Find information about how to do business with the Council, including the Market Position Statement, as well as tools and templates, policy, guidance and more.
Residential and nursing care homes
Sign up for the latest email newsletter from the PEN
Support for Residential and nursing care homes
Adult oral health in care homes toolkit
7 December 2020
Public Health England and stakeholders have produced the toolkit to support care homes and commissioners to implement the NICE guideline (NG48): Oral health for adults in care homes. The toolkit also contains useful links for care home staff, residents, their families and friends to support good oral health and reduce oral health inequalities.
COVID Oximetry@home service
7 December 2020
CO@h is a service for adults likely to experience worsening or life-threatening hypoxia (low oxygen levels in blood) and it is available for people in care homes and their own homes. This information contains a quick reference guide and monitoring log sheet.
Winter Plan
13 November 2020
Devon County Council’s Adult Social Care Winter Plan has been sent to the Department for Health and Social Care. Thank you to those providers who helped us develop it.
The flu vaccination toolkit for care homes
18 September 2020
Flu and flu vaccination 2020/21: A toolkit for care homes.
Winter Readiness Toolkit
14 September 2020
The NHS England and NHS Improvement South West tool kit is designed to help care homes and other residential care settings plan and prepare for winter infections and outbreaks, and this year’s kit contains new COVID-19 resources, as well as redesigned resources on flu / other respiratory infections and viral gastroenteritis.
Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) Compliance Assessment Tool
21 August 2020
This compliance assessment is a simple tool which has been developed using the most recent information from the CQC and others. It will help you know how well you are doing, identify areas in which you need to improve and bring the guidance together into one place.
Supporting people with their money
17 August 2020
Having money and having access and control over money is a key element that enables people to live with dignity and security. Most people are able to maintain control over their own money and are able to make choices about how they spend their money. However, many people who receive support and care do not Continue reading…
Infection Control Audit Tools
17 August 2020
Please find Infection Control Management and Environmental Audit Tools for your reference as a starting point for the documentation that you should have in place as a provider of care and support services. Devon County Council considers these resources to be acceptable and contract-compliant but you may wish to check with CQC and any other commissioners whether Continue reading…
Care Plan template and completed example Care Plan
17 August 2020
The Care Plan template is provided for your reference as a starting point for the documentation that you should have in place as a provider of care and support services. Please also see worked example Care Plan for information. Devon County Council considers this resource to be acceptable and contract-compliant but you may wish to Continue reading…
Oral health for adults
8 March 2021
Resources to help you get started Public Health England and stakeholders have produced the toolkit to support care homes and commissioners to implement the NICE guideline (NG48): Oral health for adults in care homes. The toolkit contains materials to support health champions within care homes to train care home staff. These include training slides, a Continue reading…
Policy for the Management and Administration of Medication
24 November 2020
Devon County Council and the NEW Devon CCG Medications Optimisation Team have reviewed their Policy for the Management and Administration of Medication in DCC’s in-house care homes and respite units. The Policy reflects the NICE Managing Medicines in Care Homes guidance, published in 2014, checked by NICE in December 2017. We are making the Policy Continue reading…
Devon Housing and Accommodation Strategy
5 August 2020
Healthy Lives, Vibrant Communities and Housing Choices 2020-2025 is the joint Devon County Council and NHS Devon Clinical Commissioning Group housing and accommodation strategy recently published by Devon County Council. The strategy recognises the importance of housing and accommodation in promoting the independence of people with social care needs and sets out how the authority Continue reading…
DILIS hoist and sling checks
30 July 2020
Healthcare equipment must be well maintained to ensure clients and care staff remain safe. Inspection and servicing of hoists and slings is a legal requirement under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER). Hoists and Slings are part of a Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) schedule, which is in place to make sure the Continue reading…
Community Moving and Handling Assessment and Plan (COVID-19)
30 July 2020
Guidance and Responsibilities During the current Coronavirus pandemic and in line with current government guidelines, Health & Social Care workers are adapting ways of working to reduce face to face contact, including and improving the use of technology. A ‘My Handling Assessment and Plan’ is to be completed when increased risk has been highlighted when Continue reading…
Vertical hoist lifting of service users
28 July 2020
Ensure Vertical Hoist Lifting Of Service Users Always ensure that when hoisting service users the hoist straps and lifting motor are in a position vertically above the service user. If the hoist straps and motor are not positioned vertically above the service user, it will cause excessive wear to the hoisting equipment, can cause the Continue reading…
Using community equipment safely
28 July 2020
Provider staff must immediately notify a Health or Social Care professional, where they may be needing to use items of equipment with a client, in a manner for which it was not designed. Do not put excessive force on items of community equipment, or use it in any way which would put the client’s or Continue reading…
Instructions to Ensure Safe Hoisting Of Service Users and Safe Use Of Gantry Hoists
28 July 2020
Always ensure that when using any hoist to transfer a service user, the hoist straps and lifting motor are in a position vertically above the service user, using slide sheets or bed to reposition them prior to lifting/lowering. If the hoist straps and motor are not positioned vertically above the service user, it will cause Continue reading…
Guidance regarding adjustment of community equipment
28 July 2020
Guidance – Adjustment of Community Equipment 19 Feb 2018 This guidance is issued in response to a serious incident relating to community equipment that was recently brought to the attention of the Community Equipment Service Commissioners. It is important to share the learning from this incident. Find below new guidance that will be issued to Continue reading…
Community equipment recycling and reuse information
28 July 2020
How and where to return community equipment so it can be recycled and reused? Devon Community Equipment Service Community Equipment in Devon is jointly funded by the NHS & Devon County Council and is provided, on their behalf, by Millbrook Healthcare Ltd, who recycle and reuse as much equipment as possible. The service excludes Plymouth Continue reading…
April 2021
Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) webinars
The DSPT is a free online self-assessment toolkit that helps evidence that your organisation manages personal data, digitally and on paper form, in a safe and secure way. It helps demonstrate compliance with data protection legislation, answers two of the CQC Key Lines of Enquiry. Importantly, it provides opportunities, ongoing use of NHSmail and potential sharing of care records. Devon Care Homes Collaborative will be running introductory DSPT webinars in April. These one hours sessions will give an overview of...