Home Care News
Staff union pledges to do everything it can to implement Government recommendations in the wake of the Francis Inquiry
28 Mar 2013
A union representing NHS staff has vowed to do everything it can to implement the recommendations made by the Government in its official response to the Francis Inquiry. GMB has said it will meet with Robert Francis QC, who conducted.....
Eastenders star is running the Virgin London Marathon to raise money for Dementia charity
28 Mar 2013
Eastenders actor Aykut Hilmi will be running the Virgin London Marathon in support of his father, who was diagnosed with dementia in 2005. The money raised by his efforts will be donated to the Alzheimer’s Society, which supports.....
Extra Care Housing plans announced in Lincolnshire dubbed 'modern care of the future'
27 Mar 2013
Older people in Lincolnshire are set to benefit from their County Council’s new plan to develop land in Nettleham into extra care housing. Councillor Graham Marsh, executive member for adult services, said: “This will be modern.....
Isle of Wight carers ‘pleased’ with council support and services
27 Mar 2013
A survey carried out by Isle of Wight Council found a high number of the island’s carers are pleased with the support they receive from the authority. The council sent surveys to the island’s 1,064 known.....
Report on telecare and telehealth shows services can lower mortality rates in older people
27 Mar 2013
Telehealth and telecare services have been shown to reduce death rates by as much as 45 per cent, according to a review of the Department of Health’s 3 Million Lives initiative. Care services Minister Paul Burstow said: "This paper.....
Unique scheme offers free leisure time to young adult carers
27 Mar 2013
Young adult carers who selflessly give up their time to care for someone who is disabled, sick or mentally ill are being given the opportunity to enjoy free leisure activities. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council,.....
South Lanarkshire Council appoints Scotland's first Spokesman for Disabilities
27 Mar 2013
South Lanarkshire Council has become the first in Scotland to appoint a Spokesperson for Disabilities. The role was confirmed at a recent meeting of the full council following motion by Councillor Robert.....
CQC tells care providers to minimise use of restraint on people with dementia and learning disabilities
27 Mar 2013
The Care Quality Commission has called on care providers to implement policies that minimise the use of restraint on people with dementia and severe learning disabilities, after it found too many are being inappropriately restrained. It.....
NICE to have crucial role in value-based pricing of medicines
26 Mar 2013
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is set to take responsibility for assessing the value of branded medicines when new pricing arrangements are introduced next year. Last.....
Poor transport links are isolating older people
26 Mar 2013
A WRVS report suggests thousands of older people are being negatively affected by the cuts in spending on public transport services across the UK. The report highlights the role that transport plays in older people’s lives, by.....
Shadow Health Secretary urges Government to learn from the Francis Inquiry
26 Mar 2013
Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham has spoken out about the Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust scandal ahead of today’s official Government response to the Francis Inquiry. The Labour MP believes “necessary.....
Official care homes rating system set to return after Nuffield review finds people have been 'left in the dark'
26 Mar 2013
An official care homes rating system looks set to return after a review by the Nuffield Trust found people have been “left in the dark” over the quality of care homes, hospitals and GP practices. The care.....
Health Secretary outlines action plan in Government’s official response to the Francis Inquiry
26 Mar 2013
Jeremy Hunt labelled the Mid Staffordshire NHS Trust scandal a “betrayal of the worst kind” during his speech to the House of Commons today. The Health Secretary made the bold statement as he outlined the.....
ILC-UK launches initiative to advise and protect self-funders in the care system
26 Mar 2013
The International Longevity Centre UK (ILC-UK) has announced a new initiative to ensure that care self-funders will be able to access regulated financial advice about meeting their care costs. Self-funders are defined as people.....
Patients in Wales to get stronger voice in wake of Francis Inquiry
25 Mar 2013
Patients at care homes and being cared for at home in Wales are to get a stronger voice, following a review into the role and function of Community Health Councils. Community Health Councils (CHCs) are.....
Home care group warns that despite Prime Minister’s Dementia Challenge, many dementia patients feel abandoned
25 Mar 2013
A leading home care group has seen the demand for its specialist dementia services double in the last year despite a Government bid to tackle the condition. Barry Sweetbaum, founder of SweetTree Home Care.....
Care providers urged to follow in the footsteps of 360 others who have already signed the Dementia Pledge
25 Mar 2013
Social care providers are being encouraged to show their commitment to providing excellent care and support for people with dementia by signing the Dementia Pledge. Since it was launched last month, the.....
NHS not lifestyle to blame for shorter lifespan amongst people with a learning disability
22 Mar 2013
A three-year study undertaken by the University of Bristol has found that adults with a learning disability are more likely to have a premature death than those without, due to their needs not being as effectively identified, diagnosed.....
Older people living in London are at risk of becoming victims of courier fraud crimes
22 Mar 2013
Local London police are warning that older people are at risk of losing their life savings to organised criminal fraud groups who use courier services to trick people into giving away their bank card and.....
Campaigners for older people urge Government to 'turn a good Bill into a great Bill'
21 Mar 2013
Ministers are being urged to welcome the recommendations of a Joint Committee on its Care and Support Bill, which released the conclusions of a cross-party group of MPs and Peers this week. The recommendations included calls for.....
Alzheimer's Society and partners launch tips helping people with dementia to continue living at home
21 Mar 2013
With 83 per cent of people with dementia wanting to stay in their own home, the Alzheimer’s Society and partners have launched a set of tips to make sure people are supported in achieving this. It has.....
Now is the time to secure the 'social care system this country desperately needs'
21 Mar 2013
The Budget confirmed what Chancellor George Osborne had already revealed, that the social care cap recommended by the Dilnot Commission will be brought forward a year to 2016, while the cap limit has been reduced from £75,000 to £72,000. Although.....
New national programme for registered managers is celebrated by social care sector
21 Mar 2013
The Skills Academy has been commended by the social care sector for the launch of its national programme which responds to the needs identified by registered managers to strengthen their leadership capacity. The.....
Community Integrated Care celebrates 25 years as a charity
21 Mar 2013
One of the UK’s largest social care and health care charities, which provides support to over 2500 people, is marking its twenty-fifth anniversary. Community Integrated Care provide senior care services including residential care.....
Calls for a fair and forward-thinking approach to healthcare ahead of this week's Budget
19 Mar 2013
Healthcare figures are gathering this week to put pressure on the Government ahead of this Wednesday’s Budget, with Chancellor George Osborne challenged to make sure fairness is at the heart of any care sector related announcements. The.....
Over three quarters of care homes respect privacy and dignity but there are still pockets of poor care, says CQC
19 Mar 2013
Over three-quarters of care homes respect people’s privacy and dignity and meet their nutritional needs, according to the Care Quality Commission, which has published its first dedicated review of privacy, dignity and nutrition in.....
Social care cap now scheduled for 2016 and set at £72,000
18 Mar 2013
Chancellor George Osborne has over the weekend confirmed that the Dilnot Commission’s cap of individual social care costs is to be brought forwards, while the threshold itself is also to be reduced. Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew.....
Staff celebrate Red Nose Day with Zumba marathon
15 Mar 2013
In order to raise funds for Comic Relief, carers, trainers and assessors from Pendine Park Care Organisation Ltd in Wrexham took part in a Zumba Marathon this week. Not only were members of staff involved in the one hour dance.....
The economic value of England's social care sector is estimated at £43bn
15 Mar 2013
The total economic value of the English adult social care sector including all, direct, indirect and induced effects is an estimated £43bn according to research commissioned by Skills for Care. The research.....
Voyage Care has announced the acquisition of Independent Learning Group
14 Mar 2013
Voyage Care, who provide care services for people with learning disabilities, brain injuries and other complex needs, has announced the acquisition of Independent Living Group (ILG). ILG have 28 homes in the south of England.....
House of Lords warns of crisis saying UK is 'woefully unprepared' for ageing
14 Mar 2013
Our rapidly ageing population is set to have a huge impact on our society and public services and the Government is “woefully unprepared”, warns a report by the House of Lords. In its report Ready for Ageing,.....
Keep elderly out of 'dangerous' hospitals, say NHS Alliance
14 Mar 2013
Elderly patients need to be treated in the community instead of in hospitals “which can be dangerous places”, says the NHS Alliance, which represents doctors, nurses and managers on the front line. The NHS alliance has launched.....
Retirement Communities celebrated through launch of new sector trade association
13 Mar 2013
The retirement community model has been given both a new trade association and a charter to maintain and drive up standards within the sector. The launch of the Associated Retirement Community Operators (ARCO) at the House of.....
Older women are 'invisible' and desperately in need of a voice
13 Mar 2013
The International Longevity Centre-UK is setting up the Older Women’s Policy and Research Action Alliance to give a voice to older women, who are too invisible in today’s society. The think tank announced.....
Disabled people urged to vote in May local elections
12 Mar 2013
The independent elections watchdog The Electoral Commission and disability charity Scope are urging people with disabilities to make their voices heard and vote in this year’s local elections. Local elections.....
Charities call for more training for care staff after CQC reveals care homes are 'failing people with dementia'
12 Mar 2013
The Care Quality Commission’s Care Update has highlighted two areas where the quality of care provided in the UK is currently not achieving CQC standards. The areas of failings highlighted were primarily.....
New study labels loneliness in older people a 'hidden killer'
11 Mar 2013
Older people spend over a third of the year on their own, according to a new survey published by the Associated Retirement Community Operators(ARCO). Loneliness has been described as a ‘hidden killer’ increasing the risks of.....
Older people can benefit from getting to know their neighbour
11 Mar 2013
Over 50 per cent of British people do not know their neighbours, and of the 3,000 people recently surveyed, 25 per cent have admitted to not even knowing their first name. Lottery funded initiative The.....
Will the new Personal Independence Payments (PIP) support society's most vulnerable?
08 Mar 2013
Esther McVey, Minister for Disabled People
YES
MP Esther McVey, the Minister for Disabled People, believes the Bill containing Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessments amongst wider benefit reforms will prove important to adults with a disability....
Jane Young, from campaign group We Are SpartacusNO
Jane Young, of campaign group We Are Spartacus, judges the PIP system as unfair to the lives of disabled adults.
In her ‘Emergency Stop’ report she writes: ‘1.8 million people of working age in the UK currently........
Richmond Village launches new radio show across five retirement villages
08 Mar 2013
Richmond Villages, one of the leading groups of retirement villages, are launching a new radio show which will be tuned into by residents as it becomes available to listen to online. There are carers on site 24 hours a day in.....
Profile: Living with cerebral palsy hasn't stopped Robert Wallace 'making a difference'
08 Mar 2013
Volunteer worker, Robert Wallace, 29 years of age, is a wheelchair user with cerebral palsy and a visual impairment, but he doesn’t let that stop him making a difference. Through care provider and campaign group Leonard Cheshire Disability,.....
Government struggling to win confidence on Personal Independence Payments
08 Mar 2013
Uncertainty surrounds the Government’s decision to amend its eligibility criteria for disabled benefits, with disagreement among onlookers as to whether new legislation will have positive or negative effects upon the lives of adults.....
Sevacare is bringing its home care services to new areas of England
08 Mar 2013
New contracts have been secured by home care provider Sevacare which are set to boost business in 2013. Sevacare’s new contracts will see them bringing homecare services to Luton Borough Council and Solihull, and personal care.....
Without The Cinnamon Trust , 'I would be unable to own a dog and life would be very different'
07 Mar 2013
The Cinnamon Trust helps thousands of elderly and terminally ill people to care for their pets. Without this vital support, many would be forced to give up their pet, that is often their best friend. A network.....
Home care workers take on role of nurses as more people live longer with complex health needs
07 Mar 2013
Homecare workers are increasingly being expected to take on work that would have been done by district nurses, as the number of people living longer with complex health conditions grows. The Global Burden.....
Act FAST campaign brought back to screens for March
06 Mar 2013
The Act FAST ad campaign is returning to television screens this spring and will promote the easy to remember signs to look out for when checking someone who is possibly experiencing a stroke. The campaign.....
Discussions start for the rolling out of Personal Health Care budgets
04 Mar 2013
Care and Support minister Norman Lamb has announced plans surrounding personal health budgets which could benefit more people than ever. Personal Health budgets help people to have more control over the treatment they receive,.....
Local authority balances care home versus social care priorities
01 Mar 2013
East Lothian Council’s plans to open a new care facility in 2014, at the same time as feeling pressure to extend social care budgets, is a dilemma many more authorities look likely to face as the population ages. The ruling Labour.....
Young carers project given further two year contract worth £1.2m
01 Mar 2013
Funding of £1.2m will be given to the innovative care project ‘prevention through partnerships’ to improve local support for young carers and their families. There are an estimated 139,000 young carers in England, and many more.....