Adult social care
Government prepares care homes for coronavirus surge
Councils will be asked to ‘take strong action’ against care homes that ignore new restrictions on movement as part of the Government’s winter plan for the sector.
ADASS issues stark warning as White Paper faces further delays
The social care system risks complete breakdown experts have warned as it emerged that the long-awaited White Paper has been delayed again until next year.
Ombudsman calls for 'level playing field'
‘Weak’ social care providers are avoiding public accountability, the local government ombudsman has said.
Pay boost for care workers following tribunal
A group of homecare workers have been awarded £100,000 in backdated pay in a tribunal ruling that could have further implications for the sector.
Care home lockdowns on rise
A growing number of councils have imposed lockdowns on care homes in response to rising numbers of coronavirus cases.
Funds ‘not reaching care frontline’
Care England has said bureaucratic hoops are preventing funding from reaching providers.
Social care directors ‘envious’ of NHS
A representative of local government social care directors has told MPs they view better-resourced health counterparts with ‘envy’.
A Programme of change for Scotland
Scotland’s new Programme for Government offered Indyref 2 as the showstopper, but for local government across the UK the focus will be on the findings of a review to consider the move to a National Care Service. Heather Jameson reports.
Scotland launches launches plans for National Care Service
Scotland’s first minister has launched a review aimed at nationalising care services north of the border.
EXCLUSIVE: Survey reveals spending control plans
A dozen metropolitan councils have been forced to impose spending controls or plan to do so, survey results shared exclusively with The MJ have revealed.
Government late to involve councils in coronavirus testing, report finds
Central government was late to consider how councils could help ramp up coronavirus testing in the early days of the crisis, according to a new think-tank report.
Think tank proposes pension-style social care system
A pension-style model is the most effective way of fixing the social care crisis, a new report from a think tank has argued.
Fifth of care homes took on COVID patients, survey reveals
One in five care homes had to accept patients discharged from hospital who had tested positive for COVID-19 during the early part of the pandemic, a survey has found.
A Sisyphean task for health and social care?
Magda Stainton at Veredus looks at the issue of health and social care integration, and ponders if things would improve under ownership of the NHS.
Is COVID-19 the turning point for commissioning?
The coronavirus crisis has tested care to the limit, but it could serve as a turning point for commissioning, writes Ewan King.
Ex-ministers unite in health devolution call
Five former ministers from all three main parties have called for health and social care to be devolved and integrated within a single budget.
Government has ‘neglected’ care homes - report
Government action to support care homes during the coronavirus pandemic was too little, too late, a report has found.
Local government was poorly prepared for pandemic, report finds
A decade of spending cuts, staff shortages and poor contacts with Whitehall meant local government was poorly prepared to cope with the coronavirus pandemic, a report from the Institute for Government think-tank has said.
Plan to hand social care to NHS is for ‘wrong reasons’
Plans to hand social care to the NHS are being mooted for ‘all the wrong reasons,’ local government finance expert Rob Whiteman has said.
Government handling of social care during pandemic attacked
MPs have delivered a blistering attack on the Government’s handling of social care during coronavirus.
