Covid: Bring back rules amid rising cases, urge NHS chiefs – BBC News

I completely disagree with the Government, but then when have I ever agreed.

But the proof is there for when has this Government been right over the last 2 years, well very little with exception to the COVID vaccine programme, which has said is no longer as successful as it was.

This is a Government of dither and mainly due to the view of the current Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, MP that he does not wish to place restrictions on the population of England. But, in doing so, he is playing with the lives of people in England. This is wrong, as when he does eventually change his mind, which he does with regularity, it is way too late, too late which means the many losses of lives and very much suffering on the people of England.

If he can’t manage effectively then it is well time for him to go and the sooner the better.

The case of Social Care is another good example, but here he is not alone with dithering for many Prime Ministers before him are just as guilty if not even more so. Actions need to be swift, rather than not as by waiting many hours, minutes and seconds are lost, leading to days, weeks, month and very many years , creating years of neglect, much suffering, loss of lives and very much increased demand on our NHS, which, itself is in great danger of becoming unstable.

This is seen very clearly by many in the NHS and while they have been very supportive of the NHS, many have now had enough, especially with COVID adding greatly to the stresses, of working extremely long periods and being virtually ignored by successive Governments. Funding has been insufficient, although not nearly as insufficient as that with Social Care, which is very much bordering on criminality of much neglect and great abandonment.

Actions are required not in the future but now as the inactions are causing many safeguarding issues with neglect being one.

Source: Covid: Bring back rules amid rising cases, urge NHS chiefs – BBC News

Adult social care needs £6.1bn funding boost to end ‘low cost low value, low outcome’ approach – Community Care

Adult social care needs in England £6.1bn of additional funding to overhaul a ‘low cost, low value, low outcome’ approach and realise its full potential, a study has found.

 

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Adult social Care certainly does need £6.1 billion and I would say more, maybe even to £10 billion and in doing so no one should forget Children’s Social Care which is also well underfunded.

The lack of Government funding in Social Care is a disgrace and no one should accept it.

Austerity cuts have caused many problems, with many if not all still to be rectified and Local Authorities are still being asked to make savings.

But, there are no savings to be made, only reducing services which are already severely reduced and thereby quality is suffering.

It could be said that when austerity came in there were insufficient areas in which cuts could be made, but the Government were demanding cuts and look where these cuts have left us, as shown through the COVID pandemic and is still doing so.

The government needs to live in the real world and see the suffering being caused to the most vulnerable in English Society.

But I feel this Government does not care about the vulnerable as this has been borne out in the policies that have been introduced.

By not sufficiently investing in Social Care by this and previous Governments this is causing even more drain on NHS resources, when they are already stretched thinly.

So, I call on the Government, for once to show that they do care and make all the required investments in Social Care, not in 3 or more years time, but immediately, as time is not on the side of Social Care.

 

Source: Adult social care needs £6.1bn funding boost to end ‘low cost low value, low outcome’ approach – Community Care

Vulnerable patient’s death at private hospital is a ‘scandal’, says mother | Hospitals | The Guardian

Yet another scandal regarding to persons with learning Disabilities, so why are these situations allowed to happen and why are there no prosecutions on the persons who allowed the scandals to occur, where is the accountability.

Where is the public outcry?

Where is the Government action?

What are the Legal Authorities doing?

What are the authorities doing about the supervision and monitoring of all the various areas which are involved in the caring of persons with Learning Disabilities?

So many What’s and Where’s, but are any being answered, I fear not and if not why.

Is Learning Disability and/or Autism really at the forefront of Safeguarding and if not why not?

Is this Government doing all it can to safeguard persons with Learning Disabilities and/or Autism and as any previous Governments done so? On all counts I regret the answer is no.

In the UK there are approximately 1.5 million people with a Learning Disability (2019), with approximately 1% of the UK population has autism

More information regarding Learning Disability in Yorkshire and Humber (2012)

In 2020 the Population of the UK was around 67 million

There is a NHS Learning Disability Register, please if you have a learning Disability or you have a relative with a Learning disability please ensure you or they are recorded on the Register

In Sheffield there is a local Sheffield Learning Disability Register please ensure if you are in Sheffield with a Learning Disability you are also on this register, you can register by using this form.

 

Source: Vulnerable patient’s death at private hospital is a ‘scandal’, says mother | Hospitals | The Guardian

Boris Johnson has created a ‘social care plan’ without any plan for social care | Frances Ryan | The Guardian

A very good article which has looked at many of the issues around Social Care and a great pity that the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, MP did not have the benefit of the points in the article. However, even, if he had he would have discounted many, if not all for in his supposed good plan he has gone down political lines, instead of non-political lines and put Social Care and those in need of Social care and those working in Social Care first, rather than thinking too much re political concerns.

But, give him some benefit of thought for at least he has done something, which none of his predecessors have done be they Labour or Conservative, even though it is way insufficient. National Insurance (NI) has to be one avenue, but also does Capital Gains Tax and possibly Income Tax and Business Rates  or some other venture.

In  NI some consideration should have been give to increasing the paltry 2% for earnings above £150000 say to 14%.

In Business Rates look at bringing Multi-National Companies into line and cut back on the loopholes where they can reduce their entitlement to pay on their revised profits.

In Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax rates should be looked at to increase by 1% or 2%, with also the tax free allowances being substantially increased to offset any increased taxation on those on low incomes.

Also consideration should be considered to bring Social Care into line with the NHS Health Services as it too should be free at the point of delivery to counter the discrimination between the two.

Prescription Charges, together with Dental and Optician charges should also be abolished, as should the costs of some medications and also equipment required in health and social care settings.

Only when all of the above together with a minimum salary rate of £14 per hour for all care workers and austerity cuts be reversed to all Local Authorities.

Lets for once in the UK have a financial outlook for both health and Social Services which delivers what should be and not governed by political outlooks of any party, but to benefit those who have to rely on both Health and Social Care Services which we are all proud of.

 

Source: Boris Johnson has created a ‘social care plan’ without any plan for social care | Frances Ryan | The Guardian

National Insurance: Minister refuses to deny reports of tax hike for social care – BBC News

The justice secretary says social care must be properly funded but declines to “speculate” on plans.

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I completely agree that Social care should be properly funded and I would say, totally funded, but there is a problems, one of many.

Currently, is there sufficient funding to be funding back to 2010 levels which is around £10 billion, I fear not.

Then, it was not sufficient to provide all the Social Care required, as directed by the Assessments of Needs done in 2010 and funding has dropped considerably so many in need of Social Care or receiving no care or a bare, insufficient minimum.

But the problem is even deeper than that, as for many years Assessments of Need have not been sufficiently completed, as not all reasonable needs have been recorded, only those that the assessor felt would be funded. So, in affect, there is no written record of the total care needs that are required, even from 2010 and since then many more have not been recorded.

In fact, many in need of care have not been coming forward, until the situations reached a safeguarding situation and not even then, which has results in many persons suffering when they should not have been and for some the ultimate was the outcome, being deaths.

Any none covering of needs, will eventually cause even more demands on the NHS, so the continuous ignoring of the problems in Social Care has had dire effects on the NHS and will continue to do so for many years to come, even if sufficient funding is made immediately.

For Social Care can’t be looked on in isolation from health as they are so intermixed, lack of social care requiring more health involvement and with health continuing involvement as there is insufficient social care to allow discharges from health care. This causing many to be kept in hospital longer than should be or in some instances discharged before any social care has been organised, which in some respects could have caused some of the elderly discharges into Nursing Homes and the result being excess deaths from COVID-19.

To say this is now the 21st century, the complete lack of dealing with the Social Care crisis is in effect, bringing health and social care back to the 19th century or even earlier.

People in authority have to be brought to account, both currently and even more so, previously.

Funding is but one aspect, but there are many others, some being

a severe lack of people wishing to come to be employed in Social Care

Government interventions to severely restrict people wishing to come from outside the UK to work in Social Care

Abysmal rates of pay for the work undertaken and the responsibilities

Poor working conditions

In some instances the lack of dignity and respect by persons working in Social Care for the persons they are caring for

The lack of sufficient quality of care supervision by, not only, Care Providers but also the Statutory Authorities, which includes Local Authorities and CQC(Care Quality Commission) which has been shown in Winterbourne Scandal, and many more since.

Much needs to be done, but there is very little action being taken currently and this needs to change immediately, for it appears this Government are happy to see deaths to occur as this reduces the amount of persons needing to be looked after.

 

Source: National Insurance: Minister refuses to deny reports of tax hike for social care – BBC News

Tax rise for 25 million to pay for social care

While any rises in taxes is never good news, Social Care needs to be a special case, for it has been in crisis for far to long and is also affecting more calls on the NHS at a time when everything needs to be done to save the NHS also.

For Social Care is a care service which is just as important as the NHS, if not even more so and with the effects of Long COVID will be for many more years to come.

Social Care has for many years not been seen by many as a deserving service, especially in Governments and the media, who both have gone out of their way to promote Social Care in a very bad light and those you have to call upon Social Care.

Anyone of us could through no fault of our own have cause to access Social Care, but many will never have to, but more and more persons are now having no choice but to do so.

But it is not just about persons accessing Social Care, as people working in Social Care also need to be considered for, they too have not been seriously considered.

Be it

1. the abysmal salary they receive
2. their working conditions, unsocial hours, many various venues
3. lack of travel expenses
4. lack of some holiday pay
5. no sickness benefits
6. lack of persons willing to come into the profession, causing those that do to work more hours than they should for their own health and wellbeing
7. no benefits for working official Bank Holidays
8. Government restrictions on who can come into the UK to work in Social Care, to supplement the UK workforce, these restrictions are not great for persons willing to come to the UK to work. Especially when working in Social Care is classed as unskilled work, which it is certainly not. You need to have caring values, be very responsible, willing to work in various situations, in many instances on your own. Be receptive to the needs and choices of the person for whom they are caring for. Be respective to a person’s home and their possessions.
9. And many others

The whole Government attitude to Social Care needs to be improved. As does the belief that Social Care is only for the elderly, for it is certainly not. While the elderly may, currently, be the majority needing care, care is also required for both children and adults of all ages and varying conditions, be it mental health, physical disabilities, Learning disabilities and Autism, poor health and many others.

These changes and many others need to be done, and done urgently for by not doing so will and is bring forward many Safeguarding issues.

Source: Tax rise for 25 million to pay for social care

Blind Couple Refused Entry By Leicester Square Restaurants

How can this be in this day and age, for it has been illegal to refuse entry for years, so is this ignorance of the law or just outright abuse and discrimination. For laws have and are in force as follows Disability Discrimination Act 1995, Disability Discrimination Act 2005, and Equality Act 2010.

Well who is going to find out and no matter what the reason who will face prosecution, for no matter who it was prosecutions need to be made. Otherwise this will continue for ever more.

Also, not just prosecutions of each establishment, but all who where involved in this despicable act or acts.

Ignorance should not be a plausible defence and it needs to be a criminal prosecution and not a civil action. Fort the guilty it should be imprisonment and not just a paltry fine or suspended sentence.

Disabled people have a right to live their lives and not be subjected to any forms of abuse or discrimination, be it direct or indirect abuse and/or discrimination.

Same Difference

Blind husband and wife Siobhan Meade and Sean Dilley were hoping to enjoy a meal in central London’s Leicester Square.

But they were left feeling “crushed” when they were turned away by two eateries, who claimed they could not bring their guide dogs in – despite it being illegal under the Equality Act.

Siobhan, who works for the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, said the experience left her feeling like a “second-class citizen”.

The two restaurants, Jollibee and Little Italy, have both since apologised to Siobhan and Sean, who is a BBC journalist.

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People with learning disabilities ‘failed again’ as CQC closes unit over abuse | Nursing Times

Yet again persons with Learning Disabilities and/or Autism are being let down by the system, a system that due to many years of underfunding is far from ‘fit for purpose’. But underfunding should not be used as an excuse for cruelty and abuse, for this is purely down to management and the standard of carers employed.

However, as the article states if Social Care was sufficiently funded persons could live in their own communities and not be locked away in these , so called, hospitals, for that is a disgrace for they are not hospitals, but more like . But, it is also wrong to say prisons, for prisons would not be allowed to cause suffering in these ways.

What needs to occur is for this Government make good their promises and promises of many previous Governments to once and for all put Social Care on a very secure financial footing. For it is my belief that Social Care has never been sufficiently funded, but 10 years of austerity cuts and then going on 2 years of COVID have caused many more problems for social care, when one would have expected it could not get worse. But much worse is has become, due to many years of Government inactivity with regards to social care.

Unfortunately social care does not receive a good press, for many in the population feel that spending on social care is a waste of money, just because they fail to see the need for social care. This is compounded by government actions in many areas, including the benefits system and how the majority of the media view social care and the persons in need of social care. That is, until a scandal is uncovered, but it is the lead to the scandal which is also of concern. So decrying social care at every opportunity leads to the scandals in the first place.

A ‘White Paper’ on Social care has been promised by many UK governments, but to date not one has delivered. Even when a White Paper is published it may not be the solution, for it will be coming from a Government which has shown many times it cares nothing for social care and the persons who are in need of receiving social care.

So the attitudes of many within the UK, or just England have to improve. For until they do the Human Rights of Persons with Learning Disabilities and/or Autism will not be adhered to.

 

Source: People with learning disabilities ‘failed again’ as CQC closes unit over abuse | Nursing Times

No government hoping to level up can ignore the social care crisis harming England’s children | Anne Longfield | The Guardian

All that is said, is so sadly true, for in the current Children’s Social Care there is no hope of any improvement, especially long-term and even in most instances short-term.

But refinancing is only one of the problems for there are may others.

One is no matter what is done, even doing it all, eventually these children will be doomed to failure yet again, for it is not just children’s social Care that is in a dire state, for adult social care is in a similar position, if not even worse. Yes, this is effecting the elderly, but not only the elderly, but all adults in social care, as social care in every direction is not ‘fit for purpose’ and has not been for far to many years.

This Government and all previous Governments have been guilty of failure no matter what colour of the Government for no party has taken the challenge of social care onboard.

Even tough the situations are very dire, this Government appears to have no desire to solve the problems, only to ‘kick the can’ further down the road. Well this road has to have a reverse of traffic and the reform of all social care should be of the highest priority, if needs be over and above, even COVID. Or at least on an equal par.

Source: No government hoping to level up can ignore the social care crisis harming England’s children | Anne Longfield | The Guardian

NHS drafted plans to ‘deny care to elderly and offer end of life pathways’ in a pandemic – Mirror Online

This is disgraceful and disgusting, but it is what I would expect from this Government, in fact any Government.

I don’t trust any politicians, no matter what colour Party they come from.

Yes, Labour say they would be against this now, but, if they were in power would they do as they say. We will never know until it is too late.

For it is Government policy to govern for the whole and not the few and as there are more who are under 70 and don’t have learning disabilities and/or autism I can see it being policy.

Even, if there is a law against it the Government of the day only need to declare a ‘National emergency’ and usual parliament debate will not take place.

We would have to rely on the honesty and integrity of the NHS and Care staff to see that right came through.

 

Source: NHS drafted plans to ‘deny care to elderly and offer end of life pathways’ in a pandemic – Mirror Online