Care Radio

The Latest Care News

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  Chief Medical Officer calls for healthcare built around local communities

  England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, has published his annual report, focusing on the health and wellbeing of people in small towns and rural communities. It calls for health services to be designed around the needs of local people, and recommends speeding up the rollout of telemedicine and digital healthcare to improve access in rural areas.

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  New plan to tackle homelessness among care leavers

  The UK Government has launched a new action plan to reduce homelessness among young people leaving care. Councils will have to do more to make sure care leavers have suitable housing and support as they move into independent living, and it will be harder for councils to class some under-25s as intentionally homeless.

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  London NHS trusts save £4.1m by cutting duplicate tests

  Two major London NHS trusts have saved £4.1 million by cutting unnecessary repeat medical tests. King's College Hospital and Guy's and St Thomas' say their shared electronic patient record has prevented 3.3 million duplicate or repeat tests over the past three years. It has also freed up around 275,000 hours of nursing and phlebotomy time, and spared patients needless blood tests.

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  London Assembly calls for free Carers' Travelcard

  The London Assembly is calling for discounted or free public transport for unpaid carers. Members have backed a motion urging Transport for London to look at introducing a Carers' Travelcard. It follows concerns that travel costs are adding to carers' money worries, with some families forced to choose between paying for a young carer's Oyster card and buying food.

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  £10m boost for heart research at King's College London

  Research into how the heart works is getting a £10 million boost at King's College London. The money will set up a tech hub to move the focus on heart and circulation problems from treatment to prevention, and help keep people out of hospital. The hub will look at people's health records and data from smartwatches to spot those most at risk, so they can act before a crisis.

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  Fidgeting may be good for your health

  Do you drum your fingers or bounce your feet? It could be doing you good. A neurologist in Florida says that although fidgeting involves only small movements, because they're constant they help your circulation and help your body process sugar. Earlier studies have also found that tapping your feet during long spells of sitting helps keep blood flowing to your legs.

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  Phone First triage service to stay in Northern Ireland

  A controversial plan to close a phone triage service in Northern Ireland won't go ahead for now. Phone First aims to keep emergency departments free for life-and-death cases, but had been due to close to save money. The Health Minister says it will keep running for the time being, after figures showed about a third of calls steered people away from A&E.

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  Care sector in Wales urged to get flu jab

  People across the care sector in Wales are being urged to have a flu vaccine. They include unpaid carers, care home residents and staff, health and social care workers, and everyone over 65. The health board covering Carmarthen says there have already been flu outbreaks, yet 40% of people eligible for a free vaccine haven't come forward.

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  Disabled People 'Sidelined' by UK Covid Enquiry

  Disability campaigners say the UK Covid inquiry has sidelined people who received care at home during the pandemic. Disability Rights UK says the inquiry’s social care report focuses heavily on care homes, with no recommendations specifically addressing support for nearly a million disabled people. The inquiry says disabled people’s experiences were central to its investigation, and most recommendations apply to both residential and home care.

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  Man Flu could be Real

  An NHS doctor says there may be a biological basis for so-called man flu. Doctor Jeff Foster, a GP and men's health specialist, points to research suggesting men can experience more severe symptoms from respiratory viruses than women. He says women tend to mount a faster initial immune response, while men's symptoms may last longer. But he says age, general health, sleep and stress also affect how people respond to infection, meaning experiences can vary widely from person to person.

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  Adult Social Care Services in England Are Improving

  Adult social care services in England are improving, according to the Care Quality Commission. Its annual report says seventy-four per cent of services are rated good or outstanding, up from sixty-nine per cent a year earlier. Improvements span care homes, home care and supported living. But the regulator warns the market is changing largely by accident rather than design, with care homes getting bigger and home care increasingly split among smaller providers.

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  Dudley Carers Asked For Their Views

  Unpaid carers in Dudley are being asked to share their experiences to help improve care and support as part of a national pilot survey, run by the University of Birmingham. It’s open to anyone providing unpaid support to relatives, friends or neighbours affected by illness, disability, mental health conditions, substance misuse or older age. Researchers particularly want to hear from carers not known to local services. Responses are anonymous. Take part at survey of carers dot com slash takepart.

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  Woman, 25, shares how she manages health anxiety

  A 25 year old has told the BBC how she thought she was dying but was actually having a panic attack. Hollie Sharman recalled how she would go to hospital several times a week but tests proved she was OK and had health anxiety. Amongst the advice given was to improve breathing techniques, challenge bad thinking and set rules on how often you seek assurance.

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  Charity offers advice to keep children safe this Halloween

  The NSPCC has advice for parents and carers as Halloween approaches. They’re encouraging people to check where their children are going, who with and for how long. The advice is to stay in well lit areas, make sure costumes are visible in the dark and what to do if the child starts to feel anxious.

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  Teddy bear hunt in Guernsey highlights foster care stories

  15 teddy bears have been hidden around Guernsey in the Channel Islands and today’s the day local people go and find them. Each bear has a story on about how foster children have benefited from having a carer. And if you want a hint where the bears are located, just check the Guernsey Foster care page on Facebook.

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  NHS booklet helps Kent families spot illnesses over half term

  Parents and carers in Kent can access an online booklet to identify common childhood illnesses. Kent and Medway NHS Foundation Trust has the booklet online and say it may come in useful during half term from school. It also has advice on what medicines to stock up at home and when and where to seek medical help.