October 2009 - Fighting Monsters

Fighting Monsters

Home

Report this Blog for Abuse

Syndication

Archives

Sort by: Most Recent | Most Viewed | Most Commented

A fostering update

I don’t like to patter on about the fostering I do but at the start of a new placement, some of the work-related issues shift onto the back burner temporarily in my thought-process. It also tends to lead to a slightly less regular post schedule to the...

Published 27 Oct 2009 6:56 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: Child, England, Foster care, foster child, fostering, local authority, london, personal, social work, uk, update, work
The Court of Protection

There was a curious headline in the Mail on Sunday yesterday. I was not curious enough to buy the paper but curious enough to investigate on the Mail website. Apparently, according to the journalist, Secret court seizes £3.2bn from elderly… and...

Published 26 Oct 2009 6:40 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: archway tower, Court of Protection, daily mail spouting nonsense, dementia, elderly, enduring power of attorney, lasting power of attorney, local authority, long-term care, MCA, mental capacity, Mental Capacity Act 2005, mental health, old age, older people, politics, power of attorney, social care, social issues, social work, work
Saving DLA

It looks like Andy Burnham, the Secretary of State for Health, has ruled out any use of DLA (Disability Living Allowance) to fund a ‘national care service’. DLA is one of the few non-means tested benefits that is provided to people aged under 65 who have...

Published 23 Oct 2009 6:40 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: Age Discrimination, andy burnham, attendance allowance, benefits, Disability Living Allowance, health, old age, older people, personal, politics, saving dla, social care, social issues, social work, uk, work
Personal Budgets – Some thoughts

I attended some training on Personal Budgets a while ago. It was fairly comprehensive training that was surprisingly well-presented (it isn’t that I don’t always expect good training but sometimes it can be something of a curate’s egg.. ). It leaves me...

Published 21 Oct 2009 5:44 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: adult care, adult social care, direct payments, Disability, elderly, government policy, health, independence, individual budgets, local authority, mental health, old age, older people, personal, personal budget, personal budgets, politics, putting people first, ras, resource allocation system, social care, social work, socialcare, uk, well-being and choice, work
Taking Back our Profession

On 12th November, BASW (British Association of Social Workers) is holding a rally starting at 10am at Friends House at Euston in London to support social workers and the social work profession. The rally is titled ‘Taking Back our Profession : Time to...

Published 19 Oct 2009 6:28 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: basw, basw rally, British Association of Social Workers, british social workers, london, meeting, moira gibb, social care, social work, social workers, Tim Loughton, work
Looking forward to retirement?

Yesterday, I was at a meeting with a few of my more senior colleagues, and I mean that in terms of age. A couple of them were joking together about looking forward to early retirement. Although I’m at least (depending on government policy!) a comfortable...

Published 15 Oct 2009 6:21 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: elderly, elders, health, health in retirement, mental health, old age, older people, retirement, social issues, unhealthy retirement, work, working in retirement
Benefits

Yesterday I visited G, a woman with anxiety and depression. . She had been very well for a good few months but of late, I’ve stepped up my visits a little as I can sense a downturn in her mental state. She is beginning to feel very low in mood. We talked...

Published 14 Oct 2009 6:01 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: attendance allowance, benefit fraud, benefits, department of work and pensions, discrimination, dwp, elderly, mental health, old age, older people, personal, politics, social care, social issues, work
At Court

One of the duties of my role is to make applications at the local magistrate’s court for warrants when they are necessary. A warrant is only necessary in the course of a Mental Health Act Assessment if we need to gain access to a property where we would...

Published 13 Oct 2009 6:52 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: AMHP, ASW, court, in court, magistrate's court, mental health, personal, social work, warrant, work
World Mental Health Day 2009

Today is World Mental Health Day and this year’s theme is ‘Mental Health in Primary Care’. I think the idea is to think about integrating mental health care with physical health care and needs and to think about some of the marginalising attitudes which...

Published 10 Oct 2009 11:03 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: huffington post, mental health, work, world health organisation, World Mental Health Day
In other news

A foster child arrived in our care late last night as an emergency placement. I may be quieter than usual over the next few days as she settles in. Especially as she has a fondness for computers.. Read More...

Published 9 Oct 2009 7:26 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: fostering, personal, work
Get Moving Week!

This week, in the run up to World Mental Health Day on 10th October, Time to Change are running (pun intended) a ‘Get Moving’ Week, to focus attention on the need for physical activity to promote better mental wellbeing. As they say on their website From...

Published 8 Oct 2009 7:20 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: dance, festival, get moving and dance, get moving week, health, mental health, mental health stigma, Mind, regents park, rethink, social issues, Time to Change, work, World Mental Health Day
Deirdre Sanders, the GSCC Conference and the Social Work Taskforce

I’ve written before about the invitation made by the GSCC (General Social Care Council – the regulatory authority for Social Workers and Social Care Workers) to invite speak at their conference. Ed chatting with Deirdre Deirdre Sanders is employed by...

Published 7 Oct 2009 7:04 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: agony aunt, british social work, deirdre sanders, Ed Balls, General Social Care Council, general social care council conference, gscc conference, gscc., health, local authority, local government, personal, politics, social care, social issues, social services, social work, social work taskforce, work
Medication and Care Homes

Today, the BBC is reporting on a research study from the University of London which finds that seven out of ten residents out of the 256 residents in 55 different care homes were subject to errors in their medication regime. The summary of the report...

Published 6 Oct 2009 6:49 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: BBC, discrimination, elderly, health, local authority, local government, long-term care, medication, medication management in residential care, nursing care and medication, old age, older people, personal, politics, residential care, social care, social issues, social work, uk, work
Tories’ Insurance Plan

I like to follow the news and so, yesterday, when I heard about the plan proposed by the Shadow Chancellor, George Osborne to allow those approaching 65 to purchase a type of insurance policy for roughly £8000 to cover future cost of nursing or residential...

Published 5 Oct 2009 7:03 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: conservative insurance scheme, conservative social care policy, Conservatives, elderly, election, England, funding adult care, george osborne, Green Paper, insurance residential care, local authority, local government, long-term care, nursing care, old age, older people, personal, politics, residential care, social care, social issues, social services, social work, tories, uk, United Kingdom, work
Reflections on the week

I can’t say I’m sad to see the back of the week. It’s been one of the busiest ones I can remember for a while. The strange thing is that I can remember a few ‘landmark’ busy weeks and each time I do, something else comes along and sweeps me further from...

Published 3 Oct 2009 6:42 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: busy, health, local authority, mental health, office, personal, reflection on work, social care, social work, uk, what i did this week, what i learnt this week, work, work week
Capacity to die

This story from the Telegraph today gave me food for thought. Kerrie Wooltorton, age 26, had a history of depression and decided that she wanted to die. She, according to the story, drank poison and then called an ambulance. She had written a note to...

Published 1 Oct 2009 7:32 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: advanced directive, Best Interests Assessor, consent to treatment, depression, gmc, kerrie wooltorton, living will, MCA, mental capacity act, mental health, personal, right to die, social issues, social work, suicide, wooltorton, work

October 2009 - Fighting Monsters

Syndication

Recent Posts

Tags

Archives

A fostering update

The Court of Protection

Saving DLA

Personal Budgets – Some thoughts

Taking Back our Profession

Looking forward to retirement?

Benefits

At Court

World Mental Health Day 2009

In other news

Get Moving Week!

Deirdre Sanders, the GSCC Conference and the Social Work Taskforce

Medication and Care Homes

Tories’ Insurance Plan

Reflections on the week

Capacity to die