Home Care News
Jeremy Hunt makes 'long overdue' pledge to help ageing population by training more UK doctors
04 Oct 2016
Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has promised to deliver 25 per cent more training posts for the UK’s medical students to make Britain a more ‘self-sufficient’ country. In a speech at the Conservative Party conference.....
'Heartbreaking': Only eight per cent of over 65s with dementia die in own homes
30 Sep 2016
The Alzheimer’s Society has condemned the ‘shameful inequality’ between those with dementia and those without, as a report reveals those with the illness rarely have the chance to die in their own home. An.....
'Dangerous' lack of specialist nurses could have 'grave consequences' for MS patients
19 Sep 2016
Two thirds of people with MS in the UK live in an area where there is a stark shortage of specialist nurses, a new report published by the Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Trust has revealed. MS specialist nurses.....
'Hope for a better future' as Government dementia research funding hits highest level ever
15 Sep 2016
A new £816m investment, the largest ever in NHS and health research, will see dementia research funding rise to more than £45m from 1 April 2017. Funding from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).....
EU rules on language testing of healthcare staff putting patients at risk
17 Aug 2016
Patients using health and care services could be at risk due to current EU legislation on language testing, which is making it difficult to ensure that health and care professionals can demonstrate their English language skills in.....
Carey Mulligan becomes ambassador for dementia charity as people face 'postcode lottery' care
16 Aug 2016
Over 675,000 people living with dementia in England are facing a 'postcode lottery' in the standard of care available to them, with some waiting up to a year for a needs assessment, according to new research. The.....
Alzheimer's disease could be treatable with anti-inflammatory drug
15 Aug 2016
Alzheimer’s disease could be treated with a commonly used anti-inflammatory drug, which has been proven to reverse brain inflammation and memory loss, a new study has revealed. Researchers from the University of Manchester found.....
Virtual reality treadmill training could prevent falls in older people
15 Aug 2016
Combining virtual reality and treadmill training could help prevent falls in older adults, according to new research published in The Lancet. Researchers believe the intervention, which combines the physical.....
Thousands of older people at 'risk of financial abuse'
12 Aug 2016
Older people’s charity Age UK is calling for more collaboration between health, social services and the financial sector to recognise the signs of financial abuse. Tens of thousands of older people are considered to be at risk.....
Poorest will be 'hit hardest' by state pension age rises, warns charity
28 Jul 2016
The poorest and most disadvantaged are set to be hit the hardest if state pension age continues to rise based on life expectancy alone, according to new research. The charity Age UK, has revealed that increases.....
Eye and smell tests could reveal early signs of dementia
27 Jul 2016
Eye and smell tests could be used to help spot the early signs of dementia, years before people experience memory symptoms, new research has suggested. The study conducted by London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital.....
NHS fails to meet NICE referral targets for arthritis patients at risk of long-term disability
27 Jul 2016
Four in five patients with early inflammatory arthritis are at risk of long-term disability and reduced life expectancy due to delays in NHS treatment, according to new research. The National Rheumatoid and.....
People with 'complex' and 'social jobs' could have reduced risk of dementia
25 Jul 2016
Certain genes and lifestyle factors such as the type of job someone has could help to increase reliance against a person’s chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to the latest research. Speaking at the Alzheimer’s.....
Government criticised for showing 'lack of ambition' as discharge delays cost NHS £800m
22 Jul 2016
The Government is facing criticism after a report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) urged it to address the scale and cost of delays in discharging older people from hospital. The Committee’s report.....
Government denies stripping social care of its political status, as junior minister gets portfolio
22 Jul 2016
Adult social care no longer has a minister of state, following the Department of Health's (DH) decision to make it the responsibility of the junior minister David Mowat. This week, David Mowat was given the.....
Royal College of Nursing warn of EU nursing shortages after Brexit
21 Jul 2016
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is calling on the Government to secure the future of EU nurses working in the UK following the UK’s decision to leave the European Union. Figures from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) reveal.....
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt survives Cabinet reshuffle
14 Jul 2016
Jeremy Hunt, who has become deeply unpopular as health minister by forcing junior doctors to accept a contract they don’t want, has kept his job. Since Theresa May became Prime Minister, she has made drastic.....
Come what May? Political shake up sees social care wait for dust to settle
13 Jul 2016
Britain’s new Prime Minister Theresa May may have moved into 10 Downing Street, but as old cabinet ministers step down for their replacements, many in social care are wondering what this change means for them. A.....
Poor health and social integration denies elderly of personalised and effective care
13 Jul 2016
Older people are denied effective, personalised and responsive care due to poor integration across local systems, according to a new report. The Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) report, ‘Building Bridges,.....
Older people are 'avoiding' difficult conversations about ageing
11 Jul 2016
Millions of older people are putting off difficult conversations about ageing until times of crisis, or are not having them at all, according to new research from Independent Age, the older people’s charity. Research.....
Councils plan to invest an extra £308m in adult social care
01 Jul 2016
Local councils are planning to spend an extra £308m on adult social care services this year, increasing their spending by 2.2 per cent to £14.4bn, new figures have revealed. A new revenue allows for increased.....
One third of older people undergo 'unnecessary end-of-life treatments'
28 Jun 2016
One third of older people hospitalised at the end of their life receive unnecessary and potentially harmful medical treatments, a new report has revealed. The study, published in the International Journal for Quality in Health.....
Home care bosses call Brexit result 'disappointing'
28 Jun 2016
Home care leaders have come out in force to share their thoughts on the impact of Britain’s decision to exit the European Union with a UK leave majority of 52 per cent on 24 June. Oliver Stirk, director.....
Scientists 'one step closer' to finding cure for Parkinson's disease
28 Jun 2016
Scientists have discovered what could potentially cause Parkinson’s disease at cellular level. Researchers at the University of Leicester have discovered the area of the cell responsible for correctly assembling.....
Delay in dementia diagnosis 'puts older people's health at risk'
21 Jun 2016
Many older people could be at an increased risk of engaging in potentially unsafe activities due to lack of dementia diagnosis, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. People.....
Older people living with loneliness as 'fear and taboo' prevents them from seeking help
08 Jun 2016
A large number of British people know someone who has experienced or have themselves experienced loneliness, a new survey commissioned by the Campaign to End Loneliness has revealed. Some 84 per cent of British people responded.....
EU Referendum: Will the health and social care sector be better off under Brexit?
03 Jun 2016
On 23 June, people in Britain will be voting either to stay in or leave the EU. If the UK takes the decision to leave, the impact on the health and care sector will be huge. The question is will it be better off? There.....
Delayed hospital discharges 'increasing at alarming rate', costing NHS £820m a year
26 May 2016
Delays in discharging older patients from hospital when they no longer need to receive acute clinical care is costing the NHS £820m every year, according to a report published by National Audit Office (NAO). The.....
'Poorly funded councils can't afford to give non-critical support' says adult social care director
25 May 2016
Margaret Willcox, the adult social care director for Gloucestershire County Council says moderate and low level support for people at home may no longer be available. The newly-appointed vice president.....
Number of carers aged 80+ rises by over a third and most do a 35 hour week
18 May 2016
The number of people aged 80 and over caring for someone else has risen by 39 per cent in the last seven years (from 301,000 to 417,000), figures released by charity Age UK reveal. The majority of people.....
Care sector threatened with fines and labelled 'high risk' for failing to pay care workers National Minimum Wage
11 May 2016
Care providers’ failure to pay their employees the National Minimum Wage ‘remains a concern’ says the National Audit Office, which warned that those who do not will face sanctions. The Government spending.....
Frail, older people discharged from hospital 'alone and unable to cope' warns Ombudsman
11 May 2016
Hospital patients are being sent home alone, afraid and unable to cope and in some cases without their relatives or carers being told, according to a report compiled by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. The.....
People with dementia missing out on 'personalised end-of-life care'
09 May 2016
The latest review conducted by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has revealed that some people from minority groups across the UK, such as those with dementia, learning disabilities and mental health problems, are experiencing poorer.....
Dementia cases fall as men lead healthier lifestyles
20 Apr 2016
The proportion of older people living with dementia has fallen by a fifth over the past two decades, as individuals are smoking less and living healthier lives, according to new research published in the journal Nature Communications. A.....
Charities call for independent review into benefit assessments
14 Apr 2016
The decision to cut welfare benefits has resulted in huge Government changes in recent months, with resignation of Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith after further cuts to disability benefits. On Monday.....
New State Pension to give 'dignity in retirement'
06 Apr 2016
The new State Pension has been launched in the hope that it will give savers a more solid base for their retirement planning. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen.....
Care provider representatives criticise 'unfair' CQC decision to raise fees
05 Apr 2016
Care England is the latest professional organisation and the largest representative body for independent care providers to speak out about the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) decision to increase provider fees from April 2016. The.....
MPs call for end to below-minimum wage practices in care sector
01 Apr 2016
Never mind the 50p an hour pay rise for the lowest paid that the National Living Wage brings, requiring bosses to pay at least £7.20 an hour, MPs have expressed anger that some home care workers don't even get the previous National.....
Vitamin C could reduce cataract progression in older people
24 Mar 2016
Eating foods high in vitamin C can reduce cataract progression by up to 33 per cent, according to a study led by researchers at King’s College London. Foods rich in the nutrient include oranges, red and.....
Women living with dementia decline faster than men, study reveals
23 Mar 2016
Cognitive ability and language skills decline more dramatically in women living with dementia than men at the same stage of the disease, according to new research published in the World Journal of Psychiatry. Researchers.....
Chancellor's Budget ignores the social care elephant in the room
16 Mar 2016
When Chancellor George Osborne finished delivering his eighth Budget, the collective sigh of care home providers across the UK was heard, as he failed to address the ‘social care’ elephant in the room. Local.....
New guidance to help support people with learning disabilities who have mental health problems
14 Mar 2016
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is consulting on draft recommendations designed to help people with learning disabilities who have mental health problems. Around 1.5m people in the UK.....
Three-quarters of adults believe dementia is an inevitable part of ageing
09 Mar 2016
A leading dementia expert has called for greater public awareness of risk factors associated with dementia. A new poll has revealed that just one quarter of British adults believe that their risk of developing dementia could be.....
Care home owner launches petition to stop Attendance Allowance being scrapped
02 Mar 2016
Over 1,600 people have signed an e-petition launched by a care home owner to fight plans to scrap the Attendance Allowance, which gives vital support to older people living at home. Just days before Christmas,.....
Leading doctors claim NHS is 'over medicating' elderly patients with 'more medicine is better' culture
24 Feb 2016
A group of high-profile doctors have called for an independent inquiry into the safety of medicines, after claiming NHS patients are being over medicated resulting in thousands of deaths every year. Older.....
Staying social in later life could lead to increased longevity
16 Feb 2016
Socialising and attending community groups, such as book clubs and church groups in later life, could boost health as much as regular exercise. In a study carried out by the University of Queensland in Australia and published in.....
Healthy living 'reduces dementia risk' for older people
08 Feb 2016
According to new research, fewer people are developing dementia as they lead healthier and better educated lifestyles. Researchers at Cambridge University found that the chances of over-65s developing the.....
Loneliness 'is not just a public health epidemic, it is a plague', warns Older People's Commissioner
05 Feb 2016
Sarah Rochira, Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, has added her voice to the growing calls for something to be done to tackle the huge problem of loneliness in the UK. Social isolation and loneliness.....
Dementia carers struggling with stress and anxiety due to lack of support
04 Feb 2016
The UK's largest research trial designed to support carers of people living with dementia has been launched. The trial will test Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and offer carers support when they feel.....
GPs vote to opt out of care home visits and house calls
01 Feb 2016
GPs have voted to end their responsibility for visits to care homes and house calls, arguing they ‘have not got the time, the workforce or the flexibility’ to fit them into their day. At Saturday's.....