NHS
EXCLUSIVE: Dawes in 'internal focus' warning
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) top mandarin has warned council chiefs that the department will have an internal focus for a while, The MJ understands.
Court date set for councils' £2bn tax dispute with NHS trusts
A court date has been set for the long-running legal dispute between councils and NHS trusts over rates relief.
Is the ‘under the radar’ devolution of the NHS the future for our health and social care system?
Phil Hope and Steve Barwick highlight a new essay collection that reveals an ‘under the radar’ trend for devolution of the NHS. They ask: is devolution the future for health and social care?
Time to reassess children’s mental health
In over a third of local areas spending on children’s low-level mental health services dropped in real terms between 2016/17 and 2018/19. Charlotte Levey says councils need to work alongside health partners to prioritise vital provision.
Government must invest to take pressure off hospitals, says ADASS
Central government needs to invest in social care and primary health in a bid to take the pressure off hospitals, the president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services has said.
EXCLUSIVE: Unison to make 'bold' pay claim
Unison is poised to ask local government employers for a 10% pay rise in a ‘bold’ claim being submitted for 2020/21, The MJ has learnt.
New not-for-profit audit supplier suggested
A not-for-profit audit supplier could be created to work alongside existing and any new firms entering the market, it has been suggested.
The sound of silence
The history of attempts to achieve joined-up health and social care reads like a bad songbook for people of a certain age, says Martin Farrow.
Call for greater focus on culture change in integration drive
Huge cultural and behavioural differences between health and care need more consideration, consultancy Impower has urged.
Councils in fresh NHS warning
The Local Government Association (LGA) has issued a fresh warning that the NHS must not forget councils as it embarks on its Long Term Plan.
Don’t play the hokey-cokey with health
Local government has turned public health around despite funding cuts. Now it not the time to think about returning the service to the NHS, argues Nathan Elvery.
Social care precept 'avoided catastrophe'
The introduction of the social care precept ‘avoided catastrophe’ but the sector still faces a funding gap of at least £15bn, a senior figure told The MJ’s Future Forum today.
If empowered, councils can achieve much more on public health
Rather than seeking to downgrade the role of public health within local authorities we should be seeking to enhance it, says Nathan Elvery.
Prevention in its own right
Jim McManus lays out an analysis and narrative that puts councils at the core of the preventative vision.
Government must redesign immigration policy to fill care vacancies - think-tanks
The Government should ‘go back to the drawing board’ to redesign a visa system that encourages overseas workers to fill the 110,000 social care vacancies, a report today has urged.
NHS organisations label social care funding a 'national disgrace'
The state of social care has been branded a 'national scandal and disgrace’ by a coalition of medics.
Hold on to public health
Shifting public health functions to councils has led to ‘clear progress and tangible success,’ says Cllr David Williams - and he warns it would be a retrograde step if NHS England took back some elements of commissioning.
Where are we on health?
One big shift in the NHS Long Term Plan, even if not generously funded, is the full-on embracing of social prescribing, says Dan Corry. He believes it has the potential to have a big impact on people’s health.
Counties in NHS grab warning
Councils have warned the NHS not to grab back responsibility for key public health services.
Don't ignore the work of the districts on social prescribing
When announcing new social prescribers the Government ignored the progress being made in district councils and has created a parallel competing bureaucracy, says Cllr John Fuller.