Oh the irony. The Mental Capacity Act is effectively denying young adults with learning disabilities access as they turn 18, to the money in Child Trust Funds (special savings accounts) opened for them when they were children. This article on the BBC News website explains this Catch-22 situation, and how to make matters worse, the […]

In March 2014, the House of Lords Select Committee on the Mental Capacity Act 2005 published its ‘Mental Capacity Act 2005: post-legislative scrutiny’  report, celebrating the ethos and achievements of the MCA, but calling for awareness and implementation of it to be extended. Lack of awareness of the Act, especially amongst those who would benefit […]

What follows was compiled as I tried to respond to a recent helpline call (Essentially this involved a significant change in provision, where the parent carer of ‘P’  believed the local authority was not using an up-to-date and accurate Care and Support Plan in its decision making). To ensure that my efforts researching Care Act […]

On Monday June 8th Rescare launched its film “Learning Disability the Right to Choose” via a well-attended  Zoom meeting. The film aimed to highlight current challenges facing people with learning disabilities, their families and carers; and to clarify and restate Rescare’s  future priorities and objectives. This short film is now available to view via YouTube […]

The House of Lords yesterday debated (via a Virtual Proceedings) the effect of the current pandemic on social care, and especially on the care of those with  disabilities or considered vulnerable. The whole debate (transcript here) makes for interesting reading (There are an awful lot of pledges to change and reform social care ‘flying around’), […]

12th November: Public Health England  publishes a report  on ‘COVID 19 deaths of people identified as having learning disabilities’. The summary is available online here. (It  is actually an abbreviated plain English version of the summary in the full report). The summary (let alone the full report) still needs to be read in full, because, […]

Just alerted to fact that according to latest COVID guidance, adults Down’s syndrome are now in high risk category. See: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/people-at-higher-risk/whos-at-higher-risk-from-coronavirus This Guidance states: If you’re at high risk from coronavirus, you should have received a letter from the NHS. Speak to your GP or hospital care team if you have not been contacted and think […]

Just published: CQC Report “Out of sight – who cares? A review of restraint, seclusion and segregation for autistic people, and people with a learning disability and/or mental health condition”. Posting in a hurry but please follow these links: The report itself… https://www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/20201022b_rssreview_report.pdf And reaction to it. (BBC News headline is “CQC report: Care of […]

On Monday June 8th Rescare launched its film “Learning Disability the Right to Choose” via a well-attended  Zoom meeting. The film aimed to highlight current challenges facing people with learning disabilities, their families and carers; and to clarify and restate Rescare’s  future priorities and objectives. This short film is now available to view via YouTube […]

NHS England medical director Professor Stephen Powis has announced that deaths of people with learning disabilities or autism in acute hospitals will be reported, starting from week of 11th May. This was announced at the Coronavirus press conference on May 8th.