State of Caring 2016

State of Caring 2016
Carers UK

• One year on from the implementation of the Care Act 2014 – designed to improve support for carers – a survey of  6,149 carers  in England indicates that they are still struggling to get the support they need to care well, maintain their own health, balance work and care, and have a life of their own outside of caring.

SImple guide to the Care Act and DTOC

Simple guide to the Care Act and delayed transfers of care (DTOC)
NHS England, DH, ADASS and ECIST 11 November 2015

• A simple guide to the Care Act and DTOC guidance which includes a series of good practice examples from systems from around the country.
• The guide and accompanying resource pack will be updated as and when other common solutions arise around Delayed Transfers of Care.

Available on Better Care Exchange (registration required)

Approaches to meeting demand and capacity challenges

Managing demand and delivering differently: responses to the assessment capacity challenge
LGA 21 October 2015

• Local authorities are investigating and developing a number of different approaches to meet demand and increase capacity required by the Care Act, in particular around assessments. This briefing sets a number of innovative approaches to managing that demand.
• Responses include: Online self-assessment, Use of community and voluntary groups, Referring to allied professionals, Using ‘community’ or ‘trusted’ assessors, Assessment surgeries or drop in centres, Business process redesign, Strength (asset) based approach training, Web chats and ‘live’ support.
• Annex A In-depth: developing a ‘community assessor’ model

Must knows adults: The Care Act 2014

Must knows adults: The Care Act 2014
LGA 28 September 2015

• This revised briefing recaps the Care Act's main features and duties, sets out the implications for councils, and provides a number of questions for decision-makers and scrutinisers to consider. The document has been fully updated to reflect learning from implementation of Part 1 of the Act, the postponement of the cap on care costs, and to identify key ongoing challenges to implementation.

Resources to support the Care Act

The Care Act 2014
Think Local Act Personal

• A suite of guidance materials to support those commissioning and providing care and support in implementing the Care Act 2014.
• See also : People not process - Co-production in commissioning - a web-based tool to encourage commissioners to adopt co-production in their approach to market shaping and commissioning across health and social care.

The Care Act - assessment and eligibility

Assessment and Eligibility "Talking Points": A Guide for Practitioners
Institute of Public Care, March 2015

• This document contains a range of material for assessors and other staff on assessment and eligibility requirements of the Care Act. 
• It includes an overview of the Act (looking at well-being, general responsibilities and key processes) and specifically discusses implications for commissioners around key duties (including assessment and safeguarding), and implications for change (eg market facilitation).
• A summary of the implications is shown at the end of each section which is intended to be used as a discussion prompt (Talking Points) for practitioners, managers and commissioners to explore their day-to-day operation and implication of the Act.
• Also a collection of resources including Information and Advice; Assessment and eligibility ; Independent advocacy ; Safeguarding ; Transition to adulthood; Partnerships, co-operation and integration, including links with health and housing ; Market Oversight ; Carers; Prisoners and people in resident approved premises.