Adult Care Blog: February 2010 Archives

Local Authority chief: Scottish elderly care system "unsustainable"

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on February 26, 2010 4:33 PM | No Comments

Funding for the Scottish care system is "unsustainable" according to a Scottish local authority chief.

President of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities Pat Watters said: "Scotland's ageing population will provide real challenges for the whole of the Public Sector. Given that public finance cannot deliver these increases, it is clear that the current health and social care system is unsustainable."

Continue reading Local Authority chief: Scottish elderly care system "unsustainable".

Adult services eligibility should be a whole system approach

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on February 26, 2010 12:31 PM | No Comments

Councils in England are being urged to take a much more joined up approach to assessing service users' eligibility for services under guidance published today.

The document entitled, Prioritising need in the context of Putting People First, urges councils to take a whole systems approach to identifying need. In prioritising individual councils are instructed to take account of the wider population.

Continue reading Adult services eligibility should be a whole system approach.

Right to control: First sites announced

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on February 26, 2010 11:13 AM | No Comments

The government has announced the first eight of its Right to Control trailblazer sites which will trial greater personalised services for disabled people. The government hopes to deliver joined up housing, employment and social care services and offer more choice to disabled people.

The sites are: Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and Sheffield City Council (joint), Essex County Council, Greater Manchester, Leicester City Council, London Borough of Barnet, London Borough of Newham, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, and Surrey County Council.

Continue reading Right to control: First sites announced.

Dignity Action Day reveals care minister's circus skills

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on February 25, 2010 12:01 AM | 2 Comments

To promote Dignity Action Day care minister Phil Hope is set to visit a day service centre in Corby where he will, apparently, teach young people with learning disabilities to juggle.

Continue reading Dignity Action Day reveals care minister's circus skills.

Assisted suicide: Guidelines but no answers from DPP

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on February 24, 2010 3:33 PM | No Comments

The debate on assisted suicide rumbles on. Today in The Telegraph Gordon Brown has warned the director of public prosecutions, Keir Starmer, not to loosen the law on assisted suicide to the point of it being legal.

However, when Starmer produces his guidelines tomorrow he may clarify the law but he will provide no solutions.

Continue reading Assisted suicide: Guidelines but no answers from DPP.

Lib Dems support respite care to solve social care crisis

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on February 22, 2010 9:39 AM | No Comments

The Liberal Democrats have today thrown their weight behind supporting respite care to help ease Britain's care crisis.

Speaking on GMTV this morning Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg said that the government's proposed funding for the personal care at home bill would be better spent giving Britain's unpaid carers a week off.

Continue reading Lib Dems support respite care to solve social care crisis.

Carers UK propose contract to improve carers' lives

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on February 19, 2010 9:32 AM | No Comments

Politicians, employers and public services are being asked to sign up to a contract on improving life for carers by charity Carers UK today.

The contract comes on the day politicians and stakeholders will meet to discuss the future funding of social care.

Continue reading Carers UK propose contract to improve carers' lives.

Politicians urged to reach consensus on reform of adult social care

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on February 19, 2010 9:24 AM | No Comments

Michelle Mitchell, the charity director for Age Concern and Help the Aged, has an earnest hope on the eve of today's conference on the reform of adult social care - but it's one I fear that will not be answered.

She's urged that it won't be turned into "another political row" and has called for consensus.

Continue reading Politicians urged to reach consensus on reform of adult social care.

More on the social care conference

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on February 18, 2010 3:51 PM | No Comments

As journalists we always like the habitual press conference so to find out that the Department of Health is not considering one (yet) for the social care conference is almost a red rag to a bull.

Continue reading More on the social care conference.

Details for Friday's conference

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on February 18, 2010 2:43 PM | No Comments

After much waiting - and rumour - finally the location of tomorrow's conference on social care has been revealed.

It will be held from 10.30am to 2.30pm at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills conference centre in central London.

However it is by invitation only with more than 50 organisations attending representing local government and care bodies.

The Conservatives are not attending so I still wonder at its value.

Waiting for Godot

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on February 18, 2010 12:28 PM | No Comments

Invitees to Friday's conference on the reform of social care are being kept in the dark over its location.
Schools of thought are suggesting the hold-up is due to one of two reasons.
The first is Westminster intrigue and is a rumour that appears plausible. This holds that top-secret talks are reputed to be ongoing between the government and Conservative Central Office to try to persuade the Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley to attend.
The second theory amounts to inability to find someone willing to host it.
The Tories, of course, deny there are any talks and continue to restate their opposition to a compulsory tax on an estate so see no point in talking.
However without the Conservatives attending is there not a danger of the conference becoming yet another talking shop this close to an election?

Welsh Assembly announces £4.9m to repair older people's homes

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on February 18, 2010 11:43 AM | No Comments

The Welsh Assembly government has pledged an extra £4.9m to help older and disabled people remain in their own homes by paying for repairs and adaptations.

The funding will pay for agencies which provide administrative support and advice on organising reliable builders and assist in the completion of paperwork.

Continue reading Welsh Assembly announces £4.9m to repair older people's homes.

Lib Dem chief maintains attack on Tories over care funding

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on February 18, 2010 7:52 AM | No Comments

The care row rumbles on with a new attack from Lib Dem health spokesperson Norman Lamb on the Tories. (Lamb said yesterday that the Tories would be "betraying older voters" if they didn't attend tomorrow's government-called conference on care reform).
This time Lamb is focusing on the Conservatives' plans for care funding, as disclosed to him by opposite number Andrew Lansley.

Continue reading Lib Dem chief maintains attack on Tories over care funding.

Assisted suicide to be discussed in Parliament

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on February 17, 2010 2:11 PM | No Comments

The Times reports that former health secretary Patricia Hewitt and the campaign group Dignity in Dying are deciding whether or not to try to table an adjournment debate in the House of Commons.
This comes after police arrested BBC presenter Ray Gosling on suspicion of murder after he confessed on television to killing a lover who was dying of Aids.

Labour and Tories at fault over care row but all must attend conference

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on February 15, 2010 7:57 AM | No Comments

The adult social care sector should be more careful about what it wishes for. After years spent bemoaning political neglect of the issue, the Westminster Village now won't shut up about adult care - except that in place of the mature debate required we have the worst form of yah-boo politics. The consensus we need to achieve sustainable funding reform seems as far away as ever.

Continue reading Labour and Tories at fault over care row but all must attend conference.

Retired psychiatrist inspires dementia conference delegates

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on February 12, 2010 11:37 AM | No Comments

Delegates at a Community Care conference on dementia yesterday were left inspired by a speech by retired older age psychiatrist Dr Daphne Wallace. Besides significant professional expertise, Dr Wallace also has been diagnosed with vascular dementia. Her clear message to practitioners and managers: treat people with dementia as people not bearers of a condition.

Continue reading Retired psychiatrist inspires dementia conference delegates.

Edinburgh council scraps controversial care and support contracts

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on February 12, 2010 10:32 AM | No Comments

Edinburgh council has scrapped controversial new contracts for care and support services for disabled people.

The council has also agreed to consult extensively with stakeholder organisations over the rate of direct payments.

Continue reading Edinburgh council scraps controversial care and support contracts.

You can tell an election is close when....

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on February 12, 2010 9:58 AM | No Comments

....Charities start releasing their own manifestos.
In this case mental health charity Rethink wants politicians to show their support for mental health by signing a manifesto pledge.
In its manifesto, Rethink calls on the next government to:
·         Tackle mental health stigma by funding evidence-based awareness campaigns such as Time to Change
·         Make sure people can access the treatment they need
·         Support carers
·         Help people affected by mental illness to find jobs, with the public sector leading by example
·         Offer an alternative to prison via community based treatment services for people affected by mental illness
·         Provide mental health awareness training for all professionals working in the criminal justice system

Adult social care reform hits the airwaves again

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on February 12, 2010 9:21 AM | No Comments

The fallout over the breakdown of consensus on the reform of adult social care appears to be continuing apace with politicians taking the flak.
Lord Sutherland, who chaired the Royal Commission inquiry into long-term care for the elderly, analysed the implications of the breakdown during an interview on Radio 4's Today programme, which was followed with an interview with shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley.
Intriguingly it appears that Tory leader David Cameron did not initially know about the talks between the various parties on reform, though Lansley denied Cameron had ordered him to pull out.
I'm not sure Lansley came out well from the interview and personally it's difficult to see the concept of people making voluntary contributions and having personalised responsibility for their care will truly work. Lansley however made a good point about each political party having the right to take their individual stances with three months to go before an election.
Earlier Radio 4 had spoken with the Liberal Democrats' health spokesman Norman Lamb who described the Personal Care at Home Bill as a "cynical measure" and described how before Christmas he argued the case for parties to come together to build a consensus and how the talks collapsed. I don't think it puts the Conservatives in a terribly good light.

Alzheimer's society undertakes to improve data security

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on February 11, 2010 4:15 PM | No Comments

The Alzheimer's society has signed an undertaking with the Information Commissioner to train their staff in data security following the loss of several unencrypted and unlocked laptops which contained personal information last summer.

The charity is undertaking to train all staff in the protection of data and encrypt all laptops and portable devices as well as ensuring they can be physically secured when appropriate.

Continue reading Alzheimer's society undertakes to improve data security.

Quiz the Conservatives

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on February 11, 2010 10:51 AM | No Comments

Anyone who wants to ask the Conservative Party why they've destroyed political consensus on social care reform and have possibly damaged the immediate prospects for reform of adult social care can quiz the shadow chancellor today.
Apparently he's going to be answering questions live on the Conservatives Facebook page.
Here's a helpful link:-

Continue reading Quiz the Conservatives .

Social care reform becomes political football amid acrimony over collapse of consensus

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on February 11, 2010 9:53 AM | No Comments

The prospects of a sensible long-term political accord for the reform of adult social care appear doomed this side of the election.
At Prime Minister's Questions in Parliament yesterday they had reached such a bad level that politics had reached the level of the puerile.
Press reports have spoken of the breakdown of consensus between the parties with the Conservatives taking the flak for putting up posters suggesting the Prime Minister Gordon Brown was proposing a £20,000 death tax.
The party had put up posters featuring a grave stone on Tuesday suggesting that Brown planned to impose the flat fee levy.

Continue reading Social care reform becomes political football amid acrimony over collapse of consensus.

Burnham denies £20,000 levy to fund social care programme

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on February 9, 2010 12:58 PM | No Comments

Election time is well upon us with stories full of intrigue and high politics doing the rounds.
The latest is the story in The Guardian about an inheritance plan to fund social care.
Health secretary Andy Burnham today denied this but not before the Tories had got on board to stoke the flames.
interestingly in this same government press conference Burnham revealed the government still does not know which of three models to pick as a future way to fund adult social care. It outlined a partnership model, a voluntary model and a compulsory model in its green paper on adult social care reform.
How long does it need before it publishes its white paper?

Nottingham council "misled" families over care home closure

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on February 9, 2010 10:22 AM | No Comments

It has been reported today that people with learning disabilities in Nottingham are being moved out of their care home, despite the fact that a replacement is not yet available.

Apparently the council has known for three years that the Riverside Care Home would be closed but the £800,000 to refurbish a replacement, which relatives and residents thought was available, is not there.

Continue reading Nottingham council "misled" families over care home closure.

Right to die campaigner warns over inclusion of disabled in assisted dying bill

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on February 9, 2010 8:31 AM | No Comments

An interesting development in the debate over proposed assisted dying legislation in Scotland - Edward Turner of right-to-die group Dignity in Dying has criticised Margo MacDonald's private member's bill for including severely disabled people - and not just those who are terminally ill - among the eligible groups, saying it raised serious questions about the value of disabled people's lives.

Government may back compulsory care levy

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on February 9, 2010 8:06 AM | No Comments

Interesting story in The Guardian today saying that the government may back a compulsory insurance system to fund social care for older people in its forthcoming white paper - due out before the general election.
The plan - under which a charge of about £20,000 would be levied on all those who could afford it, either on retirement or on death - was by far the most radical proposal in last year's green paper on the issue.

Continue reading Government may back compulsory care levy.

Scotland begins consultation on self-directed support strategy

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on February 8, 2010 2:58 PM | No Comments

Scotland has unveiled its thoughts on a self-directed support strategy.
Its draft document says it needs a 10-year vision to deliver social care that is fit for the future.
Community Care will have more on this later.

Yarl's Wood hunger strike

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on February 8, 2010 2:40 PM | No Comments

We've been told by the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns that a number of women detained at Yarl's Wood detention centre have gone on hunger strike about the length of detentions and their treatment there. It reportedly started on 5 February and the strikers goals include access to health and care on a par with that available in the community and time and resources to present their asylum/immigration cases effectively. We plan to look into this story more fully.

Yarl's Wood hunger strike

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on February 8, 2010 2:40 PM | 1 Comment

We've been told by the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns that a number of women detained at Yarl's Wood detention centre have gone on hunger strike about the length of detentions and their treatment there. It reportedly started on 5 February and the strikers goals include access to health and care on a par with that available in the community and time and resources to present their asylum/immigration cases effectively.

IDS turns attention to older people's care

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on February 8, 2010 9:40 AM | No Comments

Former Tory leader turned social policy wonk Iain Duncan Smith has turned his attention to the care of older people.
As trailed over the weekend, his Centre for Social Justice is proposing tax breaks for families to incentivise them to build extensions to accommodate older loved-ones - preventing them from going into residential care and bringing families closer together at the same time.
Full proposals will be out today - they promise to address poverty, social isolation, inactivity and poor standards of social care.

Continue reading IDS turns attention to older people's care.

Gordon Brown to make big speech today on social care

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on February 8, 2010 8:19 AM | No Comments

The prime minister is due to make a big speech on Labour's election platform for health and social care at the King's Fund in London today.
As my colleague Jeremy pointed out on Friday, we're expecting something in reaction to the hostile amendments to the Personal Care at Home Bill that could end up wrecking government plans to introduce free care at home for people with high needs.

Continue reading Gordon Brown to make big speech today on social care.

Free personal care: Prime ministerial annoucement expected on Monday

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on February 5, 2010 4:36 PM | No Comments

The word is the Prime Minister will be making an announcement about free personal care on Monday - so expect to see several stories trailing said announcement in the Sunday papers.
What Mr Brown will be saying can only be guessed at but it is almost certainly in reaction to the various amendments being laid down by leading critics of the bill in the House of Lords.
A possibility is that Mr Brown having seen the substance of the amendments is worried that a key electoral platform will be wrecked.
I am not sure what he can do though I can imagine reference being made to the moral arguments about why free personal care should be delivered.
We await Monday in eager anticipation.

Wales failing to support Alzheimer's research

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on February 5, 2010 12:08 PM | No Comments

The Western Mail is reporting that one of Wales' leading dementia research scientists has said the nation is not giving enough support to dementia research.

Professor June Williams told the paper: "You cannot get funding in Wales for direct research on the causes of dementia, including Alzheimer's. This puts Welsh researchers at a major disadvantage because we cannot start new research projects easily."

Edinburgh council delays decision on disabled people's support

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on February 5, 2010 11:50 AM | No Comments

Edinburgh council has decided to put back a decision on whether to drop plans to award new contracts for disabled people's services until next week.

At a meeting of the council's finance and resources committee, although recommendations by the council's chief executive that the tendering process be scrapped were accepted, opposition councillors have forced the decision to be referred to the full council next week.

Continue reading Edinburgh council delays decision on disabled people's support.

Peers give good debate on ageism in mental health

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on February 4, 2010 8:40 AM | No Comments

I'm all in favour of an elected second chamber but there are times when the appointed - though perhaps not the hereditary - character of the House of Lords translates into debate of the highest quality - like this one on ageism in mental health services yesterday.

Continue reading Peers give good debate on ageism in mental health.

Ex-social worker and MP Hinchcliffe calls for health-social care integration - free

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on February 4, 2010 8:32 AM | No Comments

Good letter in The Guardian from former social worker and MP David Hinchcliffe making the case for full integration of health and adult social care under a single organisation, with services free at the point of delivery, paid for by higher taxes on the rich. He cleverly articulates the arbitrariness of the dividing line, particularly in dementia cases, in discussing how, when he was working in the sector in the 1970s, you became an NHS responsibility if you were incontinent. Good idea on his part - shame it remains politically impossible.

Lost data on disabled people in Wigan

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on February 3, 2010 6:10 PM | No Comments

Another case of data going missing from a memory stick - we do seem to hear about a lot more of these (or that could just be perception).

Nutrition Action Plan final report due by end of February

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on February 3, 2010 1:13 PM | No Comments

Care minister Phil Hope has said the government will publish the final report of the Nutrition Action Plan Delivery Board along with its response by the end of the month.

The report is expected to address how well the government has done at tackling the continuing challenges of preventing malnutrition for older people in hospitals and care homes since the first action plan was published in October 2007.

Counsel and Care "relieved" that Personal Care at Home Bill appears to be moving towards safer waters.

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on February 2, 2010 12:43 PM | No Comments

Counsel and Care has welcomed the Free Personal Care at Home Bill's passage through to committee stage at the House of Lords last night.

The group said it was "relieved" it had progressed but admitted this was not the end of the story.

Continue reading Counsel and Care "relieved" that Personal Care at Home Bill appears to be moving towards safer waters..

Research uncovers high numbers of care home inmates suffer falls

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on February 1, 2010 11:49 AM | No Comments

A survey of just over 3,700 vulnerable people living in residential and nursing care homes has found that more than four out of ten of them suffered a fall in a 12 month period, according to research by the University of Derby.

The study found that 42 per cent of 3,730 patients in elderly care (1,566 people) had fallen over a period of a year. Of this figure, 1,077 (68.8 per cent) of people had suffered multiple falls - some having a fall every day.

Shelter: Lack of housing is hurting elderly care

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on February 1, 2010 11:23 AM | No Comments

Homelessness charity Shelter has today revealed research highlighting the need for more affordable housing saying that a shortage is making it impossible for many families to care for elderly relatives.

They have today called for further investment in affordable housing as house prices are forcing families to live far apart, making it difficult to care for elderly parents and also for grandparents to help with child care.

Continue reading Shelter: Lack of housing is hurting elderly care.

Terry Pratchett may have a wait for his call to be answered

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on February 1, 2010 11:05 AM | No Comments

Pretty much all today's papers are reporting Terry Pratchett's speech tonight in which he is expected to offer himself up as a test case for assisted suicide tribunals.

At the annual Richard Dimbleby lecture, Pratchett, who suffers from Alzheimer 's disease, is expected to advocate euthanasia for those with incurable diseases.

This move has pushed Pratchett's face and the assisted suicide debate onto the front pages in spectacular fashion and it will be interesting to see the reaction from the political classes.

Continue reading Terry Pratchett may have a wait for his call to be answered.

Free personal care debate

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on February 1, 2010 11:04 AM | No Comments

Health secretary Andy Burnham and former cabinet secretary Lord Butler sounded like two prize-fighters on the radio today as they debated the free personal care bill.

This has its second reading in the House of Lords today where it is likely to receive a mauling.

The arguments for and against the bill are well-rehearsed and the positions are well-entrenched.

Burnham did his best in arguing for it on the grounds of fairness and social justice and on this there is no argument. The system as it stands is "unacceptable".

Continue reading Free personal care debate.

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