Fighting Monsters - Member blogs - Social Work Blog

Choice, Control and Obfuscation – How the Personalisation Dream is Dying

In the bold move towards a transformation in adult social care, it feels from where I sit, that control has completely overtaken any pretence of ‘choice’ in the so-called move towards more idealised ‘person-centred’ care and support planning. I hope I...

Published 12 Sep 2011 7:29 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: burstow, carer, carers, dementia, direct payments, Disability, discrimination, elderly, health, local authority, local government, mental health, Mental Health Foundation, old age, older people, personal, personal budget, ras, resource allocation system, social care, social issues, social work, socialcare, the small places, work
Why I’m wrong – A response from BASW

I am not going to add anything to this post. After I wrote a post explaining why I left BASW, I was sent this as a response and agreed to publish it. I’ll leave the questions and comments for others and I have asked that someone from BASW respond to any...

Published 8 Sep 2011 6:33 PM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: Association, basw, British Association of Social Workers, Employment, health, local government, personal, social work, Trade union, work
Panels

Since I’ve been employed as a social worker one of the constants in my working week has been the presence and existence of ‘panels’ in many different forms. There was a brief stage when we were told not to refer to them as ‘panels’ but rather meetings...

Published 31 Aug 2011 6:42 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: continuing care panel, decision-making, funding panel, health, health care, local government, long-term care, National Health Service, nhs, old age, older people, personal, personal budget, social care, social work, work
Social Work and the March to Neoliberalism (or Personalisation gone bad)

I caught this article a few days ago on the Huffington Post by a Social Work academic, trying to explain away another aspect of the riots and cashing in on his status no doubt as an ‘authority’. I don’t have much time for the body of the article. He starts...

Published 18 Aug 2011 6:53 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: direct payments, Disability, elderly, Employment, health, local government, neoliberal social work, old age, older people, personal, personal budget, personal budgets, professor jonathan parker, social care, social issues, social work, social workers, work
Commissioning

Yesterday, I caught up with a friend of mine whom I hadn’t seen for a few months. She works in commissioning. She didn’t work in commissioning when we first met but her career trajectory has taken a few odd side steps and there she is. We talked about...

Published 4 Aug 2011 6:43 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: caregiver, Commissioner, Disability, health, Home Care, local authority, local government, mental health, personal, social care, social work, work
Elaine McDonald, Kensington and Chelsea and Dignity

Yesterday, the High Court ruled in the case of R (on the application of McDonald) v Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. This was a further appeal by McDonald against a previous decision at a lower court. Elaine McDonald is 68 year old woman who worked...

Published 7 Jul 2011 6:32 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: Age Discrimination, ageism, agism, dignity in care, discrimination, elaine macdonald, elaine mcdonald, elderly, health, Home Care, kensington, local government, mcdonald v kensington and chelsea, nursing home, old age, older people, personal, philosophy, politics, r v royal borough of kensington and chelsea, Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, social care, social issues, social work, socialcare, work
Personal Budgets, Personalisation, Thoughts and Hopes

Yesterday Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) published the results of a National Personal Budget Survey. The headline ‘results’ are of course overwhelmingly positive. Personal Budgets work. Direct Payments Are Good. Everyone is happy. jrambow@flickr Is any...

Published 23 Jun 2011 7:37 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: budget, carer, carers, direct payments, Disability, discrimination, elderly, health, Home Care, local authority, local government, mental health, old age, older people, personal, personal budget, politics, social care, social work, socialcare, work
Mrs J and the Mystery Bristol Care Home

There is a story on the Community Care website this morning about an ombudsman’s report relating a woman, Mrs J, who was placed in a care home in Bristol. lovestruck@flickr This was a care home which was not only rated ‘poor’ or had no stars under the...

Published 21 Jun 2011 6:34 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: bristol, care homes in bristol, Care Quality Commission, carer, Commission for Social Care Inspection, csci, dementia, elderly, Home Care, local government, Local Government Ombudsman, long-term care, mental health, nursing home, old age, older people, personal, politics, social care, social work, Standard of care, work
Human Rights, Home Care, Personal Budgets and Cost Saving

I read on the BBC website among others that there is a report suggesting that care provided in the home by local authorities to older adults may be overlooking human rights issues. Daniel2005@flickr An inquiry into this was initiated by the Equality and...

Published 20 Jun 2011 6:55 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: carer, carers, dementia, direct payments, Disability, discrimination, ehrc, elderly, elderly home care, equality and human rights commission, government, health, Home Care, home care and human rights, Human Right, Human Rights and Liberties, human rights of older adults, individual budgets, local authority, local government, mental health, old age, older people, personal, personal budget, personal budgets, personalisation, report into home care, social care, social work, work
My First Social Work Job

I can’t quite remember my first day in my first job as a qualified social worker. I’m trying to think back. I remember a few things though and as university courses come to their ends and thoughts turn to employment, I considered thinking back to that...

Published 15 Jun 2011 7:32 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: Employment, health, job, local authority, local government, my first job, old age, older people, personal, Social Sciences, social work, work
Neary, Hillingdon and Best Interests Assessments

The judgement in the case of Stephen Neary was published yesterday. I held off commenting about the case when it first hit the press because sometimes I feel there is a lack of detail and an overwhelming presence of misunderstanding in relation to reporting...

Published 10 Jun 2011 7:05 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: best interests, best interests assessment, Best Interests Assessor, bia, Court of Protection, Disability, imca, independent mental capacity advocate, local authority, local government, london, London Borough of Hillingdon, long-term care, mark neary, MCA, Mental Capacity Act 2005, mental health, neary judgement, personal, respite care, social care, social work, steven neary, work
Personalisation and Professional Disillusionment

Yesterday, Community Care published the result of a survey they had undertaken about ‘personalisation’ among social care professionals. The headline figures while wholly unsurprising, make for interesting reading where only 41% of respondents felt...

Published 26 May 2011 7:14 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: budget, burstow, care in the community, carer, direct payments, discrimination, elderly, implementation of personalisation, individual budgets, local authority, local government, old age, older people, paul burstow, personal, personal budget, personal budgets, personalisation, personalisation agenda, Personalization, social care, social work, uk, work
Law Commission Report on Adult Social Care – some thoughts

I’ve not had much time to look through the Law Commission Report into the proposed changed in Adult Social Care Law but to say it’s been long needed is an understatement. Adult Social Care Law is a hotch-potch and a mess. A couple of weeks ago, I was...

Published 12 May 2011 7:21 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: adult social care, british social work, carer, carers, direct payments, direct payments for residential care, elderly, health, Law Commission, law commission report on adult social care, local government, mental health, national assistance act, national assistance act 1948, old age, older people, politics, social care, social care law, social work, Statute, uk, work
Social Work Education and the Munro Report

I won’t apologise for not having read the entire Munro review on Child Protection which was published yesterday (and can be read here) by this morning – partly because there is so much coverage of the contents in the press - which I know isn’t the same...

Published 11 May 2011 6:20 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: british social workers, Child protection, local authority, local government, monroe report, munro, munro report, munroe report, personal, Peter Connelly, politics, report on social work, social care, social work, social work education, social workers, the guardian, university, work
Personal Budgets in Practice

Recently, I’ve been working with a service user and his carer (daughter) to put together a support plan or rather two support plans – one for him and one for his daughter . The two live together and without his daughter’s presence, there is no doubt at...

Published 6 May 2011 7:06 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: budget, caregiver, carer, carers, carers allowance, carer's direct payment, carers personal budget, dementia, direct payment, direct payments, elderly, health, Home Care, individual budget, local authority, local government, old age, personal, personal budget, social care, social issues, social work, uk, work
Anonymity

I often wondered about how ‘safe’ it is to write about my work and my profession ‘on the internet’ – primarily in blogs, microblogs (like Twitter) and internet forums and the nature of anonymity as well as the ability that we have, with the growth of...

Published 3 May 2011 7:02 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: anonymous blog, blogging anonymously, career, career blogs, Google, local government, personal, Social media, social work, Social Work Blogs, Twitter, why remain anonymous, work
Eligibility, Birmingham and Cuts

While awaiting the details of the court judgement, there was an important ruling yesterday that Birmingham Council’s attempt to limit eligibility to social care services to those who have ‘critical’ care needs is unlawful. Drawing out some of the definitions...

Published 21 Apr 2011 6:37 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: BBC, Birmingham City Council, Disability, discrimination, elderly, England, learning disability, local authority, local government, mental health, old age, older people, personal, personal care, politics, respite care, social care, social issues, social services, social work, social worker, socialcare, uk, United Kingdom, work
Between the NHS and the Local Authority – On Being Seconded

I’ve been a local government employee for a good number of years but however much I try to ensure that I am fully linked into the policies that trickle down to us via my own employing council, I can’t help … Continue reading → Read More.....

Published 13 Apr 2011 6:20 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: approved social worker, being seconded to the NHS, Employment, health, local authority, local government, NHS Trust, personal, social care, social work, work
Inspections and the CQC

I was interested to see that Mark Easton in his BBC blog, touched on the issue of residential care and the confusion in the regulatory system. He talks about a man, Dave, who needed to place his mother in a … Continue reading → Read More....

Published 11 Mar 2011 6:42 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: adult social care, BBC, care home inspections, Care of residents, Care Quality Commission, elderly, HealthWatch, imcompetence of inspections, local authority, local government, long-term care, Mark Easton, mental health, nursing home, old age, older people, personal, politics, social care, social issues, social work, work
Statutory Duties and Consultations

A blogpost by Vern Pitt on the Community Care website alerted me to a very quiet consultation that started this week. According to the post Quiet as a mouse the Department of Communities and Local Government announced a review of … Continue reading...

Published 10 Mar 2011 5:30 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: community care, Department for Communities and Local Government, Department of Health, Eric Pickles, local authority, local government, mental health, personal, politics, social care, social issues, social work, vern pitt, work
Scrutiny, CQC and ADASS

Yesterday, I read on the Community Care website that ADASS (Association of Directors of Adult Social Services.. and Housing Departments or whatever else they direct these days) are seeking a meeting with the CQC (Care Quality Commission) about ‘a new...

Published 15 Feb 2011 6:44 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: adass, Care Quality Commission, cqc, Disability, elderly, health, local authority, local government, National Health Service, nhs, old age, older people, outcome measurement, personal, personal budget, politics, Quality assurance, social care, social issues, social work, transparency in outcomes, work
The Past is Another Locality..

I’ve mentioned this before, but I have worked in a couple of different teams within the same borough. Through fair means or foul, yesterday, I ended up in the office where I used to work before I moved to my … Continue reading → Read More...

Published 9 Feb 2011 6:19 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: Hot desking, local authority, local government, nhs, personal, redundancy, smart working, social work, Student, work
Big Society Revisited

I am still having trouble understanding exactly what Cameron means by the ‘Big Society’. I am really trying. I have read up on it on it’s own website and I looked on Wikipedia (doesn’t that count as substantial research?). I … Continue reading →...

Published 4 Feb 2011 6:57 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: big society, community building, cumbria, david cameron, eden, local authority, local government, london, personal, philosophy, politics, role for future social work, Rory Stewart, Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, social care, social issues, social work, Sutton, voluntary work, volunteer, what is big society, work
Colleges and Conferences

Just a very quick post. 1. Excellent post by Malcolm Payne which gives a bit of background to the BASW College v SCIE College rift. Payne adds a great deal of information to the board and everyone should read this … Continue reading → Read...

Published 24 Jan 2011 6:05 PM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: British Association of Social Workers, General Social Care Council, gscc., Leeds, local government, london, social care, social issues, social work, work
Placements and PQ – GSCC reports on Social Work Education

Community Care carries details from the GSCC (General Social Care Council) annual report on social work education in England and it shows a fall in the amount of social work placements provided by local authorities. This came as absolutely no …...

Published 19 Jan 2011 6:09 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: AMHP, approved mental health professional, ASW, General Social Care Council, health, local authority, local government, mental health, personal, politics, social care, social issues, social work, work
BASW vs College of Social Work

It was with more than a little weariness that I read in Community Care that BASW (British Association of Social Workers) may be about to launch their own ‘rival’ College of Social Work having been in dispute and frozen out … Continue reading →...

Published 14 Jan 2011 6:41 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: basw, British Association of Social Workers, college of social work, health, local government, personal, politics, social care, social issues, social work, Trade union, Unison, work
Hospital Discharges or the Lack of Them

I’ve written a few times about some of the difficulties about managing and organising discharges from hospital so forgive me for reiterating previously presented points but I couldn’t resist because there’s an article about it in The Guardian who...

Published 5 Jan 2011 6:35 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: andrew lansley, bed blocking, delayed discharges, dementia, Disability, elderly, Home Care, local authority, local government, long-term care, mental health, National Health Service, nhs, old age, older people, personal, politics, social care, social issues, social work, work
Re-registration

I was one of those many social workers who formed the first wave of ‘GSCC’ registrations when the General Social Care Council was established and the Care Standards Act (2000) deigned that social workers need to register and that no-one … Continue...

Published 4 Jan 2011 6:25 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: Durham University, General Social Care Council, Leeds Metropolitan University, local authority, local government, personal, social work, social work courses, social work degree courses, work
Looking ahead to 2011

I’m almost reluctant to write up my thoughts for the coming year and it is a battle to contain my more pessimistic urges. I wrote this post and sat on it for a while because it came across as too … Continue reading → Read More...

Published 31 Dec 2010 5:46 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: AMHP, approved mental health professional, big society, British Association of Social Workers, local government, personal, politics, social work, work
Where the cuts fall..

The copy of The Guardian sitting on my desk at work yesterday didn’t exactly bring a vast amount of cheer to the increasingly chilly office with the headline reading that 100,000 jobs are to be lost in the public … Continue reading →...

Published 17 Dec 2010 6:25 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: Employment, health, local authority, local government, London borough, personal, politics, social care, social issues, social work, work
The Death of the Independent Living Fund

Yesterday was quite a day for adult social services. As well as the more obvious announcements of the cuts to local authorities and the unveiling of a so-called ‘Localism Bill’, Maria Miller, the minister for disabled people announced that the …...

Published 14 Dec 2010 6:18 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: abolition of independent living fund, Alf Morris, cutting ilf, direct payments, Disability, disability discrimination, discrimination, ilf, Independent living, independent living fund, local authority, local government, long-term care, lord morris, Maria Miller, MCA, personal, personal budget, personalisation, politics, Quality of life, social care, social issues, social work, Spending Review (United Kingdom), uk, work
The Complainant

It was never going to be a visit I was looking forward to. While our manager no longer sidles up to us and drops a physical paper file on our desks by way of allocation, she now sends emails with … Continue reading → Read More...

Published 13 Dec 2010 7:26 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: AMHP, approved mental health professional, carer, carers, Complaint, dementia, elderly, health, local authority, local government, mental health, old age, older people, personal, social care, social work, work
Pondering Big Society

I doubt I’m the only person to be a little baffled by the concept of the ‘big society’. Having spent a considerable amount of time both as a volunteer and then working for a voluntary organisation I have and do … Continue reading → Read More...

Published 3 Dec 2010 6:39 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: big society, building big society, Community organizing, Conservatives, local authority, local government, Loughton, personal, politics, social care, social issues, social work, Volunteering, work
Eligibility

I have been subject to a complaint which was raised to the local MP. This is not particularly unusual after a period of time working in social services. We are quite used to councillors’ letters and MPs’ letters.. once we … Continue reading →...

Published 2 Dec 2010 6:09 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: Birmingham City Council, Department of Health, facs, fair access to care services, health, local authority, local government, mental health, old age, older people, personal, personal budget, politics, social care, social work, work
A Vision for Adult Care – a few brief thoughts

I’ve only just had a chance to read the ‘Vision for Adult Care’ published yesterday and wanted to offer a view very initial thoughts although I haven’t any doubt that it will be referred to continually for many years to … Continue reading →...

Published 17 Nov 2010 7:12 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: big society, care in the community, care sector, care services, carer, carers, dementia, direct payments, elderly, health, individual budgets, local authority, local government, mental health, old age, older people, paul burstow, personal, personal budget, personal budgets in care, personalisation, politics, social care, social issues, social work, uk social work, vision of adult care, work
Regaining Radicalism

An issue that has been swilling around in my head for a while concerns the ‘reclamation’ of the radical tinges of the social work profession and whether or not we are moving into a potentially more dangerous era as the … Continue reading →...

Published 8 Nov 2010 6:36 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: basw, British Association of Social Workers, local authority, local government, mental health, old age, older people, personal, politics, Public services, social care, social issues, social work, socialcare, Tertiary sector of the economy, Trade union, Unison, work
On Professional Conferences and Frontline Workers

The thought for this post came during a brief conversation with my sister yesterday. I was berating and ranting about how I have a feeling that ‘no-one ever listens to us’. The ‘us’ in question, just to give the conversation … Continue reading →...

Published 5 Nov 2010 6:28 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: andrew lansley, community care live, Disability, health, Hilton Dawson, local authority, local government, national children's and adult services conference, paul burstow, personal, politics, social care, social issues, social work, work
A Quick Plug

Just a quick post to direct people towards this post I wrote for the new Guardian Local Government Network. Read and enjoy – there seems to be a fair bit on the site of interest to local authority employees and … Continue reading → Read More...

Published 4 Nov 2010 6:05 PM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: health, local authority, local government, personal, social care, social work, work
Adoption, Agencies and Costs

This week is the so-called ‘National Adoption Week’ where press focus switches towards the promotion of adoption. It’s an area I don’t really have any experience of but there are a story milling around in the press gave me pause … Continue reading...

Published 2 Nov 2010 6:33 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: adoption, adoption agencies, Child, family, Foster care, fostering, local government, national adoption week, personal, politics, privatisation of care services, social care, social issues, social work, Tim Loughton, uk, use of agencies in adoption and fostering, work
Care Credits

Over the weekend, the Paul Burstow announced that he was looking at the system of ‘credits’ where people who volunteer to help older adults and adults with disabilities in exchange for ‘credits’ towards their own care when they are older … Continue...

Published 1 Nov 2010 6:44 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: care credits, carer, Disability, discrimination, elderly, government, health, local authority, local government, old age, older people, paul burstow, personal, politics, social care, social issues, social work, Volunteering, work

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