CM Local Authorities

Community health services are overburdened, underinvested and at risk of cutbacks’ according to a new survey from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).

As the coalition government prepares to publish its long-awaited adult social care White Paper, the Local Government Association (LGA) has predicted the cost of care will double within a generation unless the current attempt to reform the system is a success.

Care homes in Suffolk have threatened to turn away state-funded residents because the local council will not pay the required fees.

A report by the National Care Forum (NCF) claims that not-for-profit organisations are leading the way when it comes to innovative approaches in care provision.

Investment in social care property is expected to gather momentum in 2012, as investors seek to increase their exposure to alternative’ property sectors with defensive attributes, according to a report from Knight Frank.

A former carer at a Belfast residential home has claimed inspectors are not getting the true picture of the state of the province’s care homes. He claimed they did not make themselves accessible to staff and there are not enough unannounced visits.

The Department of Health (DH) has begun consulting on plans to allow domiciliary and residential care users to rate and review their providers (CCMn December 2011/January 2012).

A Labour party survey of care home providers has found a move towards investing in wealthier areas to avoid reliance on local authorities for their income.

Contrary to the many calls to government to implement the Dilnot Commission’s recommendations (CCMn July 2011), healthcare insurer Partnership has criticised the plans.

A re-organisation of resources rather than extra investment could fill most the adult social care funding gap, healthcare think tank the Nuffield Trust argues in a new report.