A report by a committee of MSPs called for better monitoring of the cost of free personal and nursing care. It highlighted the potential impact that demographic change and inflation could have on the sustainability of care provision in the future.
Source: Free Personal and Nursing Care, 4th Report 2008, SP Paper 183, Scottish Parliament Public Audit Committee, available from Blackwell's Bookshop (0131 622 8283)
Links: Report | SP press release | SG press release | BBC report | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Dec
A report examined carers' experiences of direct payments. It urged local councils to provide better support to carers managing direct payments, rather than saddling them with the burden of unnecessary administration and worry.
Source: Choice or Chore? Carers' experiences of direct payments, Carers UK (020 7566 7626)
Links: Report | Carers UK press release | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Nov
A report said that local councils should be given formal authority to appoint joint strategic directors for children's and adults' services (rather than having two separate posts).
Source: Rachel Potter with Andrew Cozens, Think Family, Think Community: The role of directors with combined responsibilities for children's and adults' services, Improvement and Development Agency (020 7296 6693)
Links: Report | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Oct
A pilot scheme evaluation found that individual budgets were generally welcomed by users, because they gave them more control over their lives: but there were variations in outcomes between user groups. People receiving an individual budget were more likely to feel in control of their daily lives, compared with those receiving conventional social care support; satisfaction was highest among mental health service users and physically disabled people, and lowest among older people.
Source: Caroline Glendinning et al., Evaluation of the Individual Budgets Pilot Programme: Final Report, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Report | Summary | DH press release | Alzheimers Society press release | Mencap press release | LSE press release | in Control press release | Inside Housing report
Date: 2008-Oct
An independent report evaluated the effectiveness of human rights-based approaches in five National Health Service organizations. It said that the evidence suggested that such approaches could be one way of achieving good practice in health and social care. The government published a revised framework for local action on human rights in healthcare.
Source: Ipsos MORI, Human Rights in Healthcare Evaluation: Final evaluation report, Department of Health (08701 555455) | Human Rights in Healthcare: A Framework for Local Action (2nd edition), Department of Health
Date: 2008-Oct
The government published its response to a review that considered the burdens placed on local government as a result of its relationship with the Department of Health.
Source: Department of Health Commentary on Task Force Recommendations, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Response | Letter | Review report
Date: 2008-Oct
A report examined how a simplified, locally based system of social care would address some of the problems with the existing system. It looked at the complex range of public support for people with care needs, and how simplifying this into a straightforward, personal approach would also bring improvements in quality and value for money at the local level. Social care, welfare benefits, and National Health Service funding for older and disabled people should be delivered through single all-encompassing budgets.
Source: Our Lives, Our Choices: Fit for the future – A new vision for adult social care and support, Local Government Association (020 7664 3000)
Links: Report | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Sep
A report examined ways of promoting participation by people from seldom-heard groups in the provision of social care services.
Source: Paul Robson, Alice Sampson, Nnamdi Dime, Louisa Hernandez and Rachael Litherland, Seldom Heard: Developing inclusive participation in social care, Social Care Institute for Excellence (020 7089 6840)
Links: Report | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Sep
A report said that voluntary sector organizations employing social care staff were frequently forced to supplement the local authority fees they received with voluntary income in order to cover their costs – against Charity Commission guidelines.
Source: Clare Smith, Social Care: Has Anything Changed? – A report into the recruitment and retention of the voluntary sector social care workforce, Social Care Employers' Consortium (020 3242 0200)
Links: Report | Personnel Today report
Date: 2008-Sep
A report examined the factors leading to a placement on the Protection of Vulnerable Adults list (for workers and volunteers dismissed for misconduct that harmed vulnerable adults or placed them at risk of harm). One of the most notable findings was an over-representation of male care workers being referred, implying a possible need for an increase in focus on gender issues in managing and developing the social care workforce. Three further strong patterns were identified: residential workers were more likely to be referred because of physical and emotional abuse; domiciliary workers were much more likely to be referred for financial abuse; almost all referrals regarding sexual abuse concerned male staff.
Source: Martin Stevens et al., The Protection of Vulnerable Adults List: An investigation of referral patterns and approaches to decision-making, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Report | Summary | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Aug
A report examined the experiences of people who had to meet the costs of care themselves (self-funders) when they sought help from their local authority. Self-funders were often shocked by the complexity of care needs assessment and entitlements that faced them.
Source: Gillian Dalley with Michael Mandelstam, Assessment Denied? Council responsibilities towards self-funders moving into care, Relatives and Residents Association (020 7359 8148)
Links: RRA press release
Date: 2008-Jul
An article examined the transformation of state social work over the previous two decades. There had been a steady yet radical process of privatization which had had a considerable impact upon the experiences of 'service users', informal carers, and social work practitioners. Many of the promised benefits of privatization, including that it would create a more efficient and effective structure for the delivery of social care, had never materialized. On the contrary, the organization of social care was highly bureaucratic, exploited labour, and was deeply ineffective at responding to the needs of vulnerable adults and children.
Source: Malcolm Carey, 'Everything must go? The privatization of state social work', British Journal of Social Work, Volume 38 Number 5
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Jul
A study examined what service users themselves thought person-centred support was, what got in the way of providing it, and what helped.
Source: Michael Glynn and Peter Beresford with others, Person-centred Support: What service users and practitioners say, York Publishing Services for Joseph Rowntree Foundation, available from York Publishing Services Ltd (01904 430033)
Links: Report | JRF Findings
Date: 2008-Jul
A new book examined key philosophical, ethical, legal, and professional practice issues in the area of privacy and confidentiality in health and social services; and explored their implications for policy and practice.
Source: Chris Clark and Janice McGhee (eds.), Private and Confidential? Handling personal information in the social and health services, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2008-Jul
The government published a guide designed to help commissioners and service providers select and monitor evidence-based services for vulnerable people.
Source: Think Research: Using research evidence to inform service development for vulnerable groups, Social Exclusion Task Force/Cabinet Office (020 7276 1234)
Links: Guide
Date: 2008-Jul
A report examined the ways in which local authorities and their partners were making connexions between the 'place-shaping' and 'personalization' agendas. Local authorities and their partners saw both policy strands as being fundamentally about empowerment – at the community and individual levels respectively. It was not yet clear, however, to what extent this understanding was making a difference to the planning, commissioning, and delivery of public services
Source: Jane Carrier, Communities – Healthy, Strong and Prosperous: The links between the personalisation and place-shaping agendas in adult social care and health, Improvement and Development Agency (020 7296 6693)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Jul
A study examined the care and support received by direct payment employers from their personal assistants. 79 per cent of employers were very satisfied with the care and support they received from PAs. In addition, 95 per cent of PAs said that they loved their work, and 64 per cent were very happy in their role.
Source: Lorna Adams and Laura Godwin, Employment Aspects and Workforce Implications of Direct Payments, Skills for Care (formerly Topss England) (0113 245 1716)
Links: Report | SFC press release
Date: 2008-Jun
An article examined the problems associated with the management of agency workers in social services, and the potentially negative consequences for the quality of services.
Source: Kim Hoque and Ian Kirkpatrick, 'Making the core contingent: professional agency work and its consequences in UK social services', Public Administration, Volume 86 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Jun
The Welsh Assembly Government responded to a report by an Assembly Committee on delayed transfers of patients between hospital and social care.
Source: Response to the Report of the National Assembly Audit Committee on Delayed Transfers of Care, Welsh Assembly Government (029 2082 5111)
Date: 2008-Jun
The government began consultation on proposals to improve support for volunteers in the National Health Service and in social care.
Source: Towards a Strategy to Support Volunteering in Health and Social Care: Consultation, Department of Health (08701 555455)
Links: Consultation document | DH press release
Date: 2008-Jun
A new set of books examined partnership working between health and social care organizations.
Source: Jon Glasby and Helen Dickinson, Partnership Working in Health and Social Care, Policy Press, available from Marston Book Services (01235 465500) | Edward Peck and Helen Dickinson, Managing and Leading in Inter-agency Settings, Policy Press | John Carpenter and Helen Dickinson, Interprofessional Education and Training, Policy Press | Kim Jelphs and Helen Dickinson, Working in Teams, Policy Press | Helen Dickinson, Evaluating Outcomes in Health and Social Care, Policy Press
Links: Summary (Glasby) | Summary (Peck) | Summary (Carpenter) | Summary (Jelphs) | Summary (Dickinson)
Date: 2008-May
An article examined the participation of children and young people in social care decision-making in England. The mechanisms used to facilitate participation and the culture of the organizations in which participation took place were important factors in the process, and a clearer understanding of power could be used to help agencies improve their policy-making.
Source: Robert Gunn, 'The power to shape decisions? An exploration of young people's power in participation', Health and Social Care in the Community, Volume 16 Issue 3
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-May
A report examined the causes of delayed transfers of care from hospitals in Wales. It made a total of 46 recommendations, focusing on improving efficiency, and on establishing across Wales a 'balance of care' which would avoid unnecessary admissions to hospital.
Source: Marcus Longley et al., Independent Review of Delayed Transfers of Care in Wales, Welsh Institute for Health and Social Care/University of Glamorgan (01443 483070)
Links: Report | Summary | Summary (Welsh) | BBC report
Date: 2008-Apr
Researchers examined direct payment support services. On average, people waited for 4.9 weeks before receiving any help in England, whereas in Wales and Scotland there were no waiting lists. Fewer than half of the 27,700 people receiving direct payments in 2004-05 were receiving support services; and staff members' caseloads would have had to increase by 60 per cent to extend support to everyone.
Source: Vanessa Davey et al., Schemes Providing Support to People Using Direct Payments: A UK survey, Personal Social Services Research Unit/London School of Economics (020 7955 6238)
Links: Report | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Apr
A policy statement was published on the roles and tasks of social workers. It examined the purpose and value of social work, the outcomes it enabled people to achieve, and how it helped in specific individual and family circumstances. It described the situations where, because of the levels of risk, complexity, or conflict involved, employers should ensure a registered social worker was involved.
Source: Social Work at its Best: A statement of social work roles and tasks for the 21st century, General Social Care Council (020 7397 5100)
Links: Statement | GSSC press release
Date: 2008-Mar
A report (by the government's 'volunteering champion') said that service users could make an enormous contribution as volunteers in health and social care. But child protection checks and other barriers were wasting this potential.
Source: Julia Neuberger, Volunteering in the Public Services: Health and Social Care, Cabinet Office (020 7261 8527)
Links: Report | Cabinet Office press release | CSV press release | Guardian report | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Mar
A study found that more than 70 per cent of social services users who had been given their own personal budget reported a better quality of life.
Source: Chris Hatton et al., A Report on in Control's Second Phase: Evaluation and learning 2005-2007, in Control (0121 708 3031)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Mar
An article examined the importance of information in making informed choices about social support by drawing on the findings of a scoping review of government research and development activity on the accessibility of information about adult social care services. There was no government-related or other recent research evidence on the specific information-access needs for some user groups and services – for example, people from ethnic minority groups. For other user groups, such as people with chaotic lifestyles, there was evidence on information needs but no existing or planned development projects to address these needs.
Source: Kate Baxter, Caroline Glendinning and Sue Clarke, 'Making informed choices in social care: the importance of accessible information', Health and Social Care in the Community, Volume 16 Issue 2
Links: Abstract
Date: 2008-Mar
A report examined the impact of social care professionals working within the multi-disciplinary environment of an extended school. The benefits of this type of service integration were seen as significant, including: earlier identification of needs and quicker access to services; a better understanding and knowledge of roles and responsibilities between social care and education colleagues; and a more coherent, holistic package of support.
Source: Anne Wilkin, Jenny Murfield, Emily Lamont, Kay Kinder and Paul Dyson, The Value of Social Care Professionals Working in Extended Schools, National Foundation for Educational Research (01753 747281)
Links: Report | Summary | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Mar
A report published by the social care inspectorate examined issues arising from the trend for local councils to raise the threshold for access to social care services. It questioned whether the existing situation was either sustainable or – in the context of an 'outcomes-focused personalization agenda' – defensible.
Source: Melanie Henwood and Bob Hudson, Lost to the System? The impact of fair access to care, Commission for Social Care Inspection (0845 015 0120)
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2008-Feb
The report of an independent advisory body said that the Department for Children, Schools and Families was showing signs of a real commitment to give more freedom for local authorities to get on with delivering the best possible services for their communities: but there was still a long way to go. National information technology projects such as the integrated children's system had often been poorly planned, and had actually created more difficulties for social workers than they solved, as well as diverting attention away from professional approaches to meeting the needs of children and families. The report recommended that local councils providing a good service should only be inspected every two years.
Source: Review of the Department for Children, Schools and Families, Lifting the Burdens Task Force, c/o Local Government Association (020 7664 3131)
Links: Report | Task Force press release | LGA press release
Date: 2008-Feb
A report said that the adult social care workforce needed to increase by 80 per cent to 2.5 million by 2025, assuming a scenario where all service users who wanted direct payments received them or had support care provided on a highly personalized basis.
Source: Christine Eborall and David Griffiths, The State of the Adult Social Care Workforce in England, 2008, Skills for Care (formerly Topss England) (0113 245 1716) Links: Report | SFC press release | Community Care report
Date: 2008-Feb
A report examined user involvement in health and social care in Northern Ireland, and made recommendations for improving it.
Source: Joe Duffy, Looking Out from the Middle: User involvement in health and social care in Northern Ireland, Stakeholder Participation Report 18, Social Care Institute for Excellence (020 7089 6840)
Links: Report
Date: 2008-Feb
The Northern Ireland Executive began consultation on proposals to reform health and social care. The key elements included: a new Regional Health and Social Care Board that would focus on financial management, performance management, and commissioning; and a new multi-professional Regional Public Health Agency to create better inter-sectoral working to tackle health promotion and inequalities.
Source: Proposals for Health and Social Care Reform, Northern Ireland Executive (028 9052 0500)
Links: Consultation document | NIE press release | BMA press release | BBC report
Date: 2008-Feb
A new book examined the introduction of private sector management techniques in social work practice. The 'McDonaldization' process heightened dilemmas, such as cost versus rights, for professionals working in the social services.
Source: Donna Dustin, The McDonaldization of Social Work, Ashgate Publications (01235 827730)
Links: Summary
Date: 2008-Jan
The Northern Ireland Executive published a strategy to promote equality, good relations, and human rights in health and social care.
Source: Equality, Good Relations and Human Rights Strategy and Action Plan, Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety/Northern Ireland Executive (028 9052 0500)
Links: Strategy | NIE press release
Date: 2008-Jan