Background Last week, we posted about the BIDs research, which provided a great deal of insight into the current approach to making best interests decisions under the Mental Capacity Act (2005). The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) were introduced into the act and came into force in 2009 to ensure that where people who may [read the full story…]
Background Cost pressures on adult social care budgets continue, with evidence to the Select Committee on Public Service and Demographic Change suggesting that 85% of councils are implementing eligibility thresholds at ‘substantial’ or ‘critical’ needs. Adults with learning disabilities who are in receipt of adult social care support may need support for substantial periods and [read the full story…]
This document is aimed at clinical commissioning groups, health care planners, hospital senior managers, and clinical teams in primary and secondary care. It is an amalgamation of good practice examples where diabetes services have improved, with bed occupancy and costs being reduced. There is a specific focus on elderly, diabetic patients, and other similarly vulnerable [read the full story…]
Winterbourne View Progress Report Published At the end of last week, the Government published it progress report on the joint improvement programme set in train following the Winterbourne View scandal. The report sets out the progress made, but also recognises the scale of the task still ahead. There were forty eight people resident in Winterbourne [read the full story…]
Background What is good practice when supporting people with learning disabilities? This is the question that was raised following the publication of the Government’s interim report into the events at Winterbourne View. The question was put to the National Valuing Families Forum and the National Forum for People with Learning Disabilities over the last year [read the full story…]
Digital mental health is thriving in 2013 and we are thrilled to be part of the growing community with our Mental Elf website and app. We have had time to reflect on the development of the Mental Elf website recently, as André was interviewed by Hannah Nicklin from Hide and Seek who had been asked to [read the full story…]
Almost ten years ago, following the publication of the Valuing People White Paper, the Department of Health published the Green Light Toolkit. The toolkit was originally developed to help local people think about existing services for people with learning disabilities and additional mental health needs. Last month saw the publication of a new version of [read the full story…]
This report is about how the voluntary and independent sectors can support the commissioning process, and is aimed at them, the clinical commissioning groups, and the commissioning support units. Key elements The key required commissioning support elements, as described in Figure 1 of this report, include: Health needs assessment, using the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment [read the full story…]
This new report is an important addition to the evidence base specifically on case management and more generally in terms of interventions to reduce hospital admissions but, consistent with other studies in this area, can’t give definitive answers. Much of what already exists in relation to virtual wards is anecdotal or lacks detail and it’s [read the full story…]
Lumos, the children’s charity and Change a national human rights organisation led by disabled people have been working together on a project to help close institutions for disabled people across central and eastern Europe. The latest publication from the project was the result of a visit to institutions in central and eastern Europe by the [read the full story…]
