Provider Corner - Latest News and Information

As you may know, a vulnerability has been found within Apache Foundation Log4j2 (‘Log4j2’) that could enable attackers to access IT systems from where they could deploy cyber attacks such as ransomware. 

The vulnerability is almost certain to be in most, if not all organisations in some way and cyber criminals will be scanning for this vulnerability. 

Digital Social Care has published advice from NHSX and shared this widely, including with Local Support Organisations.

The main message is that care providers should notify their IT teams or person responsible for IT, and ensure actions are taken. The primary action is for IT leads to work with their digital / IT suppliers and follow their advice about mitigating cyber vulnerabilities. This is most likely to be to install the latest software updates.

Further details are available in the NHSX briefing on Digital Social Care which will be updated as more information becomes available. We would of course welcome your support with sharing this information including on social media. You can view and share posts here:

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The Department of Health and Social Care is rolling out the latest phase of the national adult social care recruitment campaign, ‘Made with Care’, from November 2021, which this year will run continuously until March 2022.

 
The campaign will demonstrate the amazing work that care workers do, celebrating the way they empower the people they care for, and shining a light on the emotional reward of the role. It’s designed to support care providers in recruiting the dedicated staff they need by inspiring people with the right values to consider a career in social care.
 
Advertising will be run across radio, video on demand, and digital channels, with high profile bursts of TV advertising in November and January, all directing people to adultsocialcare.co.uk to find out more about adult social care and search for vacancies near them.
 
You can make the most of the awareness the campaign will drive by running local recruitment activity at the same time and uploading your jobs to the DWP ‘Find a Job’ platform. Expert advice, templates and a new toolkit of recruitment assets will also be available from the campaign resource centre in time for the launch of the campaign.
For further updates, sign up to the campaign newsletter

ADASS has been awarded further short-term funding from the Home Office to provide continued communications and delivery of webinars, with funding due to end at the end of December 2021. However, there are still over 70 Grant Funded Organisations who are accredited to offer direct application support with their funding set to continue until the end of March 2022. Find organisations that offer support in your area.

Returning by popular demand the No Recourse to Public Fund Forum and ADASS will be offering a final webinar on the 17^th November 12.30-2.00. We will also be offering 2 further webinars, both dates will be confirmed shortly. These will be the very last opportunities available to find out the latest position and updates about the EU Settlement Scheme and ongoing issues facing Local Authorities, Principal Social Workers and all organisations supporting vulnerable EU/EEA adults.
 
Our website will be updated  soon with the webinar registration booking page going live week commencing 1^st November.
 
Check out the latest EUSS statistics which will be of particular interest for Local Authorities.

11th August 2021: EU Settlement Scheme: information for late applicants

The deadline has passed but applications can still be made here.

March 2021:

Since the UK left the EU on 31^st December 2020, regulations allowing for the Freedom of Movement no longer apply. EU/EEA and Swiss citizens in the UK must apply to the EU Settlement Scheme for Indefinite Leave to Remain in order to continue to live and work in the UK and to access healthcare and social security benefits. Depending on the length of time an EU national can evidence they have lived in the UK will determine whether Settled Status or Pre-Settled Status is awarded. 

Whilst the scheme has received over 5 million applications, there are concerns that some vulnerable groups are under-represented in those applications. Those thought to be at risk of failing to make applications in time are; the elderly or those who have lived in the UK for a very long time, those who lack/have failing mental capacity, those in care settings, young people, looked after children, those suffering Domestic Violence, those already holding permanent residence documents etc. 

We are asking all care and support providers to attempt to identify any potential EU nationals within their care and determine if an application to the EU Settlement scheme needs to be made. There is a need to act quickly as the deadline for applying is 30^th June 2021. 

Information, help and specialist immigration advice can be sought from Nottingham law Centre who have been funded by the Home Office to support vulnerable groups.

The application is very simple, details can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/settled-status-eu-citizens-families/eligibility

Dear colleague, 

Please would you all refresh on how to make referrals for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Safe and Well Visits. As a service we rely on the eyes and ears of out partners who go about their daily business and encounter vulnerable members of the public in their home settings. As we near the relaxation of COVID restrictions we are eager to increase the amount of Safe and Well Visits to help to support and protect our communities.

If you have identified any person who fits any of the CHARLIE profile  - please do not hesitate to make an online referral.

As you may know, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service now use an online referral process for Safe and Well visit requests from our professional partners for residents of Nottinghamshire who are, or maybe, at an increased risk of fire. The Service website now has a separate area for ‘professionals only referrals’ that incorporates our fatal fire CHARLIE matrix: it can be accessed under the staying safe heading on our website. 

Please be sure to access the website every time you make a new referral. Any old saved links regularly get updated and therefore may no longer work. In addition to this, please could you submit the referral ensuring that you physically type in the address details rather than copying and pasting the information from another source, as this causes a fault within our system and means we are unable to process the referral. 

You will need the following credentials to make the referral:

Agency Code:         agency

Password:               CharliePMx1

An e-learning package has been developed to support the completion of the CHARLIE P matrix that can be accessed on the same professional page on our website. We would suggest that you participate in the package to familiarise yourself with ready for making a referral.

This will give further information about risk identification and scoring the matrix.

If you require any further assistance please get in touch with us at:-

• enquiries@notts-fire.gov.uk or call us on 
• Telephone: 0115 967 0880
• Text: 07766 299 999 (hearing impairment)

It is important to us that you have the opportunity to make this referral yourself so we can gain as much risk information as possible.  Please do this as soon as possible for any at risk address.

Please find below information put together by Skills for Care about all the funding initiatives available to social care organisations to help them develop and retain staff:

• Funded initiatives to help you develop and retain staff

A new strategy for the changing world of health and social care - CQC's strategy from 2021

Our purpose and our role as a regulator won’t change – but how we work will be different.

We set out our ambitions under four themes

• People and communities: Regulation that’s driven by people’s needs and experiences, focusing on what’s important to people and communities when they access, use and move between services
• Smarter regulation: Smarter, more dynamic and flexible regulation that provides up-to-date and high-quality information and ratings, easier ways of working with us and a more proportionate response
• Safety through learning: Regulating for stronger safety cultures across health and care, prioritising learning and improvement and collaborating to value everyone’s perspectives
• Accelerating improvement: Enabling health and care services and local systems to access support to help improve the quality of care where it’s needed most

Read more about the new CQC strategy here:        A new strategy for the changing world of health and social care - CQC's strategy from 2021 | Care Quality Commission

Take advantage of the increase in interested people searching for social care jobs. By posting your jobs for free on DWP ‘Find A Job’ you can be sure they’ll be seen by an enormous pool of high-quality candidates with the right values. Posting your jobs is simple and quick to do. Just remember to use the term ‘social care' in your job descriptions to make sure they’ll be seen on the campaign website. Download the PDF guide for help on uploading your jobs, or visit Every day is Different for expert advice, handy tips, and simple templates to use in your local recruitment activity

Following the fee proposals event for commissioned adult social care providers, please find the slides from the event.