Home Care News

Fuel shortages could jeopardise care of the disabled and elderly

30 Mar 2012

The United Kingdom Homecare Association wants the Government to act to ensure people reliant on care services in their own home are not put at risk from fuel shortages. The association, which represents more than 2,000 domiciliary.....

Care Quality Commission "has failed to fulfil its role effectively", say MPs

30 Mar 2012

The Care Quality Commission which is responsible for regulating health and adult social care in England has “failed to fulfil its role effectively”, says the cross-party Commons Public Accounts Committee. The public accounts.....

Councils must "act lawfully" funding the elderly in need of nursing home care, warns campaign group

29 Mar 2012

The Registered Nursing Homes Association is warning local authorities to ensure they act lawfully when setting the fees they will pay for publicly funding nursing home residents in the new financial year. The announcement.....

New measures to issue Pension Credit had “little impact,” say DWP

29 Mar 2012

Encouraging poorer pensioners to claim their Pension Credit by automatic payment has had little impact, research from the Department of Work and Pensions revealed today. The new method of paying the credit automatically has only increased.....

National Pensioners’ organisation support petition against tax freeze

26 Mar 2012

The National Pensioners Convention – Britain’s biggest pensioners’ organisation - is supporting a new online petition calling on the Government to reverse its decision to freeze the age related personal tax allowances for the over.....

Results of major Department of Health study on integration of heath care

26 Mar 2012

Better integration of health care has led to improved care processes, reduced use of hospitals and more satisfied staff – say the Department of Health after a major two year study. The Department of Health formed an Integrated.....

Alzheimer’s Society calls for people to respect dementia sufferers

26 Mar 2012

Society is not “geared up” to dealing with dementia think three quarters of people in the UK according to a new report by Alzheimer’s Society. Dementia 2012: A National Challenge reflects the negative impact this is.....

Body for community care gives positive response to PM challenge on dementia

26 Mar 2012

The Prime Minster today challenged society to respond positively to the numbers of people affected by dementia, by urging communities and services to improve support. Martin Green, chief executive of ECCA (The English.....

Royal College of Nursing will "fiercely resist" regional pay for nursing staff

23 Mar 2012

The Royal College of Nursing has pledged to “fiercely resist” any move to get rid of national pay rates and bring in regional pay for nursing staff. Chancellor George Osborne, announced in his budget speech that the coalition would.....

Dementia research is "desperately underfunded", says Alzheimer's Research UK

22 Mar 2012

Alzheimer’s Research UK has called for the Government to invest more in dementia research. The Thomson Reuters report ‘Defeating Dementia’, commissioned by Alzheimer’s Research UK, says that finding a cure can be accelerated by.....

Care Show Bournemouth includes Care Quality Commission amongst its many exhibitors

21 Mar 2012

Care sector professionals and products suppliers will gather in Bournemouth once again next week, on the 27th and 28th, for the first of two 2012 Care Shows, the second scheduled for the NEC, Birmingham, on the 13th and 14th of November. The.....

Chancellor's Budget deeply criticised by National Pensioners Convention

21 Mar 2012

George Osborne’s 2012 Budget has called into question the Coalition’s commitment to older people and an ageing population, according to the National Pensioners Convention (NPC). Having lobbied the Government yesterday to support.....

Fresh drive to lobby Parliament for a £10bn National Care Service

20 Mar 2012

The National Pensioners Convention (NPC) has today attempted to reignite the debate for a tax-funded ‘National Care Service’, with a rally planned at the House of Commons at 1pm that has the support of trade union Unison, together.....

First loneliness summit highlights its detrimental impact on mental and physical health

20 Mar 2012

The first summit on loneliness has highlighted the ‘very real threat’ loneliness poses to a person’s health. The summit which was hosted jointly by Minister of State for Care Services, Paul Burstow, and the Campaign to End Loneliness,.....

Health and Social Care integration at critical juncture

19 Mar 2012

The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) have published a joint-discussion document on the issue of social care integration. ‘The Case for Tomorrow: Facing the Beyond’, seeks to question the role of government.....

National Skills Academy urges response to poor home care reports

19 Mar 2012

The National Skills Academy are among the many leading public bodies to request urgent action to drive up home care standards. Responding to last week’s Which? report, that outlined serious failings in home care services –.....

Secret homecare investigation uncovers missed visits and food left out of reach

16 Mar 2012

An undercover investigation into home care has uncovered missed visits, forgotten medication and food left out of reach. A Which? investigation has exposed numerous examples of poor home care of vulnerable people, and has asked.....

Ark Home Healthcare continues to expand home care provision

14 Mar 2012

A fresh recruitment drive has been announced by growing care-at-home provider Ark Home Healthcare, now looking to recruit more than 100 carers for contracts in Surrey, Hampshire and Berkshire. The company’s latest expansion.....

'See Me' campaign action plans embraced by Highland Council

14 Mar 2012

The Highland Council has confirmed its support for a number of action plans in order to back the ‘See Me’ campaign, a drive to tackle the stigma and discrimination that surrounds mental health issues, such as dementia and learning.....

Caremark (East Riding) announces the creation of 200 new care jobs

14 Mar 2012

The East Riding branch of national home care provider Caremark is looking to employ another 200 carers, having recognised the opportunity to expand its provision after a successful first eighteen months since it was launched. The.....

The Lifeways Group celebrates prestigious healthcare award nomination

13 Mar 2012

The shortlist for The Health Investors Awards 2012 has been announced, with home care provider The Lifeways Group confirmed as among the nominations for Specialist Care Provider of the Year. Focusing on care-at-home packages.....

Public consultation begins on Welsh care legislation

12 Mar 2012

The Welsh Assembly has today launched a public consultation into the Social Services (Wales) Bill, which is designed to achieve ‘radical reform’ of how care provision is delivered and assessed. Major points of debate raised.....

Telehealth and telecare could save NHS £1.2 billion, says Minister for Care Services

12 Mar 2012

At the recent international conference for telehealth and telecare, Minister of State for Care Services, Paul Burstow spoke of how the appropriate use of telehealth in the NHS could help people to live more independent lives and stay.....

New Alzheimer’s research being presented at international conference

09 Mar 2012

Brain training exercises can help improve the cognitive function in older people with dementia, research by scientists in Japan has shown. The scientists conducted two studies, one with 124 older adults living in the community.....

Allowing people to die at home could save NHS millions say Marie Curie Cancer Care

09 Mar 2012

Giving people the right to die at home could make savings of £34 million estimate Marie Curie Cancer Care. The charity says by reducing the hospital stay of 30,000 patients (approximately 12% of those who currently die in hospital.....

Great British Care Awards announce new category for Unpaid Carers

08 Mar 2012

Nominations for Unpaid Carers awards are now being accepted by the Great British Care Awards, looking to acknowledge the role of unsung heroes in the community who, through circumstance, find themselves caring for family or friends.....

New government framework needed for old age, say Age UK

07 Mar 2012

The Government needs to create a new visionary framework to help the UK’s aging society prepare well entering later life – say Age UK. The charity says that longer life expectancy creates unprecedented opportunities, but.....

Minister of State for Care Services opens Bluebird Care in Sutton

06 Mar 2012

Bluebird Care – a national provider of care in the home - has opened a new office in Sutton, Surrey. To celebrate the launch, the team invited along MP for Sutton, Cheam and Worcester Park and Minister of State for Care.....

Joint letter to Andrew Lansley on care funding reform

06 Mar 2012

Today, Tuesday 6 March, The Care Support Alliance - a coalition of 60 organisations representing disabled, older people and their families - will hold a mass rally of parliament and for the first time there will be an interactive.....

Carers to tweet for funding and social care reform in world’s first twobby

05 Mar 2012

Campaigners are joining 60 national charities for a mass push for funding and reform of the social care system. However, this is a campaign with a difference because this is the launch of the world’s first #twobby. On Tuesday.....

Severely disabled man takes his fight for care funding to the Supreme Court

02 Mar 2012

A man, who is blind, autistic and in a wheelchair, has taken his fight for care funding to the Supreme Court. The man known as KM, for legal reasons, has been awarded around £85,000 by Cambridgeshire County Council but says it.....

A widower is spearheading a campaign to bring back Admiral Nurses in north-west London

02 Mar 2012

A widower, whose wife died of dementia is leading a campaign to bring back Admiral Nurses in Harrow in north-west London. Neville Hughes, whose wife Nina died two years ago, wants Harrow Council to continue to fund two Admiral.....

Benefit reforms could force disabled people out of their homes and into residential care

01 Mar 2012

Reforms to benefits and services could force disabled people out of their homes and into residential care, MPs have warned. The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) has published a report which calls for the need for freestanding.....

Fifty charities to lobby parliament on social care reform

01 Mar 2012

Over 50 charities is holding a mass lobby of parliament on 6 March to call for reform of the social care system. The Care and Support Alliance, a consortium of over 50 organisations, representing older and disabled people.....