What's New in Social Care and Healthcare this Week? (13/11/23)
It’s time for another weekly roundup of social care and healthcare news! In this post we’ll look back at some of the most recent news stories we think are worth knowing about – and some of them really are hot off the press!
1. New Health and Social Care Secretary Announced
At the time of writing, Rishi Sunak’s cabinet reshuffle happened just hours ago. Prompted by the firing of Suella Braverman from the cabinet, the gap left in her absence gave the prime minister a prime (pun only slightly intended) opportunity to instigate a reshuffle.
As part of that rejig, the former Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, was demoted and replaced by Victoria Atkins. Formerly financial secretary to the Treasury under Sunak, this is her first position in the cabinet. Prior to her time as a politician, Atkins was a barrister specialising in fraud.
2. Doctors’ Regulator Say Overseas Talent Will Remain Crucial
Whilst the government has made a big pledge to recruit more doctors and nurses here in the UK, that will take several years to filter through into a meaningful change in the numbers. That’s according to Charlie Massey, from the General Medical Council (GMC), who says we must continue to utilise overseas doctors and nurses to fill the staff shortage in the meantime.
Speaking to the BBC, Massey said: “We’re not going to see the impact [of the recruitment drive] for probably the best part of a decade. And that means we’re going to need to rely on doctors who have trained overseas coming to the UK.
3. National Audit Office (NAO) Says Social Care Digitisation “Moving Slowly”
According to the National Audit Office’s recent report on social care reform, titled Reforming adult social care in England, the digitisation of social care health records is going to be 10% under the target set for March 2024 (70% rather than 80% adoption).
This is thought to be a result of reduced spending by the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) in digital infrastructure.
4. Care Homes Across the Country Mark Remembrance Day
Residents in care homes up and down the country commemorated Remembrance Day over the weekend, pausing for sombre reflection on friends and family lost to war and conflicts throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. In particular, the day marks the end of hostilities in the First World War (the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month).
Though the number of living WW2 veterans is sadly shrinking, there are still those who were alive during the war time, and so this period remains particularly poignant. Many lost friends, family and loved ones, and so this day, every year, offers the opportunity to come together and pay homage to those who paid the ultimate price.
5. RCN Nurse of the Year Awards Announced
It was only recently that the Social Worker of the Year Awards were held and now the Royal College of Nursing’s Nurse of the Year Awards have been held, too!
The overall RCN Nurse of the Year Award went to Julie Roye, who made an incredible contribution towards the uptake of smear tests among eligible 25–64-year-olds, increasing the figure by just under 50% in only nine months. A truly wonderful feat!
Other categories awarded included the Child Health Award, the Greener Nursing Practice Award, and the Mental Health Nursing Award, to name just three. You can get a full rundown of the winners and the remaining categories, here.
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