CareAware Newsletter summer 2010

Trading Standards Monitors Care Home Food
Trading Standards officers in Warwickshire have been monitoring meal quality at 10 nursing and care homes....
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Elderly 'suffer as social care spending cut'
Spending on social care for the elderly in England is falling this year - despite the assurances of ministers, an analysis by campaigners suggests....
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Over-55s don't want to pay for long-term care
From The Guardian: An Avivia survey finds that the over-55s are 'terrified' of the potential bill for long-term care and believe the state should cover the costs...
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Social worker vacancy rates down across Britain
Social worker vacancy rates in councils across Britain have fallen despite the squeeze on recruitment and retention budgets, Community Care can reveal....
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DoH: Improving dementia care
NHS Memory Services receive £10 million injection....
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DoH: Caring for our future
Experts have been enlisted to help the Government’s discussions on how to improve the care system in England, Care Services Minister Paul Burstow announced recently....
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NHS chiefs watch care at ex-Southern Cross homes
HEALTH bosses say they are keeping a close eye on care home residents after Britain’s largest care home provider almost collapsed amid financial turmoil....
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Care home operator expands with move into specialist market
CARE home group Maria Mallaband is set to buy two homes which specialise in caring for people with autism as it expands its operations around the UK...
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USA News: Video cameras in nursing homes
Families using video cameras in nursing homes to protect loved ones...
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CQC report reveals private sector standards
The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) annual State of Care report has painted a positive picture of the UK’s 2,500 independent hospitals and clinics. ...
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Concern over quality of Cornwall's care homes
A campaign group fighting for better standards of elder care in Cornwall's care homes said more needs to be done....
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Older internet users just as competent as younger
Older internet users are challenging younger ones when it comes to using technology, according to Age UK....
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BBC: Southern Cross set to shut down and stop running homes
Landlords owning all 752 care homes in the Southern Cross Group have said they want to leave the group....
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Social care revamp: Pressure on to find money
The government is under pressure to consider tax rises and further spending cuts to find the money to pay for the overhaul of social care....
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Dilnot presents an indisputable case for reforming care funding
The government must now act on the recommendations for financing older peoples care...
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£6 million to support big society in health and social care
First ever DH Volunteering Fund National Awards announced today by the Department of Health....
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Southern Cross slashes rent to avoid mass care home closure
Experts warn that care home provider could soon collapse into administration...
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Four arrests after patient abuse caught on film
Police in Bristol have arrested four people after secret filming by BBC Panorama found a pattern of serious abuse at a residential hospital....
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Research links genes to arthritis
Scientists have identified at least seven genes that account for the development of a type of arthritis which affects up to one million people in Britain....
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Age UK publishes damning report on the care crisis
Age UK have published a damning report, which shows the depth of the crisis in social care and its consequent human cost....
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Latest links to CQC Hospital Inspections story
Links to the headlines on the CQC hospital inspections...
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BBC: Derriford Hospital's elderly care 'respects dignity'
Care of elderly people at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth is meeting legal standards, a report has concluded....
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C4 News: Elderly care standards - 3 health trusts break law
As inspectors raise serious concerns about care for the elderly in some NHS hospitals, one woman tells Channel 4 News that the care her 96-year-old mother received was "abominable"....
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Elderly people should take up T'ai Chi, say academics
Elderly people should take up the gentle martial art of T’ai Chi for the sake of their physical and mental health, according to academics....
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Mental health experts have developed a free online quiz to detect early signs of Alzheimer's disease
The 15-minute interactive test is aimed at people aged 50 to 70 who are worried about memory decline....
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Cameron stands firm on NHS changes to 'avoid crisis'
David Cameron has said the NHS in England needs to change to avoid a "future crisis" as he sought to rally support for a controversial shake-up....
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Welsh call for new care crackdown
A campaign has been launched to give government care inspectors greater powers to stop local authorities flouting statutory guidance....
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Report on liberty safeguards published by Care Quality Commission
The Care Quality Commission today (15 March) publishes its first monitoring report on the implementation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, which protect the rights of people in care homes and hospitals who lack the mental capacity to consent to their care or treatment....
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BBC: New system uses brain scans to spot early Alzheimer's
Scientists say early tests show the new technique is 85% accurate and can deliver results in just 24 hours....
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BBC: Drugs for heartbeat problem may cut dementia risk
Treating stroke survivors for a heartbeat problem called atrial fibrillation (AF) might prevent many patients from going on to develop dementia...
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Fire Safety Guidance
for Residential Care Premises Operators...
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The Future of Dementia Care
A review of the Question Time Seminar on 11th February...
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CQC today announced plans to develop a new scheme to recognise excellence in adult social care
The scheme – set to be launched in April 2012 – will be CQC-owned, but delivered by other organisations under licence....
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NEW REPORT PREDICTS SHORTFALL OF 100,000 CARE HOME BEDS BY 2020
Calls for immediate ring-fencing of council funding for care of older people. NHS faces bed-blocking crisis if homes are forced to close....
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Rocking Ron raises the roof and lots of cash for Kirsten
A teenager forgot her pain and danced in her wheelchair on the happiest night of her life....
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Innovation in Forensic Mental Health
The Priory Group is holding an ‘Innovation in Forensic Mental Health’ conference for health professionals across the medical sector, showcasing expert and specialist speakers....
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AGEUK: More people to pay for care homes
Funding decisions made by the Government will see more older people forced to pay for care homes, it has been revealed....
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AGEUK: Eating berries may lower risk of Parkinson's
New research shows men and women who regularly eat berries may have a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease....
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Councils slash social care managers to save £35m
Three Tory-led London boroughs will slash management posts across children's and adults' services by creating single departments for both, as part of moves to save £35m....
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Care homes set to raise fees after landmark judgement
Councils will face more pressure to increase fees for care providers after a landmark legal ruling forced an authority to raise its rates....
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Carewatch enhances capital presence with extensive acquisition
Leading home care provider acquires London franchise Graham Home Care....
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Increased care home fees may not be enough
Independent care homes who won a landmark High Court victory may have to resort to a second court battle....
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Elderly could be hit by rising cost of care in Notts
NOTTS County Council has been accused of "clobbering" elderly people's savings after it announced plans to charge an extra £200 a week for a place at a care home....
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Christine Ferrier: An Appreciation
It is with enormous sadness that National Care Association has announced that one of its Board Members and former Vice Chairman Mrs. Christine Ferrier passed away on 23 November 2010....
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BBC: Diabetes drug - Alzheimer's hope
A common diabetes drug could be redeveloped as a new treatment for Alzheimer's, research has suggested....
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BBC: Thousands of older people "isolated"
Radio 4 Podcast on 10th November 2010...
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CQC: Adult social care services have improved but the market must respond to meet future needs
Adult social care services have improved significantly since 2008 but further growth in the market is required to meet future needs, according to a Care Quality Commission (CQC) report......
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BBC: Low life expectancy in North West
Blackpool and Manchester have the lowest life expectancy in England, according to BBC-commissioned research....
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New powers for the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO)
The Health Act 2009 has amended the Local Government Act 1974 and created a new power which will allow the LGO to investigate complaints made by “self funders” about services that are registered under CQC’s essential standards....
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Annual performance assessment
CQC response to minister's announcement...
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Nostalgic toy story is child’s play
Residents of a Wrexham care home have been transported back in time to their childhoods thanks to the town’s museum....
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Implementing the End of Life Care Strategy
Lessons for good practice looks at three Marie Curie Delivering Choice programmes, which work to identify the barriers to good care and highlights examples of good practice from across the country....
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CQC SAYS IT WILL DRIVE IMPROVEMENTS FOR MENTAL HEALTH PATIENTS
The Care Quality Commission has highlighted areas of poor practice in mental health services for patients who are subject to the Mental Health Act, and pledged to use its regulatory powers to lever improvement....
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CQC: Adult social care and independent health care providers now registered
Over 10,200 providers are now registered with CQC who are working with a small number of providers who, for a variety of reasons, are either resubmitting their applications or we have not yet invited to apply....
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Ensure your Care Home meets the new essential standards
From today, 1st October 2010 under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, all providers of adult social care that carry out regulated activities must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Providers are legally responsible for making sure they meet the new essential standards of quality and safety....
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