Mark Sheldon

http://www.scie.org.uk/socialcaretv/

Social Care TV is a new online channel for everyone involved in the social care sector, from managers to front-line staff, trainers to people who use care services.

As part of the Social Care Institute for Excellence’s (SCIE) family of resources, Social Care TV brings to life the work and lives of people involved in all aspects of the social care sector, through a series of short films and links to multi-media and e-learning resources. This site offers access to video based training resources and general interest programmes, reflecting the issues, challenges and rewards in current social care practice.

The online nature of Social Care TV means you can choose what to watch when you want to watch it. You can search for programmes by subject area or visit the home page for new suggestions.

Social Care TV works with a wide range of partners: people who use services, employers, professional associations, trade unions, and learning providers, as well as government departments and national social care organisations, to deliver quality learning.

http://www.scie.org.uk/socialcaretv/

From the DH Website

In Valuing People Now (2009) we undertook to publish a range of guidance for Learning Disability Partnership Boards to assist them in delivering on the goals set out in the strategy.  The good practice guidance, ‘Good Learning Disability Partnership Boards: ‘Making it happen for everyone’ was launched at the NCAS conference on 21 October.

This guide provides best practice examples from around the country and proposed ways of working, based on the evidence that the most effective Partnership Boards are those:

@ with strong links to other local boards and work programmes;
@ where there is delegated or shared financial and commissioning responsibility;
@ where there is meaningful representation of people with learning disabilities and family carers from all local communities

Download the document here

NHS Direct has launched a new online health checker to provide help and advice for people concerned about their mental health or wellbeing. This supports the aim of World Mental Health Day to enhance treatment for this often misunderstood illness.

The health checker will reach many people who need mental health support and are able to care for themselves. Providing the service as an on-line resource has the potential to help break through the stigma often associated with mental illness.

Mental health checker

From 12 October 2009 the Protection of Vulnerable Adults (or POVA) scheme has been replaced by the Vetting and Barring Scheme.

Increased safeguards have now been introduced under the Vetting and Barring Scheme.

• It is now a criminal offence for individuals barred by the ISA to work or apply to work with children or vulnerable adults in a wide range of posts – including most NHS jobs, Prison Service, education and childcare. Employers also face criminal sanctions for knowingly employing a barred individual across a wider range of work
• The three former barred lists (POCA, POVA and List 99) are being replaced by two new ISA-barred lists

ISA-registration for the Vetting and Barring Scheme does not start for new workers or those moving jobs until July 2010 and ISA-registration does not become mandatory for these workers until November 2010. All other staff will be phased into the scheme from 2011.

http://www.isa-gov.org.uk/

The Department of Health has published a fact sheet to assist social scientists meet the requirements of the Mental Capacity Act when carrying out social science research that includes people who lack capacity.

Available on the DH website here

This booklet offers guidance to Learning Disability Partnership Boards to help them ensure carers of people with learning disabilities, and carers with learning disabilities are:

• supported in their own right, and
• involved in local service developments which affect their lives, and the lives of the people they care for.

The booklet covers:

• key facts about family carers of people with learning disabilities
• what the National Carers Strategy is, and how it relates to the work of Learning Disability Partnership Boards
• the responsibilities of Partnership Boards to ensure the National Carers Strategy’s aims are fulfilled for carers of people with learning disabilities, and carers with a learning disability
• important questions for Partnership Boards to ask in reviewing, devising and implementing services for people with learning disabilities and their carers, to ensure that the needs of carers are taken into account
• links to resources to support Partnership Boards’ ongoing work with carers.

This was commissioned by the Family Carers programme of Valuing People Now, through their work with The Princess Royal Trust for Carers and Crossroads Care.

Download document from the DH website here

From 1 April 2010, the regulation of health and adult social care will change.

Legislation is bringing in a new system that applies to all regulated health and adult social care services. All health and adult social care providers, who provide regulated activities, will be required by law to register with the Care Quality Commission.

New registration comes into effect on 1 April 2010 for NHS trusts (including primary care trusts) and 1 October 2010 for adult social care and independent healthcare providers.

More information here