Due to popular demand the closing date for Nominations for the 2012 Care Awards has been extended to Friday 18th May 2012.  Don't miss it! 

This is the perfect opportunity to nominate an individual, team or organisation  that deserves recognition for their dedication to enhancing the lives of others. 

The gala dinner and award ceremony will be held at Wellsprings Leisure Centre in Taunton on the 12th October 2012 with a ticket price of £30.00.  Great news -  thanks to Richard Smith of Way Ahead Care, we have booked Groove-a-licious as the band to help us dance away the evening following the awards ceremony.  

Please click here to access the full nomination pack and information on previous Care Awards..

If you would prefer us to send you a paper copy by mail, please ring 01823 46187 and let us know. 

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is starting to introduce changes to the way it inspects providers of health and social care. The changes follow a consultation by CQC on how it regulates.
The changes, which will be phased in, mean that CQC will inspect most services more often. It will inspect most hospitals, care homes and domiciliary care providers at least once a year. It will inspect dental services at least once every two years.
The regulator will continue to re-inspect those services that fail to meet the government standards and will inspect any service at any time if there are concerns about poor care.
Most inspections will continue to be unannounced. To help do this, CQC is recruiting extra inspectors. This means that inspectors will be responsible for a smaller number of services than in the past. They will be able to spend more time getting to know the services, checking the information they have on each, and responding quickly to concerns about the quality of care. Inspectors will be able to spend more time inspecting and less time on paperwork.

Compass Disability Services is delighted to announce that Somerset-based Paralympian Deb Criddle will open the Disability Somerset independent living exhibition on May 10.

For further information about Disability Somerset, including the workshops, visit, www.disabilitysomerset.org.uk

The National Careers Service is launching on 5 April 2012. The service will provide access to independent, professional advice on careers, skills and the labour market. The service will be free to everyone aged 13 and over and will be available online and through advisers on the telephone. For adults there will also be face-to-face advice in the community.

Click here for further information.

Care Focus sits on the Somerset Controlled Drugs Local Intelligence Network, which is a forum for sharing information on controlled drugs in Somerset. This is a multi-agency meeting, with representatives from :- CQC, Somerset Partnership, Avon and Somerset Police etc. The meetings are chaired by the Somerset NHS.

Do you have any questions, problems, issues that you have experienced or are experiencing with anything related to controlled drugs? If you do, please let Care Focus know about this so we can then pass these on to the Local Intelligence Network and get answers, solutions and directions for you.

Please just let us know if there was anything you would like more information / clarification on connected to this subject. All information will be treated in strictest confidence.

enquiries@carefocussomerset.org

Click here for more information

Register of interest - One Day -Awareness in Bereavement Care Workshop

CQC Surprise Home Care Inspections underway

Dangers of heat when using transdermal opioid preparations

Action on Elder Abuse - Guides, Leaflets and Reports.

Risks to vulnerable members of the public falling from windows

First Aid - Frequently asked questions

Manager Induction Standards (MIS) 

The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities launches easy-read resource about what to expect from the NHS.

Care Magazine - the quarterly newsletter from Skills for Care

No to violence against social care workers poster