Adult Care Blog: August 2010 Archives

Wokingham borough council refuses to fund sex for disabled

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 31, 2010 10:29 AM | No Comments

I had thought that the debate on disabled people using direct payments for sex had run it's course last week - well more fool me.

Wokingham Borough Council has confirmed that it has received requests from one disabled client to spend their personal budget visiting a masseuse in a notorious district of Oxford.

It is nice to read the comments of Stuart Rowbotham, general manager of community care services at Wokingham, who gives a rather balanced view of how these things should be dealt with.

Though whether this is a symptom of the coverage this issue has received of late is yet to be seen.

There is no doubt, however, this will be fuel to the fire of the debate on CareSpace.

Elderly not fed in hospitals say nurses

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 31, 2010 9:56 AM | No Comments

As the BBC reported yesterday, hospitals are still failing to identify cases of elderly malnutrition. A survey of nurses reveals that they are not confident picking up the signs of malnutrition.

This is important because if malnutrition is not picked-up in crucial transition points in people's care then there is very little professionals in the care sector can do to help put it right.

Barely a day goes by without some new links to dementia being identified. Today's two are arthritis and sleeping disorders.

Drinks giant mulls over higher taxes on booze

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on August 31, 2010 9:54 AM | No Comments

The homeless agency Thames Reach appears to be winning its battle with the drinks producers on curbing the drinking behaviour of its client group.

In a submission to the Treasury's review of alcohol taxation and pricing, the drinks giant said a unit of alcohol should be charged the same duty rate across spirits, wine, beer, cider and RTDs.

It said the best way would be to hold the spirits duty at the same rate and move all other drinks up to spirits' level over time.

Thames Reach has been campaigning for a tax hike on super strength lagers and ciders for many years as these seem to be the drink of choice for many homeless clients.

It wants to help modify the behaviour of its clients by encouraging them to consume more of the "less damaging" drinks at 3% to 5%.

The idea is this should give homelessness agencies time to use counselling to help drinkers control their addictions.

Picture from Brosner on Filkr.com

Harrow's online marketplace goes live for users of care services

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on August 27, 2010 3:22 PM | No Comments

Harrow Council has been proudly telling us about its new 'Amazon-style'
website where residents who receive care can shop online for support and leisure services.

The council says this is a UK-first and describes it as an online marketplace where residents can shop for services or equipment using their personal budget - a sum of money provided by the council for them to spend to meet their social care needs.

It's now been singled out for praise by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement and put forward for the regional final of the Health and Social Care Awards.

Where next for technology?

Click here for Harrow's shop4support site

How big is your case load?

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 27, 2010 2:57 PM | No Comments

We've heard from hundreds of social workers so far but we're still seeking your views on your case loads. Let us know if your employers are weighing you down with cases or if you're well supported.

Cuts undermine the big society and the SNP

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 27, 2010 9:17 AM | No Comments

Cuts are back on the menu for today, with the Labour party claiming they are undermining Cameron's big society ideals.

Sticking with a political and economic theme, there's a very interesting piece in The Economist about how slashing public spending in Scotland is set to affect the political landscape. I'm pretty sure Nick Clegg would sympathise with that.

Meanwhile in Northern Ireland there are some new figures out on who is using homecare services.

With all the cuts around it's not surprising people are stressed. The police are being given special training to cope. I wonder if anyone's going to roll that out to social work departments?

If you're interested in people with learning disabilities and disasters, then the new that the two don't mix very well may be of interest.

Image from bisgov on Flickr

Budget comes under pressure with flurry of threatened legal challenges

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on August 26, 2010 11:52 AM | No Comments

It can't be a comfortable time for Nick Clegg at the moment.

Not only is the deputy prime minister facing growing discontent within his own Lib Dem party over the effects of the Budget cuts, but he is also having to defend the Budget, despite it having been criticised as "regressive" by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

The government is also facing a threatened legal challenge from disability groups on the grounds that the Treasury had not considered the Budget's impact on disabled people as it is obliged to under the Equality Act 2010.

Now it transpires the Equality and Human Rights Commission is also throwing its oar in and has warned the Treasury that it may face enforcement action if it can't demonstrate that it had complied with the same legislation. Oh dear......

Picture courtesy of David Spender on Flickr.com

GP commissioners blow their budget

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on August 26, 2010 11:05 AM | No Comments

Yet more criticisms of the health White Paper have surfaced amid growing worries over GPs' ability to handle budgets.

According to Health Service Journal GP commissioners blew their budgets by a net 2.5% last financial year.

This came from analysis of the indicative commissioning budgets of 190 practice based commissioning consortia, which comprise more than 2,000 GP practices.

By the end of the year they had spent £11.8bn, producing a net deficit of £289m - equivalent to 2.5%. HSJ makes the point that applying this to the full NHS commissioning budget of £80bn would lead to a net deficit of £2bn each year.

This may be why the British Medical Association has only recently felt compelled to issue commissioning guidance. This raises question marks over the speed of the proposed changes.

Meanwhile in another story about doctors, a study has found that those with religious beliefs are less likely to take decisions which could hasten the death of those who are terminally ill.

The survey of nearly 4,000 doctors found those with a strong faith were also less likely to discuss end-of-life treatment options with their patient.

Already there is widespread variation in end-of-life care investment across the country and this will surely only add to that variation.

One in ten social work posts are vacant

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 26, 2010 10:45 AM | No Comments

Shockingly, one in ten social work posts remain unfilled, as you can see from our special report. You can also see the results in your area as the vacancy rate varies from 5% in some areas up to 15% in others.

Needless to say it's putting quite a strain on social workers while students are wondering how they are finding it so hard to get a job while all these posts remain vacant.

Nick Clegg rejects budget criticism

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 26, 2010 10:36 AM | No Comments

Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has rejected the Institute of Fiscal Studies' analysis that the budget will hit the poorest families hardest.

The IFS's analysis of the Treasury's budget showed the measures would leave the elderly and the poor disproportionately worse off.

Meanwhile two women have been jailed for attacking a disabled person.

Dementia cases in Norfolk have risen 30% year-on-year, which may be a good thing is more people are getting diagnosed.

GPS technology used to monitor violent offenders with mental health problems

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on August 25, 2010 10:59 AM | No Comments

There's been a couple of interesting mental health stories doing the rounds today.

The first surrounds work by the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust to expand a satellite tracking scheme designed to monitor the movements of violent offenders with mental health problems.

The system is intended to prevent psychiatric patients absconding or offending while on leave from a secure hospital in south-east London.

The electronic tracking system involves patients wearing a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) device which provides information on their movements and whereabouts when they are outside the secure perimeter of the unit.

The device is attached to the patient using a secure ankle bracelet, and can be used to trace their movements if they are on leave from hospital.

The new system was introduced following a pilot which started last year at the Bethlem Royal Hospital, in which patients were involved on a voluntary basis.

A total of 60 GPS devices are now being used within SLaM, the first time that such a system has been introduced within NHS mental health services.

According to the BBC's report, doctors at the Bethlem Royal Hospital in Beckenham say the number of times patients have breached their leave conditions has fallen substantially since the devices were introduced.

The interesting aspect of this surrounds the use of the technology. Last year Community Care looked at a similar system being used to track dementia patients. The question is where next for the technology?

The second mental health story is an interview with well-known psychologist Rachel Perkins as her long career with the NHS draws to a close.

Perkins is best known for her efforts to get people with mental health problems back into work and as such was involved in work behind the previous government new mental health policy, New Horizons.

Picture courtesy of Tark Siala on Flickr.com

Sensitive X-Factor "crazy" coverage continues

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 25, 2010 10:34 AM | No Comments

More sensitive coverage of X-Factor's "crazy" contestant, Shirlena Johnson, in the Metro today.

The Sun also continues with a surprising degree of balance. I particularity like Simon Cowell's quote, which is fairly nuanced: "The advice I'm given is she can't do the show. But there's another argument that we're depriving her of the chance to make some money. Even if she didn't win, she could have picked up money for personal appearances. On the other hand, if we don't take the advice we're irresponsible."

In other news:

Police probe allegation OAP was mistreated

Tax increase proposals for long-term care in Jersey

Too frail to live alone at 90, but Lorna's being thrown out of her care home - and hit with a £5,400 bill

Legal high Ivory Wave 'put nanny in fatal coma'

Unison challenges health White Paper reforms

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on August 25, 2010 9:52 AM | No Comments

UNISON is challenging the government's shake-up of the NHS, through its White Paper, Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS.

This surrounds the interpretation of what constitutes a consultation and whether the public should be consulted.

The White Paper has proposed major changes within the NHS, which include scrapping primary care trusts and giving these commissioning powers to GPs as well as providing councils with a stronger role in strategy.

The union says that immediately after the White Paper's consultation, NHS Chief Executive Sir David Nicholson wrote to all NHS chief executives instructing them to start implementing the proposals "immediately". UNISON wrote to Sir David saying this instruction was unlawful..

The union argued that no steps should be taken to implement the changes in any way, until the public have had the opportunity to consider and comment on them.

Sir David said he would write again to NHS chief executives reminding them they should not implement the White Paper proposals until the consultation period had ended.

However, he also said the consultation was limited to how the proposal should be implemented not on whether the proposal should be implemented.

This response makes it clear that the changes will go ahead no matter what. As Fighting Monsters says: "Good luck to Unison though - I don't expect them to have any long term success. The changes are coming but there does need to be a lawful implementation of these changes and if they need to consult, we have a duty to respond."

Click here for the health White Paper.

Daily Mail horrified by 1% disability benefit fraud rate

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 24, 2010 10:34 AM | No Comments

The Daily Mail reports, with horror, that £1bn has been spent on errors in disability benefit claims over the last 6 years.

However, it's interesting if you add up the figures in the Mail's story you come to a rather different picture.

The Mil says around 3.1 million people receive this benefit at up to £121.25 a week. So that's a bill of £375,875,000 a week.

If we work on the basis of there being 52 weeks in the year that brings us to an annual total of £19,545,500,000. The Mail appears to be working in the frankly more sensible American billion so we're up to £19.5 billion, if we're rounding up.

Now, making another, possibly inaccurate assumption, that we can model the last six years as the same we get to £117,273,000,000.

Suddenly £1bn doesn't seem quite so bad because it's less than 1% of the total spend. I'm no business man but that doesn't seem like a terrible error rate.

Now these figures may not be correct and could be off by some distance, but it is fair to say this is the picture the Mail is painting for it's readers.

Perhaps they shouldn't be so outraged.

Image by taberandrew on Flickr

Social work and the church in China

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on August 24, 2010 9:57 AM | No Comments

I found this interesting story from the BBC about the growth of religion in China and its effective sponsorship and support by the ruling Communist party.

The story talks about church involvement in social work and social services in China and provides as a case study an old people's home run by a Catholic priest.

Traditionally the ruling Communist Party has clamped down on religion in China and rejects the notion of God. But interestingly it also sees state-sanctioned churches as good for society with their role in helping society.

It struck me that this would be the perfect embodiment of Big Society in action in the UK and fits with Prime Minister David Cameron's own church-going ethos.

The question remains though to what extent the church can fill the gap being increasingly vacated by the state over and above the levels of care and support churches already carry out within their communities when its own resources are already stretched.

It won't receive the level of funding that churches in China receive.

There is also the question of what role religion should play in these care and support activities.

What do you think? Have your say on CareSpace.

X-Factor contestant hid mental illness - surprising?

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 24, 2010 9:39 AM | No Comments

The front page of The Sun today reports that Shirlena Johnson, who shot to fame on Saturday night as a contestant on the X-Factor, has a mental illness which may result in her being axed from the show. The sun says she hid her condition from the shows bosses. Frankly, given the reaction of The Sun I can't say I'm surprised.

While we're on the subject of stigma, a report has found that labelling drug users junkies may actually be hindering their recovery.

Maybe it's that kind of labelling which is making fewer people volunteer. Apparently a lack of volunteers threatens to derail David Cameron's Big Society plans.

Meanwhile, bad news for the residents of Swansea that the council is looking to cut it's leisure facilities budget. Perhaps this offers some hope for social care departments, however, as it chimes with the results of a study by the New Local government Network a month ago. That found council bosses wished to protect social care at the expense of non-essential spending such as leisure.

Of course if it results in people getting out of the house less it might damage their health through loneliness.

That in turn could result in hospitalisation, which is not as safe a place to be as you might think. The Daily Mail reports today on a case of a dementia patient found dead after a suspected attack by another patient in hospital.

It's not exactly an incentive to visit your doctor but that's exactly what the Alzheimer's Society say you should be doing if you feel you are suffering from memory loss.

Tenuous links over, feel free to get back to your day.

Worried about your memory?

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 24, 2010 12:01 AM | No Comments

Today the Alzheimer's Society launches a campaign to improve dementia diagnosis encouraging people to seek help if memory problems are interfering with daily life.

Paul Burstow, care services minister, said: "Many people wait a long time before reporting symptoms of dementia to their doctor, and too often people don't receive a formal diagnosis. Without a diagnosis, people cannot receive appropriate support and information."

Four Seasons gets chance at another refinancing deal

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 23, 2010 1:58 PM | No Comments

Britain's largest care home provider, Four Seasons, has agreed a two year extension to renegotiate it's debt.

This will hopefully stop it forming part of a growing number of care providers becoming insolvent.

GP consortia being established across the country

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on August 23, 2010 12:56 PM | No Comments

Good story from the website for general practice doctors, Pulse. It has found widespread variations across the country over the establishment of GP consortia.

The health White Paper, which was introduced by health secretary Andrew Lansley, said that these would replace primary care trusts by 2013.

Pulse has found that some consortia will be running in shadow form next year, while in other areas there will be no movement until full details of the plans for consortia are drawn up.

Scotland's end of life bill requires more safeguards, says social work group

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on August 23, 2010 12:32 PM | No Comments

There's an interesting story from Scotland where BASW Scotland has raised concerns that proposed legislation that would allow people to request an assisted death lacks safeguards.

It is due to meet the committee considering the End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill next month, when it will say there need to be more rigorous safeguards than are currently built into the proposed legislation.

The bill would enable people aged 16 and over, who are terminally ill or permanently disabled, to ask a doctor to help them end their life.

MSP Margo MacDonald, who has Parkinson's disease, introduced the Bill in January with some safeguards.

These include the need for two formal requests, the first of which would have to be signed by two independent witnesses and both of which would have to be signed off by the "approved medical practitioner".

It is a requirement of the bill that a psychiatrist meets the applicant after both requests. .

Ruth Stark, professional officer BASW Scotland, said the law would need more "checks and balances" in order to bring it in line with other mental health or capacity legislation, which is much more robust.

Crowd sourced cuts #2: Treat prisoners like elderly, charge them

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 23, 2010 9:37 AM | No Comments

I love reading public sector workers' ideas for cutting the deficit. Some are sensible and insightful, some ridiculous. The Independent has compiled 80 of the best ones.

My highlights are:

"The elderly face the possibility of paying and contributing to the cost of care homes. I believe it costs approx £40k per prisoner per year. Charge prisoners for their upkeep."

"Immigrants should have to qualify for access to state benefits."

"No child benefit unless the father is named on birth certificate and made to contribute to the child's upbringing. Make the absent father pay by increasing his tax code, or, if on benefits, reduce this."

Image by blatantnews.com on Flickr

Hope for disability benefits? No hope of getting a wheelchair on a plane

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 23, 2010 9:25 AM | No Comments

If i could just distract you from the X-Factor auto-tune row for a minute, I'd like to share with you a few links from today's papers.

EasyJet taken to task over wheelchair policy

Osborne and IDS clash over welfare - I'm not sure yet if this is good or bad news for disabled people facing benefits cuts.

Alzheimer's Disease memory loss 'could be reversed by arthritis protein'

Free end-of-life care training

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on August 20, 2010 2:03 PM | No Comments

For those of you working in end-of-life care, a free training resource has been launched by Skills for Care and the National End of Life Care Programme.
The e-learning resource offers 130 sessions on issues such as assessments, advanced care planning and symptom management. It was previously only available to health staff but has now been extended to social care.

East Lothian warned over bed-blocking rates

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on August 20, 2010 11:55 AM | No Comments

East Lothian Council has had its knuckles rapped for increasing bed-blocking rates.

The Scotsman reports that despite a trend of gradual improvement, rates of delayed discharge have slipped back, and in East Lothian they are now the highest in the country.

These figures have provoked an angry response from NHS Lothian, which said the health board was picking up the slack of local authorities who were not carrying out social-work assessments quickly enough or failing to find care-home spaces.

The figures show East Lothian has the highest rate at 31.2 for every 100,000 people, with Midlothian the third worst.

Does the rise reflect more broadly a new round of rows between health and social care on this issue and if so, is it restricted to Scotland or are we looking at a growing UK problem with cash-strapped local authorities looking to make savings?

If the latter then it means that the most vulnerable are going to suffer.

Falling risks for elderly, CQC and human rights and how not to save cash

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 20, 2010 9:22 AM | No Comments

There's quite a lot going on this morning. Here's my highlights:

Fear of falling in older people causes falls

Care Quality Commission wants your views on human rights guidance for inspectors

Mutuals are not a way of making easy savings say experts.

Ketamine is 'magic drug' for depression

But lastly, stop reading this blog because apparently you're wasting your time!

12,000 sex slaves smuggled into uk

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 19, 2010 10:26 AM | No Comments

The concerns about exploitation and sex have been top of the agenda for the last few days. So it's with a heavy heart that I saw today's story in the Mirror about 12,000 women being smuggled in as sex slaves.

That rather complicates the picture I think.

Labour: Benefits for all = good, benefits for disable = not fussed

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 19, 2010 9:28 AM | No Comments

Labour has called the government's review of universal benefits such as child benefit and the winter fuel allowance a shocking betrayal, the BBC reports. I think that's worth noting that Labour did not feel a similar compunction to speak out against the measures to reduce the welfare and disability benefits bills (indeed the government's plans are partly a faster version of Labour's).

That seems odd to me because welfare and disability benefits are much more targeted and specifically designed to help the worst off. Child benefit and the winter fuel allowance, however, are not targeted and while a positive thing could easily be considered more of a luxury for a state with our current bank balance.

Is sex a human right?

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 18, 2010 9:40 AM | 2 Comments

I was quite surprised to read Bel Mooney's column on the issue of direct payments being used for sex. Rather than the knee jerk reaction I might expect it's actually quite a nuanced case as to why sex is not a human right. Mooney's view actually mirrors the debate we've been having in the office around this over the last couple of days.

Fighting Monsters has also weighed in on the debate.

While we've been wrestling with the question about sex zand human rights. John Appleby at the King's Fund has been wrestling with whether NHS funding should be ring fenced. His answer: yes.

Can mixed sex accommodation be eliminated?

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on August 17, 2010 11:17 AM | No Comments

Health secretary Andrew Lansley's plans to eliminate mixed sex accommodation in hospitals have been warmly welcomed by mental health charities. Mind's head of external relations, Sophie Corlett, said the charity had "heard from patients who have endured the hugely traumatic experience of physical exposure and sexual harassment from other patients, no doubt hindering rather than helping their recovery".

A Community Care investigation in 2006 found high levels of sexual assault on mental health wards and one of the issues raised concerned the definition of single sex accommodation adopted by the previous government, one that included sleeping and bathing areas but not day care areas.

(Image by naughty architect - Flickr)

Continue reading Can mixed sex accommodation be eliminated?.

Should drugs and suicide be legalised?

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 17, 2010 9:29 AM | No Comments

Maybe this is the beginning of a liberal back-lash to a Conservative led government, or maybe it's just coincidence, but there are calls to legalise both drugs and suicide (though not the two together) hitting the headlines this morning.

Ian Gilmore, former president of the Royal College of Physicians, tells the Guardian, "We should be treating it as a health issue rather than criminalising people."

At the same time new campaign group The Society for Old Age Rational Suicide is gaining publicity in the Telegraph for advocating giving doctors the right to help healthy pensioners end their life.

The group says on its website: "Presently, the main objective of SOARS is to begin a campaign to get the law eventually changed in the UK so that very elderly, mentally competent individuals, who are suffering unbearably from various health problems (although none of them is "terminal") are allowed to receive a doctor's assistance to die." However, if that's the case its leader, Dr Michael Irwin, might want to drop the Dr Death moniker - I just can't see that playing out well.

Irwin's interview comes at the same time as the news that the police have decided not to charge three people over the suicide of Caroline Loder.

Of course, you may have to be significantly older before you become a pensioner in the first place if the Telegraph's story claiming the pension age will need to rise to 72 to keep costs down is accurate.

Whether either of these campaigns will gain any traction is doubtful as both are highly charged areas where "expert" opinion is often ignored.

Image by r0bz on Flickr

Wading into the sex, disability and direct payments minefield

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 16, 2010 11:17 AM | No Comments

Wow, we kicked a hornet's nest there didn't we? Following Community Care's feature on direct payments being used for sex the national press have latched onto the results of a freedom of information request by disabled campaign group, TLC trusts, which found four councils endorsed using direct payments for sexual services.

The Daily Mail reported this as "Councils pay for disabled to visit prostitutes and lap-dancing clubs from £520m taxpayer fund" while the Star went for the much more entertaining, "COUNCILS HIRE VICE GIRLS ... AND YOU PAY" (all-caps are Star's own).

Tory blogger Iain Dale also thinks it's ridiculous. Even Canada's National Post and the Ottawa Citizen are concerned.

I'd like to think we were a bit more measured than the tabloids in trying to unpick the rights, wrongs and considerations for professionals in dealing with what is a very tricky topic.

Indeed, the outrage eclipses what is a rather important debate, not just about how people use their direct payments but the legality of sex work as a whole.

Direct payments are to be used to meet people's needs however they see fit. The government has established this has the potential to provide better outcomes and possibly save money in other parts of the social care system. In any other area this sin't a problem, but with sex it becomes tricky.

So if we accept that the principle is sound (that's a whole other debate) then it must be where we stand on sex that is a problem.

Paying for sex is not illegal but soliciting and profiting from others being paid for sex is. It's this inherent contradiction that provides professionals with issues. Until the legal standing is clarified then it will continue to do so.

However, the fact that the law is very much from the nod-and-wink school of legislation, where it seems if things are kept out of sight the police are happy enough for them to remain out of mind, demonstrates the same societal problem as the tabloid headlines. We are uncomfortable with sex being out in the open and dealt with in a mature adult manner, less comfortable still with state involvement (even if there is some merit) and, it seems, doubly uncomfortable with disability and sex combined.

This precludes any move to legalisation or part-legalisation which could seek to remove considerations of exploitation of disabled people and prostitutes for social workers.

In the end this is just a case of disabled people using their money for something non-disabled people could do without anyone paying any attention. Until society can handle that though maybe it's best if they just keep it to themselves.

Image by YGX on Flickr

Fat tax may deliver financial incentive to stay healthy

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 16, 2010 9:42 AM | No Comments

The Express reports that experts are considering plans for a "fat tax" to incentivise people to take responsibility for their own health. This would work by withholding or charging for NHS treatment.

I'm not so sure that people need incentivising to take responsibility for their own health. Most know the links between obesity and heart attacks, diabetes and all manor of other unpleasant health conditions. If avoiding those is not incentive enough i doubt a few quid will make much difference. Do you think it would change the behaviour of your clients, if they are overweight?

Following our story on palliative care provision varying across the country it may be heartening to know that Canada, is not fairing any better apparently.

Lastly, Haringey Council is taking some pro-active steps to stop elder abuse.

Homeless migrants living on barbecued rats

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on August 13, 2010 10:30 AM | No Comments

Pretty horrendous story in The Guardian today about migrants from eastern Europe sleeping rough and eating barbecued rats and drinking alcoholic handwash.

Sometimes complacency makes you think this issue has gone away with reduced levels of migration from the EU but it seems to be all too present.
Hopefully the concerted London-wide push to end rough sleeping - see Boris Johnson adviser Richard Blakeway's recent blog for us - will help this group as well as others.

Care home manager jailed, Rachel Baker investigated & burgers neutralised

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 13, 2010 9:34 AM | No Comments

A care home manager who stole £115,00 from residents has been jailed for two years. She pleaded guilty to 51 separate counts of theft.

In separate care home new, Somerset County Council is launching a serious case review in an attempt to unravel how the crimes of Rachel Baker, who was convicted of manslaughter at the care home she ran, were not picked up sooner.

On a lighter note - obesity. Some scientists have suggested that fast food outlets should offer statins with their burgers to cancel out their unhealthy affect. Well that seems like really tackling that social issue head-on guys, well done.

Image by arenamontanus on Flickr

NICE working on new standards for end of life care and depression

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 13, 2010 9:25 AM | No Comments

NICE has announced it will draw up fresh standards for end of life care and depression.

The health, and soon to be social care, regulator will draw up nine quality standards over 2010/11 to give the public clear guidance on what they can expect from health and social care.

Dr Fergus Macbeth, Centre for Clinical Practice Director at NICE said the measures will focus on the outcomes of care.

Stress hits north Wales council staff

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 12, 2010 9:35 AM | No Comments

Council staff in north Wales have been taking many a sick day off due to stress, figures show. They're probably not the only ones, I imagine it's the same up and down the country as people rush to cope with public sector cuts. I only hope it's better than the situation at the Care Quality Commission where staff are regularly breaking down in tears.

Also in the news today, Christians are up in arms it seems over the plans for long-standing Coronation Street character, Jack Duckworth, to leave the soap in an assisted suicide plot-line.

Finally, Need some career advice on where to go now you've been a social worker for a couple of years? The Guardian has a few tips, as do we on our forums.

Image courtesy of Amy McTigue on Flickr

Voluntary sector promises councils cuts without pain

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on August 12, 2010 9:03 AM | No Comments

Can councils make 25% cuts over the next four years without causing pain to social care services or service users? That is (almost) the proposition of a report out today from the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group. It is calling for greater engagement with the voluntary sector as part of a radical redesign of services.

The report was written by the Institute for Public Care at Oxford Brookes University and thus comes with sound academic credentials, and it is a helpful study particularly in so far as it provides ten case studies of how the voluntary sector is providing added value in social care.

Redesigning services through more intelligent commissioning, greater prevention, closer integration of social care, health, housing and universal services and supporting service users to take control of their care and lives is absolutely necessary. But the fact that this has not happened when the times were good should cause pause for thought as to whether it will be delivered in the mayhem that we have ahead.

Brain scan to diagnose autism in adults in 15 minutes developed

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 11, 2010 10:33 AM | No Comments

At present it takes a specialist team ages to diagnose someone with autism spectrum disorder. That could all change following the development of a brain scan which can detect the disorder in 15 minutes.

It might also help solve the mystery of whether men are more prone to autism as although most diagnosed autism sufferers are men it has been suspected that this is a function of the diagnostic method.

Cybernetic dementia sufferers to take over - possibly

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 11, 2010 9:33 AM | No Comments

Confession - I'm a big sci-fi fan. so when I saw today's report of a computer chip that 'talks' to brain cells, which scientists hope can help treat dementia, I got excited and scared. I'm pleased at the medical developments but how long before armies of cybernetic Alzheimer's sufferers start to take over? What if they take exception to one of my stories on here? I fear for my life.

Meanwhile, NICE is developing guidance on spotting psychosis with co-existing substance misuse. They're taking people's views on their draft guidance so if you know a thing or two about that now's your chance to have your voice heard.

On a happy note it's nice to see some councils being creative with the ways they improve the lives of people with learning disability. Doncaster Council has lent it's backing to a club night aimed at this group.

Care home boss spent stolen money in sex shop

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 10, 2010 11:30 AM | No Comments

Edward Levy stole £94,000 from residents at the care homes he ran and spent it on herbal Viagra, the Manchester Evening News reports.

The health-social care divide part 2003

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on August 10, 2010 11:24 AM | No Comments

Interesting blog post on the issue of whether social care should receive some funding from the NHS from the consultancy iMPOWER, which is well-connected in government, local government and NHS circles.
For the background on whether the government might order a £400m shift from health to care, read our story last week.
Jeremy Cooper - iMPOWER's adult care specialist - says the conversations around this issue would make a good Yes Minister sketch, though he has his mind on the more fundamental issues.

While many argue that the problem with the situation is the fact that the NHS has been guaranteed real-terms funding increases from 2011-15 and social care faces 25% plus cuts over this period, Cooper's view is that the real problem is the ongoing divide between two such inter-related services which must work together.

In a sense this is echoing the view of Adass president Richard Jones, who argued in our pages recently that closer integration (using the pot of available money across NHS and social care) was the only way of protecting both sides of the divide from falling flat on their faces.

Disabled at risk of losing homes

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on August 10, 2010 10:33 AM | No Comments

Almost 65,000 disabled people are at risk of losing their homes because of benefit cuts, The Guardian has reported.

The claim comes from the National Housing Federation, which represents housing associations, and refers to Support for Mortgage Interest, a benefit that pays mortgage interest for poorer homeowners.
In the small print of June's Budget, the government announced that it would cut the the interest rate at which it pays the benefit from 6.08% to 3.67%.

The government's argument is that 92% of recipients get more help than they need. However, the federation argues that the government has not published a comprehensive assessment of how the plan affects disabled people. Whatever the truth, at least some people will lose out, contributing to the increasingly harsh public sector climate facing disabled people (see our interview with minister for disabled people, Maria Miller).

Cameron's benefits witch hunt demonises disabled people

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 10, 2010 9:58 AM | No Comments

David Cameron is all over the papers today promising to crack down on benefit cheats.

This is nothing new, successive government have promised to do the same thing. Cameron's reboot of this is to employ private companies to hunt down the cheaters.

The tests are to be applied to housing, unemployment and incapacity benefits. It's the last of these that causes me concern.

The evidence of the number of successful appeals against the work capability assessment for incapacity benefit's successor, employment support allowance, has shown that the test for getting that benefit is already unnecessarily stringent. In its first six months in operation 29% of work capability assessment decisions were appealed.

Plus those working in Job Centres have also flagged-up flaws with the assessment.

The government is already set on reassessing all those on incapacity benefit using the work capability assessment faster than the previous government intended. But today's announcement indicates they think this isn't enough. Apparently it will still let cheats through, despite the fact that it's already turning down a high number of eligible claimants let alone those trying to fiddle the system.

Today's announcement, either intentionally or not, builds a picture of all benefit claimants, disabled people included, as swindlers of the state taking advantage of society's collective generosity.

The evidence of disabled benefit claimants doesn't support this view. Indeed, disabled people's benefits have also been subject to further squeeze following the freeze on applicants to the Independent Living Fund.

What we may well end up with is disabled people demonised in the eyes of a society which purports to be holding out a helping hand. That may help the benefits bill in the short term but the long term cost will be much greater.

Image by ark on Flickr

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Care home bosses escape jail for neglect

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 10, 2010 9:18 AM | No Comments

Sadly time pressures meant we didn't get to cover the story last week that bosses who neglected residents at a care home in Southampton have both escaped jail.

The New Statesman has kicked off a seven part series looking at the care sector. Part one looks at how one disabled person organises their care. It's nice to see social care getting real in depth coverage for a wider audience.

Meanwhile, the UK's biggest care home provider Southern Cross is being hit by cut backs in public spending already.

Care worker stole £50,000 for cocaine plus depression debate needs regulation

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 6, 2010 9:39 AM | No Comments

I can't better The Daily Mail's headline for the story entitled, "Care home worker stole £50,000 from residents to fund cocaine habit" so I'm not going to try. On the shock value scale that's pretty high.

Meanwhile, over at The Guardian, Roy Greenslade has an interesting point on the controversy surrounding Janet Street-Porter referring to depression as a "trendy illness" in a column for the Daily Mail. He argues the piece should not be allowed to stand on the Mail's website without inclusion of at least a couple of letters sent to the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) correcting inaccuracies in Street-Porter's column.

It seems to me the PCC has a responsibility to take this kind of action if there is an informed debate about mental illness in the public sphere.

In good news, the Care Quality Commission says health and social care agencies are monitoring controlled drugs more effectively.

Image by Foxtongue on Flickr (Not the care worker from the Daily Mail story by the way, but a woman from the 1920s)

David Cameron is listening to your cuts ideas but what's the best you've heard?

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 6, 2010 9:25 AM | No Comments

According to the BBC the government has had 100,000 ideas to cut public spending. Plus, the Prime Minister has pledged to use some of them.

Councils up and down the land have been asking their staff how to make savings as well, some on their own websites. But what's the best way to cut spending in social care?

I've heard some interesting tales of staff immediately going right for the jugular and offering to work less hours, forgo sick pay or simply work a bit for free.

What's the best, worst and craziest ideas you've heard from the public and your colleagues? I'd be interested to hear them.

Image from UKinItaly on Flickr

Preventing depression = preventing dementia

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 6, 2010 9:22 AM | No Comments

Treating depression, diabetes and diet will all help defeat dementia, according to research published today.

£400m shift in NHS funding to save social care?

By Mithran Samuel, adults' editor, on August 5, 2010 1:18 PM | No Comments

Health Service Journal and Local Government Chronicle are reporting that the Department of Health had considered asking the Treasury for a £400m shift in funding from the NHS to adult social care to protect the latter from massive cuts.
This will be welcome news, particularly for people like Richard Jones of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services who argued for such a shift in resources in an interview with Community Care last week.

However, the story comes with caveats:-

It's not clear whether the request was included in the DH's final submission to the Treasury for the comprehensive spending review, which will set government spending limits from 2011-15.
£400m is equivalent to the sum of money the previous government was planning to shift from Department of Health spending on the NHS into social care, to fund free personal care at home, something the new government will not pursue. (Interestingly it follows news of a shift going the other way with some of the funding earmarked for free personal care going into a new cancer drugs fund).
It is perhaps simply a recognition that big cuts to social care will hurt the NHS, through increased demand, despite the real-terms increases the health service will receive over the coming years.

Another caveat is that this constitutes 2.5% of the adult social care budget for England (approximately £16bn). However, councils face cuts of about 25% over the next four years, making this a drop in the ocean (if it happens), albeit a welcome one.

King's Fund launches white paper discussion site

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 5, 2010 11:51 AM | No Comments

I always like reading what the King's Fund has to say on the big topics of the day and they don't come much bigger than the health white paper.

To make it easier to do so they've put all their usual informed comment in one place.

Father campaigns to restore sons liberty from care home

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 5, 2010 9:25 AM | No Comments

The BBC has a pretty interesting report on a father who is campaigning to get his son released from care after he was made subject of deprivation of liberty safeguards (DoLS) by the council.

The workings of DoLS are very far from straightforward. I was recently present at a presentation to lawyers on the subject and among a group of professionals who are used to complex systems there was still the acknowledgment that this is a difficult area for them to get to grips with. It must be even harder for families who may well not be used to the legal protocols surrounding cases like this.

If you know of cases where DoLS are not working as they should or your having trouble and no-one else can help let us know or let these guys know.

Meanwhile, Derbyshire is the latest council to announce a heightening of its eligibility criteria for social care from moderate to substantial, today. Charles Jones, the council's adult social care lead, tells The Derbyshire Times continuing at present rates risks a £90m budget shortfall.

In medical news, stimulating the brains of Alzheimer's sufferers with electrodes is apparently showing some promise in treating the condition, researchers in Toronto say. It does look rather uncomfortable though.

Image courtesy of decade_null on Flickr

Care home stages Crufts

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 4, 2010 2:43 PM | No Comments

I'm always on the look-out for interesting innovations in social care provision. Especially those that make life in a care home more exciting. However, some are stranger than others.

Image by Contadini on Flickr

Cuts could break equality laws

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 4, 2010 11:55 AM | No Comments

Budget cuts may break equality law is the message home secretary Theresa May has handed to chancellor George Osborne today. She fears that disabled people, women and ethnic minorities could be disproportionately affected. I'm sure those standing in the cold wind of benefit reforms would agree.

On a related note, when I interviewed disabilities minister Maria Miller recently I asked whether the decision by the Independent Living Fund to restrict access to the fund, without consultation could be in breach of the same laws she didn't take a stance but appeared to agree it was possible.

Image by Jeff Keen on Flickr

Tragic carer and daughter deaths come to light

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 3, 2010 9:44 AM | 2 Comments

A rather tragic and moving story has come to light this morning of a carer who died in Hertfordshire leaving her disabled daughter to starve to death. Police are investigating the deaths.

The Police in the south have also been busy raiding a nursing home in the New Forest and arresting staff for being illegal immigrants. The exploitation of migrants in the care sector is rising according to the Gangmasters Licensing Authority who has called on the government to let them tackle the problem, which is currently outside their remit.

Meanwhile, Manchester is trying to be the first place in the UK to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol. They hope it'll stop the use of super strength booze and halt the damage it causes.

If you're after something more useful this morning then perhaps the New York Times piece on feeding dementia patients with dignity will be of interest.

Image by afri on Flickr

Cash for social enterprise ideas on offer

By Vern Pitt, journalist, on August 2, 2010 2:56 PM | No Comments

If you've ever had an idea for a service which might really help people but wasn't out there yet then you could get a chance to put it to the test.

UnLtd are offering awards of £2,500 for social entrepreneurs with ideas to improve people's lives and inspire self belief.

Round-up: Armed forces and psychological trauma

By Jeremy Dunning, senior adult beat journalist on August 2, 2010 9:52 AM | No Comments

One of the most interesting stories I have seen today surrounds the issue of psychological trauma among frontline UK troops and that those leaving the Armed Forces may be put through psychological profiling in a new effort to identify those at risk of developing mental disorders.

According to The Independent plans are being put in place by the Ministry of Defence to set up a clinical trial of post-deployment screening, which would examine how effectively those who have been adversely affected can be identified and provided with help as early as possible. As part of this ministers are said to be concerned that there is not enough co-operative working between the MoD, the NHS and social services.

Meanwhile Conservative MP Dr Andrew Murrison, a former medical officer in the Royal Navy, who served in Iraq in 2003, is conducting an independent study into the health of serving personnel and veterans, with a particular focus on mental health. Ministers have received his initial findings, and full publication is expected shortly.

There are also still issues surrounding societal taboos with mental health. Mark Rice-Oxley makes this point in The Guardian.

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