Health Management and Policy Alert

Fractured and forgotten? The social care provider market in England

Nuffied Trust -
This report warns that years of delay to social care reform and a fragmented market has left provider services unstable and without support for innovation. It argues that there needs to be a better understanding among policy-makers of how the market works and an acknowledgement that any reform to funding also needs to address the structural faults.

• Report
• Nuffield Trust - press release

Making vaccination a condition of deployment in older adult care homes

Department of Health and Social Care -
To increase vaccine take up among staff working in care homes, the government is considering amending the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. This would mean older adult care home providers could only use those staff who have received the Covid-19 vaccination (or those with a legitimate medical exemption) in line with government guidance. The deadline for responding to the consultation is 21 May 2021.

• Consultation
• Department of Health and Social Care - consultations

Shaping the future of digital technology in health and social care

The King's Fund - 

This report, commissioned by the Health Foundation, provides a summary of evidence for how emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, smartphones, wearable devices and the internet of things are being used within care settings around the world.

• Report
• More detail

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

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

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

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

The adult social care market in England

National Audit Office - 

This report examines the current care market and the Department of Health and Social Care’s role in overseeing the market now and in the future, with the aim of offering insights and recommendations ahead of future social care reforms. It finds levels of unpaid care remain high, too many adults have unmet needs and forecasts predict growing demand for care. The lack of a long-term vision for care and short-term funding has hampered local authorities’ ability to innovate and plan for the long term, and constrained investment in accommodation and much-needed workforce development.

• Report
• Press release

Population screening support for carers

Public Health England -
This publication provides information, guidance, resources and examples of shared learning to support carers of people who are eligible for antenatal and newborn screening, abdominal aortic aneurysm screening, breast screening, bowel cancer screening, cervical screening, or diabetic eye screening.

• Guidance
• Public Health England - publications

Caring as a social determinant of health: findings from a rapid review of reviews and analysis of the GP Patient Survey

Public Health England -
Public Health England commissioned Newcastle University to explore the consequences of being an unpaid carer of older people and identify evidence about how best to support this group of carers. This report found a lack of clear and robust evidence about how best to support people caring for older populations, and gaps in evidence on key outcomes. It concludes that unpaid caring should be considered a social determinant of health.

• Report
• Public Health England - publications