Commons Debate: People with Learning Disabilities (Abuse)
The House of Commons adjournment debate on 3rd September 2012, prompted by the events at Winterbourne View and subsequent legal proceedings, covered a wide range of issues relating to disability. It is well worth reading in full (time permitting!) and a full transcript may be found here: http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2012-09-03a.126.0&s=%22Learning+Disability%22#g129.1 The opening statement by Tom Clarke MP expressed […]
Duncan Smith welcomes new ministerial team to DWP
Esther McVey has replaced Maria Miller as Minister for Disabled People. DWP Press Release, 5th Sept 2012: Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Iain Duncan Smith welcomed his new ministerial team to the Department, which included the appointment of Mark Hoban and Esther McVey. Mr Duncan Smith said: “This Department is entering a challenging […]
A Serious Case Review
WINTERBOURNE VIEW HOSPITAL Many readers will have read accounts on the report by Dr Margaret Flynn and Vic Caterella, on the events which lead to the closure ofWinterbourneViewHospital. The report, which is more than 150 pages long, could only be published after the conclusion of the prosecutions against 11 former staff at Winterbourne. Winterbourne was […]
DWP Consultations
17th August 2012: The Dept for Work and Pensions’ latest email bulletin has reached the Rescare office. We are directed to one link which may be quite useful, a quick link to all current consultations: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/consultations/ . The web-page lists all live consultations and run-times: these include The Future of the Independent Living Fund (ILF), Work Capability Assessment […]
Kent County Council criticised over two adult social care complaints
01 August 2012: Kent County Council wrongly refused to pay for short-term residential care for an elderly woman, and delayed in providing services for a young disabled woman. Local Government Ombudsman, Anne Seex, has issued two reports (31 July 2012) criticising Kent County Council over adult social care complaints. One concerns payment for an elderly woman’s […]
Disability rights pioneer and Labour peer Lord Morris of Manchester.
14th August 2012 – It is with deep regret that Rescare has learnt of the death on Sunday 12th August of Lord Morris of Manchester, who was a friend, supporter and patron of the society. Details of ‘Alf’ Morris’s life and career, and of his championing of the learning disabled, may be found on the BBC […]
Is this (still) the year of disability on TV?
In April 2012, journalist Damon Rose wrote an interesting news piece for BBC News (Entertainment & Arts) citing several programmes on BBC and other channels, which were making disability ‘more visible’, and asking “Is this the year of disability on TV?”. At the time, Lousis Theroux’s documentary on young adults with autism in the […]
South Gloucester’s Serious Case Review into Winterbourne – now available online.
Full details of the Serious Case Review (SCR), commissioned by South Gloucestershire’s Safeguarding Adults Boardfollowing reports of patient abuse at Winterbourne Private Hospital last year, are now available on South Gloucestershire Council’s website: http://www.southglos.gov.uk/NR/exeres/DDE51D39-E8AC-4343-8DDA-7F08B03CBA10 The Conclusions (Section 7) of of the Executive Summary are as follows: “The origins of Winterbourne View Hospital were not based […]
MP meets Disability Stockport’s youngest ever manager…
July 2012. Stockport MP Ann Coffey met Disability Stockport’s oldest trainee and youngest manager during a visit to the charity in Stockport. Irene Hulme, aged 92, was first introduced to the organisation’s director, Kieran McMahon, after Ann contacted him about Irene’s access problems at her home in Heaton Moor. Kieran has now recruited Irene as […]
Charles Henley : epetition 36834
Rescare’s friend, Charles Henley, has written to us today (9th Aug 2012) with the following request: ‘As Care in the Community disentegrates relentlessly, I would be grateful if you could muster up support for a change in policy influencers and policy implementers. Could I draw your attention to a new Government e-petition; more details will […]