Care England Daily Press Round-Up (September 2023)
Care England in the News
Health and care sector latest developments
Care England called for the next government to fund a 44 per cent pay rise for frontline care staff to stabilise ‘an extremely precarious’ system.
NHS Confederation
New Care England roadmap
Care England has announced the launch of Care For Our Future, a roadmap for delivering sustainable adult social care.
Care Management Matters
Social care roadmap calls for £15 minimum wage for care workers
The Care For Our Future report calls on the next government to introduce a £15 per hour minimum salary for care workers within two years among its recommendations.
Caring Times
Care England publish new “roadmap to a sustainable future for adult social care”
“Pragmatic and deliverable” new plan makes recommendations to next incoming government and has received wide cross-sector backing.
Integrated Care Journal
Providers set out ‘pragmatic’ social care plan
A plan for adult social care with recommendations for the next Government has been put forward by Care England.
LocalGov
Campaigners demand better pay for social care workers with petition to Downing Street
Meanwhile, the largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care in the country has set out what it described as its “roadmap to a sustainable future” for the sector. Care England said its policy recommendations for the next government are backed by representative groups including the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Care Appointments
“An opportunity for progress” – Hft responds to Care England’s report
Hft has responded to the publication of Care England’s new report, Care For Our Future, which outlines a roadmap for delivering sustainable adult social care, saying it offers a much-needed opportunity for progress in the sector.
Hft
Trade Papers
How CQC’s new assessment criteria will encourage sustainability
Sustainability in homecare services is no longer a nice-to-have – it’s a must.
Home Care Insight
Digital
Government rejects recommended action to boost NHS digital workforce
The Health and Social Care Committee’s ‘Digital Transformation in the NHS’ report has identified the shortage of skilled digital professionals as a barrier to digital transformation in the NHS.
Care Home Professional
Cyber Unpacked
Cyber Unpacked is the first module of Unpacking Digitalisation, a series of short explainer videos on digital concepts, created to support officers and councillors who are digital newcomers.
Local Government Association
Dorset Council claims progress with roll out of digital social care records
Dorset Council has claimed significant progress in the implementation of digital social care records (DCSRs) by care homes and domiciliary care agencies in its area.
UK Authority
Adult social care funding pressures
Today, the Health Foundation has shared its new report ‘Adult social care funding pressures’. This analysis puts forwards the organisations estimated cost to meet growing demand and improve services in England.
This analysis projects the cost of meeting growing demand for adult social care in England and making some targeted improvements, up to 2032/33. Between 2014/15 and 2021/22, adult social care spending increased by an average of 2.6% a year in real terms. Between 2021/22 and 2032/33, to keep up with rising demand, funding would need to rise by an average of 3.4% a year. Government has provided additional grants for the next 2 years but the outlook beyond 2025 is uncertain. Their analysis suggests the following uplifts to social care funding would be required in order to:
Meet future demand: £0.6bn by 2024/25 and £8.3bn by 2032/33 (3.4% a year real-terms increase).
Meet future demand and make some improvements to access to care: £3.1bn by 2024/25 and £11.6bn by 2032/33 (4.3% a year real-terms increase).
Meet future demand and cover the full cost of care: £5.4bn by 2024/25 and £14.6bn by 2032/33 (5.1% a year real terms increase).
Meet future demand and improve access to care and cover the full cost of care: £8.4bn by 2024/25 and £18.4bn by 2032/33 (6% a year real-terms increase).
projects the cost of meeting growing demand for adult social care in England and making some targeted improvements, up to 2032/33.
Summary of legal mechanisms for administering Covid-19 and influenza vaccines
Today, NHS England shared guidance that summarises the legal mechanisms which enable administration of Covid-19 and influenza vaccines. Key changes made to the regulations include:
Addition of Regulation 3A, which allows for the preparation of the Covid-19 vaccine outside of a licensed manufacturing unit by an individual under direct supervision of a doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Addition of Regulation 247, which allows for the supply and administration of certain vaccines (Covid-19 and influenza) under a National Protocol.
Amendment to Patient Group Direction (PGD) regulations to allow the supply and administration of an unlicensed medicine, including a medicine authorised under Regulation 174; emergency authorisation. However, all vaccines used in the Covid-19 vaccine programme are now licensed medicines.
Skills for Care launches values-based recruitment toolkit
Today, Skills for Care launched a values-based recruitment toolkit to support social care employers to #RecruitRight. The toolkit details a step-by-step approach for social care employers to develop and implement effective values-based recruitment and retention within their workplace.
Employers informed Skills for Care that using values-based recruitment results in lower recruitment costs, positive return on investment, lower staff turnover and better staff performance. The toolkit can be used by organisations and individual employers.
The toolkit covers the 5As model, which maps out the different stages of a values-based recruitment approach. These are:
articulate: identifying and communicating your values;
attract: advertising roles in a way to attract people who share your values;
apply: designing an application process where candidates can showcase their values;
assess: using tools to assess candidates’ values;
assimilate: induct, develop, supervise, and manage staff in line with your values.