Lessons From The Government’s Adult Social Care Winter Statement, 2022-2023

 

Stay warm this winter! The Government has published a review of its experiences and future strategies for supporting the adult social care sector. We look at this government report and how you can prepare for new initiatives.

Hospital Discharges

The Government announced it would give £500 million to local authorities and care boards to help them speed up hospital discharges. The Adult Social Care Discharge Fund initiative saw 40% of the money given to local authorities while 60% went to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs).

To expedite hospital discharges, the Government has injected funds into 6 new "National Discharge Frontrunners" nationwide. These sites are focused on developing and delivering innovative solutions to improve discharge times safely in communities.

The Government intends to share these findings across the sector in the future, allowing local councils and care providers to adapt and improve based on the lessons learned by the National Discharge Frontrunners.

Falls Response Services

In a report by the Government, it is noted that falls and similar injuries among care recipients are on the rise. A community-based falls response service could preserve ambulance journeys and hospital stays by preventing many falls.

As wait times for ambulances have increased in many areas, this initiative will save money and more accurately use the limited resources of hospitals and local authorities and reduce response times for older people who have fallen.

This initiative will provide a new system to prioritize more seriously injured patients while ensuring that ambulances respond to falls.

The Care Workforce

The Government is introducing a new visa to recruit more care workers to the UK. The Health and Care Worker Visa will give those workers greater protection and benefits when they arrive and the chance to settle permanently.

The report's recommendations include improvements to the visa system and a new classification of adult care work. The report also promises an additional £15 million to support recruiting international workers from overseas.

The report proposes a national recruitment campaign to promote the positive aspects of care work and raise awareness of job opportunities. The campaign runs from November 2nd 2022, to March 31st 2023 and is designed to appeal to skilled professionals interested in working in the sector.

Other Initiatives in the Winter Statement

The Government's statement for adult social care providers also addresses several additional areas that will have the greatest effect on how councils conduct business in the care sector.

The statement reminds readers that visits should be facilitated for all service users to help prevent isolation and improve their well-being. It also emphasizes the importance of visiting rights for patients at the end of their lives, especially in light of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The Energy Bill Relief Scheme has helped many people across the UK cope with rising energy costs over the winter. The Adult Social Care Commissioners have been given more power to deal with people sleeping rough and carry out Care Act assessments in emergency accommodations.

The Government continues to support integrating new technology in the healthcare sector. Providers are encouraged to engage with the Digital Transformation Fund, a £25 million budget designed to increase efficiency and communication through digitizing record-keeping and care planning processes.

How Does This Affect Me?

The initiatives laid out in the winter statement will affect adult social care providers, including those operating in the domiciliary care sector. If you are interested in staying abreast of best practices in hospital discharge care, then you should be aware that the findings of these groups will go on to inform such practices.

This programme aims to improve the efficiency of hospital discharges and discharge care by enhancing communication and interoperability between clinical and broader community resources.

The Government is investing £15 million to support the international recruitment of all kinds of care professionals, as well as adding care workers to the list of applicable jobs for the skilled worker's visa and launching a national awareness and advertisement campaign, Made with Care, to encourage more people to join a career in the sector.

The Government encourages providers and councils to work together on innovative employment initiatives. Councils must improve their recruitment and deployment processes, as such, you should stay informed of these changes.

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