LINks - this week's Housing LIN bulletin (w/c 7 September)
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
New Housing LIN Blog: Inclusive housing design in Australia: Breaking down the barrier or a barrier to be broken?
Written by Dr Margaret Ward, a Research Fellow at the School of Human Services and Social Work, Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia, this blog for the Housing LIN considers the impact of the 'Livable Housing Design' guidelines and a strategic plan towards full compliance of at least 'visitability' in all new housing in Australia by 2020. With recent review and subsequent announcement on accessible design standards and 'opt in' requirements in the UK, this makes interesting reading.
Read at: http://www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/type/resource/?coid=9702&msg=0
Peabody - Older People's Strategy 2015-2020
This report by London based housing association, Peabody, highlights the impact of an ageing resident profile in their general needs and specialist housing stock. It demonstrates how they need to plan and prepare to ensure that the homes and services their residents require are in place as the effects of an ageing society become increasingly evident.
More at: http://www.housinglin.org.uk/HousingRegions/London/?parent=1027&child=9709
Healthy New Towns Programme
Speaking at last week's Health and Care Innovation Expo in Manchester last week, NHS England Chief Executive Simon Stevens gave prominence to a new initiative together with Public Health England, to put health at the heart of new neighbourhoods and towns across the country. They are looking for up to five long-term partnerships which will be selected from across the country, covering housing developments of different sizes, from smaller projects up to those over 10,000 units. Each site will benefit from a programme of support including global expertise in spatial and urban design, national sponsorship and increased local flexibilities. He was joined by Mark Henderson, Chief Executive of the Home Group Housing Association, who said: "This is about designing facilities that are not just needed now but thinking about what's needed in the future. This is an opportunity to look again at how services are provided and will lead to a better quality of life in communities."
The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, 30 September 2015. View the prospectus on our online 'Health Intel' pages at: http://www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/browse/HealthandHousing/Integration/?parent=8685&child=9629
Future of an ageing population: evidence review
This report from Foresight, Government Office for Science examples what are the likely changes in society and technology which will impact upon the ability of older adults to maintain social (extra-familial) networks of support now, in 2025 and in 2040. It includes a section on the environment and infrastructure and pays some attention to telecare and information & communication technologies (ICT) within a housing setting. However, its primary focus is on capturing the evidence from the emerging use of ICT to expand social connectivity and relationships, support health and social care integration, and address the needs and wants of a new generation of consumer.
Call for evidence: How do we create a better built environment?
A new House of Lords Committee on national policy for the built environment has issued a call for written evidence on what steps can be taken to ensure better planning and design. The Committee will seek to establish what steps can be taken to ensure better planning and design and whether we have the right balance between national policy and local accountability for planning decisions. It will also examine the pressing national need for appropriate homes for a changing population.
To submit your evidence by Tuesday, 6 October 2015, go to: http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/lords-select/built-environment/news-parliament-2015/call-for-evidence/
Public Health in Planning: Good Practice Guide
The guide from the Town and Country Planning Association is a practical resource produced to help public health and planning colleagues identify where public health can contribute towards the planning process. The guide identifies opportunities to feed into the local plans, which set the land and development vision for each borough, national best practice and approaches to planning applications to protect health and to mitigate negative impacts.
Access at: http://www.housinglin.org.uk/Topics/browse/Planning/HealthWellbeing/?parent=9191&child=9712
Meeting London's Housing Need
This briefing paper from the House of Commons Library estimates between 50,000-80,000 new homes need to be built in the capital a year to keep up to date with its growing population. It cites the complexities of the planning system, land availability; land ownership and high land values; building at too low densities; and difficulties in accessing finance as some of the reasons why London has a housing shortage and highlights some of the measures in place to stimulate housing growth.
Download from: http://www.housinglin.org.uk/HousingRegions/London/?parent=1027&child=9708
Telecare News Headlines
This week's news headlines from the Telecare LIN can be downloaded in two formats (doc; pdf) at:
- Telecare News Headlines: 10 September 2015 (doc - 136Kb) (opens new window)
- Telecare News Headlines: 10 September 2015 (pdf - 401Kb) (opens new window)
For info about last week's headlines, visit:
Forthcoming Housing LIN events/meetings
Please note that we are currently planning a series of free regional events and meetings, as follows:
- Yorkshire and Humber Housing LIN meeting on Wednesday, 16 September in Sheffield
- South & South West Housing LIN annual conference on Tuesday, 20 October in Bristol (registrations to open next week)
- West Midlands Housing LIN meeting on Tuesday, 27 October in Bournville, Birmingham
- North West Housing LIN annual conference on Tuesday, 3 November in Warrington (registrations to open next week)
- North East Housing LIN annual conference, 11 November in Durham
- Eastern Housing LIN regional meeting on Wednesday, 12 November in Chelmsford
- London Housing LIN regional meeting on 4 December in Islington
Bookings for some of these are already open at: www.housinglin.org.uk/Events/ForthcomingEvents
If you are not already registered to receive notifications about our events and meetings in your region, create your own Housing LIN account by logging at: www.housinglin.org.uk/useraccount
Other Events (supported by the Housing LIN)
Law Commission consultation events - 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 2015 and the second in Manchester on Tuesday, 22nd September 2015. More details at www.housinglin.org.uk/Events/ForthcomingEvents/HousingEventDetail/?eventID=842
Capita Sheltered Housing Conference
As housing providers and commissioners adapt to a changing funding landscape, new roles and responsibilities under the Care Act and an increasingly ageing population, this well-timed event (supported by the Housing LIN) on Wednesday, 30 September in London, will equip you with tools to overcome the challenges of delivering affordable and high quality housing to a diverse older population. View registration arrangements at: www.housinglin.org.uk/Events/ForthcomingEvents/HousingEventDetail/?eventID=843
Bringing together health and housing - enabling better health and wellbeing
Aimed at health, housing and social care professionals, this King's Fund conference is being held on Wednesday, 21 October 2015 in London. It will feature a selection of examples of joint working between housing and health and care services, that are showing real successes in improving health and wellbeing outcomes for their populations. More info at: http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/events/housing-and-public-health
Stay networked with the Housing LIN for latest news, views and resources on housing with care matters.