Social Care sector to receive £290million to boost staffing levels & testing.

The funding is to protect and support staff and residents in care homes and those receiving help in their own homes. 19/1/2021

• New £120 million fund for local authorities to boost staffing levels.
• £149 million grant system to support increased testing in care homes.
• The new £120 million funding will help local authorities to boost staffing levels, a direct ask of the sector.
  The funding can.
• provide additional care staff where shortages arise
• .support administrative tasks so experienced and skilled staff can focus on providing care.
• help existing staff to take on additional hours if they wish with overtime payments or by covering childcare costs.
• Details 

Free COVID-19 PPE for care sector extended to June 2021.

The scheme has been extended to better support this critical stage for vaccination and mass testing programmes.

CQC registered providers can continue to access free PPE through the PPE portal. Non CQC-registered providers can access free PPE through their Local Resilience Forum (LRF) or local authority where LRFs are no longer distributing..

Details

Care Home Residents To Receive Free Vitamin D Doses.

The government will provide a one off free 4-month supply of daily vitamin D supplements for residents in residential and nursing care homes in England to help support their general health, in particular bone and muscle health. Delivered direct to Nursing & Care Homes from January 2021.

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National Lockdown.

Coronavirus cases are rising rapidly across the country.
Find out what you can and cannot do.
Details for England

Chief Nurse for Adult Social care England

Professor Deborah Sturdy OBE is set to take up a new role representing social care nurses and providing clinical leadership to the workforce, having been appointed Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care in England.

In her new role, Professor Sturdy will work closely alongside the Minister for Care and the Chief Nursing Officer as an important role in ensuring the provision of high quality, personalised, joined up care.

The Chief Nurse position will also act as an inspiring leader for social care nursing and help develop social care policy and how it relates to the workforce.

Minister for Care Helen Whately said: “I’m delighted to welcome Deborah Sturdy as our first Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care. More details

Care staff can claim immigration health surcharge reimbursement.

Tens of thousands of international health & care staff who have worked tirelessly to save lives during the   pandemic are now exempt from the immigration health surcharge (IHS) & will no longer have to pay to use NHS services.
Overseas NHS & care workers are now able to claim their reimbursement from the surcharge.
Those eligible can now apply online and access guidance on claiming the reimbursement, which will be paid in 6-month installments.