Care homes
It’s time for councils to step up and give a lead on care home visiting
Local authorities should support local care homes to find creative ways to open up to relatives, says Claire Fox.
Greater Manchester’s healthy case for digital innovation
COVID-19 is accelerating digital health and social care innovation in Greater Manchester, including work to understand the support needed by Troubled Families, and to help care homes track cases of the virus, says Lou Cordwell.
New review puts case for a National Care Service in Scotland
An independent review of adult care services in Scotland has called for urgent improvements in workforce planning, pay and conditions, and a rethink on charging policies.
Confident about care
Hertfordshire CC’s new director of adult care services Chris Badger talks to Ann McGauran about investing in extra care housing, COVID’s legacy of loneliness, care market sustainability, and developing diverse teams.
Planning for when the blight lifts
Westminster City Council’s leader Rachael Robathan says the central Government funding system to help businesses stand on their own two feet must be in place when lockdown eventually lifts.
Why I refused to support discharging COVID positive patients into our care homes
Leader of Enfield LBC Cllr Nesil Caliskan explains why patients with COVID must not be admitted to the borough’s care homes during the second wave.
Give local councils freedoms on workforce vaccination
Councils need the freedoms and flexibilities to determine which parts of their workforce should be prioritised for vaccination, whether they fit the official ‘key worker’ definition or not, says Paul Najsarek.
Four Seasons to be sold
An auction of care home operator Four Seasons Health Care is being prepared, according to reports.
Council refuses to put COVID patients in care homes
Enfield LBC has said it will not comply with requests to look at providing beds for COVID-positive patients in care homes.
One in nine care workers not tested weekly
A government pledge to test all care home staff every seven days is not being met, according to a survey published today.
Call to remove care home 'barriers'
Councils have been called on to ensure care home residents can meet their friends and family.
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.
Care homes residents to miss out on first wave of jabs
The Government has admitted hundreds of thousands of care home residents will be left out of the first wave of COVID vaccinations when the rollout starts next week.
Care home occupancy down over Grim Reaper fears
People are reluctant to put their relatives into care homes because they think the ‘Grim Reaper is waiting at the gate,’ a senior councillor has warned.
Short-termism can be expensive
COVID-19 has laid bare the numerous challenges faced by adult social care. Iain MacBeath, NCASC 2020 speaker on funding and reform, says now is the time to take a risk and develop the integrated services we’ve aspired to.
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.
Reading refuses to send COVID-19 patients to care homes
Reading Council is to defy a Government order to provide care home places for Covid-19 positive patients.
Working together to protect care homes in Leicester
Leicester’s success in stopping COVID-related deaths in care homes is due to data, system working and trust , says the city council's strategic director for social care and education Martin Samuels.
EXCLUSIVE: Leaked report warns sector less ready for Brexit transition
Local government is less ready for the end of the transition period than it was for a no-deal Brexit last October, a Whitehall document leaked to The MJ has warned.
Balancing the risks
Councils should ‘stop shaping all policies based on counting COVID cases and need to start balancing risks across a broader spectrum’, writes Claire Fox.