Disabled people are invited by the Office for Disability Issues to submit suggestions for inclusion in a new cross government disability strategy.
A discussion document has been published to start the debate. Fulfilling Potential outlines government’s ambition to assist disabled people in reaching their full potential and to play a full role in society.
Deadline for contributions is 9 March 2012.
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Showing posts with label Consultations and government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Consultations and government. Show all posts
Thursday, 23 February 2012
One in 10 asked to give their views
Over 1,000 people using adult social care services in Shropshire have been urged to share their thoughts and ideas on the care and support provided by the council, and on how services affect their quality of life.
The Adult Social Care Survey, runs until the 9 March 2012, and will be added to results from a major consultation carried out by the council last year, which led to a new strategy for adult social care.
The latest initiative invites one in 10 people receiving nursing, residential and home care services to give their views. Findings will help the council to identify the services that are valued most and the areas where further improvements can be made.
The same survey is also underway in Coventry where up to 6,000 use services ranging from help for disabled people to home meals and occupational therapy.
The survey is a government initiative and is a compulsory for all councils providing adult social care services.
More
The Adult Social Care Survey, runs until the 9 March 2012, and will be added to results from a major consultation carried out by the council last year, which led to a new strategy for adult social care.
The latest initiative invites one in 10 people receiving nursing, residential and home care services to give their views. Findings will help the council to identify the services that are valued most and the areas where further improvements can be made.
The same survey is also underway in Coventry where up to 6,000 use services ranging from help for disabled people to home meals and occupational therapy.
The survey is a government initiative and is a compulsory for all councils providing adult social care services.
More
Complaining made easier for citizens
Proposals to improve Staffordshire’s comments and complaints system have received an overwhelming response following extensive consultation with residents.
Over 2000 respondents commented on plans to introduce a single point of contact replacing the confusing array of organisations and systems currently in place, with the majority in favour.
The new approach aims to give local people a stronger voice and create greater independence in resolving complaints, and to boost public confidence in health trusts, GPs and social care services.
County Councillor, Mathew Ellis, cabinet member for adult wellbeing said:
Over 2000 respondents commented on plans to introduce a single point of contact replacing the confusing array of organisations and systems currently in place, with the majority in favour.
The new approach aims to give local people a stronger voice and create greater independence in resolving complaints, and to boost public confidence in health trusts, GPs and social care services.
County Councillor, Mathew Ellis, cabinet member for adult wellbeing said:
“At the moment complaints about healthcare services such as hospitals, health, social care services and GPs are dealt with by the very service being complained about. That can’t be right. We want to improve transparency whilst ensuring information is collated through a single independent body.”
www.staffordshire.gov.uk
www.staffordshire.gov.uk
Call to all carers
Thousands of carers in Walsall have been given the chance to shape a new strategy that aims to support them and make way for a number of new initiatives.
Residents of all ages who care for family or friends have been asked to share their experiences, suggestions and opinions before a new Carers’ Strategy is launched in June this year.
The council also wants to hear from carers not known to social services or existing carers’ groups in the borough.
More
Residents of all ages who care for family or friends have been asked to share their experiences, suggestions and opinions before a new Carers’ Strategy is launched in June this year.
The council also wants to hear from carers not known to social services or existing carers’ groups in the borough.
More
Fix for fragmented services
Members of the House of Commons Health Select Committee are calling for greater integration of health and social care services.
In a report by the cross party group of MPs earlier this month, members highlight fragmented services as failing older people, and say the key to securing better outcomes for service users as well as delivering savings for the NHS, is joined up commissioning of services.
The committee also urge government to:
In a report by the cross party group of MPs earlier this month, members highlight fragmented services as failing older people, and say the key to securing better outcomes for service users as well as delivering savings for the NHS, is joined up commissioning of services.
The committee also urge government to:
- co-ordinate policy more effectively across Whitehall and regularly rebalance national spending across health, housing and care services
- replace the three overlapping but confusing frameworks that currently exist, with one outcomes framework for older people
- recognise the widening "funding gap" in social care services - between the number of people who need care and the amount of money currently in the system to deal with their rising needs
- accept the recommendations in the Dilnot report for a series of caps on care costs, and identify the level at which it thinks these caps should be set
- take steps to ensure GPs identify much earlier, and assess more clearly the needs of carers providing essential informal care to the old and vulnerable
- develop a new, integrated legal framework to support integration of health, social care and other services around the needs of the individual.
Sunday, 11 September 2011
Views sought on social care makeover
Shropshire Council has embarked on a major countywide review of the way it delivers adult social care services.
Read more
Care services in Shropshire have not changed much over the past 30 years. Based on extensive consultation with residents, advocacy groups, the NHS and other organisations, the council seeks to reflect the changing needs and expectations of people, and adapt services accordingly.
Under the heading of Live life: your way? the council wants to develop a new joint vision that will underpin services in the future. Read more
Friday, 9 September 2011
NHS Future Forum says let’s talk
The government has asked the NHS Future Forum to continue a new phase of conversations with patients, service users and professionals, following its listening exercise on the proposals to modernise the NHS.
The NHS Future Forum, a group of health experts led by GP Professor Steve Field, will provide independent advice on four themes:
The Forum is inviting comments on these areas.
Read more on how to take part.
The NHS Future Forum, a group of health experts led by GP Professor Steve Field, will provide independent advice on four themes:
· Information – how to make information improve health, care and well being
· Education and training – how to develop the healthcare workforce to deliver world class healthcare
· Integrated care – how to ensure the government’s modernisation programme leads to better integration of services around people’s needs
· The public’s health – how to ensure the public’s health remains at the heart of the NHS.
The Forum is inviting comments on these areas.
Read more on how to take part.
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
From LINKS to Healthwatch
Government’s HealthWatch Transition Plan is now available, setting out proposals for patients, service users and carers to have a greater say in health and social care.
The plan forms part of government’s wider NHS and care reforms, and builds on current patient involvement arrangements - Local Involvement Networks (LINKs).
New HealthWatch organisations, replacing LINKs, will be set up by 2012, and provide a single point of contact for people seeking information about services. They will also act as consumer champions.
Local authorities will have responsibility for ensuring there is a robust and effective HealthWatch in their area.
The transition plan sets out what the arrangements should look like when they are working well, and outlines measures to be put in place to support the transition.
Wednesday, 8 December 2010
JIP e-bulletin No 18 December 2010
Welcome
In this issue we bring you details of the Total Place approach to providing public services, and how it affects adult social care.
More than ever councils are seeking to find creative solutions to meet the challenge of ensuring satisfaction with local services, while at the same time fulfilling government demands for efficiency savings.
Total Place was a high profile attempt at addressing this issue. The aim was to look at spending as a whole, across organisations, to identify where money is spent unnecessarily due to duplication and bureaucracy, and to maximise the impact by sharing funds and resources.
The approach was tested in a year-long pilot study involving 13 areas - three localities in the West Midlands, namely Birmingham, Worcestershire and a sub-region of Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire. Results show great potential for local authorities to reduce costs and improve outcomes for local people. Their focus ranged from intensive family intervention to gang crime, from frequent hospital users to high need neighbourhoods.
Recently the coalition government announced its plans for taking Total Place forward by setting up new Community Budgets: the first set will go live in April next year.
The idea is for councils and their partners to put various strands of funding into one pot from which money will be allocated to spend on priorities mutually agreed by the organisations involved.
As with Total Place, Community Budgets will operate on the premise of breaking down barriers that prevent collaborative working across and between organisations, as well as improving results for local people while reducing costs.
Greater emphasis is placed on making services more people centred – something we are familiar with in adult social care.
Community Budgets, along with moves to transfer responsibility for public health back to local authorities as outlined in the government’s Public Health White Paper, mean social care and the health services will be increasingly required to adopt a joined up approach to providing services.
Andy Hancox
Director
Improvement and Efficiency
West Midlands
In this issue we bring you details of the Total Place approach to providing public services, and how it affects adult social care.
More than ever councils are seeking to find creative solutions to meet the challenge of ensuring satisfaction with local services, while at the same time fulfilling government demands for efficiency savings.
Total Place was a high profile attempt at addressing this issue. The aim was to look at spending as a whole, across organisations, to identify where money is spent unnecessarily due to duplication and bureaucracy, and to maximise the impact by sharing funds and resources.
The approach was tested in a year-long pilot study involving 13 areas - three localities in the West Midlands, namely Birmingham, Worcestershire and a sub-region of Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire. Results show great potential for local authorities to reduce costs and improve outcomes for local people. Their focus ranged from intensive family intervention to gang crime, from frequent hospital users to high need neighbourhoods.
Recently the coalition government announced its plans for taking Total Place forward by setting up new Community Budgets: the first set will go live in April next year.
The idea is for councils and their partners to put various strands of funding into one pot from which money will be allocated to spend on priorities mutually agreed by the organisations involved.
As with Total Place, Community Budgets will operate on the premise of breaking down barriers that prevent collaborative working across and between organisations, as well as improving results for local people while reducing costs.
Greater emphasis is placed on making services more people centred – something we are familiar with in adult social care.
Community Budgets, along with moves to transfer responsibility for public health back to local authorities as outlined in the government’s Public Health White Paper, mean social care and the health services will be increasingly required to adopt a joined up approach to providing services.
Andy Hancox
Director
Improvement and Efficiency
West Midlands
Planning for healthier lives and healthy people
Comments are invited on government plans for helping people to live longer, to enjoy healthier and more fulfilling lives; and to improve the health of the poorest people, fastest.
Details are outlined in the White Paper - Healthy lives, healthy people: our strategy for public health in England.
The strategy sets out government’s long term vision for the future of public health in England.
Plans include transferring responsibility for public health back to local authorities.
Subject to Parliament, a new integrated public health service called Public Health England will be established. Action plans will be published in 2011.
Read more
Details are outlined in the White Paper - Healthy lives, healthy people: our strategy for public health in England.
The strategy sets out government’s long term vision for the future of public health in England.
Plans include transferring responsibility for public health back to local authorities.
Subject to Parliament, a new integrated public health service called Public Health England will be established. Action plans will be published in 2011.
Read more
Linking up in Herefordshire
A major consultation exercise has started in Herefordshire to find out residents’ views on plans to join up services provided by NHS hospitals, community health services, and adult social care.
The aim is to provide services nearer to people’s homes and set up neighbourhood teams that work closely with local GPs. Focus will be on preventing ill health and dealing with crises when they occur.
Read more
The aim is to provide services nearer to people’s homes and set up neighbourhood teams that work closely with local GPs. Focus will be on preventing ill health and dealing with crises when they occur.
Read more
Staffordshire adopts total approach to commissioning
Staffordshire’s Third Sector Commissioning Partnership has succeeded in securing buy-in from all of the public sector organisations operating in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
The move is a major step in making commissioning and procurement in the public and voluntary sector more transparent, consistent and efficient.
The partnership includes Staffordshire County Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, all eight District Councils, three Primary Care Trusts, the Fire and Rescue Service, Staffordshire Police and the Probation Service.
It has adopted a Total Place approach by mapping money spent by the public sector on voluntary sector services. The purpose is to make commissioning and procurement fairer and more transparent, and to create efficiencies by rolling multiple contracts into one.
Data received by the partnership so far reveal 26 public sector organisations have invested £70 million in 1,000 voluntary and community organisations across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
Read more
The move is a major step in making commissioning and procurement in the public and voluntary sector more transparent, consistent and efficient.
The partnership includes Staffordshire County Council, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, all eight District Councils, three Primary Care Trusts, the Fire and Rescue Service, Staffordshire Police and the Probation Service.
It has adopted a Total Place approach by mapping money spent by the public sector on voluntary sector services. The purpose is to make commissioning and procurement fairer and more transparent, and to create efficiencies by rolling multiple contracts into one.
Data received by the partnership so far reveal 26 public sector organisations have invested £70 million in 1,000 voluntary and community organisations across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent.
Read more
Wolverhampton wins compact crown five years running
For the fifth time in a row, Wolverhampton Compact has won an award for excellence in the National Compact Awards, in recognition of the work it is doing for the people of Wolverhampton.
The Compact is a partnership between the city council, police, fire, health, and voluntary and community sector bodies. Its purpose is to ensure people work well together and for the good of the community when developing services.
The Compact was praised by judges for demonstrating effective partnership working in a number of areas, including:
• appointing a compact champion in each area of service provided by the city council
• working with Members to develop training that highlights the importance of listening to local people’s views and enabling communities to influence policies, procedure and practice
• preparing a compact champion support pack for the public sector
• working with the Centre for Dispute Resolution to train mediators in the city.
Read more
The Compact is a partnership between the city council, police, fire, health, and voluntary and community sector bodies. Its purpose is to ensure people work well together and for the good of the community when developing services.
The Compact was praised by judges for demonstrating effective partnership working in a number of areas, including:
• appointing a compact champion in each area of service provided by the city council
• working with Members to develop training that highlights the importance of listening to local people’s views and enabling communities to influence policies, procedure and practice
• preparing a compact champion support pack for the public sector
• working with the Centre for Dispute Resolution to train mediators in the city.
Read more
Total Place lives on in new Community Budgets
Principles underpinning the Total Place approach to local services will be adopted by the Community Budgets, a government initiative allowing councils and their partners to pool funding and resources with the purpose of improving services and reducing cost.
From April next year, a selected number of councils and partner organisations will put various strands of funding into a single ‘local bank account’. This will be used to set up community budgets that will be spent on services prioritised by local communities.
The initiative follows year-long Total Place pilots, testing how to improve services while reducing costs and encouraging greater collaboration between organisations, and wider involvement of local people.
Earlier this year, Secretary for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, described Total Place as “a step in the right direction”, but says councils now have the opportunity to be more radical and innovative.
Read more
From April next year, a selected number of councils and partner organisations will put various strands of funding into a single ‘local bank account’. This will be used to set up community budgets that will be spent on services prioritised by local communities.
The initiative follows year-long Total Place pilots, testing how to improve services while reducing costs and encouraging greater collaboration between organisations, and wider involvement of local people.
Earlier this year, Secretary for Communities and Local Government, Eric Pickles, described Total Place as “a step in the right direction”, but says councils now have the opportunity to be more radical and innovative.
Read more
Tuesday, 2 March 2010
Charging arrangements for residential social care
The Department of Health began a 12 Week consultation on 29 January 2010 concerning the charging arrangements for residential social care.
Views are sought on proposed amendments to the residential charging arrangements suggested by a stakeholder group. The consultation will close on 23 April 2010.
Read more
Views are sought on proposed amendments to the residential charging arrangements suggested by a stakeholder group. The consultation will close on 23 April 2010.
Read more
New registration system for adult health and social care
From April 2010, all health and adult social care providers will be required by law to be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
To do so, providers must show they are meeting new essential standards of quality and safety across all of the regulated activities they provide.
The new system will make sure that people can expect services to meet essential standards of quality and safety that respect their dignity and protect their rights. It will focus on outcomes rather than systems and processes, and places the views and experience of people who use services at the core.
Read more
To do so, providers must show they are meeting new essential standards of quality and safety across all of the regulated activities they provide.
The new system will make sure that people can expect services to meet essential standards of quality and safety that respect their dignity and protect their rights. It will focus on outcomes rather than systems and processes, and places the views and experience of people who use services at the core.
Read more
Friday, 29 January 2010
Personal Care at Home
A consultation document containing proposals for regulations and guidance made under the Personal Care At Home Bill has been published by the Department of Health.
Read more
Read more
Friday, 6 November 2009
Making telecare work
Building Telecare in England sets out the government’s vision for the development of telecare services.
The document gives advice to councils and their health, housing and social care partners, on how to develop local telecare strategies.
The government sees telecare – the provision of equipment to help individuals live independently at home - as:
• reducing the need for residential/nursing care
• unlocking resources that can be redirected elsewhere in the system
• increasing choice and independence for services users
• reducing the burden placed on carers and providing them with more personal
freedom
• contributing to care and support for people with long term health conditions
• reducing acute hospital admissions
• reducing accidents and falls in the home
• supporting hospital discharge and intermediate care
• contributing to the development of a range of preventative services
• helping those who wish to die at home to do so with dignity.
Over the next 50 years the number of people aged 65 and over will rise from 9.3 million to 16.8 million.
Effective use of telecare and telehealth – using technology to monitor health conditions remotely - will make it possible for thousands of older people to remain independent and maintain control over their lives in their own homes for longer.
Click here for details
The document gives advice to councils and their health, housing and social care partners, on how to develop local telecare strategies.
The government sees telecare – the provision of equipment to help individuals live independently at home - as:
• reducing the need for residential/nursing care
• unlocking resources that can be redirected elsewhere in the system
• increasing choice and independence for services users
• reducing the burden placed on carers and providing them with more personal
freedom
• contributing to care and support for people with long term health conditions
• reducing acute hospital admissions
• reducing accidents and falls in the home
• supporting hospital discharge and intermediate care
• contributing to the development of a range of preventative services
• helping those who wish to die at home to do so with dignity.
Over the next 50 years the number of people aged 65 and over will rise from 9.3 million to 16.8 million.
Effective use of telecare and telehealth – using technology to monitor health conditions remotely - will make it possible for thousands of older people to remain independent and maintain control over their lives in their own homes for longer.
Click here for details
Friday, 9 October 2009
Safeguarding adults: report on the consultation on the review of No Secrets
A report on the consultation on the review of No Secrets, the guidance for developing and implementing multi agency policies and procedures to protect vulnerable adults from abuse has been published.
Some 12,000 people participated. The Government’s response will be published once the report has been fully analysed and considered.
Click here for details
Some 12,000 people participated. The Government’s response will be published once the report has been fully analysed and considered.
Click here for details
Prevention and Control of infections
The Department of Health is consulting on two related documents:
• a draft 'Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice for health and adult social care on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance'
• a draft supporting document 'Prevention and control of infection in care homes'
The consultation is being held due to changes involving establishment of the Care Quality Commission and the introduction of a new registration framework for all providers of regulated activities in health care and adults social care in England.
Closing date for responses: 6 November 2009
Click here for details
• a draft 'Health and Social Care Act 2008 Code of Practice for health and adult social care on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance'
• a draft supporting document 'Prevention and control of infection in care homes'
The consultation is being held due to changes involving establishment of the Care Quality Commission and the introduction of a new registration framework for all providers of regulated activities in health care and adults social care in England.
Closing date for responses: 6 November 2009
Click here for details
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