Welfare Reform on the Web (May 2005): Social Care - UK
BEST PRACTICE, BEST CARE: THE QUALITY STANDARDS FOR HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE: SUPPORTING IMPLEMENTATION OF CLINICAL AND SOCIAL CARE GOVERNANCE IN THE HPSS
Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety
2005
Consultation paper sets out standards that people should expect from health and personal social services organisations in Northern Ireland. The standards address issues of safe and effective care, timely delivery of quality services, promotion and protection of health and social well-being, open and effective communication, and leadership and accountability of organisations. Each standard is followed by a range of criteria which set out how it should be met. The document also contains examples of the evidence organisations might use to show they are conforming to the standards.
THE CASE FOR COLLABORATION
J. Burton
Caring Times, Mar.2005, p.18
Discusses the roots of the negative image of care homes in the UK. Attributes the national dislike of residential care to stigmatisation of dependency, the prevalent blame culture and the current drive to eliminate risk which can make residents feel oppressed and persecuted by the regulatory apparatus of the state.
DISTINCT COOLING ON CARE TRUSTS REVEALED IN PLAN FOR ADULT SERVICES
M. Samuel
Community Care, Mar.31st-Apr.6th 2005, p.14-15
The recent Green Paper on adult social services makes it clear that councils and health bodies will be required to set up joint commissioning partnerships. However, they will not be forced to form care trusts. Article explores how and why care trusts have been put on the back burner by government.
HEART SURGERY
S. King and R. Hunter
Community Care, Apr.14th-20th 2005, p.38-39
Article examines the growing interest in the concept of emotional literacy and how it can be applied in social care settings.
INDEPENDENCE, WELL-BEING AND CHOICE: OUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL CARE FOR ADULTS IN ENGLAND
Department of Health
London: TSO, 2005 (Cm 6499)
Consultation paper suggests a new role for local government in the strategic planning and commissioning of social care services for adults rather than their direct provision. There should also be a wider use of direct payments and piloting of individual budgets to stimulate the development of modern services delivered in the way people want. Proposes greater focus on preventative services to allow for early targeted interventions and the promotion of greater social inclusion through the local authority well-being agenda. Technology should also be harnessed to improve care. This vision will, however, have to be achieved within the existing funding envelope.
THE PERSONAL TOUCH
M. Samuel
Community Care, Apr.14th-20th 2005, p.28-30
The 2005 Green Paper on adult social care calls for greater emphasis on preventive work and a shift to personalised services, with individual budgets for most users. These changes would mean increased costs, at least in the short term, as more preventive work would lead to more people with low level needs becoming eligible for social care. Personalised services would also be costly, as the advantages of bulk procurement would be lost.
RISKY BUSINESS?
J. Neuberger
Community Care, Apr.7th-13th 2005, p.36-37
Health and social care professionals in the field of mental health have become increasingly risk averse and are tending to detain people unnecessarily in psychiatric wards. As demographics change, fear may drive medical staff to use invasive interventions to keep older people alive in case they are sued by angry relatives if they do not. Author hints that "death with dignity" may be preferable to, and cheaper than, keeping older people alive at all costs.
STAR WARS
B. Ferguson
Caring Times, Mar. 2005, p.14 + 16
Discusses the possible financial implications for care homes of the proposed performance league tables.
STATE OF THE SOCIAL CARE WORKFORCE 2004
Workforce Intelligence/Skills Research Unit, Skills for Care
2005
Report has a heavy statistical focus and covers numbers of care providing organisations, workforce numbers, demographics and employment patterns, pay, vacancy and turnover rates, and social work/social care training and qualifications. It also draws attention to areas where information about the social care workforce is lacking.
WALES CONNECTS FOR THE SAKE OF WELLBEING
A. Thomas
Public Servant, issue 24, Apr.8th 2005, p.14
In response to recent criticisms of social services in Wales, the Welsh Local Government Association is leading a campaign to foster co-operation between councils.