CM Mental Health

The number of children in council care in England has increased by 12% in the past four years, according to the Audit Commission.

Community Care Market News (News) December 1999 emPOWER, a consortium of 35 disability charities has launched a campaign for a National Service...

Almost one in four people with learning disabilities are living in care homes despite 70% of this population wishing to live independently, according to mental health charity Mencap. Mencap is warning that, due to a shortage of affordable housing opportunities, local authorities are moving away from supporting people to live independently in their own communities. Using data gathered from Freedom of Information requests submitted to all local authorities in England and Wales combined with a survey of nearly 500 parent/carers of people with a learning disability, the charity has concluded that, in the past year, the growing trend among councils is to only support people with a learning disability to live independently if the cost to support them is less than moving them into a care home.

Fewer than one in ten small housing associations have a strategy in place to support dementia sufferers or older people. A survey of 88 groups conducted by the Orbit Charitable Trust found only seven had a dementia strategy in place. Two-thirds of small housing associations admitted they did not have a dementia strategy drawn up with a quarter claiming that they did not need one. A further quarter of respondents said a strategy was being developed, while 12 said they had not yet thought about it. Most of the housing groups which responded to the survey said a separate dementia strategy was not necessary because of the size of their organisation. One said it dealt with cases on an individual basis, while another said dementia was dealt with as part of its older people’s strategy. The survey, which follows from Orbit’s research published last year into how housing associations and older people’s organisations can work better together to deliver better services, also found that half of the housing associations questioned do not have an older people’s strategy in place, while 28% do.

The latest figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) show that prescriptions for Alzheimer’s drugs are six times higher than a decade ago.

A dementia charity is calling on the government to commit to a national strategy to improve research into the condition.

New guidance published by the Children’s Partnership shows how those working in foster care and with looked after children can best support new Staying Put arrangements that allow children in foster care to remain in their placements until age 21.

Community Care Market News (News) February 2000 The Secretary of State for Health Alan Milburn announced this month that 141 new nurse...

End of Life Care is best in the south west of England, according to new research published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Analysis of the National Bereavement Survey of 2011 by PCT cluster, found quality of care, dignity and respect shown by staff were all regularly rated in the top 20% in this region. They were also in the highest group for patient care and support and patient preferences. Primary Care Trusts in the north east and north west regions also had good ratings, particularly for quality of care, dignity and respect shown by staff and patient care and support. The London region, however, received the poorest ratings across all domains, being regularly in the lowest 20%.

Regardless of the outcome of the General Election, the market for community health services is likely to be one the most interesting areas of the NHS for independent sector providers over the coming years.