Digital Social Care website to become Digitising Social Care Website
Digital Social Care have announced that, working with the digitising social care programme in NHS England, they will be redeveloping their website into a new Digitising Social Care platform. Find out more here. They have published A care provider's guide to protecting sensitive care data in the digital age. This resource may be of use to providers thinking about their data handling. Separately, the Care Software Providers Association has published a white paper on a GP-to-social-care data-sharing pathway.
Caring for family carers
NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) guidance published in 2022 on supporting adult carer seeks to improve the lives of carers, and the cared for, by helping care colleagues identify needs and then signpost to services and resources. A recent blog by Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Deborah Sturdy endorses NICE’s recommendations.
Continuing healthcare advice for the public
Entitlement to continuing healthcare is a complex topic. Social enterprise Beacon is the chosen supplier for the NHS England Free Information and Advice service for continuing health care and also delivers CHC representation and casework services in England and Wales. Beacon offers a free advice service for members of the public whose CHC assessment or appeal is managed by an Integrated Care Board (or a third party) in England.
More support on women's health and for bereaved parents
£25 million has been allocated to integrated care boards (ICBs) for women’s health hubs, so funding can be used to establish or expand at least one in every integrated care system (ICS). The government has also announced a package of new measures including a dedicated area for women and girls on NHS website, with content on adenomyosis, periods and HRT, and support for bereaved parents who have experienced pregnancy loss, with voluntary certificates and work to provide appropriate 24/7 care. More information.
Green badge parking scheme suggested
A ‘Green Badge’ parking permit scheme for care workers was proposed by Conservative MP, Damian Moore, and debated in Westminster Hall. He called for the UK Government to introduce a nationwide, standardised Green badge to enable free parking for social care workers. The Minister of State for Social Care, Helen Whately MP, was sympathetic to the arguments and the challenges that home carers have, but did not make a full commitment to proceed. Instead, she encouraged local councils and authorities to learn from other authorities that have schemes. More here: Green Badge: a simple step to help social care staff now - Engage Britain.
Health in 2040: Projected patterns of illness in England
The latest report by The Health Foundation looks into the future wellness of an ageing population and the challenges this will have for social care, the NHS and other public services. Click here to read the report in full.
Managing drug and alcohol misuse in the workplace
Employers have a legal duty to protect employees’ health, safety and welfare. Understanding the signs of drug and alcohol misuse (or abuse) will help manage health and safety risk in the workplace. The Health and Safety Executive has step-by-step guidance to help employers manage drug and alcohol misuse at work, including advice on how to develop a drugs and alcohol policy and how to provide support to employees.
Clinical guide for frontline staff to support the management of patients with a learning disability and autistic people
NHS England has published a short clinical guide for front line staff to support the management of patients with a learning disability and autistic people – relevant to all clinical specialties, which contains useful advice and links to further information, aimed primarily at health staff but relevant to social care staff too.
Listeriosis and high risk groups
The UK Health Security Agency has issued advice on listeriosis, which usually presents as self-limiting gastroenteritis. The Agency says invasive listeriosis is a concern for high risk groups such as the elderly and pregnant women. It is predominately a foodborne disease - a review of evidence suggests that smoked fish is a high risk product in the UK for vulnerable groups, although the overall risk to the population is low. Collection of guidance on listeria, which causes listeriosis.
Wildfires in Corfu: A climate call to action for your organisation
Anthony Collins have written a discussion piece on using contracts a business enters to cause positive action in climate change. They suggest if each corporate entity adopted a green approach in their contracting practices, they could be part of the solution rather than the problem.
Partnership agreement to limited police involvement in mental health crises
A new framework states how police and health services should improve the response to people with mental health needs, to end inappropriate and avoidable police involvement. The paper says where it is appropriate for police to be involved, this will continue but they should only be involved for as long as is necessary, and in conjunction with health and/or social care services. News story.
