Health Management and Policy Alert

Raising the levy: will the new health and social care tax work?

The King's Fund - 

In this blog, Richard Murray gives his take on the new health and social care levy and what's still needed to ensure the funding will deliver real change.

• Read it now

Proposed reforms to adult social care announced in September 2021

House of Commons Library - 

On 7 September 2021, the Prime Minister announced plans to reform how people pay for adult social care in England, which will be funded through a new Health and Social Care Levy. The proposed reforms will be supported by an investment of £5.4 billion over the next three years. This briefing provides information on the proposals for adult social care, the details of which are set out in the government policy paper, Build back better: our plan for health and social care.

• Briefing
• More detail

Build back better: our plan for health and social care

HM Government -

This paper sets out the government’s new plan for health and social care. It provides an overview of how this plan will tackle the electives backlog in the NHS and put the NHS on a sustainable footing. It sets out details of the plan for adult social care in England, including a cap on social care costs and how financial assistance will work for those without substantial assets. It covers wider support that the government will provide for the social care system, and how the government will improve the integration of health and social care. It explains the government’s plan to introduce a new Health and Social Care Levy.

• Command paper
• Press release
• The King's Fund's response

Fixing social care is not all about a cap on costs

The King's Fund - 

Evidence from around the world shows that a cap on costs is only one of several measures used to set the level of access to social care. As Simon Bottery writes in this blog, the government will need an effective combination to move towards a better social care system.

• Read it now

2021 to 2022 Better Care Fund policy framework

Department of Health and Social Care - 
Better Care Fund plans are jointly developed by health and social care partners in every area in England and support integrated, person-centred care in communities. This policy framework is intended for use by those responsible for delivering the Better Care Fund at a local level (such as CCGs, local authorities, health and wellbeing boards) and NHS England.

• Framework
• Department of Health and Social Care - publications

Resident-to-resident harm in care homes and other residential settings: a scoping review

Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) - 

This review explores resident-to-resident harm in care homes, also referred to as resident-to-resident abuse. The review considers: definitions and types of resident-to-resident abuse; prevalence of resident-to-resident abuse; risk factors for resident-to-resident abuse; prevention of and interventions for resident-to-resident abuse; research gaps; and potential case studies. Free registration is required to access this document.

• Review

Ambitions for change: improving healthcare in care homes

British Geriatrics Society - 

This report describes the care home sector across the UK as it currently stands and recent initiatives taken to improve healthcare for care home residents, including specific initiatives during the Covid-19 pandemic. It describes how health and wellbeing has traditionally been supported in care homes and sets out what good healthcare provision in a care home environment should look like.

• Report
• Press release

Self-isolation practical support: guidance for local authorities and the voluntary and community sector

Department of Health and Social Care - 

This guidance sets out the funding background and the government’s expectations of the types of practical support that should be available to people who are self-isolating due to coronavirus (Covid-19).

• Guidance
• More detail

 

Coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccination of people working or deployed in care homes: operational guidance

Department of Health and Social Care - 

This guidance has been produced to help support the implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 (‘the regulations’). These regulations require registered persons (service providers) at all Care Quality Commission (CQC) registered care homes (which provide accommodation together with nursing or personal care) to ensure that anyone who works or volunteers in the indoor premises of that care home must demonstrate that they have been vaccinated or have an exemption.

• Guidance
• More detail

Social care leaders: vision for a future workforce strategy

Skills for Care -
The leaders of Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, Care Provider Alliance, Care and Support Alliance, Local Government Association, Skills for Care, Social Care Institute for Excellence and Think Local Act Personal have come together to offer a collective vision of what should be in a workforce strategy for the growing sector. It argues that a strategy for the 1.5 million strong workforce must be driven by a shared vision. It also suggestes priorities which should be included in a national workforce strategy such as staff recognition and investment in training.

• Report
• Skills for Care - news