Monthly Archives: April 2012
NHS patients encouraged to give feedback about care on revamped website
Patients in Shetland are being encouraged to write about their experiences of health care, good and bad, on NHS Shetland’s revamped website which has just gone live.
In future some patients and carers may be invited to tell their stories on tape, video or in person to the NHS board, which manages health services in Shetland.
The new independent feedback system, called Patient Opinion, started in a low-key way in January, prompting only six responses so far by email, phone and letter. Five were complimentary and the other conveyed ideas for improvements.
Patient Opinion is a non-profit service independent of NHS Shetland and the NHS which confidentially handles each “story” about a person’s experience of the NHS, including what was good and what could have been better.
Charity cuts fear for those with learning disabilities
People with learning disabilities are becoming isolated because of cuts to support and day services in England, says a joint report by 14 charities.
The Learning Disability Coalition said 77% of the local authorities it questioned were making cuts or savings and most expected to make further cuts.
The coalition said half of the 312 people surveyed said they now got less or no support, or paid more for help.
The government said urgent reform of the care and support system was needed.
Why I’m resigning from the panel that scrutinises work capability assessments
The DWP won’t act on growing concern about the effect of the reassessment process on people with mental health problems
For the last couple of years, welfare reform has consistently been an important issue for people with mental health problems. And one aspect in particular has dominated: the work capability assessment (WCA). It’s worth remembering that the WCA was initially conceived before the recession, when this country was estimated to be within a year of achieving full employment. Even in those early days, we at Mind urged caution as we had real concerns about how a new system would be applied.
