Care Radio

The Latest Care News

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  Devon County Council expands carers contract

  Carers in Devon will continue to receive support despite growing financial pressures on public services. Devon County Council has agreed to expand its contract with the Devon Carers service, recognising the vital role unpaid carers play in helping relatives and friends while reducing pressure on health and social care. The move aims to provide more information, advice and practical support for carers across the county, helping them maintain their own wellbeing alongside their caring responsibilities.

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  Simple text message helps reduce anxiety

  A simple text messaging service is helping to reduce anxiety for parents and carers by making it easier to contact healthcare professionals. The ChatHealth service allows parents and carers to ask questions by text, receiving timely advice without needing to arrange appointments or wait on the phone. The approach has been shown to give health visitors an effective communication tool and to provide new parents and carers greater choice in how they get advice and reassurance.

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  Dorset charity leading drive for young carers support

  A Dorset-based charity is leading a national drive to make support for young carers fairer, wherever they live in the UK. MYTIME Young Carers has published two new reports through its Equity for Young Carers Project, examining successful approaches in Newcastle and Romsey, with the aim of ending what it describes as a postcode lottery in support and creating a national framework of good practice. The charity hopes organisations across the country will share ideas and learn from each other so every young carer can access the help they need, regardless of where they live.

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  Devon adult social care requiring improvement

  Council-provided adult social care services in Devon have been rated as requiring improvement by the Care Quality Commission. The watchdog said that people who used services provided by Devon County Council were waiting too long for assessments, safeguarding responses and financial decisions. Councillor Richard Keeling said that the council was disappointed to miss the rating of good, but that the CQC report did not affect their commitment to supporting vulnerable adults.
  

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  Unpaid carers still being asked to repay carer's allowance overpayments

  Some unpaid carers are still being asked to repay carer's allowance overpayments, despite measures being introduced over a year ago to prevent them falling foul of the system. New data shows that some unpaid carers were still being asked to repay sums of more than 20 thousand pounds in 2025. While the government insists it is reducing exposure to benefit injustice, the new figures show that progress is slow. Campaigners say it is unacceptable for carers to continue to be penalised for the mistakes of an outdated system.
  

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  All teenagers should be offered meningitis vaccine

  All teenagers in the UK should be offered a meningitis vaccine on the NHS after a number of recent fatal outbreaks, according to a government committee. The Joint Commission on Vaccination and Immunisation said that young people over the age of 15 should be eligible, and booster jabs should also be offered to those who were vaccinated when they were babies. The recommendation follows a number of meningitis outbreaks in the UK, one in Kent which killed two people, and one in Berkshire in May this year which led to the death of a school student.
  

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  Salsa dancing could reduce depression and anxiety

  New research from the University of Oxford shows that taking a salsa dancing class could reduce depression and anxiety. Salsa dancing is already one of the most popular dance forms, and it's known to have physical benefits on heart health, muscle tone and posture. Researchers studied 121 young adults who had mild to moderate depression and anxiety. Those who did the dancing showed a reduction in mental health symptoms and larger increases in daily happiness. Other activities like karate, art classes, book clubs and nature walks can also lead to improvements in mental health symptoms.

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  New negotiɑting body for cɑrers

  A new body representing cɑre workers ɑnd employers will be lɑunched by the end of the yeɑr to negotiɑte pɑy, working conditions ɑnd other employment issues ɑcross Englɑnd's ɑdult sociɑl cɑre sector. Negotiɑtions ɑre due to begin next April ɑnd the first settlement tɑking effect in 2028. However, the Locɑl Government Associɑtion hɑs wɑrned the funding mɑy not cover the full cost ɑnd sɑys councils should hɑve ɑ greɑter role in the process.

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  Advisers tell government to offer Meningitis B vɑccine on the NHS

  Teenɑgers ɑcross the UK could soon be offered ɑ meningitis B vɑccine on the NHS ɑfter government ɑdvisers recommended ɑ nɑtionwide rollout. The Joint Committee on Vɑccinɑtion ɑnd Immunisɑtion sɑys 15-yeɑr-olds should receive the jɑb, with cɑtch-up doses for those who missed out ɑs bɑbies. The recommendɑtion follows severɑl recent outbreɑks, including in Kent ɑnd Berkshire. The government will now consider the ɑdvice before deciding whether to introduce the progrɑmme.

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  Unions ɑnd cɑmpɑigners reɑct to Covid Inquiry PPE report

  Unions ɑnd ɑnti-corruption cɑmpɑigners hɑve condemned the government's hɑndling of PPE procurement during the Covid pɑndemic ɑfter ɑ dɑmning report from the UK Covid Inquiry which found billions of pounds were wɑsted on unusɑble protective equipment ɑnd criticised the use of ɑ so-cɑlled VIP lɑne for ɑwɑrding contrɑcts. The British Medicɑl Associɑtion described the government's response ɑs "ɑn omnishɑmbles", while the Royɑl College of Nursing sɑid frontline stɑff were left unprotected.

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  Government unveils ɑction plɑn to support cɑrers

  Millions of unpɑid cɑrers in Englɑnd ɑre set to receive better support under ɑ new government ɑction plɑn with three ɑims: To recognise who cɑrers ɑre, to refer them to services ɑnd to help them reɑch their potentiɑl. The initiɑtive will ɑllow cɑrers to register on the NHS App, helping heɑlth professionɑls refer them to the right services. A new online hub will ɑlso lɑunch this summer, ɑnd from 2027, lɑrge employers will be required to improve support for cɑrers in the workplɑce.

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  Andy Burnham highlights social care in first speech as leader

  Andy Burnham has highlighted social care in his first speech as the leader of the Labour Party. Speaking yesterday, Burnham set out his 5 main priorities to lead the country with a desire to improve care being a top priority. 15 years ago he was the architect of the white paper Building The National Care Service and in Wales this week talked about his own experiences of care as his father is living with Alzheimers.

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  Holland identified a major shortage of neurologists to deal with dementia

  In Holland, the country’s identified a major shortage of neurologists and care facilities for people with dementia or Parkinson’s disease. It comes as the population is ageing, leading to more people with neurological conditions and medical advances mean more conditions can be treated. One report this week says Dutch health services need an extra quarter of a million staff in the next 10 years.

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  3 year olds in Devon are becoming ready for school a year before their classes start

  3 year olds in Devon are becoming ready for school a year before their classes start. Parents and carers of young children are being encouraged to access free help called Best Start In Life for when their little ones are in nursery or pre-school. Family hubs are helping with activities designed to boost early development, communications and confidence.

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  Sussex care home residents enjoying a day in Greece

  Residents in a care home in Sussex enjoyed a day in Greece this week without having to leave their armchairs. Residents at Nyton House in Chicester watched a documentary on cruising around the Greek islands while dinner was moussaka, feta and cous cous. One of the residents Geoff had been a regular visitor to the island of Skiathos and was able to reminisce about his holidays there and what he got up to.

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  Families `face typical £1,145 bill per child for holiday clubs over summer´

  Families are facing a typical summer holiday club bill of £1,145 per child. That’s according to a new report from the Coram Family and Childcare charity which also says average holiday childcare costs across Britain have risen by 5% in the past year.The report notes that “Parents and carers pay much more for childcare during the holidays than during term time”. And , in inner London, holiday club prices had risen by 16%, though Yorkshire and the Humber costs were down 1%.