It’s worth paying attention to medicine, because when it goes wrong, people suffer and die. But how do we know when things are going wrong? This week the BMA produced a report on whistleb This lowers. Of the 384 doctors who responded to its survey (that was a dismal response rate of 12%, we should be clear), [...]

Plans from all three parties to tighten immigration controls could restrict recruitment to adult social care and damage the quality of services. Immigration shot to the top of the election agenda yesterday when Gordon Brown described a supporter who questioned him about eastern European immigration as bigoted. All three parties have plans to impose greater [...]

The Royal College of Nursing publishing results from its Employment Survey, which highlights how pressures on workload and staffing levels can impact on patient care. The survey shows fewer nurses responding positively to views on workload, particularly those working in the NHS. Over half of the respondents (55%) say that there aren’t enough staff to [...]

As the dust settles after the first of the leaders’ debates, did it tell us any more about the parties’ approach to health? For health aficionados, the debate was perhaps as notable for what the leaders didn’t say, as what they did. There was no discussion about the Conservative proposal for an independent NHS board [...]

The first ever World Autism Awareness Day has been declared by the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The idea was promoted by the State of Qatar who worked hard to make World Autism Day a reality – this historic day will take place on Wednesday 2nd April 2008. Autism campaigners around the globe [...]

247 Professional Health now adds 2 star CQC for 247Homecare to the already established CQC in 247Nursing. This is the highest available rating for a new service, and very importantly we received no recommendations or statutory requirements from the report, which is very unusual, all care homes we have researched have been very impressed with [...]

In the biggest change to the welfare state since the creation of the NHS, everyone who needs care when they are old or disabled will get it for free, Health Secretary Andy Burnham announced today as he launched the National Care Service in England. The National Care Service will be based on a principle of [...]

The Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling has set the scene for publication of the care and support White Paper. Giving his final budget speech before the general election, Mr Darling said: “I have also decided to freeze the inheritance tax threshold for a further four years, and this will help pay for the cost [...]

The Conservatives would reverse Labour’s ‘NHS preferred provider’ policy to open up services to competition from all sectors, shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley told charity leaders. He said that the third sector would move ‘from the margins to the heart of our health and social care services’, including by requiring public health commissioners to procure [...]

The 7th Annual NHS Staff Survey for the Care Quality Commission has underlined major resourcing challenges with 45% of those surveyed believing that there were not enough staff for them to do their jobs properly. Commenting on the findings of the  survey Tom Hadley, Director of External Relations at the Recruitment and Employment Confederation said: “NHS [...]

Health Secretary Andy Burnham, shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley and Lib Dem health spokesperson Norman Lamb came together for cross-party talks on the funding of care and support at an event hosted by Age Concern and Help the Aged. What’s your thoughts on this please?

Any solution for funding better care for older people must pass three tests, says national charity, Counsel and Care. It must be ‘fair, simple and sustainable’. With a White Paper on the funding of a national care service expected shortly, Stephen Burke, Chief Executive of Counsel and Care, said: “There is consensus that the care [...]

Employers across the social care sector can access a huge recruitment pool as record numbers of candidates are looking for a career in social care this month, new figures reveal. Since the beginning of February, more than 28,000 people have registered interest in a job in social care via a Government-funded website, run by United [...]

Nugent Care’s first charity shop is doing a roaring trade! Officially opened by Lord Mayor of Liverpool Mike Storey in September, the shop stocks a wide range of goods, including clothing and books.  Marie Reynolds, Nugent Care’s Fundraising Manager, contributed enormously to ensuring the shop was ready and open on time, working alongside contacts from [...]

“We are already seeing Lord Darzi’s vision to put quality at the heart of care becoming a reality across the country, but we can go further. By making NHS services truly people-centred and ensuring that patients have access to high quality, integrated and efficient community services, the NHS could save up to £2.7 billion a year – meaning a [...]

Councils will struggle to cope with the financial challenge posed by England’s ageing population and could miss opportunities to innovate and save, according to a report from the Audit Commission called ‘Under Pressure’. The report said that most councils don’t know enough about the costs of their ageing population and they could do more to [...]

A row has erupted between the three main political parties before a health summit tomorrow aimed at securing an agreement on funding old people’s care. Wrangling broke out after a Conservative health spokesman admitted the Tories needed more money to keep the elderly at home and would offer people a range of insurance schemes to [...]

On the third leg of his tour highlighting good practice in care and support, Care Services Minister Phil Hope travelled to Yorkshire to visit a telecare project that is helping people to live safely in their own homes. Greenfield Court in Harrogate is a complex of ten homes, called “wise homes”, for older people. The [...]

In pursuit of a gripping headline, Brown has scuppered a fair, sensible and long-term plan for care of the elderly Here was such a sound and solid piece of policymaking, rare long-term thinking about a wicked issue you wouldn’t expect just before an election. There might be few votes in it, with a political risk [...]

What are LINks? They’re Local Involvement Networks – individuals and community groups, such as faith groups and residents’ associations, which work together to improve health and social care services. There are 150 around England, and aim to give people a strong voice in the delivery of health services – to identify their needs and demands, [...]