Covid 19 Guidance Documents

The documents below are intended for Real Care staff members.

Changes to SSSC Registration – To all staff (11/12/2023)

FYI – we now have confirmation of the latest changes and updates which come into force next year for the SSSC.

All information can be found on the SSSC’s website www.sssc.uk.com and through the link below:
Registration is changing – Scottish Social Services Council (sssc.uk.com)

Copies available from the Office.

Many thanks

Clare Beaton
Training & Development Manager

Winter Vaccine (18/09/2023)

Frontline health and social care staff can now book their winter vaccine appointment at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/wintervaccines.

If you are a frontline social care worker, you are eligible for the flu and Covid-19 vaccines.

It is important to keep up to date with your recommended vaccines. The flu vaccine is given every year and your level of protection against Covid-19 may have reduced since your last vaccine. The vaccines offered this year were made to give you the best possible protection against the viruses likely to be circulating this winter.

Covid update – To all staff (24/08/2023)

All staff, please note that Government Guidelines are changing with regards to testing as below:

Significantly, the advice regarding staff who have symptoms of a respiratory infection, including Covid19 has been revised to:

There is no longer a need for staff to have two negative tests before returning to work.

“If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection such as coronavirus and have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people. Try to do this until you no longer have a high temperature (if you had one) or until you feel better as per the advice on NHS Inform”.

Also, the Winter Vaccination programme will be rolling out soon so I’ll communicate details of that to you as soon as they become available for those who wish to take part.

Many thanks

Clare Beaton – Training & Development Manager

Withdrawal of the Coronavirus Mask wearing guidance (09/05/23)

Following a review, the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care and the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport have agreed to withdraw the ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19): use of face coverings in social care settings including adult care homes’ guidance and the ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19): extended use of face masks and face coverings in hospitals, primary care and community healthcare settings’ guidance.

This guidance will be withdrawn on 16 May 2023.

Full guidance is provided in the following documents:

National Infection Prevention and Control Manual

Care Worker’s version Infection Control Manual (abridged version)

Infection Control Manual (full printable version)

https://www.nipcm.hps.scot.nhs.uk/about/print-version

Correct use of PPE

See the following video if you would like to watch a demonstration:

PPE Update (04/04/23)

Updated Real Care Agency PPE Policy and Guidelines for Staff.

Changes to SSSC Registration (27/03/23)

Please note that over the coming 12 – 18 months, there will be significant changes to SSSC Registration which will affect all Real Care Agency staff.

A brief outline is included in the pdf file below. FYI and further updates will be
sent as soon as the information is available.

Updated guidance from Public Health Scotland (06/03/23)

Public Health Scotland has just published the updated Covid-19 guidance for social, community and residential care settings – version 2.6.

The key updates in version 2.6 are:

  • the title of this guidance reverts back to its original “Covid-19 information and guidance for social, community, and residential care settings”, although it also covers prison settings (as version 2.5)
  • clarifications to the advice on the use of face masks in the PPE and face coverings section.
  • advice on essential visiting updated, including now examples of circumstances and factors that HPTs may consider when moving to “essential visiting” during an outbreak and additional advice for services on how to support this.
  • changes specific to prison settings.

The full guidance can be accessed here.

Covid Testing Guidelines Update – (16/09/22)

An update to guidance for asymptomatic testing for social care.

Vaccinations – ALL STAFF UPDATE (29/08/22)

Autumn Vaccination Programme Starts with Booking Your Appointment Online

The Autumn vaccination programme will commence on Monday, September 5th and Lanarkshire health and social care staff (including independent contractors) can book an appointment to receive their annual flu vaccination and Covid Booster vaccination (if eligible) through the online booking portal which opens today.

Preventing Infection in Social Care Settings (August 2022)

Preventing Infection in Care at Home Standard Infection Control Precautions – A pocket book for staff.

Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Standards (16/05/2022)

A single set of standards has been developed for use across health and adult social care from Monday 16 May.

Updated COVID-19: information and guidance for social, community and residential care settings (SCRC) (06 July 2022)

Public Health Scotland has just published the updated version 2.2. of the guidance.

PLEASE NOTE – this guidance has been merged with the COVID-19: guidance for care home settings (for older adults). 

Chief Nursing Officer writes to sector about new IPC standards (16 May 2022)

The Chief Nursing Officer has written to the sector about the new IPC standards published by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, which apply to health and adult social care settings
The standards will act as a key component in the drive to reduce the risk of infections in health and social care in Scotland. They will support services to quality assure their IPC practice and approaches, and the IPC principles set out in the National Infection Prevention and Control Manual.The Care Inspectorate will take account of the standards in our inspection and regulation of adult and older people’s care services including care homes.

The standards can be found here.

Read the Chief Nursing Officer’s letter here.

Guidance Documents

Click on one of the links to view a document, or a button to download it your device.