26/09/2024   Preparing for Winter

With colder temperatures setting in, many providers will be looking to review their policies around infection prevention and keeping people well during winter. This piece, adapted from a feature in CMM Magazine, gives detail on best practice and tips on how to keep people healthy when supporting them in care homes and in their own homes. It also contains useful links to a full article written by UKHSA and further information elsewhere. 

Preparing for winter in adult social care

How are you preparing your social care services for winter pressures this year? Have you started to implement your approach?

With darker nights fast approaching, it’s time for adult social care providers to start thinking about what winter might bring. It’s a time of year known for an increase in viruses and infections, many of which can be deadly to the people the sector supports, so it’s vital that the correct measures are in place to protect the all the people who use and work in adult social care services.

While seasoned providers will have policies and procedures for infection prevention control already in place, it’s always important to make sure they’re as up to date and effective as possible, so here we share some things to consider when looking to the winter ahead.

Staying warm

The first thing to note is that people are more susceptible to illness when they are cold, and as temperatures drop this can put people at risk. Keeping people warm in winter is vital in protecting those who might be more likely to develop complications from illnesses such as flu and Covid-19. Older people and people with learning disabilities and long-term health conditions fall into this category.

The UK Government advises that indoor temperatures should be kept to a minimum of 18 degrees centigrade and that people should be encouraged to wear several thin layers of clothing rather than one thick layer. These simple steps are an easy way to keep vulnerable people healthy in winter.

Infection prevention

On top of making sure people are living in a warm environment, care providers must also look at their infection prevention measures. This includes the basics such as handwashing as well as more clinical steps like ensuring everyone has the right personal protective equipment (PPE) for preventing the spread of infections.

Almost all providers will have thorough policies on this since the Covid-19 pandemic, but it is not enough to just have the policies and procedures in place. Management must be confident that all of their staff understand the importance of infection prevention and are vigilant in following the steps that should be taken. It is also sensible to share tips with the people you support, so that they can play a role in reducing the spread of infection too. With proper procedures being followed correctly, outbreaks of illness can be contained and people can be protected from the viruses.

Vaccines

The third thing to which providers should turn their attention is vaccines. All social care staff are entitled to vaccines each year. These not only help to stop staff becoming unwell, meaning that there’s less sick time to cover, but also contribute to ensuring people being supported by the sector don’t become unwell too.

For more information on what vaccines people are entitled to, this article in CMM, written by the UK Health Security Agency, outlines the main three vaccines that are available to people using and working for adult care services, and the dates on which these vaccines become available in 2024.

It should also be noted that vaccines are available for informal carers as well, and it is worth passing this information on to any family members of the people you support in case they aren’t already aware.

There are so many branches to keeping people fit and well in winter if you’re a care provider, and the best practice is always evolving, but the focus areas laid out here are the key pillars that must always be considered by anyone supporting a vulnerable person in the colder months.

There is no one way to entirely stop people from contracting viruses and infections, but with the right measures, reduction of the spread of these illnesses is often achievable.

For more information and support with operating your adult social care business, visit the CMM website, where you’ll find features, podcasts, blogs and events to help you stay one step ahead.