DfE ‘does not fully understand’ children’s social care demand and costs
The National Audit Office says the Department for Education does not fully understand what is driving demand for children’s social care. It’s latest report also says the DfE is unclear as to why there is such wide variation between local authorities in their children’s social care activity and costs, as it has not yet done […]
Extra NHS and social care spending a ‘sticking plaster’
Chancellor Philip Hammond used his budget speech to announce that local authorities in England will receive a further £650 million in social care funding next year – but reaction from health bosses has been mixed. In addition, the NHS budget will increase by £20.5 billion after inflation by 2023-24 – within this, the NHS will […]
Medics call for social care funding gap to be plugged
A group of the UK’s leading medical and healthcare groups have written an open letter to Chancellor Philip Hammond stating that patients will be left ‘stranded in hospitals and GP waiting rooms’ unless the social care funding gap is plugged. The letter, which states that without extra funding for social care and public health services […]
Number of very elderly needing round-the-clock care set to double by 2035 in England
The number of adults aged 85 years and older needing round-the-clock care will almost double to 446,000 in England over the next 20 years, according a new modelling study published in The Lancet Public Health. Meanwhile, the overall numbers of over-65s requiring 24-hour care will rise by more than third to over 1 million in 2035. […]
£76 million a year to build homes for vulnerable people
The government has announced an extra £76 million a year of funding to build homes for vulnerable people. The new homes will be built over the next 3 years and will be for disabled people, people with mental health issues and older people. This supported or specialised housing is designed to be accessible and aid […]
Government ‘planning social care tax’ to meet £3.5bn funding gap
Ministers are discussing the possibility of introducing a ‘social care’ levy to cover the cost of elderly care, according to various media reports. The Sun cites sources that say the idea has been pushed by former Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, and will enable a £3.5 billion funding gap to be closed. The proposal would see […]
LGA responds to Age UK report on adult social care
The Local Government Association claims that a lack of funding for adult care will create a ‘crisis’ in the NHS. Responding to a report by Age UK on a rise in unmet care needs and the costs to the NHS of delayed discharges due to a lack of social care, Cllr Izzi Seccombe, Chairman of […]
OPINION: Will the green paper mean all-systems go for social care?
By Ailsa Colquhoun, Editor, Care Home Management The care home world has been waiting with bated breath for some good news to come from the Department of Health and Social Care in the form of the green paper on adult social care. And good news will be timely indeed. With all the doom and gloom about […]
PM: Social care budgets will be set out as part of spending review
The Prime Minister, Theresa May, has spoken of plans to change legislation in order to make it easier for the NHS to work more effectively with councils, adding that extra funding for social care will only be considered as part of the spending review. During a speech at the Royal Free Hospital regarding them future […]
Care Crisis Review sets out measures to tackle children’s social care issues
The Care Crisis Review has published a far reaching report into the future of children’s social care and the family justice sector. The Review was initiated in response to applications for care proceedings in England and Wales reaching record levels in 2017, which was one factor contributing to the rise in the number of children […]