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- Guidance for social care has been updated to give local providers more autonomy over universal face mask use and outbreak management.
- Providers can now carry out risk assessments to make decisions about mask use across adult social care and about measures in the event of a Covid outbreak in care homes.
- Outbreak testing for small care homes has also been streamlined in line with public health advice.
Guidance on the use of face masks in the event of an outbreak in all care settings and care homes has been updated to allow settings flexibility to ensure ongoing Covid measures are proportionate.
Previous guidance stated that face masks should be worn at all times in care settings and that care homes should consult the local health security team in the event of a Covid outbreak, but this pre-Christmas change enables providers to make greater use of their own skills and knowledge about appropriate measures.
From Thursday 15 December, providers can make risk-based decisions on when to use face masks and care homes can start their own outbreak risk assessments to decide what outbreak measures make sense for their individual settings. Decisions around masks will depend on factors such as risk to specific individuals, if the setting has an outbreak, or individual care recipient preferences. Support from health protection teams and other local partners is available to care homes when needed.
Testing guidance for smaller care homes has also been streamlined to reduce the number of testing staff and residents need to take in the event of an outbreak. This, along with new flexibility for rapid response testing in these settings, is in line with the latest public health advice.
Social care settings will continue to equip free PPE to keep staff and people receiving care safe over the winter and to protect against Covid where needed.
Minister of State for Care Helen Whatley said:
The darkest days of the pandemic are thankfully behind us. But it doesn’t seem that way for people living in care homes or being cared for at home, while many of the people they see are still behind the mask.
Everything we communicate is through our expressions, our faces and our smiles – especially for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Many rely on lip reading, and face masks don’t make the job any easier for care workers either.
That is why we are making this change. We want care agencies and residential homes to decide what is best for the people they care for. I hope this means thousands of people looked after by care workers will be smiling this Christmas.
Care providers are now able to take a risk-based approach to decisions about the use of face masks, balancing the risk of spreading infection and considering any risks or benefits that may arise from their use. Care homes can use new flexibility in the updated guidance on outbreak management and should ensure that, in all circumstances, visits between loved ones are supported, with each resident having at least one visitor even during an outbreak. Outbreak measures should only be applied if at least two cases of Covid are linked and should be proportionate to factors specific to the care home such as if it is well ventilated, some parts are easy to isolate and how vulnerable the people in the home are. covid.
Providers must continue to ensure compliance with the guidance and be able to provide evidence of this to the Care Quality Commission when asked.
People receiving care can ask staff to wear face masks, and staff should, of course, act in whatever way makes the person they care for most comfortable.
Vaccination is the best defense against flu and Covid, and with both viruses circulating this winter, it’s important that everyone – including care workers – steps up to boost their immunity and protect themselves and those they care for.
Great progress has been made since nearly 45 million people were jabbed this year, including 16.7 million autumn booster jabs. It is important that care workers and care recipients are protected against illness so that staffing and visiting levels can be maintained, and care services can be kept safe this winter – which is why the Government has backed care workers to be vaccinated. People receiving care are also eligible. Social care workers and others eligible this winter can book their appointments for both the Covid Autumn Booster and the flu vaccine through the National Booking Service or by contacting their GP.
The Government continues to encourage staff and care recipients to take sensible precautions to protect against infection this winter.
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