CQC sets out next steps to support adult social care during the COVID-19 pandemic

Our Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care, Kate Terroni, has written to the adult social care sector highlighting the action we are taking to support providers at this time. Read CQC news piece here

High impact change model Managing transfers of care

This resource supports the High Impact Change model for managing transfers of care. It contains examples for the eight system changes where there is evidence of impact, examples of emerging practice that are starting to make a difference and includes links to guidance and further information.

Growing innovative models of health, care and support for adults

This briefing from SCIE explains that innovative, often small-scale models of health, social care and support for adults could be scaled up to benefit as many people as possible. It makes a number of recommendations for the Government and national partners

Daily Insight: Reshuffle bored

Today’s must know: Hunt confirmed as health and social care secretary

Today’s talking point: Trusts sought for new NHS ‘lean’ programme

Today’s inspiration: Leading NHS suppliers highlighted in shortlist for new HSJ awards

Today’s risk: Pioneering NHS ACO contract set back

Hunt stays put

So, after the speculation and longer than expected wait for news, Jeremy Hunt not only stays as health secretary but has expanded his job.


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Making Safeguarding Personal What might ‘good’ look like for health and social care commissioners and providers?

Commissioners and providers across the health and social care sectors play a critical part in safeguarding adults, both on the front line and at a strategic level, as partners on safeguarding adults boards.

This resource is intended to support the joined up development of Making Safeguarding Personal across providers and commissioners in health and social care. The essential links between safeguarding and quality in delivering services must be emphasised.

Brexit: the implications for health and social care

Briefing from the King's Fund

Although the EU has limited legal jurisdiction over how health and care services are organised and provided in member states, the UK’s vote to leave the EU will have major implications for health and social care in England.

First, because the government has been clear that Brexit will mean the UK leaving the European single market and the customs union – arrangements that currently play an important role in facilitating the delivery of health services, via access to workforce as well as goods and services. Second, because EU directives affect many areas of UK law that impact on the delivery of health and care services. Third, because the vote has ushered in a period of significant economic and political uncertainty at a time when the NHS and social care are already facing huge financial and operational pressures.

Experiences of older people using services affected by fragmentation across local health and care systems, warns CQC

Those working within health and adult social care services are passionate about providing the best possible experience to the older people within their care.

However, their efforts can be compromised by the competing priorities, performance measures and accountabilities of their employing organisations. Collectively, this can limit choice and can make movement between services seem confusing and fragmented.

This is one the key themes the CQC has found, having completed a third of its Government-commissioned reviews that explore how well local systems work together to support and care for people aged over 65.

How the health and social care system is preparing for winter

This briefing from the NHS Confederation provides an overview of the key challenges facing health and social care over the winter period and the work being undertaken to prepare for the coming months.

Physios win praise for cutting hospital admissions

Physiotherapists in Cumbria have been praised for an initiative with social care, which has reduced the number of people who need to be admitted to hospital.

The team worked with social care staff from the local Eden Community Response Team to strengthen assessment and care in the community, so reducing the number of people who need to be admitted to hospital.

Speak up: annual report 2016/17

The Healthwatch network heard from 341,000 people, carers and staff during the last year about what they think of health and social care service.

This annual report to Parliament highlights a summary of the common theme in people's good and bad experiences and what could be improved.

Personalised Health and Care 2020: Patient Carers and Service User Vision

This DH paper outlines how the government and national health and care organisations aim to use information technology within current programmes, to improve health and social care services in England.

State of Care 2016/17

State of Care is the CQC's annual assessment of health and social care in England. The report looks at the trends, highlights examples of good and outstanding care, and identifies factors that maintain high-quality care.

This year’s report shows that the quality of care has been maintained despite some very real challenges. Most of us are receiving good, safe care and many services that were previously rated inadequate have recognised our inspection findings, made the necessary changes and improved.

The fact that quality has been maintained in the toughest climate most can remember is testament to the hard work and dedication of staff and leaders. However, as the system continues to struggle with increasingly complex demand, access and cost, future quality is precarious.

Professional regulation in health and social care

This House of Commons Library briefing describes the main functions of the UK’s health and social care professional regulators and outlines some of the prominent debates surrounding this area of policy and the case for reform.

Scrutiny: the new assurance? A good governance discussion document

As collaboration and partnership working need to become more streamlined, more strategic and more effective, organisations spending public monies should be constantly redefining their roles and responsibilities, searching for constant improvement. 

This paper from the Good Governance Institute looks at scrutiny across a number of organisations, as all four home nations are seeking better outcomes by the alignment of health, social care and other funders and providers.

What are the priorities for health and social care?

As the dust settles on the first weeks of the new parliament and ahead of the party conference season, The King's Fund assesses the state of health and social care and set out the big issues facing the government.

New framework to promote person-centred approaches in healthcare

Skills for Health, Health Education England and Skills for Care have announced a new Framework to support person-centred approaches for the health and social care workforce.

The new framework, commissioned by Health Education England, helps workers communicate meaningfully both verbally and non-verbally, tailoring the care and advice they give to suit peoples’ needs. It supports individuals to better manage their own health and wellbeing through bespoke care, planning and support. Where appropriate, the framework encourages shared decision making, outlining all reasonable options and ensuring that all information is personalised, accessible and useful.

Vulnerable adults let down on Mental Capacity Act

Vulnerable adults are too often being let down by social workers and care providers failing to follow the Mental Capacity Act properly, a report has warned.

The Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman’s review found one in five social care complaints made to the service last year concerned mental capacity or deprivation of liberty cases. More than two-thirds of these complaints were upheld, compared to 53% of all complaints across social care.

Rebooting health and social care integration: an agenda for more person centred care

This report from Localis finds that the health and social care integration agenda has a future but it is dependent on moving away from notions of structural integration and reliance on central policy direction. It concludes that the issue of funding and financial sustainability is critical but can only be influenced locally. The authors also believe that health and social care integration can create new value locally, but it must build on its most important point of consensus; greater person centred care. The report makes four strategic recommendations and six policy recommendations to support integratio

Reducing delays for people moving from hospital to social care

In a written ministerial statement Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced (on 3 July 2017) measures to support the NHS and local government in reducing delays for people being discharged from hospital to local social care services.

The measures include:

• local authorities agreeing with local NHS organisations on the contribution they will make to reducing the number of delayed transfers of care in their local areas
• a performance dashboard showing how health and social care partners in every local authority area in England are performing against a number of metrics, including: delayed transfers of care, emergency admissions, length of stay in hospital, the number of people still at home 90 days after being discharged from hospital
• the Integration and Better Care Fund Planning Requirements 2017 to 2019, which set out how the Better Care Fund Planning process will operate

Winter warning: managing risk in health and care this winter

This report from NHS Providers highlights concerns from NHS leaders around the ability of the health system to respond to mounting pressures next winter. It argues that the extra £1bn social care funding committed to easing delayed transfers of care will not be sufficient with 91 per cent of trusts reporting a lack of capacity in social care. The report calls for a funding injection of £350m to ensure that there is enough capacity across the system and to ensure adequate resourcing.