LINks - this week's Housing LIN bulletin (23 July 2015)

Welcome to LINks, the weekly e-bulletin from the Housing LIN (Learning and Improvement Network) where we put a selection of latest information, resources and events under the spotlight. In this week's issue, we would like to draw your attention to the following:

Towards 'People Powered Change': a new Housing LIN work programme

'People powered change' is an arresting idea, which seems to be featuring increasingly frequently in the debate about the future of health, care and housing for older people. Nesta have just launched their 'Health Lab' in which they talk about the need for a health system for older people that is 'for people, by people and with people'.

This imperative to engage with older people and to enable them shape and control their future services is a common theme that informs a range of participative and collaborative approaches from asset based community development (ABCD) to co-production and from personalisation to peer support. At the Housing LIN, we have been tracking and reporting innovative and challenging people-centred ways of working for some years, via our 'Learning Lab', and we have always recognised the importance of the interface between older people's housing, care and health services. Housing LIN is now seeking to extend knowledge and understanding of 'people powered change', in several ways.

Firstly, we have consolidated our existing resources and case studies in a new section of our website called User Involvement and Co-production and we are adding new ones all the time. These can be found at: www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/browse/HousingOlderPeople/UserInvolvement

Secondly, we are following up our case study report on 'Growing Older Together; The Case for Housing that is Shaped and Controlled by Older People' with a second case study report, which will look at a broader range of examples in both established neighbourhoods and existing housing developments and in innovative new housing projects.

Thirdly, we are planning to make 'people powered change' a major theme in our annual spring conference in March 2016.

And finally, we have produced a Practice Briefing on this programme of work (see below).

Housing LIN practice briefing - Growing Older Together: the development and promotion of resident-led models of housing with care for older people

Email Cover Practice Briefing GOT This paper by Jon Stevens for the Housing LIN outlines the work being undertaken to capture examples of practice of resident-led housing for older people. This key area of work recognises that there is a need to increase the supply of housing suitable for older people and ensure that the offer of new housing options and choices prove attractive to a new generation of older people with changing priorities and higher expectations. View at: http://www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/browse/HousingOlderPeople/UserInvolvement/?parent=3667&child=9651

We welcome contributions to this work programme. Do get in touch if you are able to draw our attention to new approaches and opportunities or if you can highlight established or proposed projects or schemes that demonstrate how 'people powered change' works in practice and how it can be facilitated. Email us at: info@housinglin.org.uk

Annual Fuel Poverty Statistics report 2015

This report analyses fuel poverty by the latest examining energy efficiency and dwelling characteristics while also examining the trends in household income and other characteristics relating to 2013, such as age. The number of households in fuel poverty in England was estimated at around 2.35 million in 2013, representing approximately 10.6 per cent of all English households. The key drivers behind fuel poverty are: the energy efficiency of the property (and therefore, the energy required to heat and power things); the cost of energy; and household income. The results shows a reduction of 0.5 per cent from 2.36 million households in 2012 but also that a rise in the number of households with a person over the age of 60. Download from: www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/browse/Housing/HomeImprovement/?&msg=0&parent=4205&child=9641

NHS Energy Efficiency Fund

This report by Cambridge University for the Department of Health provides results from NHS energy efficiency projects delivered through 2013-14 in England, funded through the Department of Health NHS Energy Efficiency Fund (NHS EEF). The report shows that the NHS generates 18% of all emissions deriving from the UK non-domestic building stock and highlights how the EEF is seeking to reduce emission. It cites over 100 projects that have undertaken building improvements and retrofits, upgrades to mechanical and electrical services, introduced use of low energy lighting, and switched from fossil fuels.

Read at: www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/browse/Design_building/EcoDesign/?&msg=0&parent=8581&child=9642

The Routledge Handbook of Planning for Health and Well-being

This authoritative book integrates health into planning, strengthening the hands of those who argue and plan for healthy environments. With contributions from international leaders in the field, including Professor Hugh Barton, the handbook provides context, philosophy, research, processes, and tools of experienced practitioners through case studies from four continents.

Available to purchase from: www.routledge.com/products/9781138023307

Or read Hugh Barton's recent Housing LIN blog, 'Planning for healthy urban living in older age' at: www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/type/resource/?coid=9572

Telecare LIN weekly update

This week's news headlines from the Telecare LIN can be downloaded in two formats (doc; pdf) at:

Last chance to have your say: Social care provider failure guidance

Under the new Care Act, the CQC is responsible for assessing the financial health of larger social care providers. But if care providers do fail, councils are responsible for ensuring that there is continuity of care. Councils should have arrangements in place to handle any business or service failures.

The LGiU, with ADASS and the Department of Health, are working with practitioners, providers and service user representatives to design guidance and a toolkit to help councils develop contingency plans that can be rapidly put in place to safeguard and ensure high quality care to some of the most vulnerable members of society who've just been made more vulnerable by service failure. Comments are wanted on the draft consultation at: http://www.lgiu.org.uk/consultation-draft-of-the-provider-failure-guidance

To view the Housing LIN paper, 'Managing risk: lessons from Southern Cross for the specialist housing with care and support market', go to: http://www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/type/resource/?coid=8602

Implementation of Care Cap Postponed

Implementation of Phase 2 of the Care Act has been postponed from April 2016 to April 2020. These funding reforms introduce a cap of £72,000 to the amount individuals pay towards their eligible care costs. While not so far explicitly stated, the postponement probably also applies to the more generous capital thresholds included in the reforms. The postponement was announced in a letter from the Minister of State from Community and Social Care, Alistair Burt, in a letter to the Chair of the LGA in response to representations made by them, although there appears to be no commitment that the money saved will be put back into adult social care services and support.

To read the letter: Letter from Care and Support Minister Alistair Burt to Cllr Izzi Seccombe regarding Phase 2 of the Care Act reforms - http://www.local.gov.uk/documents/10180/5756320/Letter+from+Care+and+Support+Minister+Alistair+Burt++to+Izzi+Seccombe+regarding+phase+2+of+Care+Act+reforms/b7e34a97-075d-48d8-996a-5b2d2d356e13

Top tips for commissioners

TLAP have recently published a suite of resources commissioned by ADASS, LGA and the DH and aimed at commissioners across health and social care. They are:

'Top Tips: Commissioning for Market Diversity' will help commissioners focus on the work they need to do in developing a care and support market that offers a diverse range of ways for their local population to meet their care and support needs. The guide offers ten top tips, examples and links to further information and a short series of questions that will help commissioners assess their progress in meeting market shaping duties and developing a diverse local market, as defined in the Care Act 2014. Read at: http://www.thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/Regions/london/resources/overview/?coid=10756

'People not process - Co-production' in commissioning is a web based tool that explains what commissioners should think about to make sure they are working in the way the new Act says they should. This includes encouraging commissioners to seriously think about using co-production in their approach to market shaping and commissioning, which is described in the guidance as a "shared endeavour". This resource explains how commissioners can do this, drawing on a range of evidence of innovative practice and incorporating advice and examples to illustrate the steps that can be taken to make progress. View at: http://www.thinklocalactpersonal.org.uk/Regions/london/resources/overview/?coid=10757

Online Survey for new qualification: The role of care commissioning

The Care Act places new and significant responsibilities for care service provision on commissioners. Skills for Care is working with ADASS and other key stakeholders to develop a career framework for commissioners to ensure the learning needs of this part of the workforce are addressed. A series of qualifications will be introduced over time, the first of which is now being developed. This first qualification is a knowledge-based introduction to the role of the care commissioner, with a wide potential audience. A draft of the specification for this qualification is now available for comment through this survey. It is hoped that a wide range of agencies and individuals will take this opportunity to consider the specification and submit their feedback to ensure the qualification really does meet the needs it is intended to address. Have your say by completing the 15 minute survey by 5pm on Wednesday 12th August at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZYX978Q

HIA awards

Foundations have announced the shortlisted agencies for this year's awards.

An overview can be accessed at: http://foundations.uk.com/eventsmeetings/hia-annual-awards/awards-2015

Events supported by the Housing LIN

Law Commission Consultation - Deprivation of Liberty: What Does This Mean for Housing?

To assist housing providers, the Housing LIN, Sitra, National Housing Federation and Arco have joined together to arrange two events at which the Law Commission will outline their proposals and give providers an opportunity to share their views. The first is in London on Monday 21st September and the second in Manchester on 22nd September.

More details at: http://www.housinglin.org.uk/Events/ForthcomingEvents/HousingEventDetail/?eventID=842

Stay networked with the Housing LIN for latest news, views and resources on housing with care matters.