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no.282 • £4.75 incorporating
April 2020
The Number One magazine for the care sector
Care providers dismayed over Budget details CARE providers are dismayed after there was merely a promise of action in “the next few months” in the Budget to ease the crisis in the care of older and vulnerable adults. The Independent Care Group had hoped to see Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveil measures to help social care, especially as the sector looks likely to be hit hard by coronavirus. They argue that coronavirus is demonstrating the need for social care and NHS healthcare to work together and be funded equally. The ICG says the Government now needs to press on with proposed cross-party talks and include providers in those talks, to hear the ideas they have for ending the social care crisis. The Group’s chair, Mike Padgham, said: “There was a lot to welcome in the budget: extra funding for the NHS, support for small businesses and a lot to help the economy during the coronavirus outbreak. “But this was also an opportunity missed by the Chancellor and the Government to begin tackling the ongoing crisis in social care. Some 1.5m people aren’t getting the care they need and we have been promised measures now for years, but nothing is changing. “There is little doubt that coronavirus is going to hit us hard and will exacerbate problems
already being felt in the sector, but there was no recognition of that today. Support for NHS services is without doubt helpful, but without corresponding action to help social care it will be worthless. It is worth remembering that there are 410,000 people in residential care, almost three times the number of people in hospital beds. “To be able to cope with coronavirus, support for the NHS has to be matched by support for social care – an argument we have been making for years. “Sadly, in only promising to tackle social care “in the next few months”, the Government is failing in its pledge to tackle this crisis and get it done.” The Group says the Government must now press on with proposed cross-party talks on social care. “These talks cannot begin soon enough and we very much hope that care providers will be included in those talks as we are at the sharp end of care delivery and have many ideas and suggestions as to how the crisis can be tackled,” Mike added. He has warned that the extra £1.5bn already pledged by the Government for social care won’t even touch the sides in terms of solving the crisis as it will be swallowed up by providers having to meet the increase in the National Minimum Wage.
Nationwide Healthcare Staff
CQC to stop inspections to support providers
Residents at Overbury House care home in Wroxham have been striking up friendships the old fashioned way, by writing and receiving letters. To mark the recent ‘Send a Card to a Friend Day’ the team at the home worked with Norwich-based charity ‘Friend In Deed’ to spread some happiness throughout the home in the form of handwritten letters and cards. The home has worked with residents at Overbury House for some time, regularly bringing groups of pre-school children to engage with the residents. Now, the charity has called upon local communities to encourage children to send a letter or card to the home to be enjoyed by a resident. More than 40 letters have already been received, with children from Taverham Junior School also getting involved and sending a bagful of letters to the home. n Activities coordinator Elaine Wilcox is pictured with a selection of the letters.
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THE Care Quality Commission has announced that it has stopped routine inspections. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the CQC’s primary objective will be to support providers to keep people safe during a period of unprecedented pressure on the health and care system. Chief executive Ian Trenholm said: “During this period, our priority will be to support those who deliver health and social care to keep people safe during this global health emergency. “It may still be necessary to use our inspection powers in a very small number of cases when there is clear evidence of harm, such as allegations of abuse. In adult social care, our inspectors will also be acting as a support for registered managers, providing advice and guidance throughout this period in the absence of a single national body equivalent to NHS England. “We are talking to social care providers about how to most effectively collect information from them to ensure that the Government has a clear picture of the impact that COVID-19 is having on the sector.” Other support CQC is offering includes the return of clinically qualified advisors to help with the national response and secondments of staff to DHSC, Public Health England and NHS England.
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