NCF Members Briefing

 

Please find a briefing below which rounds up some key events coming up and key publications & events this past week. I have included the finance forum due to the webinar about the Energy Bills Discount Scheme. Please be aware that we while we have now moved to our new mailing system, we are still in the process of setting up new email templates and layouts. You may see a few test versions over the coming weeks.

Energy Bills Discount Scheme – Heat Network Support

On Wednesday 21 June at 4pm the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) will be hosting another session about the Energy Bills Discount Scheme heat network support. You can register here.

During this event they will provide an update on the scheme including further information about the bulk upload facility which will allow heat suppliers with multiple networks to submit more than one application at a time. They will also take questions from attendees.

DESNZ has also circulated the attached FAQs. 

Workforce planning across ICSs: recording and resources

If you missed the Care Provider Alliance and NHS England learning summit on joint workforce planning across ICS areas, you can watch a recording, view the presentations and access useful resource pack here. The session includes examples from Lincolnshire, and Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, and a panel discussion with Oonagh Smyth of Skills of Care, Barny Leavers of NHS England and Rich Amos, System Transformation Public Advisor with lived experience of drawing on social care.

Intermediate Care Front Runners National Learning Webinar

This event is the event rescheduled from 13 June.  If you had already made a booking on the booking page, NHS England will carry forward your booking to the 10 July. Everyone who has booked onto the booking system will receive a link to the Team Live broadcast a few days before the event. Attendees will hear how the intermediate care pilots are making long-term improvements in the processes and relationships across sectors, working towards improved care for patients, and reduction in delayed discharge. More info here. 

DHSC Response to the Hewitt Review and H&SC Committee Report on ICSs

On Wednesday DHSC published its response to both the Hewitt Review and the Health and Social Care committee report on governance and accountability of Integrated Care Systems. The government's response to these reports has managed to say very little about adult social care, in response to the rather limited recommendations that were in those reports.

In response to the very sensible recommendation for a national social care workforce plan, DHSC has simply rejected the recommendation and said that this is a job for ICSs at a local level. Similarly, the government has also rejected recommendations that DHSC should have some level of oversight of the membership of ICBs and ICPs and review guidance on membership to ensure there is social care representation. Lastly, while committing to moving towards a preventative model of health and care, the government has rejected recommendations to specify a proportion of the NHS budget towards making this shift.

COVID-19 Inquiry 

This week the first evidence hearings of the COVID-19 Public Inquiry began. The inquiry is currently split into 6 modules. The module 1 hearings on Resilience and Preparedness began earlier this week with opening statements from the Chair, Counsel and Core Participants to the first module. This can be viewed here but please be aware there are a number of accounts and portions of film which contain upsetting material and may trigger some difficult feelings and emotions. Public hearings for the other modules will begin at various points over the next two years. These modules cover the following topics:

·     Module 2 – Core UK decision-making and political governance. We anticipate that public evidence hearings will begin in the autumn.

·     Module 3 – Impact of Covid-19 pandemic on healthcare systems in the 4 nations of the UK. Public evidence hearings should begin in the first half of 2024.

·     Module 4 – Vaccines and therapeutics. Public evidence hearings should begin in 2024.

·     Module 5 – Government procurement. Public evidence hearings scheduled early 2025.

·     Module 6 – Care Sector. Public evidence hearings scheduled spring 2025.

NCF is engaged with the inquiry and has core participant status for Module 2, which is likely to be quite contentious. Unfortunately, we have not been awarded public funding to support this core participant status which means we will have to marshal our resources and focus very carefully. We will also be applying for core participant status for Module 6 when that application process launches in December this year. If the inquiry team approaches any of you in relation to one of these modules, please do let nathan.jones@nationalcareforum.org.uk know.

Alongside the modules, the Inquiry has also launched ‘Every Story Matters’- a mechanism to allow members of the public to share their experiences of the pandemic with the Inquiry team. Every story will be used to shape the Inquiry’s investigations and published in themed and anonymised reports which will feature as part of the Inquiry’s evidence. A Partner Toolkit has been published to assist with this. Again, we realise this could potentially lead to a huge amount of work for members – we are currently working through how we can support members.

As the Inquiry progresses, we hope it will become very apparent that adult social care was an afterthought in the government’s preparedness and decision making. As this evidence emerges, we must use it to make a stronger case for reform and for adult social care to be considered in all policy making. 

Care at Home Review

In case you missed it, DHSC and the Home Office have published their joint review into the protections and support for adults abused, or at risk of abuse, in their own home by people providing their care. The review arose following evidence presented as part of the passage of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 which outlined abuse against people receiving care in their own homes.

The aims of the review were to: 

1.   To review the scope and accessibility of the existing protections for adults at risk of or experiencing abuse in their own home by people providing their care.

2.   To review the availability and accessibility of the support for adults abused in their own home by people providing their care.

You can access a full summary of the review here.  

Data Security and Protection Toolkit: deadline 30 June 2023

All CQC-regulated care providers should complete their Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) for 2022/23 by 30 June. Better Security, Better Careprovides free, expert support to help you complete your DSPT for the first time – or to review and republish for 2023. The programme is hosting some additional webinars, or you can contact the local support organisation for your area:

Global Ageing Conference 2023

And finally, a message from our CEO, Vic Rayner, on the GAN Conference taking place in September:

“The Global Ageing Conference in Glasgow is our annual conference for 2023 so it’s crucial our members don’t miss out on the networking and outstanding learning opportunities we always deliver. Members can register for this two day conference packed with content and perspectives for the sustainable future of our sector for just £250 + VAT per delegate. With speakers travelling to the UK from all over the world this represents huge value and an unmissable event. We look forward to seeing you in Glasgow, 7th – 8th September!”

Kind regards,

Nathan

Nathan Jones | Senior Policy and External Affairs Lead| National Care Forum
Mobile number: 07825 943 341 |  @pixelatednathan

 
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