Author Archives: Maureen

Dying need ‘free social care’, cancer campaigners say

July 4, 2014   Cancer, Carers, Featured Article, Social care

Providing free social care could save £69m a year on the care of cancer patients alone, the report says.

By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News

4 July 2014 Last updated at 03:33

Free end-of-life social care is needed to save the NHS in England money and improve patient care, campaigners say.

Macmillan Cancer Support says it could save the NHS in England £69m a year on the care of cancer patients alone.

Its analysis is based on a review of patient surveys, official NHS spending data and interviews with senior decision-makers.

Social care is currently means-tested, but ministers are considering providing it to everyone at the end of life.

About half of people end up dying in hospital despite eight in 10 saying they would prefer to die at home.

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Council-run care ‘unsustainable’, survey finds

July 2, 2014   Carers, Featured Article, Social care

The council-run care system for the elderly and adults with disabilities is becoming “unsustainable”, social services chiefs are warning.

By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News

2 July 2014 Last updated at 03:36

A survey of 144 social care departments in England found savings of more than a quarter had had to be made since 2010.

Funding cuts and rising demands are key problems, says the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services.

They predicted the situation would get worse, despite attempts to channel extra NHS money into the system.

The survey found the total budget put aside for means-tested social care by councils in 2014-15 stands at £13.68bn.

That represents a drop in cash terms of £266m from last year and a real terms cut of 12% since 2010 once inflation is taken into account.

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Motor Neurone Disease: ‘No words to describe how bad it is’

June 29, 2014   Carers, Featured Article, motor neurone

Lack of awareness. That was the problem when the ambulance was unable to take Pauline Scott to hospital.

Coling Hardy representing MNDA in Berwick. (Motor Neurone disease awareness)

Pauline needed medical help after a fall. She had Motor Neurone Disease. Her brother, Colin Hardy, recalls that when the ambulance arrived at her Scremerston home it was not sufficiently equipped to cope with a patient imprisoned in her own body.

Instead, Pauline’s family had to transport her in their own specially-adapted car, with paramedics sitting in the back. The ambulance followed behind as Pauline was taken to Wansbeck hospital in Ashington.

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