We are here for you

In light of recent world events regarding coronavirus, we wanted to let you know that we are here to support you and the service that we provide to you. We are taking all the necessary precautions and adhering to Government guidance to ensure we can continue to maintain business as usual and support you the best we can. We appreciate your understanding and flexibility during these unprecedented times.

As COVID-19 is becoming more prevalent, we are aware that care providers are starting to experience increasing cases of COVID-19 within some of their care services, causing understandable and considerable anxiety amongst your care staff, the people you care for and their families and friends. It is widely known that the DOH issued a call to care providers to support the swift discharge of people into care and community settings to free up 15,000 NHS beds. The clear message from Government is that there will be an on-going need for rapid discharge into community and residential care settings and we are here to support you in this initiative.

In order to support you from a staffing perspective we wanted to update you on the measures we are taking to ensure our nurses and carers are best prepared to support your services.

How are VHM Care responding?

Health screening, self-isolating and COVID-19 cases

All our workers are undergoing extensive symptom screening questions each time they are placed to work in a service/shift to ensure they are fit and safe to work.

Any of our workers identified as self-isolating, suffering with symptoms of COVID-19 or who have had contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 will not be offered work and have been advised to follow NHS advice. This includes those who have family members who are self-isolating.

We update our system where care services have a suspected and/or confirmed case of COVID-19 and update our carers records accordingly and any other linked stakeholders. Where workers have come into contact with confirmed cases of COVID then this will made known to any subsequent potential locations or placements providing an informed choice

Training

We are ensuring our staff are receiving the most up-to-date training and information including ‘COVID-19 Safe ways of Working’ (issued by Public Health England)

Testing

We are establishing COVID-19 Antigen testing for all our current candidates (or their family members) who have isolated to ensure they continue to take the appropriate time off work or can return to caring if the test is negative.

Keeping you up-to-date

All clients will be notified of any workers who have previously been sent to them who are suffering with COVID19 symptoms, have had contact with a confirmed case or have travelled to high risk areas in the last 14 days.

Continuity of care

We are working to provide continuity of care and care staff with:

1. advance booking on duty rotas thereby supporting the vital supply of workers, which we feel will become even more essential in the coming weeks
2. block bookings with assurance the nurse or care worker will come to a specific service for a given period of time or confirmation that the worker is limited to a smaller number of services within the same group, where no symptoms are evident.

Dedicated Coronavirus Lead & Mailbox

Our Clinical Compliance Director is now our dedicated Coronavirus Lead and is constantly reviewing current World Health Organisation and Public Health Guidelines as they develop.

Of course, your local branch and care workers are working extremely hard to ensure care is delivered. Many are working extra hours and giving up time with their own families in these difficult circumstances and we are hugely appreciative of this. Please feel free to thank them for their service as we’re sure this will lift their spirits and help us all remain positive.

Regular communication

We are in regular contact with our workforce via telephone and email along with posting information to our website and we will aim to send as much communication out to you as possible to keep you updated and well informed.

If you have any queries or concerns regarding coronavirus you can contact VHM Care via our coronavirus mailbox covid19@vhmcare.com  ensuring you state which establishment you are from so that advice can be given accordingly.