Rosa Monckton: the unlikely disability activist
Feature article on Rosa Monckton in Guardian Society section, written by social affairs commentator Amelia Gentleman. Includes Monckton’s frank assessment of the recent Commons seminar which she co-organised: Rosa Monckton spent many weeks bringing together parents of children with severe learning disabilities for a seminar in the House of Commons late last month. She arranged […]
Why can’t we find out more about Atos mental function champions?
Well worth reading, especially if you anticiate having, or do have, dealings with Atos in their role as contracted agents of the DWP for Work Capability Assessments (WACs). Atos (and Capita) have also now been contracted to support the ongoing welfare reforms which will see DLA replaced by PIP: the blog of journalist Kate Belgrave […]
Scottish Government Learning Disability Strategy Launch
The following invitation has been issued to anyone ‘Interested in the future of learning disability in Scotland’… Scottish Government Learning Disability Strategy Launch Thistle Suite, Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh Wednesday 29 May 2013, 10.00am- 2.00pm Michael Matheson MSP, Minister for Public Health, will launch the Scottish Government strategy for people with learning disabilities. This new […]
The Court of Protection: ‘Secret Court in control of a £2Bn Fortune’
In its April 29th edition, the Daily Mail ‘sank its teeth’ further into the issue of the Court of Protection (COP) and secrecy. It has covered this issue before, but is not alone in having concerns in this area: the issue has been previously raised by The Times, has been the subject of an […]
The learning disabled and the NHS. “Constant vigilance and a culture of care…”
The following exchange took place in the Commons on 25th April. The Confidential Inquiry into Premature Deaths of People with Learning Disabilities (CIPOLD) made for depressing and worrying reading for any parent of carer. Rescare eagerly awaits the Dept of Health’s response (promised by the minister ‘shortly’), and more importantly actual improvement in how learning […]
SCIE, NICE and the NICE Collaborating Centre for Social Care. It sounds complicated, but seems important…
Rescare received this newsletter from the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE). Even after two readings, it still seems very complicated: “On 2 April the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (formerly National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) announced its new role in social care. This includes the establishment of the NICE Collaborating […]
Esther McVey kept busy by PIP, Atos and Capita…
Disability Minister Esther McVey (or the staff in her department) has been kept busy drafting written replies to parliamentary questions, following the announcement of Atos and Capita’s involvement in the roll-out of Personal Independence Payment. 18 Written Answers in 2 days! Use a website such as ‘They Work For You’ to get full details of […]
Ministry of Justice launches Consultation on Court Fee Remissions (includes Court of Protection)
Rescare has been notified that The Ministry of Justice has launched a consultation on Fee Remissions, to run from 18th April to 16th May. “This consultation paper sets our proposals for reform of the fee remissions system, which ensures that access to justice is maintained for those individuals on lower incomes who would otherwise have […]
Personal Banking and Learning Disability
Rescare’s Welfare Helpline Coordinator attended a recent regional seminar hosted by the Financial Ombudsman’s Service (FOS), which gave him a clearer idea of the FOS’s role, and provided the opportunity to raise a few questions on the issue of ‘personal banking and learning disability’. The issue of how the learning disabled or their representatitives (be […]
Rosa Monckton: ‘Right to care’ seminar at Commons 24th April
From Rosa Monckton’s website : “I am organsing a seminar in the House of Commons at the end of April, with Irwin Mitchell, the solicitors. The topic is “Right to Care”. We have got parents talking about the battles they are facing to get what is right for their children, and ‘adult’ children. Esther McVey […]