Editorial
A week last Monday I found myself at a consultation;
not any old consultation but the first in a series of nine
being run around the country by the Department of
Health.
The consultation is the first concrete evidence of
Gordon Brown’s announcement in May to have a
debate about how the future cost of long-term care is to
be paid for.
There is a six month consultation which is now open
and the process is to be given added impetus by
gathering together representatives from the community
to consider a series of questions posed by the
organisers.
The idea is that all views will be fed into the process
before publication of a Green Paper on the issue next
year.
Government says that it genuinely has no fixed idea of
how we will or should provide for the funding – however,
in relation to the care of older people alone a £6bn
funding gap has already been identified.
I tend to be a bit cynical about these things; however, I
think that Government does have some pretty clear
views of how, as a society, we will pay for these things
in the future.
There have been some polls and a few newspaper
headlines saying that the Great British Public
acknowledge that paying for long term care is, or could
be, a partnership arrangement between citizens and the
state.
No surprises there.
The trick, if can be pulled off, will be to get most people
to pay a greater share of the cost of their care while
providing a safety net which is not seen to be rewarding
those who could have contributed, but decided not to
thereby demotivating the rest of us.
Abuse
1. Campaign against abuse of elderly
20 June 2008 – Bedford today
Over 200 people made use of Luton Borough Council's
information stand on elder abuse in the Arndale
Centre.
The stand was set up to coincide with International
Elder Abuse Awareness Day, and is intended to assist
people to recognise the signs of abuse of older
people. People were also given advice on what to do
if they suspect someone is not being treated properly.
2. More finds in Jersey
20 June 2008 - The Times
A further 21 ‘milk teeth’ have been found at Haut de
la Garenne, Jersey.
3. Website focuses on keeping vulnerable
adults from harm
16 June 2008 - The News Portsmouth
The plight of vulnerable adults is being highlighted on
a council website. West Sussex County Council has
launched new pages encouraging people to play
their part in helping to keep vulnerable adults safe
from abuse.
Councillor John de Mierre, who is in charge of adult
services, said: “It is very important that we do all we
can to protect vulnerable adults, and I hope that if
anyone suspects some kind of abuse, they will report
it to adults’ services.
“Abuse, even if the person responsible did not intend
it to be, can be really distressing and we want to
avoid it wherever we can.”
The new web pages tied in with World Elder Abuse
Awareness Day on 15.06.08.
Business News
4. Botox salons inject beautiful profits into
high street gloom
22 June 2008 - The Sunday Times
A look at the cosmetic business Sk:n – it was
launched at a time when Channel 4 TV began
screening its makeover programme ‘Ten Years
Younger’ – and which currently provides treatments
from Botox to laser hair removal.
The business currently has 30 treatment centres and
is concentrating on building brand recognition. It
plans to grow to 180 outlets in five years. Turnover
has doubled since 2005 and stands at £22m. The
business is backed by Graphite Capital.
5. Nestor Healthcare Group plc
21 June 2008 - The Times
20 June 2008
Nestor issued its first Interim Management Statement
on 19 May 2008, in which it was stated that the financial
results of the Group for the first four months of
the year were in line with the directors' expectations.
One month later the directors can confirm that
results remain in line with their expectations. Neither
has there been any significant change in the Group's
financial position since 19 May; borrowings as at 18
June, the last practical date ahead of this announcement,
were £54.9m.
On 7 April the Board announced that all discussions
with potential offerors for the Company's share capital
had been terminated. No further such approaches
have been received since then, though the Board remains
active in its pursuit of increased shareholder
value.
The directors expect to announce 2008 half-yearly
results in August.
6. CareTech Holdings PLC - Interim Results
for the six months ended 31 March 2008
18 June 2008
• Turnover increased 24% t o
30.7m (2007: £24.8m)
• EBITDA increased 51% to £7.0m (2007: £4.7m)
(1)
• Operating profit increased 59% to £6.3m (2007:
£4.0m).
• Profit before tax, amortisation and exceptional
items increased by 47% to £3.9m (2007: £2.7m)
• Profit before tax increased by 58% to £3.8m
(2007: £2.4m).
• Adjusted basic earnings per share up 36%
to 8.40p (2007: 6.17p)(2) and basic earnings per
share up 60% to 7.49p (2007: 4.68p).
• Bed capacity increased from 1,029 to 1,073 with
mature occupancy maintained at 94%.
• I n t e r im di v i d end of 1.025p per
share declared (2007: 1p per share).
Farouq Sheikh, Executive Chairman, said:
“CareTech has made further good progress in the
first half of the financial year. Our acquisitions have
been successfully integrated and are performing
well. Organic growth continues ahead of market expectations
and the Group remains well placed to deliver
growth in future periods.”
CareTech also announced the acquisition of Valeo
Limited for a total consideration of up to £15.3 million.
The Group also announces a conditional placing
of 7,142,857 New Ordinary Shares at 420p per
share. A separate statement is being made today
setting out further details on the Acquisition and
Placing.
7. Qataris seek new home for Four Seasons
chain
15 June 2008 - Sunday Telegraph
The Qatar Investment Authority is trying to find buyers
for all or part of Four Seasons as lenders to the
heavily indebted company threaten to pull the plug
on Four Seasons is Britain's third biggest nursing
home chain with 333 branches, nearly 20,000 beds
and thousands of staff.
Buyers interested in some or all of the assets are
believed to include Southern Cross, the property
fund of buyout house Blackstone, and The Priory
which is a major provider of mental health services to
the NHS.
Refinancing needs to be completed by September
when the original deal matures.
8. Immune from the credit squeeze, or crippled
by it?
May 2008 - Healthcare Business
Paul Farmer of GVA Grimley looks at the pressures
arising in the sector from the fall-out of the sub-prime
crisis and the general downturn which followed it.
9. Preparing your business for equity fund
raising
May 2008 - Healthcare Business
A logical approach to the issues which are engaged
when considering raising equity are set out by Barry
Giddings, chairman, Avia Investments Plc.
Care Homes
10. Call for unity as Quality Care Campaign
launches in London
June 2008 - Healthcare Business
Article about the launch of this new initiative as a focus
around which those providing quality care can
rally and those aspiring to deliver high quality care
can be encouraged and inspired to do so.
11. Close/extra care –is this the death knell
for traditional care homes?
May 2008 - Healthcare Business
Simon Gilbert, Managing Partner of the Gilbert Partnership,
reflects on whether the care home model is
destined for the scrapheap; Mr Gilbert concludes that
they are not, but, they might need to be refashioned a
bit.
Case Reports
Law Reports
12. Birmingham City Council v M (a child acting
by her Guardian)
The power under s.25(5) Children Act 1989 to make
an interim secure accommodation order only arose if
the court adjourned the local authority's application
under that section. Accordingly, a court had been
wrong to make a three-month interim secure accommodation
order in a case which would otherwise have
justified a final order, to ensure the continued involvement
of the solicitor and children's guardian.
13. In re P (Adoption: Unmarried couple)
The House of Lords held that the regulations in Northern
Ireland which prevent the consideration of unmarried
couples as prospective adoptive parents are
unlawful under Articles 8 (right to family life) and 14
(prohibiting discrimination) European Convention on
Human Rights.
Disciplinary cases
14. Raj Persaud is suspended for plagiarism
in book
21 June 2008 - The Times
I copied work from books, TV psychiatrist
admits
17 June 2008 - The times
Celeb psychiatrist, Raj Persaud has been suspended
from practice for three months for the copying of other
people’s work and presenting it as his own.
15. Three care home nurses struck off
18 June 2008 – BBC News
Kathleen Smith, 46, Carol Bushell, 48, and Mary Casey,
70, all nurses who worked at the Maypole Nursing
Home in Kings Heath which closed in 2003 have
been struck of the register by the Nursing and Midwifery
Council.
For full report click here
For previous item about Smith, see BHCR Vol 3, Issue 23, item
19
Cases in the news
16. Care worker denies Red Rum jibe
19 June 2008 – BBC News
Janet Cameron, a former care home worker at
Southside Nursing Home has denied placing oversized
false teeth in a resident's mouth and likening
him to Grand National winner Red Rum.
She faces trial on charges of assaulting and abusing
five residents at a nursing home in the city.
For full report click here
17. Home fined for neglect of care
17 June 2008 – Daily Post
Iwan Thomas Pritchard, 43, of Plas Garnedd Care
Home, Llanberis, has been ordered to pay almost
£9000 in fines and costs after he admitted failure of
care to an elderly woman.
He admitted a charge of failing to make proper provision
of care towards resident, Mrs Jane Jones, 91, in
April last year. At Caernarfon Magistrates he was
fined £1,575 with costs of £7,382.19.
For full report go to http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/northwales-
news/2008/06/17/home-fined-for-neglect-of-care-55578-
21085421/
18. Nursing home not to blame for old man's
death – coroner
14 June 2008 – This is Plymouth
Plymouth Coroner, Andrew Cox found that Raymond
Hicks, aged 82, died of natural causes after a stay in
a Plymouth nursing home.
The coroner Andrew Cox found that Mr Hicks had
made a “poor functional recovery” from a stroke,
which contributed to his death. The family of Mr
Hicks had originally alleged that poor standards at
Warwick Park Care Home in Honicknowle had contributed
to his death.
For full report go to http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/
Nursing-home-blame-old-man-s-death-8211-coroner/article-
189495-detail/article.html
19. Care home admissions halted
13 June 2008 – East Lothian News
Tranent Nursing Home has just been ordered not to
take on any more admissions by the Scottish Regulation
for the Commission of Care.
The Care Commission refuses to comment on the
reasoning behind the stipulation.
For full report go to http://www.eastlothiannews.co.uk/news/
Care-home-admissions-halted.4174376.jp
Children
20. Government Response to Childcare Act
2006: Future approach to fees and subsidies
consultation
20 June 2008 – DfES
The Government has responded to the consultation
in relation to the Childcare Act 2006.
It is reforming the regulation and inspection regime
for early years and childcare. It has consulted on the
future approach to fees and subsidies.
For full report click here (opens up as a Word document)
21. Minister responds to concerns on childcare
registration fees
19 June 2008 COI
In response to comments from the childcare sector,
increases in registration fees for child care providers
are to be introduced gradually, and in small increments
over the next three years, and a new system of
fee banding introduced from September 2008.
Speaking at the National Day Nurseries Association
conference in Salford, Children's Minister Beverley
Hughes said: "I have listened closely to the views of
nursery managers and childminders and taken the
decision to increase fees only gradually alongside a
new fairer system of fee banding from September. I
believe that this will give reassurance and bring stability
to the sector, while helping providers manage
change.
"We consulted on the childcare registration and inspection
fees in 2006 and the majority of respondents
supported our proposals that fees and subsidy arrangements
should be changed to achieve a fairer
balance between the fees providers can afford to pay
and targeting money locally to those who need it."
Three fee bands will be introduced to allow greater
flexibility that takes into account the length of time the
provision is available and consequently the level of
income.
The Government will set out nearer the time how it
will review the level of fees after 2010.
The table of pay bands can be found at http://
www.dfes.gov.uk/pns/DisplayPN.cgi?pn_id=2008_0120
22. Tory concern over nanny checks
18 June 2008 – BBC News
The Conservatives have found that only six nannies
and childminders who registered voluntarily with Ofsted
in England had an inspection in the first year of
the new Government database.
Ofsted said that the scheme, has had a "very slow
start" but offered parents some reassurance.
For full report click here
23. Extend foster care, say charities
16 June 2008 – BBC News
An open letter has been sent to the Children’s Secretary,
Ed Balls, by 12 charities calling for an extension
to the time that foster children in England can remain
in care.
The current age for leaving care is 18 – and the letter
from the Fostering Network is asking for the leaving
date to be extended to age 21.
The Government has said that it will give money to
pilot schemes to tackle this issue.
For full report click here
24. NCH FOSTER CARERS MARCH TO PARLIAMENT
TO GET THEIR VOICES HEARD
16 June 2008
Foster carers from NCH, the children’s charity joined
a lobby of Parliament to make their voices heard as
Parliament debated the Children and Young Persons
Bill, which is set to reform the care system for young
people, makes its way through Parliament.
NCH joined the Fostering Network’s lobby on the
Children and Young Persons Bill in a bid to push for
young people to stay in their foster care placement
between the ages of 18 and 21. Currently young
people leave their foster placements at 18 compared
to 24 being the average age that a young person
leaves their family home.
Barbara Russell, Service Manager at NCH Wessex
Community Intensive Fostering project, said: “Foster
Care has incredible potential to resolve the difficulties
facing children who have not been able to live at
home. The extension of specially trained, intensively
supported care can re-establish positive links with
the community which can turn disaster into success.”
Care Matters Consultation http://www.dfes.gov.uk/
consultations/downloadableDocs/6731-DfES-Care%
20Matters.pdf
Conferences & Courses
To follow next week
Consultations
25. NICE Consultation: The 2008 update to
the guidelines manual
Closing Date: 1 July 2008
Consultation seeking views on a draft update of a
manual that describes the detailed process and methodology
used to produce NICE clinical guidelines.
For full report go to http://www.nice.org.uk/aboutnice/
howwework/developingniceclinicalguidelines/
clinicalguidelinedevelopmentmethods/
guidelinesmanualconsultation2008update.jsp
26. Proposals to change NHS structure in
Wales
Closing Date: 2 July 2008
The Welsh Assembly has announced proposals to
change the NHS's structure in Wales.
The proposals are part of a three-month consultation,
include plans to abolish the internal market by providing
funding from the Welsh Assembly or an NHS
Board for Wales directly to trusts and local health
boards.
For full report go to new.wales.gov.uk
27. Call for Evidence: The Child and Adolescent
Mental Health Services review - Next
steps to improving the emotional well-being
and mental health of children and young people
Closing date: 7 July 2008
This consultation calls for evidence on how universal,
targeted and specialist services can be improved to
meet the needs of children and young people who are
experiencing, or are at risk of, mental health problems.
For consultation click here
28. The General Medical Council
(Constitution) Order 2008: A paper for consultation
Closing Date: 11 July 2008
A draft order setting out a proposed constitution for
the GMC, providing details of the composition of the
council, the terms of office of council members, and
criteria for the disqualification, suspension or removal
of members from office.
For consultation click here
29. Saving Carbon, Improving Health: A Carbon
Reduction Strategy for the NHS in England
Closing Date: 21 August 2008
The consultation document can be found at http://
www.sdu.nhs.uk
30. Towards a Strategy to Support Volunteering
in Health and Social Care: Consultation
Closing Date: 30 September 2008
A consultation seeking views on a proposed volunteering
strategy for health and social care that will
articulate the key actions needed to address the perceived
obstacles to volunteering.
For full consultation click here
31. Consultation on a Statutory Scheme to
Control the Prices of Branded NHS Medicines
Closing Date: 15 July 2008
This consultation seeks views on options for the Government's
use of statutory powers to control the
prices of branded NHS medicines.
For full consultation click here
32. Consultation on Assessment of Adult Social
Care
Closing Date: 8 August 2008
The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) is
seeking views on its proposed modifications to the
body’s performance assessment of adult services in
2008-09.
For full consultation click here
33. Transforming the Quality of Dementia
Care: Consultation on a national dementia
strategy
Closing Date: 11 September 2008
A consultation seeking views on proposals for a national
dementia strategy. It draws on evidence from a
range of reports and stakeholders, a series of listening
events involving more than 3,000 people and the
recommendations of an external reference group.
For full consultation click here
34. Volunteering in health and social care
Closing Date: 30 September 2008
A volunteering strategy for health and social care will
initiate the key actions needed to address the perceived
obstacles to making a refreshed vision for
volunteering in health and social care a reality. The
plan is to publish a final strategy and implementation
plan in early 2009.
For full consultation click here
35. The NHS Resilience and Business Continuity
Management Guidance 2008: Interim
strategic national guidance for NHS organisations
– Consultation
Closing Date: 30 September 2008
A consultation seeking views on a set of general
principles to guide all NHS organisations in developing
business continuity management processes.
For full consultation click here
36. NICE: Current consultations
To browse through consultations go to http://
www.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=consultations.current
37. Transforming the quality of dementia
care: consultation on a National Dementia
Strategy
Closing Date: 11 September 2008
This consultation draws on evidence from a wide
range of reports and stakeholders, a series of listening
events involving over 3,000 people and the recommendations
of an External Reference
Group. Everyone is invited to give their views on the
ideas set out in the document and to contribute new
ideas to the debate.
For full consultation click here
CSCI/Care Quality Commission
(w.e.f. 2009), CSSIW,
Healthcare Commission &
Scottish Care Commission
38. Psychological therapies and learning disabilities
probes announced
19 June 2008 – Community Care
The Healthcare Commission has announced that it
will carry out another review of learning disabilities
services this year, after a damning study in 2007.
The study will be carried out in partnership with the
Commission for Social Care Inspection and will examine
commissioning arrangements and the quality
of partnership working across health and social care.
For full report click here
39. The Annual Health Check 2008-09: Assessing
and rating the NHS
18 June 2008 – Healthcare Commission
A document setting out the planned design of the
Healthcare Commission's NHS assessment framework
for 2008-09 and what the process will involve.
For full report go to http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk/
_db/_documents/
The_annual_health_check_2008_09_Assessing_and_rating_th
e_NHS.pdf
40. Head of new inspectorate pledges to
'build on what we have'
17 June 2008 Financial Times
In a bid to reassure critics ahead of crucial parliamentary
votes on legislation to establish the new Care
Quality Commission, its chair Baroness Young said
she was "not going to tear everything up and start
again". "It is not as though the old commissions are
broke," the former chief executive of the Environment
Agency said in reference to the Healthcare Commission,
the Commission for Social Care Inspection and
the Mental Health Act Commission - the three bodies
that the new organisation will replace.
"There is a lot of concern around that somehow the
ravening beast of the health side is going to consume
everything and social care and mental health will get
a rough deal," she said. "But that is not going to happen.
Aside from anything else, social care is already
the biggest in terms of the budget and number of people".
41. Updated guidance on storage of Controlled
Drugs in care services.
17 June 2008 – SCRC
The Scottish Care Commission has published an
internal guidance note about updated legal requirements
for storage of Controlled Drugs (CD’s) in care
home services in Scotland.
For full report click here
For more information on the storage of controlled drugs click
here
42. Public Sector Equality Duties - Annual
Update 2007/08
16 June 2008 – SCRC
The Scottish Care Commission has issued an annual
update to its public sector equality duties.
For full report click here
43. Healthcare watchdog to cross-check NHS
performance as trusts make declarations on
standards
16 June 2008 – Healthcare Commission
The Healthcare Commission has announced that it
intends to carry out a thorough check of NHS trusts’
publication declarations that they meet the Government’s
standards for healthcare.
For the third year running, every NHS trust in England
has issued a public declaration on how they
think they have performed against the Government’s
core standards.
For full report go to http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk/
newsandevents/pressreleases.cfm?
cit_id=6477&FAArea1=customWidgets.content_view_1&usec
ache=false
44. BBC Scotland Report About Private
Home Care Firms
16 June 2008 – SCRC
The Scottish Care Commission has re-affirmed its
intent to improve the quality of care in Scotland
through a combination of inspection, registering new
services, investigating complaints and taking enforcement
action when necessary.
For full report click here
Dementia
45. Government will also review use of antipsychotic
drugs
19 June 2008 – Community Care
The Government has announced a consultation on its
first ever dementia strategy, to be launched in autumn
this year.
For full report click here
For full consultation see Consultations – item 37
46. Transforming the quality of dementia
care: consultation on a National Dementia
Strategy
19 June 2008 - COI
This consultation draws on evidence from a wide
range of reports and stakeholders, a series of listening
events involving over 3,000 people and the recommendations
of an External Reference
Group. Everyone is invited to give their views on the
ideas set out in the document and to contribute new
ideas to the debate.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/Liveconsultations/
DH_085570
47. Dementia research needs more funding
18 June 2008 The Times, Letters to the Editor
Twelve leaders have called for cash to fund research
into dementia if more funds are not made available
the NHS will be in trouble in 20 years.
See Charity issues mental capacity advice you can bank on -
Item 69
48. More help for people with dementia
19 June 2008 - COI
Health Minister Ivan Lewis outlined proposals to improve
the quality of dementia care and provide more
help for people with dementia, as he launched a consultation
on the first ever National Dementia Strategy.
The full Strategy, to be launched in the Autumn, will
have three main aims:
- to increase awareness of dementia and remove the
stigma associated with it
- ensure early diagnosis and intervention
- improve the quality of care that people with dementia
receive
Dementia can be a devastating disorder for those
who develop the illness and the families that care for
them. There are currently an estimated 570,000 people
with dementia in England, and this figure is expected
to double in the next 30 years.
Health Minister, Ivan Lewis, said:
"Dementia is a condition affecting an increasing number
of families in our society and is one of the greatest
challenges now facing NHS and social care services.
That is why this first ever national dementia
strategy is so important. It will set out how we will improve
the quality of life for people with dementia and
their families, improve the quality of care dementia
sufferers receive, increase awareness of the condition
and ensure earlier diagnosis and intervention.
"The consultation is about ensuring the final strategy
we publish in the autumn truly fulfils my commitment
to bring dementia out of the shadows."
The consultation will run from 19 June to 11 September
2008.
49. Dementia drug use to be reviewed
18 June 2008 – BBC News
Ministers have ordered a review into the current use
of anti-psychotic drugs to treat dementia patients as
part of a proposed new strategy to improve dementia
care across England.
For BBC report click here
50. Dementia Research
18 June 2008
The English Community Care Association has welcomed
the call by senior academics for more research
into the causes of dementia.
Martin Green, Chief Executive of ECCA, said:
“Supporting people with dementia will be the biggest
challenge for both the health and social care system
over the next 20 years. We need far more research
into both the causes and clinical management of dementias,
but we must also recognise that there will
be many people who require high quality residential
care if they are to be supported effectively to maximize
their independence when they are suffering
from some form of dementia”.
“At the same time that the system acknowledges
that there will be an increase in people with severe
dementias, local authorities are refusing to fund care
services properly, and this year many authorities
have given no increases in fees. This situation,
which penalises today’s older people and stops services
preparing to meet the challenges of the future,
is shameful and the Government must act to address
it”.
51. Dementia burden 'could break NHS'
17 June 2008 – BBC News
Top scientists have written an open letter to Health
Secretary, Alan Johnson, saying that the predicted
rise in dementia over the next two decades could destroy
the NHS. They are calling for more money to
be spent on researching new treatments for Alzheimer’s
disease.
For full report click here
Education
Nothing to report
Ireland, Scotland & Wales
Ireland
Nothing to report
Scotland
52. Union: Nurse Shortage Putting 'lives At
Risk'
19 June 2008 – Evening Times
Unison, the major healthcare union is claiming that
patients and workers at Glasgow hospitals are being
put in danger by a lack of staff.
Nurses and midwives say they are struggling with a
current shortage of 500 qualified healthcare staff at
major hospitals in the area.
For full report go to http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/
display.var.2351156.0.0.php?utag=28804
53. 'C.diff now a regular occurrence'
19 June 2008 – BBC News
All Scottish hospitals have been told to review their
death rates from Clostridium difficile following the outbreak
at the Vale of Leven hospital.
For full report click here
54. Trouble continues at 'the Vale'
19 June 2008 – BBC News
For full report click here
55. No public inquiry into bug deaths
19 June 2008 – BBC News
Nicola Sturgeon has ruled out a public inquiry into
deaths from the bug Clostridium difficile at the Vale of
Leven Hospital.
She confirmed, however, that an independent inquiry
would look into the deaths of eight patients at Vale of
Leven Hospital.
For full report click here
56. Hospital deaths inquiry confirmed
18 June 2008 – BBC News
Health Secretary, Nicola Sturgeon has announced
that an independent inquiry will be held at the Vale of
Leven Hospital where eight patients died from the
bug Clostridium difficile.
For full report click here
57. Sturgeon 'knew of C.diff deaths'
18 June 2008 – BBC News
Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s Health Secretary, already
knew of several deaths from C.diff at Dunbartonshire's
Vale of Leven Hospital before the information
became public.
Ministers are insisting the incident was already under
investigation.
For full report click here
58. Concerns over private care firms
15 June 2008 – BBC News
An investigation by the BBC in Scotland has revealed
serious concerns about two of the country’s
largest private homecare companies.
Domiciliary Care and HRM Homecare provide almost
15,000 hours of care per week to the most vulnerable
sections of Scottish society but ex-workers have
accused the companies of putting profits before people's
welfare.
Both companies denied the allegations.
For full report click here
59. Night-time care research flawed
May 2008 Healthcare Business
Frank Ursell, chief executive of the Registered Nursing
Home Association, says that a research project
by Joseph Rowntree Foundation on night care in
three Scottish care homes is “devoid of common
sense”.
Wales
60. NHS warned over patient fund rows
21 June 2008 – BBC News
Health Minister, Edwina Hart has warned NHS officials
in Wales over recent high-profile funding rows.
After three critical reports she rebuked trusts and
local health boards, saying the rows are damaging
the service’s reputations, and said that patients were
being denied treatments to protect budgets.
For full report click here
61. Pledge to help Welsh nurses realise their
potential
19 June 2008 – Welsh Assembly Government
Health Minister Edwina Hart has launched a new
drive to boost nurses’ career development. She
wants to enable them to work across traditional
boundaries to improve patient care and achieve more
senior positions in the NHS.
For full report click here
62. Elderly 'champion' hears concerns
18 June 2008 – BBC News
Ruth Marks, the commissioner for older people in
Wales is holding an event in Llandudno, Conwy to
meet older people from across north Wales.
Ms Marks was appointed in April and vowed to ensure
that older people would have a voice and involvement
in policy-making.
For full report click here
63. Eye on Wales
June 2008 Healthcare Business
Mario Kreft of Care Forum Wales has given a new
angle on the increase in the care fees provided by
Local Health Boards in Wales – you can buy either
six Oxo cubes or a Cup a Soup for the same amount
– 39 pence a day!
Learning Disabilities
64. Press release: Charity issues mental capacity
advice you can bank on
19 June 2008
see Charity issues mental capacity advice you can bank on
Item 69
Legislation Update
65. No. 1497 The Protection of Children and
Vulnerable Adults and Care Standards Tribunal
(Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists)
(Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2008
16 June 2008 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
66. No. 249 The Care Tribunal (Amendment)
Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008
16 June 2008 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
67. No. 27 The National Health Service
(Charges for Drugs and Appliances)
(Scotland) Regulations 2008
16 June 2008 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
68. No. 238 The Adults with Incapacity
(Public Guardian’s Fees) (Scotland) Amendment
Regulations 2008
16 June 2008 – OPSI
For full legislation click here
Mental Health
69. Charity issues mental capacity advice
you can bank on
19 June 2008
The Mental Health Foundation has published new
guidance on how the Mental Capacity Act can affect
personal banking. Banking on Good Decisions explains
in everyday language how the Act affects financial
matters for people with a mental health problem
or a learning disability.
Under the Act, fully in force since October 2007, people
are to be assumed to be capable of making a particular
financial decision unless it is proved otherwise,
and they should be offered all appropriate support to
do so. ‘Banking on Good Decisions’ outlines these
and other key principles of the Act, and explains what
someone should do if they feel the law is not being
properly followed.
The guidance is being issued as increasing numbers
of people with a learning disability or mental health
problem are being allocated individual budgets for
their social care and encouraged to live independently.
Toby Williamson, Associate Head of Service
Improvement at the Foundation, said:
“If people are going to live genuinely autonomous
lives then they need to be supported to be as financially
independent as possible. The Mental Capacity
Act, if properly applied should help achieve this, as
well as offer clear guidance for what should happen if
someone does lack capacity.”
“It’s really important that people know their rights
when it comes to their financial affairs. In the past,
people who banking staff perceived as having a disability
have sometimes experienced more difficulty
than most people in being allowed access to financial
services. This is clearly unacceptable, and the law
now makes it clear that it can’t be assumed a person
is unable to make a financial decision simply because
they have a particular disability or mental
health problem.”
Banking on Good Decisions also explains that decisions
made on behalf of a person who lacks capacity
should always be in their best interests, and outlines
the various legal powers that can be used to do so
including Lasting Powers of Attorney.
Single copies of both the standard and Easier Read
booklets can be obtained for free by calling 020 7803
1101. The booklets are also available as a download
from www.mentalhealth.org.uk, alongside more
detailed guidance to the Mental Capacity Act.
70. Councils and health bodies 'failing vulnerable
people'
18 June 2008 – Community Care
The Department of Health has released a circular
stating that moves to accommodate the Mental Capacity
Act 2005 has not even begun leading to a failure
by NHS bodies to fulfil key duties towards vulnerable
people.
The criticisms came in a circular from DH implementation
lead Lucy Bonnerjea this month, eight months
after the full implementation of the act.
For full report click here
71. Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust
makes good progress on learning disability
services
16 June 2008 - Healthcare Commission
Sutton and Merton Primary Care Trust has made
good progress on improving the standard of services
for people with learning disabilities. The Healthcare
Commission published the findings of a progress report
earlier this month showing that the trust has
made considerable strides in modernising the services
it provides.
Having found that progress has been made the
Healthcare Commission will now pass the ongoing
responsibility for monitoring outstanding items in the
action plan over to the strategic health authority and
our regional team
For more information on Sutton & Merton Primary Care Trust
go to http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk//
newsandevents/pressreleases.cfm?
cit_id=6468&FAArea1=customWidgets.content_view_1&useca
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Miscellaneous
72. Chair and Director
22 June 2008 The Sunday Times, Public Appointments
Dept of Health is looking to establish a Cooperation
and Competition Panel to reflect increasing patient
choice. Remuneration, it is claimed, will be
‘attractive’.
Ed. This is an inevitable consequence of permitting
parts of the NHS to advertise and give patients
‘free choice’ over where they have elective
procedures.
73. Chair of New Charity
22 June 2008 - The Sunday Times, Public Appointments
Age Concern and Help the Aged plan to merge the
two charities and are seeking a chair to head the
new, combined charity. They are also seeking new
trustees. No remuneration is mentioned so I guess it
will be travelling and other incidental expenses.
74. Alistair Cooke organ thief gets 27 years
20 June 2008 - The Times
Christopher Aldorasi, a member of the body part trafficking
organisation was jailed for 27 yrs by a court in
New York. They took bones from the body of broadcaster
Alistair Cooke, replacing them with pipes and
other plumber’s items.
See previous reports on this item—BHCR Vol 1, Issue 31—
item 70, Vol 2, Issue 13—item 65, Vol 2 Issue 36—item 82 And
Vol 3, Issue 12—item 82
75. The National Education and Competence
Framework for assistant critical care practitioners
19 June 2008 – DoH
Publication of a good practice framework describing
the education, skills and competences of critical care
practitioners practising at the assistant level.
For full report click here
76. Healey urges Councils to spend tax as
efficiently as they collect it
18 June 2008 - COI
Local Government Minister John Healey announced
that councils were on track to make efficiency savings
of £3.2bn over the past four years, the equivalent
of £123 off the average Band D council tax bill -
and £1bn more than the efficiency target they were
set.
But he called on councils to use this money as effectively
and efficiently as possible, keeping up with
public demands for value for money from their local
public services.
Figures published this morning show that the council
tax in-year collection rate in England last year was
97.1 per cent, up 0.2 percentage points on 2006-07,
and 0.7 percentage points up on five years ago.
The statistical release "Collection Rates for Council
Tax & Non-Domestic Rates in England 2007-08" can
be found on the Communities and Local Government
website at: http://www.local.communities.gov.uk/finance/
ctax/cp078.htm
In January, John Healey announced £185m for Regional
Improvement and Efficiency Partnerships, to
help councils unlock £4.9bn efficiency savings and
deliver successful Local Area Agreements over the
next three years. Details can be found at: http://
www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/649334
77. More GP Surgeries open longer
17 June 2008 - COI
New statistics for May 2008, published for the first
time, show that 20% of family doctor practices are
already offering extended opening for their patients.
And in 21 Primary Care Trusts more than half
the local family doctor services are offering extended
opening.
Health Services Minister Ben Bradshaw said:
"Today's data shows that the NHS is well on track to
achieve our aim of at least half of GPs providing extended
hours for patients by the end of the year. This
is great news for patients
"Patients tell us that access to GP services is a real
issue - they want greater flexibility and choice over
when they can see their family doctor. People want
more personal and convenient health care, so primary
care services need to adapt to respond to this
need. I'm very pleased that so many GPs are already
responding to this and we expect more and more
GPs doing so over the coming months."
The statistics can be found at: http: / /
www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/data_requests/
78. 18-week Patient Experience Survey and
National Patient Choice Survey
17 June 2008 – DoH
A letter from the director general of NHS finance, performance
and operations has been sent to inform
strategic health authority, primary care trust and NHS
trust chief executives of the intention to use primary
care trust-level surveys to measure local patient experiences
of 18-week pathways.
For full report click here
79. Statistical Press Notice: GP Extended
Opening Hours monthly update
17 June 2008 - COI
The following statistics released today by the Department
of Health:
GP extended opening hours for May 2008.
This data shows the number of GP practices within
each Commissioner (PCTs and Care Trusts) and how
many of those practices were offering extended opening
hours on the census date (21st May 2008). This
is the first release of this new data collection.
Key findings this month:
- During May 2008, 148 of the 152 Commissioners
(PCTs and Care Trusts) returned data.
- Of the 8068 practices returned, 1644 offered extended
opening hours on the census date (20%).
- The average percentage of GP Practices offering
extended hours within each Commissioner who returned
data was 18%
- Fifty-four of the Commissioners who returned data
had no GP practices offering extended opening hours
(36%).
- Twenty-one of the Commissioners who returned
data achieved the Operating Framework aim of 50%
of their GP Practices offering extended opening hours
(14%).
Link: http://www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/
data_requests/index.htm
80. Young people allowed to stay in foster
families beyond the age of 18
16 June 2008 - COI
Young people are to be given the chance to stay on
in their foster families beyond the age of 18, thanks
to a new £5 million Government pilot programme.
The Young Runaways Action Plan is available from
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk
81. Young people allowed to stay in foster
families beyond the age of 18
16 June 2008 - COI
Young people are to be given the chance to stay on
in their foster families beyond the age of 18, thanks
to a new £5 million Government pilot programme.
The Young Runaways Action Plan is available from
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk
82. Tackling young runaways: a role for everyone
16 June 2008 - COI
Local Authorities must gather information about
young people who run away from home or care to
ensure that the right services are in place to help,
Minister for Young People Kevin Brennan said today
at the launch of the Government's Young Runaways
Action Plan.
Speaking at an event with the English Coalition of
Runaway Children, MPs and key stakeholders in
Downing Street, Kevin Brennan set out clear expectations
regarding the level of service and support that
local agencies should be providing for young runaways.
In particular they should:
* Identify those at risk of running away as part of their
targeted youth support arrangements;
* Have arrangements in place to help young people
who have run away, particularly out of hours, keeping
them safe and off the streets;
* Conduct a return interview for every young person,
identifying and addressing their reasons for running
away;
* Work closely with the voluntary sector, clearly defining
roles and responsibilities and ensure there is support
for young people that spans across local area
borders;
* Evaluate the local need for and provision of emergency
accommodation for young runaways;
* Gather information on running away to inform the
level of support locally, and to support the new national
indicator.
The Action Plan explores some of the underlying
causes of running away as well as setting out the
important role that key partners such as the police,
local government, voluntary sector and children's services
play in helping us to deliver long term improvements
for young runaways.
The Young Runaways Action Plan is available on the
DCSF website at: http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/
publications/
83. Day care jazzed up
May 2008 - Healthcare Business
Item about the recent acquisition by Carole Jenkins
and Tony Billingham, of the Carlton Care Group, of
Regis Hall from Sandwell Council in the Black Country
– the idea is to give the Hall a £250,000 refurb to
convert it to conference, restraint, community and day
care use.
84. Life is much sweeter when my home is
full
May 2008 Healthcare Business
Article by Barry Sweetbaum, CEO of SweetTree Care
Services, on the ways of marketing a care service.
85. Communication, communication, communication
May 2008 - Healthcare Business
Item by Lisa O’Neill who has developed the website
whereforecare.co.uk an interactive site on which service
users and their relatives can record their views of
a care home or care service.
NHS
86. Cancer pair win fight for top-up drugs
22 June 2008 - The Sunday Times
Two cancer patients have won the right to themselves
pay for anti cancer medicines not available in England
on the NHS. One claim was against the NHS in
Weston Super Mere where the patient has secured
agreement to pay for Avastin, the other claim was
against the Royal Marsden. Other claims and judicial
review cases are outstanding against a Varity of NHS
Trusts.
Trusts which are reported as allowing co-payments
include:
Velindre NHS Trust, Cardiff
Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust
ABN University NHS Trust
University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation
Trust
87. Hospital cases review
21 June 2008 - The Times
An urgent review of some 300 gynaecological patients
of the Daisy Hill Hospital, Newry, Co Down
after concerns about the ability of a former senior
member of staff at the hospital.
88. Where does all the extra NHS funding
go?
21 June 2008 - The Times, Letters to the Editor
Three letters one each from Prof. C J Hawkey, Prof.
Mike Pittilo and Dr Leyla Sanai.
89. What Matters to Staff in the NHS Research
Study Conducted for Department of
Health - June 2008
19 June 2008 – DoH
A research study aiming to identify the major emotional
and behaviour drivers that currently contribute
to staff engagement and their motivation to provide
high quality patient care.
The study is called 'What Matters to Staff in the
NHS’.
For full report click here
90. Darzi review must set out clear vision for
future of NHS based on less control and
more freedom for staff
19 June 2008 – King’s Fund
An expert working group made up of leaders from
the NHS and independent sector has called for a
clear statement about the way forward for the reformed
NHS.
For full report click here
91. Barriers still stand in way of moving care
out of hospitals and closer to patients'
homes
19 June 2008 – King’s Fund
The King’s Fund has released a report ‘Shifting the
Balance of Care to Local Settings: The SeeSaw report’
which is based on the findings of a simulation
exercise led by The King’s Fund in partnership with
Loop2 and commissioned by the Department of
Health.
The report identifies the barriers that are currently
standing in the way of change and explores what
would need to happen to encourage a faster and
more consistent shift of care to community settings
and patients’ homes, where appropriate.
For full report click here
92. 19 June eHealth Insider
A grilling from the Commons Public Accounts Committee
for Connecting for Health's senior managers
this week produced a few revelations and the odd
brain-teaser. We learned, for example, that NHS IT
modernisation is viewed as an ‘expedition' and also
that any foundation trusts (FTs) deciding to de-camp
and go their own way are likely to run into difficulties.
NHS chief executive, David Nicholson, said FTs
would find it hard to go outside the programme, as
they remain subject to Treasury rules, and have to
show that whatever system they took was as effective
as the CfH products. How, we wondered, would an
FT purchasing team prove that a non-programme
system they selected independently was more cost
effective than a system that had been promised four
years ago and not delivered?
93. What matters to staff in the NHS
19 June 2008 - COI
Thousands of NHS staff contributed to research on
what matters to them through focus groups, interviews
and a widely distributed survey.
The research identified four themes that summarise
what matters to staff:
• The support I need to do a good job
• A worthwhile job with the chance to develop
• The opportunity to improve the way we work
• The resources to deliver quality care for patients
Clare Chapman, NHS Director General of Workforce
said:
"What Matters to Staff in the NHS is the first report of
what motivates NHS staff and makes them feel supported
in delivering a great service.
"We need to build upon this evidence to help the NHS
create a better working environment that will help to
further improve the quality of patient care."
A full copy of the report can be found on the Department
of Health website: http://www.dh.gov.uk
94. Drug payment review set to question core
NHS principles
19 June 2008 - Health Service Journal
The "founding principles of the NHS" are to be revisited
after the government launched a review of the
ban preventing patients making "top-up" payments for
drugs.
95. 'Creating a Healthier NHS': NHS pilots
well being assessments for staff
19 June 2008 - COI
The first of 10 sites started testing a new approach to
supporting the health and well-being programmes for
staff delivering NHS services. Rotherham PCT
launched this pilot for 300 of its staff. A further nine
sites will be launched by 8th July.
This is part of a pilot taking place within three areas
across the country to use a programme to support
the improvement of employee health on the basis
that healthy employees are less likely to be absent,
be more fulfilled at work and more productive. It also
to enables staff to lead by example on the benefits of
a healthy lifestyle.
96. Six laptops stolen from hospital
18 June 2008 - BBC News
Thousands of medical records are stolen
19 June 2008
Six laptop computers containing information about
20,000 patients have been stolen from a south London
hospital. The computers were reportedly taken
from a locked cabinet in a secure room at St
George's Hospital in Tooting, in June.
For full report click here
97. New strikes era looms as cost of living
spirals
18 June 2008 - The Times
Front page – public sector workers looking for inflation-
busting rises in pay.
Unison seeks to re-open pay negotiations concluded
for 500,000 health workers just two weeks ago.
98. Top-up treatment reviewed
18 June 2008 - The Times
Govt has performed a U-turn on its policy of not permitting
so called co-payments by NHS patients for
medicines not available on the NHS – a practice hitherto
banned by the NHS on rather spurious
grounds. Prof Mike Richards, national director for
cancer has been instructed to carry out a review of
the policy.
99. King's Fund response to LGA Health
Commission report
17 June 2008 – King’s Fund
King’s Fund Director of Policy Dr Anna Dixon has
responding to Who’s Accountable for Health?, the
Local Government Association independent Health
Commission report on making the NHS more accountable
to local people.
“This report makes an important contribution to the
debate about NHS accountability at a critical time for
the service and we welcome its acknowledgement of
the need for primary care trusts (PCTs) to be more
accountable to their local populations.”
“Thankfully it does not recommend any large-scale
upheaval of existing NHS structures, for example
handing over control of health services to local government.”
remains answerable for the money it raises and
spends on the public’s behalf.’
For full report click here
100. Review of co-payment rules welcome -
the challenge must be to preserve basic NHS
principles, says King's Fund
17 June 2008 – King’s Fund
King’s Fund chief executive Niall Dickson has commented
in response to the announcement today that
Professor Mike Richards, National Clinical Director
for Cancer, will lead a review of co-payments for patients
choosing to pay privately for drugs that are not
funded on the NHS.
“We welcome this review – this issue will not go
away. In the face of rising demand and finite budgets
it is something politicians and indeed the rest of society
must address.”
“Nor is it straightforward – the challenge is to protect
the overall integrity of our current funding system,
while seeing if there are ways of accommodating a
small number of patients in extreme cases to top-up
their care. This has obvious implications for an NHS
which is based on need not ability to pay, but it does
seem as if there will increasingly be cases where it is
hard to justify withdrawing NHS treatment just because
someone wants access to a particular drug or
procedure.”
For full report click here
101. NHS top-up care ban under review
17 June 2008 – BBC News
The Government has said it will review the current
policy of denying NHS services to patients who top up
their care with private treatment.
Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, has asked cancer
tsar Professor Mike Richards to look at the issue after
some patients found themselves banned from NHS
care after paying for cancer drugs not available on
the NHS.
For full report click here
102. Q&A: NHS co-payments
17 June 2008 – BBC News
For full report click here
103. NHS trust concedes poor progress
16 June 2008 – BBC News
Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust has been
rapped by the Healthcare Commission for failing to
improve standards.
The Trust was at the centre of a superbug scandal
earlier this year.
For full report click here
104. Hospital hygiene
16 June 2008 - The Times
NHS trusts 'failing on hygiene'
16 June 2008 - BBC
More than 40 hospitals face closure or restrictions on
their work unless they urgently improve standards of
hygiene.
For full report click here
105. NHS system reforms have improved
management of the health service
16 June 2008 - Healthcare Commission
NHS system reforms have improved management of
the health service, but need more time to deliver significant
benefits for patients. That is the finding of
the Healthcare Commission’s joint report Is the treatment
working? Progress with the NHS system programme,
published with the Audit Commission.
For more information on NHS system reforms go to http://
www.healthcarecommission.org.uk//newsandevents/
pressreleases.cfm?
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Nursing
106. Nurses to be rated on compassion
18 June 2008 – BBC News
Nursing quality to be measured for compassion
of care
18 June 2008 - COI
Treating patients with compassion, reducing the number
of falls on wards and good hand-washing are
some of the indicators that could be used in a
groundbreaking move to measure the quality of nursing
care in the NHS, Health Secretary Alan Johnson
announced.
In a keynote speech to the NHS Confederation in
Manchester, Alan Johnson set out plans to develop a
set of metrics that assess not only effectiveness and
safety of nursing care, but also how compassionately
care has been delivered. This commitment will be
included in the Workforce Strategy of Lord Darzi's
review of the NHS as part of a quality framework covering
the whole range of care that patients receive.
Consultation has already shown that the indicators
should focus on three overarching themes:
* Compassionate care: This could measure whether
patients are treated with compassion and whether
they are fully kept informed of what is happening with
their treatment.
* Effectiveness. This could include the nutritional
state of patients, minimisation of pain and results of
hand-washing audits.
* Safety. This could encompass things like the number
of falls on a ward or infection rates
For BBC report click here
Older People
107. 22 June 2008
Age Concern and Help the Aged plan to merge the
two charities into one , new super-charity with a projected
income of £160m annually. The plan is to
have the new charity up and running by Spring 2009
– a tall order.
108. Ninety and still not out
21 June 2008 - The Times
As Nelson Mandela gets closer to his ‘landmark’ age
there is a look at the lives of three people in the UK
who have reached the age of 90 yrs or more, including
Ruth Kirkby, 92, who lives in a BUPA care home.
109. WWI veteran marks 110th birthday at
care home
17 June 2008 – NCF
Harry Patch, the oldest surviving veteran of World
War I's trench warfare is celebrating his 110th birthday.
Mr Patch was born in Combe Down, Somerset,