With a new inspection strategy, the CQC are shifting from regular routine inspections to one based on risk, underpinned by data collection. The health and social care sector, however, should be judged, in part, on service users’ experiences and the level of care they receive which is extremely difficult to capture based on data collection …
The NHS and social care face the greatest workforce crisis in their history. This is further compounded by the absence of a credible government strategy to tackle the situation according to MP Jeremy Hunt, who is also Chair of the Health and Social Care Select Committee. The persistent understaffing is posing a serious risk to …
On 27 July 2022 Ofsted published a report entitled ‘Children’s social care 2022: recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic’ (“The Report”). The report investigates the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in relation to children’s social care, using focus groups, inspections, and interviews with inspectors to aid the investigation. The report concluded that the pandemic has …
Concerns over damaging impact of staff shortages on children’s social care Read More »
The Department of Health and Social Care (“DHSC”) has opened a consultation, inviting people with Down’s syndrome, including their families, professionals and charities to share their experiences and expertise. The evidence gathered will help to develop the new Down Syndrome Act 2022 statutory guidance which authorities will follow. The new legislation and supporting statutory guidance …
Government opens consultation in relation to Down Syndrome Act 2022 guidance Read More »
Nearly half a million more adults in England are now taking antidepressants compared with the previous year, according to NHS data. It is now the sixth year in a row that there has been an increase in both patients and prescriptions for antidepressants. Alexa Knight, who is in charge of policy at the charity Rethink …
Nearly half a million more adults on antidepressants in England Read More »
Care Minister Gillian Keegan has announced that the Government is delaying self-funders access to lower local authority fee rates by 18 months. In a statement on Thursday 7 July 2022, Gillian Keegan outlined that following consultation on the implementation of change with local authorities, the Government has decided to utilise the extension of section 18(3) …
Government announces delays to social care reform by 18 months Read More »
On 4 July 2022 the UK Health Security Agency’s chief executive, Dame Jenny, warned that the number of people being admitted to hospital with Covid is expected to rise further. This is following figures released which showed UK Covid cases rising by 32% in a single week. The latest rise of around 500,000 cases of …
NHS patients in England who have been waiting for more than two years for surgery are being offered hospital treatment in alternative parts of the country. Subsequently, more than 6,000 long term waiting list patients are being offered travel costs and accommodation costs in an attempt to tackle the NHS backlog. The aim of this …
NHS patients in England to be offered chance to travel for surgery Read More »
A recent poll by GP Online found that four in five GP partners said that their practice had been unable to recruit a locum doctor when they needed one within the past six months. Locum GPs have become increasingly important in recent years given the current workforce crisis and the survey also found that nearly …
How staffing levels can affect your CQC inspection rating Read More »
On 22 June 2022, the UK’s Health authorities declared a national incident regarding the detection of the polio virus in London sewage and as such, have informed the World Health Organisation (“WHO”). This is following the United Kingdom’s Health Security Agency (“UKHSA”) finding traces of the polio virus in samples collected from the London Beckton …
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