Hope Davis-McCallion

According to new draft NICE guidelines, people with challenging behaviour should only be treated in a mental health hospital or a residential setting as a last resort. The draft guidelines aim to bring recognition to the fact people with learning disabilities and behaviour that challenges are not receiving the care they deserve. The guideline committee …

New NICE guidelines on people with challenging behaviour Read More »

The CQC have published their annual report in which they raise multiple concerns about staff shortages, rising demand and the number of patients with preventable illnesses. The report said so far the quality of NHS and council care has been maintained but warned that standards were likely to drop. In its report, the CQC highlighted: …

CQC says the future of the NHS is “straining at the seams” Read More »

The King’s Fund has warned that Brexit has ‘exposed the fragility of NHS workforce planning’ as the number of nurses in the NHS has fallen for the first time since April 2013. There has been a significant drop in EU nurses joining the UK register since the EU referendum in June 2016. Richard Murray, director …

Brexit blamed for fall in nurse numbers Read More »

Within the CQC’s latest annual State of Care report the regulator has said most adult social care services are rated as ‘good’. But, CQC have warned that this is only because of the hard work undertaken by staff in extreme conditions. 78 per cent of adult social care services were rated as ‘good’, compared to …

CQC latest report says care staff give good care in the main Read More »

Jeremy Hunt has promised to increase the number of nurses in training by 25 per cent and make it easier for people to become nurses without needing a degree. In response to Mr Hunt’s speech, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) had concerns about plans to increase nurse apprenticeships. Janet Davies, the RCN general secretary, …

Health secretary’s plan to train 25% more nurses criticised as ‘too hospital-focused’ Read More »

CQC claims that care homes which champion equality and human rights are more likely to be rated outstanding in their inspection reports. CQC have said there is a clear link between how well a provider treats its staff and residents in respect of human rights and treating them equally and its quality of care. Overall, …

Care homes which champion human rights more likely to be rated outstanding, says CQC Read More »

Warnings have come from the Royal Mencap Society that care providers for people with learning disabilities are facing a £400m bill for back pay that could bankrupt the entire sector. After the government reversed its decision that “sleep-in-support” is exempt from minimum pay legislation, HMRC is pursuing providers for six years of wages. Mencap are …

Royal Mencap Society says back-pay bill could cost care sector £400m Read More »

A survey of all parties, carried out by the charity Independent Age, has found that over 80 per cent of MPs believe the funding for social care in the UK is ‘insufficient’. 86 per cent of MPs believe a cross-party consensus is needed for a lasting settlement on health and social care, and 90 per …

Funding for social care is ‘insufficient’, says eight in ten MPs Read More »

An investigation is being conducted into Ofsted by The National Audit Office (NAO), to assess whether the watchdog inspects schools efficiently and effectively. The NAO will specifically assess if Ofsted is well-placed to inspect schools efficiently and effectively, whether Ofsted inspects its schools in an efficient and effective manner and whether the watchdog knows whether …

Ofsted to be investigated by the National Audit Office Read More »

A study completed by Newcastle University and published in the Lancet has found that the amount of time spent needing daily care at the end of life has doubled in England over the past two decades. It found that men spent 2.4 years on average needing regular care and women three years. Between 1991 and …

Study shows time spent frail in old age has doubled Read More »