Health Management and Policy Alert

Reviewing the case: the right to appeal in adult social care

Independent Age -
This report looks into how people can challenge decisions about the care and support they receive. The report reveals that as few as one in five local authorities have put in place a separate appeals process, with the majority instead relying on a complaints process which can be unfit for purpose. It calls on the Government to introduce a statutory appeals process for adult social care and discusses the advantages this system would offer.

• Report
• Independent Age - publications

Health visiting in England: a vision for the future

Institute of Health Visiting -
This report was developed in response to the government’s request for stakeholder engagement to inform their plans to refresh the health visiting model for England and the Healthy Child Programme, and taking into account the drop in numbers of health visitors over the past four years. It sets out a new model of health visiting and has a particular focus on fifteen areas where health visiting can have a high impact on health outcomes.

• Report
• Institute of Health Visiting - press release

The state of the adult social care sector and workforce in England

The state of the adult social care sector and workforce in England -
This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the adult social care workforce in England and the characteristics of the 1.49 million people working in it. Topics covered include: employment information, recruitment and retention, demographics, pay, qualification rates and future workforce forecasts.

• Report
• Skills for Care - publications

What can England learn from the long-term care system in Germany?

Nuffield Trust -
This report seeks to assess the German long-term care system through the lens of the policy challenges that face England. Using a literature review and a series of interviews with experts on the German system both within and outside Germany, it seeks to draw out elements of the German system that could either be incorporated into the current system or that offer cautionary tales.

• Report
• Nuffield Trust - publications

Review of adult social care complaints 2018/19

Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman -
According to this report, the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman has found problems in nearly two out of every three adult social care complaints it has investigated in the past year. It revealed it is investigating a greater proportion of complaints than previous years – and finding fault on average in 66 per cent of cases. In some casework areas – including those about fees and charging for care – the Ombudsman has upheld nearly three-quarters of investigations (73 per cent).

• Report
• Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman - news

Who cares?: the financialisation of adult social care

Institute for Public Policy Research -
According to this analysis, social care's reliance on private bed provision is growing. The report finds that the private sector now provides 84 per cent of beds for people needing residential social care, up from an estimated 82 per cent in 2015. It also finds that larger providers – particularly those funded by private equity firms – are becoming more dominant. It concludes that a growing reliance on private provision could mean lower quality care.

• Briefing
• Institute for Public Policy Research - press release

What should be done to fix the crisis in social care?

The Health Foundation -
This briefing lists five priorities for the government following an assessment of the evidence and analysis of the costs of reform. The priorities include stabilising and sustaining the current system and providing social protection against care costs.

• Briefing

Elevation, registration & standardisation: the professionalisation of social care workers

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Care - 

This report, based on a six-month inquiry, calls for the professionalisation of social care workers. The inquiry gathered evidence from care workers, employers and sector organisations and charities. It found these vial roles are undervalued and under invested in which impacts on the ability to attract and retain people to work in the sector.

• Report
• APPG Social Care website

What should be done to fix the crisis in social care?

The Health Foundation -
This report says the new government must urgently act to stabilise and reform adult social care in England if it is to avoid growing numbers of older and disabled people being unable to access the care they need. This analysis sets out the priorities for reform and what it would cost to establish a fairer, more comprehensive system.

• Report
• The Health Foundation - press release

Ageist Britain?

SunLife - 
This report aims to shine a light on the issue of casual ageism and the impact that it has on all of us. It highlights how ageism can have real life consequences, promotes exclusion and can affect physical and mental health.

• Report
• Summary