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Share for Better Care: your feedback helps improve health and care services
Share for Better Care is a campaign being run until March 2025 by CQC, Healthwatch England and partners, to obtain feedback from people using care services, including those from minority ethnic communities, lower-income communities, autistic people and people with a learning disability and disabled people with physical or sensory impairments. More information, campaign toolkit and accessibility information.
Measuring the impact of Integrated Care on at risk populations
Certain population groups with complex needs could benefit from NHS England and seven ICSs’ launch of the 'Integration Index' in May 2024, to measure integrated, personalised, and proactive care's impact on experiences, outcomes, and local resources within key groups. Ipsos UK will survey at-risk patients identified through the frailty index and their carers and, with consent, link anonymised results to NHS data, pinpointing areas for improvement. More from Population Health Academy.
LGA Annual Conference
The Local Government Association (LGA) have rescheduled their Annual Conference, which was due to take place from 2-4 July, after the Prime Minister announced the general election. The full statement can be found here.
COVID variants emerge, UKHSA monitoring closely
A new group of COVID-19 variants dubbed FLiRT is accounting for around 25% of recent US cases. In the UK, the subvariants JN.1 and KP.2 are being followed. While viruses mutating is normal, a recent UK Health Security Agency blog says more data is needed on transmissibility and severity. For now, UKHSA guidance remains unchanged - stay home if unwell and get vaccinated if eligible. The UKHSA is working with scientists on testing, and with vaccine developers. UKHSA say proven strategies are being deployed against these latest variants, although they will keep careful watch.
Report shows rising COVID-19 and norovirus infections
UKHSA’s latest status report (16 May 2024), shows COVID-19 activity has increased across most indicators, but hospitalisations remain stable. Norovirus levels were higher in April than UKHSA would usually see at this time of year and have been increasing. The report warns norovirus (vomiting bug) can cause dehydration and has practical advice on infection control.
Prevent duty: guidance for healthcare professionals
Guidance has been issued for healthcare professionals on Prevent, the government’s counter-terrorism strategy. People working in healthcare settings in the NHS or on behalf of the NHS have a duty to ensure that they understand Prevent and know what to do if someone they have had contact with is at risk or susceptible to radicalisation into terrorism activity. More about Prevent guidance and training.
Apprenticeships misused due to inflexible levy
Research by CIPD and Youth Futures Foundation 'Balancing act: Youth apprenticeships and the case for a flexible skills levy', which surveyed over 2,000 organisations, has found that most employers believe apprenticeships should primarily support young workforce entrants. The survey showed the current levy system needs reform as it incentivises employers to rebadge existing staff training as apprenticeships to claim funding. The report calls for an Apprenticeship Guarantee for young people.
