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Social Care Providers are playing a critical role in protecting and caring for the most at-risk citizens in our communities. These are challenging times and the leadership of social care in Wales really appreciates everything you are doing to keep people safe.
This document 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 | Link |
Care Inspectorate Wales | ||
LAST CALL – CIW want your views on visiting care homes | Last call! CIW welcome your ideas on how care homes can safely enable families to visit. Please get in touch with us using our online form by 11th June.
CIW are collaborating with Welsh Government to draft new guidance, as per the announcement by the Deputy Director General for Health and Social Care, Albert Heaney (below). | |
CIW Statement: Our approach to recovery | Care Inspectorate Wales issued a statement as it moves from responding to the pandemic crisis to considering its approach to recovery. | https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/
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Welsh Government | ||
Update on guidance for visits to care home services and reconnecting safely | On Friday 5June the Welsh Government issued a letter to Registered Providers and Responsible Individuals of Care Home Services in Wales (adults and children), Directors of Social Services and Chief Executives of Health Boards providing an update on the steps we are taking to support the planning of services that can safely accommodate visits from friends and family, as we begin to move out of lockdown. |
2020-06-05 Letter from Albert Heaney re care home visitors - update
https://gov.wales/visits-care-homes-and-
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Written Statement:Heath and Social Care (Quality and Engagement) (Wales) Act 2020
| The Health and Social Care (Quality and Engagement) (Wales) Bill was passed by the Senedd – formerly, the National Assembly for Wales – on 17 March 2020 and has now received Royal Assent. This will support an ongoing, system-wide approach to quality improvement within the NHS; will further embed a culture of openness and honesty; and help drive continual public engagement in the design and delivery of health and social care services. | https://gov.wales/written-statement-health-and-social |
Written Statement: Care Home Testing Update | From Monday 15th June, all care home staff will be offered a weekly test for a four-week period. These will be self-administered swabs acquired either through the Care Home Portal or directly from the health board. | https://gov.wales/written-statement-care-home-testing-update |
Testing weekly update 9 June: coronavirus | Provides information about the number of people tested for coronavirus in Wales up to 7 June 2020. | |
Three-layer face coverings recommended, but not mandatory, in certain situations in Wales | The Welsh Government is following updated advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and recommending people in Wales wear 3 layer face coverings in situations where social distancing is not possible. | https://gov.wales/three-layer-face-coverings |
Face coverings: frequently asked questions | How and when you could wear a face covering to protect those around you, if you choose to wear one. | |
Advice on coronavirus from the Technical Advisory Cell | Information to help ministers respond in the best interests of the Welsh population to the COVID-19 pandemic. | https://gov.wales/advice-coronavirus-technical-advisory-cell |
Technical Advisory Cell: summary of advice 5 June 2020 | Technical Advisory Cell: summary of advice 5 June 2020 | https://gov.wales/technical-advisory-cell-summary |
Technical Advisory Cell: use of face coverings in the context of COVID-19 | COVID-19 advice provided to Welsh Ministers on 8 June 2020. | https://gov.wales/technical-advisory-cell-use-face- |
Economic Resilience Fund - Find out if your business is eligible for support from the next phase | Businesses can now find out if they are eligible to apply for financial support from the next phase of the Welsh Government’s Economic Resilience Fund (ERF). | https://gov.wales/economic-resilience-fund-find- |
Guidance - Coronavirus (COVID-19): support for businesses | Business rate relief, grants and loans for businesses to help during the disruption caused by COVID-19. | |
Care home staff to receive £500 extra payment | Further details to who the £500 extra payment will be paid to has been announced. This includes kitchen and domestic staff working in care homes, agency staff and nursing staff employed in care homes, as well as personal assistants and domiciliary care workers providing care to people in their own homes. | https://gov.wales/care-home-staff-receive-ps500-extra-payment
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COVID-19 pandemic: Guidance for providers of social care services for adults | Guidance on changes to Regulations
This relates to The Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020.
The guidance is for:
| https://gov.wales/guidance-providers-social-care |
Carers Week (8th-14th June) | This week gives us a chance to recognise the hard work and commitment of our unpaid carers.
Each day brings a specific theme where we can celebrate all the different ways that unpaid carers provide their support.
The First Minister and Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services have made pledges to support unpaid carers. They will be taking part in a “Care for a Cuppa” session giving carers a chance to share their experiences with the Ministers. | Press Release – https://gov.wales/additional-ps50000-announced-
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Additional £50,000 funding to Carers Wales | The new funding will provide more unpaid carers with professional and peer support to help them manage their mental health. This is in response to the added pressures resulting from COVID19. | Press release – https://gov.wales/additional-ps50000- |
Guidance for unpaid carers: coronavirus (COVID-19) | Guidance for those who provide unpaid care for family and friends.
| https://gov.wales/guidance-unpaid-carers-coronavirus-covid-19
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Guidance - Symptoms and self-isolation for contact tracing | Follow this guidance if you have been contacted by the NHS Wales Test, Trace, Protect Service. | https://gov.wales/symptoms-and-self-isolation-contact-tracing |
Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice for UK visa extension
| The Home Office previously granted visa extensions on request to those with leave expiring after 24 January 2020 and before 31 May 2020 who could not leave the UK due to coronavirus.
On 22 May the Home Office announced that those with visas already extended would automatically have them extended further, to the end of July. There is no need for this group of people to take any action. But those who have not already asked for an extension will need to make a request for the extension to apply to them.
Government guidance states: If you’re in the UK and your leave expires between 24 January 2020 and 31 July 2020 your visa will be extended to 31 July 2020 if you cannot leave the UK because of travel restrictions or self-isolation related to coronavirus.
To get this extension, those affected must fill in an online form.
| UK Government guidance:
Visa extension online form: https://gov.smartwebportal.co.uk/homeoffice/public/ |
Gofal Cymdeithasol Cymru | ||
WeCare Wales jobs portal
| Social care employers: we want to help address the staff shortages you might be facing right now. To help you find the right people to fill your vacancies and support your business, we’ve created a jobs portal that will list current social care jobs in Wales. Post your job vacancies on Twitter and include the following details: • job title • local authority (if the role covers more than one authority, include them all) • brief description of the role • hashtag: #WeCareWalesJobs (you must include this).
We're also asking for responses to our survey to understand people's attitudes towards the social care and early years and childcare sectors |
To complete the survey: https://wh1.snapsurveys.com
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Age Cymru | ||
Age Cymru has launched Friend In Need telephone friendship service | Age Cymru has launched the Friend In Need service to help tackle loneliness and isolation amongst the over 70s as a result of social distancing, self-isolation and shielding.
Older people will be able to connect with a trained and vetted Age Cymru volunteer for a free weekly friendship call.
If you or somebody you know might benefit from the Friend in Need service, please contact Age Cymru advice for more information on 08000 223 444 or visit the website.
If you wish to volunteer as telephone befriender for the Friend in Need service please register at Volunteering Wales. | www.agecymru.org.uk/friend-in-need.
Volunteering Wales: https://volunteering-wales.net |