Information, Advice & Support in the Health & Social Care Sector:
POhWER – www.pohwer.net
POhWER is a charity and membership organisation. They provide information, advice, support and advocacy to people who experience disability, vulnerability, distress and social exclusion. Their services are designed by service users for service users. Last year they provided direct advocacy to over 18,000 people and handled 146,000 contacts for information and advice. Over 70,000 self help materials were downloaded from their website. POhWER is one of the largest providers of advocacy services in the UK and England’s largest provider of NHS Complaints Advocacy.
The Commission for Quality Care (CQC) – www.cqc.org.uk
CQC is the regulator for the Health and Social Care industry in England. They review and inspect care services checking they comply with the essential standards of quality and safety that come under the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010.
MKB (Milton Keynes & Bucks) Care Association – www.mkbcare.org.uk
MKB Care Association is a private and voluntary organization for care providers in Milton Keynes and Bucks. The website provides members and the general public with information on care, care services and jobs.
Carehome.co.uk – www.carehome.co.uk
Carehome.co.uk is the market leading Care Home resource in the UK, featuring the most comprehensive, trusted and detailed database of UK Care Homes & Providers, as well as Suppliers, Authorities & Associations to the UK Care Industry.
The Department of Health – www.gov.uk/…department-of-health
The Department of Health defines policy and gives guidance to the Health and Social Care Sector. Information, advice and support for carers can also be found through the Carers Direct link within it.
Bucks County Council – https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/care-adults/
Bucks County Council is our local authority and can give advice as well as assess and possibly contribute towards the costs of care. Their website gives information on the various care services available to elderly and vulnerable adults within Buckinghamshire.
Age UK – www.ageuk.org.uk/about-us/
Age UK believes in a world where everyone can love later life. Age UK inspires, enables and supports older people to make the most of later life.
Office of the Public Guardian – www.gov.uk/…public-guardian
The Office of the Public Guardian supports and promotes decision making for those who lack capacity or would like to plan for their future, within the framework of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
Professional Guidance in the Health and Social Care Sector:
Skills for Care – www.skillsforcare.org.uk
Skills for Care is a service funded by the Learning and Skills Council to provide advice and support on workforce development for employers in the Care sector
Log on to Care – https://tgmgroup.net/products/log-on-to-care/
Log on to Care provides you with news, information, training and funding in Social Care across the Thames Valley area. It also provides free access to a wide range of E-learning material.
The Social Care Institute for Excellence’s (SCIE) – www.scie.org.uk
SCIE is an independent charity, funded by the Department of Health and the devolved administrations in Wales and Northern Ireland. SCIE identifies and disseminates the knowledge base for good practice in all aspects of social care throughout the United Kingdom.
The National Care Association– www.nationalcareassociation.org.uk
The National Care Association website provides easy access to information about the independent care sector and issues that affect it.
