Major study outlines wide health inequalities in England

A 60-year-old woman in the poorest areas of England has a level of ‘diagnosed illness’ equivalent to that of a 76-year-old woman in the wealthiest areas, according to new research by the Health Foundation. While a 60-year-old man in the poorest areas of England will on average have a level of diagnosed illness equivalent to that of a 70- year-old man in the wealthiest areas.

People living in the most deprived parts of England are diagnosed with serious illness earlier and die sooner than their peers in more affluent areas, a major new study finds.

ADASS Survey: People waiting for assessments. care or review

Six hundred people a day are joining growing waiting lists to be assessed for care and support in England, as adult social care buckles under unprecedented pressures. Almost 300,000 people are now waiting for an assessment of their needs by social workers, an increase of 90,000 (44%) in five months. One in four has been waiting longer than six months. At this rate of increase, the number waiting will hit 400,000 by November – double the total 12 months previously.

Building capacity and capability for improvement in adult social care

It is a time of great change in the adult social care sector, with plans to introduce a new Care Quality Commission assurance framework and integration with health services under way. This moment of change is an opportunity to rethink the approach to improvement in adult social care and the support that is offered.

How to avoid employment tribunal claims when planning job cuts

A top-down perspective of a formally dressed individual pointing at their laptop screen

While the job market continues to look buoyant, some believe that raised interest rates and borrowing costs have led to a 60 per cent increase in planned redundancies in the last quarter.

Redundancies and dismissals in general have been a hot topic in the media recently following the mass sacking of P&O Ferries staff, which highlighted the serious issues that can ensue when an employer gets the process wrong, purposely or otherwise.

While every redundancy process and the circumstances will be unique to each business, there are a few general principles and rules that employers should follow to help them avoid employment tribunal claims when making redundancies.