Guidance and Webinars

Herts Original Covid-19 Fund - Open to contracted providers only - Funding available to cover PPE (extra to that which the National free PPE portal supplies AND for covid-use only), Cleaning costs and Equipment that was previously reused but due to IPC is now single use (e.g. call bell mats)
If applicable, please fill this claim form and return to your usual HCC Contracts Officer / Monitoring Officer / Commissioner: https://hcpa.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7275e7980a25c4f5e4939ee06&id=b7eb5479d2&e=9b7f8bd309
Information on proportionality of your claims may be requested from your HCC Commissioning or Monitoring Officer

If you have any questions about contacting your Commissioning or Monitoring Officer at HCC, or other questions about this fund, please contact the HCPA Care Provider Hub 01707 708 108

For the most up to date information of the second round of the Infection Control Fund, please visit www.hcpa.info/covid-19 and look in the big piink box marked "Latest Infection Control Funding letters here".
Further details, and a recording of the recent HCC HCPA webinar can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxBxD75IJ3g&feature=youtu.be and more info can be found here: https://mailchi.mp/hcpa/covid-19-daily-update-1281588?e=9b7f8bd309 . PLEASE NOTE THIS FUNDING DOES NOT COVER PPE

Key message:
Each care home (the registered manager) is responsible for setting the visiting policy in that home. They should do so on the basis of a dynamic risk assessment taking into consideration the needs of individuals within their home and with regard to the advice of the local Director of Public Health (DPH).

All care homes – regardless of Tier – and except in the event of an active outbreak – should seek to enable:

- indoor visits where the visitor has been tested and returned a negative result – (section 2.1 of guidance)
outdoor visiting and ‘screened’ visits – (section 2.3 of guidance)

- Visits in exceptional circumstances including end of life should always be enabled – (section 2.4 of guidance)

- In all cases it is essential that visiting happens within a wider care home environment of robust Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures, including ensuring that visitors follow (and are supported to follow) good practice with social distancing, hand hygiene and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) use.

- In the event of an outbreak in a care home, the home should immediately stop visiting (except in exceptional circumstances such as end of life) to protect vulnerable residents, staff and visitors (section 1.4 of guidance)

Care Home visits guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/arrangements-for-visiting-out-of-the-care-home/visits-out-of-care-homes and Lateral Flow Testing and Visiting guidance here: https://www.hcpa.info/guideline/care-home-visitor-guidance/

Guidance for Home Care: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-how-to-work-safely-in-domiciliary-care
Guidance for Residential settings: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-how-to-work-safely-in-care-homes

For advice on services provided to those shielding or considered Clinically Extremely Vulnerable (CEV): https://www.hcpa.info/guideline/shielding/ If you have further questions please contact the Care Provider Hub: 01707 708108 / assistance@hcpa.info

This guidance provides advice on the management of staff and patients or residents in health and social care settings according to exposures, symptoms and test results: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-management-of-exposed-healthcare-workers-and-patients-in-hospital-settings/covid-19-management-of-exposed-healthcare-workers-and-patients-in-hospital-settings
How long do we wait before we can declare an outbreak is over?
The Covid-19 outbreak can be declared over firstly once no new cases (staff or residents) have occurred in the 28 days since the appearance of symptoms in the most recent case, or if case is asymptomatic then the date the swab was taken. All residents should have completed their 10 days isolation period.
And secondly to confirm the outbreak is concluded, please order swabs via the national portal and swab all residents and staff. If the results are negative, then the outbreak can be defined as having concluded.
When the outbreak has been declared concluded the home should complete a post outbreak deep clean of the Home.
Information on processes (National and local): https://www.hcpa.info/guideline/swabbing/
Note: Self Isolation period for residents in care settings remains at 14-days:
The national guidance has been revised and now recommends that health and social care professionals who are contacts of a case should self-isolate for 10 days. Please refer to Section 8. This is also applicable to in-patient contacts of a positive case (Section 10). Care Home residents who are contacts of a case will also need to isolate for 14 days. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-management-of-exposed-healthcare-workers-and-patients-in-hospital-settings/covid-19-management-of-exposed-healthcare-workers-and-patients-in-hospital-settings#patient-exposures-in-hospital
PHE East of England
Following on from the Government’s decision to reduce the isolation period down from 14 days to 10 days. The Government has made further changes to the guidance for health and social care professionals and Care Homes, the guidance can be found here: https://hcpa.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7275e7980a25c4f5e4939ee06&id=85027ff6fa&e=9b7f8bd309
• Any health and social care professionals who is a contact of a case should self isolate for 10 days
• Care Home residents who are contacts of a case will also need to isolate for 14 days
• In-patients who are known to have been exposed to a confirmed COVID-19 patient while on the ward, should be isolated or cohorted with other similarly exposed patients who do not have COVID-19 symptoms, until their hospital admission ends or until 14 days after last exposure

The information for adult social care providers delivering services to Hertfordshire residents is set out below:

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has set up a PPE Portal which will supply PPE free of charge to care providers who are registered to use the portal. This is open until March 2021 and should be the first port of call for all COVID-19 PPE needs. Accessing government-funded PPE this way will help to reduce the council’s financial burden and will be a requirement before accessing council support.

The amount of PPE that can be requested from the PPE Portal varies by sector. Please refer to the government guidance. If you are experiencing problems with the PPE Portal, or the limits do not meet your needs please contact the PPE Portal Customer Service team on 0800 876 6802.

PPE available through the PPE Portal is for COVID-19 needs only. Your business-as-usual (pre-Covid) PPE requirements should continue to be sourced from your usual business supply channels.

If you have COVID-19 PPE requirements that cannot be met by the PPE Portal or require PPE in an emergency, please contact our Provider Hub (01707 708108 / assistance@hcpa.info).

A note about ordering from Govt PPE Portal (0800 876 6802)
Depending on the type and size of Care service, Providers have limited quotas for Fluid repellent surgical masks (IIR), aprons, gloves, hand gel and visors.
Ordering is best managed every 7 days, to meet your covid IPC needs.

As there has been some confusion about ordering and quotas, please note the following illustration:

• Care Provider (fewer than 10 beds) has a quota of 200 fluid repellent surgical masks (Type IIR).
• Care Provider orders 199 fluid repellent surgical masks on Monday.
• Care Provider then tries to order a further 199 fluid repellent surgical masks on Sunday, but can only order 1 fluid repellent surgical mask.
• Care Provider would have been able to order 200 fluid repellent surgical masks if they had waited for a full 7 days to elapse between orders (i.e. only order every 7 days)
• Quota limits will never be reduced, only ever increased. If you wish to speak about increasing your order, please call the Portal 0800 876 6802

An important note – Deliveries of PPE should NEVER arrived opened. If the boxes have been opened, the PPE items may no longer safe to use. Always call the PPE Portal if your deliveries arrive opened 0800 876 6802

Full details and quota limits can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/ppe-portal-how-to-order-emergency-personal-protective-equipment#orthodontists-order-limits

Flyer can be found: https://www.hcpa.info/wp-content/uploads/Homecare-worker-flyer.pdf
Full details and slides from DHSC webinar: https://www.hcpa.info/wp-content/uploads/Homecare_Worker_Webinar_Slides.pdf
NOTE: Testing is strongly encouraged (but is not mandatory) for those who provide care and any others within the organisation who they are in contact with
Regsiter for tests here: https://request-testing.test-for-coronavirus.service.gov.uk/ Instructional video for taking swabs: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-taking-swab-samples/how-to-use-the-self-swabbing-kit-for-a-combined-throat-and-nose-swab-video - Any problems with this service or with registering swabs, please call 119

Please note: Clients returning home from hospital to an existing package of care will be swab tested and the folloiwng options apply:
If Positive results are returned, they will be discharged to full barrier Service for a 14 day isolation period, so long as the ward can confirm they are Medically Optimised and the Home Care Provider has sufficient PPE and the ability to meet the discharge care needs.
If Negative results are returned, the ward must ensure the patient is Medically Optimised, and the Home Care Provider has sufficient PPE and the ability to meet the discharge care needs.
If Inconclusive results are returned, they will be discharged to full barrier Service for a 14 day isolation period (as if positive results has been received) until further testing and results are available, while ensuring patient is Medically Optimised, and the Home Care Provider has sufficient PPE and the ability to meet discharge care needs.
For further information https://www.hcpa.info/wp-content/uploads/Covid-19-testing-for-service-users-discharged-or-transferred-home-with-home-care-services-clarification-16-07-2020-TP-JM-alterations-1.pdf

Frequently asked questions for Family Carers: https://www.hcpa.info/wp-content/uploads/Carers-what-you-need-to-know.pdf
Letter to Family Carers: https://www.hcpa.info/wp-content/uploads/Letter-for-carers-03Nov2020.pdf