Last week’s National Children and Adult Services Conference 2013 (NCAS), proved a fruitful and engaging exercise for many delegates. This gathering of the care and support sector’s great and the good in Harrogate, North Yorkshire gave Department of Health ministers, policy teams and sector partners the opportunity to discuss and debate the big issues during three days of speeches, plenary sessions, workshops and breakfast meetings.
Inevitably, the Care Bill, funding reform, implementation and integration were the main topics of discussion. Ministerial priorities, including health risks attached to loneliness of the elderly and the need to embed parity of esteem in the system for physical and mental health, were also given prominence.
We hope you found our conference coverage useful. It was a massive team effort from colleagues throughout the department - all driven by a commitment to inform and engage with the sector.
Listen again
Those of you on Twitter will have been witness to our live conference coverage. This coverage included audio content uploaded to our dedicated Audioboo social care channel. Listen again to commentary and conversation from Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Director General for Social Care Jon Rouse, senior policy colleagues and sector partners.
#NCASC13
3 comments
Comment by Alison France posted on
Shame that there is no text transcript for deaf / hard of hearing people to "listen" to. The statement above "including health risks attached to loneliness of the elderly" - loneliness of the elderly can be linked to the sensory loss whether loss of hearing and / or visual. Having a sensory loss has a signficant inpact on an individual resulting in isolation, frustration, loneliness all of which lead to deterioration of mental health. Prevention work around hearing / visual loss can save Authorities a great deal of money however prevention is often overlooked tending to focus on when an individual has reached a critical / crisis point in their life.
Comment by Mark Osterloh posted on
Hi Alison - thanks for your comments. Having recently returned from NCAS, I can confirm earlier intervention in the lives of those needing care and support was a recurring theme, both in terms of clinical diagnosis/support and proactive community involvement. Indeed, it is one of the goals of the £3.8 billion integration fund to promote new local structures where health and care provision are better coordinated so that an individual's care needs can be better anticipated, served and monitored.
Comment by LezH posted on
What a waste of money! Three days to tell people to talk to us.