An extra £150 million will be given by the Department of Health to local authorities to help people leave hospital more quickly and be cared for at home.
The money comes from savings made in the DH budget, and will be spent on social care services that people might need to live independently at home.
A further £20 million will be provided for the Disabled Facilities Grant which helps people to live independently at home instead of unnecessarily going into residential care.
The investment builds on collaborative working between the NHS and councils, which lie at the heart of health and social care modernisation plans.
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Results from Birmingham’s Rapid Assessment Interface and Discharge (RAID) mental health pilot project have been released.
RAID are a multidisciplinary team of workers based at the City Hospital in Birmingham, providing around the clock care to patients with mental health problems, psychological needs, alcohol and substance misuse disorders.
Evaluation by the London School of Economics (LSE) of the multi-disciplinary approach show improved results for patients and significant financial savings.
The LSE estimates RAID has saved £4 for every £1 invested, and predicts potential savings for the whole health economy based on an average 1,000 bed unit:
A seminar for commissioners, mental health service providers and acute hospital service staff to discuss the findings; will be held on 6 February 2012. To attend, contact: Lawrence Moulin, email: lawrence.moulin@westmidlands.nhs.uk or Nick Adams, email: nick.adams@westmidlands.nhs.uk .
One of only seven adult independent social worker pilot schemes in the UK, has been started by Birmingham City Council.
Following similar successful trials in children’s services, the Department of Health has rolled out the programme to include adult social services.
Under the scheme, social workers will form practices that are independent of local authorities and contracted to provide services to specific client groups.
The plan is to allow social workers to:
- spend more time with individuals in their care and reduce bureaucracy
- make decisions more responsive to their clients' needs
- feel empowered with more control over the day today management of the practice
- make use of the increased financial flexibility and think more creatively about the way resources are used
- enjoy their jobs more – staff satisfaction levels for the children’s pilot have been high.
Birmingham City Council will be working with BID services, a local voluntary organisation, and two user led groups. It will test a new model of services for disabled adults through wider use of community services.
Contact: Sheila Rochester, Service Director, Assessment & Support, Telephone: 0121 303 4917.
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Latest recommendations from the independent NHS Future Forum have been accepted by the government.
The Forum was asked to conduct conversations with health and care professionals, patients and service users; and to provide independent advice on education and training, information, integrated care, and the NHS’s role in public health.
The recommendations have been accepted following the Future Forum’s report, specifically on:
· education and training – employers and professionals will have a greater say in developing the health workforce in the future, and an outcomes framework will be introduced
· integrated care – patient experience of integrated care will be measured as part of the outcomes framework
· the NHS’s role in public health – consultation will be held on a new responsibility for healthcare professionals to promote healthy living through their daily contact with patients
· information – the government will consider the Forum’s recommendation for Discharge Summaries to be made available to GPs and patients at the point of discharge.
The Forum listened to over 11,000 people at more than 300 events, and received contributions online.
Survey findings from Age UK suggest the majority of the public want to see the social care system changed.
A survey of over 1,700 adults show 81% feel more should be done by the government to support the needs of older people. Three quarters of respondents also say they want individual costs capped.
Under the current means-tested system anyone with assets over £23,250 has to pay for the entire cost of their care.
Charity Director, Michelle Mitchell, says the survey shows there is an appetite for change.
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Nearly 1,000 adult social care staff and £153 million will be transferred from Staffordshire County Council to the newly formed Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Partnership NHS, in the biggest integration of local council and health care services in the UK.
The new Trust comes into effect in April 2012 with the aim of removing duplication, streamlining care, and making savings in the order of £30 million every year. It will be responsible for all adult social and community healthcare in Staffordshire and all community healthcare in Stoke-on-Trent, delivering everything from physiotherapy to day services.
The new arrangement seeks to:
· make the best use of hospital and community beds
· reduce delays in transferring patients from hospital back to their homes
· cur the number of people admitted to hospital in a rush
· reduce use of residential care
· increase the amount, quality and safety of care delivered in people’s homes.
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ADASS and the NHS Confederation have joined forces to advise on the best way to integrate health and social care services.
The organisations are urging service leaders to focus on cultures, behaviours and values instead of formal structures.
In a joint statement, the two bodies advise leaders to make time to work directly with staff, identify key barriers to change, develop multi-disciplinary teams, and fully develop systems to engage with patients.
The statement builds on work carried out by ADASS and the NHS Confederation since 2010 on how to integrate services in a way that improves care for patients.
President of ADASS, Peter Hay, said: “As we approach the formulation of the social care white paper and the response to Dilnot we are moving into a critical phase in the development of integrated work with our health service colleagues. The statement marks a significant step forward in both our organisations’ thinking on the subject, and I commend it to all our health and social care managers up and down the country.
The statement also provides examples of how integrating care can work locally.
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