Lords Committee on MCA hears evidence from/on carers
The House of Lords Committee on the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (‘Is it working?’) continues to take oral evidence. The latest committee hearing was on 30th July, when the committee interviewed Moira Fraser (Director of Policy and Research, Carers Trust), Emily Holzhausen (Director of Policy and Public Affairs, Carers UK) and Oi Mei Li (Director, National […]
The state of personalisation 2013…
Social workers’ verdict on how well councils are equipping them to deliver personal budgets in the age of austerity. Not very well…according to the survey results published by Community Care in their annual report The state of personalisation 2013. Please read this report to see some alarming statistics: 84% of social workers agree that service […]
Salaries in the voluntary sector…
Further to the news item on executive salaries in the voluntary sector, posted today (7th August 2013) on this website… The Telegraph observed “The charities are not required to detail how much their top executives are paid by name, and many express the sums in bands, disguising the true figure”; but it had discovered that […]
Charity Commission chairman warns: ‘Charities risking reputations over executive salaries’
A feature article in the Daily Telegraph, which focussed on executive salaries within charities in the international aid sector, has now prompted a wider debate on salary levels within the charity sector more generally. The initial article included the following: Some of the executives were paid more than the Prime Minister’s £142,500 a year in […]
Elegibility criteria: A missed opportunity? Postponement rather than prevention?
The ongoing debates by the Lords Committee on proposed amendments to the Care Bill, have allowed several major issues relevant to learning disability to be aired. On 16th of July, the issue was the continued application of eligibility criteria – which effectively apply a cut-off point for the receipt of care. A full transcipt of […]
Law Commission seeks opinions on hate crime against the disabled
The Law Commission has just published details of how interested parties, which will include many parents and carers, can participate in a nationwide consultation on hate crime and sentencing policy. The key proposal is that an offence against someone with a disability (‘physical or mental impairment’) may be considered an aggravated offence. The consultation period […]
Law Commission consultation on hate crime, disability and aggravated offences
The Law Commission is offering interested parties, which will include many parents and carers, the opportunity to take part in a nationwide consultation on hate crime and sentencing policy. The consultation period ends on 27 September 2013. The Law Commission has been asked to consider the case for reforming the law to reflect in legislation […]
COP…a unique court dealing with some of the most vulnerable people in society…
An question asked in the Commons on 18th July, solicited an interesting reply from the MP speaking for the Government and the Ministry of Justice. This emphasised the ‘uniqueness’ of the Court of Protection (COP) within the Courts system; but also revealed how the court is now responding to criticisms (amplified by several high-profile campaigns […]
Care assessments by (non-)specialists
Care assessments by (non-) specialists… From BBC news item on 16th July 2013: Crossbench peer Lord Low of Dalston has called for protections for groups of disabled people undergoing a care assessment who may need the help of a specialist to fully understand their needs. Lord Low cited the example of a deaf and blind person, […]
CQC appoints its first Chief Inspector of Adult Social Care…
In the wake of recent high-profile criticisms of the CQC’s performance as the regulatory authority for both health and social care, and following several high profile resignations by those at its helm, it seems that the process of reform and restructuring at the CQC is underway. Andrea Sutcliffe, the Chief Executive of the social care […]