Tag Archives: social care

Joint letter to Andrew Lansley on reform of care funding

March 5, 2012   Carers, disability

An alliance of charities, care homes and housing providers says the government must not duck its commitment to reform

Dear Secretary of State,

On Tuesday 6th March, hundreds of older and disabled people, their families and carers will travel to Westminster with the same message for Parliament: we must end the crisis in our social care system.

They will speak for the millions of individuals and families we represent who are in desperate need of care and either going without or receiving inadequate support.

Years of underfunding, combined with rising demand have resulted in a social care system that is in crisis: an unfair and confusing postcode lottery which is now facing additional cuts. This is a challenge which successive Governments have failed to overcome – but we cannot wait any longer.

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Ban on age discrimination shelved- shocking blow for the elderly

February 24, 2012   Carers, Older care

Millions of pensioners have been left at risk of inferior hospital treatment, more expensive insurance and a narrower choice of holidays after ministers shelved a ban on age discrimination.

 

2:10PM GMT 24 Feb 2012

Measures to outlaw ageism in the provision of goods and services were due to become law from April this year, but the Home Office has delayed the implementation of any ban until at least October.

Campaigners said they feared the set-back signalled that the Coalition was not committed to tackling age discrimination and that the proposed law could be abandoned altogether.

A series of damning reports from official watchdogs in the last year have uncovered examples of elderly people suffering abuse and neglect at the hands of their nurses and carers.

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Care Quality Commission says unannounced inspections will be carried out from next month

February 22, 2012   Carers, Older care

‘Dignity’ inspections in hundreds of care homes within weeks

A team of inspectors is to be sent into hundreds of care homes within to check whether elderly people are being treated with dignity.

By , Social Affairs Editor

11:53AM GMT 22 Feb 2012

 

The care regulator the Care Quality Commission, said inspectors would begin carrying out unannounced spot checks on residential homes across England from next month checking whether basic standards are being maintained.

It comes as the Government threw its weight behind a new code of conduct for care workers and nurses which demands that elderly patients are treated with dignity and respect and not simply treated as “objects”.

Politicians on both sides of the Commons, The Royal College of Nursing, the TUC, and charities including AGE UK are among supporters of the new “Dignity Code” drawn up by the National Pensioners’ Convention.

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