http://www.ukhca.co.uk/ The latest news in the home care sector en United Kingdom Homecare Association Ltd. http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification policy@ukhca.co.uk (Colin Angel) webmaster@ukhca.co.uk (Alex Cluer) Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:00:00 +0100 40 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/images/ukhca.gif http://www.ukhca.co.uk/ Part of the wider reforms set out in the White Paper - Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS, this report describes proposals to reduce and simplify the number of NHS bodies, to reduce bureaucracy and save costs. Under the review, the Care Quality ... Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2761 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2761 The NHS White Paper “Equity and excellence: Liberating the NHS” launched yesterday makes radical proposals to reform the NHS, reducing the role of the Health Secretary and Department of Health, setting up a New NHS Commissioning Board and giving GP con... Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2724 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2724 Please note that from this Friday, 9th July, AccessNI will no longer accept the "old style" application forms for any type of disclosure. Applications received after Friday made on "old style" forms will be returned and a fresh appl... Tue, 6 Jul 2010 17:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2715 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2715 The July edition of Homecarer magazine is now available for members to download. In this issue we welcome our new Chief Executive, Bridget Warr, Chair Mike Padgham hails Government plans to remodel the ISA scheme and expresses concern about the VAT ri... Tue, 6 Jul 2010 11:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2713 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2713 We knew it was coming and we knew it was going to be painful, yet the new Chancellor, George Osborne, still managed to throw in a few surprises in his first Budget for the coalition government. Nick Haines of Hazlewoods LLP gives his personal take on t... Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2685 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2685 The Chancellor George Osborne delivered his Emergency Budget today, with measures designed to address the black hole in the nation’s finances. Saying, we are “all in it together”, the Chancellor said everyone would be asked to contribute, but all could... Tue, 22 Jun 2010 16:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2684 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2684 UKHCA and Anthony Collins solicitors LLP have produced a new factsheet for members about "Do Not Attempt Resuscitation" instructions. As people are living longer and choosing to stay at home rather then enter residential care, homecare provi... Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2670 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2670 The Care at Home workforce study is now available on the Care Council for Wales website. The study, commissioned by the Care Council for Wales, looked at what the workforce looked like, the vision for the workforce, and what was needed to make the curr... Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2671 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2671 Parliament has been officially re-opened by the Queen, who set out in her Speech the Coalition Government’s priorities for the coming parliament. The Speech outlined 22 new Bills as well as some other future commitments and highlighted deficit reductio... Tue, 25 May 2010 17:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2633 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2633 UKHCA's Chair Mike Padgham has written to Paul Burstow MP the new Minister of State for Care Services to congratulate him on his appointment. We have asked for an early meeting to discuss the issues facing the sector. In a statement on the Departm... Thu, 20 May 2010 11:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2619 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2619 Members may have received a letter dated 17th May to providers where CQC sets out its current thinking on quality "star" ratings - namely that they will phase them out from 30th June and begin discussions with the sector about what (if any) t... Wed, 19 May 2010 12:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2615 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2615 UKHCA is delighted to announce that Bridget Warr has been appointed UKHCA's new Chief Executive. She replaces Lesley Rimmer OBE who has retired after 19 years in the post. Tue, 18 May 2010 13:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2612 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2612 Michael McGimpsey, Health Minister has launched a consultation on the draft dementia strategy for Northern Ireland. This important consultation sets out how the DHSSPS proposes to develop services for people with dementia, recognising that many people ... Mon, 17 May 2010 15:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2606 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2606 The statistical overview document collated by UKHCA has been refreshed with new data on homecare from across the UK. It now contains details of the updated unit costs of statutory and in house homecare per hour in England - £23.20 for statutory service... Thu, 6 May 2010 14:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2597 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2597 Members may recall last year the Social Care Institute for Excellence, SCIE, launched its "Get Connected" project, with the first phase funding improvements to IT for private and voluntary social care providers in England. Phase 2 of the proj... Tue, 4 May 2010 11:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2588 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2588 UKHCA is proud to present our Regulatory Resources area for members which links our resources to specific standards and outcomes. We expect that the page will prove useful to members when looking for more information in a particular regulatory area or ... Tue, 4 May 2010 09:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2587 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2587 UKHCA's Disclosure Service is very pleased to announce that we have successfully passed systems testing and are now officially enabled as an "e-Registered Body" enabled to use the "e-Bulk" system. The e-Bulk system enables Regi... Wed, 28 Apr 2010 09:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2579 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2579 UKHCA are working closely with the NHS End of Life Care Team to produce a train the trainer programme for end of life care specifically for the domiciliary care sector. Although the outline of the training programme will follow the elements of the End ... Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2559 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2559 This year has seen much debate about the future of social care with increased attention towards homecare from politicians and the media. UKHCA is calling on prospective parliamentary and local council candidates to make a pledge towards investing in th... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 16:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2556 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2556 The Care Commission has published guidance about inspections providers may receive in 2010-11. This includes updated guidance to help care service providers with their inspections in 2010-11, specific inspection guidance for housing support and care at... Tue, 13 Apr 2010 11:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2553 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2553 During the busy ‘wash-out’ period before Parliament was dissolved, the widely debated Personal Care at Home Bill passed through the House of Lords and was granted Royal Assent. The Act aims to provide free personal care to 280,000 people who are in the... Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2540 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2540 UKHCA has responded to the Scottish Government's consultation on making direct payments the default option for service users. The legislative consultation is part of a national self-directed support strategy launched in February 2010. Under the pr... Mon, 12 Apr 2010 11:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2534 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2534 The remaining set of regulations needed to put in place regulation under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 have now been made by Parliament. These relate to Regulated Activities and replace the version that was in CQC’s Guidance about Compliance: Ess... Mon, 12 Apr 2010 10:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2531 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2531 UKHCA is calling on all key decision makers in health and social care to realise the potential of the independent sector in Northern Ireland, which now delivers 53% of publicly funded care. By treating the sector as true partners in care, and investing... Wed, 31 Mar 2010 10:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2515 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2515 The country’s leading professional association of homecare providers, the United Kingdom Homecare Association has welcomed the Government’s White Paper on the reform of social care but would like to see immediate action to close the care funding black ... Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2514 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2514 The Care Quality Commission consulted on the fees it will charge from 1 April to 30 September 2010 – broadly a continuation of the existing fee scheme, and from 1 October 2010 to 31 March 2011 – an interim stage with a similar charging structure and le... Tue, 30 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2508 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2508 Between April and September 2010, the Care Quality Commission will contact providers with more information about the registration process and their invitation to register. Due to popular demand, UKHCA are holding workshops to explain the registration p... Tue, 30 Mar 2010 13:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2510 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2510 The majority of care at home services in Scotland are providing good quality care according to the first full year of grading results by the Care Commission. The findings for the first year between April 2008 and March 2009 show that 80% of all care at... Thu, 25 Mar 2010 16:00:00 GMT http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2500 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2500 The UKHCA helpline has seen a number of requests for advice from members on when key regulatory changes are happening this year and this summary timetable may be of interest and assistance. The list comes with a disclaimer in that it is by no means com... Thu, 25 Mar 2010 14:00:00 GMT http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2501 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2501 Chancellor Alistair Darling's pre-election Budget on 24th March set out the Government’s plans to secure recovery from the recession. In his article "A Budget for the Polls?" prepared for UKHCA members, Nick Haines of Hazlewoods LLP give... Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2492 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2492 The government has accepted the Low Pay Commission's recommendations that the adult minimum wage rate (workers aged 21 and over) should increase from £5.80 to £5.93 from October 2010. Members may recall the government committed in 2009 to extend t... Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:00:00 GMT http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2494 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2494 Infection control is an issue very high on the political agenda at the moment. Infection prevention and control forms part of the Care Quality Commission Essential Standards for Quality and Safety and they will expect organisations to follow the Depart... Wed, 24 Mar 2010 10:00:00 GMT http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2478 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2478 UKHCA is offering 10% off some of our most popular training packs and a discount on the Home Care Worker's Handbook until the end of March 2010. The packs range from our popular medication train the trainer programme and include the topical traini... Wed, 10 Mar 2010 16:00:00 GMT http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2465 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2465 With record numbers of prospective recruits using CareJobFinder.org to make contact with employers in their local area, Social Care Minister for England, Phil Hope MP, has said the following: 'More and more people are considering a career in s... Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2452 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2452 The 2010 statistics on numbers of people receiving homecare has been published by DHSSPS. Taken in a sample week in 2009, in common with the rest of the UK the data shows that hours of care provided are rising, but numbers of people receiving care is d... Tue, 2 Mar 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2444 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2444 The October 2009 edition of the UKHCA Medication Train the Trainer Programme has been updated to take account of any additional requirements stated in the Care Quality Commission's Guidance for Compliance Essential Standards of Quality and Safety ... Fri, 19 Feb 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2413 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2413 UKHCA still has places on its workshops this March - in particular on Tendering and Infection Control/Nutrition and Food Hygiene. The Tendering Workshop takes place on the 3rd March in Derby and focuses on how to win contracts and put in sustainable te... Fri, 19 Feb 2010 11:00:00 GMT http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2414 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2414 The search has begun to find a special individual to lead the homecare industry’s premier representative body forward into the next era. United Kingdom Homecare Association (UKHCA) is looking for a new Chief Executive, following the decision by Lesley ... Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:00:00 GMT http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2401 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2401 The Care Quality Commission has published its first annual state of care report for parliament. Looking at key themes and quality of services in 2009 across both health and social care, the report calls for more joined up and person-centred services. I... Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:00:00 GMT http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2393 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2393 Members may be interested in a project by the newly merged national charity Age Concern and Help the Aged. They are running, with funding from the Home Office, a project will promote crime prevention messages amongst older people directly and through i... Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2139 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2139 Members will know the Low Pay Commission's reports and recommendations on the Minimum Wage have repeatedly recognised the problems caused for the homecare sector by commissioning practice - and five months ago government accepted it needed to act.... Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0100 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2059 http://www.ukhca.co.uk/newsforrss.aspx?articleid=2059