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The NCF has been established to promote quality care outcomes for people receiving services. In meeting our objectives we have formed alliances and are working in partnership with many organisations and networks who share our aims.

This page includes links to the websites of organisations we support as well as links to official government websites relevant to the care industry.

To request additional entries to this list please click here.
If you wish to link to the NCF website please click here.

ACA - Association for Continence Advice

The ACA is the only UK multi-professional organisation for health and social care professionals working in the field of continence which sets out to improve patient care via its membership. We exist to support professionals in practice.

ACEVO - Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations

ACEVO is the only professional organisation in the third sector that is dedicated to chief executives. ACEVO works to connect, develop and represent the sector leaders. 1800 full members are responsible for heading organisations that collectively employ 200,000 staff members.

ALI - Adult Learning Inspectorate

ALI is a government body responsible for raising the quality of education and training for people aged over 19 or over in further education colleges and wall work-based learning for people aged 16 or over.

The Audit Commission

The Audit Commission is an independent body responsible for ensuring that the public money is used economically, efficiently and effectively.

Calibre

Calibre Audio Library is a registered charity that brings the pleasure of reading to people with sight problems and other disabilities, through a free nationwide postal service of recorded books. The library has over 19,300 members and sends out more than 2,000 books every day - one every 14 seconds.

CAT - The Health and Social Care Change Agent Team

The Health and Social Care Change Agent Team (CAT) was set up in 2002 to help health and social care communities tackle the problem of patients staying in hospital longer than necessary. Since then the remit has grown and the CAT now provides advice and support on a wide range of issues that affect the care of older people including assessment, commissioning and intermediate care.

CCC

CCC is a broad-based, independent coalition of commercial, charitable and public service organisations with a shared interest in providing better long-term care for older people. CCC has been acting as an advocate for managed change since it was established in 1992 as the Continuing Care Conference with the objectives of:

• increasing awareness and developing understanding of long-term care of older people as a political issue
• raising the standards of care available to older people
• developing the standards of financial products used to fund long-term care

The National Care Forum is an active member of the CCC

Centre for Ageing and Mental Health

The Centre for Ageing and Mental Health at Staffordshire University has been established to provide research, consultancy and education and to promote innovation in health and social care services for the older person. The Centre intends to bring together researchers, clinicians and other health and social care professionals from a variety of fields to facilitate research both nationally and internationally.

Chartered Management Institute

The Institute of Management was granted Royal Charter in February 2002 and became the Chartered Management Institute (CMI). The main purpose of CMI is to encourage and support lifelong development of managers and to raise the level of competence and qualifications in management.

CHAI - Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection

CHAI (Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection) encompasses all of the current and proposed work of the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) and the Mental Health Act Commission (MHAC), the national NHS value for money work of the Audit Commission, and the independent healthcare work of the National Care Standards Commission (NCSC).

The CHAI Inspectorate will:

• Encourage improvement in the quality and effectiveness of care, and in the economy and efficiency of its provision;
• Carry out investigations into serious service failures;
• Report serious concerns about the quality of public services to the Secretary of State;
• Publish annual performance ratings for all NHS organisations and produce annual reports to Parliament on the state of healthcare;
• Collaborate with other relevant organisations including the CSCI;
• Carry out an independent review function for NHS complaints.

The Counselling Directory

This website is a support network of UK counsellors and psychotherapists, with information on their training and experience, areas of counselling, fees and contact details. This service is free, confidential and easy to use.

CQC - The Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. Our aim is to make sure better care is provided for everyone, whether that's in hospital, in care homes, in people's own homes, or elsewhere.
We regulate health and adult social care services, whether provided by the NHS, local authorities, private companies or voluntary organisations. And, we protect the rights of people detained under the Mental Health Act.

The Coalition for Quality Care

The Coalition consists of 40 organisations and individuals who share a common concern in promoting the well being of older people receiving long-term care in a wide range of settings and differing circumstances.

The unique characteristic of the Coalition is that it provides a voice and a forum for people from all sectors, the independent, voluntary and statutory providers as well as academics, health and policy analysts and relevant Royal College and other professional institutions, and most importantly older people for themselves.
NCF is a member of the Coalition for Quality Care.

CRB - Criminal Records Bureau

CRB is an executive agency of the Home Office set up to help organisations make safer recruitment decisions. It provides access to criminal record information, helping employers in the public, private and voluntary sectors identify candidates who may be unsuitable for certain work.

CSIW - Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales

The Care Standards Act received Royal Assent in July 2000 and provides the powers for the National Assembly for Wales (the Assembly) to establish a new comprehensive social and health care regulator — the Care Standards Inspectorate for Wales (CSIW).

CST - Care Standards Tribunal

CST is the judicial body which, amongst other jurisdictions, considers appeals from social service providers and managers brought against decisions made by the CSCI and Healthcare Commission.

DFES - Department for Education and Skills

DfES is the government department responsible for increasing access to education and ensuring people are able to develop and equip themselves with the skills, knowledge and personal qualities needed for life and work.

DH - Department of Health

DH is the government department responsible for driving forward change and modernisation in the NHS and social care, as well as improving standards of public health.

DTI - Department of Trade and Industry

DTI is the government department responsible for creating the best environment for business success in the UK.

EAC - Elderly Accommodation Counsel

EAC's national Advice Line (020 7820 1343) is a free and independent service to help older people decide how best to meet their housing, support and care needs. The charity's website offers a similiar online service and includes access to EAC's unique national databases of both care homes and retirement housing.

NCF is working closely with the EAC to increase the homes listed on the Care Options database

H&SE - Health & Safety Executive

HSE are responsible for the regulation of almost all the risks to health and safety arising from work activity in Britain.

HASCAS - Health and Social Care Advisory Service

HASCAS is an evidence-based, service development organisation which works in all aspects of mental health and older people's services across the health and social care continuum.
We are a ‘not for profit' organisation formed as a consequence of a merger between two established organisations: the Centre for Mental Health Services Development (CMHSD) and the Health Advisory Service (HAS).

The Health and Social Care Change Agent Team (CAT)

The Health and Social Care Change Agent Team (CAT) was set up in 2002 to help health and social care communities tackle the problem of patients staying in hospital longer than necessary. Since then the remit has grown and the CAT now provides advice and support on a wide range of issues that affect the care of older people including assessment, commissioning and intermediate care.

GSCC - The General Social Care Council

GSCC is the regulatory body for the social care workforce in England.

ISI - Independent Schools Inspectorate

ISI operates on behalf of Ofsted and is responsible for improving the quality and standards of education and childcare in independent educational establishments.

Learning Disability Coalition

LSC - Learning & Skills Council

LSC is responsible for funding and planning education and training for over 16-year-olds in England.

MHPF - Mental Health Providers Forum

The Mental Health Providers Forum has met informally for three years and is now a not-for-profit company led by an initial board made up of its founder members. Membership is available to voluntary sector organisations and charities providing mental health services.

MHRA - Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

MHRA is the Executive Agency of the Department of Health protecting and promoting public health and patient safety by ensuring that medicines, healthcare products and medical equipment meet appropriate standards of safety, quality, performance and effectiveness, and are used safely.

My Home Life

My Home Life is a new initiative aimed at improving the quality of life of those who are living, dying, visiting and working in care homes for older people.
My Home Life aims to celebrate existing best practice in care homes and promote care homes as a positive option for older people. The My Home Life team is working to help you improve the quality of life in your care home, through the development of a range of resources, events, practice development initiatives and other activities.

NACC - National Association of Care Caterers

The National Association of Care Caterers is a member organisation which promotes the standard of catering within the care sector. NACC provides a forum for debate and the exchange of information, sets benchmarking standards and commissions research.

NAPA - National Association for Providers of Activities for Older People

NAPA is dedicated to increasing the profile and understanding of the activity needs for older people, and equipping staff with the skills to enable older people to enjoy a range of activity whilst living in care settings.

NASHiCS - National Association for Safety and Health in Care Services

The National Association for Safety and Health in Care Services (NASHiCS) is a member organisation which strives to promote and improve health and safety within care services and to provide a forum for those individuals and organisations involved in any aspect of health and safety to exchange and share information, experience and expertise.

National Skills Academy for Social Care

The National Skills Academy for Social Care, which is currently in its business planning stage, will be the first welfare-related Skills Academy in the National Skills Academy network.
It will target learning support and training practice to the 1.5 million adult social care workers and 35,000 employers in England, with a particular emphasis on small and medium-sized organisations with limited training and development budgets.
The employer-led Skills Academy is being designed to complement the existing organisations within the sector, identifying gaps, transforming provision and promoting excellence in skills development, learning support and training practice in social care.

NCPC - National Council for Palliative Care

The National Council is an independent body dedicated to keeping you up to date on all areas of palliative care

NICE - National Institute for Clinical Excellence

NICE is a special health authority within the NHS. Its role is to provide patients, health professionals and members of the public with authoritative, robust and reliable guidance on current NHS best practice.

Northern Ireland Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety - Social Services Inspectorate

The Social Services Inspectorate work with others to ensure that social work and social care services are responsive to the needs of the population in Northern Ireland and are of the highest standards in keeping with the resources available.

OPAAL (UK) - The Older People's Advocacy Alliance

OPAAL(UK) was formed in 1999 as a registered charity which provides a strategic lead in the development of independent advocacy for older people.

OFSTED - Office for Standards in Education

Ofsted is a non-ministerial government department whose main aim is to help improve the quality and standards of education and childcare through independent inspection and regulation, and advice to the Secretary of State.

Relatives & Residents Association

Residential Forum

The Residential Forum was founded in 1994. Its purpose is to promote the achievement of high standards of care for children and adults in nursing homes, residential homes ands schools and contribute to improving the quality of service to the public. Members of the Forum are people of standing and experience drawn from the public, private and voluntary sectors, as well as some who can speak for services users and carers.
NCF is a member of the Residential Forum.

SCIE - Social Care Institute for Excellence

SCIE is an independent organisation that aims to raise standards of practice across the social care sector and to develop and promote knowledge about what works best in social care.

Scottish Commission for Regulation of Care

The Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (The Care Commission) is a new national organisation set up under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 to regulate and inspect Scottish care services.

Skills for Care

Topss England became Skills for Care on 1 April 2005. Skills for Care is led by employer networks and other care interests specifically concerned with adult social care. The organisation works with the Children's Workforce Development Council and together will be England's part of ‘Skills for Care and Development' the UK-wide sector skills council (SCC) for social care.

Social Care Association

The Social Care Association was established as a membership based organisation in 1949. It is the major independent professional association operating in social care. It works across all statutory, voluntary and private sectors. Its major aim is the promotion of good practice in all settings.
NCF and the SCA work closely together to promote and develop good practice in social care.

Social Exclusion Unit

The Social Exclusion Unit was set up in 1997 initially within the Cabinet Office and from May 2002 as part of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The work of the SEU includes specific projects to tackle specific issues and wide ranging programmes to assess policy and identify trends.

SCC - Skills For Care

Topss England became Skills for Care on 1 April 2005. Skills for Care is led by employer networks and other care interests specifically concerned with adult social care. The organisation works with the Children's Workforce Development Council and together will be England's part of ‘Skills for Care and Development' the UK-wide sector skills council (SCC) for social care.

Vegetarian For Life

Catering for vegetarians and vegans

Water UK