Guidance for the social care sector on Covid-19
This page contains links to selected information which may help homecare providers provide services during the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.
Guidance about COVID-19 is rapidly changing, as more is known about the virus, its transmission and measures to counter the spread. Please return to this page regularly and check you are using the latest update of the guidance concerned.
Government guidance for the general public
Listing of government guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19), updated frequently.
Listing of legislation and amending regulations: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/
Police guidance on enforcing rules on international travel, quarantine and self-isolation: COVID-19 restrictions
Symptoms and getting medical help
People who have a new continuous cough OR a high temperature (37.8 degrees Celsius or higher) OR a loss of, or change in, normal sense of taste or smell (anosmia), should get a COVID-19 test and stay at home until they get the result.
Use this online tool from the NHS to find out what to do if you, or somebody else, has a medical problem: NHS 111 Online - Get medical help.
Staying safe and managing infection
Coronavirus: how to stay safe and help prevent the spread
Stay at home: guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection
Shielding clinically extremely vulnerable people
The government has ended the requirement for centralised guidance for these groups following expert clinical advice.
Government press release 15 September 2021.
Former Guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from COVID-19, now withdrawn.
Face coverings
Guidance, Face coverings: when to wear one and how to make your own
NHS England, Visiting healthcare inpatient settings during the COVID-19 pandemic
Testing
Coronavirus (COVID-19): getting tested
Get tested for coronavirus (COVID-19)
NHS COVID-19 app - part of the NHS Test and Trace service in England and the NHS Wales Test, Trace, Protect programme.
How NHS Test and Trace works: what to do if you are contacted
Regular rapid tests if you do not have symptoms
Vaccination
Who can get the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine
COVID-19 vaccination: a guide to booster vaccination
National booking service: Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine
COVID-19 vaccination programme
COVID-19 vaccination: guide for adults
COVID-19 vaccination: a guide for eligible children and young people aged 12 to 17
New film launched urging public to get flu and COVID-19 vaccines
Work and leisure
Work and financial support This guidance covers England only.
Guidance for the safe use of places of workship during the pandemic.
Guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for people receiving direct payments
Travel
Guidance, Coronavirus (COVID-19): safer travel guidance for passengers
Travel abroad from England during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Travel to England from another country during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Government guidance for social care providers
Homecare guidance
Guidance - Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing home care
NICE - COVID-19 rapid guideline NG 191 - Managing COVID-19
Staying safe and managing infection
Coronavirus: how to stay safe and help prevent the spread
COVID-19: management of staff and exposed patients or residents in health and social care settings
Risk assessment and shielding the clinically extremely vulnerable
Guidance - COVID-19: adult social care risk reduction framework
The government has ended the requirement for centralised guidance for these groups following expert clinical advice. Press release: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/shielding-programme-ends-for-most-vulnerable
Former Guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable from COVID-19, now withdrawn.
HSE guidance - Risk assessment - Working safely during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
UKHCA Resource: Risk Assessments - Why are they important and how are they done? (Members only)
UKHCA Resource: Risk Assessment Template (Members only)
PPE and face coverings
There is a current consultation on extending the provision of free PPE beyond March 2022:
Extending free PPE to the health and care sector
Guidance - COVID-19: How to work safely in domiciliary care
Guidance - COVID-19: Putting on and removing PPE - a guide for care homes (video).
Guidance - COVID-19: Personal protective equipment use for aerosol generating procedures
Guidance - PPE portal: how to order emergency personal protective equipment
Guidance - Personal protective equipment (PPE): local contacts for care providers
Care Provider Alliance - List of commercial suppliers of PPE (scroll down to end).
HSE guidance - Using PPE at work during the coronavirus outbreak
Testing
Guidance - Coronavirus testing for homecare workers
Guidance - COVID-19 PCR home test kit instructions
NHS resources - get-tested-for-coronavirus
Guidance - How tests and testing kits for coronavirus (COVID-19) work
Video on how to use a home testing kit
Register for an antibody test kit to check if you've had coronavirus (COVID-19) before
Vaccination
See Information on COVID-19 vaccination and supporting take up, which includes support available for employers in encouraging take up in their workforce, at:
Guidance for the social care sector on Covid-19
Other information:
COVID-19 vaccination: a guide to booster vaccination
COVID-19 vaccination: a guide for social care staff
Careworkers in England can book a vaccination appointment through: The National Booking Service.
Eligibility for vaccination: Who can get the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine
Information on the third dose for people with a weakened immune system
COVID-19 vaccination: a guide for eligible children and young people aged 12 to 17
Information supporting take-up:
Public Health England - Employer Toolkit - Coronavirus Resource centre
DHSC's Questions and Answers on vaccination
Webinar: Your Questions Answered on the COVID-19 vaccine - YouTube, 21 May 2021.
Flu vaccination, which is encouraged alongside COVID-19 vaccination: Annual flu programme in England 2021-22
Flu vaccination guidance for social care workers
Pregnancy and fertility:
COVID-19: the green book, chapter 14a
Guidance - Safety of COVID-19 vaccines when given in pregnancy
COVID-19 vaccines, pregnancy and breastfeeding (rcog.org.uk)
BFS & ARCS Covid-19 Vaccines & Fertility - updated FAQs - British Fertility Society
Children:
COVID-19 vaccination: a guide for eligible children and young people
Information for children and young people on what to expect after COVID-19 vaccination
Side effects of vaccination:
COVID-19 vaccination and blood clotting - collection of guidance.
Commissioning and social care funding
Social care provider resilience during COVID-19: guidance to commissioners. Shared guidance to local authority commissioners from the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, the Local Government Association and the Care Provider Alliance (CPA), published 13 March 2020.
Guidance - COVID-19: ethical framework for adult social care
The Local Government Association (LGA) and Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) issued guidance to councils in England on the fee increases for the National Minimum Wage and COVID-19 on 9 April 2020.
A blog by Dr Jane Townson, CEO of UKHCA, highlighted the value of homecare and the urgent need for investment to prevent multiple provider failure. Read about Homecare in the time of coronavirus, published 26 April 2020: A case for urgent investment to prevent multiple provider failure.
Extension of Infection Control and Testing Fund to end March 2022, grant conditions awaited: Additional funding to help adult social care this winter - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Adult Social Care Infection Control and Testing Fund: round 3 - collection of guidance and grant condition documents relating to funding to end March 2022.
Multi-million pound fund to boost adult social care workforce - workforce retention and recruitment fund, announced on 21 October 2021, with funding to end March 2022.
Travel, visas and migration
Government Travel Advice This includes red and green list rules for entering England, and demonstrating your COVID-19 vaccination status to enter specific countries from England.
Jobs that qualify for exemptions
Health and social care staff can claim immigration health surcharge reimbursement. The scheme to exempt non-EEA nationals applying for a health and care visa to work in a health or social care setting, in an eligible occupation, from paying the immigration health surcharge is described here: IHS Reimbursement Scheme
Guidance Immigration health surcharge - applying for a refund
Guidance (COVID-19): advice for UK visa applicants and temporary UK residents
Visa extensions for NHS and frontline health workers during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Other guidance
Health, social care organisations and coronavirus - what you need to know on data protection
Guidance, Steps to take following the death of a person who worked in adult social care in England. This includes bereavement resources for the social care workforce.
NHS and Social Care Coronavirus Life Assurance Scheme for families of members of the workforce in England who sadly pass away as a result of contracting COVID-19 at work. Main page for the scheme, information re Wales.
Guidance, Coronavirus (COVID-19): looking after people who lack mental capacity,
Guidance, Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for children's social care services
Guidance - COVID-19: Supporting adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults
Guidance - Supported living services during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Guidance - Getting help with daily activities outside your home
COVID-19 hospital discharge service requirements
Guidance around free-of-charge DBS applications and new fast-track Barred List check service, in response to COVID-19, Disclosure and Barring Service.
HSE guidance: RIDDOR Reporting of Covid-19
Coronavirus: advice for employers and employees advice from ACAS on sick pay, including for those who self-isolate on medical and non-medical advice.
Support for businesses and other government guidance
Advice for businesses
Working safely and risk assessment
HSE guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Working Safely
Government guidance: Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19)
HSE guidance - Risk assessment - Working safely during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
Homecare Association resources for members on risk assessment - Resource library (members
Testing in workplaces
Health and social care: Guidance for the social care sector on Covid-19
Other workplaces: Get coronavirus tests for your employees
Furlough scheme (Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme - CJRS)
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme: Collection of guidance. The scheme ended on 30 September 2021.
Equality and Human Rights Commission: Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for employers, on selecting employees fairly for furlough or redundancy.
Financial support and tax
COVID-19: financial support for businesses, Collection of guidance.
Guidance: Help and support if your business is affected by coronavirus (COVID-19)
Guidance - Check which expenses are taxable if your employee works from home due to coronavirus (COVID-19)
Workforce, annual leave, SSP, apprenticeships
SSP Online Claim Service through Government Gateway.
Guidance - Holiday entitlement and pay during coronavirus (COVID-19).
Guidance - Providing apprenticeships during the coronavirus outbreak.
Schools and Education
The Department for Education's The Skills Toolkit online training courses help people furloughed or at home acquire new skills.
Transport
Information on COVID-19 vaccination, vaccine hesitancy and supporting take-up
According to Capacity Tracker, in October 2021, 82% of the domiciliary care workforce had received their first vaccination, and 71% had received their second, with 17.8% of the workforce yet to be vaccinated. These figures are increasing all the time.
The London region had the lowest uptake for 1st dose vaccination at 74.3%, with 2nd dose vaccination at 53.6%, considerably lower than other regions. London has the largest unvaccinated domiciliary care workforce at around 25.7%, with the Midlands at 18.9%.
COVID-19 vaccination is saving lives. A study tracking more than 200,000 people found nearly every participant developed antibodies against the virus within two weeks of their second dose. Analysis suggests both Astra Zeneca and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines reduce hospitalisation rate by 92-96%. The risk of side effects is tiny compared with risks from COVID-19 itself.[1]
The Homecare Association is a strong supporter of vaccination. We remain keen to ensure that as many homecare workers as possible receive both COVID-19 and ‘flu vaccines, as there is good evidence these protect the recipient from serious illness.
To this end, we are working with colleagues in NHS England and others to try to persuade vaccine hesitant staff to accept vaccination voluntarily. For more, see Help for Social Care Employers from NHS England and local authorities below.
Vaccination as a condition of deployment in homecare
Following a consultation on making vaccination a condition of deployment (VCOD) for frontline workers in the NHS and community settings, including homecare, the Government announced on 9 November 2021 that full COVID-19 vaccination would become a requirement for staff with face to face contact with service users from 1 April 2022. COVID-19 boosters and flu vaccination are not included in these proposals.
Statement by Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, 9 November 2021
The key points are:
- Staff working face to face with patients or service users will need to be vaccinated against Covid-19 in order to be deployed, unless they are exempt.
- Covid-19 boosters and flu vaccinations are not included in the policy scope.
- Once the regulations have been laid and approved in Parliament, there will be a 12-week grace period before the regulations come into force. Therefore, the policy is expected to come into force on 1 April 2022.
Homecare Association's response to vaccination as a condition of deployment
Government publish response to the Vaccination as a Condition of Deployment consultation
Mandatory vaccination for all of health and social care - The new rules explained, Matthew Wort of Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP
Vaccination as a condition of deployment in care homes
VCOD applied in residential settings from 11 November 2021 (see operational guidance, information on how exemptions will work and NHS COVID-Pass guidance).
More from: COVID-19 vaccination as condition of deployment: Q & A - Care Provider Alliance
The new VCOD measures have data protection compliance implications, which are discussed here: Vaccination as a condition of deployment in care homes and data protection
[1] Why some people don't want a Covid-19 vaccine - BBC Future
COVID-19 vaccination programme - general leaflets
There is a collection of documents relating to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination programme at: COVID-19 vaccination programme - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The collection includes guidance, training resources, consent forms and letters, leaflets, posters and resources. There are links to programme documents, like JCVI advice.
Leaflets, such as the COVID-19 vaccination: guide for adults are available in 23 languages, with easy-read and accessible formats.
There is information on who is eligible for the jab, side effects, ingredients of the jab and booking an appointment for a jab on the NHS website at:
Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
A video is available for the public on both winter vaccines,
Information on COVID-19 booster vaccination roll-out to social care workers
The Care Provider Alliance maintains a list of information at: COVID-19 vaccination - Care Provider Alliance
Information to help address vaccine hesitancy
There is information on COVID-19 vaccination, which is aimed at encouraging take-up and countering online disinformation.
Technical health information on COVID-19 vaccination and who should receive it:
COVID-19: the green book, chapter 14a - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
COVID-19 vaccine communication materials:
- Public Health England Vaccine Communications Toolkit for Adult Social Care
- Shareable video explaining the benefits of the vaccine
Vaccine information in community languages:
NHS England and NHS Improvement London » COVID-19 vaccine communication materials.
These are video clips by NHS doctors, nurses and other frontline staff to reassure communities that COVID-19 vaccines are safe, effective and have been independently tested to the highest standards. They are recorded in 18 languages by NHS staff in London and the aim is for the clips to be shared among friends, families, faith and community groups via text messages and social media. There is a downloadable script in English.
Questions and Answers on vaccination for health and social care stakeholders
These are Questions and Answers on vaccination (not official guidance), prepared by the Department of Health and Social Care for stakeholders. These are updated regularly and include action Government is taking on issues, like encouraging take up within BAME communities: DHSC's Questions and Answers on vaccination
Webinar – Your questions answered on the COVID-19 vaccine
This is a recording of a DHSC webinar for careworkers held in May 2021, featuring the former Vaccines Minister Nadim Zahawi. Professor Jonathan Van Tam, Deputy Chief Medical Officer and Dr Nicki Kanani, GP and Deputy Lead of the COVID-19 Programme answer questions on topics such as side effects, and pregnancy and fertility.
Webinar: Your Questions Answered on the COVID-19 vaccine - YouTube, 21 May 2021.
Additional resources to address vaccine hesitancy
- NHSE/I series of animations and suggested information aimed at tackling disinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine and encouraging uptake among ethnic minority groups. The animations are available in 17 different languages available from the Campaign Resource Centre or watch on YouTube.
- Dr Ammalina Bakri Insta Live Q&A on vaccine hesitancy
- Young NHS volunteer explains why she now feels confident getting the vaccine
- NHS video: every vaccine gives us hope
- Main link on the NHS website for the public to find out more information about the vaccine
- NHS video: what is the vaccine and how does it work?
- SE London ICS video: Tyrick’s Story
- SE London ICS video: Olie and Kadi’s story
- Videos from Islington Council showing social care staff, and local community leaders talking about their views and experiences about getting the Covid-19 vaccine.
- Shareable video with comedian Jason Forbes challenging misconceptions.
- DCMS toolkit to tackle false and misleading information about the vaccine.
- Bridging the Gap - Supporting uptake for BABAC communities (registration needed).
-
Why is there Vaccine Hesitancy in the Black Community? (africacentre.org.uk)
Proof of medical exemption from vaccination:
COVID-19 medical exemptions: proving you are unable to get vaccinated
Vaccination and pregnancy
There is a section in COVID-19: the green book, chapter 14a on pregnancy and fertility and COVID-19 vaccination and information at:
- COVID-19 vaccination: women of childbearing age, currently pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Guidance - Safety of COVID-19 vaccines when given in pregnancy
- COVID-19 vaccines, pregnancy and breastfeeding, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
Department of Health and Social Care information states:
- Vaccination remains the best way to protect against the known risks of Covid-19 in pregnancy for both mother and baby, including admission to intensive care and premature birth.
- Research shows pregnant women are more likely to become seriously ill from COVID-19 and 98 per cent of those in hospital due to COVID-19 are unvaccinated. Published data from mid-July show no pregnant woman who has had two doses of the vaccine was hospitalised from COVID-19 in the UK.
- Pregnant women are also more likely to have severe COVID-19 infection if they are overweight or obese. The Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RCOG) and the Royal College of Midwives (RCM) recommend vaccination as one of the best defences against severe infection. The JCVI recommends Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines as the preferred vaccines for pregnant women coming for their first dose.
- Advice for all women of childbearing age, pregnant or breastfeeding is here. If you are 40 or over, and are booking your COVID-19 vaccination on NBS you’ll be asked if you are pregnant. This is to make sure people who are pregnant are only shown appointments for Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.
- Here is a video from Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, Chief Midwife for NHS England and NHS Improvement.
- NHS England » NHS encourages pregnant women to get COVID-19 vaccine
Vaccination and fertility
Sources of information include the British Fertility Society, Association of Reproductive and Clinical Scientists and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG).
BFS & ARCS Covid-19 Vaccines & Fertility - updated FAQs - British Fertility Society and Association of Reproductive and Clinical Scientists
The RCOG FAQs are here – Also on this page is a video from Prof Lucy Chappell about how the vaccine does not impact fertility.
There is a British Medical Journal article showing there is ‘no evidence that vaccines can affect fertility’.
Help for social care employers from NHS England and local authorities
Update on support for homecare employers - November 2021
The NHS is planning to target support at providers with more than 100 unvaccinated frontline staff, as identified by Capacity Tracker. These organisations will be contacted by the NHS vaccination deployment programme and are encouraged to take up the webinars and one-to-one conversations between individual staff and culturally and clinically appropriate professionals offered. Other providers who are concerned should contact their local authority vaccination lead and use the resources on increasing take up.
Our preferred solicitors, Anthony Collins have produced a short briefing on VCOD and are planning a free webinar for Homecare Association members, plus a toolkit to help employers implement VCOD, available for purchase.
Support from the NHS and local authorities to encourage vaccination take-up - October 2021
There are many online resources to help people understand the benefits of vaccination and to address frequently raised concerns.
However, these resources are not always enough to persuade those who have a variety of fears to proceed with vaccination.
From work with care homes, there is evidence that one-to-one or small group discussions with vaccine hesitant workers can help to dispel their concerns and lead to higher take up.
For this reason, Homecare Association has reached out to NHS England to ask for additional support for homecare providers with relatively high proportions of vaccine hesitant staff. Data from Capacity Tracker highlight particular challenges in places such as London and Birmingham but there are other areas facing difficulties too.
Senior leaders in NHS England have willingly engaged with us on this issue and ensured the cooperation of local public health teams and vaccination leads in local authority areas. They have identified the possibility of accessing infection control, inequality and local authority funding to support uptake of vaccinations.
NHS England have pledged to develop a national offer of support for homecare providers and have secured support from a number of clinicians from the COVID-19 vaccine programme across England.
To access support homecare providers will need to develop a clear case outlining their specific support requirements and funding requests which is underpinned by evidence. Homecare Association members should see our email alert of 8 October 2021 for further information or call the member helpline.
At the local level, support can be developed in partnership with local government, public health and Integrated Care System (ICS) leads. If you wish to enquire about local support with vaccine hesitancy you can find a list of contacts from the Local Government Association here.
We strongly encourage homecare providers to explore the options for one-to-one and small group discussions, and the help we have described above, including contacting their local vaccination lead to see what support they can offer.
Flu vaccination
The influenza vaccination programme is running alongside the COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Careworkers are strongly encouraged to book a flu jab – see Flu vaccination guidance for social care workers.
Careworkers can book their own free flu vaccinations at Boots pharmacies, who assure us that there are sufficient supplies of vaccines available this year, unlike previous years: https://www.boots.com/online/pharmacy-services/winter-flu-jab-services
There is a joint communication campaign for winter vaccines (COVID-19 boosters and flu jab). Promotional resources are available from:
Health and Social Care Workers Winter | Campaign Resource Centre (phe.gov.uk)
Plus information in a letter from the Department of Health and Social Care’s Director, Claire Armstrong to local authorities and adult social care providers.
Information for family carers and informal carers
Guidance Coronavirus (COVID-19): providing unpaid care.
Guidance COVID-19: providing unpaid care to adults with learning disabilities and autistic adults.
Information from Carers UK for informal carers.
Looking after family or friends after they leave hospital.
Alzheimer's Society, Coronavirus: Information for people affected by dementia.
Diabetes UK, Coronavirus (COVID-19) and diabetes- updates Helpline.
Free online resources for unpaid carers.
Maintaining mental health during the Covid-19 outbreak
Support for frontline workers
CIPD webinar on supporting the mental health of frontline workers.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): health and wellbeing of the adult social care workforce
Coronavirus resources of the British Psychological Society for professionals and the public.
Our Frontline helplines: support for social care workers
Support for the public, including young people
Guidance for the public on mental health and wellbeing.
Guidance on supporting children and young people's mental health and wellbeing.
Every Mind Matters - simple tips for taking care of mental health.
ANXIETY UK helpline and resources Helpline open until 10.00 pm: 03444 775 774, Text Service: 07537 416 905.
Mental health at work
ACAS guidance on coronavirus and mental health at work
Health and Safety Executive information on stress at work, and carrying out a stress risk assessment
Check your business insurance to see if it includes a Stress Helpline for employees. Page 9 for those with a Towergate Insurance policy.
Developing a supportive and inclusive workplace culture
NICE are developing a guideline on Mental wellbeing at work which is due to be published in 2022. This will look at developing a supportive and inclusive workplace culture and in particular organisational support, individual support, support from employers for employees at risk of poor mental health and also include recommendations about local and regional strategies and plans.
In the meantime, NICE have shared links to resources likely to be referred to in the guideline which employers may find helpful:
- Voluntary reporting on disability, mental health and wellbeing: a framework to support employers (for large employers)
- What Works Wellbeing’s workplace wellbeing questionnaire
- What Works wellbeing
- Business in the Community – Mental Health for Employers Toolkit
- Mind - Mental health at work
- Health and Safety executive – work-related stress and how to tackle it
- Department for Work and Pensions’ Access to Work mental health support service
- Workplace Wellbeing Charter
- Mindful Employer
- Mind’s workplace wellbeing index
- Health and Safety Executive Management Standards for work-related stress Mindful Employer
- What Works Wellbeing employee snapshot survey
- Public Health England’s course COVID-19: psychological first aid
- MIND’s guides to wellness action plans
- MIND’s Blue Light Programme
- Mental Health at Work website
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
Wales: Wales wellbeing - sources of support
Scotland: NHS Inform - resources on mental health and well-being
Northern Ireland: Covid-19 App - resources on mental health
Support for individuals and workers with Long Covid
Caring for those recovering from Long Covid
SCIE guide on providing care and support at home to people who have had COVID-19
Guidance - COVID-19: long-term health effects.
NHS - Long term effects of long covid
NICE rapid guideline on managing the long term effects of Covid
Sickness, absence and return to work
Insurance
Insurance
Coronavirus information - Towergate Insurance Brokers
The general response to the COVID-19 outbreak has been co-ordinated across the UK, with the governments of the devolved nations working closely with the UK Government.
As health and social care are responsibilities devolved to the respective governments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, some guidance is individual to, or presented differently, by the nation concerned.
Wales
Guidance for the public
Welsh government Coronavirus guidance homepage.
Homecare guidance
Welsh Government: Health and Social Care Professionals: coronavirus, guidance and services
Public Health Wales: Guidance for Health and Social Care Professionals in Wales
Care Inspectorate Wales: Statements on Coronavirus
Clinically extremely vulnerable people and risk assessment
Collection of guidance on shielding
PPE and face coverings
Providers may also need to liaise with their local authorities in relation to accessing PPE and ensuring whether there is any additional guidance at local level.
Testing
Twice weekly routine lateral flow testing is available for homecare and providers should have received information about how to access this. Providers experiencing difficulties with accessing workforce testing should contact: [email protected]
Other information on testing is available from: Testing for coronavirus
Financial support and guidance on self-isolation includes:
COVID-19 contacts: guidance for health and social care staff
Statutory sick pay enhancement scheme
Self isolation support payment
Vaccination
Information and resources on the COVID-19 vaccine from Public Health Wales
Welsh Government guidance on vaccination programme (including definition of front-line social care worker; and how to get your vaccine if you think you’ve been missed)
Travel
Collection of guidance on travel
Support for the care workforce
The Welsh Government have agreed two recognition payments to social care workers:
2020 - Guidance - Social care workforce special payment scheme
2021 - NHS and social care financial recognition scheme: guidance for social care workers
Social Care Wales are offering a digital Care Worker Card.
Social Care Wales have collected information and resources on health and well-being for Social Care workers. They have launched an Employee Assistance Scheme that can provide a range of support to social care staff (call 0333 2129 212, this is available 24/7).
The Welsh Government has agreed to a death in service payment for the families of NHS and social care staff in Wales. Press release dated 27 April 2020.
Commissioning and social care funding
The Welsh Government has allocated funding to local authorities to administer as a hardship fund in order to support social care providers through the coronavirus pandemic. This has included a £1 per hour temporary fee uplift for local authority or health board commissioned homecare providers.
Other guidance
Welsh government: Strategy and evidence: coronavirus (including control plans / alert levels)
Public Health Wales - Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Social Care Wales coronavirus guidance page.
Scotland
Guidance for the public
Main collection of guidance from Scottish Government
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance on public use of face coverings
Coronavirus (COVID-19), information for the public
Homecare guidance
COVID-19 - Information and guidance for social, community and residential care settings, version 1.8, published 16 April 2021.
COVID-19 - Guidance for non-healthcare settings
Listing of publications by Health Protection Scotland
Care Inspectorate - https://www.careinspectorate.com/index.php/covid-19
COVID-19: Clinical Care Guidance for Care at Home, Housing Support and Sheltered Housing
Testing
Coronavirus (COVID-19): Test and Protect
Coronavirus (COVID-19): social care and community-based testing guidance
COVID-19 Vaccination
Resources on vaccination for social care employers and staff: COVID-19 vaccinations - COVID-19 - Public Health Scotland
Workforce and disclosure
Health and social care COVID-19 accelerated recruitment portal Information for Employers
Criminal records checks for COVID-19 response workers
Support for businesses
Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance (main collection of guidance for business, healthcare, education and housing).
Guidance: Coronavirus (COVID-19): Information for individuals and businesses in Scotland
Information about advice for businesses
Travel
Coronavirus (COVID-19): international travel and managed isolation
Northern Ireland
Government guidance for the public
Guidance and support, including face coverings.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) regulations guidance: what the restrictions mean for you
HSC Public Health Agency, COVID-19: Information for the public
Northern Ireland Executive, Department of Health Coronavirus (COVID-19) advice and updates
Government guidance for health and social care professionals
HSC Public Health Agency, Guidance for domiciliary care providers in Northern Ireland - COVID-19
Guidance for HSC staff on using PPE
Questions and answers for HSC staff
COVID-19 Vaccination
Domiciliary care workers in Northern Ireland and those employed by independent care agencies can book COVID vaccinations at Trust vaccination centres.
Information on the Northern Ireland COVID-19 Vaccination Programme
Care worker information leaflet
Online booking arrangements for domiciliary care workers registered with the NISCC.
Information on testing
Public Health Agency information on testing in Northern Ireland, including primary care workers
HSC, Public Health Agency: Contact tracing FAQs
Keep up to date with COVID-19 developments:
- Read our email alerts for members
- Attend our webinar briefings for members
- Follow our social media channels: Twitter Facebook Instagram LinkedIn YouTube