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Dear colleague,
I hope you had a relaxing summer and managed to recharge ahead of what is likely to be an interesting and busy few months.
Amid the wider national uncertainty we are witnessing, councils have been grappling with the uncertainty of funding for next year. This month’s Spending Round, although only a one year plan for 2020/21, was eagerly anticipated and – all things considered – contained a number of positive announcements. Local government overall received a funding package of more than £3.5 billion; the biggest year on year real terms increase in spending power for local government in a decade.
Within the community wellbeing realm, the Chancellor announced £1 billion for social care (children’s and adults), the continuation of £2.5 billion worth of existing grants for adult social care, a consultation on a 2 per cent council tax precept for social care, and confirmation that the NHS contribution to social care through the Better Care Fund will increase by 3.4 per cent in real terms.
In public health, the Chancellor also announced a real terms funding increase. These are welcome developments and evidence that the Government has listened to our (and our partners’) repeated promotion of the value of local care and health services and the need to fund them adequately.
Of course, this is only a one year fix. But it is a solid platform from which to build for our influencing work ahead of next year’s multi-year Spending Review; work that is already underway. The Spending Round and, we hope, next year’s Spending Review, also have the potential to lay the ground for the longer-term reforms to adult social care funding that we have long been calling for. The Government has promised a white paper on the future of care and support, and through our own work on our own green paper, we continue to stress the importance of Government bringing forward their proposals at the earliest opportunity.
To read more about the Spending Round, and our reaction to it, please read our On The Day Briefing.
Finally, this year’s NCASC offers a great opportunity to discuss key issues in care, health and support. View the programme or make a booking for this year’s conference on 20 - 22 November in Bournemouth. I look forward to seeing you there.
Yours,
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Cllr Ian Hudspeth
Chairman, LGA Community Wellbeing
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Stories
Suicide prevention sector led improvement programme
The Association of Directors of Public Health (ADPH), the LGA, Public Health England (PHE) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) have been working together to explore the development of a public mental health support offer, starting with suicide prevention.
Shaping Places for Healthier Lives
The Health Foundation and the LGA are launching a new grant programme Shaping Places for Healthier Lives on 20 November 2019. The programme aims to create the conditions for better health by funding local partnerships to take system-wide action on the wider determinants of health.
National Referral Mechanism referral form
A new Digital National Referral Mechanism (NRM) referral form is available to all First Responders) for councils referring victims of modern slavery.
Debt and Mental Health Evidence form
Following a review by DHSC, the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute and other key stakeholders, a new Debt and Mental Health Evidence form will be used from 1 October and GPs can no longer charge for its use. It is simpler and shorter for health and care professionals to complete.
No Homeless Veterans
Charities coordinated by Stoll have launched the No Homeless Veterans campaign which is calling on councils to identify and support veterans in housing need. The British Legion has published guidance to help local authorities reduce homelessness among the Armed Forces community.
Music for Dementia 2020
Music for Dementia 2020 is launching the first ever Musical Map for Dementia. Its aim is to provide those affected by the condition information on music- based events and services in their area. Find out how to get involved.
Collaborative working in the NHS
NHS Clinical Commissioners is working with colleagues from South Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group to host a free workshop on integrated working. Attendees will be able to hear how health and social care systems in the UK and Australia have used learnings from Canterbury, New Zealand, to effect change in their local system. Register now.
Parliamentary
NHS England legal reforms
NHS England and NHS Improvement have published their final recommendations on proposals for NHS primary legislation. This follows their consultation with relevant stakeholders earlier in the year, which we contributed to, as well as our evidence to the Health Select Committee. One of the recommendations, which we support, is for an NHS Bill to be introduced in the next session of Parliament, which would free up parts of the NHS to work together and with partners, including councils, more easily.
Armed Forces support
The House of Commons Defence Committee has published its annual Armed Forces Report. The report outlines concerns on the support for veterans and the armed forces community. Our written evidence expressed concern that local authorities would not be able to maintain current levels of support for veterans when priority Covenant grants end and called for the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to ensure that veterans do not experience a decline in the current support. We are pleased that the Committee has called on the MoD to ensure veterans don’t experience less support.
Publications
Briefing on the NHS Long Term Plan Implementation Framework
LGA
What a difference a place makes: the growing impact of health and wellbeing boards
LGA
Six principles to achieve integrated care
LGA, NHS Confederation, ADASS, ADPH, NHS Clinical Commissioners and NHS Providers
Public health, prevention and health improvement
LGA
Making decisions on the duty to carry out Safeguarding Adults enquiries
LGA
Sharing ideas
#OurDay 2019
This year's #OurDay will take place on Tuesday 19 November. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate colleagues’ work and the huge breadth of services councils deliver every day. In the coming weeks we’ll be launching a social media toolkit to help your council get involved.
Brexit advice hub for local government
We know our members will be preparing for different Brexit scenarios and may have received different advice and communications from a variety of sources. For this reason, we have compiled useful national advice, sorted by topic area, in one place.
DHSC has also issued guidance for industry and organisations involved in health and care about plans for a no-deal Brexit.
Behavioural Insights Programme grant funding 2019
Does your council have a behavioural insights or ‘nudge’ project that would benefit from up to £20,000 match funding to run a trial? If so, apply for phase five of our prestigious Behavioural Insights programme by 1 November, part of our sector-led improvement offer of support. We are looking for ideas aimed at managing service demand or achieving efficiencies.
2018 Mid-year population estimates
The LG Inform demographics report provides an overview of the mid-year population estimates for England for 2018 published by the Office for National Statistics. Data in this report is updated annually in June of each year. In 2018, the total population of England was 55,997,178 people, a 0.6 per cent increase from 2017.
The top two drivers of change were International Migration Net, which accounted for 253,497 people of the overall change, followed by Natural change which accounted for 124,584 people. The population across the broad age groups are changing at different rates, with the number of those aged 65 years and over growing faster than those under 65 years of age.
View the full report for your area.
Events
Leadership Essentials residential sessions
15-16 October; and 5-6 November
Taking a public health approach to tackle violent crime
13 November London
National Children and Adult Services Conference and Exhibition 2019
20-22 November 2019 | Bournemouth
Arts on prescription: cutting edge research, collaborative practice and engaging opportunities
21 November 2019 | London
LGA Annual Conference and Exhibition 2020
30 June - 2 July 2020 | Harrogate
Media
LGA responds to Age UK letter into ‘significant barriers’ older people face in applying for EU Settlement Scheme
27 September 2019
LGA sets out Queen's Speech seven-point plan to boost public services
20 September 2019
first magazine
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.
Highlights include:
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