Adult Social Care Update
Prime Minister hosts care colleagues at No.10 reception The Prime Minister and other government ministers met with frontline care workers, social care stakeholders and local authority representatives at a Downing Street reception this week, to thank everyone for their incredible efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Carers Rights Day: raising vital awareness [Image created by freepik.com] This year's Carers Rights Day campaign, lead by Carers UK, focuses on how knowledge of unpaid carers' rights can empower them to access the information, service and support they need and deserve.
Carers UK CEO Helen Walker explains more in a special blog for DHSC's Social Care site, including why more support for employees with caring responsibilities is so crucial.
New illustrated personal protective equipment (PPE) guide for unpaid carers This guide was produced collaboratively with UKHSA behavioural scientists, carers and national/ local carer groups. It should be used alongside guidance for those who provide unpaid care to friends or family and local policies, where they exist, including care homes or day centres.
UKHSA is working with stakeholders to review the ‘How To Work Safely’ PPE guidance for care homes and domiciliary care and will update its content in the coming months.
Recommendations on PPE will differ slightly between the ‘How to Work Safely’ guidance and that for unpaid carers. However, guidance in both documents should still be followed until updates are issued.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care wants 'fair and accessible services for all' Health and Social Care Secretary, Sajid Javid, set out the core principles of the forthcoming social care reform white paper speech to the National Children and Adults Social Services Conference (NCASC) earlier this week.
These include making sure everyone has choice, support and control, access to outstanding care, and services that are fair and accessible.
Social care reform: why mental health social care services are essential [Image created by freepik.com] The Association of Mental Health Providers, which represents voluntary and community sector providers of mental health services, has been an active participant in DHSC's ongoing social care reform engagement.
Making her debut on the DHSC Social Care blog, the Association's CEO Kathy Roberts explains the impact mental health services have on people’s lives and how the sector has informed the reform strategy.
Review into health and social care leadership gets underway [Image created by freepik.com] A review into effective health and social care leadership has been launched, with the aim to strengthen the leadership and management skills base to deliver better outcomes in population health.
Following publication of its terms of reference, co-chairs General Sir Gordon Messenger and Dame Linda Pollard share their vision and approach for conducting the review. Click the link below to read their letter to the sector on how they will shape its progress and explain ways for soclal care colleagues to get involved.
Guidance roundup: Supported living, care home visits and staff movement Guidance intended for use by care providers in supported living settings has been updated. Many of the principles are applicable to extra care housing and may also be a useful resource for the wider supported housing sector, including retirement or sheltered housing.
There are currently no nationally set restrictions on friends and family visiting loved ones in care homes. However, providers are expected to facilitate visits wherever possible and to do so in a risk-managed way. See the latest updates on care home visits here.
Meanwhile, restricting staff movement between care home and other care settings remains an important measure to minimise risk of COVID-19 infection. Providers and care colleagues should read and follow the latest guidance.
Winter vaccinations: COVID-19 not the only risk to health [Image supplied by freepik.com] UKHSA's Dr. Éamonn O'Moore returns with a new blog encouraging care staff to have their seasonal flu vaccinations. Flu is often considered to be a relatively trivial infection, but in truth, can be very serious and even life-threatening.
Meanwhile, frontline health and social care workers can help spread the message, not the virus, with printed materials available to order from the Winter Vaccination campaign site. Digital versions of campaign assets are available to download here.
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