Category Archives: learning difficulties

Phoenix Centre in Mile Cross rises from the flames

December 24, 2012   Carers, internet, learning difficulties, Norfolk

Computers for Carers donate PC

Tom Bristow, Reporter Monday, December 24, 2012
12:00 PM

Children’s laughter, balloons and presents filled the hall of a Mile Cross community centre on Saturday – just seven days after it was attacked by arsonists.

The message from the Phoenix Centre as it hosted six-year-old Sade Woollard’s birthday party was clear – we have risen from the ashes.

Christmas lights, music and games replaced the ash, smoke and flames of last weekend when the centre was set alight and partially destroyed.

Sade’s mother, Charmain, said her daughter had been in tears during the week at the thought that her first big birthday party would be cancelled.

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Learning disabled and carers must be to the fore in reforms

December 22, 2012   Carers, cerebral palsy, disability, learning difficulties, ukcuts

Cuts to these services do not work.

The proposal to shut three day centres in Glasgow and provide other services “in the community” is billed as a reform, but in fact it is only a step in a process which has been going on for years, of trying to cut the cost of learning disability (LD) services and at the same time introduce “personalisation” as the means of meeting needs and allocating scarce resources (“Kelman condemns closure of centres”, The Herald, December 17, and Letters, December 17, 18 & 19).

The need to cut costs is real. Regardless of who is to blame for the current squeeze on local government resources, in the real world there is going to be less money to spend on all local government services for some time to come. It is therefore essential to focus resources on things which will do most good.

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‘Never mind the patient, tick the box’

December 7, 2012   Carers, dementia, DOH, health, learning difficulties, mental health, ukcuts

Regulation and inspection are often increased after a crisis

By Prof Sue Bailey President, Royal College of Psychiatrists

PaperworkScandals lead to inquiries and to recommendations – leading to a focus on filling in forms and ticking the right boxes.

But in this week’s Scrubbing Up Sue Bailey, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, says it’s time to listen to those receiving the care.

Why do care standards break down? We’ve all read heartbreaking stories of elderly people with dementia or patients with learning difficulties being neglected, mistreated and abused.

When things go wrong, inquiries are set up, reports are published and lessons learnt.

Think Winterbourne View; Mid-Staffordshire; childcare in Rochdale, or the Carlisle Report.

At heart, the recommendations boil down to improving communication, listening, learning and acting. It means taking notice of what patients and service users have to say.

Blame culture

But when trying to deliver the right kind of care, the health service often addresses regulation, standard setting, inspection and monitoring.

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