Health Management and Policy Alert

Recover, reward, renew: a post-pandemic plan for the healthcare workforce

Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) -
An IPPR/YouGov poll finds that as many as one in four health care workers – equivalent to 330,000 staff - say they are more likely to leave the NHS due to a year of unprecedented pressure. This report argues that this is a direct result of pandemic pressures, on top of a decade of austerity.

• Report
• IPPR - press release

The lives we want to lead: where next for the debate about care and support reform?

Local Government Association - 
The issues facing social care, particularly the funding pressures, have been highlighted and exacerbated over the past year during the Covid-19 pandemic. The question of the lessons that need to be learned from the pandemic were central to a roundtable convened by the LGA and this briefing summarises the themes arising from this discussion.

• Briefing

Personalised care and support planning guidance: guidance for local maternity systems

NHS England - 
This guidance identifies criteria to define personalised care planning and sets out what local maternity systems need to do to ensure personalised care planning is embedded into service delivery.

• Guidance

Adult social care Infection Control and Testing Fund

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - 
The adult social care Infection Control Fund provides ring-fenced funding to support adult social care providers in England for infection prevention and control. This guidance sets out the measures that the fund will support, including distribution of funds, conditions on funds and reporting requirements.

• Guidance

DHSC counter fraud strategy: 2020 to 2023

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - 
This document sets out the vision for a system-wide approach across health to tackling fraud which protects taxpayer’s money for better patient care. To realise the vision, the document defines DHSC’s counter-fraud objectives around a structure focused on accountability, convening and working together. The strategy sets the direction and pace of the health group’s counter-fraud work, enabling DHSC to hold these bodies to account.

• Guidance

Preventing suicide in England: fifth progress report of the cross-government outcomes strategy to save lives

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - 
This report details the steps taken to reduce deaths by suicide since 2019. It sets out the data and evidence on suicide and self-harm; the progress made against existing commitments designed to prevent suicides and self-harm; and further actions for government and its agencies, particularly in the context of Covid-19.

• Report

Covid-19 mental health and wellbeing recovery action plan

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) -
This action plan sets out an ambitious, cross-government, whole-person approach to promoting positive mental health and supporting people living with mental illness to recover and live well. While this plan sets out what government will do in the coming year, it is also a call to action for the whole of society, for local communities, families and for individuals, who can take simple steps to look after their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of those around them – and can reach out for support, including from mental health services when necessary.

• Guidance

Exploring how technology can be truly integrated into adult social care

TSA - 
The need for social care is rising but not enough local authorities or care providers are using technology within industry to keep people safe, happy and healthy at home. With 1.9 million new requests for social care support received by councils in 2019-20 and five million people juggling caring responsibilities with work and family life, the TSA and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Care have commissioned this report to see how technology and be truly integrated into adult social care. (Please note that free registration is required to access this report).

• Report

Transforming the public health system: reforming the public health system for the challenges of our times

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) - 
This policy document sets out reforms to the public health system in England to transform our national health protection capabilities, put health promotion at the heart of government, and more deeply embed prevention and health improvement expertise across local and national government and the NHS.

• Policy

The cost of smoking to the social care system

Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) - 
This report finds that on average smokers in England need care when they are 63, ten years sooner than non-smokers. It estimates that £1.2 billion a year is spent on people who have care needs as a result of smoking. It calls for more comprehensive tobacco control strategies in order to ease the pressure on the social care system.

• Report
• Press release