The Self Care Forum believes awareness weeks are vital for encouraging people to make better choices about their health and wellbeing. Chair, Helen Donovan, explains how we can all help make the change...
A few months ago, Think Local Act Personal (TLAP)'s Tim Parkin wondered whether their insight group was a foolhardy enterprise or demonstrated remarkable foresight. With the publication of the group’s report into the effects of the pandemic on people who access care and support, as seen through the lens of personalisation, he offers a few observations on the journey and thoughts for the future.
Anyone working in the care sector – and in residential care settings in particular – knows how vital infection prevention and control is in keeping residents, staff and visitors safe and well. The continued prevalence of COVID-19 in our communities only heightens our collective awareness of this essential line of defence. Back in April, Ruth May, Chief Nursing Officer for England, issued a call to action to CCGs tasking them to deliver ‘train the trainer’ sessions on infection prevention and control to all care homes by the end of May.
This time last year, no one could have anticipated the world would soon be in thrall to a viral pandemic – one which would affect the lives of all of us in multiple and prolonged ways. In Hertfordshire though, they have a reputation for adapting to the challenging, the complex and the unexpected…
This week, the Department of Health and Social Care published a new PPE (personal protective equipment) strategy, which sets out how PPE will be delivered to the health and social care frontline until the end of March 2021. This is a good opportunity to firstly thank the health and care workforce for everything they do - and have done - during the exceptional circumstances we all find ourselves in.
Professional Care Workers’ Week (1-4 September) happens every year. Although in its relative infancy, the events of the last few months have made these dedicated days of awareness raising more vital than ever. Karolina Gerlich, Executive Director of the Care Workers' Charity explains why she wants to see the care and support sector adopt, support, and promote the week’s themes, values and aspirations.
One of the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic has been how to deal with the massive amounts of information and guidance being produced by the government and across the whole social care sector. At the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), their approach has been to reach out and engage the social care sector to find out what they need in terms of good practice guidance and support.
NHS staff are described, rightly, as members of the country’s frontline defence against coronavirus. That frontline is populated by another group of equally dedicated men and women: care workers. Paul Jenkins, Covid -19 Senior Briefing Officer here at the Department of Health and Social Care, explains the support provided to date and signposts services available to keep them well in mind and body.
Since the early days of the coronavirus outbreak, much of the world's shared anxiety and worry has focused on how, when and where the virus is transmitted. This worry has been no less acute in our country's care homes. Jeremy Richardson, Chief Executive of Four Seasons Health Care, explains why his business is one of the many care home providers participating in a new research study to determine how outbreaks occur in residential care settings - and could be prevented.
The recent announcement confirming the routine and regular weekly testing of care home staff for covid-19 infections is hugely welcome and represents another step up in the fight against the virus within care homes. The National Care Forum's Executive Director Vic Rayner explains why expanding the testing programme in this way is so essential.
As the UK’s coronavirus lockdown continues to cautiously ease, it remains just as important to protect ourselves and others from the risk of infection. Helen Donovan, RCN and Chair of the Self Care Forum and Dr Knut Schroeder, GP and CE of the Self Care Forum explain why they believe self care should lie at the heart of society's response to the pandemic.