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

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Integrating health and social care

Warwickshire County Council and the Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Partnership Trust have started formal consultation on integration of mental health services for older people.

Adult mental health services have been jointly provided by staff in the council and the trust for some years. Now mental health services for older people are to become more integrated.

The proposal is for social care staff who work in adult and older peoples mental health services to be seconded to specialist mental health teams managed by the Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Partnership Trust.

The consultation is on how this should be done.

Deadline for responses: before 18 December 2009

Contact Jackie Price, telephone: 01926 406743,
email: jackieprice@warwickshire.gov.uk

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Learning disability DVD wins award

Recognition of the highest order has been given to Warwickshire County Council at this year’s Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership for Care Awards.

The Council won the award for its DVD featuring five people with learning disabilities talking intimately about their hopes and dreams for the future.

The film is used to help parents and carers understand personalisation and how it affects them; and will be used as a learning tool for social care professionals.

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Moving on in Telford & Wrekin

People with learning disabilities, parents and carers attended a special conference organised by Telford & Wrekin Council last week, to give their opinions and learn about future housing options available to adults with learning disabilities.

Their views form part of the council’s consultation on developing a new housing strategy.

For details contact Kit Roberts, Joint Commissioner - Adults with Learning Disabilities on 01952 388890, or email kit.roberts@telfordpct.nhs.uk

Review of assistive technology

A review of assistive technology used to support people with learning disabilities in Coventry, has found it significantly increases the independence of service users and saves money.

The charity, Life Path Trust, and Coventry City Council started a programme of installing wireless sensors in homes in 2007.

The sensors were linked to a control panel connected to the mains power supply and a telephone landline.

When triggered, a signal is sent to the control panel which automatically dials a phone number for a call centre, relative or carer.

Sensors included:

· personal alarms worn on the wrist or around the neck
· bogus caller alarms that can be triggered if unwelcome callers try to gain entry
· bed occupancy mats placed under mattresses, raising the alarm if an individual is out of bed for longer than a predetermined time
· epilepsy mats placed under mattresses activating the alarm when a seizure occurs
· flood detectors placed in kitchens and bathrooms, setting off a signal if water overflows on to the floor.

Wireless sensors were installed in the homes of people needing help and support.

The review found assistive technology has considerable benefits saving up to £3,800 a year on individual support packages. For people with personalised budgets this frees up money to spend on other support they need.

Assistive technology has also increased the independence of individuals in their homes allowing them to live with minimum intrusion from carers, supporters or relatives. It also lets others who would not have been able to spend time on their own to do so.

Telephone Contact Life Path Trust, 024 7665 0530

web: www.life-path.org.uk

Mental health survey findings

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published findings from a survey of people’s experiences of acute mental health inpatient services.

The first of its kind, the survey collected responses from over 7,500 recent inpatients and found:

• only a third felt as involved in decisions about their care and treatment as much as they wanted to be
• less than half (45%) ‘always’ felt safe on the ward, and 16% did not feel safe at all
• less than half of the 52% who wanted talking therapies (such as counselling, cognitive behavioural therapy and anxiety management) received any
• almost half (48%) of patients said the potential side effects of medicines that were prescribed to them while in hospital were not clearly explained to them
  
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Registration for health and adult social care providers

All health and adult social care providers who provide regulated activities, will be required by law to register with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in 2010.

The NHS, including Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), will have to register from
1 April next year. Adult social care and independent providers will register from 1 October 2009.

To register, providers must demonstrate they are meeting new essential standards of quality and safety across all of the regulated activities they provide such as:

· personal care
· surgical procedures
· treatment of disease, disorder of injury

CQC will:

· monitor whether providers continue to comply with regulations
· use its new enforcement powers to make sure swift action is taken if providers
are not compliant

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