Adult Social Care to be ‘social enterprised’ Ministers announce
November 20, 2010
Community Care report (18th November 2010) that Ministers have told Councils to boost efficiencies of in-house care to protect front line services. In-house provision should become the exception to the rule raher that the norm, with services provided by social enterprise and mutual bodies improving competition and quality in the social care market. Emphasis is also on preventive services including telecare and reablement models. This ties in with a move towards personal budgets for all.
Reablement the key but are we heading for unification?
November 13, 2010
Reablement services across the country have been successful in altering the delivery of traditional domiciliary care.
Through commissioned social care arrangements Department of Health data confirms the evidence of substantial efficiencies being achieved over the past two years by the model which essential offers an intensive ‘free’ six-week programme of support to enable service users to become independent post hospital discharge. This is a marked change and improvement from the previous on-going traditional provision of open ended domiciliary care.
Andrew Lansley has released £70 million new monies for health to develop reablement services withfurther funding expected over the next two years. However responsibility has transferred away from local authorities to health to take on the responsibilities for the first 30 day discharge period. This runs the risk of undermining many of the developing social care reablement services and added more bricks to the often quoted ‘berlin wall’ which still exists and is well patrolled by commissioners from health and social care.
The NHS White Paper is welcomed in placing greater control for commissioning with GP Consortia and it will be interesting to see what the Social Care White Paper in 2011 contributes to creating the notion of single pathways through or under this funding battle ground symbolised by the ‘berlin wall’ .
At the LCS 11th Annual Healthcare Conference in London on the 12th November 2010 it was interesting to note how many speakers referred to the notional ’berlin wall’ including Stephen Dorrell MP and Lord Warner. It is also interesting to note the potential of NICE taking on regulation across health and social care. White Papers come and go and everyone knows about the billion efficiencies which mist be achieved during the life of this contract. These White Papers will stand a good chance of success given they are to be enacted early in the Parliament and therefore professionals need to embrace the changes that are coming.
The question which no one answers is simple – until you address the current fundamental different cultures and values between health and social care the ‘berlin wall’ will remain in place.
We all know the outcome of the real berlin wall – Unification.
Is this the pathway we are going down?