July 2024 Edition

In this edition of Casebook we focus on Adult Social Care, Promoting Lifelong Health, NHS Patient Survey Results, the role of Chaplains in health delivery, and  the opportunity to attend the National Rural Conference. Read on to find out more…

Nuffield Trust response to ADASS Annual Survey

Responding to the ADASS 2024 Spring Survey, Nuffield Trust Deputy Director of Policy Natasha Curry said:

“The latest survey of adult social care directors reinforces the grave financial challenges local councils are grappling with just to stand still in the face of growing and more complex needs for adult social care. The fact that 90% of councils are now not confident they have the funds available to meet what is asked of them should be ringing alarm bells for the new government.

“This perilous situation should press home the urgency of the need for a multi-year funding settlements and certainty for the sector. More immediate action to stablise this situation cannot be delayed for a further royal commission which could push any change even further into the future.

“Cost pressures on councils are growing as the type of care people need is changing suggesting that the model of care provided may not be fit for purpose. There is an urgent need for investment in new innovative ways of delivering care that meet these growing needs.

“While it is positive to see some improvements on waits for care, it just isn’t acceptable that over 400,000 people and families are still struggling to get the support they need.”

The Nuffield Trust have brought together a number of briefing papers laying health and care needs.  Find out more here:
https://www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/general-election-2024

Promoting Lifelong Health Fellowship Opportunity

The Churchill Fellowship have announced introduce a new programme focusing on, "Promoting lifelong health: addressing long-term health conditions from conception to end of life". They are seeking applications supporting individuals with long-term health conditions through community-based interventions or healthcare services. Applicants from a wide range of backgrounds are welcome including those with first-hand experience of long-term health conditions, community-based organisers, healthcare professionals, urban planners, policymakers and beyond. Applications open on 4 September 2024.

Beyond the breaking point: patient survey highlights NHS challenges

The Patients Association’s recent survey has revealed significant challenges in accessing care, reinforcing our calls to fix the crisis in healthcare and improve patients’ access to services they need to live well.

• Three out of ten (30%) people struggled to access GP appointments in the past six months

“I have not seen a GP face to face in nearly 2 years. So, I have given up and just suffer in silence.”

• Only 13% said there were no NHS services they had struggled to access

“Everything has been postponed, I have been waiting for surgery for over three years.”

• Just over three out of ten (31%) want full ownership of and easy access to their medical information

“Impossible to get access to the medical records in full.”

Other findings from the survey of 1,210 respondents include:

• A quarter (26%) of respondents agreed they had been given the opportunity to choose an alternative location for hospital care

“I’m constantly having hospital appointments cancelled. I ask them to change me to other hospitals/doctors, I’m told yes but never do.”

• Two fifths (41%) agreed their care has been well coordinated

“You get there - eventually - but the waste in time and the to-ing and fro-ing from appointment to appointment is a waste of resources. Sort issues quickly and stop multiple appointments.”

• Less than half (45%) agreed they had been kept informed about what was happening with their care and almost a fifth (19%) disagreed

“Long waiting list. Wrong information. Consultants letter contained information that was never discussed with patient.”

We made five demands in our manifesto. Respondents to our survey back those demands to varying degrees.  

Demand 1. Take patient partnership from theory to practice:

Our survey reveals a clear desire for patients to be treated as an equal partner in their care, with nearly half (45%) believing this would improve communication and transparency. 

Demand 2. Make increasing the availability of quality care a national priority:

With only around half (47%) of respondents agreeing they could access services they needed, our demand for a new ambitious strategy to get more patients the care they need is clearly urgently needed.

Demand 3. Place health at the heart of government:

A majority of respondents, seven out of ten (71%) agreed that all Government departments should prioritise public health, backing our call for a cross-government strategy that sets out what different departments can do to promote patient health and well-being and avoid causing additional harm.

Demand 4. Deliver genuine two-way communication:

Just over two-fifths (41%) of respondents felt their care was well coordinated; in our manifesto we called on the next Government to increase the number of care coordinators and care navigators to improve communication routes.

Demand 5. Provide the workforce patients need:

Just under a third (32%) of respondents believe the Government should prioritise investing in healthcare staff, backing our demand for full implementation of the NHS workforce plan.

“It’s all Training and Healthcare lately…”

Our chaplains do not spend their time trying to convert folk to Christianity! We are there to help, support and prop folks up during difficult periods in their lives. And that, in the present world of farming, with its problems and issues, is a very difficult job! It is hardly surprising then that currently, farming has the highest rate of male suicide of any profession in the UK. So, as you can imagine, we are kept extremely busy!

Coupled with training, those of you who may have ventured into a livestock market may well have seen a Health Hub. This is a place where farmers and their families, market staff, hauliers and others may go and speak confidentially to a group of healthcare professionals. 

Farming, traditionally, is one of those profession where farmers get little time to go to the doctor or dentist.  It is quite common for a Hub to offer blood pressure checks, diabetes checks, cholesterol level tests, physiotherapy, dental help, and others at a market. In some, a local GP will be in attendance!

The latest Hub to be in the process of forming is Salisbury Livestock Centre. They are hoping to be fully operational by October.  The driving force behind this and many other Hubs is the chaplain. Another example of Agricultural Chaplains supporting the farming community!

If anyone would wish to join us in our work, please drop us a line at [email protected] and we will be happy to help.

National Rural Conference – Rural Health and Care Session

The Rural Services Network (RSN) is thrilled to announce the National Rural Conference 2024, happening from 16-19 September. This virtual event, accessible via Zoom, is the premier gathering for policymakers and rural service professionals. On Thursday 19 September there will be a session dedicated to Rural Health and Care with speakers from Lincoln Institute for Rural and Coastal Health, RABI (Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution), NHS Cornwall & Isles of Scilly and Imperial College London. Members of the Rural Health Alliance can attend the Conference for free.  To check your organisation’s membership or for any queries, contact [email protected]. Joining instructions will be sent out a few days before the event.

Don't miss this transformative event shaping the future of rural services. Secure your spot now and be part of the conversation driving rural innovation.

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RURAL SERVICES NETWORK

Up to date news on Health and Care
The Rural Services Network provides a useful source of themed news content and data. Check out the latest news on Health & Wellbeing and Vulnerability, where you’ll find articles on a diverse range of rural issues affecting rural communities. You might also find this research on Over 65 Population Projections useful too.

Latest from RSN Member Insights
RSN Member Insights is the place to discover the statistics that define communities within our membership.  It is regularly updated with new analyses, and these will be highlighted in the 'What's New' section of the RSN's Weekly Rural Bulletin. The Rural Bulletin also provides a selection of the most rurally topical news items, so do subscribe and encourage your colleagues to subscribe to what is an invaluable weekly periodical.

To make a suggestion of data that would benefit you by being included in the Member Insights section, please email Dan Worth, our Research and Performance Analyst, at [email protected].

The Rural Health & Care Alliance is a membership organisation administered by the Rural Services Network on behalf of the National Centre for Rural Health & Care.  Explore the RHCA service below: