Recently in Public Policy Category

The care service cuts that so often turn into own goals

By Adam McCulloch on October 23, 2009 11:07 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Etteridge,-Geoff.gifby Geoff Ettridge

Over many years as a local authority manager I often saw examples of savings proposals put forward by other directorates or agencies that had financial consequences for social care. Whether intentional or not, these decisions seldom delivered savings for the public purse because those made in one service often caused pressures in others.

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'Free personal care plan makes a mockery of the adult green paper consultation'

By Adam McCulloch on October 6, 2009 10:48 AM | 6 Comments | No TrackBacks
Peter-Beresford-60.jpgby Peter Beresford

The prime minister's party conference commitment to introduce free home care for people with the highest needs has made a further mockery of the government's green paper consultation. This wasn't even on the menu. The government wanted the green paper to foster a big public debate. It seems only to be increasing controversy.

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Adult care green paper less than bold and visionary

By Adam McCulloch on July 16, 2009 10:39 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Heng web blog.jpgby Simon Heng

Last year, my 76-year-old mother was failing. She could barely walk; she was having difficulty in looking after herself physically, and was becoming confused. She certainly couldn't drive.

In April of this year, she had a triple heart bypass. For a few weeks, she was extremely ill, and we worried - she worried, most of all - that she would never be independent again. When she left hospital, she went to a rehabilitation unit for older people, a joint venture between the primary care trust and the local authority.
Continue reading Adult care green paper less than bold and visionary.

We mustn't let the adult care green paper become a damp squib

By Adam McCulloch on July 14, 2009 4:49 PM | 1 Comment | No TrackBacks
Peter-Beresford-60.jpgby Peter Beresford


The social care green paper's ambitious title: Shaping The Future Of Care Together sums up the dilemma that has long faced it and which probably explains its greatly delayed arrival. How can it square the ambition of policymakers' desire to effect a transformation of social care that extends its form and funding at a time when the political will, from all parties, to reprioritising social care is lacking, partly because of financial woes?

Continue reading We mustn't let the adult care green paper become a damp squib.

Children with disabilities deserve better public facilities

By Adam McCulloch on June 24, 2009 2:28 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Marriott,-Julie.gifby Julie Marriott

Imagine a public toilet floor - filthy and grimy from use. Now imagine having to put your vulnerable and most precious gift on that toilet floor - your child. I have to do this on a regular basis with my 11 year old son Toby, who has profound and multiple learning disabilities and Pitt Hopkins Syndrome and is doubly incontinent.  

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Health inequalities for black and minority ethnic people with learning disabilities

By Andrew Holman on December 10, 2008 11:36 AM | 1 Comment | No TrackBacks

andrew holman 60.jpg  by Andrew Holman

At last night's meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on learning disability, I got the chance to ask Sir Jonathan Michael a question about his report on the health of people with learning disabilities.

His report, the Independent Inquiry into access to healthcare for people with learning disabilities had been prompted by a Mencap campaign, spearheaded by the publication of Death by Indifference, detailing a shocking and unnecessary loss of life. Deaths that bring a greater pain to any of us who have known people die unnecessarily when you add the guilt about whether you could have done anything more to prevent it.
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Adult green paper: duty, obligation and diversity should be the focus

By Adam McCulloch on September 8, 2008 12:11 PM | 1 Comment | No TrackBacks
Gandhi, Kalyani web.gifBy Kalyani Gandhi (left) and Helen Bowers

The government is proposing to sort out our social care system by producing a green paper on better funding options. We believe such an exercise is too narrowly focused. Instead, we urgently need a wider debate, leading to a policy framework, that looks at care and support in terms of how it interacts with all aspects of family, community and civic life, and with public services.

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Social Work Practice, 'Place-Shaping' And Some Worrying Contradictions

By Simeon Brody on August 11, 2008 2:48 PM | 2 Comments | No TrackBacks

Peter-Beresford-60.jpg  by Peter Beresford

Holidays are with us again and for me it's back to the South Norfolk coast and the joys of Hemsby, Scratby, Caister and Great Yarmouth. But somehow as you'll see, switching off social work and social care is never easy.
Continue reading Social Work Practice, 'Place-Shaping' And Some Worrying Contradictions.

Welfare reform green paper: threats and punishment won't work

By Adam McCulloch on July 24, 2008 2:52 PM | 5 Comments | No TrackBacks
Bateman, Neil mug web.gifby Neil Bateman

The welfare reform green paper (published on 21 July) contains yet more proposals for toughening up the benefits system. It seems there is no turning back when it comes to these ideas that Tebbitt, Lilley and Co only dreamed of and now being wafted through by Brown, Purnell Associates.

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Police autonomy is the way forward for social work

By Adam McCulloch on June 24, 2008 5:17 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Rogowski, Steve web.jpgby Steve Rogowski

Under New Labour, there have been longstanding concerns in the public services about the amount of bureaucracy and resulting pre-occupation with paperwork, targets and performance indicators. Teachers, police officers, health and social workers all bemoan and question this aspect of their jobs.

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