Category Archives: Social care

The benefits of learning social care the digital way

March 24, 2014   Carers, internet, Social care
The challenge for organisations looking to harness the power of digital technology is to balance the flexibility of portable devices against ensuring the delivery of high quality learning

Paul Clarke

Guardian Professional

 

The explosion in the number of laptops, smartphones and tablets means employers can offer their workers much more flexible ways of acquiring skills and knowledge.

The only certainty in adult social care is the way we operate will constantly change – which increasingly includes the way learning and development opportunities are delivered.

The explosion in the number of laptops, smartphones and tablets means employers can offer their workers much more flexible ways of acquiring skills and knowledge that will help them get better at what they do.

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Family’s fury as 60 different carers visit in 30 months

March 18, 2014   Carers, Older care, Social care, stroke
An 84-year-old left disabled by a stroke had 60 different home carers in less than three years, her family have revealed.
18th March 2014  08.26

'DIABOLICAL': Stroke patient 84-year-old Audrey Arundel from Ossett. PIC: Jonathan Gawthorpe‘DIABOLICAL’: Stroke patient 84-year-old Audrey Arundel from Ossett. PIC: Jonathan Gawthorpe

Audrey Arundel’s daughter and son-in-law eventually demanded a new firm provide her care because of the string of different staff, which they 
branded “diabolical”, and other issues.

A search is now under way for another suitable company after the family had a disagreement with Wakefield Council over her care package.

Mrs Arundel’s son-in-law Malcolm Oates said: “From one company we have 60-odd different carers in two-and-a-half years. It’s diabolical.”

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Preparing for life after the Independent Living Fund

March 14, 2014   Carers, Social care, ukcuts

The Independent Living Fund is for the chop but what will its demise mean for the disabled people who relied on its help?

By on March 14, 2014

The battle to save the Independent Living Fund is over.

A few months ago it looked as if there was a chance for a last-minute reprieve for the ILF, which helps severely disabled people live independently by providing cash to top-up their social care support.

In November, the Court of Appeal torpedoed the government’s original plan to shut the fund when it ruled the Department for Work and Pensions had failed to fulfil its duty to promote equality when making the decision.

But last week disability minister Mike Penning announced that, following a new equality impact assessment of the plan, the government is going to press ahead with closing the fund.

The only concession was that the fund will now shut in June, rather than March, 2015. After that the responsibility for supporting ILF users will fall to English local authorities and the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The decision was a blow for campaigners and one that many recipients of the fund fear.

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