News Social care residents, staff in first


cohort for autumn booster jabs as Cov-Boost, real-time surveillance of the effectiveness of the vaccines over time and emerging variants. The final advice could change from the


People living in residential care homes for older adults and front-line social care workers are to be offered Covid booster vaccines from early September. Interim advice issued by the Joint


Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) states these people will also be eligible for the annual flu vaccine and are strongly advised to have it. The final JCVI advice will be published


before September and will take into account the latest epidemiological situation, additional scientific data from trials such


interim advice as further data is analysed. “The JCVI’s interim advice is that, should


a booster programme be required, a third COVID-19 vaccine dose should be offered to the most vulnerable first, starting from September 2021 to maximise individual protection and safeguard the NHS ahead of winter,” said Covid-19 chair for JCVI Professor Wei Shen Lim. In Stage 2, all adults aged 50 years and


over all adults aged 16 to 49 years who are in an influenza or Covid-19 at-risk group should be offered a booster dose as soon as practicable after Stage 1, with equal emphasis on the flu vaccine where eligible. Health Secretary Sajid Javid added: “We


need to learn to live with this virus. Our first Covid-19 vaccination programme is restoring freedom in this country, and our booster programme will protect this freedom.”


Migration Advisory Committee to examine


Brexit impact on care workforce care to understand their experiences and the impact of ending freedom of movement on them. In addition, MAC will collect


The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) is to launch a public call for evidence on the impacts of ending freedom of movement on adult social care. In a letter to immigration


minister Kevin Foster, MAC chairman Professor Brian Bell (pictured) said the call for evidence will conduct a programme of engagement across the nations of the UK, with governments, employers, social care workers and other interested parties. “We will run a public Call for Evidence to


help us produce a report that reflects the wide range of views across the UK and makes use of information respondents are able to provide,” wrote Bell. “We will start our Call for Evidence soon


and intend to leave it open for 12 weeks to allow sufficient time for responses in what, understandably, is a busy period for all involved with social care,” he added. MAC will also undertake primary research with providers of, and workers in, adult social


10


the necessary data analysis and modelling to inform its response. The call for evidence


follows the Home Office commissioning the MAC to


review of the post-Brexit impact on the social care workforce. The review will examine skills shortages,


covering the range of roles in adult social care including care workers, registered nurses and managerial roles. MAC will also look at visa options for


social care workers and the long-term consequences for workforce recruitment, training and employee terms and conditions. A report due by April 2022 is expected


to provide recommendations on how the government can address the issues that the sector is experiencing with the immigration system and to highlight wider issues such as employee terms and conditions.


Care home director banned for failing to explain £518,000 spend


A Scottish care home owner has been disqualified from being a company director for six years after being unable to account for more than half a million pounds leaving company accounts. Laurie Gray, 50, from Hamilton, was


director of Seabank Care Ltd., owner of the closed Seabank care home in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire. The company traded successfully


for several years but began to encounter difficulties in 2016 and 2017. No new admissions to the care


home were allowed, and by 2018 it was recommended that the company cease trading and went into liquidation. A second care home operated by


Gray, Woodside, was also forced to close due to the liquidation. The liquidator was appointed, and


an Insolvency Service investigation found that Gray had failed to preserve or deliver up adequate accounting records for Seabank Care Ltd. Gray was unable to explain the


company’s expenditure including cheque payments totalling £111,047, other unexplained withdrawals worth £62,887, and payments to a connected party and their companies totalling £343,717. Funds leaving the company


accounts totalled almost £518,000. Seabank Care Ltd. had a loan


of £50,596 and the liquidator was unable to confirm whether it had been collected for the benefit of the company, only that a further £23,000 was paid out to the loan company. Gray had also failed to file accounts


for the period prior to the company’s liquidation. As a result, on 6 April the Secretary


of State accepted a disqualification undertaking from Laurie Gray which means he cannot directly or indirectly, become involved, without the permission of the court, in the promotion, formation or management of a company.


www.thecarehomeenvironment.com • August 2021

Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52