e-communiqué No 29: health and social care news - 24 May 2013

Events

Bid Writing Master Class

11 June, Fareham

This is a Hampshire Chamber of Commerce event: to bid or not to bid, research and decision making, bid process planning and review, receiving and using feedback, exercise. To book a place contact Margaret Toms on 01329 242420 or email: train(at)hampshirechamber.co.uk The cost is £50 for non-members. http://tinyurl.com/o8uzprs

Disclosure & Barring Service: ‘Duty to Refer’

1.30-4.30pm, 6 July, Holiday Inn, Winchester

If you have safeguarding responsibilities and need to keep up with current requirements, this event run by the DBS will provide you with information on the practical changes to referrals following the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 – and just as importantly what isn’t changing. The event will cover:

the role of the Disclosure and Barring Service
the services provided by the Disclosure and Barring Service
referral responsibilities and good referral practices

This is a free workshop. To book a place, email lucie.baker(at)hants.gov.uk including any specific requirements you may have.

Smoke Free Hampshire

1 July, Southampton Civic Centre

The Hampshire public health website has the latest information on how they are addressing tobacco control and smoking reduction in Hampshire. To drive the agenda forward, a tobacco control development event on Monday 1 July with authorities and partners in Southampton, IOW and Portsmouth will review and celebrate achievements over the last three years. It will also kick-start work on local tobacco control plans and partnership work. Presentations will be given by Hazel Cheeseman (ASH) and Martin Blake from the South East Illegal Tobacco Programme. Local projects will be showcased, including the schools peer education smoke free programme, a reducing smoking in pregnancy project, smoke free homes, families and pets projects, an update on the work of Trading Standards, and the latest local statistics on young people and smoking. Find out more and register your place at http://tinyurl.com/p942hqd

Workshop with HCC Adult Services Procurement – 2 places left

Monday, 8 July, 9.30am - 11.30am, Winchester

At the previous workshop held with HCC Adult Services Procurement on 1 February, it was suggested that a further event could look at examples of what makes for good and bad responses in tender bids. This workshop will seek to:

give attendees advice and tips on tendering, and evaluations.
provide an update on implementation of the Public Services (Social Value) Act

To book, please contact angela.dunning(at)actionhants.org.uk

Funding and finance

Tender opportunity with HCC

South East Hampshire Physical Disabilities Day Activites

Hampshire County Council is looking to work with a provider to develop group based activities for people with physical disabilities in South East Hampshire. These activities, whilst providing care and support for service users, will actively maintain and/or develop skills and will play an important role in maximising opportunities for the service users’ wellbeing, quality of life and independence.

Documents can be requested until 13 June.

For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/c2jg6vb

Tender opportunity with Portsmouth City Council

Provision of single homeless housing support and/or substance misuse housing support

These services shall provide housing related support to vulnerable people at risk of Homelessness and Substance Misuse, with the overall aim of increasing independence and the ability to move-on to lower supported or independent accommodation and address the behaviours and issues which led to these risks in the first instance. Documents can be requested until 27 June. http://tinyurl.com/nqssv5j

£10m Homeless Hospital Discharge Fund 2013-14

This new fund will support voluntary sector organisations to work with the NHS and local authorities to create services to ensure that homeless people receive the best possible support and care after leaving hospital. Funding will run for the 2013-14 financial year with grant payments to be made in August 2013.

The Fund aims to improve hospital discharge for the homeless after treatment and to secure appropriate facilities for those requiring ongoing medical support after discharge.

The deadline for applications is 12 noon, 8 July 2013. Applications from consortiums of organisations are encouraged. To be eligible, applicants must:

provide services to homeless people or those at risk of becoming homeless
spend more than 50% of their income on homeless people
have approved annual accounts no more than 12 months old

The fund is looking for the following outcomes:

an increase in the proportion of homeless patients who have appropriate accommodation to go to on discharge from hospital
an increase in the proportion of homeless patients who leave hospital with support for ongoing healthcare needs in place
improved patient experience of admission and discharge process
a reduction in re-admissions to hospital

http://tinyurl.com/d4l2nww

Regulation and registration

Disclosure & Barring

New online Update Service available from 17 June

This service will dramatically change the way individuals use their criminal record check and how employers check their suitability. For the first time, individuals will be able to apply to have their criminal record check kept up to date and employers will be able to go online to see if the information released is still current and valid. The Update Service will ultimately reduce the number of criminal record checks people need to have, saving everyone time and money.

Individuals: from 17 June 2013, anyone who applies for their next criminal record check can choose to subscribe to the new Update Service for £13 per year, although it will be free if you are applying as a volunteer. This will allow them to keep their criminal record certificate up to date, so that they can take it with them from role to role, within the same workforce.

Employers: employers benefit too because they can carry out free, instant online checks of an individual's certificate (with their consent), to check that it is up to date. When someone is subscribing to this service, you would only have to seek a new criminal record check if the system tells you something has changed.

More information about the new Update Service and other changes is available at www.gov.uk/dbs Once you have had a chance to read the guidance there, you can contact them if you have any questions on 0870 90 90 811 or at customerservices(at)dbs.gsi.gov.uk

Umbrella Body directory

There is now a new Umbrella Body directory on the GOV.UK website. (https://dbs-ub-directory.homeoffice.gov.uk/). Organisations that provide an umbrella body service are urged to keep their details up to date.

Checks for overseas applicants

When an applicant is from overseas, employers can ask them to obtain a criminal records check, or ‘Certificate of Good Conduct’, from their country of origin. In some cases, it may also be possible for employers to obtain this check through the relevant embassy in the UK - but the applicant must give their permission. Many countries have provided details of how to apply for certificates of Good Conduct and/or criminal record certificates and these can be found at http://tinyurl.com/ph76wre (please note: the information in this link will be available from the end of May).

Employers should continue to check with the relevant embassy as processes for obtaining these checks and certificates vary between countries. A list of contact details for London based embassies can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/oqz8cau

Policy and practice

Plans to see health and social care fully joined up by 2018

Government and key players in health and care have published plans to be delivered by national leaders and local areas working closely together. They include:

an ambition to make joined up and co-ordinated health and care the norm by 2018 – with projects in every part of the country by 2015
the first ever agreed definition of what people say good integrated care and support looks and feels like - this work by National Voices gives areas a clear vision to work towards
new “pioneer” areas around the country by September 2013
new measures of people’s experience of joined up care and support by the end of 2013

Integrated Care: Our Shared Commitment includes 10 committments which all partner organisations have signed up to deliver, including: outlining how national resources will support local work; details of how information will be used to enable integration; and plans to accelerate learning across the system. Partners include NHS England, CQC, Public Health England, Local Government Association, ADASS, Think Local Act Personal and National Voices. http://tinyurl.com/ps73qpe

Integration pioneers

Pioneer areas will be selected by a panel of experts looking for the innovative, practical approaches needed to achieve change as quickly as possible.

Expressions of interest have to be submitted by the end of June, with pioneer areas confirmed in September. They are looking for pioneers that will work across the whole of their local health, public health and social care systems and alongside other local authority departments and voluntary organisations as necessary, to achieve and demonstrate the scale of change that is required. The local area could be an area covered by a particular CCG or local authority, or a larger area in which different authorities and health bodies work together. What is important is that it would be at a scale at which a real difference can be made.

Pioneers will be expected to share and promote their experiences and ideas with the rest of the country, who will also be expected to work towards improving integration at the same time as the pioneers. Further pioneers could come on stream over the next three years.

A single vision of what co-ordinated care looks like

Developed from work by National Voices in partnership with people with experience of the system, this shows what good person-centred coordinated care and support looks and feels like. It uses a series of “I” statements designed to make it clear how people expect to be treated and supported. http://tinyurl.com/q76qyeg It complements the Making it Real initiative (see http://tinyurl.com/p8s29f9), which aims to make local community services more personalised.

Children and Maternity Services in Hampshire

The latest North East Hampshire & Farnham CCG (NEHF CCG) stakeholder newsletter (issue 3) reports that commissioning for children and maternity services is being led by a new Hampshire wide children and maternity commissioning team, hosted by the NEHF CCG from April 2013. “A local focus will be ensured by the clinical leadership of Dr Olive Fairbairn working closely with the Senior Clinical Commissioning Manager.” The NEHF CCG has outlined local priorities for 2013/14 as:

continuing to make sure that pregnant women have the best care possible
reducing the number of children who attend A & E with minor illnesses and making sure that children are only admitted to hospital when absolutely necessary
making sure that the care of children with diabetes meets national standards
making sure that children with disabilities and their families have equitable access to nursing, therapy, care and equipment in the community.
children and young people with mental health difficulties are able to get access to support, advice and therapy when they need it.

Mental health lead at North East Hampshire & Farnham CCG

Dr Olive Fairbairn is the mental health lead. The CCG’s current priorities are around: dementia; encouraging earlier diagnosis; better community care; and good liaison services to Frimley Park Hospital to prevent crises and unnecessary admissions. Future priorities are likely to be the acute pathway, and improving access to psychological therapy for those with chronic disease in line with the government priority of “No health without mental health”. Email ehfccg@hampshire.nhs.uk

Consultation to integrate mental health and social care services in North East Hampshire

Ends: 5 July

Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Hampshire County Council are consulting with people who use services, their families and the wider community about formally integrating adult community mental health and social care services delivered in the north east of Hampshire. http://tinyurl.com/ph7cfc8

Minister emphasises role of Health & Wellbeing Boards in driving reform after Winterbourne

The Care and Support Minister, Norman Lamb, has written to the chairs of health and wellbeing boards saying they have a crucial role in delivering the commitments made following the fallout from the Winterbourne View scandal. He stressed that the care reviews of people with learning disabilities, autism, mental health and challenging behaviour, in acute hospital settings, need to be carried out by 1 June.

He also highlighted the role of the chairs in challenging the ambition of the joint strategic plans being drawn up by clinical commissioning groups and local authorities, and in helping to make sure the right clinical and managerial leadership and infrastructure are in place. http://tinyurl.com/p5e5o7g

Children and Young People's Health Outcomes Forum: Recommendations to improve children and young people’s health results

A whole suite of documents has been posted on GOV.UK by the Dept of Health. It includes the Forum’s final report, supporting documents from the subgroups – mental health, public health & prevention, acutely ill, long term conditions, disability & palliative care – inequalities in health outcomes, health & wellbeing boards, and commissioning in the new NHS. http://tinyurl.com/cflw9rr

Adult Social Care: Choice Framework

The Adult Social Care Choice Framework sets out the choices people are able to make in relation to their care and support. It sets out:

what choices you can expect your council to offer you about your care and support
where to get more information and advice to help you decide what to do

How to make a complaint if you are not offered a choice. http://tinyurl.com/aa7bweb

Clinical Reference Groups

NHS England has launched a series of web pages on each of the 74 specialised services Clinical Reference Groups. http://www.england.nhs.uk/npc-crg/

What's new?

Congratulations to No Limits - one of 10 winners in the GlaxoSmithKline Impact Awards 2013

Each year Award entrants are judged against the GSK impact criteria of innovation, management, partnership, achievement, community focus and targeting need. No Limits provides information, advice, counselling, advocacy and support for young people in Southampton and Hampshire. The judges’ comments were: “No Limits is creative in the way it addresses young people’s needs. It is able to target general issues such as sexual health and alcohol use as well as provide focused support for the most vulnerable. It has a good reach within its community and is achieving good results through its strong partnerships.” http://tinyurl.com/qa97aq8

Success for another Hampshire charity – Society of St James

Funding from the Big Lottery’s Reaching Communities programmes will see the Society provide sports sessions and transport for activities including football and kickboxing to adults who are vulnerable due to homelessness, mental health problems and drug or alcohol addiction. Delivered in a supportive environment, participants will be encouraged to improve their self-esteem, take up volunteering opportunities, and focus on stimulating activities to help motivate them to stay on the right path. In partnership with the Saints Foundation, the project’s 2012 evaluation report showed a 69% reduction in drug use of participants, compared with just 6% of adults on drug rehabilitation who were not doing the sports programme. http://tinyurl.com/nbju9r9

Transport for people with disabilities – how was it for you?

The Parliamentary Committee on Transport is conducting an inquiry into access to transport for people with disabilities, and will be producing a report with recommendations during summer 2013. The Committee would like to hear about your experiences as a user or carer accessing any type of transport, or your experiences as an operator of a service used by people with disabilities, before the appearance of the Transport Minister before the Committee on 3 June.

http://www.parliament.uk/access-to-transport-forum

Hampshire Hospitals and WRVS team up to support patients with dementia

Hampshire Hospitals is setting up a volunteer scheme in partnership with the WRVS to recruit helpers for patients suffering with dementia. They plan to create a network of specially trained volunteers across the three hospitals in Andover, Basingstoke and Winchester who will work alongside clinical staff providing social support. This could be simply by chatting and reminiscing with patients, involving them in activities and generally befriending them. They will liaise with families to ensure patients get the most out of the new service. The new volunteers will receive full training and ongoing support. http://tinyurl.com/q8rcyuo

Hidden from view: The experiences of young carers in England

Recent census data reveals that the number of 5-7 year old young carers in England has increased by around 80% over the last decade to 9,371.

And a staggering 166,363 children in England are caring for their parents, siblings and family members. This is up by a fifth from when the last Census was conducted in 2001. Nearly 15,000 children up to the age of 17 are providing more than 50 hours of care every week. Research also finds that young carers themselves are 1.5 times more likely than their peers to have a special educational need or disability. This report from the Children’s Society lifts the lid on the realities of being a young carer. Building on existing research, it highlights that many young people are taking on excessive or inappropriate caring responsibilities. This is having a major negative impact on their childhoods - and on the rest of their lives. http://tinyurl.com/cr3zvlf

Mind and MoneySupermarket join forces to highlight the impact of debt on mental health

Not surprisingly, money worries are taking their toll on people, with 31% of the population claiming their finances are their biggest daily stress, according to research from MoneySupermarket. For some these worries can start to make a real impact on their health. Add to this the uncertainty many are feeling about what effect welfare reform will have on their benefits, and you end up with a potent mix.

As a result, the comparison site has partnered with the mental health charity Mind for the next two years to raise awareness of the link between finances and mental health issues. MoneySupermarket will also be raising funds for the charity. http://tinyurl.com/qgoc2wg

Results of 2nd National Personal Budget Survey

In Control has published the 2nd National Personal Budget survey in conjunction with Think Local Act Personal. More than 3,000 personal budget holders and their carers took part in the survey from 22 council areas. The survey shows a largely positive impact of personal budgets in most people’s lives:

over 70% of people who hold a personal budget reported a positive impact on being independent, getting the support they need and want, and being supported with dignity.
over 60% reported a positive impact on physical health, mental wellbeing and control over their support.
a further 50% reported a positive impact on feeling safe in and outside their home, and in their relationships with paid supporters.

The survey found only small numbers of people reporting any negative impact.

More information at http://tinyurl.com/pdsasny

Dying at Home guide - the case for integrated working

Many people who are coming to the end of life would choose to die at home. A new guide, published by Social Care Institute for Excellence, brings together the latest evidence for what needs to be in place to ensure that people and their carers receive quality care, at the end of life. The guide is aimed at practitioners and managers supporting people with end of life care needs across the health, social care and housing sectors and policy-makers and local commissioners of end of life care services. http://tinyurl.com/nm96w6u