1. Belinda Schwehr on social care

Last week, as widely anticipated, the Chancellor announced a two year delay to reforms which would have placed a lifetime cap on the amount anyone would have to pay towards their social care needs.

Belinda Schwehr, CEO of legal advice charity CASCAIDr, has very mixed feelings...

She shared her reflections with Independent Living

2. When The Time Comes

The range of subjects people are comfortable about discussing has increased to include most recent taboos - but not death.

Most of us avoid thinking about it, talking about it or planning for it. We cloak it in euphemisms and do everything we can to avoid an honest approach. Yet how valuable that is for all concerned.

"When The Time Comes" by Dr Magnolia Cardona and Nurse Ebony Lewis is reviewed for us by Mary Farmer, who describes it as an inspiring and brave book.

Read her review here

3. Access to medical records

Most patients in England should be able to access their GP-held medical records via the NHS App by the start of next month.

It was supposed to happen at the beginning of November, but GPs were given extra time to work with local commissioners on preparing their IT systems if necessary, before access to records is enabled automatically from 30th November.

Keep reading here

4. Long-term sickness increasing

An interesting recent article from the ONS (Office for National Statistics) highlighted the fact that the number of people out of work because of long term sickness has increased by 25% since before the pandemic.

There has been speculation that Long COVID is behind the growth in numbers, but this is unlikely to be the whole story.

What is going on with the labour force?

5. Accessibility Toolkit for GPs

For people living with a disability, accessing healthcare can often be challenging. 

The National Disability Strategy notes that 78% of disabled people who sometimes found difficulties accessing public buildings also experienced barriers to health services.

Dimensions has contributed to the development of a first-of-its-kind toolkit which brings together best practice on the design aspects of healthcare institutions to make them more accessible.

Find out more here

6. Bellavita NOVA bathlift

Drive DeVilbiss Healthcare has launched the latest in their bathroom safety range, the Bellavita NOVA bathlift, which builds on 30 years' experience from the inventors of the first battery-powered bathlift.

The new model incorporates the features that made the original Bellavita so successful, as well as new features and patented innovations that bring something unique to the market.

Read more about it here