‘Target winter fuel benefit to pay for elderly care’
By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News
Social care is in need of reform, many experts say
Winter fuel payments should be means-tested to help pay for care of the elderly, a former minister says.A report by Lib Dem MP Paul Burstow and the Centre Forum think-tank, said targeting the allowance would help pay for a fairer social care system.
The report said it could fund most of the £1.7bn cost of implementing reforms of elderly care in England proposed by the independent Dilnot Commission.
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said a funding model was yet to be decided.
The Dilnot Commission, which was set up by the government, recommended that the cap on the amount individuals have to pay towards their social care be set at £35,000 over a lifetime.
The commission argued that such a move would protect people from catastrophic care costs that result in them having to sell their homes.
As things stand, older people in England have to contribute to their care costs if they have savings of more than around £23,000.
High court victory for Swadlincote gran’s carer cash case
A GRANDMOTHER from Swadlincote has won permission from a high court judge to challenge a council over its carers allowance.
08:38 Thursday 03 January 2013 Written by BY HELEN KREFT
The 67-year-old, who cares for her 13-year-old grandson, and at one stage was also caring for her granddaughter, receives a residence allowance from Derbyshire County Council, which is just 58 per cent of a fostering allowance. However, with the help of Ridley and Hall – a specialist grandparent carers solicitors, she will now challenge the policy, saying it would have cost the county council a fortune putting the children into foster care.
The children were placed with her in 2000 by Social Services who encouraged her to apply for a residence order, as the children’s’ parents were not able to properly care for them.
Target culture ‘knocks care out of nursing’
Target culture ‘knocks care out of nursing’ says expert as he warns workers are unable to stand up to abuse
- Professor Keith Brown criticises target-driven workplace culture
- He is currently overhauling training received by Britain’s care professionals
- Said that staff find it easier to ‘turn a blind’ to abuse in care homes
By John Stevens
PUBLISHED: 23:48, 1 January 2013 | UPDATED: 08:14, 2 January 201
A generation of nurses and carers have had their compassion ‘knocked out of them’ by a blindly target-driven workplace culture, an expert has warned.
An obsession with targets and jargon is stifling their innate desire to care for patients and care home residents, Professor Keith Brown said.
The professor, who is in the process of overhauling the training received by Britain’s care professionals, said many workers felt unable to stand up to abuse if they saw others mistreating patients.
He pointed to the example of the abuse scandal at the Winterbourne View private hospital in Bristol, which he said showed how those not perpetrating abuse had found it easier to ‘turn a blind eye’.
