Below are this week’s key messages from the national NHS Estates & Facilities Team. Please email any questions or comments you have on any of these items to: [email protected] or follow the links where provided.
COVID-19: Updated PHE Guidance on NHS Staff & Student Self-isolation and Return to Work following C19 Contact
Please see this link to a joint letter from Prerana Issar, Ruth May and Nikki Kanani about the updated guidance from Public Health England for NHS staff and student self-isolation following COVID-19 contact.
This follows the change in arrangements which came into effect on August 16. The national Estates and Facilities Team has helped to shape this letter so it would be appreciated if this could be brought to the attention of estates and facilities staff, also including those colleagues employed by third parties.
Consultation: Coronavirus and Flu vaccinations for NHS staff and social care workers in England
The DHSC has launched a consultation on making coronavirus and flu vaccinations compulsory for frontline NHS staff and social care workers in England. The consultation runs until October 15 and further details can be found here.
The NHS Great Food Programme: For Culinary and Kitchen Teams
Great news – the deadline for applications to the Great Food Programme has been extended.
We understand that it continues to be a busy time of the year for catering teams due to operational requirements, self-isolating and school holidays. Therefore, we are delighted to announce that applications for the Great Food Programme have been extended until September 14, 2021. This provides more time to gather your nominations for the programme.
This is a fantastic opportunity to upskill your chefs giving them the core skills in reducing wastage, plant-based cooking and menu specifications. And the best bit? This is fully funded by your Trust’s apprenticeship levy.
For all questions or to discuss further, please contact: [email protected] or if you would like to nominate your team members, the application link is HERE.
NHS Chef 2021
The regional heats for the competition are progressing well and will conclude with the London heat on September 14. We continue to be extremely impressed with the skills evidenced by the competing teams, and not forgetting the excellent quality of food produced.
A mentoring event will be held from September 28 – 30 at the MKN Office and Presentation Kitchen in Cannock. This will allow the winning team from each regional heat to network, attend practical sessions to help develop their entries for the finals and to work with their mentors. The final will be held between October 25 and November 5 at The Cooking School in Warminster.
The idea for a new award that celebrates NHS chefs was put forward in the Independent Review of NHS Hospital Food published in October 2020. It was part of a range of recommendations to support and develop hospital chefs. We are extremely grateful to all those who have applied to take part and to their estates and facilities teams for supporting them.
We will of course update more fully following the conclusion of the final regional heat.
Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (Phase 3)
Phase 3 of the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS) was announced on September 8, 2021. For Phase 3 the focus remains on the decarbonisation of heat with funding provided for decarbonisation projects where the heating systems are at the end of their working lives.
Applications will open from 2pm on October 6, 2021. However, funding will be awarded on a first come, first served basis. Key points and dates to be aware of are: The application form will be available from 2pm on September 15 and projects should incur costs no earlier than April 1, 2022 and no later than:
• March 31, 2023 for single year projects
• March 31, 2024 for two-year projects
• March 31, 2025 for three-year projects.
Criteria:
This remains similar to Phase 2 of the PSDS phase, namely:
• A whole building approach
• Focus on heat decarbonisation and equipment nearing end of life
• Applicants should be ready to contribute to the cost of replacing equipment like-for-like on top of grant funding
• Carbon cost threshold £325/tCO2e.
It should be noted that a multi-year settlement is now available. There is no cap on funding in terms of the value of the grant which an applicant can apply for. It should also be noted that Salix has not announced the amount of grant funding which it is making available.
Please see this link to the Salix website for more details.
NHS PAM User Survey
We have launched a user survey following the recent collection exercise. This is to enable us to obtain feedback to see what further changes need to be made. This will be analysed and reported to the NHS PAM User Group who will use it as the basis to identify changes for future years. The survey is located HERE and it would be appreciated if this could be completed by September 22, 2021.
In the event of any queries please email: [email protected]
Procure23 Framework launched to the Market and P22 Extension Confirmed
The ProCure23 Prior Information Notice (PIN) was recently launched to market, with formal procurement to follow.
ProCure23 (P23), formerly known as P2020, enables NHS clients to access experienced and proficient partners to support across all aspects of NHS capital project delivery. P23 builds on the successes of three previous iterations of the ProCure framework that have delivered over £10 billion of projects for the NHS. The framework has been updated to better reflect the changing needs of the NHS, to prioritise pandemic recovery and acknowledge the other infrastructure and ongoing capital projects.
From business case development/approval, sustainability, design and construction to disruption mitigation, benefit realisation and optimised occupation, the updated framework will provide more flexibility for contractors and bring the latest best practice in construction methods, modern methods of construction and digital infrastructure to the NHS.
With climate change at the forefront of the global discussion, P23 focuses on delivering greener facilities, reducing carbon emissions throughout the process and promoting social value. Through updates on the NHS Futures Collaboration Hub, our LinkedIn page and the upcoming Estates and Facilities monthly newsletter, the team will endeavour to provide updates and developments on the framework and its progress.
For the first time as part of the ProCure structure, the lower value lot (<£20m) will be split into the seven NHS England and NHS Improvement geographical regions. This is intended to open the framework to suitable regional and medium-sized contractors, enhance capacity and increase local backing for projects.
There are three lots available, including the addition of regional lots for the first time:
• Lot 1: Regional lots (new) - £0m-£19.99m
• Lot 2: National lot - £20m-£69.99m
• Lot 3: National lot - £70m+
In addition to the benefits to the NHS, P23 offers a multitude of benefits to suppliers and contractors. P23 represents industry best practice and as with previous frameworks, there is a commitment to partnerships, establishing long-term relationships which benefit our NHS and the contractors involved. Collaborative working and integrated supply chains are at the heart of P23.
An invitation to tender will be published in the near future and we will also be communicating further for offers of support with the evaluation process.
Extension of P22 framework
NHS England and NHS Improvement has also confirmed that the existing ProCure22 (P22) framework will be extended until June 30, 2022. This is to enable continuity of design and construction services via P22 for the NHS until its successor framework, ProCure23 (P23), becomes available for use by NHS clients.
National Webinar - Fire Update
A very successful webinar took place on September 8, which included presentations and Q&A on topics including the recent fire at the Trafford General Hospital, the latest on the Building Safety Bill and an update on HTM 05 (Fire Safety in Healthcare). A recording of the webinar and the associated slides is now available on the Collaboration Hub (please see the Hard FM/Fire Safety folder).
National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness – rescheduled national webinar
The remaining scheduled webinar; ‘Living and Breathing the National Standards in the NHS’, will now take place on October 20 at 10am. Invitations have already been issued. However, if you would like to attend you can still register directly via the link in the key events section of the Collaboration Hub.
Recordings of the recent webinars on: Audit; Implementation and governance; and Risk categories and blended areas are available via the Collaboration Hub.
National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness – additional cleanliness charters
There are updated cleanliness charters which are now available from both the Collaboration Hub as well as the estates area of the NHS England and NHS Improvement website.
These relate to FR2 (treatment rooms where invasive treatments take place), FR4 (treatment rooms where non-invasive treatments take place) and FR6 (offices, medical records and education training centres). These are additional documents to support primary care organisations to adopt the recently published National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness.
Linen and Laundry Supplies
As a result of continuous pressures on suppliers arising from both EU Exit and the COVID-19 pandemic, NHS Trust staff are asked to review their local practices to avoid the creation of additional laundry volumes and charges. Revisions to local policies around changing bed linen and best practice for example may have been introduced and should be followed. This is essential if there is to be a collective responsibility for all sites to have consistent safe practices across healthcare.
For those NHS Trusts using reusable PPE gowns in fluctuating volumes, please maintain contact with your linen and laundry supplier in the coming months to manage ordering of gowns and shelf stock. This will become even more important as we approach the busier winter period.
Please e-mail: [email protected] in the event of any queries or if any further information is required and mark for the attention of Louise Hatwell.
PLACE
In 2020 a decision was taken to suspend the full PLACE programme due to the operational difficulties and associated risks brought about by COVID-19. PLACE-Lite remained open for healthcare organisations to undertake assessments if they chose to do so. It was great to hear that a number of organisations did run PLACE-Lite and used the results to continue making improvements to the environment for the benefit of patients.
We had hoped to reinstate the full PLACE programme this year. However, due to the continuing uncertainties that remain with COVID-19 we recognise that to do so could be extremely challenging. We have taken the difficult decision to suspend the full programme for a second year and to encourage the use of PLACE-Lite instead.
A note has now gone from NHS Digital to all PLACE contacts confirming the PLACE material, including a PLACE Lite guide is now available. Please note that there are three new non-scoring questions; two on the Organisational – food scorecard (Menu, Choice and Meal Timings section) and one on the Organisational – facilities scorecard (Buildings and Facilities section). You can access the documentation here.
Further guidance is available on the EFM system in the ‘Documents’ tab; this includes use of the PLACE-Lite module and using the mobile version (which allows data to be entered directly into EFM via a mobile device during assessments, rather than having to enter data later).
PLACE-Lite Mobile version (assessments must be set up on EFM first).
We will be encouraging the take up of PLACE-Lite through additional communications and engagement in the coming weeks and months.
In the meantime we have arranged a national webinar which will take place on September 30 at 11am. This webinar will cover what this means for your organisation, the forms and guidance notes available, how it will work, what planning you will need to do, who to involve and what to cover in your assessments. Colleagues from both the national Estates and Facilities Team and NHS Digital will take you through the EFM system, explain the results that will be available to you and how to use the PLACE mobile option.
To attend the event please click on the link at the appropriate time:
PLACE Webinar - click on this link on 30 September 2021 @1100-1230hrs
You do not need an invite in your diary to attend.
In case of any queries about PLACE, PLACE-lite or the webinar on September 30 please contact: [email protected]
The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare: The NHS Forest – Tree Offer
The NHS Forest, run by the Centre for Sustainable Healthcare, is a good practice network for NHS sites looking to develop their green spaces for environmental care and human wellbeing. The network of over 200 sites across the UK has already planted over 77,000 trees. NHS Trusts/sites can contact the NHS Forest for free native British broadleaf saplings to plant on their land in the next tree planting season, starting in November 2021.
Sites can request between 10 and 1,000 trees. The NHS Forest can also provide assistance and guidance with the whole process from species selection, planting protocol, and any press releases or volunteer events. For more information please contact Miriam, the NHS Forest co-ordinator ([email protected]) or to find out more about its work and to join the network please go to https://www.nhsforest.org
NHS England and NHS Improvement National Estates Team: Collaboration Hub
The Collaboration Hub is a protected space for local NHS estates and facilities teams to access key information as well as to collaborate and to share ideas and successes. Access to the Collaboration Hub for individuals from local NHS estates teams can be arranged by e-mailing: [email protected]
We have been arranging “overview and masterclasses” to help registered members understand and navigate the Hub more effectively. These have taken place on an ad hoc basis to date. However, following the very positive feedback we are now looking to formalise these on a more regular basis. If you are interested in attending one of these sessions (they last approximately 30 minutes) then please e-mail the above mailbox and Joy Heaps and Stuart Robinson will follow up directly.
Could we also request that if you have not logged onto the Hub recently then you do so as soon as possible. As part of our governance procedures we are currently undertaking an exercise to review those members who according to our records have not accessed the Hub during the past 12 months. We are contacting those members and it is possible that membership will be withdrawn if there is no response to the e-mails which have been sent (by Stuart Robinson). In addition, if your e-mail address has changed over the past year (perhaps to .nhs.net), or you have moved to another NHS Trust then please e-mail us with the details ([email protected]) so that we can update our records.
Thank You
Our thanks to all of those working in estates and facilities for all that you do in maintaining the NHS estate, facilitating patient care as well as supporting the ongoing response to COVID-19.
Please continue to stay safe and access the support material available on the Collaboration Hub. The service could not function without you.
