<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <rss version="2.0" xml:base="https://www.voscur.org" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"> <channel> <title>Voscur - Social care</title> <link>https://www.voscur.org/core-categories/social-care</link> <description></description> <language>en</language> <item> <title>Voscur's response to NHS Volunteer Responders scheme extension</title> <link>https://www.voscur.org/news/voscurs-response-nhs-volunteer-responders-scheme-extension</link> <description><div class="field field-name-title field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><h2>Voscur&#039;s response to NHS Volunteer Responders scheme extension</h2></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.voscur.org/sites/default/files/styles/node_image/public/NHS-vol-responders-news-image-.png?itok=5p68hdVP" width="301" height="300" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-date-provision-is-due-to-b field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">12 June, 2023</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>This week plans were announced to expand the NHS Volunteer Responders scheme in England into social care – this will involve a drive to recruit volunteers to take on social care tasks such as delivering medication or tackling isolation and loneliness via social visits. </p> <p>The local VCSE sector delivers various levels of social care throughout Bristol (as well as surrounding areas), with the sector being a key part of the social care system both nationally and locally. The implementation of this new scheme, and the centralisation of investment, could significantly impact the sector as well the communities it supports. </p> <p>There are substantial gaps in social care currently, with 170,000 hours a week of required homecare not being delivered due to a lack of staff, and further investment in social care is needed to resolve this. Evidence has also shown that <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/may/02/volunteering-in-sharp-decline-in-england-since-covid-pandemic?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other" target="_blank">volunteering has declined</a> since the beginning of the cost-of-living crisis, with many VCSE sector organisations losing volunteers vital to their service delivery and being unable to replace them. </p> <p>From <a href="https://www.voscur.org/sites/default/files/Cost%20of%20Living%20Pulse%20Survey%20infographic%20%2811%29.pdf" target="_blank">our recent Pulse survey</a>, we also know that VCSE organisations delivering services in Bristol and surrounding areas are struggling to operate because of rising costs and rising demands for their services, with many also using financial reserves to stay afloat. </p> <p>All the evidence suggests that a centralised scheme, such as the current extension of the NHS Volunteer Responders scheme, won’t be an effective solution to the problems facing social care or the VCSE sector. </p> <p>Recent <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-021-11390-8" target="_blank">academic evidence from the pandemic</a> demonstrates the effectiveness of using existing relationships, partnerships, and volunteer networks in times of crisis over centralised schemes that cut across existing structures. National analysis of the current NHS Volunteer Responder scheme was due to be released in the summer of 2022, but is not yet in the public domain. However, analysis of the scheme at regional level and smaller has recommended that any future centralised volunteering scheme should be integrated with local networks, with a coordinated joint-approach. </p> <p>The extension of the scheme risks undermining local systems that already exist, using the limited number of volunteering hours available to duplicate existing structures with no additional benefit. </p> <p>Additionally, as the volunteering taking place will lack the continuity that is so vital in social care it is likely to be ineffective, especially when compared to community-based, relational volunteering. Ultimately the evidence suggests that the extension of the NHS Volunteer Responders scheme is likely to be ineffective in delivering long-term outcomes to keep people appropriately cared for. </p> <p>Unfortunately, whilst volunteers can supplement the paid workforce, they cannot substitute for the gaps in social care recruitment and retention. </p> <p>Voscur is keen for the national review of the NHS Responders scheme to be published so that the learning can be used to influence further developments. </p> <p>Furthermore, we encourage work to begin on integrating the NHS Responders scheme with local approaches, without placing additional burden on VCSE organisations. </p> <p>Rebecca Mear, CEO of Voscur, said:</p> <p><em>"It is a missed opportunity that central government has decided not to invest in existing, locally-based VCSE organisations to build on initiatives that we know work. As part of the VCSE Alliance, working with our Integrated Care System, we will work in partnership to make sure that future volunteering programmes are driven by the communities which they seek to serve.” </em></p> <p>If you are an organisation that is affected by these changes we would like to hear your thoughts. You can contact our Policy, Research and Communications Manager, Ian Hudson-Murt via email at <a href="mailto:ian.hm@voscur.org">ian.hm@voscur.org</a> </p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-core-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Core Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/core-categories/cost-living">Cost of Living</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/core-categories/social-care">Social care</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/core-categories/volunteering">Volunteering</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-expiry-date field-type-datetime field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Expiry date:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Monday, 12 June, 2023</span></div></div></div></description> <pubDate>Mon, 12 Jun 2023 16:35:17 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>Ian Hudson-Murt</dc:creator> <guid isPermaLink="false">104797 at https://www.voscur.org</guid> <comments>https://www.voscur.org/news/voscurs-response-nhs-volunteer-responders-scheme-extension#comments</comments> </item> <item> <title>Charity Finance Group Social Care Conference 2021</title> <link>https://www.voscur.org/insight/news/charity-finance-group-social-care-conference-2021</link> <description><div class="field field-name-title field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><h2>Charity Finance Group Social Care Conference 2021</h2></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-article-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.voscur.org/sites/default/files/styles/node_image/public/CFG%20Social%20Care%20Conference%202021%20510x359.jpg?itok=9XgZ-WSl" width="510" height="359" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-text field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Image Credit:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Charity Finance Group</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-date-provision-is-due-to-b field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">4 May, 2021</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p> </p> <p><em><span><span><span><b><span>(Advertorial content created by Charity Finance Group, for Voscur)</span></b></span></span></span></em></p> <p><span><span><span><b><span>Charity Finance Group: <span>Social Care Conference 2021</span></span></b></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><b><span>Thursday 10 June, 09.30 – 16.40 online event</span></b></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span>Find out more about Charity Finance Group’s <span>Social Care Conference on 10 June, bringing a comprehensive programme for finance managers and heads of finance in adult social care to explore the most pressing issues in the social care sector, connect with peers from other social care charities, and hear the latest regulatory updates. </span></span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>The event programme for the day:</span></span></span></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span><span><span><span><span>The challenges and opportunities for social care after Covid-19</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span>Regulatory update</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span>Exploring recruitment and retention</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span>Hear from a Local Government Authority</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span>The funding landscape</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span>VAT reliefs and welfare</span></span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p><span><span><span><span><span>Speakers so far include:</span></span></span></span></span></p> <ul> <li><span><span><span><span><span>Amanda Ashworth, Project Manager - Recruitment and Retention, Skills for Care</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span>Juliet Green, Project Manager, Skills for Care</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span>Simon Bottery, Senior Fellow, Social Care, The King’s Fund</span></span></span></span></span></li> <li><span><span><span><span><span>Emma Robotham, Indirect Tax Senior Manager, Cooper Parry</span></span></span></span></span></li> </ul> <p><span><span><span><span><span>More speaker announcements coming soon! Visit</span></span> <strong><a href="https://cfg.org.uk/SocialCareConference"><span>https://cfg.org.uk/SocialCareConference</span></a></strong> <span>to see the full programme, speaker line up and to book your place – charity CFG members also receive a discount. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><b><span><span>Who should come along to this event?</span></span></b> </span></span></span></p> <p><span><span><span><span><span>This event is open to CFG members and non-members, and will be particularly useful for finance managers and heads of finance operating in adult social care delivery, such as professionals from residential care, disability support organisations, hospices and healthcare organisations. </span></span></span></span></span></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-core-category field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Core Category:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/core-categories/finance">Finance</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/core-categories/social-care">Social care</a></div></div></div></description> <pubDate>Tue, 04 May 2021 20:11:57 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>David</dc:creator> <guid isPermaLink="false">99252 at https://www.voscur.org</guid> </item> <item> <title>Easy Read coronavirus information for people with learning disabilities </title> <link>https://www.voscur.org/resources/easy-read-coronavirus-information-people-learning-disabilities</link> <description><div class="field field-name-title field-type-ds field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><h2>Easy Read coronavirus information for people with learning disabilities </h2></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-resource-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.voscur.org/sites/default/files/styles/node_image/public/COVID-19%20resource%20image%20320x250_6.jpg?itok=NqdQZygg" width="320" height="250" alt="" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p> </p> <p>The organisation Easy Read has published simple versions of the government's advice on staying home (issued 24 March 2020) and on self-isolating, to help people with learning disabilities.</p> <p>If you work with or care for people with learning disabilities, you will know it is important to find the right balance of information for them, to minimise distress and confusion. </p> <p>There are high resolution versions of each Easy Read guide, suitable for printing, and also low resolution versions, suitable for reading online, emailing to others, or downloading to read on a computer or smartphone. </p> <p><a href="https://www.easy-read-online.co.uk/erdocs/easy-read-online/" target="_blank">Click here to visit the Easy Read website</a> and find out more. </p> <p>Click the link below for the low resolution versions of the Easy Read staying at home guide, which explains the lockdown in the UK. </p> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-resource-related-services field-type-entityreference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Resource Related Services:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/partnership/health-and-social-care">Health &amp; Social Care</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/partnership/children-and-young-people">Children and Young People</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-attachment field-type-file field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Attachment:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="file"><img class="file-icon" alt="PDF icon" title="application/pdf" src="/modules/file/icons/application-pdf.png" /> <a href="https://www.voscur.org/sites/default/files/free-document-on-the-lockdown-easy-read-lo-res_v1c.pdf" type="application/pdf; length=1378640">free-document-on-the-lockdown-easy-read-lo-res_v1c.pdf</a></span></div></div></div></description> <pubDate>Thu, 26 Mar 2020 16:15:46 +0000</pubDate> <dc:creator>pollya</dc:creator> <guid isPermaLink="false">97241 at https://www.voscur.org</guid> <comments>https://www.voscur.org/resources/easy-read-coronavirus-information-people-learning-disabilities#comments</comments> </item> </channel> </rss>