Social Care
NHS manager launches care home rating website
An NHS manager hopes to improve national care standards by launching what she says is the first live, independent ratings website for care homes.
Government risks going backwards on integration, warn MPs
Financial pressures and the government’s reforms risk the level of integration between health and social care actually diminishing, despite ministers restating their commitment to the policy, according to MPs.
Ideas to improve quality and safety in care homes sought
Nurses are being asked for ideas on how to improve patient care and working conditions in care homes, as part of a new programme of work by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement.
Warning as social care funding falls £0.5bn
Spending on older people’s social care in England has fallen by half a billion pounds, according to a new report.
No 'structural merger' of health and social care, MPs told
There will be no government drive to merge health and social care organisations across the country, health minister Paul Burstow has told MPs.
Biggest health and social care provider given the 'green light'
Plans for the biggest joint provider of health and social care in England have been approved by NHS Midlands and East, HSJ has been told.
'Warm words' insufficient to drive integration, ministers warned
One of the leading proponents of integrated care has called for the government to go further than its “warm words” made in response to the NHS Future Forum.
Government unveils extra £150m for home care
The government has announced an extra £150m for patients to receive care at home rather than in hospital.
'Failing' social care system putting older people at risk
England’s “failing” social care system is leaving 800,000 elderly people “lonely, isolated and at risk”, say experts who have today urged the government and the Labour party to begin social care reform.
Social care 'not fit for purpose'
The social care system has been branded “not fit for purpose” after figures revealed elderly people are paying up to £7,000 a year for home care services.
Specialist care housing model costs NHS less
Specialist housing integrated with care provision puts less strain on the NHS than residential care homes, according to an independent evaluation for the Department of Health.
Care homes review website planned
Care homes for older people are to be reviewed and rated by members of the public on a new website, under plans being developed by the government.
Councils should expect 'enormous' cost variations on Dilnot proposals
Councils should expect enormous variations in the costs of implementing the Dilnot Commission’s proposals for funding adult social care, MPs were told today.
Southern Cross care homes transfer ends
The care homes formerly run by Southern Cross have all been transferred to new operators, the government has announced.
Private sector could take £2bn slice of community services
The private sector could secure a fifth of the annual £8.5bn market for NHS community services by 2016, analysts have predicted.
Ministers focus on older people's care ahead of Operating Framework launch
Ministers are stressing the importance of supporting care for older people as they prepare to release the NHS Operating Framework today.
Home care services to have CQC inspections
Home care services are to be subject to inspection under a programme announced by the Care Quality Commission.
Care home company administrations double
The number of UK care home firms which have recently gone into administration has doubled, according to the latest analysis.
Two in five adult abuse cases 'at home'
Almost half of alleged abuse towards vulnerable adults takes place in their own homes, according to new research.
Joint commissioning plans need to 'go further', Future Forum lead urges
Clinical commissioning groups need to work with councils to increase the scale of joint commissioning arrangements, a key figure in the NHS Future Forum has told HSJ.
More on Social Care
Why engaging the workforce helps enhance service innovation
To fully capture and stimulate NHS service innovation, Academic Health and Social Care Networks must go beyond striving to bring remote research into practice and include a focus on workforce innovation. Laurence Benson explains.
The benefits of delivering healthcare in patients' homes
Taking patients out of the hospital and successfully providing their care at home is certainly achievable, and Mehmood Syed looks at steps commissioners and providers can take to ensure home is where the health is.
Telehealth can be at the heart of integrated health and social care
A council plans to integrate health and social care services in their new model of care. Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council executive director of adult social care and inclusion Paul Davies discusses how telehealth is fundamental to this service redesign.
Developing a health and local government service integration model
Could one trust’s health and local government service integration be a model for the rest of the country to follow? Dr Chris Clayton reports on the successful pilot at Blackburn with Darwen PCT.
Can CCGs learn to integrate mental health services from a Californian healthcare model?
Emerging clinical commissioning groups could learn a lot from the way mental health services are being incorporated into an overall model of healthcare by independent practice associations in California, say Beacon Health Strategies colleagues Dr Emma Stanton and Brian Wheelan.
Why physical health checks for mental health patients are vital to their wellbeing
Improving the provision of physical health checks for people with severe mental illness provides an opportunity to make a major difference to the health and wellbeing of this vulnerable group, write Drs Kallol Sain and Sweta Patil.
