Andrea Austin MD’s Post

Recently, a powerful news piece highlighted the troubling situation of Matthew Sharp, a man with complex needs who has spent nearly 10 months in a hospital, despite being medically fit to leave. This story underscores a systemic issue in the UK's health and social care systems, where disputes over funding responsibility between the NHS and local councils can leave people stuck in unsuitable environments for extended periods. This raises a crucial question: What systemic changes are necessary to ensure that individuals with complex needs receive timely and appropriate care, rather than being left in unsuitable environments for extended periods? 1️⃣ Enhanced Coordination Between NHS and Local Authorities 2️⃣ Strengthen Continuing Healthcare (CHC) Assessment Process 3️⃣ Increased Investment in Community-Based Care Options We invite you to join the conversation and share your thoughts on how we can advocate for a more effective, compassionate, and coordinated approach to care. Let’s discuss how we can push for the reforms needed to prevent situations like Matthew's from happening again. Read the news piece here: https://lnkd.in/epmpeRc6 #SocialCareReform #Healthcare #DisabilitySupport #JoinTheConversation

Support Workers play a vital role in healthcare. They provide not only practical assistance but also emotional encouragement to vulnerable individuals—adults and children alike—who have mental health challenges or complex care needs. Their work is integral to helping people live fuller, more independent lives and offers support across a wide range of healthcare settings, from homes to hospitals. At Avon Healthcare Solutions, we are proud to bring skilled, compassionate Support Workers into roles where they make a real difference. Their presence lightens the load for families, healthcare facilities, and communities, and they play a key part in keeping healthcare systems responsive and resilient. Their role reminds us all of the human connection that lies at the heart of healthcare, bridging the gap between essential medical care and genuine, compassionate support. Read more here: https://bit.ly/4hvWut9 #AvonHealthcareSolution #Recruitment #HealthcareAgency #SupportWorker

Health and social care providers and investors into the sector should check out this insight setting out what we might expect next from the CQC and the regulatory framework surrounding it.

In light of recent findings, the government is taking swift action to rebuild public trust in our health and social care system. The Health and Social Care Secretary, yesterday introduced four immediate measures to enhance the transparency and reliability of care quality assessments. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eGJSqva4 #HealthInnovation #CareQuality #PublicTrust

🚨 Mental Health Providers, Let's Advocate for Fair Reimbursement! 🚨 Our work is vital, and we can collectively ensure our reimbursement rates reflect that. Here are practical steps we can take: Form Committees: Within our professional organizations, we can establish committees to handle various aspects of the campaign, including data collection, legal strategies, and lobbying efforts. Build Alliances: By partnering with other healthcare providers and organizations, we can strengthen our collective voice and bargaining power. Provider Education: Conducting training sessions for providers on effective service documentation and outcome reporting can support our claims for fairer reimbursement. Media Leverage: Utilizing media outlets to raise public awareness and support for our cause is crucial. Recent updates, such as the historic rate increases in North Carolina and California, show that our collective efforts can lead to significant changes. By taking these steps, we can advocate for fair reimbursement and ensure the sustainability of our practices and the quality of care for our patients. #MentalHealthAdvocacy #FairReimbursement #HealthcareProviders #FromthedeskofJPJ #BSW #MSW #DSW #SocialWork #SocialWorkers #MentalHealthMatters #AdvocateForChange #HealthcareReform #ProviderSupport #MentalHealthProfessionals

The recent CQC review of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) has uncovered significant failures in patient care and safety, reflecting deep-rooted issues that extend across community mental health services in the UK. With long waiting times, inconsistent care planning, and inadequate risk management, patients remain at risk. While there have been some improvements, particularly at Rampton Hospital, the report highlights the urgent need for standardised care pathways, better staffing, and stronger leadership. These issues are not isolated to NHFT, they mirror wider challenges within our mental health system. It's clear that transformative change is essential. We must prioritise patient safety, strengthen multidisciplinary care, and ensure that mental health services across the country meet the high standards that our communities deserve. Let's use these findings as a catalyst for nationwide reform. 💪 #MentalHealth #Healthcare #Leadership #PatientSafety #CommunityCare #NHS

The Department of Health and Social Care today published Lord Darzi's report on the current state of the NHS. 📘 The report specifically addresses clinical negligence claims, with an emphasis on creating a more effective and supportive framework for managing claims while focusing on improving patient care and safety. The second point is a view shared by many clinical negligence lawyers (including myself) as the most effective way to manage the costs of claims and it’s refreshing to see a change in the rhetoric that "lawyers are the problem." Simply put, improving patient safety and the quality of care will reduce the number of incidents that lead to a claim. The complexity in improving patient safety, however, lies in the broader systemic issues that exist in the NHS, which are highlighted in the report. Here’s hoping that the new Labour government takes Lord Darzi's recommendations to address these issues onboard. 💡

New blog incoming! ✍️ Learn how hospital-based social workers play a vital role in the adult healthcare system. These dedicated professionals possess a unique set of skills, providing crucial support and assistance to patients and their families during an especially challenging time. Read more about what these social workers have to face below! 👇 https://bit.ly/3Uz7zzY #ConnectingCare #HospitalSocialWorkers #Blog

Really interesting talk from Matthew Taylor, Chief Executive of NHS Confederation. We will get to a point where we can diagnose illness before there are any symptoms. But our model of care has to be proactive and holistic. We have to engage before the point or crisis. The way of working between health community and social care requires different ways of thinking. There are gaps like befriending - Theres no point helping people who have no social interaction to go back to. Funding models have to change to support communities. There are lots of reasons why things go wrong but the one thing we need to get it to go right is a clear and compelling vision of the future, from a patient perspective. How could and should it look different to the people we serve. We need to mobilise clinicians and partners to get to where we need to be. We need a comprehensive business strategy that learns from what’s happened in the past and transforms in a way that supports all the people and communities we serve. #WelshConfed24 Welsh NHS Confederation

Hospital closures harm our local communities and reduce our access to health care. They put our own individual health and well-being at risk, particularly pregnant and parenting families. They also threaten our ability to cope with emergencies such as pandemics and natural disasters. Local communities should play a role in developing ways to ensure that people will still receive the hospital-based care we need, particularly in a sudden emergency like a heart attack, stroke, mental health crisis, childbirth or life-threatening injury. The New York State Legislature passed the Local Input in Community Healthcare Act (S.8843A/A.1633B last spring. This bill will: improve public notice and community involvement when hospitals propose to close entirely or shut units like maternity, emergency or mental health services, strengthen government oversight of proposed closures and ensure that a Health Equity Impact Assessment is done, to inform state regulators. This bill now awaits Governor Hochul’s signature before the end of the year. Sign this petition to urge Gov. Hochul to sign this bill into law. Click here: https://lnkd.in/eqijgYGj