Flu pandemic advice for social care providers

12 August 2009

Social care regulations continue to apply during a flu pandemic, unless otherwise announced by the Department of Health. This situation is being kept under review and may change.

You should get advice from your local authority or commissioning body or from the Department of Health:

Questions and answers 

We have developed some specific questions and answers for social care providers:

How can I prepare for the flu pandemic?

All providers should refer to the National Pandemic Flu Service website for the latest information:

You are advised to read the Health Protection Agency's guidance on managing influenza-like illness in nursing and residential homes:

Services run by local authorities should make themselves aware of the plans produced by their local authority.

Private organisations should look at Cabinet Office guidelines:

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Do I need to notify CQC of swine flu cases?

You do not need to inform us of each individual case of swine flu amongst your staff or people who use your service.
 
If you feel the quality of care you provide could be seriously compromised by an outbreak of swine flu amongst your staff or people who use your service you should notify us.

Notification of the death of a person who uses your service should occur in the usual way.

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Will CQC continue to inspect social care services during the flu pandemic?

We will continue to inspect organisations where we believe there is sufficient cause to do so and it is safe to carry out an inspection.

We will try to carry out our routine inspection programme as planned. However, the pandemic may reach such a level that this is not practical.

We will contact organisations as soon as possible if it becomes clear that an inspection will no longer take place.

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