How often do we hear people refer to “I’m just a care worker” or “I’m just a care home nurse”. There is nothing “just” about anything in social care. Our profession has an incredible workforce full of talented, entrepreneurial people, …
COVID-19 vaccination has to be comprehensive to be truly effective as protection – particularly for those most vulnerable to infection. While the SAGE recommended levels of at least 80% of care home staff and 90% of residents have been reached and exceeded in many parts of England, regional variation persists.
Deborah Sturdy, our Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, explains why the Government, following wide consultation with the care sector, has taken the difficult decision to make vaccination a mandatory condition of deployment in care homes.
Matthew Gould, CEO of NHSX and Michelle Dyson, Director General for Adult Social Care at DHSC set out what the Government's Health and Social Care Data Strategy means for the adult social care sector.
After what can only be described as an uncertain and difficult 18 months, Care Home Open Week was a fantastic opportunity to focus on the positives and have some fun.
Many of the people supported at Precious Homes have found the pandemic hard. Changes to routine can be a challenge for autistic people, and isolation from friends, family and support systems add to an already confusing situation. Precious Homes staff made sure Care Home Week was enjoyed by everyone.
Often, when people think about moving into a care home, they might picture bingo at 3pm, lounges filled with old people watching endless re-runs of Corrie and early bedtimes. At Maycroft Manor in Brighton, they pride themselves on doing things differently. Care Home Open Week was no exception.
COVID-19 has led to many changes in the way residential care is provided and the way care colleagues work together. One thing that hasn’t changed is the sense of family and community within Priscilla Wakefield House, a teaching care home in Haringey, north London.
Despite the outside world being turned up-side-down, care staff have succeeded in keeping a sense of normality, and making sure residents continue to enjoy laughter and fun.
Andrew Reece, head of the integrated learning disability service for Camden Council, has always struggled with how the social care sector measures ‘what good looks like’, particularly in the context of supporting people with learning disabilities to make and sustain friendships. In this blog for DHSC's Social Care site, he proposes an alternative approach to help everyone get it right.
Although anyone can experience mental health issues, those of us who identify as LGBTQ+ are more likely to develop problems including low self-esteem, depression and anxiety. As this month marks Pride Month, Andrew Seed, Integrative Psychotherapist at Cygnet Hospital Ealing, reflects on how creating a safe space for service users and staff is vital to celebrate their gender and sexual identity.
If you’ve not come across DHSC's Regional Assurance team, its members act as two-way information sharers between the Department and local areas.
They use their experience of the adult social care sector to provide informed assessments to the Department and the Minister for Social Care. They also provide opportunities for the sector to influence and inform DHSC about the way current policies are working in the regions.
For almost a decade, care home open days have seen care homes all over the country open their doors to families, friends and local communities. This year’s event, which takes place across a week (28 June - 4 July), has particular significance, providing an opportunity to reunite care homes with their local communities, while celebrating the incredible care colleagues who have remained on the frontline throughout the pandemic.
Developed by the NHS and then adapted for use in social care, a new infection prevention control toolkit has been launched to help all social care colleagues protect themselves and those they care for. It can be used to start a conversation and help you find the answer to the question: ‘What can I do better?’