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Dear colleagues,
Our Annual Public Health Conference will take place this year from Tuesday 21 March to Thursday 23 March, with three half-day virtual sessions, offering delegates the opportunity to hear from leading expert speakers on the very latest thinking in national public health policy issues, as well as gaining insights from those delivering on the ground.
Delegates will have the opportunity to participate in sessions sharing good practice from local areas and to discuss issues that matter to them.
Run by the LGA, in partnership with the Association of Directors and Public Health and the Faculty of Public Health the conference is free to attend.
I also wanted to bring to your attention another important virtual event that the LGA is hosting on 13 March, which is a free national webinar on adult social care assurance. With assurance due to go live in just a matter of weeks on 1 April, the webinar, which I am delighted to be chairing, will bring together senior figures from Government, including the Minister for Social Care, Helen Whately MP, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Care Quality Commission and local government to reflect on all latest developments and share the very latest updates.
This is a ‘must attend’ event for anyone likely to be involved in the return of regulation in adult social care and there will be ample opportunity to ask questions and share your views with speakers. To register for this free event, please visit our website and do share the link with colleagues who you think may be interested.
I look forward to seeing you at these important events.
Stories
Joint vision for a high quality and sustainable health and care system
The Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS), NHS Confederation and the LGA have published their vision of the long-term solutions required to make our health and care system resilient, preventative and promoting independence.
Joint letter to Secretary of State on winter pressures and discharge
ADASS, Solace and the LGA have written a joint letter to the Secretary of State urging the Government to fully engage with local government and its partners in future discussions about tackling pressures in hospitals.
Integrated Care Boards
On 23 December 2022, NHS England published guidance to support integrated care boards (ICBs) with the development of their joint forward plan (JFP), alongside the NHS’s operational planning guidance for 2023/24. All will be required to publish a five-year JFP by 30 June 2023 and consult with local authorities, the health and wellbeing boards in their area and the local community. In future years, all ICBs will be required to review their JFP before the start of each financial year.
Local authority assessment and learn activities
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published a podcast on the local authority (LA) assessment test and learn activities which were carried out at Manchester City Council and Hampshire County Councils as part of preparations for adult social care assurance going live. The podcast is a conversation between CQC colleagues and representatives from both LAs on their experience of the activity.
Supporting people with mental health problems back into work
Organised by the National Inclusive and Sustainable Economies (NISE) Network in partnership with the LGA, this webinar will explore how employment is beneficial for our mental health and how organisations can support people with mental health problems get back into work and stay in employment. We will also highlight learning from Individual Placement and Support (IPS), mental health at work programmes and the wellbeing benefits of staff networks. Book your place on Supporting people with mental health problems back into work on 28 February 2023.
Political Leadership Masterclasses: Health and Wellbeing in the Integrated Care System
Political leaders face the challenge of leading change at scale across cultural and structural boundaries, navigating complexities in the new Integrated Care System environment. The importance of Place and Health and Wellbeing Boards is integral to the success of integrated care systems. These repeated sessions will provide an opportunity for reflection, to share learning, and work through leadership challenges with your peers, as well as hearing from speakers who will support to explore approaches to tackling the challenges.
The following two dates are available:
Breaking the link between financial difficulty and suicide
Chair of the National Suicide Prevention Advisory Group Professor Louis Appleby and Chair of the LGA Community Wellbeing Board Councillor David Fothergill discuss the importance of prioritising suicide prevention during financially difficult times in the blog Breaking the link between financial difficulty and suicide.
Rapid review into patient safety in mental health inpatient settings
The Government has announced £150 million of capital investment in NHS mental health urgent and emergency care infrastructure, The Government also announced the commencement of a rapid review into patient safety in mental health inpatient settings in England. They state that the review is an essential first step in improving safety in mental health inpatient settings. It will focus on what data and evidence is currently available to healthcare services, including information provided by patients and families,
Voter identification requirement resources for people likely to need support.
The Electoral Commission has created resource packs for organisations in England designed to help organisations raise awareness and support people to ensure they have photo ID or to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate, ahead of the local elections in May 2023. The resources also include an easy read information pack.
Mental health services
The National Audit Office (NAO) has released a report revealing increased demand for mental health services and growing waiting times to access treatment. Some of the key findings are that an estimated 8 million people with mental health needs are not in contact with NHS services and 1.2 million people waiting for help from community-based mental health services.
Worryingly it also finds that 13 per cent of mental health staff left the service in 2021-22. In our response, LGA responds to NAO report on mental health service demand, we called for investment in preventative mental health services to help transform the lives of the people who rely upon them and relieve pressure on our overburdened health and care systems.
£421 million to boost drug and alcohol treatment and recovery across England
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has announced that councils across England are to receive £421 million funding through to 2025 to combat drug and alcohol misuse, with areas with the highest need prioritised. It builds on the government’s ambitions in the 10-year drug strategy to deliver a world-class treatment and recovery system, and reduce drug use to a 30-year low. This additional funding is important in helping to support councils to address drug and alcohol dependency and will make a real difference to transforming the lives of those who need it in our communities.
Lift Someone Out of Loneliness campaign
This campaign, launched by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, aims to encourage 16 to 34 year olds to ‘Lift Someone Out of Loneliness’, knowing that this will likely help their own feelings of loneliness. This is based on recent research that shows that people in this demographic are at higher risk of feeling lonely compared to other age groups, but less likely to seek advice and support. Download a range of loneliness campaign resources.
Care (Education) and Treatment Reviews and dynamic support registers
NHS England has published a new policy and guide on dynamic support registers (DSRs) and updates to the Care (Education) and Treatment Reviews (CETRs) which aim to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions for people with a learning disability and autistic people.
The easy read and plain English versions of the policy have been co-produced with people with a learning disability and autistic people. The guidance is to support local services to better understand the needs of people with a learning disability and/or autistic people in their area, so that they can make sure people receive the right support. It is the responsibility of Integrated Care Boards and their delegated directors to ensure its implementation from 1 May 2023.
Government announces Major Conditions Strategy
The Government has said that the strategy will aim to tackle the major conditions which contribute to the burden of disease in England, namely: cancers, cardiovascular diseases, including stroke and diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, dementia, mental ill health, musculoskeletal disorders.
Interventions set out in the strategy will aim to alleviate pressure on the health system, as well as support the government’s objective to increase healthy life expectancy and reduce ill-health related labour market inactivity. The Government has also announced a separate Suicide Prevention Strategy will be developed.
Age positive image library
The Centre for Ageing Better has published a new collection of images highlighting diverse experiences of ageing across England. The images are free to use across presentations, websites and media in the hope they will be widely used to provide a more realistic and empowering view of later life.
National Children and Adult Services Conference 2023
Wednesday 29 November – Friday 1 December 2023 | Bournemouth
Bookings are now open for #ncasc23
The National Children and Adult Services Conference is a must-attend annual event for councillors, directors, senior officers, directors of public health, policy makers and service managers, and any individuals or organisations with responsibilities for children and adult services in the statutory, voluntary and private sector. Join us to hear about and respond to the very latest thinking on key policy and improvement agendas in social care, children’s services, education, health and related fields.
To book your place and to find out more, please visit the conference website.
LGA response to the Hewitt Review of ICS accountability and autonomy
LGA
Get in on the Act: Mental Health Act 2022
LGA
Submission to the 2023/24 Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement
LGA
Delivery plan for recovering urgent and emergency care services
NHS England
Events
Let’s talk about… supporting inclusive leadership
2 March 2023 | Webinar
Adult social care assurance: preparing for the return of regulation ahead of ‘go live’ on 1 April 2023
13 March 2023, 1.30pm - 3.30pm
Annual Public Health Conference
Tuesday 21 March to Thursday 23 March | Virtual
LGA Annual Conference and Exhibition 2023 (4-6 July)
4 July 2023 - 6 July 2023 | Bournemouth
National Children and Adult Services Conference and Exhibition 2023
29 November 2023 - 1 December 2023 | Bournemouth
Media
Lack of dentists leads kids teeth to rot – LGA on hospital tooth extractions data
23 February 2023
Councils also need clarity over public health cash – LGA on drug and alcohol treatment funding
16 February 2023
Councils left in the dark about mental health funding future – LGA responds to NAO report on mental health service demand
8 February 2023
Councils warn of ‘alarming’ pressures on households this winter – LGA responds to ONS winter pressure data
30 January 2023
Parliamentary
Joint Committee report on the draft Mental Health Bill
The Joint Committee on the draft Mental Health Bill have published their report which makes a number of recommendations to strengthen the new Mental Health Bill. The cross party committee of MPs and Peers recommend the Bill must be strengthened to address rising numbers detained under current legislation, and tackle unacceptable and inexcusable failures on racial inequalities. The LGA made a submission to the Committee and are pleased to see that the Committee say that proper resourcing of the Bill will be crucial.
Ukraine Refugee Schemes
The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee heard from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State Felicity Buchan MP and Baroness Scott of Bybrook OBE, and DLUHC Director of the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, Emma Payne. Chair of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee and LGA Vice-President Clive Betts MP (Labour, Sheffield South East) questioned the Minister on the Government’s commitment to streamline concurrent Ukraine refugee schemes. The Minister said the government will no longer combine the two schemes as most people on the Family scheme are already well settled in the country. She also admitted the tariff funding per refugee arrival in 2023 will decrease from £10500 to £5900. However the Government is making two new funding schemes available to councils. Firstly, a £500 million fund for English councils to buy 4000 homes for those fleeing war. When Ukrainians return home, those homes will be handed over to councils for the benefit of the entire population. Secondly, £150 million additional funding for councils across the UK to help support Ukrainian guests move into their own homes and reduce the risk of homelessness. The Minister also noted that councils will be able to roll funding over year-on-year with these schemes, and that the funding is not ringfenced.
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