
WM-ADASS and West Midlands Employers are working in partnership with Lester Aldridge to hold regular live legal & HR webinars, focusing on themes relating to international recruitment.
The next event is International Recruitment Legal & HR Webinar: Applying for Certificates of Sponsorship.
Date: 20 March 2025
Time: 11am-12:15pm
Edward O'Brien, Senior Associate at Lester Aldridge, will be joined by Rachael Crook, CEO and Co-Founder of Lifted to provide tops on applying for Certificate of Sponsorships.
Please register now to attend this webinar:
12. REMINDER Continuing Health Care (CHC) Fast Track Training Events 2025/2026 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Care Homes)
You are invited to attend one of the CHC team’s friendly Fast Track training events taking place on the Third Thursday of every month 2.00pm – 4.00pm. Suitable for Allied healthcare and social care practitioners who could be involved in completing CHC Checklists in relation to NHS Continuing Healthcare.
Next date: 20 March 2025
Aims:
To understand this element of the NHS Continuing Healthcare Process in line with the Revised National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare 2022,
Understand the process of referral into the NHS Continuing Healthcare Fast Track Pathway by completion of the Continuing Healthcare Fast Track Tool.
Further information about this subject has been circulated to providers. If you don’t have a copy, please email marketintelligence@birmingham.gov.uk
13. CANCELLED Birmingham and Solihull Nurses and Clinical Leads Network for Nurses working in Social Care, Thursday, 20th March 2025 (Information for Birmingham and Solihull Nursing)
The Integrated Commissioning Board (ICB) regret to inform you that they have had to cancel their Birmingham and Solihull Nurses and Clinical Leads Network meeting for Nurses working in Social Care scheduled for 20th March 2025, from 2:00pm to 4:30pm.
This decision is due to the current pressures within their team. They thank you for your continued support of the network. The next meeting will be Thursday, 15 May 2025.
For further information contact nhsbsolicb.qualitychc@nhs.net.
14. REMINDER Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust - Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) – Updates and Training March and April 2025 (Information for Care Homes and IPC Care Home Champions)
The next IPC Champions Forum will take place on Microsoft Teams, Friday 21 March 2025 at 11:00 am,
The IPC Team will hold two IPC Champions Training Days at Moseley Hall Hospital in April 2025. please use to following links to book places on either date:
*If you have attended an IPC Champions Training Day previously, please attend the IPC Champions Forums.
For IPC advice, comments/queries and or additional training requests please contact the team via bchc.ipcdata1@nhs.net or call 0121 466 6550.