Overview of Important Guidance
Regularly updated guidance and information can be found on this website and at:
- Government Coronavirus Dashboard
- The Care Provider Alliance’s COVID-19 Resources Page
- The government’s COVID-19 advice page
- The government’s Social Care Guidance Portal
- COVID-19 information governance advice
The tabs at the top of this page contain more specific pieces of information and guidance which you need to know. Please note the extremely clinically vulnerable guidance (30.4.21). See also COVID-19 Population Risk Assessment.
If you have any questions about guidance or have questions for DHSC about COVID-19 please let us know at [email protected] and we will seek a response.
We are also working closely with other members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Adult Social Care (APPG) to influence parliamentarians.
Guidance on lockdown, social distancing and easements:
- National Lockdown: Stay at Home – updated 10.5.21
- COVID-19 variant information – updated 1.4.21
- Lockdown Lifting Roadmap – Spring 2021 – 22.2.21
PHE, DHSC & NHS are developing guidance for a variety of professional groups on handling the novel coronavirus COVID-19 in the UK. This section gives a quick overview of the guidance. Please see the tabs at the top of the page for further information and guidance.
Overview of Guidance and Important Information
Please see the vaccinations page for further information and guidance.
Key links:
- Mandatory Vaccination Consultation – closes 21 May
- National Booking Service – This has reopened social care staff with the ability to book a particular vaccine for under-40s.
- List of LA contacts for COVID-19 vaccination roll-out support for frontline staff
- DHSC Communications toolkit – updated regularly with Q&As
- PHE vaccination campaign resources
- NHS Primary Care Guidance for COVID-19 Vaccine – regularly updated
- Mencap has produced a range of resources and campaign material about COVID-19 vaccination for people with learning disabilities.
- JCVI guidance on COVID-19 vaccination for pregnant women, women of childbearing age or breastfeeding – vaccination is now recommended – 12.5.21
- COVID-19 vaccination programme – updated 11.5.21
- A link to the greenbook outlining information about COVID-19 vaccines- updated 7.5.21
Please see the infection prevention and control page for futher information and guidance.
Key links:
- Visiting arrangements in care homes – updated 4.5.21
- Arrangements for visiting out of the care home – updated 1.5.21
- Testing for Adult Day Care Centre Workers updated 30.4.21
- PPE Portal (Clipper) – updated 27.4.21
- List of LRF and LA contacts for PPE – updated 23.4.21
- Testing for Personal Assistants updated 22.4.21
- Workforce Capacity Fund – updated 22.4.21
- Visiting Guidance for Supported Living Settings – 22.4.21
- Supported Living Guidance – updated 22.4.21
- Care home testing guidance for staff and residents – new LFD and PCR regime – updated 22.4.21
- LFD self-testing for care home workers at home – updated 22.4.21
- New Outbreak Guidance – upated 22.4.21
- Testing for Home Care Workers updated 22.4.21
- Testing for Extra Care and Supported Living Settings updated 22.4.21
- COVID-19 How to work safely in care homes Updated 16.4.21
- Clinically Extremely Vulnerable Guidance – updated 16.4.21
- Infection Control and Rapid Testing Fund Grant Conditions – 8.4.21
- COVID-19 How to work safely in domicilliary care updated 6.4.21
- Extension of free PPE until March 2022 – 1.4.21
- Designated settings for people discharged to a care home – updated 1.4.21
- Admissions to care home guidance– Updated 1.4.21
- Restricting workforce movement between care homes and other care settings – 3.3.21
- Adult Social Care Rapid Testing Fund – 15.1.21
Please see the NHS + Clinical Guidance, Discharge, and Commissioning page for further information and guidance.
Key links:
- NHS COVID-19 Programme Guidance
- CQC COVID-19 Designation Scheme Info – updated 28.4.21
- Guidance on Primary Care Standard Operating Procedures – updated 12.4.21
- Designated settings for people discharged to a care home – updated 1.4.21
- Admission and care of people in care homes – Updated 1.4.21
- Guidance for stepdown of infection control procedures within hospitals and discharging COVID-19 patients from hospital to home settings – updated 22.3.21
- QCOVID & COVID-19 Population Risk Assessment – 16.2.21
- Update on funding of post-discharge support for remainder 2020/21 – 10.2.21
- Pulse oximetry to detect early deterioration of patients with COVID-19 in primary and community care settings – updated 29.1.21
- NHS Guidance: Improving discharge patient flow from acute settings – 20.1.21
- CPA guide to Enhanced Care in Care Homes – 18.1.21
- Prioritisation within Community Health Services – updated 8.12.20
Please see the workforce page for further information and guidance.
Key Links:
- Care for Others. Make a Difference – Recruitment campaign
- Guidance for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme for employers here and employees here Updated 6.5.21
- Guidance for those on the Clinically Extremeley Vulnerable list updated 30.4.21
- Key Workers: Guidance for who constitutes key workers & Guidance for parents and carers – Updated 22.4.21
- Workforce Capacity Fund – updated 22.4.21
- Safer Travel Guidance for Passengers – Updated 19.4.21
- Supreme Court Sleep-In Ruling briefing – 19.3.21
- Call to Care: Recruitment campaign for short-term opportunities – 9.2.21
Please see the housing and homelessness page for further information and guidance.
- Housing LIN – COVID-19 resources
- National Housing Federation Resources
- Understanding the possession action process: guidance for landlords and tenants – updated 30.4.21
- Guidance on the businesses and premises that need to close updated 12.4.21
- Guidance on home moving – Updated 12.4.21
- Guidance for commissioners and providers of services for people who use drugs and alcohol – Updated 7.4.21
- Guidance for landlords, tenants and local authorities – Updated 7.4.21
Please see the regulation and legal page for further information and guidance.
Key links:
- CQC Information for providers during pandemic
- SCIE COVID-19 Guidance Hub
- HSE RIDDOR Reporting of COVID-19 – updated 30.4.21
- Designated settings for people discharged to a care home – updated 1.4.21
- CQC report into DNACPR decisions – Updated 24.3.21
- CQC consultation on changes for flexible regulation – updated 23.3.21
- CQC IPC inspection tool – updated 10.3.21
- CQC list of LAs using Coronavirus Act easements– updated 1.2.21
- CQC consultation on strategy for 2021 and beyond – 7.1.21
Please see the Digital and Information Governance page for further information and guidance.
Key Links: