CARE/CARERS

Regional factsheets on carers (4th March 2010)
The Department of Health has commissioned the Centre for International Research on Care, Labour and Equalities (CIRCLE) at Leeds University to produce a set of 9 regional factsheets on carers. These factsheets include data on the number and characteristics of carers in each region as well as information about carer health and well-being.
Factsheets

Funding care: how can each generation pay its fair share? (12th March 2010)
A two-track approach could see each generation paying its own costs of care in later life.

Our present system of paying for care needs replacing. The big sticking point is finding extra funding which both covers the growing needs of an ageing population and shares the cost fairly between generations. This viewpoint:

• proposes a phased two-track approach, with an initial charge on inheritance being gradually replaced by funds built up through extra National Insurance paid by younger age cohorts.
• suggests such a broad sharing of costs among different generations, linked to ability to pay, could be presented as a fair and equitable settlement.

Document

Funding Social Care: what service users say (9th March 2010)
Service users often aren't involved in discussions about social care funding, yet they will be most affected by any changes to the current failing system.

In 2009, 18 adult social care service users were brought together to explore proposals for funding social care in the future. This Viewpoint reports their views, including:

• Service users feel that a false divide between social care and health care is perpetuated by conflicting funding arrangements.
• Almost all service users consulted think general taxation is the best way to fund social care.
• Service users reject any withdrawal of existing universal disability benefits, such as the Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance, to fund means and needs tested social care.

Document

CONFERENCE - Putting everyone first: making personalisation work for older people and mental health service users (17th March 2010)
This London conference from the National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTi) on 10 June focuses on how to make personalisation work for older people and people that have mental health problems.

The key themes running through this event are:

• Recent and new guidance on personalisation in both Older people and Mental health fields that has been developed by the NDTi for the Department of Health
• How will commissioning deliver the personalisation agenda, at strategic and operational levels.
• What co-production really means and how to make it happen
• How support planning and person-centred approaches are key to making personal budgets real

Information

Securing good care for more people. Options for reform (16th March 2010)
Social care has never been higher on the political and policy agenda, and the need for fundamental reform has been universally recognised.

In 2006, The King’s Fund commissioned Sir Derek Wanless to review the funding of social care for older people. That review proposed a ‘partnership model’ in which costs were shared between the state and the individual. Since then, the momentum for change has gathered pace. Securing Good Care for More People updates the original review and concludes that a revised version of the ‘partnership model’ is the fairest way of funding social care in the future. This would see the state guaranteeing to pay 50 per cent of everyone’s care costs and matching every £2 contributed by individuals with a further £1.
Report

ELDERLY/OLDER PEOPLE

Gateshead - Paddle Your Own Canoe (15th March 2010)
Paddle Your Own Canoe (PYOC) was a project by Wayout in Gateshead (WinG), an organisation that specialises in conducting personal development courses through adventure education. The course aimed to improve the mental health and well-being of people over 50 years old. It was funded by Communities for Health.
Information

Care and support for older people and carers in Bradford (16th March 2010)
This study explored the needs, aspirations and expectations of older people and family carers from a range of ethnic communities in Bradford, regarding both formal paid care and help from family, friends and neighbours.

The study found that:

• Irrespective of cultural or ethnic background, older people shared expectations about caring relationships and access to services, as well as similar experiences of service delivery.
• There was a strong sense that services were run more for the convenience and budgets of service providers than for the benefit of the individual older person.
• Across all groups there was a desire for flexible, tailored services. Older people wanted more say in how and where they lived, the quality of their food, and who provided 'that bit of help' in their homes.

Report

LOCAL AUTHORITY/GOVERNMENT

LASSL(DH)(2010)1: Provisional Grant Allocations for the Personal Care At Home Grant for 2010/11 (12th March 2010)
The purpose of this circular is to advise local authorities of their provisional grant allocations for the Personal Care at Home grant from 1st October 2010 to 31st March 2011. This grant will be paid via Area Based Grant (ABG).
Information

Ordinary residence: guidance on the identification of the ordinary residence of people in need of community care services, England (5th March 2010)
This guidance provides information and advice to local authorities (and certain other bodies) on the identification of the ordinary residence of people in need of community care services.

The guidance anticipates the coming into force of section 148 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 which is expected to come into force on 19 April 2010. The guidance is effective from this date. Therefore, on 19 April 2010, this guidance will replace the existing ordinary residence guidance contained in LAC(93)7. From this date, LAC(93)7 will be revoked.
Guidance

Top tips on improving outcomes through better commissioning of adult social care (February 2010)
Local authorities spend about £18 billion each year on adult social care including £11.6 billion on external providers. Millions could be saved each year through more effective and collaborative commissioning, including better procurement of services.

Local authorities are under pressure to reduce expenditure on, and the cost of, adult social care. At the same time, services users and carers expect high-quality services. Members need to understand how services can be improved and how they can be delivered more efficiently.

This guide – one of a series of member guides on procurement – provides tips on how your authority can make savings through better commissioning of adult social care.
Guide

MENTAL HEALTH

Paths to Personalisation - A whole system, whole life framework (16th March 2010)
Published today by the National Mental Health Development Unit (NMHDU) Personalisation in Mental Health Programme, this guide has been produced to help all those involved understand how things will need to be done differently to make personalisation a reality for people with mental health needs. This is a whole system guide, so hopefully it will give some information, guidance and signposts for people, whoever and wherever they are. The guide provides information about what personalisation means for mental health services and supports, offers examples of what needs to be in place to make things work, and provides pointers to good practice and sources of advice and information.
Guide

3 Briefing papers published by PSA16 programme (15th March 2010)
The Public Service Agreement 16 programme have published the following 3 briefing papers:
Improving housing and employment opportunities for people with mental health problems
Employment and Mental Health
Work recovery and inclusion: employment support for people in contact with secondary mental health services
Documents

Life Story Network (7th March 2010)
The National Life Story Network was launched at a conference in Leeds on 12th February. The network provides a national forum (www.lifestorynetwork.org.uk) to support the use of Life Story work among people with mental illness including dementia.

Life Story is a growing area of interest in policy and practice relating to the care of people. The Network has been promoted and supported by an independent steering group, with representation from a range of national and regional partners, including the Dignity in Care (DH) campaign, the National Dementia Strategy, Mental Health Foundation and the National Mental Health Development Unit.
Information

Blurring the Boundaries. The convergence of mental health and criminal justice policy, legislation, systems and practice (16th March 2010)
This report, from the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health demonstrates that a convergence is taking place between mental health and criminal justice legislation, policy, systems and practice. The report summarises both the benefits and the risks of convergence. It is intended to inform policy-makers and practitioners about where convergence can be useful and where caution is required.
Report

CARE/CARERS

At a glance 21. Personalisation briefing. Implications for people with autistic spectrum conditions and their family carers (February 2010)

This "At a Glance" briefing examines the implications of the personalisation agenda for people with autistic spectrum conditions.

Briefing

CARE/CARERS

Self care reduces costs and improves health - the evidence (February 2010)
This report, from the Expert Patients Programme Community Interest Company, reviews existing literature on self-management, as well as conducting their own research through questionnaires, focus groups and in-depth interviews to provide examples of how economically beneficial the Expert Patients Programme (EPP) could be for the NHS.
Report

HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE

Integrating Health and Social Care Budgets. A case for debate (15th February 2010)
Over the last decade, Britain’s public services have faced a number of challenges related to a changing population profile, growing demands from more assertive users, and the need for a more sustainable model of delivery. The UK’s huge fiscal deficit will now add the most pressing and complicated challenge of all: cutting expenditure on public services while maintaining quality and user satisfaction.

This paper opens a debate around the prospects for a more innovative, more responsive model of public services for groups of users with complex needs. This model revolves around integrating healthcare and social care budgets. The paper analyses the policy landscape, the key determinants of modern public services and the main financial aspects of integrated budgets. It recognises that there are two different approaches to integrating budgets – an ‘individually-centred’ approach and a ‘system-centred’ approach – and argues that the best way to create a more responsive and financially effective service model is to combine the two.
Paper

PUBLIC SERVICES

Personalisation and the social care 'revolution': future options for the reform of public services (29th January 2010)
The Health Services Management Centre (HSMC) has recently launched a new policy paper entitled Personalisation and the social care 'revolution': future options for the reform of public services.

The paper written by Simon Duffy, Director of the Centre for Welfare Reform, John Waters, of In Control and HSMC's Professor Jon Glasby, introduces the concept of personal budgets as 'Conditional Resource Entitlements' (CREs) - a means of targeting resources towards those who are eligible, but with specific conditions attached. The authors suggest personal budgets, if framed as a form of CRE, can form part of a wider strategy for welfare reform which places emphasis on promoting citizenship and personal responsibility.
Paper

CARE/CARERS

Integrated care pilots expansion (2nd February 2010)
Following successes in the original 16 ICPs the programme has been expanded to encourage and facilitate the sharing of knowledge amongst a wider range of stakeholders nationally and identify further innovative initiatives. The Department of Health are now inviting sites to send us their completed self-assessment forms in order to join the expanded community. Further guidance on the submission process is detailed within the tool documentation.
Documents

CARE/CARERS

The revised National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care (13th January 2010)
This letter draws the attention of primary care trusts and strategic health authorities to two aspects of the revised National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS-funded Nursing Care in terms of governance and commissioning.
Framework

ELDERLY/OLDER PEOPLE

National Evaluation of Partnerships for Older People Projects: final report (18th January 2010)
The Partnership for Older People Projects (POPP) were funded by the Department of Health to develop services for older people, aimed at promoting their health, well-being and independence and preventing or delaying their need for higher intensity or institutional care. The evaluation found that a wide range of projects resulted in improved quality of life for participants and considerable savings, as well as better local working relationships.
Report

Improving care and saving money: learning the lessons on prevention and early intervention for older people (18th January 2010)
This document provides the key learning from the national Partnerships for Older People Projects (POPP) programme.
Guidance

Personal budgets for older people - making it happen (13th January 2010)
This guide focuses on how councils can make personal budgets work well for older people and their families. It looks at how to ensure personal budgets are accessible, simple to use, flexible and help to achieve the things that matter most to the people using them.
Guide

A Guide to co-production with older people (December 2009)
A small co-production design team involving older people and strategic leads from three local authorities worked with NDTi and Helen Sanderson Associates to produce a further related publication on understanding co-production and how to make it happen with older people.The guide describes how local authorities, older people and older people's organisations can work together to design and deliver opportunities, support and services that improve wellbeing and quality of life.
Guide

CARE/CARERS

Training materials for the revised National Framework for NHS Continuing Healthcare and NHS funded Nursing Care (10th December 2009)
These slides have been developed to support local training. Individual groups of slides can be used for training on specific issues. Speaker notes are attached.

The slides are for general advice and training and should not be taken as a full and authoritative statement of the law and policy.
Slides

ACTS/BILLS

Personal Care at Home Bill 2009-10 (25th November 2009)
This Bill was presented to Parliament today. The Bill will provide for those with the greatest care needs to be offered free personal care at home.
Bill

CONSULTATIONS

Pharmacy in England: building on strengths - delivering the future - Draft regulations under the Health Act 2009: pharmaceutical needs assessments. Consultation document (1st December 2009)
Following consultation in Autumn 2008, two clauses were introduced in the Health Bill 2009 (now the Health Act 2009).

• to require Primary Care Trusts to develop and publish pharmaceutical needs assessments (PNAs); and
• then to use PNAs as the basis for determining market entry to NHS pharmaceutical services provision

In July 2009, a regulatory Advisory Group drawn from interested parties was set up, chaired by Paul Burns. The first set of draft regulations regarding PNAs have now been prepared by the Department of Health with assistance from the Group and are available for consultation.

Closing date for comments is 28th February 2010.
Consultation

A Consultation on proposals for the Innovation Pass pilot (28th November 2009)
In July the Office for Life Sciences (OLS) published the ‘Life Sciences Blueprint’ which announced a package of measures to help maintain a competitive life science sector. One of the initiatives announced in the blueprint was the introduction of an ‘Innovation Pass’.

This consultation seeks views from the NHS, industry and other stakeholders on the Government’s proposals for an Innovation Pass pilot. These proposals will be revised in light of comments received as part of this consultation and will be used to inform the first set of decisions for the pilot in 2010/1

Closing date for comments is 8th February 2010.
Consultation

Personal care at home: a consultation on proposals for regulations and guidance (25th November 2009)
A consultation document containing proposals for regulations and guidance made under the Personal Care At Home Bill has been published today. An impact assessment accompanying the consultation is also available. An easy read version will be available soon.

Although closing date for comments is 23rd February 2010, the Department of Health would like, if possible, comments to reach them by 26th January 2010.
Consultation

Provision of calorie labelling at point of choice in catering outlets (3rd December 2009)
The Food Standards Agency is seeking views on how a voluntary scheme to display calorie information on menus would work best in practice.

A calorie labelling scheme would help people make healthier choices when they are eating out, by letting them see the number of calories in the food and drink they order – whether they are in restaurants, coffee and sandwich shops, pubs, leisure attractions or staff restaurants.

Closing date for comments is 11th March 2010.
Press Release
Consultation

IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Impact assessment for Personal Care at Home Bill (25th November 2009)

LONG-TERM CONDITIONS

'Your health, your way - a guide to long term conditions and self care' for social care professionals (3rd December 2009)
A brief overview of ‘Your health, your way – a guide to long term conditions and self care’ for social care professionals. It discusses the concept of personalised support planning for people with long-term conditions (LTCs) and supported self care with points for consideration when starting the support planning process.
Guidance

CARE/CARERS

Dignity in care: input assessment - DH Interventions (10th November 2009)
In May 2009, Opinion Leader were commissioned to undertake an independent review of the Dignity in Care Campaign.

This report sets out the range of interventions employed by Department of Health (DH) in taking forward the Dignity in Care Campaign to support Opinion Leader’s analysis of interventions at a national level.
Report

Older people's vision for long term care (18th November 2009)
How can we ensure a 'better life' for older people in residential and nursing care homes when their voices are rarely heard?

This study examined the experiences and aspirations of these older people and highlights their ambition to increasingly influence decisions about care, support and wider issues such as:

• Whether or not to move to a care home
• What helps to enhance their quality of life
• What is needed to promote their inclusion in care home, family and wider community life

Report

With Respect - Dignity in Homecare and Residential Care (19th November 2009)
This training pack will help residential care home owners and domiciliary care providers 'dignity-proof' the care their staff offer, and to raise awareness of the importance of providing services that respect people's privacy, confidentiality and dignity.
Training Pack

Walk a mile in my shoes. Scrutiny of dignity and respect for individuals in health and social care services: a guide (12th November 2009)
This guide, from the Centre for Public Scrutiny, will assist Overview and Scrutiny Committees (OSCs) to raise awareness and understanding of dignity and respect for individuals who are receiving health and social care services. Using the guide, OSCs should be in a position to:

• review local leadership and partnerships to judge whether services respect the dignity of service users
• promote dignity and respect for individuals and the role of the OSC
• help ensure local health and care services are commissioned and delivered with dignity as a central aspect of care
• gather local intelligence and provide evidence which can be reflected in local reviews of services.

Guide

CARE/CARERS

Dignity in care: input assessment - DH interventions (10th November 2009)
In May 2009, Opinion Leader were commissioned to undertake an independent review of the Dignity in Care Campaign.

The review aims to answer whether or not the campaign is making a difference to the way services are being provided and commissioned across health, social care, local authorities and the independent sector and the way people experience care.

One of the key objectives set out in the tender specification for the review, was to understand and describe from the viewpoints of a range of stakeholders, which specific interventions or activities at national or local level have worked or not worked well in the campaign and why.

This report sets out the range of interventions employed by DH in taking forward the Dignity in Care Campaign to support Opinion Leader’s analysis of interventions at a national level.
Report

The real cost of quality care and support (9th November 2009)
The research report, The real cost of quality care and support, is published by the National Care Forum and Counsel and Care as a response to the green paper on the future funding of care. The two organisations say that more resources are needed to fund better quality care.

The report found that care services with high star ratings spend up to 20% more on staff and their training, development and management, as well as putting service users at the centre of everything they do. Not-for-profit providers consistently get better quality ratings.
Report

CARE/CARERS

Report of the Standing Commission on Carers 2007 to 2009 (20th October 2009)
The Standing Commission on Carers has published its first annual report, Carers at the heart of 21st century families and communities – work in progress. The report concludes the first stage of the Commission’s work (2007 to 2009) and highlights progress made against the main themes of the national Carers Strategy. It sets out future challenges and opportunities, and contains a number of recommendations and suggestions for the Government, delivery partners and the next phase of the Commission.
Report

Training care home staff to use Talking Mats with people who have dementia (27th October 2009)
It can be difficult for carers and people with dementia to communicate. In recognition of this, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) funded the development and delivery of a project in 2008/2009 that would train care home staff across the UK to use Talking Mats. This system, complete with a textured mat and visual symbols, helps people with communications difficulties to interact.

This paper highlights key findings from the project, including:

• Confident staff who had management support were more likely to do well in training and implement new practice
• Training of this kind is more effective when delivered to a group of staff in one care home
• Talking Mats can benefit people at all stages of dementia, but it is still especially difficult to interact with residents in the later stages of the disease

Summary

Charging for residential care: the property disregard and partners under 60 (27th October 2009)
Letter seeking views on the proposal to amend the 1992 regulations to reflect the longstanding policy and practice of disregarding property where a partner aged under 60 continues to reside in the family home.
Letter and draft regulations

CARE/CARERS

Primary Care Trusts and The Carers Strategy (12th October 2009)
New research, carried out by two of the UK’s leading carers’ charities The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Care, has uncovered approximately £40m of the £50m allocated by the government for carers support is failing to reach carers.

80% of new monies given by government to Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in 2009/10 have not been used to increase support for carers as was intended.
Survey and Report