August 2008 - Fighting Monsters

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Caseloads

Supervision for me is generally a fairly relaxed affair. I use the time to run through my current caseload - partly just to re-evaluate where I am and where I’m going and partly just to make sure my manager actually knows what I’m doing. We...

Published 30 Aug 2008 7:24 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: caseload management, clinical supervision, files, local authority, local government, mental health, reorganisation, social work, stress, supervision, uk, work, work-related stress
Back to Beijing

Of course when we said goodbye to Beijing at the closing of the Olympic Games, last week, it wasn’t really goodbye. Next week, the Paralympics start. I expect there to be a fair amount of coverage and will follow with interest - just as I discovered...

Published 29 Aug 2008 7:01 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: beijing, beijing olympics, boccia, disabled sport, international paralympic council, ipc, learning disability, mencap, paralympics, social issues, sport
How to Complain About Me (or to the Local Authority generally)

A brief guide to how to complain from someone who has been on the other side of complaints. Not many times, I hasten to add, and none that have actually gone very far - but I know what ticks the boxes as far as official complaints procedures are concerned...

Published 28 Aug 2008 6:14 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: Complaint, complaints procedure, council, health, how to, how to complain, kitten, local authority, mp, social services, social work, uk, work
Delayed Discharges

Since moving from a generic Community Care team into a specialist Mental Health team a few years ago, I haven’t had as much contact with the vagaries of the delayed discharge system as I did back then. Yesterday was a rude (in every sense of the...

Published 27 Aug 2008 6:25 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: bed blocking, community care (delayed discharge) act 2003, delayed discharge, discharge, elderly, health, health care, hospital, long-term care, mental health, nurse, old age, older people, robert burns, section 2, section 5, social care, social issues, social services, social work, to a mouse, uk, work
The leaving (and rejoining of) Unison

Unison is one of the largest trade unions in the UK. I generally feel that being a member of a trade union is important and seeing as most of the social workers in my local authority are in Unison, it seemed like an obvious choice. I’m a bit of...

Published 26 Aug 2008 7:14 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: health, leaving unison, local authority, local government, nhs, Trade union, uk, union, Unison, work
Changes and Adjustments

Feeling particularly industrious this Bank Holiday Monday (yes, I am ‘officially’ still on holiday!), I’ve been playing with my theme and banners to make some adjustments to the look of the blog. It is still a work in progress so don’t...

Published 25 Aug 2008 6:41 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: blog, blogging, theme, wordpress, work
Olympics

Goodbye Beijing .. oddsock at Flickr Hello London! Robert Brook at Flickr See you in 2012.. Beach Volleyball on Horse Guards Parade.. I can’t wait! greenacre8 at flickr Read More...

Published 24 Aug 2008 10:10 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: A, beijing 2008, chinA, london, london 2012, olympics, sports, tibet, uk, work
Thatcher and Dementia

I grew up in a household in which Thatcher was something of a dirty word. We were living in Yorkshire in a period of my childhood that coincided with The Miners Strike (83/84). As my father collected us from school, we had to drive through police checks...

Published 24 Aug 2008 6:50 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: dementia, health, margaret thatcher, mental health, miners strike, old age, older people, politics, thatcher, uk politics, vascular dementia
Some things for the (long) weekend..

By the time this is published, I’ll be sitting on a train on my way to beautiful Northumbria - ready to sun myself over the weekend - ok, maybe ’sunning myself’ is a bit hopeful…. I had a positive response to my last round-up post...

Published 22 Aug 2008 7:41 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: collection, links, mental health, old age, older people, social care, social issues, social work, Social Work Blogs, socialcare, weblinks, work
Leo Abse

We all have views that jump to mind when we speak of politicians - they are some of the least trusted of professions. It’s easy to be cynical when power is on the table, so to speak. So taking the lead from Aethelread’s touching tribute, I...

Published 21 Aug 2008 6:55 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: House of Commons, if, kipling, leo abse, member of parliament, mp, obituary, politician, politics, rudyard kipling, social issues, Tam Dalyell, uk, United Kingdom
Care Management for Pets

There is much research about the positive impact that domestic animals can have to general mental health and well-being. Something about the non-judgemental nature of interactions, I presume - although I’m sure that more extensive scientifc research...

Published 20 Aug 2008 6:35 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: animals, care management, cinnamon trust, dog, kennels, local authority, london, national assistance act, older people, pet, pet care, social care, social services, social work, uk, work
Picking up the pieces

As I hope is evident, my work is very varied - and that’s one of the main reasons I enjoy it. But I was reminded by an article in The Guardian about what I, personally, find to be one of the saddest tasks that I undertake. And that is when I pack...

Published 19 Aug 2008 5:34 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: assistance, copd, health, home, house, local authority, loneliness, lonely, old age, older people, social care, social services, social work, social worker, socialcare, work
Oxford, Education and Inclusion

Oxford University and social inclusion aren’t necessarily two phrases that would naturally find themselves in the same sentence - but as was reported in The Guardian at the weekend, Oxford is going to take into account factors such as the applicants...

Published 18 Aug 2008 6:23 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: academia, academic, Advanced Level, Alan Smithers, Buckingham University, Education, GCSE, oxford, Oxford University, politics, privilege, social exclusion, social inclusion, social issues, social worker, uk, university, university entrance
Active Care? Another tale of Southern Cross

I write a few months ago about the difficulties faced by Southern Cross Healthcare but a quick recap a) They are the largest private operator of residential and nursing care in the UK b) Big financial problems c) Some disparate concerns about quality...

Published 16 Aug 2008 6:42 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: active care, business, care home, csci, elderly, health, learning disability, local authority, long-term care, northamptonshire, northants evening telegraph, nursing care, old age, older people, physical disabilities, residential care, social care, social issues, social work, socialcare, southern cross healthcare, the alton centre, uk, work
The Missing Umbrella

A few days ago there was some very heavy rain here. For 99% of the time I don’t bother with umbrellas. Showers are more common than full-on continuous rainfall through the day. I’m very good at leaving umbrellas places as well. Usually in...

Published 15 Aug 2008 5:58 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: carer, dementia, elderly, health, lost umbrella, old age, social care, social work, umbrella, work
Do Something Different

Today the A level results are published in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. I remember vividly when I found about my A level results. ccarlstead at flickr I was working in a summer camp with a friend of mine. It was a day camp and the kids were from...

Published 14 Aug 2008 6:25 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: a level results, a levels, career choice, community service volunteeers, convent, csv, nun, social care, social issues, social work, work
The Way of Wirral

Wirral Council are planning to replace qualified social workers with unqualified equivalents. This is apparently in the face of the new ‘personalisation’ agenda where there will be a stronger focus on self-assessment and providing guidance...

Published 13 Aug 2008 6:32 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: adult social care, care management, England, job losses, liverpool, local government, personalisation, redundancy, self-assessment, social work, social worker, social workers, uk, wirral, work
Twelve for the Glorious Twelfth

In recognition (note - not celebration) of the Glorious Twelfth which is traditionally the start of the grouse hunting season, I give you, twelve bloggers whose posts have caught my attention recently and that I haven’t been able to fit in anywhere...

Published 12 Aug 2008 6:10 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: Glorious Twelfth, health, links, mental health, Professional Resources, social issues, social work, work
Social Inclusion online?

This morning, I came across this interview in The Guardian with Tim Hunt, Mental Health Lead on the Patient Opinion site which is from a couple of weeks back now. I had never heard of Patient Opinion, but it is a site which, unsurprisingly, given the...

Published 11 Aug 2008 6:34 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: health, health care, Internet access, mental health, nhs, old age, older people, patient opinion, social care, social inclusion, social issues, social work, tim hunt, United Kingdom, work
.. I shall wear purple

The BBC reported yesterday about a Care Home, Woodland House in St Austell, Cornwall that has a wonderful sounding ‘Make a Wish’ initiative. Residents of the home are asked about dreams and goals for the future and in a worthy endeavour the...

Published 9 Aug 2008 6:22 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: care home, cornwall, Cornwall Care, elderly, Fish and chips, health, Jenny Joseph, jenny joseph warning, long-term care, make a wish, nursing home, old age, older people, residential care, residential home, social care, social work, st austell, woodland house, work
Stress Relief

The Mental Health Foundation has developed and published a series of seven podcasts which are designed to, in their words help you relax and improve your sense of wellbeing. There are a couple of versions of each - one longer and one shorter version and...

Published 8 Aug 2008 5:00 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: health, help to sleep, kitten, mental health, Mental Health Foundation, MP3, podcast, stress management, stress relief, wellbeing, work
How I write

While I was flicking through some websites, I thought I’d explain a bit about what I actually do when I write and post to this blog. I wouldn’t say I’ve set the world ablaze but for myself, I’ve found the process to be an...

Published 7 Aug 2008 5:35 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: blog, blog writing, blogging, british newspapers, howto, live writer, news, newspapers, positives about writing, social work, technology, uk, windows live writer, work, writing, zemanta
Where the pin drops..

I wrote a couple of months back about an ongoing reconfiguration of services in the area in which I’m working that basically involves turning four separate teams based on geography into two based in much larger ‘patches’. I have some...

Published 6 Aug 2008 6:50 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: England, local authority, local government, organisation, reconfiguration, social work, uk, work
Hypochondria

Currently a couple of people that I am working with who have anxiety and depression are suffering from a form of hypochondria. And truly, it is as painful as a mental disorder as any physical manifestation of an illness could be. The word that is over...

Published 5 Aug 2008 6:20 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: anxiety, CBT, Cognitive behavioral therapy, depression, elderly, health, hospital, hypochondria, Mental disorder, mental health, old age, older people, social work, work
Personal view of Personalisation

I have to admit, before I start, that I have a somewhat brief view of personalisation which the Department of Health explains:- This means that every person who receives support, whether provided by statutory services or funded by themselves, will have...

Published 4 Aug 2008 8:08 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: Department of Health, direct payments, Disability, health, health care, local authority, personalisation, politics, social care, social work, United Kingdom, work
Appraisal

I had my annual appraisal last week. I wavered about whether to write about it or not. Not for any reasons of confidentiality - because honestly, I would happily have had anyone who stumbles across this site sit in with me and they wouldn’t have...

Published 2 Aug 2008 7:00 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: appraisal, ASW, bored, boredom, local authority, local government, social work, uk, United Kingdom, work
Second Sight in Risk Assessment

I came across this story yesterday which was published in the Rye and Battle Observer about a 92 year old man who hanged himself because he was unable to cope at home and had been told he might not be placed in a residential home although he had asked...

Published 1 Aug 2008 6:25 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: carer, Commission for Social Care Inspection, csci, health, long-term care, old age, older people, respite care, risk, risk assessment, social care, social work, United Kingdom, work

August 2008 - Fighting Monsters

Syndication

Recent Posts

Tags

Archives

Caseloads

Back to Beijing

How to Complain About Me (or to the Local Authority generally)

Delayed Discharges

The leaving (and rejoining of) Unison

Changes and Adjustments

Olympics

Thatcher and Dementia

Some things for the (long) weekend..

Leo Abse

Care Management for Pets

Picking up the pieces

Oxford, Education and Inclusion

Active Care? Another tale of Southern Cross

The Missing Umbrella

Do Something Different

The Way of Wirral

Twelve for the Glorious Twelfth

Social Inclusion online?

.. I shall wear purple

Stress Relief

How I write

Where the pin drops..

Hypochondria

Personal view of Personalisation

Appraisal

Second Sight in Risk Assessment