Tag Archives: social care

NHS to pay for singing lessons and hotel stays

November 30, 2012   Carers, disability, health, Older care

Tens of thousands of people will be able to get money from their doctors which can be used for activities including singing lessons and hotel stays.

Personal health budgets enable people to choose what help they need and who to buy it from.

By Stephen Adams, Medical Correspondent

7:00AM GMT 30 Nov 2012

Norman Lamb, the care minister, said the option of having a ‘personal health budget’ would be made available to some 56,000 people in England with significant health needs. It would “put them back in control of their care,” he said.

The idea is to give people the power to choose exactly what care they need for their condition or disability – and buy it from whoever they like – rather than having it decided and provided by the NHS.

Charities for the elderly and disabled have broadly welcomed the initiative, which has been trialled for three years, but there are worries about some people misusing the money.

Read More

CQC Widget aims to improve information on care throughout England

November 29, 2012   Carers, internet, Older care, social workers

Improved historical information on care homes.

November 29, 2012 | By |

Today the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is launching a raft of new digital improvements including an email alert service, an information sharing CQC Widget and improved historical information on care homes.

The email alert service will allow people to sign up for the most up-to-date standards and quality reports about care providers across England. The alerts will provide direct, timely and reliable access to CQC activity about health and social care providers.

The alerts service will continue to be developed and expanded to enable all users (including Commissioners, MPs and Journalists) to tailor their subscription by all types of services (Hospitals, Care Homes, Dentists and Other Services) as well as by geographical area, local authority or constituency.

 

The CQC widget gives one click access to the latest CQC inspection reports and findings. Organisations regulated by the CQC will be able to embed a summary of their inspection results on their own websites, and include a link to the full report on the CQC site. The reports tell the public whether organisations providing health and social care services meet our national quality and safety standards.

Read More

Systemic problems forcing older people into care, says Wales commissioner

November 4, 2012   Carers, hospital, Older care, ukcuts, Wales

Sarah Rochira said bad planning over hospital discharges and a lack of communication between the NHS and local services left some with no choice.

About 23,000 older people are in residential care homes in Wales.

The Welsh government said it was prioritising funding to councils to support social services.

Ms Rochira told The Wales Report on BBC Wales that some older people were not getting the information and advice they needed to enable them to stay at home.

“Start Quote

It was only through a fluke conversation with a social worker that I got the information I needed”

Read More