Nina Hemmings

#AI in healthcare ‘not a magic bullet’.

@racheljlawrence.bsky.social presenting our study of procurement & early deployment of #AI in diagnosis lung disease at #hsruk25.

#healthpolicy @nuffieldtrust.org.uk @angusramsay.bsky.social

Dr. Gemma McKenna kicks off her workshop on engaging government and policymakers to a packed room on day 2! #HSRUK2025

In our element hearing from this stellar plenary panel at #HSRUK2025 about the myriad ways to effectively influence policy - so many pearls of wisdom

*edit: the government's own estimate is 7,000 fewer visas granted (for care worker & senior care workers) assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6821b4...

It's not just social care. The pledge to raise thresholds and the end of the Immigration Salary List mean a growing range of #NHS staff roles won't qualify for skilled worker visas. Is the workforce situation healthy enough to be ready for that? assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6821ae...

Nuffield Trust response to the government's immigration white paper

See our deputy director @natashacurry.bsky.social's @nuffieldtrust.bsky.social response here: www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/nu...

Over the coming months, will we see the taps turned on again for social care, with new visa routes created as in the past? Much depends on whether the government will adopt the sector-led workforce strategy, invest in it, & whether the Home Office & DHSC can work effectively together

But – as the MAC have said - there will need to be investment to enable improved pay, increased training and skills development, & better terms and conditions. The Employment Rights Bill is a key milestone but employers are facing a void between now and the sector Fair Pay Agreement materialising ⌛

It's also good to see the govt’s requirement for a workforce strategy. Fortunately in social care, the @skillsforcare.bsky.social -led workforce strategy and ongoing work to implement this, means social care has already hit the ground running www.skillsforcare.org.uk/Workforce-St...

The government is right to crack down on noncompliant social care employers, prioritise efforts on domestic workers, and rectify the situation for thousands of care workers stranded without work – allowing them to extend or switch visas until the new ‘transition period’ ends in 2028

Recent measures (increased oversight & a ban on care worker dependents) have caused the number of Health & Care Visa applicants to drop significantly, from 18,300 in Aug 2023 to 1,700 in March 2025 (the lowest number of monthly applicants to the scheme since the data started being published) 📉

If one of the government’s core aims is to bring down net migration, it's difficult to estimate how this reform will impact overall immigration figures due to changes in the way the Home Office report social care job occupation data, and given recent restrictions already applied to social care:

In the following years, the vacancy rate fell to 8.3% in 2022/23, from 11% in 2021/22, with international recruitment being the main driver behind the fall in vacancies

The sector was in the same spot 5 years ago (pre-points based system). With no route to bring in overseas care staff, & no increase to pay, roles were subsequently added into the SOL & Health & Care visa, giving the sector an escape valve

The decision today to close off international recruitment for social care is risky: there are 131,000 vacancies and the well-known challenges to recruiting at home haven’t yet been fully addressed. But similar decisions were made before…

Government's decision to close the visa route for overseas care staff is a continuation of the tap-on, tap-off approach used for years. Nobody – people, carers, workers, employers - is well served when social care is caught in the political crossfire of the immigration debate

Déjà vu for social care? Reflections on today’s Immigration White Paper (a thread) 🧵

Last week we warned about govt making sudden changes to immigration rules without a full assessment of the impact on health & care 👇 Now, ahead of the Immigration white paper, care employers may be facing a void: the end of overseas recruitment, higher ENICs, & no higher pay offer for domestic staff

My quote in The Independent 👇 government measures introduced in the last ~18 months have drastically reduced numbers of overseas care staff and their dependents arriving in the UK; however the full impacts of this on the health and care sector has not been assessed

Independent commission into adult social care: terms of reference

The terms of reference for the Casey Review have been launched today, with a focus on building consensus over tangible recommendations to improve adult social care over the next ten years. A few takes from me and @cglobont.bsky.social .social & @natashacurry.bsky.social:

www.gov.uk/government/p...

DWP is using a sleight of hand in its disability benefit cuts impact assessment: Actual increase in poverty is closer to 400,000, not the 250,000 in the impact assessment.

Quick thread explaining why. 🧵1/7

Wonderful to see our team's paper (on training needs for staff working on remote & digital general practice) featured in the BJGP 2024's Top 10 most-read articles list! Thanks @bjgp.bsky.social

📢 call for abstracts by 20 Jan! There's still time to submit your research abstract to the HSRUK conference - a brilliant opportunity to learn from and mix with a thriving and friendly research community, hosted at Newcastle University this year (2-3 July). Do consider submitting!

NEW BRIEFING by @becksfisher.bsky.social in collaboration with Health Equity Evidence Centre calls for the outdated GP funding formula to be replaced by a needs-based payment to better address health inequalities. 💷

Read here: www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/fai...

So pleased to have been part of this review with @nuffieldtrust.bsky.social & @fnightingalef.bsky.social which finds quality of learning matters over quantity.

Will be of interest to #nurses & #midwives as the NMC continue to examine practice learning requirements for the professions, across the UK

At #Helpforce report launch today, opened by the Chair Anna Dixon MP. Hearing some brilliant examples of contribution that #volunteers make, but concerns that volunteering is not 'free'. In light of budget impact on charities, Paul Farmer makes a plea to NHS & councils to pass funding onto partners

Pleased to be at @ncfcareforum.bsky.social #CEOsConf2024 today presenting alongside @unison.org.uk & Anthony Collins Solicitors on the fair pay agreement in social care. Mood music from directors = difficult to be optimistic unless additional funding from govt is forthcoming

Large parts of adult social care market in England face collapse, thinktank warns Sector will have extra £2.8bn cost burden from April due to tax and wage rises announced in budget, says Nuffield Trust

We @nuffieldtrust.bsky.social think the combination of national insurance + wage rises announced in #budget2024 will add ~£2.8bn cost to #socialcare providers next year.

That's simply not manageable - and the impact will be felt by people who need care.

www.theguardian.com/society/2024...

Will the Autumn Budget push the social care sector beyond breaking point? While the recent budget brought better news for hard-pressed public services, social care was not so lucky. With many organisations fearing that changes to the Employer National Insurance Contribution...

Great to hear our @nuffieldtrust.bsky.social analysis of the effects of budget changes on social care on this morning’s BBC radio bulletins and covered in the Guardian, Telegraph, Express & in the Politico playbook.

Read our full analysis here: www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/news-item/wi...

The budget will have huge repercussions for social care providers - @nuffieldtrust.bsky.social analysis finds **an additional £2.8bn** is needed to cover increases to employer NICs and the national living wage. M'colleague Cyril neatly explains why this is the case, here 👇