Social work practice with carers ‘lacks clarity and consistency’

August 14, 2013   Carers, Social care, social workers

Carers’ assessments uncommon and seldom used to inform service users’ support plans, finds government-funded research.

Mithran Samuel
Wednesday 14 August 2013 11:23

Social work practice with carers “lacks clarity and consistency”, resulting in carers’ needs not being assessed or informing service users’ support plans, research has found.

Though carers were involved in all stages of the personal budgets process for service users, separate assessments of their needs were uncommon and seldom conducted before service user support was planned, found the York University study on carers and personalisation.  Researchers based their findings on a survey of 16 councils, in-depth research in three of these and interviews with carers and service users.

Carers’ role valued but assessed narrowly

Carers were commonly involved in supporting service users who had cognitive or communication impairments during assessment and this role was valued by service users and practitioners alike.

Managers and practitioners said carers were routinely asked about their willingness to continue providing support at this stage, aided by prompts on service users’ assessments forms, and some practitioners used these to ask carers about their own support needs.

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Millions volunteering in retirement

August 14, 2013   Carers

Millions volunteering in retirement

Source : Press Association

Published on 13 August 2013 02:00 PM

Millions volunteering in retirement

Two-fifths of older people are doing their bit for charities and their communities by engaging in voluntary work.

A poll by the Royal Voluntary Service found that one in five – around 2.2 million people over the age of 60 – help out with at least two different charities.

The research found that more than a million (11%) volunteer for three or more charities, with hundreds of thousands (6%) helping four or more good causes.

Men are most likely to volunteer their services to health charities or local football clubs, with women likelier to help children’s charities or lunch clubs.

The vast majority (83%) of the volunteers said they help because they believe charity work is important. Half of those polled said it helps them as they enjoy having a purpose in life.

 

But 3% of those questioned said that volunteering gives them the time they need away from their partners.

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Basic rights of mentally ill 'violated'

August 14, 2013   Carers, mental health
14 August 2013 Last updated at 01:05

Basic rights of mentally ill ‘violated’

By Adam Brimelow Health Correspondent, BBC News

 The cross-party group of MPs is urging Parliament to take action

The basic rights of some mental health patients in England are being “violated” because of a shortage of beds in psychiatric units, MPs say.

The Health Select Committee said there was evidence some people are being sectioned unnecessarily to secure hospital treatment.

It also warned safeguards to protect patients who lack capacity are often ignored.

The charity Rethink said the findings were “shocking”.

Changes to mental health laws in 2007 were supposed to ease pressure on psychiatric units by extending the treatment available out of hospital.

Legislation provided for Community Treatment Orders so some people previously detained in hospital could be treated – under supervision – in the community.

But compulsory detention has continued to increase.

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