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RIP NHS?

A truly national health service as conceived in the post-war years has been tottering on the brink for a number of years. As the previous Labour government sowed, so the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives will reap today as the NHS and Social Care...

Published 7 Sep 2011 7:16 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, work, mental health, politics, health, nhs, personal, david cameron, andrew lansley, lansley, destruction of the nhs, evil tories, end of the nhs
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: social care, social work, older people, work, old age, long-term care, health care, health, nhs, local government, National Health Service, decision-making, personal, personal budget, continuing care panel, funding panel
Selling the NHS – The Beginning

Yesterday, while most of the media, fixated self-referentially on the Murdoch hearings and Cameron was flying back into the country, Lansley began to dismantle the National Health Service. As The Guardian reports In the first wave, beginning in April...

Published 20 Jul 2011 6:53 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, work, socialcare, mental health, politics, health care, health, nhs, National Health Service, personal, Guardian, Secretary of State for Health, david cameron, andrew lansley, lansley, Primary care, private sector healthcare, privatisation, selling the nhs
The Price of Everything and the Value of Nothing

To continue my theme (at least initially) for carers’ week, I wondered a while on the purpose of these weeks and days and months we have devoted to various issues. They are about celebration, gratitude and recognition for the most part. Celebrating Mothers...

Published 14 Jun 2011 6:55 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, work, carers, mental health, politics, health, nhs, carer, National Health Service, Employment, personal, Social media, improving social 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: social care, social work, social issues, older people, work, local authority, old age, politics, elderly, health, nhs, local government, National Health Service, Disability, personal, Care Quality Commission, cqc, personal budget, adass, outcome measurement, Quality assurance, transparency in outcomes
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: social work, work, local authority, nhs, local government, redundancy, personal, Student, Hot desking, smart working
Health and Social Care Bill 2010/1 – some comments and not much hope

I haven’t read the Health and Social Care Bill. I have glanced at it. I tried to look at anything connected with Mental Health and Social Care and there are a few bits and pieces nestled in there towards the … Continue reading → Read More...

Published 20 Jan 2011 6:29 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, work, socialcare, mental health, local authority, old age, politics, health, nhs, mental health act 1983, General practitioner, personal, General Social Care Council, NHS primary care trust, andrew lansley, destruction of the nhs, evil tories, health and social care bill 2011, HealthWatch, lying liberals
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: social care, social work, social issues, older people, dementia, work, mental health, local authority, old age, politics, elderly, long-term care, nhs, local government, Home Care, National Health Service, Disability, bed blocking, personal, andrew lansley, delayed discharges
Lessons from the Care Sector

One of the flagship policies of this new coalition government and one mentioned in the Spending Review is about outsourcing services from directly provided in-house type provision to a tendering out type market led style of outsourcing services. This...

Published 26 Oct 2010 7:35 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, older people, work, nursing care, discrimination, local authority, old age, politics, elderly, long-term care, health, nhs, carer, nurse, National Health Service, BBC, Disability, personal, ambition 24, jamie merrett, nursing agencies, violetta aylward
Hospitals

Today, the Telegraph printed a letter sent to them by the Chair of the NHS Confederation which states that The NHS Confederation has expressed concern that cuts to local government could have a knock-on impact on NHS services. Less support … Continue...

Published 23 Oct 2010 9:13 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, older people, work, mental health, local authority, old age, politics, long-term care, health, nhs, local government, hospital, National Health Service, bed blocking, patient, personal, daily telegraph letters, NHS Confederation
Politeness

The Economist in an attempt to draw some kind of ‘focus’ has a blog post from an NHS hospital administrator. I have to say, it made me squirm somewhat. The author seems to be erring on the pernicious side to … Continue reading → Read More...

Published 12 Oct 2010 6:49 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, health, nhs, public sector, National Health Service, Employment, personal, admin, economist, economist blog, nhs admin, the economist
Liberating the NHS – some thoughts

There has a lot been written since Lansley announced the new government White Paper on reforms to the NHS called ‘Equity and Excellence : Liberating the NHS’ My hesitation in summarising the points immediately came partly because the thought...

Published 15 Jul 2010 7:17 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, work, socialcare, mental health, local authority, politics, uk, health, nhs, National Health Service, uk politics, personal, social care institute of excellence, scie, nice, andrew lansley, equity and excellence, government health policy, health policy uk, lansley, liberating the nhs, national institute for clinical excellence, pct
Community Care Live – reflections

Yesterday, I went to the ‘Community Care Live’ event which runs for a couple of days (it’s on today as well). As usual, I had to pick which day had the more useful sessions and ended up with a fairly busy programme yesterday and a few difficult decisions...

Published 19 May 2010 7:12 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, work, local authority, old age, government, community care live, health, nhs, personalisation, local government, individual budget
The Recovery Model and Dementia

Every week, in supervision with my student, we pick a theory, article, piece of legislation or policy, to discuss at length. Last week, we spoke briefly about the recovery model in mental health services and she asked that we discuss it in more depth...

Published 25 Mar 2010 7:04 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, older people, dementia, work, mental health, old age, elderly, health, nhs, National Health Service, personal, social work theories, recovery model and dementia, dementia reconsidered, kitwood, Theory
Changing IT Systems

We migrated to a new IT system a short time ago. Much angst – gnashing of teeth. The move to electronic records makes sense though. For one, I’m glad to be rid of piles of paper that linger around my general desk area – occasionally creeping onto my Read...

Published 28 Sep 2009 6:47 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, local authority, nhs, IT, migrating systems
In defence of the NHS

I have been remarkably short-sighted in terms of my posting and usually concentrate matters around the very local area where I live and work but a post on Trench Warfare and an article in The Guardian turned my attention to the arguments that are...

Published 12 Aug 2009 6:58 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social issues, work, politics, long-term care, health, nhs, personal, uk healthcare system, healthcare reform, healthcare, criticism of NHS, praise of NHS, national health system, US changes to healthcare system
Virtual Support Systems

The Guardian publishes an article today by Tim Lott who ‘reviews’ or rather, explores his experiences of a newly implemented online Cognitive Behavioural Therapy programme available free through the NHS. I have to say my gut instinct is to be a little...

Published 12 May 2009 6:38 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social issues, work, mental health, uk, health, nhs, Disorders, online cbt on nhs, beating the blues, moodgym, online cbt, Tim Lott, glasgow university, living life to the full, fearfighter
Paper Trails and Mountains

I spent a lot of time with my computer at work. Inputting and logging. Writing and refining. Reports, contacts, telephone conversations, attempted visits, visits, phone calls from concerned friends and neighbours. It is all logged. Or rather it is supposed...

Published 14 Nov 2008 5:58 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, older people, work, socialcare, mental health, local authority, old age, government, elderly, nhs, social services, local government, National Health Service, Employment, uk social services, paperwork, cpa meeting, cpa, reviews, paper trail
Death of the ASW

I left work yesterday as an Approved Social Worker (ASW) and by the time I go to work on Monday, I will be an Approved Mental Health Professional (AHMP). I signed my last papers and completed the last assessment at precisely 5.18pm (yes, I checked!) on...

Published 1 Nov 2008 4:40 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, ASW, mental health, local authority, uk, health, nhs, mental health act, gscc., approved social worker, approved mental health professional, General Social Care Council
Healthcare for Asylum Seekers

I read in The Guardian yesterday that the government is to abolish her plans to tighten regulations that allow asylum seekers to seek free primary care. To be honest, I was horrified when I heard it had been proposed at all. What kind of society are we...

Published 13 Oct 2008 6:55 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, social issues, work, immigration, uk, asylum seeker, health care, health, nhs, National Health Service, England, General practitioner, doctor, British Medical Association, free nhs health care, failed asylum seeker, Refugee, BMA
A change is as good as a rest

I am moving to a different team shortly. I have mentioned it before but there were no times set in stone - so much needed to be done and organised before we could ‘move ahead’. dominiccampbell at flickr Now the dates are set in stone and there...

Published 2 Oct 2008 6:05 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, local authority, nhs, health service, organisations, change, working in organisations
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: work, local authority, uk, health, nhs, local government, Trade union, Unison, leaving unison, union
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: social care, social work, social issues, older people, work, mental health, old age, health care, health, nhs, United Kingdom, patient opinion, Internet access, social inclusion, tim hunt
Data Entry

All the work I do is recorded on databases. Every visit, form completed, review, assessment - even some telephone conversations (if they are over 10 minutes and can be deemed to have some kind of ‘therapeutic value’ - so not the ‘Can...

Published 11 Jul 2008 5:14 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, work, carers, local authority, nhs, carer, local government, statutory social work, database
Happy Birthday, NHS

Today is the 60th anniversary of the founding of the National Health Service. There has been a lot of coverage over the last week in every kind of media source to commemorate this. From finding people born on the same day to relive their lives through...

Published 5 Jul 2008 5:43 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social work, social issues, work, medication, health care, health, nhs, Medicine, social worker, National Health Service
Multi-disciplinary working.. or not.

I read in on the Times website that a letter has been written to the British Journal of Psychiatry, in which 36 signatories complain that ‘patients with serious problems are often referred to psychologists and social workers rather than clinicians...

Published 27 Jun 2008 4:49 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, work, mental health, health, nhs, United Kingdom, mdt, new ways of working, British Journal of Psychiatry, the times, multi-disciplinary teams
Ageism - the ‘acceptable’ face of prejudice

Social workers are supposed to be a liberal group. We are trained extensively in anti-discriminatory practice. I can’t imagine there are any social work courses in the country that don’t, at least explore, the implications of discrimination...

Published 26 May 2008 6:14 AM by Fighting Monsters

Filed under: social care, social work, social issues, older people, work, carers, discrimination, ageism, old age, elders, rant, caregivers, prejudice, nhs

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