PRESS RELEASE

Friday, August 21, 2020

 

Invitation to join the English Diabetes Footcare Network

 

Diabetes foot health professionals working in England have been invited to join a new network.

The English Diabetes Footcare Network (EDFN) is an online community dedicated to the improvement of diabetes footcare in England, supported by the College of Podiatry.

Benefits of joining include the dissemination of best practice, a professional forum, education, webinars and podcasts. The network will also share the latest news, publish monthly newsletters and stage an annual conference with awards.

It was formed by a group of interested diabetes foot champions, including Dr Paul Chadwick, Professor Mike Edmonds, Alistair McInnes, Richard Leigh and Christian Pankhurst, who developed a steering group to establish a network across England.

Chair Richard Leigh, who is a Consultant Podiatrist from Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust, said: “If you are involved in diabetes footcare, join our network and become part of a new community dedicated to improving care and reducing amputations.

“We are passionate about raising the standards of diabetes footcare and believe this network will provide a much-needed platform to share the best ways of working across the country, pick up examples of best practice and provide a single voice for our community.”

In England, the development of sustainability and transformation partnerships (STPs) and the bids for NHS England Diabetes Fund for multidisciplinary diabetes footcare team (MDFT) transformation, with its focus on foot disease, has led to development of innovations in practice and new ways of working.

However, there was no robust mechanism for sharing these new ways of working across England and the wider UK, with developments and duplication of work occurring at regional levels among the 12 NHS England clinical networks, without their benefit being felt more widely.

In response, a scoping exercise was carried out by The College of Podiatry and Diabetes UK and the need for a national network was identified.

The first meeting of the English Diabetes Footcare Network was held in London at the College of Podiatry in March 2019.

The network is now launching an ambitious national improvement programme to drive up standards of diabetes footcare in England.

To register for the network, visit edfn.org/register.

 

 

NHS bursary and funding if you study in England

For UK-resident students studying at English universities, NHS funding support is provided by the Learning Support Fund. In February 2020, the government confirmed extra financial support for nursing and midwifery students and many allied health profession students. Students from England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland taking an eligible pre-registration healthcare course may qualify for extra grants, including a new £5,000 annual training grant. The new funding will be available from September 2020.

The funding applies to current students as well as new students (whether undergraduate or graduate) and includes chiropody and podiatry.

Undergraduate students who study part-time can get the support pro-rata.

Grants offered by the Learning Support Fund

The Learning Support Fund gives extra financial support under the categories below. You won’t have to repay this money unless your circumstances change and you’re overpaid. Contact the NHS Business Services Authority within one month to let them know of any changes.

Training grant

£5,000 each year for all new and continuing students. You’ll need to apply for this each year.

Specialist subject payment

£1,000 per year awarded automatically to new students studying a ‘shortage specialism’ once you’ve applied for the training grant. The shortage specialisms include podiatry.

Regional incentive

£1,000 awarded automatically to new students once you’ve applied for the training grant. Eligible regions are still to be confirmed.

Parental support

£2,000 annual grant for students who are parents responsible for a child. The grant is pro-rata for part-time students and doesn’t affect your entitlement to childcare allowance.

Travel and dual accommodation expenses (TDAE)

This reimburses additional expenses from clinical practice placements. You’ll only receive travel expenses above your normal cost of getting to university. You’re expected to use the cheapest form of transport feasible. If you’re driving, this can include toll roads and parking. If you get a lift, you can’t claim expenses – but you can if you cycle!

There are capped daily rates for accommodation if it isn’t practical for you to travel from your normal term-time residence to your placement. You won’t get this if staying with your parents.

If you’re required to study abroad for part of your course, you may be able to apply for the cost of medical insurance, tests and visa fees to be reimbursed.

Applications are submitted after the expenses have been incurred, but no later than nine months after. Receipts must be included, and your university must authorise your form.

Exceptional support fund

This fund provides means-tested support for students whose income isn’t enough to meet their expenses despite careful budgeting.

You can get up to £3,000 each academic year. You must have accessed all other sources of available income, i.e. savings, part-time or holiday work, or additional household support, and have applied to university hardship funds or other income sources. If you’re rejected by these sources, you can still apply to the Exceptional Support Fund.

The fund doesn’t cover unexpected emergency costs such as repairs or stolen items.

Applications can be made at any time in the academic year. You’ll need to supply evidence, such as bank statements for yourself and for your partner if you have one. Your application must be authorised by your university. You can apply more than once within the academic year.

Applying to the Learning Support Fund

The NHS Business Services Authority has detailed guidance on the Learning Support Fund. To apply, you must first register on the Learning Support Fund (LSF) Application System to create an online account. You can then apply to one of the funds – you’ll need to apply each year. To apply, send a copy of your full student loan notification letter along with any other evidence required.

If you’re a resident in England but want to study elsewhere in the UK

If you’re an English resident and want to study nursing, midwifery or an allied health profession course elsewhere in the UK, you can apply to Student Finance England for a student loan.

If you study in Wales, you can access the NHS Wales bursary as long as you commit to working for NHS Wales for two years after the end of your course. The list of allied health profession courses funded in Wales differs from the one listed above.

In Northern Ireland, funded places are reserved for students who’ve lived in Northern Ireland for three years before the start of their course.

In Scotland, the Nursing and Midwifery Student Bursary (NMSB) is only available to Scottish residents.

Healthcare degree apprenticeships in England

In England, an alternative for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals is a degree apprenticeship. These are funded by employers and run in partnership with the university or college, where students study part-time. Standards are set and approved for each subject by training and professional bodies.

Unlike a degree, they’re only available when advertised by the employer, so may be harder to track down and competition for places may be tough.

Degree apprenticeship standards have been drawn up for a range of roles, including Podiatrists

While the standards have been approved, it may take some time for employers to offer the programmes. You can find out more about healthcare apprenticeships on healthcareers.nhs.uk.

In England, vacancies will usually be advertised on the NHS Jobs website or the government’s Find an Apprenticeship website.

Applying for an NHS bursary from England

Apply only for the years you’re eligible to receive an NHS bursary. Applications open from March and close two months before courses begin. Go to the NHS Business Services Authority website, where you create an account on the Bursary Online Support System (BOSS). You’ll need photographic ID. After submitting your application, an email will inform you if other supporting evidence is needed. Our subject tables can help you with choosing a university.

Bursary for allied health profession students in Northern Ireland

If you’re from Northern Ireland and taking an eligible allied health profession first degree there, you can get support from the Department of Health (DoH).

Approved courses include Podiatry

What financial support do allied health profession students get in Northern Ireland?

Allied health profession students have their tuition fees paid by the Department of Health (DoH) in Northern Ireland. There’s also a bursary based on household income.

Students can also apply for a reduced rate of maintenance loan, which isn’t means-tested. Students living at home can get £1,780, while students in lodgings are eligible for £2,370.

Applying for financial support on a commissioned allied health profession place

Student Finance Northern Ireland (SFNI) administer the bursaries for the Department of Health. Contact them for further information on the level of bursaries available.

If you’re a resident in Northern Ireland but want to study elsewhere in the UK

Undergraduates from Northern Ireland can choose to study elsewhere in the UK and still get a student loan from Student Finance Northern Ireland. If your course is in Wales and you’re prepared to work for NHS Wales for two years after your course, you can access the NHS Wales bursary. If you study in England, you may be eligible for support from the Learning Support Fund. There’s no extra funding if you study in Scotland.

If you’re a resident in Scotland but want to study elsewhere in the UK

If you want to study nursing elsewhere in the UK, you can apply to SAAS for student finance, including a tuition fee loan.

If you study in Wales, you can also consider the NHS Wales bursary if you’re willing to work for NHS Wales for two years after graduation.

If you study in England on an eligible course, you may be able to get extra financial help from the Learning Support Fund. From September 2020, this includes the new funding announced by the UK Government in 2019.

Funding for allied health profession students in Scotland

In Scotland, there’s no NHS bursary for allied health profession students. However, if you already have a degree, you may be able to apply for a student loan.

Undergraduates are eligible for the normal student finance and can apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) to cover their tuition fees and for a maintenance loan for living costs.

Graduates following a full undergraduate AHP course in Scotland can apply for undergraduate funding in year one and two. After this, you’re only eligible for means-tested maintenance loans and grants, so you’d need to pay your tuition fees. Graduates on accelerated courses have to self-fund their tuition fees.

Eligible AHP courses include Podiatry (chiropody)

What other financial support do allied health profession students get in Scotland?

AHP students can claim the cost of travel to clinical practice placements taken in Scotland, but only for amounts above their normal travel to and from university. You should use public transport as car mileage is paid only in exceptional circumstances. If travel is likely to cost more than £30 per day, local accommodation may be arranged. You must submit receipts for all expenses.

NHS bursary and funding if you study in Wales

In June 2019, the Welsh Minister for Health and Social Services announced funding under the NHS Wales Bursary to be extended until 2020–21. This NHS bursary is for all UK-resident students studying an eligible healthcare course in Wales, including graduates who already have a degree. To get the bursary, you must commit to working with NHS Wales for two years after your course (or less if on a two-year course).

Eligible courses include Chiropodists and podiatrists

If you’re a UK-resident taking a health education course in Wales, you must register on the Welsh Health Education Registration System. This includes undergraduates who don’t want to commit to working for NHS Wales – if you don’t register, you won’t be able to apply for a full student loan.

If you’re an EU national, you may apply to have your tuition fees funded if you commit to working for NHS Wales for two years after your course, but you’ll need to pay for all other costs.

If you’re a resident in Wales but want to study elsewhere in the UK

If you want to study a nursing, midwifery or allied health profession course elsewhere in the UK, you should apply for student finance from Student Finance Wales.

Those studying in England on an eligible course may be able to get support from the Learning Support Fund. This includes the new funding outlined by the UK Government in 2019, which comes into effect from September 2020.

Places on courses in Northern Ireland are reserved for student’s resident in Northern Ireland, with a few exceptions for allied health profession courses (these don’t confer any additional funding).

Student Finance England

Twitter – https://twitter.com/SF_England

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/SFEngland

Telephone: 0300 100 0607

Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm, Saturday, 9am to 4pm, Sunday – closed

 

Student Finance England, PO Box 210, Darlington DL1 9HJ

 

Helpful links

 

Information taken from https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/student-advice/finance/nhs-bursary

https://www.savethestudent.org/student-finance/maintenance-loans.html

Money Management for International Students | WorldRemit

In the current climate we have attempted to ascertain the validity of numerous offers of PPE made to us as an organisation asking for them to be promoted to our members. Some are from usually reliable sources whilst others, that we have screened out as far as possible, do not have the ring of authenticity and may be either fraudulent or  at least less than reputable.

We are passing on the following as apparently genuine offers, but please do note, that you are strongly advised to scrutinise the offers with usual commercial and professional caution and ensure that the items offered to you are suitable for the purpose you intend at a price you are willing to pay. As we have not inspected the items ourselves, with the exception of the face shields we have sourced for members, we can make no stated or implied warranty of the goods ourselves.

(more…)

Click to enlarge image

 

Dear Colleague. Your personal responsibilities have already been clearly laid out by Prime Minister Johnson in his address to the nation on Monday evening. Now is also the time to consider your professional roles. As the Institute has members working in a variety of roles it is impractical to offer a ‘one size fits all’ set of guidelines and your own clinical responsibility as a Health Professional must inform all specific professional decisions and actions you take. In formulating your decisions please see the list of useful links on our website www.iop-uk.org,  plus professional organisations such as www.hcpc-uk.org as well as consulting up-to-date official Government and NHS websites. The following points are offered for your consideration in taking such professional decisions.

• Podiatry is a regulated health discipline therefore all registrants fall into the category of key workers with both the benefits and responsibilities according to such a group.

• All non-essential contact should cease but in cases that can be described as ‘emergency care’ to prevent the occurrence or deterioration of health issues, including those of the feet and associated structures, then care may be given at the clinical discretion of the provider.

• In giving emergency care the most stringent infection control policies and personal protection equipment (PPE) must be used. As a minimum that should include; full clinical dress (ie. scrubs) which should be washed at a minimum 60 degrees centigrade after use, respiratory protection which should be a minimum of a surgical mask to EN 14683 type II or above (not a dust or nuisance mask), eye protection, CE standard gloves, nil below elbows including jewellery, all items touching patient must be single use on that patient or autoclaveable and multi-use medications should not be used directly or should be disposed of after a single use.

• POM A, POM S, Supplementary or Independent prescribing medicines should not be supplied to anyone that the issuing practitioner (subject to them having appropriate annotation on the HCPC register) has not themselves personally assessed to a level that such medicines are deemed clinically appropriate. Such assessment should be face to face (with appropriate protection) or in emergency situations may be by video or similar link, but practitioners should record all details of such assessment bearing in mind that their actions may be subsequently challenged if deemed or claimed to be inappropriate by any party.

• No treatments should be offered outside of a hospital setting to individuals who are currently symptomatic with COVID-19 or who are isolated because of direct contact with symptomatic individuals due to the possibility of them being asymptomatic carriers. If you are requested to give such care you should advise the said individuals to request this via the official communication lines set up by UK Government / NHS. If requested by such individuals you may initiate such communication for them if you have received specific permission to do so (which you must record) and are willing and able to do so.

For latest information please see the IOCP website and please note that all Head Office Staff are working from home. In order to contact Head Office please email: info@iop-uk.org. If you need to talk to a staff member via telephone please give a telephone number that one of our staff members can contact you on. Please do bear in mind the intense extra pressure on our staff generated by such working conditions and limit your communications to essential matters.

 

In conclusion, please stay safe, look after those around you and rest assured that the Institute will continue to be a source of quality information. Kind Regards, Martin

Martin Harvey FPodM PGC BSc, Podiatrist Independent Prescriber.

Chair of Executive Council.

Institute of Chiropodists and Podiatrists, College of Podiatric Surgeons, College of Foot Health.

Dear Colleagues. the Institute Staff and Directors are continuing to work ceaselessly to ensure that we remain in a position to advise, support and inform members with reliable science-based factual guidance and information as well as discharge our duty of care to staff. We are taking, and will continue to take, actions both reactive and proactive in order to ensure we meet those goals and responsibilities to the very best of our abilities.

Head Office

In order to maintain viability as an organisation, from close of business today (Friday 20th March) Jill and Julie will be working from home. We have taken steps to ensure they have the resources to do this, including remote computer operation, so that by this social distancing from each other our management team may stagger any  potential infection they (hopefully do not) get and remain in a position to direct remaining staff as well as perform vital administrative functions regarding finances, legal responsibilities as a business and similar.

From early next week it is envisaged that the remaining staff (two of whom, Stephanie and Samuel, should complete their 7 day self-isolation) will attend head office during their normal working hours. From Tuesday they should be directed on site by Sandra (who will be remotely tasked by Jill and Julie) as Sandra now has a number of months experience of our methods of working. I ask for everybody’s forbearance during this time should you get answer phone responses and slow email responses, I can assure you that you WILL get responses in due time.

Official partners and members guidance

We are remaining in regular contact with the HCPC at its most senior levels as well as our insurers and legal advisors, and will shortly be issuing a number of ‘position statements’ laying out our professional opinion as an organisation on matters that colleagues may wish suggested guidance on. It is envisaged at the moment that this may include our best opinions on remote consultations, medicines use, personal protection equipment and similar. Please do bear in mind that these will be opinions based on the beliefs of senior members of our profession and our interpretations, where appropriate, of advice from official bodies and partners such as insurers, our solicitors and accountants.

The Institute website

Do please bear in mind that this has links to a plethora of official advice from the best scientific sources we are able to find. We are refraining from providing links to blogs, vlogs and similar because it is impossible to audit the quality of some of the statements and links that they themselves provide. Some of the ‘unofficial’ sources are set up by well-meaning but frequently non-professional or non-scientifically qualified individuals or groups, others apparently, unfortunately, by single-issue individuals who are simply using the current crisis for self-promotion or self-gain. In short, we will provide links to sources that we trust and whilst we may not be able to give every possible link we will I can assure you do our very best for you.

In conclusion, may I wish each and every one of you, and your families, the very best health and express my firm and unshakeable opinion that we as an organisation, with your generous and unstinting support will weather this current storm and emerge in an even stronger position to continue to serve you, the profession we love and the patients we serve. I remain yours faithfully and send my Kindest Regards.

Martin Harvey FPodM PGC BSc. Chair of Executive, Podiatrist Independent Prescriber.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the HCPC has worked with the UK Government to create a COVID-19 temporary register[i], of two parts. Our intention in doing so is to ensure there are no regulatory barriers to the following two groups practising on a temporary basis:

 

• Former registrants who have de-registered within the last three years.
• Final year students, on UK approved programmes, who have completed all their clinical practice placements.

 

We are actively engaged in discussions with the Government, other UK healthcare regulators, NHS representatives across the four countries, the Council of Deans of Health and others, to ensure our approach facilitates the NHS in recruiting the workforce it requires at this time.

 

The COVID-19 temporary register(s)

 

We will publish a COVID-19 temporary register of all former registrants who have de-registered in the past three years. We will ensure nobody appears on this list if they have been subject to fitness to practise concerns in the past. A second COVID-19 temporary register will be opened for final year students on UK approved programmes, who have completed all their clinical practice placements. No fees will be charged in relation to the COVID-19 temporary register(s).

 

Meeting the standards

 

The HCPC Standards of conduct, performance and ethics, and Standards of proficiency, will only apply to individuals on the COVID-19 temporary register(s) if they chose to return to practice (and only as far as they relate to their scope of practice). The Standards of continuing professional development will not be enforced in relation to audit, but we expect those practising on the COVID-19 temporary register(s) to ensure their skills, knowledge and experience are kept up to date.

 

Medicine entitlements

 

With the exception of annotations (such as prescribing rights and podiatric surgery), COVID-19 temporary registrants will be able to access their medical entitlements as normal. We have decided to exclude annotations on the COVID-19 temporary register(s) based on our current risk assessment, but we will monitor developments to ensure this continues to be an appropriate approach.

 

What if concerns are raised about someone on the COVID-19 temporary register(s)?

 

If a concern is raised about a registrant on the COVID-19 temporary register(s), which meets our Triage test as explained in our Threshold Policy, we will remove them from the COVID-19 temporary register(s) with immediate effect.

 

If you have any queries about the above, please contact policy@hcpc-uk.org.

Implementation

 

We will be adding professionals to the COVID-19 temporary register(s) in a phased approach to ensure we deploy the resources we have in the most appropriate way.

 

In anticipation of the relevant legislation being passed to enable us to hold a COVID-19 temporary register(s), we will undertake two phases of work.

 

• Phase one: We will write to former registrants from the following groups who have de-registered in the past three years to inform them they will be added to the COVID-19 temporary register: Biomedical Scientists; Occupational Therapists; Operating Department Practitioners; Paramedics; Physiotherapists; and Radiographers.

 

Once the relevant legislation has passed, we will then include their details on the COVID-19 temporary register, published online.

 

• Phase two: We will write to former registrants from the remaining ten groups who have de-registered in the past three years to inform them they will be added to the COVID-19 temporary register: Arts Therapists; Chiropodists/podiatrists; Clinical Scientists; Dietitians; Hearing Aid Dispensers; Orthoptists; Practitioner Psychologists; Prosthetists/orthotists; and Speech and language therapists.

 

Once the relevant legislation has passed, we will then include their details on the COVID-19 temporary register, published online.

 

Once relevant legislation has been passed enabling us to hold a COVID-19 temporary register(s), we will complete a final phase of work to include a further group:

 

• Phase three: We are working with the Council of Deans of Health and UK Higher Education Institutions to include final year students who have completed all their clinical practice placements on an online COVID-19 temporary register (students). The same approach will be taken as with the COVID-19 temporary register.

 

It is for employers recruiting COVID-19 temporary registrants to decide what, if any, checks they will need to put in place to prove identity. We expect that for the majority of former registrants, this will be fairly informal, relying on professional networks, employer records, education records or HCPC documentation (if still available).

 

If anyone requires a validation check or further HCPC registration information, they can get in contact with the HCPC Registration team at e-regtemp@hcpc-uk.org.

 

 

[Published 17 March 2020]

[i] Subject to appropriate legislation being passed, granting powers on us to do so

Dear Colleagues

 

The current COVID-19 situation will naturally be of great concern to us all as Health Professionals, and inevitably effect the services and businesses that we provide.

 

Whilst some sectors of the media are responding in a balanced fashion and genuinely seeking to educate and inform based on ‘best’ available scientific advice, other parts of it are perhaps less so and of course social media is entirely uncontrolled and essentially provides a platform for any particular theory or single issue, right or wrong, that individuals may wish to promote.

 

It is the intent of your Institute to follow the advice being released by the most widely respected scientific sources such as Public Health England, Chief Medical Officers and NHS advice lines plus noting any advice from regulators such as the HCPC should they choose to issue it. Naturally, in any situation dealing with developing diseases such advice can change on an almost daily basis and may rapidly become out of date. Whilst I am certain that all of you, like myself, are closely watching such sources there may be situations where additional measures can be beneficially added in consideration of the services that we provide and in particular bearing in mind that many of our patients fall into the ‘at risk’ demographic categories.

 

Accordingly, I have tasked a staff member at Head Office to review the advice being disseminated to health professions by HM Government daily and report to the board concerning any changes or developments. The report will be assessed by designated board members, including myself, and then from the early part of this week be placed on our website in real time in a designated COVID-19 section. Therefore, I urge you to review the website daily.  In the event of dramatic changes, we will utilise ‘MailChimp’ communications such as this, but as this situation appears to be in for the long haul we do not wish to create a counter-productive information overload to professionals such as yourselves who will be facing challenges beyond the ordinary.

 

At this point in time we suggest the measures (which I am sure you already do) of scrupulous handwashing for both yourselves and patients, wearing full clinical dress changed daily, together with ensuring you take a full and detailed history of all patients to identify any who may be symptomatic or who have recently returned from specifically infected locations. You may also wish, for example, to contact patients via telephone before their appointments to do a health review. Until 13th March,

 

 

Public Health England was recognising some countries as being ‘high risk’ via the www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19 section of the UK Government website but as of 16th March this has now been withdrawn as the outbreak is now recognised as pandemic. The https://www.gov.uk/government  COVID-19 section of its website does contain updated information for both public and professionals and is an excellent source of balanced advice which I urge you to regularly review. In the short term the best condensed advice is undoubtedly that of strict personal and professional hygiene with scrupulous attention to effective infection control on your part.

 

As I am sure you will appreciate, Head Office’s workload has increased dramatically with the extra tasks placed upon it, so may I request you keep communications with them to a level of the absolute minimum essentials. As the friendly face of UK podiatry, I know that our Head Office staff often end up having long neighbourly conversations with members who contact them for various reasons, but please do help them to help you by not tying them up on phones for long periods.

 

Kind Regards from myself, your Board of Directors and our Head Office staff

 

 

Martin Harvey, FPodM PGC BSc

Chair of Executive Council

Podiatrist Independent Prescriber

 

 

Please find links with advice for the coronavirus below

• Coronavirus (COVID-19): latest information and advice – HSE – 17th September 2020

 

• Plastic face shields do masks one better – They made a big difference for people meeting with families of the infected – 18th August 2020

 

• Coronavirus recovery – data protection advice for organisations

 

• Close contact services – Guidance for people who provide close contact services – Gov.uk updated 6th October 2020

 

• Coronavirus (COVID-19): Scotland’s route map – indicative dates for the remainder of Phase 2 and early Phase 3 www.gov.scot – 24th June 2020

 

• UK Government supports the income of 418,000 people across Wales – Gov.uk updated 11th June 2020

 

• Coronavirus outbreak FAQs: what you can and can’t do – Gov.uk updated 12th October 2020

 

• Meeting people from outside your household – Gov.uk updated 14th November 2020

 

• Coronavirus (COVID-19): Information for individuals and businesses in Wales – Gov.uk updated 20th October 2020

 

• Guidance for people working in, visiting or delivering to other people’s homes – Gov.uk updated 6th October 2020

 

• Working safely during the coronavirus outbreak – HSE updated 5th October 2020

 

• VAT zero rating for personal protective equipment – Gov.uk updated 3rd July 2020

 

• Check if you can claim a grant through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme – Gov.uk updated 20th October 2020

 

• We’re supporting the NHS and social care to respond quickly to the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic. We’ve brought together information that may help you. – NICE

 

• The airborne lifetime of small speech droplets and their potential importance in SARS-CoV-2 transmission – PNAS first published May 13, 2020

 

• Development and Validation of a Clinical Risk Score to Predict the Occurrence of Critical Illness in Hospitalized Patients With COVID-19 – JAMA Intern Med. Published online May 12, 2020

 

• PPE Links for members

 

• Sewage poses potential COVID-19 transmission risk, experts warn – Univadis 6th May 2020

 

• Find out if you qualify for help – Enter your Self Assessment Unique Taxpayer Reference Gov.uk

 

• Fit testing face masks to avoid transmission during the coronavirus outbreak – HSE – Updated 22nd April 2020

 

• City’s NHS sets up mask factory amid ‘Wild West’ for PPE – HSJ -Updated 23rd April 2020

 

• Government begins large-scale virus infection and antibody test study – Gov.co.uk – Updated 23rd April 2020

 

• Check if you can claim for your employees’ wages through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme – Gov.uk – Updated 13th November 2020

 

• Social distancing, keeping businesses open and in-work activities during the coronavirus outbreak – HSE Updated 5th October 2020

 

• What Do Early Remdesivir Data Suggest – Medscape Updated 12th April 2020

 

• NICE Coronavirus Archive Campaigns – Updated 7th October 2020

• Lower Limb Amputation Prevention Guidance – Wounds UK – Updated 23rd March 2020

• Support for Employers – Health and Safety Executive – Updated 9th April 2020

• Managing risk: infection prevention and control – HCPC – Updated 3rd April 2020

• Business Support – Gov.co.uk – Updated 3rd April 2020

• Guidance – COVID-19: infection prevention and control – Gov.co.uk – Updated 20th October 2020

• Managing chronic wounds in a pandemic is more important than ever – HSJ – 3rd April 2020

• When to use a surgical face mask or FFP3 respirator–  The Department of Health, NHS England and Public Health England in conjunction with HSE – April 2020

• MHRA guidance on coronavirus (COVID-19) – Gov.co.uk – Updated 18th October 2020

• People struggling with their mental health during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak will be offered additional online support and practical guidance to help them cope. Please visit New advice to support mental health during coronavirus outbreak– Gov.co.uk – Updated 29th March 2020

• HCPC: Able to offer support? How HCPC registrants can help and support the NHS – Updated 26th March 2020

• Univadis website – Updating news daily

• Scientists warn UK must do more to suppress COVID-19  – Univadis – Updated 23rd March 2020

• Government unveils income support for millions of the self-employed – Moneysavingexpert – Updated 26th March 2020

• Coronavirus Financial Help & Rights  – Moneysavingexpert – Updated 17th November 2020

• COVID-19 our approach to temporary registration HCPC - Updated 19th March 2020
  
  

• COVID-19: guidance for employees, employers and businesses - Gov.co.uk - Updated 6th October 2020
  
  

• Coronavirus: UK government unveils aid for self-employed Updated 26th March 2020
  
  

• MoneySavingExpert.com Universal credit & benefits calculator

• COVID-19: What Can the World Learn From Italy? Updated 13th March 2020

• Medscape – Latest Medical News – Updated news daily

• Guidance Further businesses and premises to close: guidance Updated 5th November 2020

• Guidance COVID-19: guidance for employees Updated 3rd April 2020

 

• Support for businesses through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme Updated 12th November 2020

 

• CROI 2020 – COVID-19 pandemic – emerging information from experts Updated 15th March 2020

 

• Guidance COVID-19: support for businesses Updated 12th November 2020

 

• How to access government financial support if you or your business has been affected by COVID-19 Updated 17th November 2020

 

• Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance Updated 3rd February

 

• Health and Social Care Secretary’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 16 November 2020 16th November 2020

 

• Coronavirus and your wellbeing Updated 17th November 2020

 

• Coronavirus and your wellbeing Updated 18th November 2020

 

• Tier posters: Medium, High, Very High and Stay At Home Updated 23rd November 2020

 

• National lockdown: Stay at Home Updated 4th January 2020

 

• Local restriction tiers: what you need to know Updated 4th January 2020

 

• COVID-19 Winter Plan Updated 2nd December

 

• Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19)  Updated 26th November 2020

 

• Full list of local restriction tiers by area Updated 26th November 2020

 

• Claim a grant through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme Updated 29th January 2021

 

• COVID-19 Poster generator Updated 2nd December 2020

 

• NHS Test and Trace in the workplace Updated 2nd February 2020

 

• Details of Pfizer/BioNTesh SARS- CoV-2 vaccine data finally available Updated 9th December 2020

 

• Prime Minister’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 19 December 2020 Updated 19th December 2020

 

• COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2): information about the new virus variant Updated 21st December 2021

 

• Advice for clinically extremely vulnerable in new Tier 4 areas Updated 21st December 2021

 

• National lockdown: Stay at Home Updated 4th January 2021

 

• Regulatory approval of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca Updated 28th January 2021

 

• Prime Minister’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 27 January 2021 Updated 27th January 2021

 

• Health and Social Care Secretary’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 1 February 2021Updated 1st February 2021

 

• Covid-19 Infection, Prevention and Control Guidance January 2021

 

• Prime Minister sets out roadmap to cautiously ease lockdown restrictions  Updated 22nd February 2021

 

• Health and Social Care Secretary’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 1 March 2021 Updated 2nd March 2021

 

• PM statement at coronavirus press conference: 8 March 2021 Updated 8th March 2021

 

• COVID-19 vaccination: consent form and letter for adults Updated 9th March 2021