More preventative measures needed to reduce winter pressures, adult social care directors say

Preventive services focused on reducing the number of avoidable admissions to hospital and residential care would optimise hospital flow and discharge this winter, adult social care directors have said. Improving care at home, providing more sheltered, extra care and dementia-focused housing, investment in crisis resolution intermediate care, and better information and advice for older and disabled people would prevent many from needing hospital or residential care, reducing pressures across health and social care every winter, says the report for the County Councils Network.

Government unlikely to deliver promised new hospitals, inquiry finds

The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has no confidence that Government will deliver the new hospitals it promised, a highly critical report has said. The PAC is extremely concerned at the New Hospital Programme’s (NHP) lack of progress, given the prominence and importance of the 2020 commitment to build 40 new hospitals by 2030. Very little has happened from the perspective of patients since the Government’s original commitment. The report warns that it is highly unlikely even to construct the 32 new hospitals that it is now aiming to complete by 2030, after the commitment to build all 40 by then was abandoned in May.

New Hospital Programme: Inquiry finds no confidence Government will deliver on promises – Committees – UK Parliament

Gender pay gap needs closing in health and social care

In the five years since it became mandatory for large organisations including NHS trusts to report their pay gaps, there is good and bad news, reports this blog from the King’s Fund.

Why there’s still work to be done to close the gender pay gap in the NHS and social care | The King’s Fund (kingsfund.org.uk)

Learning Disabilities and Autism Bulletin available

The latest Learning Disabilities and Autism Bulletin produced the Evidently Better team at Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust is now available. If you are unable to access any of the included articles please contact academic.library@lscft.nhs.uk.