Therapy input and Equipment support Caroline Robinson Senior

Therapy input and Equipment support Caroline Robinson – Senior Occupational Therapist, Provider Quality team, Essex County Council

Therapy input – what is necessary As Adult Social Care and Health Therapists we have a duty of care to assess and support individuals in the community who’s needs fall within the eligibility criteria of Care Act 2014 and the NHS COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Service Requirements. We are prioritising those in urgent need of assessment and intervention – including: • Residents soon to be discharged home from your care home in order to support the flow of hospital discharges • Residents requiring hands-on therapy rehabilitation to support their recovery and discharge plan • Residents with urgent moving and handling needs where you require specialist advice from a therapist to resolve their needs.

Getting creative - if we can We are creatively conducting assessments of individuals as follows: Using technology with support from your care staff/agreement from your residents, to enable the Therapist to assess remotely – this may be completing assessments via video call, pictures, telephone conversations and/or emails Where we are unable to complete the necessary assessment and/or therapy intervention using technology we will be applying a RAG risk assessment rating (Appendix A) to complete a face-to-face visit

Face to Face Visits We will be working with you to support us to complete this efficiently and with minimal risk to your residents and care staff. Our staff will be supplied with PPE where this is deemed necessary. We will be in contact with you prior to our visit to determine where this is required. We will be following the hand washing recommendations on entry and exit. We will only be remaining in your home for the minimal time required to observe and assess the resident. We will be following the social distancing guidance and acknowledging the shielding guidance.

Working together for the wider system We appreciate your anxieties, we are anxious too, but that is why we will take every step feasible to keeping you, your residents and our therapy staff safe. It is important to recognise that we must work together to support the wider system. In line with national government guidance regarding the Coronavirus pandemic we must ensure Therapists can access and assess those residents highlighted in this briefing in order to support the discharge flow from hospitals, the residents rehabilitation and recovery, and also reduce the likelihood of injury from a moving and handling crisis. We thank you in advance

Equipment Gaps We recognise that residents needs change, and in some cases this can be very rapid. We would expect you to have a range of standard equipment (as detailed in the attached guidance for provision of equipment in care homes) to accommodate these changes and maintain infection control procedures. Click on the pdf file below for copy of this guidance However, we recognise that for a variety of reasons, there can be gaps. We want to support you where we can. Please email us via the provider resilience inbox (Provider. Resilience@essex. gov. uk) if you have gaps in your equipment supply where equipment is needed urgently to resolve a resident in crisis as detailed within this briefing.

RAG approach to risk assessment – Appendix A Priority Red Amber Green Definition Highest risk where serious harm or loss of life may occur • There is an immediate risk to the persons survival • Serious abuse to self or others has occurred, or is suspected to the extent that protection measures are required • There are extensive and constant care and support needs on an ongoing or time limited basis that, if not met, present an immediate risk to the person or others. • The carer relationship(s) has collapsed and there is a need for immediate care and support or there is no existing carer relationship. Significant risk where harm may occur now or in the near future • Abuse to self or others has occurred or is at risk of occurring • There are extensive care and support needs on an ongoing or time limited basis. • Absence or inadequacy of care and support is causing the person significant distress and their health to deteriorate • The carer relationship(s) is at risk of collapse and the person needs care and support or there is no existing carer relationship Moderate/ lower risk where harm may occur if action is not taken in the longer term • There are some care and/or support needs that will, if not met, impair the persons longer term capacity to regain, maintain or sustain their independence or living arrangements • The person can make their needs known and ask for appropriate assistance when needed. • The carer relationship (s) is under strain and unlikely to be sustainable in the longer term.

Thank You Caroline Robinson, Senior Occupational Therapist, Provider Quality Team, Essex County Council caroline. robinson 3@essex. gov. uk