Strategic partner updates for April 2014

Wed,2 April 2014
News Health & Social Care

Health and Social Care update from our work as Strategic Partner (SP) to the Department of Health, NHS England and Public Health England.

This month’s update includes reflections on Disability Rights UK’s events and workplan (lead on commissioning), and on how this will support local user-led organisations and finally news and insights on user research on human rights and outcomes and a grant programme for personal health budgets.

http://disabilityrightsuk.org/policy-campaigns/health-and-social-care-reforms 

Survey on the value of services in the home to support independent living and care for people with long-lasting illnesses or conditions

The European Commission—through its unit supporting research and innovation in technologies for ageing and integrated care—is undertaking a short survey. It aims to find out how people who are living with long-lasting illnesses or conditions think that services in the home (like mobile phones, the internet, or personal health monitors) which communicate with the doctor, nurse or other care professional could help enhance independent living and care. The views of patients and carers have been often overlooked in this subject area. This survey is your opportunity to make your voice heard.

  • The survey is open to anybody who is living with illnesses or conditions that last many years (or even a lifetime), and to the carers of people living with illnesses or conditions that last many years (or even a lifetime).
  • The survey is being conducted online on a specialist survey website, allowing all responses to be completely anonymous and confidential.
  • The results of the survey will be made public by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT) at a conference in Athens, 12th-14th May 2014.
  • All survey participants can have a copy of the results emailed to them, if they wish.

WHEN THIS SURVEY WILL CLOSE

To share your views, please make sure you reply by Wednesday, April 30th 2014.

TO TAKE PART, PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

LINK: European Commission survey on how services in the home could help improve the care of illnesses and conditions and enhance independent living

The Strategic Partners last met on 11 March:

Disability Rights UK’s consortium (with Shaping Our Lives and Change) has a new name, we are now the ‘Win-Win Alliance – disabled people leading change’.  

We just discussed and submitted our workplan for 2014-15. We proposed to continue with our work on user-driven commissioning, now bringing the three 'stepping stones' into the NHS: (1) supporting people to pool their personal health budgets, (2) use the collective insights built up in the process to influence de- and re-commissioning and (3) deliver peer support as integral part of new commissioned care pathways so that there are more of us: http://www.thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/News/PersonalisationNewsItem/?cid=9531

Together with one of the ‘system partners’ – Public Health England – we are building on the increasing evidence for peer support which can be a very effective way to support people to engage in self care. Case studies and a learning set will help illustrate this. As part of this, we are developing the national 'right to peer support' to be provided by default at both diagnosis and crisis levels and through national systems such as Choose & Book and locally through a number of GPs with whom we are piloting this. If this goes ahead, there will be a need for building up proper local in infrastructures to recruit, coordinate and support peer supporters, possibly form their own (offspring) user-led organisations.

We are also working with the NHS England Nursing Directorate and their Compassion in Practice strategy to foster a greater understanding (following Winterbourne View and Mid Staffordshire) of the need to work towards parity between medical and non-medical aspects of care. As part of this we want to see patient leaders to train staff on 'releasing time to care' for example. There are a range of further projects we want to take on together with other strategic partners. For example, with Community Service Volunteers (CSV), we want to set out pathways for ‘volunteering’ to progress to stages where (disabled) volunteers have a real say or a stake in new social enterprises and ultimately can also be (financially) rewarded. We also want to tease out with CSV how volunteers can play a role in helping to detect longterm conditions earlier and hence prevent or delay a deterioration of people’s needs. DRUK’s and others’ welfare rights support has often played a role in prevention but this has hardly been fully understood and recognised.

Disability Rights UK have also just passed the first round of the 'Patients in Control' funding bid run by the Commissioning Support Unit South. This will be to scope pooling projects as ‘peer-led commissioning organisations’ with personal health budget holders in Brighton & Hove, in conjunction with the CCG and Georgina Craig. Attached to this would be an evaluation by the University of Bristol Norah Fry Research Centre.

With the Norah Fry Research Centre we are also putting together a major ESRC research bid on achieving change through human rights arguments.
Our contribution to the Equally Ours partnership project and our recent series of group discussions ahead of the Care Quality Commission inspections up and down the country will inform this bid in allowing us to draw on what disabled people said should get on the agenda in research and everyday life and practice. At the most SP meeting on 11 March we have expressed many disabled people’s frustrations with major research programmes that often regard people with long-term conditions as commodities rather than experts with unique lived experience to improve systems and processes. For example, it currently seems very popular to spend research money on investigating what behaviours lead to people turning up in A&E. However, it may be a more ambitious question to ask how social care and the NHS could be improved by disabled people themselves setting outcomes for commissioning. How do choice & control benefit everyone? Could we not all say something about ‘what makes me feel better’ and ‘how those aspects or people (who make me feel better) could be recognised and rewarded accordingly?’    

The health and care system explained

The health and care system helps people lead healthier lives, recover well from illness and live better for longer.

The new health and care system becomes fully operational from 1 April to deliver the ambitions set out in the Health and Social Care Act. NHS England, Public Health England, the NHS Trust Development Authority and Health Education England will take on their full range of responsibilities.

Locally, clinical commissioning groups – made up of doctors, nurses and other professionals – will buy services for patients, while local councils formally take on their new roles in promoting public health. Health and wellbeing boards will bring together local organisations to work in partnership and Healthwatch will provide a powerful voice for patients and local communities.

To read the document, go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-health-and-care-system-explained

Further news

NHS England launches grant programme for personal health budgets

NHS England has launched a programme for the voluntary and community sector to help them 'gear up' for personal health budgets so they have the knowledge, capacity and expertise to inform their local communities about personal health budgets.

To find out more about the grant programme and how organisations can apply on the in control website on: http://www.in-control.org.uk/news/in-control-news/nhse-launches-grant-programme-for-personal-health-budgets.aspx  

Current Consultation on ill-treatment or wilful neglect

Please try and provide and/or encourage responses to the consultation on the new offence of ill-treatment or wilful neglect https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/ill-treatment-or-wilful-neglect-in-health-and-social-care

This is a short consultation – DH colleagues explained that they will be reviewing the options for legislating as soon as possible, and the short consultation period will enable them to move quickly. Extensive engagement with key stakeholders is already underway, and will continue throughout the consultation period.

New fitness test for health and social care leaders

The government is introducing a new check across the health and care sector to make sure directors who are unfit for their roles are removed. This consultation closes on 25 April 2014 5:00pm. To read more and give your views on the new fit and proper person’s test, go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-fitness-test-for-health-and-social-care-leaders 

Statutory duty of candour for health and adult social care providers

The Department of Health seeks views on changes to Care Quality Commission (CQC) registration requirements to introduce a duty of candour.

This consultation closes on 25 April 2014 5:30pm. For more information, go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/statutory-duty-of-candour-for-health-and-adult-social-care-providers

Improving corporate accountability in health and social care

The Department of Health has published its consultation response on proposals about how to hold providers to account where there are serious failures in care. For the response document, go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/improving-corporate-accountability-in-health-and-social-care 

Care Quality Commission (CQC) update

Following our series of group discussions, CQC have asked us to inform our members and networks of their forthcoming inspections and encourage you to send evidence of good/poor quality care to CQC. Individual stories, reports and surveys are all very helpful to understand people’s experiences of care.

The list of 20 acute trusts can be found here: http://www.cqc.org.uk/public/news/20-nhs-trusts-inspection-under-new-approach

The first 10 trusts will be inspected at the end of April and early May so any feedback about these trusts would be very helpful before then.

The list of mental health and community health trusts can be found here http://www.cqc.org.uk/public/news/mental-health-and-community-health-providers-be-inspected-april.

CQC will also be inspecting 12 CCG areas between April-June to check on a sample of GP practices in those areas. The CCG areas can be found here http://www.cqc.org.uk/public/news/mental-health-and-community-health-providers-be-inspected-april

Call for evidence for the emergency mental health review – here is the link for more information on this review and how you can feed in evidence

http://www.cqc.org.uk/public/news/tell-us-your-experience-mental-health-crisis-care

NHS and social care: public perceptions 2013

Please see the link below to the findings from the spring and winter 2013 surveys. For the survey, go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nhs-and-social-care-public-perceptions-2013 

MH crisis concordat

I’m sure you are aware of the recent MH crisis concordat – please cascade/comment accordingly.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/mental-health-crisis-care-agreement

NHS England publishes data on transfer dates for people with learning disabilities, autism and behaviour that challenges

NHS England has published the first set of quarterly data prompted by the Winterbourne View Concordat aimed at getting better care for people with learning disabilities, autism and behaviour that challenges. To read more, go to: http://www.england.nhs.uk/2014/03/18/wvc-data/

High quality care for all – the role of the national quality working group defined

The role of the Quality Working Group (QWG) to enable local commissioners and national directors to work together on the Quality agenda and to drive implementation of the NHS Outcomes Framework is explained. For more information, go to: http://www.england.nhs.uk/2014/03/19/qwg-care-for-all/ 

Emerging findings on commissioning general practice services published

NHS England has published an emerging findings report on a future strategy for commissioning general practice services. The report focuses on the central role NHS England wants general practice to play in wider systems of primary care, and describes the ambition for greater collaboration with clinical commissioning groups in the commissioning of general practice services.

To read more, go to: http://www.england.nhs.uk/2014/03/11/cta-emerging-findings/ 

Making it easier for civil society to work with the state – progress update

See below a link to the Cabinet Office’s update to Making it easier for civil society to work with the state published on the 10th March.

The updated report provides a progress update on opening up public service delivery to the voluntary sector since December 2012. It also sets out how the government has been improving access to public service delivery opportunities for the voluntary, charity and social enterprise (VCSE) sector by:

  • improving commissioning
  • increasing voluntary sector competitiveness
  • encouraging volunteering

Look out for the brief mention of the Health and Care Voluntary Sector Strategic Partner Programme on page 21. To read the update, go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/making-it-easier-for-civil-society-to-work-with-the-state 

Your Home Care and Human Rights

Your Home Care and Human Rights is a booklet published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) for older people who are receiving care at home. The Guide explains how human rights protect home care service users and explains their rights to home care. It is written in an accessible and user friendly format and links common concerns about care received in the home with the relevant articles of the European Convention on Human Rights. The booklet was written in partnership with Independent Age and has been supported by the UK Home Care Association. It has proved very popular with the public and professionals. It has recently been updated to incorporate reference to the ban on age discrimination in services under the Equality Act 2010 and EHRC has had it reprinted, aiming for wider coverage.  We are particularly keen to reach older people who may be users of home care and to make it available if possible in GP surgeries, health centres and other local facilities. The booklet is free and postage will be paid by EHRC.

If you are interested in ordering copies please contact: website@equalityhumanrights.com

There is also a version available to download at: www.equalityhumanrights.com/homecareinquiry

If you would like more information please contact: -georgina.english@equalityhumanrights.com 

Update to charging arrangements for adult social care services

The Department of Health has published updates to:

  • the Fairer Charging Policies for Home Care and other non-residential social services guidance
  • Charging for Residential Accommodation Guide (CRAG)

CRAG and the Fairer Charging Guidance provide statutory guidance to local authorities on how to interpret the regulations on charging for residential and non-residential care and support.

To read more, go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/update-to-charging-arrangements-for-adult-social-care-services

Effective health care for vulnerable groups prevented by data gaps

A report, from the Data and Research Working Group of the National Inclusion Health Board (NIHB) concludes that health care needs of the most vulnerable groups in society not being met because of gaps in health information and data gaps.

To read Hidden needs: identifying key vulnerable groups in data collections: vulnerable migrants, gypsies and travellers, homeless people, and sex workers, go to: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/effective-health-care-for-vulnerable-groups-prevented-by-data-gaps 

NHS England using technology to beat cost of missed appointments

Technology is being used to cut the numbers of missed GP and outpatient appointments. Figures have suggested that more than twelve million GP appointments are missed each year in the UK, costing in excess of £162 million per year. A further 6.9 million outpatient hospital appointments are missed each year in the UK, costing an average of £108 per appointment in 2012/13: http://www.england.nhs.uk/2014/03/05/missed-appts/ 

DRUK is aware of and expressing the need to target seldom heard groups such as deprived communities who may not be sufficiently supported to turn up and go through cancer screening programmes for example. 

Save the Date; Our Voices, Our Choices, Our Freedom! National Event for people with learning disabilities - Thursday 26 June 2014

CHANGE (our SP consortium partner), supported by Lumos, is organising a national event for all people with learning disabilities. This will take place in Leeds on Thursday 26 June. They are sending out some information in advance, so that everyone can plan ahead and this will make it easier for people with learning disabilities to come.

They hope that you will be as excited about this event as they are. They think that this is an important and very real opportunity for people with learning disabilities to be leaders in closing down institutions here in the UK and across Europe. They want people with learning disabilities to have real choice and control over their lives.

They would like your support. Please can you:

  • Promote this event and pass the word around to people with learning disabilities
  • Display the  attached flyer  
  • post the flyer on your website, Face book page, Twitter and other social media
  • Include information about this event in any newsletters

They would like other self-advocacy organisations to join them in planning and leading this event – please get in touch with Virginia@changepeople.org  if you feel able to help or want more information. 

New national planning policy and guidance aims to promote health and reduce inequalities

Public Health England (PHE) welcomes the Department for Communities and Local Government’s newly published National Planning Practice Guidance which recognises the importance of local infrastructure planning in the development of healthy communities. The policy framework and guidance can be seen here: http://planningguidance.planningportal.gov.uk/ 

Don't ignore a persistent cough

A PHE ‘Be Clear on Cancer’ campaign, aimed at increasing awareness of the symptoms of lung cancer, has been considered so successful it is being repeated. When the campaign first ran, from May to July 2012, around 700 extra people were diagnosed with lung cancer when compared to the same period in the previous year. See the full PHE Press Release here: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/dont-ignore-a-persistent-cough