Aurea Jones

Really interesting to see the reflections of Royal Society for Public Health on how work and health affect each other - a thought provoking deep dive into the impact this can have on the economy

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Today’s the publication day of our annual survey of Directors of Adult Social Services. I’d like to extend thanks to the ADASS team, in particular Paul Buddery and Charlotte Newman for their significant contributions to drafting the report, it’s a bit of a beast! This is easily the worst financial outlook for adult social care budgets that I’ve seen in the 7 years of leading the survey. Councils over spent at their highest level for more than a decade on their care budgets in 2023/24, they need to deliver the highest level of planned savings at £903mn since 2016/17 and over a third of councils are using one off money (reserves) to prop up their social care budgets. The NHS and social care are two sides of the same coin, pressures in one feed into the other and vice versa. The report shows that the financial pressures on Integrated Care Systems is leading to less people getting Continuing Healthcare which means that either people are left to fund their own care, or councils will take on delivering care and support. Social care staff are also increasingly taking on tasks without funding and supervision that were previously delivered by NHS colleagues. Directors know that investing in prevention and early intervention could change the tide, but they are having to prioritise funding towards those with the highest levels of need. Investment in prevention has dropped from £1.5bn in 2023/24 to £1.4bn in 2024/24. We can’t keep doing more of the same, we need a fundamental shift from crisis and acute care, to community, primary and adult social care. We need more support for carers, whether that be short breaks or to enable them to get back into employment. Investing in social care is an investment in people.

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Hi all, I wanted to reach out, I am aware of the reputation of consultancy in the Health and Social care field, and felt it was important to share an understanding of the benefits rather than the negative. I have been a consultant for many years alongside a lot of my roles, with some really good success stories setting up CQC and Ofsted services, I have gone into services in crisis, retained fantastic workforces that were on their knees and redeveloped teams that were not working. There are so many services out there that are amazing at what they do but just don't have the compliance in hand, or find it difficult to evidence what they are doing this is then sadly not reflected when regulators visit. I have worked in mental health, housing, substance misuse, clinical care, youth projects, leaving care, residential for both children and adults and met some amazing people. I have made mistakes, bitten off more than I can chew ! but the main thing is I have learnt and grown within a sector that is both challenging and exciting. I don't know everything, but I will find someone that does ! What I am trying to say is there is a place for us, we can be there at the most critical points be that start up, adding a new service or crisis management. We are integral in change to a service and can be that support that is needed either short term or long term. Yes, it is not cheap because the cost is for time, knowledge , resources but as a consultant you give your all, you strive for the success of the people you work with, you become their biggest cheerleader. Whilst there is some who do not have integrity or the knowledge, there is us who have been through what services are going through, worked with regulators, dealt with the big stuff and the small stuff, so don't write us off as we could be just the thing you need and will always be here to help. Everkind.org.uk

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It’s time to put prevention firmly at the core of the national health strategy but with a NEW approach. All the existing ones have not worked and there are specific reasons why they are flawed models. It’s pointless punting out the same old messaging when we know why it doesn’t work. We need to support people in their quest to make a few small adjustments to a handful of critical daily habits. Simple, low effort and FREE adjustments that align highly with our evolutionary biology. Here’s how: - Teach them some basic evolutionary science so they can see how they are wired - Hold their hand with daily check-ins (with a human not a bot or app) while they try and make a tiny adjustment to ONE habit until it’s their new forever normal This is what I’ve been researching for the past 5 years and what I presented in the Holidity & Make A Difference Summits webinar today. The comments in the chat during that session demonstrated again that what I’m doing and saying is aligning with what people are now thinking. It’s time to update our preventative health approach and roll it out to the nation pronto. What are your thoughts? #habits #employees #health

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Really proud of our new report 'The state of integrated care systems 2023/24' https://lnkd.in/eNqm89Kk Skeena Williamson Lottie Alayo The report explores data from survey and interviews findings about the successes and challenges facing leaders from integrated care systems (ICSs) across England who are tasked with 'tackling today while building for tomorrow'. ICS leaders are stepping up to the operational and financial challenges they face, but a relentless focus on finances will crowd out the longer-term transformation that's needed to overcome these immediate challenges, to improve population health and stabilise the health and care system. They believe the new government's reform agenda offers some solutions. We make several recommendations to national government and national bodies for consideration as part of the development of the ten year health plan: 1️⃣  Move to multi-year funding settlements 2️⃣ Change the payment scheme to support a focus on integration and prevention 3️⃣ Evolve and embed the new operating framework 4️⃣ Ensure oversight incentivises a balance between today and tomorrow 5️⃣ Give ICBs levers to devolve decisions to place and neighbourhoods Many thanks to all who contributed.

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