Coronavirus (COVID-19) Special Brief – 1 April 2020

Tuesday 31 March

The government today published guidance for local authorities on use of the Care Act easements, created under the Coronavirus Act 2020. We have included a link to the full guidance below. VODG will be reviewing the guidance closely and stands ready to work with government to ensure local authorities implement the easements on the basis of last resort.
Thank you again to everyone who has participated in our VODG member Keeping in touch calls and / or joined our COVID-19 Response Hubs. Your contributions are noted and wherever possible, taken forward in our representations to government such as our call today with the Care Minister Helen Whately. Please note that our Keeping in touch calls will now be held fortnightly as we make room for focussed sessions on specific topics. This week, we are hosting two such calls. On Wednesday colleagues from Marr Procurement will join us to discuss PPE supplies and on Thursday colleagues from Trowers & Hamlins LLP will be available to talk about the government's Job Retention Scheme and 'furloughing' - a topic that many of you are currently trying to address. Registration details for both events are included below. Please email any specific questions or topics in advance to [email protected]
Erika Murigi | Head of Communications and Public Affairs 

Coronavirus (COVID-19): key messages

  • The Care Minister Helen Whately today led a call with VODG and representatives from other infrastructure organisations. We were pleased to be able to feed in questions from across the entire VODG membership. Please see below for key insights from this call.
  • DHSC today published Care Act easements: guidance for local authorities. Link to full guidance is below.
  • Member organisations interested in discussing the Job Retention Scheme and 'furloughing', please note Thursday's Keeping in touch call with colleagues from Trowers & Hamlins LLP. A link to register is included below.
  • In today's news, the government has confirmed NHS frontline workers with visas due to expire before 1 October will have them extended for one year.
  • All feedback, please email [email protected]

Insights from meeting with Care Minister

VODG today participated in a teleconference with the Care Minister, Helen Whately MP. These fortnightly calls allow us to bring forward areas of concern, share sector issues and discuss developments coming out of government. To let us know of issues you would like us to represent at these meetings, please email [email protected]. Here are the key messages from today's meeting:
TESTING
  • The government is mindful of the importance of testing both 'patients' and staff and is currently working up plans to prioritise testing of wider key workers.
  • This will be through pilots initially.
  • Quality control and certainty are key considerations.
  • A digital platform is being developed to enable expansion of testing.
  • The Minister is aware of issues around ID for social care workers and is looking into how to eliminate these issues.
PPE
  • The Minister recognises the PPE issues
  • There are four pieces work currently taking place across government to help resolve issues: keeping in mind what is appropriate use of PPE - guidance will be issues shortly; modelling demand - looking at stocks in England and forecasting demand; looking at how the government prioritises distribution; issue connected with wholesalers. [VODG is concerned about supply side profiteering and will come back to members about this especially in relation to future CMA action.]
VOLUNTEERING 
  • Work is going on to explore how the NHS Volunteer Responders programme can be used to support social care sector.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): news

NHS frontline workers' visas extended
Doctors, nurses and paramedics with visas due to expire before 1 October will have them extended for one year.
New advice for  funerals after talks with faith leaders
PHE has published guidance to ensure funerals are conducted  consistent with social distancing principles.
Virus-hit charities 'need substantial support'
MPs are told voluntary organisations could lose £4bn in income over the next three months.
UK care home staff 'at breaking point' as coronavirus cases rise
Care workers and homes report insufficient PPE and lack of clear government guidance

Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance

Care Act easements: government guidance for local authorities
Sets out how local authorities can use the Care Act easements, created under the Coronavirus Act, to ensure the best possible care for people.
Government guidance for care of the deceased
Advice to assist people required to manage bodies of deceased persons infected with COVID-19.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): sector response

Template letter to show key worker status
Created by the Care Provider Alliance, this is a suggested template to help social care workers identify themselves as key workers. Please note this is not government document.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) resources

Department for Education coronavirus helpline open  For questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care. Contact 0800 046 8687. Mon - Fri: 8am to 6pm, Sat and Sun: 10am to 4pm.
Coronavirus: the science explained
Sets out the evidence and facts about the virus, the disease, the epidemic, and it's control. From UK Research and Innovation.

Coronavirus (COVID-19): meetings

VODG member COVID-19 Keeping in touch call on procurement | 1 April | 11.30 - 12.30
A webinar for VODG members in which Christoph Marr of Marr Procurement, and a further guest speaker will update on the supply of medical consumables, chemicals and PPE in the context of COVID-19.
VODG member COVID-19 Keeping in touch call on the Job Retention Scheme | 2 April | 11.00 - 12.00
A KIT call for members to discuss the Job Retention Scheme and related
issues with colleagues from Trowers & Hamlins. Please email any specific questions or topics in advance to [email protected]

The Coronavirus Act - implications for education, social care and mental health | Webinar | 2 April | 15.30 - 17.00
This webinar will consider the implications of the new Coronavirus Act for the delivery of education and social care and the operation of the Mental Health Act 1983 in England. Webinar is presented by Fenella Morris QC, Victoria Butler-Cole QC and Steve Broach, who have worked closely on this unprecedented legislation since the Bill was first introduced to Parliament. Register here.