With or without reform, the quality, reliability and effectiveness of our adult social care system depends on a workforce that feels valued, supported and encouraged to be the best. It is no accident the White Paper on social care reform is called ‘People at the Heart of Care’, as our Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Deborah Sturdy explains.
The desire to reform, rebuild and strengthen social care has been a longstanding ambition of successive governments and, while these objectives may be simply put, achieving them has often been anything but. This week, we took another big step forward with the publication of People at the Heart of Care, our adult social care system reform white paper.
Racism and micro-aggression have no place in the workplace, yet many minority ethnic nurses and healthcare professionals report experiences of discrimination. Care colleague, Irene Ibanda, has made it her mission to promote diversity and inclusion across the field so that future generations can get on with the important job of caring, without fears about prejudice.
Kathy Roberts is CEO of The Association of Mental Health Providers, the only national organisation with over 280 members representing voluntary and community sector providers of mental health and wellbeing services. In her debut DHSC blog, Kathy goes back to basics, describing why mental health social care and support services are essential, the impact they have on people’s lives, and how the sector can inform the social care reform strategy.
"Every year, when Carers UK holds Carers Rights Day, it’s an opportunity to raise awareness. People don’t see themselves as unpaid carers but as partners, wives, husbands, sons, daughters, and close friends first. Yet, providing unpaid care to someone who has a health condition, who is older or who has a disability, can have a profound impact on their health, wellbeing, paid work and relationships." Carers UK CEO Helen Walker explains more...
The nights are drawing in and autumn is becoming winter. This change in season brings with it increasing risks from seasonal viruses, including flu. UKHSA's Dr. Éamonn O'Moore explains why getting the flu jab is more important than ever.
A new network of adult social care infection prevention and control champions launches 30 November to help maintain and improve standards across the care sector. Run by the Queen’s Nursing Institute, the scheme is supported by Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care Deborah Sturdy OBE. Lessons learned from the pandemic will be rolled out to help minimise the spread of infections, including COVID-19 and flu.
Selina Morris's colleagues at the Close Care Home asked her many times if she had taken the flu jab. Her answer had always been no, until she read up on flu and COVID-19 vaccines and why having both was vital to keeping colleagues, residents and visitors safe.
The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) is working with key partners from across the social care, health and education sectors including Department for Health and Social Care, Skills for Care, National Care Forum, Department for Education, NHSE/I, Health Education England, Social Work England, Social Care Wales, LGA/ADASS to identify key learning needs to support the sector to prepare and embed LPS within everyday practice.
Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, is delighted Made with Care, the Government’s new social care recruitment campaign in England, has now launched to encourage many more people to pursue careers in social care. She explains why careers in care are rewarding, flexible and transformative.