Editorial
This past week I attended a meeting with my fellow
trustees of Action on Elder Abuse – a hugely
worthwhile charity focused on raising awareness of
abuse of older people and making society intolerant
of such behaviours.
As we closed our meeting a call came through for
one of the executives who was being contacted by a
television researcher for first impressions and
quotable quotes on a story being given front page
profile by The Daily Mail on its website.
The story, at item 80, is shocking and has received
wide press coverage.
However, what I find more shocking is the apparent,
almost indifference, displayed sometimes by social
services.
I am involved in a matter where photographs were
taken, using a mobile camera ‘phone, of the genitalia
of an older woman suffering dementia. The photos
were taken by one of her close relatives. The
service provider’s staff acted entirely appropriately in
seeking to prevent the photographs being taken.
They then referred the matter to CSCI, the police and
the local authority adult protection unit.
No one appears to be responding as one would
hope.
What would have been the reaction of those people if
the photographs had been taken by a father of his,
say, 15 year old daughter? Inaction is not an option.
Parliament
18.02.08 – HoC – Health and Social Care Bill,
remaining stages
20.02.08 – HoL - Viscount Falkland to ask
Government what steps it proposes to take to support
the training of disabled people on computers in their
own homes.
Next
Abuse
1. Parents get right to check on paedophiles
17 February 2008 - The Mail on Sunday
Paedophile check trials launched
16 January 2008 – BBC News
Trials will begin in June 2008 of what has come to be
known as ‘Sarah’s Law’ (a version of the USA’s
Megan’s Law) will allow parents to conduct background
checks with the police on people who will
have unsupervised contact with children.
The new procedures will be piloted in Cambridgeshire,
Cleveland, Hampshire and Warwickshire.
For BBC report click here
2. Woman, 94, died from neglect
15 February 2008 - The Times
Four weeks in a care home turned our
mother into a concentration camp victim
15 February 2008 - Daily Mail
Woman, 94, 'died after neglect'
14 February 2008 – BBC News
For full report see Older People—item 80
3. Protection agency staff ‘left children at
risk from abuse’ because of errors
15 February 2008 - The Times
How bungling social workers are putting
children’s lives at risk
15 February 2008 - Daily Mail
In Ofsted’s first report into the Children and Family
Court Advisory Service (Cafcass), East Midlands, it
concluded that dozens of children are at risk of
abuse because of ‘serious failings’ in Cafcass which
has cost £100m. For example, where safeguarding
issues were identified Cafcass had not checked that
child protection teams were aware of the situation.
Additionally, there were bizarre statements and
too much opinion and very little evidence.
An example of the bizarre; an 11 month old was said
to be too young to appreciate “the political significance
of his circumstance”
4. Abused baby might have lived if 30 staff
had done their job
14 February 2008 - The Times
5. 30 health workers saw Jessica 10 times in
her 54 day life. So why was this sadist able
to kill her?
14 February 2008 - Daily Mail
Agencies 'failed' murdered baby
13 February 2008 – BBC News
Andrew Randall, 33, has been jailed for life for the
abuse, torture and murder of his 54 day old daughter.
There was a ‘collective failure’ to initiate child
protection procedures. All PCT staff have been retrained
to identify child abuse.
For BBC report click here
6. Mobile firms to block child porn
11 January 2008 – BBC News
World-wide mobile ‘phone firms have launched a new
alliance aiming to block paedophiles from using
phones to send or receive child sexual abuse images.
The GSMA, the global association for mobile firms,
has launched the Mobile Alliance, and among
planned measures will be a block on mobile phone
access to websites which host abusive content.
For full report click here
Business News
7. The Sunday Times Buyout Track 100
17 February 2008
A listing of 100 companies with the fastest growing
profits backed with private equity. There are 10 companies
from the health and social care sector which
are featured:
15 James Hull Associates; dental practices
22 IDIS; pharmaceuticals supplier
44 Healthcare at Home; healthcare provider
47 Care Principals; mental healthcare
61 Castlebeck; specialist healthcare
70 Alliance Medical; medical imaging
71 Affinity Healthcare; healthcare provider
79 Clinical Solutions; medical software provider
83 Voyage; care home operator
97 Oasis Healthcare; dental practices
8. Qataris seek £1.3bn for Four Seasons
Health Care
17 February 2008 - The Telegraph
Paul Taylor of Qatari state-backed investment fund,
Three Delta, is believed to be negotiating the refinancing
of Four Seasons Healthcare bought last
year.
Three Delta must needs a new financial backer or to
negotiate fresh terms with its present bankers before
June 2008, failing which it faces having to make a
very substantial repayment to its current funders,
Credit Suisse.
9. Craegmoor auction?
17 February 2008 - The Telegraph
As a footnote to the above item
“•?Legal & General Ventures has appointed investment
bank NM Rothschild to oversee a prospective
auction of Craegmoor, a care homes business valued
at up to £400m.”
10. Health merger sewn-up
17 February 2008 – The Mail on Sunday
A £35m merger has taken place between Premier
Medical and Medico Legal Reporting – it is backed
by Nomura Private Equity and 3i. The combined
company will produce some 100,000 insurance and
employment medical reports annually.
11. Patientline
16 February 2008 - The Times
Patientline, the struggling hospital bedside ‘phone
supplier saw its shares fall further to 0.55pence –
now trading on just over a ha’penny each.
12. Southern Cross Healthcare Grp PLC
14 February 2008
Quarter 1, 2008 Interim Management Statement
Care home demand drives strong Q1 at Southern
Cross Healthcare - the largest provider of UK care
home services, reported its first Interim Management
Statement for the 16 week period ended 20
January 2008 ('Q1').
• Q1 revenue up 29.6% to £262.6m (2007:
£202.6m)
• Q1 Adjusted EBITDA up 61.1% to £18.2m
• Underlying occupancy rate in mature business
of 90.7% (2007: 91.4%)
• Bed capacity increased by 2,025 beds at 20
January 2008
• Additional banking facility of £30m agreed with
Barclays Bank to finance future developments
• Demand for UK care home services remains
strong
13. Integrated Dental Holdings
11 February 2008 - The Times
The investment bank Merrill Lynch has acquired a
majority shareholding in Integrated Dental Holdings,
Britain’s biggest chain of dental practices.
Care Homes
14. Care homes face possible closure
12 February 2008 – BBC News
Devon has five care homes that could close down as
part of the proposed revamp of care for the elderly.
The Shaw Healthcare Group was voted to take over
Devon County Council’s 26 care homes.
But Barnhaven in Bampton, Lydiate Lodge in Lynton
and Orchard Lea in Cullompton could close within 18
months and Tracey Vale in Bovey Tracey and Arthur
Roberts in Exeter could close within three to seven
years.
For full report click here
15. Green care home refusal
11 February 2008 – Thisisexeter.co.uk
East Devon District Council has turned down plans
for the first eco-friendly care home in England. The
council decided to refuse permission for the project at
Douglas Avenue, Exmouth.
For full report go to http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/
displayNode.jsp?
nodeId=142329&command=displayContent&sourceNode=1423
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Case Reports
Law Reports
16. Lambeth London Borough v (1) KK, (2)
DK, (3) X (by his Guardian) and (4) Y (by his
Guardian)
It was in the best interests of two children for the
court to order an adjournment of an application for a
care order so that one of the children could undergo
blood tests in order to help the court determine
whether injuries sustained were non-accidental and
caused by his parents.
17. Re: F (a child)
In care proceedings the finding that the mother had
intentionally killed her two children by suffocating
them was set aside where, in light of a re-appraisal of
the expert evidence, the cause of the deaths was
demonstrated to be unascertainable.
18. R (on the application of G) v Nottingham
City Council)
The separation of a newborn baby from his mother
was unlawful where there was no judicial sanction, no
suggestion that the mother posed a risk of exposing
him to immediate physical attack or physical harm
and no medical justification for the intervention.
Ed. This case has been subject of news items in
BHCR Vol 3, Issue 5, item 21.
Disciplinary cases
Nothing to report
Cases in the news
19. It’s love, says prison psychiatrist having
mental patient’s baby
14 February 2008 - Daily Mail
Psychologist Stephanie Reeves, 30, received a 12
month suspended jail sentence for her ‘grave breach
of trust’ in engaging in sexual intercourse with a 20
year old mental patient who is in a secure unit as a
result of a series of offences. Reeves is pregnant as
a result. She has been ordered to sign the sex offenders
register.
20. Nurse left OAPs for water fights
11 January 2008 – BBC News
Michelle Bache, 39, faced seven misconduct charges
and sacked admitted leaving elderly patients alone
while she had water fights with other staff. The hearing
was told she was “overwhelmed professionally”
whilst left in charge at Bodawen Nursing Home in
Porthmadog, Gwynedd.
For full report click here
21. Care home criticised over woman's death
9 February 2008 – Sunderland Echo
Derek Winter, ruled that the Village Care Home in
South Hylton was guilty of a “gross failure” to provide
medical care for a 95-year-old woman. The coroner
severely criticised the care home at the end of the
two-day inquest and said he would report it to a national
watchdog.
For full report go to http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/
Care-home-criticised-over-womans.3762044.jp
Children
Nothing to report
Conferences & Courses
22. Retirement Housing - One Day Conference,
27th February 2008
Thistle City Barbican, London, EC1
10.00 Surveying the market for retirement housing
including demographic trends across
the market
Barbara Laing, Managing Director - Housing Services,
Anchor Trust
10.30 Exploring opportunities in the growth of
Retirement Villages in the UK
Nick Sanderson, CEO, Raven Audley
11.30 Analysing the impact of retirement housing
on the wider residential market
Jim Ward, Head of Residential Research, Savills
12.00 Charting the growth of supply in luxury
retirement properties and challenges for
existing and new market entrants
Anthony Oldfield, Senior Associate, Healthcare, King
Sturge LLP
12.30 Exploring housing policy and partnerships
for retirement property development
Mark Wagstaff, Policy Advisor, Housing Corporation
14.00 Focusing on lending and finance for retirement
housing and the emergence of
specialist finance including mortgages,
tax, and equity
Paul Moran, Area Director - Head of Healthcare,
Bank of Ireland
14.30 Managing land acquisition and planning
strategies for retirement property
Neil Rowley MRTPI, Associate Director, Commercial
Planning, Savills
15.30 Evaluating marketing strategies to reach
retirement property customers
Martin James, Director, Retirement Homesearch
16.00 Case Study - St George’s Park Augustinian
Living – working with community
stakeholders to create added value in retirement
living
Philip Smith, Marketing Director, Augustinian Living
FAX the completed form to +44 (0) 20 7970 4799
Call +44 (0) 20 7970 4770
Book Online @ www.housing-strategy.com
Post a copy of this form together with your payment to
Centaur Conferences, 50 Poland Street, London, W1F
7AX
23. Voice08 - The UK conference for social
enterprise
Wednesday 27 February 2008
&
Young Voice08 -The UK conference for
young minds with social ambition
Tuesday 26 February 2008
Voice has changed.
We asked YOU what kind of conference you would
like and based on your responses we’ve designed
our most stimulating and interactive event yet.
We have exciting plenary and breakout sessions
scheduled (details below), including debates and
unprecedented levels of audience participation.
And unlike traditional conferences, delegates at
Voice08 also have the power to create their own sessions
by using our unique Make a Meeting service.
Just write your ideal discussion topic on a sign and
as soon as you have enough takers we’ll give you a
room. So go ahead and Pick Up A Placard!
Or you can wander into one of our many inspirational
igloos and speak to business experts, educators,
Social Enterprise Ambassadors and others.
If you think you have what it takes to set up your own
social enterprise then enter the replica elevator and
deliver a snappy elevator pitch to get expert feedback
and the chance to win a cash prize.
We will also be putting on a large exhibition and
trade fair which will run throughout the day, where
corporate exhibitors have offered to give delegates
one-on-one surgeries on key topics such as finance
and legal issues.
And to celebrate Liverpool’s European Capital of Culture
status there is going to be live music and cultural
performances, giant Beatles puppets and a fairtrade
fashion show.
So what are you waiting for? Register now
PROGRAMME
12.30 Welcome
13.15 Opening: YoungVoice
Jonathan Bland, Chief Executive, Social Enterprise
Coalition
Tim Campbell, Founder, Bright Ideas Trust
Phil Hope MP, Minister for Third Sector,
Cabinet Office
13.45 Interactive exhibition
Workshops (running simultaneously)
Sport & Social Enterprise
Mandy Young Adrenaline Alley
Media & Marketing for budding Social Entrepreneurs
Tokunbo Ajasa-Oluwa Catch 22
Sam Conniff Livity
Fashion, Music & Arts: The Social Enterprise
advance
Matt Kepple Wahblo
Trisha Lee Make Believe Arts
Social Enterprise Solutions for the Environment
Kresse Wessling EAKO
Amy Carter Bespoke Experience
Global Solutions: The Social Enterprise Approach
Gib Bulloch Accenture
Social Enterprise & Education
Young Co-operatives
ECO Schools initiative
16.00 Closing Address
Make your mark in 60 seconds – Tim Campbell
& Mark Bowness
16.30 – 17.00 Closing Concert
24. Children Missing Education Conference
Tuesday 26th February 2008 – Central London
We also have spaces still available on this practical
and informative event which is CPD Certified and
supported by the National Youth Agency. Please
click here to download a full conference brochure.
Chaired by Heather Stevens, Head of Policy, National
Youth Agency, our expert speakers include:
Joe Colleran, Regional Implementation Coordinator
– West Midlands, DCSF
Margaret Wood, Team Manager, Team for Traveller
Education, Cambridgeshire Race Equality and Diversity
Service, Cambridgeshire County Council
Maria McCann, Branch Head, CME Scotland, Scottish
Government
Shaklil Zaman, Principal Officer, Children Missing
Education Team, Sheffield City Council
Places can be booked on this event either by filling
out and returning the booking form on the final page
of the conference brochure, or by e-mailing the delegate
details directly to dave.eastman@capita.co.uk.
Alternatively you can book online by clicking here and
using Booking Reference Code TSDE.
25. ICHA Annual Conference : Investing in
Children
The intelligent use of residential child care
Wednesday 27 February 2008, Regent’s College
Conference Centre, London
The ICHA Annual Conference, organised in partnership
with CareandHealth will provide a unique opportunity
to explore with providers and commissioners
why investment in high quality residential care for
children must be sustained and developed and to
consider the impact of the plans laid out in Care Matters:
Time for Change White Paper and the new legislation
in the Children in Care Bill.
The conference will also allow providers for residential
care to consider with Local Authority senior managers
and commissioners how to ensure they can
help meet the challenge of ensuring that every child
in care has the 'right placement' and is able to experience
both stability and also the continuity of relationships
which, together, can lead to succesful outcomes.
Speakers include:
Christine Gilbert - Chief Inspector of Ofsted, Kevin
Brennan, Minister at DCFS, Andrew Christie - Director
of Children's Services, London Borough of Hammersmith
and Fulham and ADCS lead on Care Matters,
Jonathan Stanley, Principal Officer at the National
Centre for Excellence in Residential Care,
Benni-Jo Tyler - A National Voice.
Chair for first session: David Kidney - Chair of All
Party Parliamentary Group on Children in Care.
For more details go to www.careandhealth.com
Email: conferences@careandhealth.com
Tel: 0845 055 9207
Fax: 0871 901 7774
26. Extracare Housing - One Day Conference
- 28th February 2008
Thistle City Barbican, London, EC1
10.00 Surveying the market for extracare provision
and niche opportunities for the independent
sector
David Driscoll, CEO, Signature Senior Lifestyle
10.30 Reviewing partnerships and funding in extracare
housing projects
David Weiss, Head of Partnerships and Property,
Kent Adult Social Services
11.30 Health and social care partnerships in extracare
provision
Trevor Edwards, Housing LIN, Department of Health
12.00 Choices in Long Term Care
Sue Collins, Principal Policy and Public Affairs Manager,
Joseph Rowntree Foundation
Charting the trends and gaps in the development
of extracare housing supply
Tom Whittington, Head of Healthcare Research,
Savills
14.00 Designing sustainable extracare housing
Anne-Marie Nicholson, Director, PRP Architects
14.30 Developing medicare and extracare assistive
technology in housing
Denise Gillie, Associate, Care Services Improvement
Partnership, Department of Health
15.30 Promoting total care concepts including
self support, independent living and well
being in extracare services
Sarah Vallelly, Research Manager, Housing 21
16.00 Developing Sustainable Retirement Communities
Simon Evans, Senior Research Fellow, Health Training
& Research Centre, University of the West of
England
FAX the completed form to +44 (0) 20 7970 4799
Call +44 (0) 20 7970 4770
Book Online @ www.housing-strategy.com
Post a copy of this form together with your payment to
Centaur Conferences, 50 Poland Street, London, W1F
7AX
27. Skills for Care Annual Conference 2008
Wednesday 28 February
This year’s Skills for Care Annual Conference will be
held on Wednesday 28 February 2008 at the East
Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham.
You can book online here or reserve your place by
phone on 0870 890 1080.
Given the title Turning Social Care on its Head – Developing
the workforce for personalised social care
services, it will look at the creation of a coherent approach
to the development of the social care workforce.
It will include keynote speakers and round table discussions
as well as an extensive exhibition including
leading training providers, staff agencies, publishers
and organisations offering qualifications.
28. RCN Independent Nurse Managers Forum
Conference: Improving practice...
improving care
The RCN will be holding a conference on Saturday 8
March 2008 at Cowdray Hall, RCN Headquarters,
London. The conference will examine the evolution
in the provision of health care and how independent
providers can look for ways to better assist the community
they serve. For further information please
contact the organiser: Guillia Ward; independent@
rcn.org.uk or visit www.rcn.org.uk/events
29. Capita’s 4th National
Data Sharing Across the Public Sector Conference
Practical Strategies for Success
Thursday 13th March 2008 – Central London
30. Plus A Half-Day Workshop
Data Sharing – Tackling the Challenges of
Consent and Confidentiality
Friday 14th March 2008 – Central London
Please note that we are now taking bookings on
these popular events, which are CPD Certified
and include contributions from the CESG and
the Information Commissioner’s Office. I would be
grateful if you could find the time to read this and
also forward it on to colleagues to whom it may be
relevant, especially those involved in Freedom of
Information, Data Protection and Information Management,
so that all stakeholders are given the opportunity
to attend this important event.
Receive a 20% Discount for attending both events.
Please click here for further details of these conferences.
If you have any problems with the hyperlink,
please e-mail me at dave.eastman@capita.co.uk
and I will send the brochure as an attachment.
Capita’s key gathering of policymakers and practitioners
will tackle all sides of the complex and, at times,
controversial data sharing policies and issues. Real
examples of how data sharing is evolving across all
areas of the public sector will inspire and provide you
with invaluable knowledge and guidance to take back
to your organisation.
Chaired by Penny Hill, Information Strategy Manager
of Social Care, Warwickshire County Council and
Board Member of National Information Governance
Board of Health and Social Care, our expert speakers
include:
· Stephen McCartney, Head of Data Protection
Promotion, ICO
· Rosemary Jay, Partner, Pinsent Masons,
· Craig Pollard, Head of Partner Development,
CESG
· Michael Eaton, Director of e-Wales & Head of
Public Sector Broadband Aggregation, Welsh Assembly
Government
· Helen Miriam, e-CAF Co-ordinator, Wandsworth
Council
Benefits of Attending include:
Learn how the ICO’s new framework Code of Practice
can benefit your organisation
Gain expert legal advice on privacy and confidentiality
issues and understand the use of privacy impact
assessments
Improve your understanding of information sharing
developments within Children’s Services
Explore network aggregation - linking local authorities
and the health sector
Places can be booked on these events either by filling
out and returning the booking form on the final page
of the conference brochure, or by e-mailing the delegate
details directly to dave.eastman@capita.co.uk.
Alternatively you can book online by clicking here and
using Booking Reference Code TSDE.
THE BOOKING REFERENCE CODE IS TSDE. YOU
MUST QUOTE THIS WHEN BOOKING.
31. Mental Capacity Act Training
National Care Association is providing a number of
training courses around the country. Each course is
free of charge and open to all, including nonmembers
of NCA.
Speakers include, Nadra Ahmed, Keith Lewin, Sheila
Scott and others. The next three courses will take
place as follows:
Bath Racecourse, Bath on Tuesday 18th March 2008
– 12.30pm - 5.00pm
Leeds University, Leeds on Wednesday 26th March
2008 – 12.30pm - 5.00pm
32. Capita’s 3rd National
Early Intervention for Families At-Risk Conference
Tackling Exclusion and Supporting Change
Friday 28th March 2008 – Central London
Please note that we are now taking bookings on this
popular event, which is CPD Certified and supported
by the NCH and the Children’s Workforce Development
Council. I would be grateful if you could find
the time to read this and also forward it on to colleagues
to whom it may be relevant, especially those
involved in Children’s and Adult Social Work, Family
Intervention, Social Inclusion and Safeguarding Children,
so that all stakeholders are given the opportunity
to attend this important event.
Please click here for further details of this conference.
If you have any problems with the hyperlink,
please e-mail me at dave.eastman@capita.co.uk and
I will send the brochure as an attachment.
Chaired by Angela Sibson, Chief Executive Officer,
National Academy of Parenting Practitioners, our
expert speakers include:
Gill Strachan, Assistant Director, Families Group,
DCSF
Graham Robb, Interim Chair, Youth Justice Board
Hilary Ellam, National Development Manager for
Integrated Working, Children’s Workforce Development
Council
Leandra Box, Strengthening Families, Strengthening
Communities Programme Director, Race Equality
Foundation
The Think Family report, published by the Social
Exclusion Task Force in January 2008, has launched
a comprehensive Early Intervention strategy uniting
services for children, young people, parents and
families to improve outcomes for all.
Attend this event to gain valuable ideas and help parents
in your communities realise and even raise their
expectations of themselves and their children. Benefit
from the opportunity to network with other stakeholders
who share your commitment to delivering an
holistic birth to adult inclusion programme.
Benefits of Attending:
Hear a clear overview of cross-Government strategy
on promoting strong family and community relationships
Discover how parenting support programmes can be
used as an effective Early Intervention tool to redress
entrenched inter-generational problems and increase
uptake of vital public services
Attend dedicated streamed sessions with experts in
your field
Places can be booked on this event either by filling
out and returning the booking form on the final page
of the conference brochure, or by e-mailing the delegate
details directly to dave.eastman@capita.co.uk.
Alternatively you can book online by clicking here and
using Booking Reference Code TSDE.
33. Action on Elder Abuse National Conference
‘Making Changes’ – 31st March & 1st April
University of Warwick
Action on Elder Abuse will be hosting its fifteenth 2
day National Conference in 2008, and it is set to be a
major event in the Health and Social Care calendar.
With a keynote speech by Ivan Lewis, Parliamentary
under-Secretary of State, and speakers to include:
• Dru Sharpling, Crown Prosecution Service
• Ronnie Monks, Department of Health
• Richard Brook, Office of the Public Guardian
• Representatives from the Association of Chief
Police Officers and the Healthcare Commission
Workshops will include subjects on:
• Hate crime
• Deprivation of liberty
• Financial abuse
• Review of ‘No Secrets’
• Domestic violence, elder and vulnerable adult
abuse
• Learning Disabilities and Safeguarding Adults
£220 + VAT for members
£255 + VAT for non-members
A full, detailed programme and booking form will be
available shortly, but to register your interest and request
a booking form, please contact Natalie Fernandez
on natalie@elderabuse.org.uk
34. Department of Health Seminar on Mental
Health Commissioning: 7 May 2008
This letter gives advance notice of a one-day seminar
on 7 May 2008 at the Victoria Park Plaza Hotel in
London, focusing on world-class commissioning, integrated
mental health commissioning and mental
health priorities.
For full report click here
Consultations
To follow next week
CSCI, CSSIW, Healthcare
Commission &
Scottish Care Commission
35. Worthing care home gets all-clear
13 February 2008 - The Argus
Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) obtained
an order for the urgent cancellation of the registration
of Trevine Court at the end of last year. Service
users were forcibly removed and relocated elsewhere.
Now it appears that CSCI had no proper basis for the
application. The owner of the home, Sean Adelphie,
appealed the cancellation order, at the hearing of his
appeal surprisingly CSCI did not offer any evidence.
He has accused CSCI of being ‘trigger
happy’ and says he will sue for loss of profits for the
period of six months that the home was closed.
36. Hospital opens to new admissions
11 January 2008 – BBC News
Whipton Hospital, in Exeter, has re-opened to new
patients after stopping admissions while investigations
took place into alleged substandard nursing
care claims.
For full report click here
See previous story in BHCR Vol 3, Issue 6—item 44.
Education
37. Every child in school numbered for life
13 February 2008 - The Times
Anger over pupils database plan
13 February 2008 – BBC News
The Government plans that all 14 yr old children will
be allocated another number unique to them to be
known as a Unique Learner Number (ULN) which
they will have throughout their adult lives to provide a
‘tamper-proof CV’ including details of qualifications,
school exclusions etc.
For BBC report click here
Ed. What an appalling idea. Yet more Big
Brother-ism. Yet another opportunity for the Government
to squander cash on another crack-pot
idea. Yet another opportunity to compromise our
personal information, to loose it and have it stolen
and have it corrupted.
Who ever came up with what to many will seem a
hair-brained scheme take 1000 lines…
Ireland, Scotland & Wales
Ireland
38. Minister may hold C. diff inquiry
16 January 2008 – BBC News
Health Minister Michael McGimpsey has indicated
that he is prepared to hold a public inquiry into the
current Clostridium difficile outbreak. But he said he
will only do so after an independent review into the
Northern Trust outbreak is complete.
The hospital infection was recorded on the death certificates
of 77 people last year - 34 in the Northern
area.
For full report click here
39. Patient record in charity cabinet
13 February 2008 – BBC News
A patient’s medical file has been found in a filing cabinet
that was sold in a charity shop. A man bought the
cabinet for £25 and found the file wedged under a
jammed drawer. The file was passed to Antrim councillor,
Drew Ritchie, who handed it over to the Northern
Health and Social Care Trust.
The Trust said it would investigate.
For full report click here
40. Trust bosses quizzed over C. diff
12 February 2008 – BBC News
Northern Ireland’s five health trust chiefs will be questioned
about the outbreak of the hospital bug clostridium
difficile and to find out how the problem is being
tackled.
The chief executives will be asked about the number
of cases in their areas as well.
For full report click here
Scotland
41. Hospital parking cap introduced
17 January 2008 – BBC News
A cap has been announced for car parking in the
Glasgow area can charge for parking. A £3 maximum
charge per day has been introduced after a review
of parking fees, ordered by Health Secretary
Nicola Sturgeon. Before the review, car parks at
Gartnavel, Yorkhill, the Western and the Victoria were
charging up to £7 per day before the move.
For full report click here
42. Scotland To Give War Veterans Priority
On NHS
15 February 2008 – The Herald
Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon has announced
that it was "only fair" that veterans with
health problems as a result of their time in the Armed
Forces should receive priority treatment in the NHS.
43. Anger at woman's transfer ordeal
13 February 2008 – BBC News
The Scottish Ambulance Service is calling for more
funding for patient transport after it took eight hours
to transfer a 94-year-old woman between two hospitals.
Violet Lunan was angry that she had to wait at Raigmore
Hospital for 5 hours and then endure a 3 hour
journey in a minibus.
An ambulance spokesman also said the patient pickup
was made within the specified timescale.
For full report click here
44. £15m boost for medical research
12 February 2008 – BBC News
Funding of nearly £15.5m has been announced for
medical research which could create up to 100 jobs
in Scotland, to support 39 research projects. The
projects will cover areas such as cardiovascular and
metabolic disease and women's health.
For full report click here
45. Woman waits an hour for ambulance
12 February 2008 – BBC News
The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) has been
forced to defend its response times after an elderly
woman had to wait over an hour for an emergency
service after being diagnosed as life-threatening.
The SAS claimed it was "very rare" for such a delay
with latest figures showing the average response time
in Tayside was currently 8.6 minutes.
Dundonians have the shortest average wait at 7.4
minutes, while Pitlochry locals face the longest wait of
11.4 minutes.
For full report click here
Wales
46. Hospital £33m telemedicine boost
15 February 2008 – BBC News
Welsh hospitals are set to receive a share of almost
£33m to buy new equipment to use on technologies
such as telemedicine.
Money will also go towards Magnetic Resonance Imaging
(MRI) scanners, x-ray machines and endoscopy
machines. The money will also be used for
minor building work and help hospitals to reduce energy
consumption.
For full report click here
47. 999 staff critical over changes
15 February 2008 – BBC News
A survey of Welsh Ambulance Service workers
shows that the workers do not believe its changes
have been handled well.
The NHS poll was leaked to BBC Wales and found
that two in three employees didn’t think that senior
managers were being “open and honest” with them
either.
For full report click here
48. Fear for care home staff shortage
14 February 2008 – BBC News
Stephen Crabb, MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire is
warning of a potential shortage of care home staff in
Wales if Filipino workers are deported under new
laws.
Home Office regulations are aimed at better qualifications
and pay and state that staff must earn an hourly
wage of at least £7.02 to be able to gain work permits.
For full report click here
Learning Disabilities
49. Valuing People Now consultation success,
as Greig signals departure
13 February 2008 – Community Care
Rob Greig, the national co-director of learning disabilities,
has announced that he will step down from
his role in April.
The announcement came as it was revealed that unprecedented
numbers of people with learning disabilities
have joined the consultation on the revised learning
disability document, Valuing People Now.
For full report click here
Legislation Update
Nothing to report
Mental Health
50. Mental health unit under threat
14 February 2008 – BBC News
Lea Castle Hospital in Wolverley, Worcestershire is
currently under threat as officials debate its future.
The hospital treats people with mental illness but is
currently making losses of “literally thousands of
pounds each day” as quoted by Dr Richard Taylor,
MP for Wyre Forest.
For full report click here
51. Government needs to address ongoing
problem of violence on psychiatric wards,
says Mental Health Foundation
14 February 2008 - Mental Health Foundation
Responding to Healthcare Commission report on
violence in mental health services, the charity’s Director
of Mental Health Programmes, Kathryn Hill,
said:
“The government needs to address the ongoing
problem of violence of psychiatric wards in England
and Wales. Patient attacks, not only on staff but on
other patients too should not be common place in
settings where people go to receive care and treatment.
“There are a number of reasons why violence is so
prevalent on mental health wards. One is that patients
are bored and frustrated because there is nothing
to do – they often feel abandoned and not listened
to.”
Kathryn Hill also says that nurses on mental health
wards, while fully qualified, often have very little experience
of working with patients because they are
assigned to work in psychiatric units immediately
after their training.
“So we’ve got a situation where the least experienced
staff members are working with severely unwell
and disturbed patients in overcrowded environments.
Staff need specialised support and guidance
to help care for patients.”
The Mental Health Foundation also says that urgent
action needs to be taken to develop interventions to
tackle violence on wards for those over the age of 65
with dementia.
52. Healthcare Commission report highlights
the need to review resources in Mental
Health services
13 February 2008 - ECCA
The English Community Care Association responded
to the Healthcare Commission report on violence towards
staff in mental health facilities.
Martin Green, Chief Executive of ECCA, said:
“The report raises a number of very important issues
and in particular highlights that the policy to keep
people in the community means that the dependency
levels and challenges of those who require residential
services are increased. Sadly, the system has not
recognised this in the way it resources or equips services
to meet these complex needs”.
“If we are going to develop flexible, user-focused and
outcome based services that meet the expectations
of society and the needs of users we need to put residential
care higher up the agenda”.
53. 50% of mental health nurses assaulted
13 February 2008
Mental health nurses face attacks
13 February 2008 – BBC News
An audit carried out by the Royal College of Psychiatrists
for the Healthcare Commission found that more
than 50% of nurses on mental health wards have
been physically assaulted at work.
For BBC report click here
54. Nick Clegg calls for revolution in mental
health services
8 February 2008 – Community Care
Nick Clegg, LibDem leader is calling for a “revolution”
in mental health services. He said the sector needs
to reduce excessive assessment and lengthy waiting
times.
For full report click here
Miscellaneous
55. Publication of Clostridium Difficile surveillance
data
15 February 2008 – DoH
A letter from the Inspector of Microbiology that sets
out the department’s plans for publication of Clostridium
Difficile data in April and July 2008.
For full report click here
56. Doctors' leaders under the cosh
14 February 2008 – BBC News
GPs in impossible position - BMA
11 February 2008 – HSJ
GPs have accepted an option from the Department of
Health that will see practices open for a further 30
minutes a week for each 1,000 registered patients,
despite feeling they have been put in an impossible
position, the BMA has said.
All GPs are set to be balloted on the move later this
month.
For BBC report click here
57. NHS Payout Highlights Continuing Care
Problems
13 February 2008 - ECCA
The English Community Care Association responded
to the news that the NHS is to pay back £180 million
that was denied people with long-term care needs
between 1996 and 2004.
Martin Green, Chief Executive of ECCA, said:
“This payout has brought into sharp focus the issue of
NHS payments for long-term conditions. There is a
need for the NHS to shoulder its responsibility for
health issues and to ensure that the care sector is
properly resourced to deliver care and support to
people with long-term conditions”.
“The mistakes that were made in the past will mean
less money in an already pressurised system and we
must ensure that the resources which are required to
deliver care for the increasing numbers of older and
sick people who require long-term support are available”.
58. Health effects of climate change in the
UK 2008: an update of the Department of
Health report 2001/2002
12 February 2008 – DoH
A DH-commissioned report has been written by a
group of independent scientists, which updates their
earlier report on the health effects of climate change,
published in 2001/2002.
A draft version of the report was originally launched
for comment on 4 May 2007. Comments received
may be viewed in the original article that can be accessed
through the hyperlink below.
For full report click here
59. New work programme for NICE
11 February 2008 - GNN
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
(NICE) has been asked to develop new clinical
and public health guidance as part of its 15th work
programme.
The Institute's technology appraisal, clinical guideline
and public health work programmes are referred by
the Department of Health. Topics for referral include
both new and emerging health technologies as well
as drugs, devices and procedures that are already
being used but there is variation in the way they are
used.
Dawn Primarolo, the Minister with responsibility for
Public Health and NICE said:
"This work programme shows the Government's continued
commitment to ensuring that NICE tackles a
wide range of issues that are important to the NHS
and important to patients and their carers.
"NICE is being asked to produce guidance on severe
mental illness in conjunction with substance misuse.
We have also asked NICE to develop joint public
health and clinical guidance on alcohol use disorders
that will not only cover prevention and early identification
but also initial management.”
60. GPs dismayed
11 February 2008 - The Times, Letters to the Editor
From a newly qualified GP, Dr Elizabeth Phillips, who
says patients do not want polyclinics or extended
opening hours, but the holistic, quality care of a doctor
who knows them.
61. Patient choice
March 2008 - Which?, Your letters
Letter from Dr Cornel Fleming who complains that as
a result of central dictat from the Department of
Health his practice has had to move from open access
for patients to a mixture of fixed appointments
and open access. He does not support the polyclinics
approach which he has seen in Russia where
Russian doctors and patients are jealous of the UK
practices.
62. National Care Association Attends Health
Care Event in Portugal
8 February 2008 - NCA
NCA took the opportunity at the prestigious Health
Care Event in Portugal to highlight the challenges
facing health and social care providers in the coming
year.
Its presentation at the event reflected the frustrations
of providers within the sector at the relentless pace of
change. Sheila Scott OBE, Chief Executive of NCA
highlighted specific initiatives in the sector and she
said: “The Health and Social Care Bill currently going
through Parliament will for the first time allow opportunities
for providers to develop their services to provide
a flexible resource within the communities in
which they operate.”
NCA strongly reinforced its concerns about the implementation
and implications of Star Rating for providers
in the light of the inconsistent approach by individual
inspectors. Nadra Ahmed OBE, Chairman of
NCA said: “NCA is committed to ensuring that any
change in process must benefit service users and to
this end we have today begun consulting on issues
such as star rating. We are certain that if there is not
a consistent approach the impact of such initiatives
on small business and indeed on all providers could
be critical.
NCA Continues to question whether CSCI has the
power to introduce a new set of standards.
The consultation process will continue at a series of
seminars NCA is organising in the next two months.”
NHS
63. One-stop clinics 'are the future'
16 January 2008 – BBC News
Health Minister, Lord Darzi, has said that clinics
manned by a single doctor should be replaced by
one-stop health shops, to be run by several GPs.
Lord Darzi said that so-called 'polyclinics', which
house GPs alongside medical services normally offered
at hospitals, are better suited to patients' needs
and has proposed them for London. He also said it
would work across England.
For full report click here
64. 'Super surgery' plans condemned
16 January 2008 – BBC News
Doctors and patients' groups are criticising proposals
by health minister Lord Darzi to reorganise the English
GP system (see article above).
For full report click here
65. Super-surgeries: for and against
16 January 2008 – BBC News
Article looking at both sides of Lord Darzi’s suggestion
that individual GP surgeries should be replaced
by bigger centres known as polyclinics has had a
mixed reception.
For full report click here
66. Long A&E waits rise
16 February 2008 - The Times
Casualty waiting times soar after cut in
emergency beds
16 February 2008 - Daily Mail
Stats press notice – A&E statistics
15 February 2008 - GNN
Waiting times in A&E units increased by more than
55% at the end of 2007 as hospitals cut emergency
beds. However, 97% were seen within the Government’s
four hour target.
The link for the stats is at : http://
www.performance.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity/
data_requests/index.htm
67. Patient data laptop stolen
15 February 2008 - The Times
Medical records laptop is stolen
14 February 2008 – BBC News
The Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Trust is the latest
to loose patient data; a laptop containing the
medical records of 5,123 patients has been stolen
from the outpatient’s department of Russells Hall
Hospital.
For BBC report click here
68. Throat cancer patient ‘starved to death’
after feeding tube blunder
15 February 2008 - The Times
An inquest in November 2007 found that Roy Hodgson,
66, died in Cumberland Infirmary after his feeding
tube became which went into his stomach came
out and was reinserted wrongly by a nurse. It resulted
in the liquid nourishment which went through
the tube went not into his stomach but his abdominal
cavity poisoning him.
The NHS Litigation Authority now accepts liability for
the death.
69. Help the Aged respond to NHS £180m
payout
14 February 2008 – NCF
Mervyn Kohler of Help the Aged said:
“'The whole system of continuing care has been a
terrible mess.
People are being forced to navigate their way through
a confusing and inaccessible system of funding, at a
time when a tangle of red tape is the last thing they
need.
This is why it is so pleasing to see people getting their
money back.”
For full report click here
70. NHS changes 'are yet to deliver'
14 February 2008 – BBC News
A spending watchdog has called for NHS hospitals to
deliver significant improvements. Reforms designed
to reward such improvements, “Payment by Results”
shows that productivity has not risen greatly.
Under the scheme, trusts get a national fixed price for
treatments regardless of how much they cost to provide
but doctors said the scheme may have
“interfered with clinical judgement”.
For full report click here
71. Warning for hospitals
14 Feb 2008 The Times
The Audit Commission has said that high-cost hospitals
could go ‘bust’ unless they become more efficient.
Apparently, payment by results has not had
any appreciable effect on efficiency.
72. NHS private clinics 'underused'
13 February 2008 – BBC News
Private clinics are still being paid even though they
are not seeing as many patients as they should be,
because their income was guaranteed. Private treatment
centres were originally set up to do minor surgery
and run diagnostic tests to cut NHS waiting lists.
Recent figures show that just four of the 25 such clinics
created in the first wave of openings are doing
enough work. In response, the Government said the
clinics would be making up the shortfall in work in the
future.
For full report click here
73. NHS faces £180m overcharging bill
12 February 2008 – BBC News
The NHS has received a £180m compensation bill
after it incorrectly charged people for long-term nursing
and social care from 1996 to 2004. Patients
have been able to have their cases reviewed if they
felt they were overcharged and so has led to over
13,000 claims and 2,000 pay-outs.
The claims relate to the way different health authorities
charged for care needed because of illness, disability
and continuing NHS treatment.
For full report click here
74. New NHS dental places snapped up
13 February 2008 – BBC News
Sir Menzies Campbell has officially opened a new
NHS dental surgery covering the area of North East
Fife. The practice has already registered more than
600 new patients and will hopefully be up and running
in mid-March.
A Scottish company Partners in Progress opened the
centre after identifying a dire need for NHS dental
provision.
For full report click here
75. Faulty scales threat
13 February 2008 - The Times
Fears over faulty hospital scales
12 February 2008 – BBC News
Patients, particularly children, are at risk from faulty
weighing scales in hospitals where treatment is
geared to a person’s weight. Trading standards officers
from local councils will be making spot checks.
For BBC report click here
Ed. Why can’t the NHS get this basic stuff
right? It is more cost to society to deflect Trading
Standards Officers to carry out this work. I wonder
will we see any NHS Trusts prosecuted? We
can be sure that if there was a sale of underweight
produce by supermarkets they would be
prosecuted!
76. Statistical press notice: Diagnostic Test
waiting times
Diagnostics waiting times & activity data: month
ending December 2007
This data is said to show NHS progress is tackling
the waiting times for diagnostic tests like scans. The
monthly data published today gives the waiting times
for 15 key diagnostic tests carried out in the
NHS. This data will help the NHS in delivering the
new 18 week maximum wait from GP to treatment,
including all diagnostic tests, by end 2008. More
information, including a diagnostic data Q&A, is available
via the 18 week website.
Link to Diagnostic data: http://
www.performance.doh.gov.uk/diagnostics/index.htm
77. Health service reforms ‘in full retreat’
11 February 2008 - The Times
A report from Prof. Nick Bosanquet, Professor of
Health Policy at Imperial College London, says that
reform of the NHS is stalling and continues to fall behind
comparable countries in Europe.
Nursing
78. Nurse, learn how to smile!
12 February 2008 – Daily Mail
A training scheme is being pioneered in Stockport,
Greater Manchester to send nurses are on training
courses to encourage them to smile at patients.
Nurses will also be banned from discussing their personal
lives outside break times, or talking too loudly
at night when patients are trying to sleep.
Older People
79. DH: Nutrition and Dignity live webchat
Ivan Lewis MP and Gordon Lishman will be hosting a
live webchat for nutrition and dignity Champions on
20 Feb at 4pm at: www.publicquestion.com
80. Woman, 94, died from neglect
15 February 2008 - The Times
Four weeks in a care home turned our
mother into a concentration camp victim
15 February 2008 - Daily Mail
Woman, 94, 'died after neglect'
14 February 2008 – BBC News
Molly Darby, 94, was said to “look like a concentration
camp victim” a matter of weeks after she went into a
care home. She was transferred to hospital with
pressure ulcers, chest and ear infections and pneumonia.
She died. Rotherham social services has
said that the home was negligent following its investigation.
For BBC report click here
81. National Care Association supports the
findings of Age Concern Report
15 February 2008
National Care Association supports the findings of
the Age Concern Report Out of Sight, Out of Mind
reported in the national press.
NCA Chairman Nadra Ahmed OBE said: “Anyone
who works in social care and visits older people in
their own homes will recognise the observations in
this report. We fully support the view that assessment
should take into account the social and spiritual
needs of older people as well as their physical and
mental well being.
As we have repeatedly pointed out over the years
due to the financial pressures on local Government
many older people are denied the services they need
and deserve. The only way that this could be fairly
resolved, we believe, would be to introduce national
assessment criteria which could be easily understood
by all including service users themselves. It is
totally unacceptable in the twenty first century for
elderly people to be subject to a post code lottery.”
82. Care homes: restraint of elderly people is
rife
February 2008 - Counsel and Care
Writing about the recent CSCI report Rights, risks
and restraints, published November 2007, Stephen
Burke, chief executive of Counsel and Care said:
"It is not an easy discussion a delicate balance has
to be made between an older person's rights to take
risks and make autonomous decisions and their
families' and involved professionals' responsibility to
protect and keep them safe where possible.”
Social Care
83. Adults Social Care Workforce and Children's
Social Care Workforce Contributions
to Local Authorities' Area Based Grant
12 February 2008 – DoH
This circular aims to provide some clarity about
changes, from April 2008, to the grants to support
social care workforce training, development and remodelling.
For full report click here
Staff, employment and
disciplinary
Nothing to report
Stars in their eyes
In this article Keith Lewin considers, in a limited
way, some of the provisions of the new CSCI assessment
process and offers his views about
some of the ways care providers might be able to
restore the balance of power.
The Commission For Social Care Inspection (CSCI)
new Star Rating System, AQQA, KLORA, SOFI and
all the rest have been pushed through by the regulator,
mostly against the views and wishes of many of
the National and Local Associations representing the
interests of care providers – perhaps that is not altogether