For Dying Matters Awareness Week (6-12 May 2024), Hospice UK is encouraging us all to get talking about death, dying and bereavement. You can find some great resources to use in your organisation or with the people you support here: Dying Matters Resources | Hospice UK

Death affects us all, but it’s not always easy to talk about Have you thought about the kind of care you’d like if you were very ill? What kind of funeral you want? How you would like to be remembered? Those working in social care can play a major role in opening up important conversations about life and death, to help others to be prepared and access the services they might need as they approach end-of-life.

The Oxfordshire Palliative Care Network has recently run a pilot programme with a small number of providers in the county to explore creative ways of talking about dying, death, and bereavement. The pilot engaged service users and staff within 3 different community groups: residential care homes, learning disability support, and a sixth form college. One care home manager reflected, ‘we were grateful to be given the time and space to talk about death and being able to be honest about fears and plans in a safe space.’ If you would like to find out more about the project, please contact the Network Manager, David Savage, at dsavage1@helenanddouglas.org.uk.

We’d also like to hear from anyone working in any aspect of social care to find out what end-of-life support would be useful in the future. Please take a moment to answer three questions.

Questions - please put comments below

In your social care role, what issues relating to end-of-life have you had to deal with (these might include issues of life-limiting illness, palliative care, dying, death, or bereavement)?

Thinking about the end-of-life issues you have dealt with in your social care role, were there particular challenges you faced? Were there positive opportunities, approaches and experiences?

What could help you better support the people in your care to think about, talk about, and manage matters of dying, death, and bereavement?

Dear Provider,

As part of Oxfordshire County Council's Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund return for this year, DHSC require local authorities collect and report
- the number of people who joined a care provider as an employee in the period 1 April - 30 April 2024
- the number of people who left employment with a care provider in the period 1 April - 30 April 2024.

We prepared a short survey to collect this information MSIF Provider Survey May 2024 (office.com). DHSC does not require any distinction on the job role of the person and all care provider employees are in scope. Please include the number of people, regardless of hours worked, or FTE. Please do not count agency staff and staff who moved roles within the same organisation.

Please could you submit your response by 14th May 2024. If you have any questions, please email ascstrategyteam@oxfordshire.gov.uk

We really appreciate you taking the time to respond.

Thank you!

Fulya Markham

As summers have been getting hotter, Public Health have developed, with colleagues, a new campaign to raise awareness for groups vulnerable to extreme heat – Beat the Heat.

The communications pack will be shared in the coming days, but to secure a spot in your diary we’d like to invite you to sign up to a Teams webinar on Thursday May 16^th 1pm to 2pm. Please share the invite on to colleagues or partners to add to their diaries who are involved with supporting the groups listed below.

Groups we’re looking to reach include

1. Those with health conditions
2. Over 65 years
3. Pregnant people or children under 5 years.
4. Those living in top floor flats or properties likely to over heat during extremes of temperature

In the session you’ll learn why heat is a real and growing issue for some of our residents and what information and support is out there.

The DHSC have now published more information about the new Adult Social Care Training and Development Fund.

Follow this link for the most recent information about the Adult Social Care Training and Development Fund due to be launched during the 2024-25 financial year.

The fund will be available to eligible adult social care employers in England who will be able to claim reimbursement for training costs for qualifying staff.

This link to the Skills for Care web page offers additional clarification ⇨ Find out more

Procurement and supply chain bulletin: 20 April 2024

Local Government Association sent this bulletin at 19-04-2024 12:15 PM BST

Nominations are open for the annual Oxfordshire Care Awards 2024 recognising and celebrating individuals, organisations and companies who have demonstrated excellence within the care sector in Oxfordshire.

The awards are hosted by the Oxfordshire Association of Care Providers (OACP), Carers Oxfordshire and Age UK Oxfordshire and are supported and recognised by Oxfordshire County Council. The awards ceremony will take place on Monday 17^th June 2024.

Nominations

Do you know someone who deserves to be recognised and celebrated for providing outstanding care? Nominate them to celebrate their dedication and commitment and help raise the profile of caring across Oxfordshire.

Nominations can be made here bit.ly/3ViYOer

Shortlisted nominees will be published on www.oacp.org.uk. Nominators will be advised if their nominee has won an award and invited to attend the ceremony. Winners will be announced at the Awards ceremony and will appear on www.oacp.org.uk.

If you would like to get involved or need more information about the Oxfordshire Care Awards 2024 please email Jane Wood Marketing Manager OACP awards@oacp.org.uk, call 01235 248087 or visit www.oacp.org.uk.

Funded by DHSC's international recruitment initiative, South East Social Care Alliance are offering the following training courses FREE to overseas care workers:

Mastering Social Care Communication

4 x weekly 90-minute online sessions, 30-minute online introduction, plus 2 hours of e-Learning per week

Click the link below for details and to book.

Mastering Social Care Communication – SESCA

Everyday English & Cultural Awareness

6 x weekly 90-minute online sessions

Click the link below for details and to book.

Everyday English & Cultural Awareness – SESCA

Care Certificate with English Language Support

4-day online course

Click the link below for details and to book.

Care Certificate with English Language Support – SESCA

Emotional Wellbeing for Overseas Carers

2 x 2-hour online sessions

Click the link below for details and to book.

Emotional Wellbeing for Newly Arrived Overseas Care Workers – SESCA

Cultural Differences in End-of-Life Care

90-minute online workshop

Click the link below for details and to book.

End-of-Life Care: Understanding Cultural Differences – SESCA

This morning an email was sent to providers with service users in the area of OX3 regarding a burst watermain. We have since heard it may now also be affecting areas OX4 and OX44. Click HERE for a news article from BBC News.

We have been informed by Thames Water that repairs to the burst watermain, which is likely to lead to disruption to supplies for residents. Thames Water will be working to get the problem resolved as soon as possible, but in the meantime, please can you ensure that any vulnerable people you support in this area have access to drinking water.

Quality Improvement Team
Heath, Education and Social Care Commissioning

Hello! The 👉days are going by...FAST💨...nominate YOUR organisation or colleague...ASAP...for an Oxfordshire Care Award 2024💛

The Oxfordshire Care Awards 2024 will take place on Monday 17th June 2024 at the VOCO Oxford Thames, Henley Road, Sandford-on-Thames, Oxford OX4 4GX. Nominations close at 5pm on Friday 26th April 2024.

The Oxfordshire Care Awards 2024 – Inspiration for All!

***Nominations are open! ***

Do you know someone who deserves to be recognised and celebrated at the Oxfordshire Care Awards 2024?

By nominating a friend, unpaid carer, colleague or company you will be supporting their dedication and commitment whilst raising the profile of the adult social care sector across Oxfordshire. This uplifting and joyous event reinforces the work and dedication of all those who make a difference to the ‘real lives’ in their care every day!

Get involved, nominate today…let’s celebrate…Outstanding care in Oxfordshire!

About the Oxfordshire Care Awards 2024 – Inspiration for All!

The aim of the Oxfordshire Care Awards 2024 – Inspiration for All! is to recognise and celebrate individuals, organisations, and companies who have demonstrated outstanding excellence within the care sector in Oxfordshire. The organisations involved are Action for Carers Oxfordshire, Age UK Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire Association of Care Providers (OACP) and Oxfordshire County Council, working together in partnership is at the heart of this Awards initiative.

This all-day event brings together statutory and independent care providers, the community/voluntary sector and unpaid carers.

Please keep an eye on our website for more details about the content of the day as we hope to have a ‘Mini Information Fair’ drop in area for care providers and carers open throughout the day but running separately from the Oxfordshire Care Awards 2024.

The Awards take place on Monday 17th June 2024 at the Voco Hotel, Sandford-on-Thames, Oxford OX4 4GX.

*****STOP PRESS***** NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN*****

The Oxfordshire Care Awards 2024 – Inspiration for All!

Categories for 2024 are:

Newcomer to Care Award
Seeks to acknowledge and celebrate a new member of staff who commenced and remained in employment in the care sector within the previous 12 months and who has shown empathy, responsiveness and fully understands good practice.

Care Home Worker Award
Recognises the significant role of the Care Home Worker who consistently provides high-quality care for people living in residential care.

Unpaid Carer Award
Recognises someone who gives their time, energy and skill to ensure that people have a better experience of care and support and feel that they matter.

The Volunteer Award
Recognises someone whose commitment to voluntary work has enhanced the wellbeing of the local community or has made a difference to an individual/s quality of life.

Home Care Worker Award
Recognises the beneficial and important role of the Home Care Worker in consistently providing high-quality care, for people living in their own homes.

International Recruitment – Best Practice Employer Award
(Sponsored by SESCA, the South East Social Care Alliance)
This award recognises an employer who has demonstrated best practice in International Recruitment to support their business. To be eligible, a provider must have sponsored skilled workers since April 2022. These could be individuals who have come to England specifically to work for them, or ‘in country’ recruits who moved from another employer or transferred from a different type of visa. Providers may nominate themselves, or be nominated by an international recruit from within their workforce.

Care Team Award
This Award will be presented to the team who are able to best demonstrate a shared vision and agreed goals. The team should have a leader whose role is known and accepted, and who takes personal responsibility for their tasks. Able to demonstrate a commitment to dignity and privacy for clients plus respect for team members.

The Digital Social Care Hero Award
Acknowledges a care provider or individual within a care company who has implemented the integration of digital technology bringing health and care closer together, making a significant impact to the performance of the organisation.

Long-Term Service Award
Aims to recognise the long-term service of an employee who has made an outstanding contribution to a care organisation (min. service period 10 years), who through their working life have passionately made a huge difference to the organisation.

The Frontline Leaders Award
Recognises someone who has shown clear commitment to improving the delivery of care and support within their team. A supervisor, senior care worker, team leader or registered manager. A person who has shown leadership by reflecting on what could be done better to support and brings about change, which highlights best practice.

Inspiration Award
An organisation or business (not a health or care agency) that inspired others with its high standards of care and compassion, such as a community group or business, shop or library, that goes out of its way to assist individuals who need extra support in their daily lives.

Josie’s Award
Josie Smith was a remarkable force for good in the lives of people around her, and especially in the lives of people who needed care and support; an unstoppable influence for the better! We want to celebrate an individual of any kind who in some way is making an exceptional difference to dignity in care.

Note: The Awards attendance will be limited to Award Nominators (1 person), Main Award Winners (2 persons) and Highly Commended Winners (2 persons) and VIP invited guests.

Ways to Nominate:

(Note: Oxfordshire Association of Care Providers will be collating all the online and email nomination submissions on behalf of Age UK Oxfordshire/Carers Oxfordshire.

Please choose ONE of the following ways to nominate – thank you!

1). Download a fillable PDF nomination form (click on the link below)

Oxfordshire Care Awards 2024 Nomination Form

Download the nomination form to your computer desktop, complete the form on page three, you can use this link to edit the form online visit: https://smallpdf.com/edit-pdf
‘Save as’ the edited form with a new title to your computer desktop. Then send your updated and completed nomination form with any additional supporting documents (as either Word.docs, PDFs or Jpegs) to our email address: awards@oacp.org.uk

OR

2). Complete the Online Nomination Form : The Oxfordshire Care Awards 2024 Inspiration for All! (oacp.org.uk)