News Items

Financial Impacts of Covid-19 on Care Homes (FICCH)

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This report reveals that Government support worth more than £2 billion helped the care home sector avoid financial collapse during the peak of the pandemic. However, when the support was removed, the sector experienced a crisis due to workforce... Read more


National Emergency Alert system test

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As you probably know by now, Government is testing the new national alert system, to be used in case of national, regional or local emergency, on Sunday 23 April at 3pm. Concerns have been raised about people who may be alarmed by sudden noise,... Read more


Updated code of practice for international recruitment

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DHSC has published an updated Code of Practice for the International Recruitment of Health and Social Care Personnel. The main update is to the Code for Practice red list to add the following countries: Comoros Laos Rwanda ... Read more


Funding to streamline care assessments

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DHSC released £27 million on 29 March to help adult social care teams in local authorities in England implement new ways of working to support more streamlined assessments to inform care planning. This grant supports wider efforts to reduce... Read more


FNC rates increase by 5%

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The Statutory Instrument to increase the FNC rate for 2023-24 has just been laid in Parliament. The FNC rate will be uplifted by 5% for 2023-24 which means that the rate for standard FNC in 2023-24 will be £219.71 per resident per week. The... Read more


OUH to strike again

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RCN members working at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust (OUH) voted to take industrial action today (Monday 6 Feb) and tomorrow (Tuesday 7 Feb), as was the case at many (but not all) NHS trusts and organisations in England, Wales and Northern... Read more


Oxfordshire County Council engagement

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Three opportunities for engaging with Oxfordshire County Council across a range of topics All providers are invited to a meeting about Oxfordshire County Council's Market Sustainability Plan - more details here Oxfordshire County... Read more


Provider communication survey

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Oxfordshire County Council has asked providers for their thoughts on how the Council communicates with them. Find the short survey... Read more


Better Hiring Toolkit

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A first-of-its-kind Better Hiring Toolkit has been launched, providing an essential guide for care sector employers to make informed, safer recruitment decisions. The best practice toolkit – which can be accessed for free here – provides... Read more