Care Home Provider Meeting

17th November 2015,09:30 - 13:00

County Hall, meeting room one and two

Minutes

Item / Action
1 / Welcome and Introductions
2 / Rachel Lawrence, Workforce Development Strategy
  • Rachel Lawrence, Commissioning Officer, delivered a presentation on Oxfordshire's Workforce Development Strategy.
  • Rachel Lawrence highlighted the actions that Providers can take to help tackle the recruitment and workforce issues faced within social care.
Discussion points:
  • New national minimum wage was discussed and how this will affect affordability of care staff for homes.
  • Providers were advised, if they wish, to express their opinion by participating in the Budget Options Consultation via the OCC website:
Contact details:
07919 298290
3 / Dr Julie Anderson, Clinical Director, South West Oxfordshire Locality and Lead for End of Life Care, Nursing Homes, Dementia and Stroke - Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group
  • Dr Julie Anderson gave an update on the progress of the Proactive Medical Support Project.
  • Providers were advised to feedback directly to Julie Anderson with any concerns or queries regarding the scheme.
Contact details:

4 / CQC - Carol Schubert, Interim Inspection Manager
  • Carol Schubert asked providers for feedback regarding the new approach to inspection, now in place.
  • Individual homes were asked to discuss individual concerns directly with Carol Schubert.
  • It was asked whether providers are required to display only their overall rating, or the rating for all 5 key areas inspected. Carol confirmed it is required to display the overall ratings for all areas. Full guidance isavailable on the CQC website.
  • Providers communicated that they were not aware of the CQC posters which should be used to display their inspection rating to the public. CS will ensure rating display posters are made available to providers to promote within the Care Homes.
  • Providers were advised they can to access links to vanguard sites via the CQC website.
/ Carol Schubert
5 / Safeguarding - Hugh Ellis, Safeguarding Adults Team Manager
  • Hugh Ellis gave a presentation on 'Adult Safeguarding - the way ahead' around new changes to safeguarding, taking affect due to the implementation of the Care Act.
  • The previous safeguarding terminology of 'vulnerable adult' is no longer being used and is replaced by 'adult'.
  • Safeguarding now refer to 'enquires' as opposed to 'investigations'.
  • There are 3 new additions to the existing abuse categories:
-Modern Slavery
-Self - neglect
-Domestic Abuse
  • The term 'Institutional Abuse' has been replaced by the term 'Organisational Abuse'.
  • The Care Act also changes the definition by which safeguarding duties apply.
  • A new Oxfordshire Safeguarding website ( willsoon replace the existing 'safe from harm' website.
  • From December 2015 it will be possible to raise a safeguarding alert online via the Oxfordshire County Council website. This will be in addition to the existing process of raising an alert by telephone.
  • New guidance will be developed for the 3 main safeguarding concerns in care homes: falls, pressure sores and medication errors. It was agreed that Hugh Ellis would contact George Tuthill and Eddie McDowell so they can have input in this guidance
  • The new Threshold of Needs Matrix for providers to refer to when reporting safeguarding incidents was circulated and the new process for escalation of safeguarding alerts was explained.
  • Delegates were advised to submit any queries following Hugh's presentation to Rachel Pirie: .
/ Hugh Ellis
6 / Points for discussion
  • It was questioned how safeguarding is escalated via the new process, is it for the home to decide or Safeguarding? Hugh confirmed that safeguarding will advise how the safeguarding is escalated.
  • Flu vaccination - Rachel Pirie reminded providers that all residents and care staff are eligible for the flu vaccine and the importance of staying well this winter.
  • Quality Monitoring Visits toolkit - Rachel Pirie advised providers that the contracts team will be trialling a new self-assessment approach in the coming months.
  • Delegates expressed in general that they felt the meeting was positive and that they would like to attend in the future. Future agenda items requested were:
-Information updates (similar to Hugh's update on Safeguarding changes)
-Examples of best practice
-Interesting guest speakers
Rachel Pirie advised providers to email in any additional ideas or requests for future meetings.
  • Rachel Pirie reminded providers that the budget consultation is live on Oxfordshire County Council website -should they wish to participate.