Coronavirus Support
LD Network’s activity and COVID-19
COVID-19 is impacting businesses and organisations across the country, and LD Network is no different. We are following Government guidance and the advice of the NHS in what is a difficult time, and as such there have been changes made to the ways in which we work. Please see our FAQs for further information on how this might impact you as either a clinician or client.
Information for our clinicians
As well as working with you, I also work for other organisations. Are there any expectations from me to inform someone of this?
We understand that many of you have other work with other organisations. If you have a full or part-time job, or work with other staffing solutions providers you should inform us straight away (if you have not already done so) by calling us on07361 534910 or emailing admin@rightminds-healthcare.com
It is important that we live by our value of ‘impact’ so when we place you on shifts, we have a duty to inform our clients of any other places you have worked recently, so they’re able to decide if there are any conditions they would like to place on the booking.
If you come into contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 through your other work, please contact the Bookings Team straight away on 07361 534910 or email admin@rightminds-healthcare.com to inform us and further advice will be given.
If you come into contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 through your work with us, we will inform you straight away and you will be expected to inform any other employers you work with.
Where can I find information around current legislation and guidance for social care workers relating to COVID-19?
You can find regularly updated guidance about COVID-19 for health and social care settings, other non-clinical settings, and for the general public on GOV.UK here.
The NHS website contains lots of information about COVID-19 for social care workers, providers, service users and families.
What do I do if I test positive for COVID-19?
Once you have tested positive following a PCR test, you will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace which will collect details from you, including where you have been prior to testing positive and/or displaying symptoms, as well as who you have been in contact with. NHS Test and Trace will then contact people deemed at risk, and you will be asked to self-isolate.
If you test positive through a rapid lateral flow (LFD) test, you should self-isolate immediately and arrange a PCR test as soon as possible.
Please inform everyone in your life that you need to if they have not already being contacted through Test and Trace, and then inform us as soon as possible by contacting us on 07361 534910 (option 2) or emailing admin@rightminds-healthcare.com
What do I do if I come into contact with someone who has tested positive with COVID-19?
Please tell as soon as possible if you have been in contact of a person who has had tested positive for COVID-19. If you are informed by NHS Test and Trace, it is a legal requirement that you self-isolate for 10 full days from the exposure in line with national guidelines. These guidelines apply to any contact with a person who tests positive that you do not live with, and not within a care setting.
For further details around this, contact us on 07361 534910 or emailing admin@rightminds-healthcare.com
What do I do if I’ve been asked to take a further test after already being tested positive?
As long as you’ve self-isolated in line with national guidelines you do not need to take a further test before returning to work. You may continue to test positive, but you’re no longer at risk of infecting others.
Am I exempt from self-isolating due to working in health and social care?
On 19 July 2021, it was announced that health and social care staff can be exempt from a requested self-isolation period from NHS Test and Trace if they meet certain requirements, such as supplying a negative PCR test and have received both COVID-19 vaccinations.
If you have been asked to self-isolate but do not have symptoms, and wish to discuss self-isolation exemption, please contact us on 07361 534910 or email admin@rightminds-healthcare.com to discuss with us
What financial support is available to me if I have to self-isolate due to COVID-19?
If you’ve tested positive or need to self-isolate as requested by NHS Test and Trace, you may be eligible to claim support through the Test & Trace Support Payment Scheme.
We want to be able to support you as much as we can during these challenging times. If you are unable to receive support from the link above, you can email our dedicated Clinician Care Team directly to explore the level of support that could be made available to you. All cases will be discussed by our Leadership Team on an individual basis.
How do I get vaccinated against COVID-19?
Many people in the UK have now received one or both of their COVID-19 vaccinations, and there are a number of ways to receive this if you haven’t already, including booking through the NHS website or by calling 119. Many communities also offer drop-in sessions and other ways to get vaccinated. If you have not been contacted about your vaccination, ensure you are registered with a GP.
You can contact your GP to advise them you are a frontline health or social care worker, and are actively working in health and social care settings.
Who do I need to inform when I have had one or both of my vaccinations?
When you have received a vaccination, please email our Compliance Team with confirmation of your vaccine so we can update our clients, if they request this from us. You should have received a card with a batch number and date on.
If I am exempt from the vaccination programme due to a medical condition, who do I need to inform?
Please email our Compliance Team so our records are up to date and fully reflect your individual circumstances.
How do I get a COVID-19 test?
You can book a PCR test online, or by calling 119 from any phone. You can also order rapid lateral flow tests for yourself and your family from the UK’s Government website or speak with your local pharmacy.
We do not carry out regular testing for our clinicians, but many of our clients carry out regular full-service testing, which you should be included in. If you are not getting tested by a client you’re working with, let us know by calling us on 07361 534910
or emailing admin@rightminds-healthcare.com
Do I have to be vaccinated to work within health and social care settings?
From November 11 2021 if you want to work in a CQC regulated care home setting, you’ll need to have had both of your vaccinations.
As a responsible health and social care employer, we need to ensure we can provide proof of vaccination for our clients when requested. If you have already received both vaccinations and haven’t sent us proof of these please email our Compliance Team with screenshot of your COVID-19 vaccination record from the NHS website or app on your phone. Information about getting a vaccination can be found on the NHS website, or by calling 119.
Our clients will soon need to keep records of vaccination or exemption status for their own compliance, and without this you may be unable to support in services and packages you are currently working in or new sites in the future.
Our Compliance Team and/or Clinician Care Team will be happy to answer any questions you may have around vaccinations.
Information for our clients
Do you have a risk assessment in place for clinicians?
We have a general risk assessment in place for our clinicians, which can be found here.
It is important to note that our risk assessment covers all considerations of risk for our clinicians including those when they’re not working in services such as when they’re in training, commuting to and from work etc.
Once a clinician enters your service they should be covered by your own staffing risk assessments, guidance and policies as any other member of your team would be, including your COVID-19 risk assessments, policies and procedures.
You have a duty of care to ensure that all staff and visitors are kept safe and infection control is minimised in all areas, including the provision of the required level of PPE for all tasks based on Public Health England guidance.
If a clinician reports an incident relating to an infection control or safety breach it will be fully investigated by LD Network, which may result in withdrawal of our services.
What COVID-19 testing is LD Network currently undertaking for clinicians?
We do not currently undertake any regular testing for our clinicians but encourage them to book their own tests through the government testing sites.
If you wish for a clinician(s) to demonstrate a negative test result (such as when they start work in a new service or on a new package) please get in touch with us through our Bookings Team by calling 07361 534910
or email admin@ldnetwork.org and we will discuss your request.
As many providers are now required to carry out full-service testing on a regular basis it is our view that our clinicians working within your services should be included as part of this process as it allows you to ensure that everyone working within the service has been tested.
LD Network fully support this inclusive approach and simply request that you inform us when tests are carried out, so we are able to update and maintain our records. Please call the Bookings Team on 07361 534910
or email admin@rightminds-healthcare.com
What should I do if someone living in or working within my service tests positive for COVID-19 and has been in contact with a LD Network clinician?
It is important that you get in touch with our Bookings Team on 07361 534910
All clinicians and nurses that have potentially been exposed to a person diagnosed with COVID-19 will need to be contacted, along with any other services they may have worked in since they’ve been exposed to the virus.