The EHRC has published a shocking report highlighting yet another area of neglect and cuts in levels of service. This time it’s homecare, and reliable reports of people being left in wet and soiled beds for hours on end, waiting for a care worker to arrive and help them – often with just 15 minutes allocated for the work. The temptation is to blame the care worker, who is surely recruited, trained and paid to “care” . I have commented, raised concerns, blogged and generally got on my soap box about these issues many times. There are several pertinent points to make: Share this post: […]
Author: Brenda Bond
Hi, I'm Brenda, previously Chief Executive of Age Concern Lewisham and Southwark (ACLS) and now carrying out a 6 month research and development project for the organisation. I have a childcare and nursing background plus too many years to mention in Age Concerns in the North East and in London. I'm a trustee of Age UK London and represent ACLS and the voluntary sector on various local fora. I'm interested in health and social care issues, human rights and social justice.
The Cold Weather Kills
According to the BBC News, winter weather alerts aimed at helping vulnerable people during cold snaps are to be introduced in England: “Under the new arrangements, the Met will issue alerts depending on the severity of the conditions. In total, there will be four alerts, each of which will ask local agencies, including NHS trusts and councils, to carry out certain duties. For example, at level three, which would have been reached last winter, health and social care staff should consider daily visits to the most vulnerable.” Can someone tell me please, where the people and money are going to […]
Health Records and Online Access
A couple of us attended a meeting the other day in which one of the presentations promoted a pilot scheme to give people access to their GP records online. It sounded great… until we started to think through the potential for abuse. Our questions about security were acknowledged as valid, especially in light of recent failures in the massive NHS IT system developments. But there had clearly been little thought about issues closer to home. Share this post: Recommend on Facebook Tweet about it Print for later Tell a friend
Update on Learning Disability and Dementia
What is the best practice for providing care and support around learning disability and dementia? Who is leading the way and how can you get information? Brenda Bond investigates…
The Great Cheque Sham
“The banks are proclaiming that they have “saved cheques” and all is well with the world. This is one of the great cons of our time, in my opinion” Writes Brenda Bond. Find out why:
Budgets: Anti-Competitive Practice
Southwark Council have decreed that SUs can only use council-managed personal budgets for services contracted by the council. If people want to use a service with which the council does not have a contract, they have to manage the budget themselves. Such a restriction is unfair, writes Brenda Bond.
Learning Disability, Ageing and Dementia
Recent research seems to be indicating an emerging new issue in social care. As is often the case, a medical triumph – people with learning disability living longer – is coupled with the challenge of meeting new needs in older age. It is now estimated that up to 50 per cent of people with Downs Syndrome, for instance, may develop dementia as they age. Are we ready for this new challenge? Will people who have grown up in the adult social care “system” be adequately supported into older peoples services? And crucially, will the money be available for their needs to […]
Day Care: Loneliness can be a Killer too
Day care centres are under attack. They are viewed by some local authorities as an outdated, expensive form of care. But the people who attend our day care in Lewisham and Southwark, and their carers, tell me they love it, they are happier, it improves their quality of life and their carers are able to have a break and / or continue working. For myself, I know that I subsist on toast and other comfort foods when I eat alone. I also know that I get bored and boring very quickly if I don’t have anything outside the house to talk about. […]