Consumer law advice sets out obligations for care homes
The Competition and Markets Authority is providing advice so care homes understand their responsibilities under consumer law. It will be conducting a review in 12 months’ time to assess how well care homes are complying and may take further action before then if it finds care homes are treating residents and their families unfairly and breaking the law. Social care commissioners should be aware that the advice is also relevant to local authority responsibilities for funded placements.
Payment for sleep-in shifts in social care
This briefing updates councils on the latest developments regarding payment of overnight sleep-in shifts in adult social care. Although this briefing focuses on adults, the issue is also relevant to children’s services.
VCSE health and wellbeing fund 2019 to 2020: how to apply
Voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations can apply for funding to run projects focused on improving children and young people’s mental health. The deadline for applications is 15 February 2019.
Improving access to social housing for members of the Armed Forces
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government is seeking views on proposals for new statutory guidance for local authorities to improve access to social housing for members of the Armed Forces community. The consultation closes on 8 March 2019. please send your comments and responses to laura.caton@local.gov.uk.
House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee
Our Deputy Chief Executive, Sarah Pickup gave evidence to the House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee, as part of its ongoing inquiry on social care funding. The session was an opportunity to highlight findings from our green paper consultation response and outline the funding options for social care. She outlined the funding challenge facing social care, particularly in the context of wider cuts to local government, and that this could not be resolved without consideration of new and innovative solutions, including taxation and that the results from our polling showed that there was public appetite for increases in taxation in order to fund system. She also highlighted the challenges facing providers and the rising numbers handing back contracts.
Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill
The Mental Capacity (Amendment) Bill passed its final stage in the House of Lords and has now been introduced to the House of Commons. During its Second reading debate, Shadow Mental Health and Social Care Minister, Barbara Keeley expressed continued reservation about the costly and cumbersome nature of the Bill, as well as its narrow scope in applying only to care homes and hospitals. She also called on the Government to provide local authorities with the relevant resources needed to process the backlog of applications. In response, Health and Social Care Secretary, Rt Hon Matt Hancock highlighted the urgent need for reform and pointed to the LGAs support for the Bill, quoting our briefing that the “the Bill provides a vital opportunity for long-awaited reform.
The Independent Review of the Mental Health Act 1983
We responded to the publication of the final report of the Government’s independent review on the Mental Health Act, welcoming its attention to the needs of local government. The report makes a series of important recommendations, including how to bring the Mental Health Act up to date and give people a stronger say in their treatment. The Government has responded to the report by saying it will introduce a new Mental Health Bill to transform mental health care.
Mental health and wellbeing in schools
On 4 December, MPs debated mental health provision and wellbeing in schools. LGA Vice-President, Layla Moran MP (Liberal Democrat, Oxford West and Abingdon) called the debate and highlighted pressures on child and adolescent mental health services, as well as the impact of cuts on local government and community provision. Schools Minister, Nick Gibb MP pointed to measures the Government had introduced to support mental health for young people, including the Green Paper on children and young people’s mental health.
APPG on housing and care for older people evidence
Community Wellbeing Board Chair Cllr Ian Hudspeth and LGA Head of Policy Sally Burlington gave evidence to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Housing and Care for Older People. The session was an opportunity to present findings from our green paper on adult social care, describing the innovative approaches that councils are adopting to promote the health and wellbeing of their communities including in providing the right housing for older people.
Supporting carers: guidance and case studies
This publication demonstrates current examples of how councils support adult and young carers locally in a range of different ways from respite breaks to discount cards to tailored information and advice.
Self care: councils helping people look after themselves
Self care is about giving people choice and control by helping them to decide how best to protect, maintain or improve their health and wellbeing.
Fit for and during pregnancy: a key role for government
Whether it is supporting stopping smoking, encouraging healthy eating, protecting good mental health, delivering universal or targeted health visiting services, or simply working closely with the NHS, councils have a significant role to play.
Primary care home and social care: working together
The National Association of Primary Care and ADASS have launched a joint publication on how adult social care and primary care can work more closely together through the primary care home model, an established primary care network.
Driving forward system working
This report, commissioned by NHS Clinical Commissioners and NHS Providers, explores emerging practice in systems that are rethinking the way in which they plan and deliver services at a local level to support the delivery of joined-up and sustainable healthcare.
Filling the chasm: reimagining primary mental health care
This report explores a number of local initiatives bridging the gap between primary care and secondary care services, supporting people who fall into this ‘grey area’ due to having more complex needs, not meeting secondary care thresholds, or presenting with multiple or medically unexplained symptoms.
LGA/ADPH annual public health conference and exhibition 2019
21 March 2019 | London
LGA Annual Conference and Exhibition 2019
2-4 July 2019 | Bournemouth
National Children and Adult Services Conference and Exhibition 2019
20-22 November 2019 | Bournemouth
Autism strategy
The Government has announced a review of the autism strategy to begin early in the New Year. For the first time the Government is reviewing the support provided to autistic children as well as adults, which is an important development. It will inform the new joint adults and children autism strategy to be published in autumn 2019 and we are working with colleagues to provide a response. If members of your team would like to contribute to our work, please contact Kevin Halden.
Demand for ASC across counties and unitary authorities in England
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published interactive maps on the demand for adult social care across the adult population at county and unitary authority level.
National measurement of loneliness 2018
In January the Government published its first loneliness strategy. The ONS has published an overview of the loneliness measurement. It has also published comprehensive guidance on how to measure loneliness in surveys as well as research that explores how children and young people experience loneliness.
Be part of the LGA's Innovation Zone
Do you use creative ideas to tackle local issues? Have you taken a big risk that has paid off? If so, you could be part of next year’s Innovation Zone, a vibrant, creative space and programme within the LGA’s Annual Conference and Exhibition, taking place from 2-4 July 2019 in Bournemouth. Take the plunge! Tell your story, share your lessons and help others multiply your success.
Efficient and intelligent councils
To help councils continuously improve, we want to bring together learning from across local government to better describe the characteristics of efficient councils and create a package of support in one place. If your council would be interested in helping to co-produce this please get in contact.
LGA responds to NHS Long Term Plan
7 January 2019
Response to NHS long term plan to help problem drinkers and smokers
5 January 2019
Response to the Local Government Finance Settlement
13 December 2018
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First Magazine - now online
'first' is LGA's membership magazine and is received as a hard copy by over 18,000 councillors and 400 Chief Executives. In a response to demand, we have made it easier to read online by creating a dedicated website to read all of its articles, interviews and opinion pieces.
Both the hard copy and online pdf are still available to readers, and subscriptions can be amended online.
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HIghlights of the latest issue include:
- Local government funding
- 180 rotten teeth operations a day
- Ready for winter
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