News and updates

The 5th of May is World Hand Hygiene Day, reinforcing the critical role hand hygiene plays in preventing infections and safeguarding both staff and those in care. Good hand hygiene reduces the spread of harmful bacteria and viruses, protecting vulnerable individuals and maintaining high-quality care standards. Embedding The World Health Organization’s “Five Moments for Hand Hygiene”—before touching a resident, before clean/aseptic procedures, after exposure to bodily fluids, after resident contact, and after touching residents’ surroundings—are essential steps in reducing healthcare-associated infections.

This is an opportunity for carers to mark the day by refreshing training sessions, conducting fun staff challenges, or displaying posters as reminders of best practices. Encouraging a culture of continuous improvement through regular hand hygiene audits, easy access to handwashing facilities, and staff engagement initiatives can drive lasting change. By making hand hygiene a shared priority, carers can enhance safety, improve confidence in care settings, and help create a healthier environment for everyone.
You and your colleagues can register for a free webinar, on the 8th of April 2025 hosted by The World Health Organization, Warming up for World Hand Hygiene Day

WHO IPC Global Webinar

Hand Hygiene posters to download:

How to handwash?
How to handrub?
Your 5 Moments for Hand Hygiene

The government has announced the 2025/2026 rate for NHS-funded Nursing Care (FNC) of £254.06 for the standard rate and £349.50 for the higher rate, effective from the 1 April 2025, which equates to a 7.7% increase.

The latest data from UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) shows norovirus cases are now at their highest levels since reporting began in 2014. It also shows a shift in circulating strains, which means that people who have already had the virus this winter could be at risk again. The impact is particularly severe in hospitals and care homes, with cases highest among people aged 65 and over. UKHSA has social media assets, posters and supporting content in their winter toolkit to remind the public of the simple steps they can take to avoid spreading the infection. These are available on Google Drive.
Please email externalaffairs@ukhsa.gov.uk with any questions.

Practical advice and guidance on how keep warm, healthy and safe during the winter period. 

There are many types of severe weather events that can have a serious local impact in the UK. During the winter this may result in storms, gales, low temperatures and heavy snow.

This information on the West Sussex County Council website provides practical advice and guidance on how to help you and your family keep warm, healthy and safe during the winter period.

The Care Quality Commission have now set out how they will drive the improvements needed to re-build trust in their regulation.

This involves making immediate changes to support their response to the recommendations in the interim report from Dr Penny Dash and to improve their ways of working ahead of the publication of the final report. These changes will help deliver:
• a clear and transparent programme of assessment and ratings
• quicker and more effective registration and assessments of providers
• simpler and clearer reports.

Visit the CQC website to read a summary of the immediate changes they are making. They will share more details soon of what is happening and when. This will include further information on the frequency of assessment and when we expect to carry out more assessments.