SCIE news and events

New Consultation: Should NICE/SCIE dementia guideline be updated? (12 January 2012)

A review is being undertaken to decide whether the NICE/SCIE dementia care guideline published in 2006 should be updated.  Registered stakeholders for this guideline are invited to comment on the provisional review decision via the NICE website. 

Dementia guideline review – consultation documents
Closing date: 5pm, 23 January 2012

New SCIE Chief Executive to start in April (11 January 2012)

Andrea Sutcliffe has been appointed as the new Chief Executive of the Social Care Institute for Excellence. Andrea, who is currently the Chief Executive of the Appointments Commission, will join SCIE in April 2012.

We are delighted with the appointment. Andrea is an experienced chief executive with a background in both social care in local government and the NHS at national and local levels. Her energy, intelligence and experience will be vital to us as we enter a new stage of SCIE’s development.

Allan Bowman, SCIE chair

SCIE’s current Chief Executive, Julie Jones, is retiring following nearly five years at SCIE.

The College of Social Work opens for business (5 January 2012)

The Social Care Institute for Excellence welcomes the official launch of The College of Social Work.

Congratulations to the College’s transition board and staff on reaching this major milestone.

Allan Bowman, SCIE chair.

Financial Crime against Adults (13 December 2011)

A SCIE/City of London Police report published today reveals how vulnerable adults are being exploited by apparent friends, family, small-time fraudsters and organised criminals alike. They are suffering losses ranging from a few pounds to millions of pounds. “Financial Crime against Adults” highlights how victims are slipping through the system of care, left with no savings and reliant on the state to support them in retirement.

Online ‘good care guide’ (12 December 2011)

Responding to press coverage about improved online information about care services, Allan Bowman, SCIE chair said:

SCIE agrees that people need good information, advice and customer feedback in order to choose care and support that meets their particular needs. That is why we are working to develop a web based system to address this important issue, covering both regulated and unregulated services. We have been pleased by the positive response to discussions over recent months with a wide range of interests including people who use services, providers and commissioners.

Judging cost effectiveness - Economic evaluation in social care (7 December 2011)

In the current economic climate, achieving value-for-money in the provision of social care is more important than ever. With limited resources it’s important to ensure the best possible outcomes are achieved. Today sees the launch of a report setting out SCIE’s approach to assessing the cost effectiveness of social care services.

Parental mental health guide updated (2 December 2011)

An updated version of the Parental mental health and child welfare guide has been launched. The guide, which is about working with parents who have mental health problems and their children, has been brought up-to-date, and it now includes the changed policy context and new practice examples.

SCIE statement on Audit Commission report 'Joining up health and social care' (1 December 2011)

Commenting on today’s report, SCIE’s Director of Adult Services, David Walden, says:

Today’s report highlights the importance of providing better coordination of both care and commissioning for an ageing population, many of whom have long-term conditions. This approach to integrated working can help to make the best use of scarce resources and is vital if people are going to have good quality care and support.

SCIE and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (1 December 2011)

SCIE is continuing to support care homes and home care providers to implement the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Following an external recruitment process, Provider Development Managers are now based within three independent care provider organisations.

Sexual health elearning - New resources for mental health professionals (1 December 2011)

People with mental health issues often have poor sexual health. New e-learning resources will help staff to identify ways in which sexual and reproductive health and sexual abuse are important issues for such people. Developed with busy mental health professionals in mind, it is an easy-to-use guide to key aspects of sexual and reproductive health for people with mental health issues. 

End of life care – new hub and quality standard (30 November 2011)

A new website hub, launched today, provides information and ideas for social care professionals who work with people at the end of their lives, and their families. SCIE also encourages social care commissioners and providers to use the quality standard from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE), to improve the quality of their services and to support their colleagues in the NHS.

EHRC home care report - SCIE response (23 November 2011)

SCIE's Chair Allan Bowman says:

Despite these headlines, there are powerful examples of dignity being provided in home care and other settings

New SCIE board member (18 November 2011)

David Archibald, Executive Director Children and Adults at Ealing Council is joining the board of the Social Care Institute for Excellence. The announcement has been made by SCIE Chair of trustees, Allan Bowman, who has given David a warm welcome to the board.

SCIE Knowledge Award winner announced (16 November 2011)

To celebrate ten years of capturing and communicating knowledge, evidence and innovation, SCIE staff and board members were asked to nominate candidates for the SCIE Knowledge Award for Outstanding Contribution Knowledge in Social Care. The winner is Jim Mansell, Emeritus Professor of Learning Disability in the Tizard Centre at the University of Kent.

Case reviews – News about SCIE model (9 November 2011)

Tim Loughton, Minister for Children and Families, has announced that the SCIE model for case reviews, called “Learning Together”, is to be used in some pilot serious case reviews.

SCIE’s Deputy Chief Executive, Amanda Edwards, says:

This is a crucial development and an important opportunity to test and work through the implications of using a systems model for a serious case review. This is about how we all learn to protect children better.

Education Select Committee – The College of Social Work (8 November 2011)

SCIE presented evidence to the Education Select Committee regarding establishing The College of Social Work. Papers presented by SCIE to the Committee are now available. Papers presented by The College of Social Work are available on their website.

Social Work Practice Pioneer Projects (3 November 2011)

Ten organisations are celebrating after being selected to be “pioneers” in social work practice. It is hoped that the new projects will support people to make the changes they need in their lives. Crucially, some projects provide social work to people who may have been unable to access it before.

SCIE at NCAS (19 October 2011)

New resources are being launched today at the National Children and Adult Services Conference. (NCAS / Twitter hash tag #NCASC). Two new Social Care TV films look at how commissioners and providers are working together in Dorset and London to address the challenges posed by personalisation. SCIE’s new Autism Guide looks at how social care services can improve access to adults with autism. SCIE has worked closely with the College of Occupational Therapists to produce a briefing for OTs.

Adult social care excellence award (19 October 2011)

While the Award scheme itself is not progressing, SCIE is pleased that the definition of excellent care which we developed in partnership with the sector was well received. We are therefore seeking to build on that definition in a range of other areas. This includes our responses to the Caring for our future engagement exercise; Think Local, Act Personal work on quality; and SCIE plans to develop easy to use, online information for the public to help them make choices about care.

Julie Jones, SCIE's Chief Executive

CQC’s National report on dignity and nutrition review – SCIE response (13 October 2011)

Today’s report is a reminder that dignity and nutrition are key issues for care staff. First and foremost, people need food and water. And being treated with dignity and respect is fundamental to good care practice.

Parental substance misuse - New elearning materials for social workers (12 October 2011)

Parental substance misuse is an important issue that social workers encounter frequently. However, one survey suggests that most have had no formal training on the issue of substance misuse. SCIE’s Parental substance misuse elearning resource is designed to support social workers responsible for ‘children in need’ when working with families where a parent or parents are misusing drugs or alcohol.

Mental health and employment in social care jobs (10 October 2011)

New resources from SCIE. The At a glance briefing, research briefing and digital report also look at what helps staff to gain and/or retain employment in the social care workforce.

SCIE Chief Executive position (7 October 2011)

SCIE's Chief Executive, Julie Jones, has announced that she is leaving SCIE in the spring of 2012. She is stepping down from fulltime employment. SCIE's Chair, Allan Bowman, will continue in his role to ensure continuity and to support the new Chief Executive.

Caring for our future – priorities (30 September 2011)

The Government wants to hear people’s views on the recommendations made by the Commission on Funding of Care and Support. They want to know how they should assess these proposals. The Caring for Our Future engagement exercise aims to pinpoint the priorities that this Government needs to focus on to inform its formal plans to improve the care system. Over the next three months, the Department of Health wants to hear the views of people who use care and support services – carers, local councils, care providers and the voluntary sector. They want to hear about how to improve the care and support system and to address the priorities for change.

New elearning for staff and service users, from "Get Connected" (27 September 2011)

The ability of people to communicate using new technologies is becoming as important as reading and writing. Individuals and organisations who do not have those skills are likely to become increasingly economically and socially isolated.  The "Get Connected to elearning" resource has been developed to help people use information communication technology (ICT) in the social care sector to extend their learning and offer better care. 

Supporting health and social care integration (22 September 2011)

Today sees the launch of valuable information to help GPs in their new roles as clinical commissioners.  The briefing shows how working with social care services can improve patients’ health outcomes and improve efficiency.  Social care and clinical commissioning for people with long-term conditions is published by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE), in partnership with The King’s Fund.

The College of Social Work to be a legal entity in January 2012 (21 September 2011)

Social workers need a College that can build a confident, respected, well-supported profession, which represents their views. The SCIE Board supports establishing the College as a legal entity. The sector can’t wait any longer.

Personal budgets – National Audit Office report – SCIE response (15 September 2011)

We agree with the NAO that more needs to be done to provide choice for people, offering the services that they want so that they can have control over their lives. People need consistent contact with a worker who knows their circumstances.

Increasing support for parents with mental health problems (12 September 2011)

Professionals can find that working with families, where an adult carer is mentally ill, can be a complex and sometimes daunting task. The new Parental mental health and families eLearning package from SCIE sets out all the key relationships, linkages and systems that need to be understood in parental mental health and families work.

Care home closures - Practical tools and guidance to manage short notice closures (8 September 2011)

There’s new support for professionals who need to handle the consequences of the closure of a care home. A new online guide will be invaluable to Commissioners and service providers, who may be called upon to manage short notice closures. It pulls together the current learning and available current tools on the issue. SCIE has produced this in conjunction with the Association of Directors of Adult Services (ADASS).

Chairs to social care quality standards Topic Expert Groups (19 August 2011)

The Health and Social Care Bill, currently being debated by Parliament, sets out a new responsibility for the National Institute for Health and clinical excellence (NICE) to develop quality standards for social care. The Department of Health has asked NICE to develop two pilot quality standards for social care. SCIE is working closely with NICE on these pilots. As part of their pilot programme of social care quality standards, NICE is currently seeking to recruit chairs for two Topic Expert Groups:

The deadline for applications is 9 September 2011 at 5pm.

More information on the pilot programme can be found on the NICE website

Apply for Social Work Practice Pioneer Project (3 August 2011)

SCIE and partners invite proposals for Social Work Practice Pioneer Projects (SWPPPs) in England. We are seeking proposals for projects that can demonstrate they have the potential to realise benefits for people using services. We are particularly interested in proposals that are pioneering and which focus on social work practice with adults. We want to see social work and the relationship with the social worker as a means of enabling people to make the changes they need in their lives. SWPPPs may be:

The programme is offering 8-10 Pioneer Projects up to £20,000 each as seed funding to set up their project. Due to funding streams, the programme covers Englad only

Closing date for expressions of interest is 30 September 2011. Further details and an application form for expressions of interest are available.

Mental Capacity Act – new help for staff (22 July 2011)

There is now extra help for social care staff working to support people who lack capacity. Sometimes the decisions that staff have to make are challenging and so new eLearning resources, and a briefing on Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, can help.

Government response to Munro final report – SCIE statement (13 July 2011)

SCIE welcomes the Government’s response to the Munro review recommendations. This provides an opportunity for reforming a social work, which will contribute to raising public confidence in social work.

Dilnot Commission – SCIE response (4 July 2011)

It’s a really important day for long-term social care in England. The Commission has studied and reported on the complex issues around the funding of long-term care.

Allan Bowman, SCIE Chair.

Press office

Steve Palmer, Press and Public Affairs Manager  020 7089 9919 | 07739 458 192
media@scie.org.uk

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