Lords ‘clash’ over The Court of Protection and The Office of the Public Guardian
December 4th 2012 saw an interesting exchange in the House of Lords between Labour peer Lord Beecham, and Lord McNally speaking for the Government, specifically the Ministry of Justice. We were offered two very different views of the service levels achieved by the Court of Protection and the Office of the Public Guardian. The actual […]
A Guide to Early Indicators of Concern in Residential Support Services
“Early Indicators of Concern in Residential Support Services for People with Learning Disabilities – A Guide” This document, available as a PDF download here, was published recently (Oct 2012) by The Abuse in Care? Project within The Centre for Applied Research and Evaluation of the University of Hull. It may be of interest to carers […]
Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act: Government ‘Consultation’ on cutting red tape draws criticism…
Regulations covering parts of the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act are among a swathe of health and social care “red tape” the government is seeking advice on whether to scrap, reform or keep. Details of the government’s ideas may be found on its own ‘Red Tape Challenge’ website and in the associated spreadsheet […]
Formal launch of the Housing and Support Alliance
22 November 2012 marked the formal launch the formal launch of the Housing and Support Alliance, which merged advisory body Housing Options and the Association for Supported Living, and has a remit to increase the choices learning disabled people have over their housing and support. An introductory statement under the heading ‘Professionals still have too […]
Violence against adults and children with disabilities
Both children and adults with disabilities are at much higher risk of violence than their non-disabled peers, according to two systematic reviews recently published in the Lancet. These reviews are the first to establish scientifically what, sadly, many parents and carers of children and adults with a learning disability have learnt from personal experience. The […]
Annual review by Care Quality Commission warns of safeguarding, staffing problems and poor training in social care services.
A ‘front-page’ article about the CQC’s annual review has now appeared on the Community Care website, under the headline ‘Regulator warns of growing ‘risk of poor care’ as 1 in 6 nursing homes fail safeguarding standards’. The article cites some of the reports key observations:- Among the most commonly failed areas were standards linked to dignity […]
CQC Report: Pressures on health and care services are increasing the risks of poor care
23 November 2012: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has today published its most comprehensive ‘State of Care’ report. The report examines all care sectors for the first time and explores why some care services are failing to meet CQC standards. The Press Release accompanying the report states: “…The report notes many examples of organisations that […]
An interesting Parliamentary exchange…
13th November 2012: Rescare notes the exchange in the Commons between John Robertson MP and newly-appointed ‘Disability Minister’ Esther NcVey regarding the introduction of PIP and specifically on the guidance and guidelines that will apply to assessments. John Robertson: … We must discuss what happens in those situations and where people are to go for […]
DLA to PIP: Minister acknowledges ‘impairments can affect people in very different ways’.
Rescare was recently advised of the publication, 0n 25.09.2012, by the Department for Work and Pensions, of ‘A quick guide to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) for support organisations’ . This makes Rescare all too aware of its obligation to publish as soon as possible on this website some guidance, probably a factsheet, on the replacement […]
Abuse of care home residents will continue without radical reform, warns Professor Peter Beresford
Abuse of care home residents will continue without radical reform, warns Peter Beresford. Peter Beresford is Professor of Social Policy at Brunel University. He is also Chair of Shaping Our Lives, the national disabled people’s and service users’ organisation and network. His disturbing analysis of the current situation, and of the failings of the several […]