Tag Archives: social care

University of Sunderland raising the profile of unpaid family carers

March 21, 2013   Carers, disability, family, health, Older care

Exhibition focuses on Sunderland’s carers

Published on Thursday 21 March 2013 10:02

THE precious breaks which carers take from looking after loved ones have been captured on camera.

And the exhibition – Time Well Earned – is now on display at the University of Sunderland’s Showcase Gallery in the Priestman Building, City Campus.

The university has joined forces with the Sunderland Carers’ Centre to raise the profile of unpaid carers – people who look after family members or friends who have a long-term illness, a disability or who are elderly and frail.

Many carers juggle care with employment, and the level of care they give can often exceed a full-time job and for some it can be a 24/7 role.

The photographs show carers taking well-deserved breaks from their caring roles and the idea for the project came from Daniel Dale, who is studying a photography degree at Cleveland College of Art and Design.

Daniel first approached Sunderland Carers’ Centre to sound out his ideas and to put him in contact with carers who now feature in the exhibition.

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Care for the elderly is not good enough

March 19, 2013   Carers, health, hospital, mental health, Older care

Basic care for elderly ‘lacking’

By Nick Triggle Health correspondent, BBC News

Elderly patient in hospital corridor The CQC looked at standards across care homes and hospitals

Basic care for the elderly in hospitals and care homes in England is still not good enough, the regulator says.

The Care Quality Commission report, based on a snapshot of services, found about a third failed to meet all the standards for nutrition and dignity.

It cited examples of call-bells being left unanswered, bad manners and a lack support at meal times.

It comes after the NHS was criticised by the Stafford Hospital scandal public inquiry for not putting patients first.

The Stafford report, published last month, said the NHS system was more focused on corporate self-interest than getting services right.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspections were carried out before those findings were released.

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Patients and carers will get more help

March 18, 2013   Cancer, Carers, Depression, Diabetes, disability, health

Thousands of patients with long-term conditions and dementia could benefit as GP contract proposals are unveiled

March 18, 2013

Thousands more patients will soon feel the benefits of better care at their GP surgery as an ambitious vision to improve the lives of people with long term conditions and people with dementia becomes a reality.

From April, changes to the GP contract, which have been announced today, will see millions of pounds redirected into better care for patients.

Money that was once given to doctors for performing routine office functions like record keeping will now be used to reward steps which directly support and benefit patients. This includes better control of blood pressure and cholesterol, to prevent heart attacks and stroke, and assessing patients at risk from dementia.

In total, £164 million will be pulled away from bureaucratic box ticking exercises and into better care.

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