Information for care providers

Independent providers

We are publishing information, guidance and advice for independent providers of adult social care services.

Please also find further information where we are working jointly with our Derbyshire County Council and Derby and Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group colleagues to support residential care providers on the Derbyshire County Council website.

Support for care homes

On the 14 May 2020, the Minister of State for Care, Helen Whatley, wrote to all councils with responsibility for social care requiring them to provide a care home support plan by 29 May 2020.

We welcome the opportunity to set out Derby’s approach to supporting its care homes at this difficult and critical time. Since the onset of the pandemic, we have worked closely with care and NHS partners across Derby and Derbyshire to ensure a robust and considered coronavirus (COVID-19) response for care homes.

Derby City Council and its partners want to thank everyone who is working tirelessly within the care home sector to protect vulnerable people during the pandemic and hopes that the approach laid out will go some way to offering further support and reassurance.

On 29th May 2020, Derby City Council published its letter to care homes outlining its plans for support, as well as its financial table of funding support offered to providers.

Updating the Commissioning and Market Management Team

Providing us with accurate information as soon as you are able to will allow us to manage this situation to the best of our ability, and effectively identify where there is the most critical need.

If you provide care home services, please ensure you are registered on, and are completing the NHS Capacity Tracker.
You need to complete all the information required on the NHS Capacity Tracker on a daily basis.
If you are a home care or community provider, please give us details of your current capacity and any changes on our Community Capacity Tracker.

Keeping in touch

If you need to speak to one of the team, please contact the Lead Commissioner or Market Manager for your area of care and support.

Name	Email address
Yvonne Short - Lead Commissioner Accommodation	yvonne.short@derby.gov.uk
Adrian McNaney - Market Manager, Care Homes	adrian.mcnaney@derby.gov.uk
Ian Chennery - Market Manager Extra Care and Care Homes	ian.chennery@derby.gov.uk
Alice Sanghera - Lead Commissioner Communities	alice.sanghera@derby.gov.uk
Christina Waters - Market Manager Home Care and Support and Accommodation	christina.waters@derby.gov.uk
Felicity Coxon - Market Manager Day Opportunities	felicity.coxon@derby.gov.uk

Latest guidance

There is guidance from the government on the admission and care of people in care homes, supported living provision and home care provision.

Public Health England has published guidance, including on infection prevention and control in healthcare settings.

Public Health England has also published posters in various formats to be displayed at entrances to hospitals, GP practices and community pharmacies and other settings to provide people with advice on what to do if they have the symptoms of COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic raises particular challenges for care home residents, their families and the staff that look after them. The NHS are working with tech firms to help care home residents and patients connect with loved ones.

There are also some useful resources to support people with dementia.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The Government has published guidance for personal protective equipment (PPE).

Public Health England have provided support for taking off personal protective equipment, and issued an explainer video and case studies showing how the PPE guidance works in practice for the social care sector.

If you are a Derby City provider still experiencing difficulties in accessing PPE, having exhausted your own supply chain and the 11 national wholesalers, and are in need of emergency supply for example, you have two or less days worth of key items, then email PICTeam@derby.gov.uk and someone will be in touch.

If we are unable to help then you should contact the NSDR via the 24/7 helpline: 0800 915 9964 (freephone number in the UK).

Testing staff for COVID-19

There is a programme of testing in care homes for both staff and residents currently in operation.

Testing is now being made available to more key workers. More information on getting tested has been published on GOV.UK.

Please note that the test is only accurate if conducted up to five days from when someone starts to display symptoms. For that reason, and to allow a day to arrange an appointment, referrals cannot be received if symptoms were displayed more than four days ago.

There are two test centres available, one at Burnaston Toyota plant in Derby and one at the Proact football stadium in Chesterfield, depending which is most convenient for colleagues. Test slots are available every afternoon between 1.00pm and 5.00pm.

Individuals must be able to drive or be driven to the test centres by someone from the same household. Unfortunately, these centres are not walk in, and cannot test people who arrive on foot, take public transport or a taxi.

To request a test slot and confirm eligibility please email ddccg.covid19keyhcwtesting@nhs.net, including:

a name and contact telephone number for the person requesting a test
which location they will be accessing (Chesterfield or Derby)

Hospital discharges

In response to managing COVID-19 in our hospitals, national guidance has been issued that says hospital discharges must be carried out within two hours of a patient becoming medically fit.

Local NHS and adult social care services have made the decision that all hospital discharges requiring ongoing support will use a Trust Assessment Approach/D2A documentation.

This decision will take effect immediately. It is our intention that the assessment will provide a clear and accurate view of the client's needs and how then can be best met.

Here is the leaflet being used by the hospital teams for people who are being discharged as part of this arrangement.

If your request is for a service in Derby, please contact Derby City Council Adult Social Care Commissioning and Market Management team, please email carebrokerage.duty@derby.gov.uk.

Working safely

Care homes

Guidance has been published on how to work safely in care homes.

This has been updated from the previous version of this document:

includes recommendation (July 2020) for the use of face masks and coverings in care homes to prevent COVID-19 transmission as follows
a third table has been added
additional questions and answers have been added (Questions 4 and 31-34) including adapting advice provided by NHS England for hospital settings to this context

Home care

Guidance has been published on how to work safely in domiciliary care.

Employer guidance

Guidance for employers and business on coronavirus is available from the government, which includes the Business Emergency Relief Fund
Government advice also includes key worker guidance and changes to DBS ID checking guidelines. There is also interim guidance on DBS and other recruitment checks from the Care Quality Commission
There is information about staff and volunteering to help fill workforce gaps
A coronavirus awareness course is available from Skills for Health
Infection prevention and control is vital to the wellbeing of people who need care and support

Accessibility resources

Signhealth is providing a videos of summaries of key coronavirus guidance in BSL
Public Health England stay at home guidance, translated and in easy read
Public Health England guidance on social distancing, translated
NHS guidelines translated into 32 languages by Doctors of the World
Easy read information on COVID-19 from Mencap
Public Health England resources in accessible formats
COVID-19 guidance for providers of services for people experiencing rough sleeping
The hand washing rap, produced to help people who have a learning disability