Adult social care
Plenty of reasons to be cheerful in the health and care White Paper
Cllr David Fothergill says while many of the 2012 health reforms will now be unwound, local government's responsibility for public health should be the one that remains untouched.
Starting from the wrong place?
The first White Paper on NHS reform in nearly a decade confirms England will be covered by statutory integrated care systems. Ann McGauran canvasses local government sector experts on the contents.
Social care should remain delivered by councils, says report
Tens of thousands of people could live more independent lives if councils keep hold of social care under government plans to overhaul health services, a new report has insisted.
Steering care through crisis
The entire care market still faces massive challenges. As part of the National Audit Office investigation into care markets, we brought together some experts to debate the issues. Heather Jameson reports.
Our third Integrated Care Systems model would be a real ‘partnership of equals’
The cross-party Health Devolution Commission is proposing a ‘democratic third way’ on integrated care. Steve Barwick and Phil Hope explain.
The answers cannot wait for long
If local government is to play the vital role required in the recovery of places and communities, it will need some clarity and medium-term certainty about the underpinning finance regime, says John O'Brien of London Councils.
Transforming care in a time of crisis
Gavin Bashar outlines how directors of social care can use technology enabled care services to improve outcomes and efficiency, particularly during COVID-19.
Green light for COVID-19 vaccine in care homes
The Medicines And Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has approved a method of splitting batches of the Pfizer vaccine.
No place like home
Building on its experiences earlier in the pandemic, Reading Council’s ‘Home First’ is its embedded approach for those leaving hospital or needing more support. Cllr Tony Jones explains why.
There’s not enough votes in funding councils
'Whatever the finance settlement brings, it will not be enough', says Heather Jameson. 'Councils will cope as they always do – or most will – and there is another year to make the case for local services, while the Government hopes it all goes away.'
What did we learn from discharging patients into care homes?
A consensus seemed to emerge that the rapid exporting of patients from hospitals without COVID testing was a mistake, says lead member for adult social care at Reading Council Cllr Tony Jones. He asks how we can do better as winter approaches.
Care directors warn of lockdown impact on homes
The Association of Directors of Adults Social Services (ADASS) has urged the Government to ensure families can visit care homes during the lockdown.
Seeing social care through a different lens
Social care is much more than elderly people and hospital discharges, says Cllr David Fothergill. Many people are working-age adults with severe learning disabilities, and the Government needs to widen its scope of what care encompasses.
Don't let the NHS follow care into crisis, warns Hopson
The Government has driven social care into crisis by failing to fund it properly, and the NHS must not face the same fate, health expert Chris Hopson has said.
Compassion, care and reconstruction
Now is the time to focus on vision, strategy, and creating a purposeful and inspiring future for social care, ‘while caring for our staff who have been through so much’, say Benjamin Taylor and Kim Curry.
Data to face the dangers ahead
To avoid making the same mistakes in adult social care, we need to use data intelligently to plan for further waves of COVID-19, say Naheed Chaudhry and Ewan King.
It’s time for Government to level up
There's still time to avoid levelling up becoming Boris Johnson’s Big Society, writes Sir Bob Kerslake - and two papers from the LGA and UK 2070 should be warmly welcomed by the Government as valuable contributions to their goal to build back better.
Central government needs to stand back
Dr Jonathan Carr-West asks if anyone has any sense of a sustained strategic focus on tackling the pandemic from government, and he feels only local government can manage the alignment of social, environmental and economic recovery that we need.
Future Forum: Raising public awareness of social care is critical
Raising public awareness of the importance of social care is a crucial next step to delivering longer-term reform and redefinition of the system, say sector experts.
Streamline PPE funding for the sake of social care
COVID-19 will continue to severely stretch the financial resilience of providers like Leonard Cheshire and funding must be urgently refreshed and streamlined, says Hugh Fenn.
