Blair targets failing care homes in social exclusion strategy

Blair targets failing care homes in social exclusion strategy
Failing local authority childcare homes may be taken over by the voluntary sector under plans considered by Tony Blair at a Chequers seminar yesterday.
Mr Blair and his social exclusion minister, Hilary Armstrong, have also been looking at German approaches to helping children in care, including giving them one care worker to take them through education and act as their champion.
The ideas are part of a government plan designed to help the bottom 2% in society, termed in Whitehall “high-risk, high-harm and high-cost families”.
Source:- The Guardian, Wednesday 30 August 2006, page 8

Child trafficking
Unicef has published a report on child trafficking across Europe in which it accuses Britain of failing to take action.
Source:- The Times, Wednesday 30 August 2006, page 2

Malnutrition in elderly patients
There is no excuse for pensioners starving on hospital wards health minister Caroline Flint said yesterday. She admitted some patients did get malnutrition but insisted the problem was being tackled.
Source:- Daily Mirror, Wednesday 30 August 2006, page 12

Chlamydia screening in Boots
Boots is to launch a national  service to help stem the spread of sexually transmitted infections
Source:- Daily Mail, Wednesday 30 August, page 19

Residential care analysed
Why do so many people in the UK, particularly older people, still live in institutions? The numbers are enormous, estimated by some to be half a million.
Source:- Society Guardian, Wednesday 30 August 2006, page 6

Scottish news

Police ask neighbours to watch out for sex trade
Neighbours who believe they live next to property being used for sex slaves are being urged to help the fight against human trafficking.
A drive will also appeal for men who frequent brothels to contact the police anonymously and without fear of prosecution with concerns about women who appear to be working there against their will.
Senior officers want people to look out for women who cannot speak English, seem reticent or afraid and are not allowed out without being accompanied by a man.
Source:- The Herald, Wednesday 30 August 2006

Censure after staff restrain dementia patient
A health board has been censured over the care of a dementia sufferer who was made to sit at a table to prevent him wandering round his hospital ward.
The patient was confused and disoriented after being transferred to three wards in two days, the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman ruled.
The watchdog upheld a complaint against Argyll and Clyde NHS Board, which has since merged with NHS Greater Glasgow, that staff had used unnecessary physical restraint and had not properly dealt with the patient’s dementia-related problems after he was admitted in January last year.
Source:- The Herald, Wednesday 30 August 2006

Carstairs ‘must do more’ to combat drink and drugs
Scotland’s state mental health hospital must do more to improve services for patients with drink and drug problems.
The hospital at Carstairs, which provides psychiatric care for dangerous offenders, has already cut its waiting times for alcohol and drugs programmes. Patients now face an average three-month wait for help compared to six months previously.
But Lewis Macdonald, the deputy health minister, said the hospital must cut that further.
Source:- Scotsman, Wednesday 30 August 2006

Initiative aims to combat abuse of vulnerable adults
A new interagency strategy, aimed at strengthening the protection of vulnerable adults from abuse has been launched across the north-east of Scotland.
The improved procedures were developed by Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen City and Moray councils, NHS Grampian, Grampian Police, the Care Commission and the independent sector.
The group was set up following recommendations made in a joint report by the Social Work Services Inspectorate and the Mental Welfare Commission after a woman with learning disabilities was abused by three men while she was a client of social workers in the Borders.
Source:- The Scotsman, Wednesday 30 August 2006

 Welsh news

Teenager raped in care home, court told
A teenager was raped while in the care of social services, a court heard yesterday. The 14-year-old girl was allegedly attacked by a boy, also 14, who went into her room in a care home late at night.
Cardiff Crown Court heard the pair stayed up talking until the boy tried to kiss the girl.
The court heard she pushed him away before he raped her in the Cardiff care home.
Source:- Western Mail, Wednesday 30 August 2006