Health Management and Policy Alert

State of adult social care in London

London Councils -
According to this research, adult social care services in London have delivered almost half a billion pounds of efficiencies since 2015 and saved the NHS around £4.6 million a year through avoiding unnecessary hospital stays. The report also warns that the sector faces a funding gap of £540 million by 2025 unless the national shortfall in adult social care finances is addressed.

• Report
• London Councils - press release

Polling on resident satisfaction with councils: June 2019

Local Government Association (LGA) - 

This report outlines the 23rd set of results in a series of regular LGA public polls on resident satisfaction with local councils, including services and support for older people, conducted every four months.

• Report
• More detail

Actions for adult social care providers to prepare for Brexit

Department of Health and Social Care - 

This guidance sets out the actions social care providers and local authorities should take before and after Brexit, to plan for and help manage any potential service disruption to adult social care if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.

Guidance

Why a "risk pool" must underpin a social care system

Nuffield Trust - 
Several proposals have been put forward that suggest social care should be funded via individual insurance or savings products. This briefing outlines the argument for why relying on individual funding options is unlikely to provide a viable basis for the system.

• Briefing

Why a “risk pool” must underpin a social care system

Nuffield Trust - 

Several proposals have been put forward that suggest social care should be funded via individual insurance or savings products. This briefing outlines why the Nuffield Trust thinks relying on individual funding options is unlikely to provide a viable basis for the system.

• Briefing
• More detail

Carers Action Plan 2018-2020: one-year on progress review

Department of Health and Social Care - 

This report highlights the progress that has been made in increasing support for carers. The cross-government action plan was published in June 2018. It sets out the government’s commitment to supporting carers through 64 actions across five priorities.

• Report
• More detail

Quick guide: allied health professionals enhancing health for people in care homes

Public Health England -

This guide  aims to support local health and social care systems in improving the health of people living in care homes, with practical examples of how the allied health professions can support implementation and roll-out of the framework for enhanced health in care homes.

• Guide
• More detail

 

Care in places: inequalities in local authority adult social care spending power

The Salvation Army - 

The International Longevity Centre UK (ILC) were commissioned by The Salvation Army to explore local level inequalities in adult social care. It finds reveals there is significantly less money to care for older people who live in rural areas across England. Adult social care is largely funded by local business rates, council tax and other local charges but areas with lower house prices, fewer businesses and lower populations cannot raise as much money as more urban areas. This has led to deep levels of funding inequality across the entire country and prevents most local authorities from providing adequate social care for older residents.

• Report
• Press release

Better Care Fund planning requirements for 2019-20

Department of Health and Social Care -
This document sets out the Better Care Fund planning requirements, which support the core NHS operational planning and contracting guidance for 2019 to 2020. It also details the Better Care Fund operating guidance.

• Guidance
• Department of Health and Social Care - publications

Social care: paying for care home places and domiciliary care (England)

House of Commons Library - 

This updated briefing paper considers the current structure of the care home market in England, as well as issues facing the sector and how private clients (“self-funders”) tend to pay more than local authority funded residents (known as “cross-subsidisation”).

• Briefing paper
• More detail