May 03, 2007
Thursday, 3rd May 2007
Greetings from Angela Gifford, Proprietor of Able Community Care, and welcome to the Able Newsflash, published by email every Thursday morning.
If you enjoy reading it please forward it to any other person who may also find it of interest.
Alternatively, they can subscribe directly for their own copy each week from our website: http://www.uk-care.com
Care News
It is acknowledge that many more people (one in five) will develop long term care needs but the practical and financial factors needed to make this achievable are currently lacking.On 26th April a public debate was launched by a 15 strong coalition headed by the Kings Fund and members such as Age Concern, Help the Aged, Association of British Insurers, Carers UK, Alzheimers Association and The Joseph Rowntree Foundation. There are seven regional debates organised across the country which aim to address the current failings of the care system and to see if there are better, fairer solutions for the way ahead.
The regional debates, The Caring Choices, will have three key questions they are seeking the answers to;
- Who should pay for personal care?
- How do we encourage people to contribute to care costs?
- How do we support the provision of informal care?
- 26th April in Manchester
- 25th May in Birmingham
- 22nd June in Bristol
- 4th July in Edinburgh
- 13 September in Leeds
- 23rd October in Taunton
- 14th November in London.
Liverpool Council unveiled a new care package for thousands of people in Liverpool who require care. Approx. 8000 elderly and disabled people receive care services from domiciliary care agencies in the locality. However, the new contracts the council have drawn up could mean a 30% pay cut for the carers, who are naturally angry and threatening to leave the care industry. Some of the changes that will affect carers and their wages are:
- Carers are normally paid for travel time between homes; this will be stopped from July 1st.
- Capacity hour’s payments, when a carer would continue to be paid if their client went into hospital or died, will be stopped.
- There will no longer be a guarantee of a number of set hours a month, but a zero hour contract basis.
(Source Liverpool Daily Post)
The Lasting Power of Attorney arrangements which were to have come in during April 2007 have now been postponed to October 2007
In-House News
A meeting has been held with Chris Cooke, Manager South Coast, on the Isle of Wight re. care planning on the island.Client reviews have taken place in Swansea, Bridgend, Cornwall and Hertfordshire. Risk assessment in Norfolk.
David Gifford attended a study day, "Snakes and Ladders: The Challenges of Commissioning for Brain Injury Services" presented by The Brain Injury Social Work Group in partnership with Field Fisher Waterhouse LLP.
Angela Gifford spoke on "The Domiciliary Care Market – Mutual Opportunities" at the Half Yearly Team Conference in Manchester for Symponia*.
*Symponia is the organisation for specialist, experienced and dedicated care fees planning consultants in the UK. http://www.symponia.co.uk
Mandy Gulatar our Manager in the South West attended a training day on The Mental Capacity Act 2005.
Potential Carers have been interviewed in Harrogate and Norwich.
A new post has commenced in Jersey for a young man with Cerebral Palsy. Salary £550.00 plus travel. Care Manager Ruth Divey.
A new post has commenced in Norfolk for an elderly gentleman requiring stroke aftercare. Salary £547.00inc. Care Manager Jackie Maasz.
Potential new clients have been visited in Surrey and South Wales.
Interesting Information
MHA (Methodist Homes for the Aged) care homes has acquired two further care homes; one in Blackpool and one in Oldham.
Some 66% of Scotland's estimated 650000 unpaid carers are women.
(Source Herald UK)
We hope you have enjoyed reading this and "see you next week".
Best Wishes,
Angela Gifford, Proprietor
Able Community Care.
Able Community Care is a nationwide provider of Live-in Care services.
Able Personal Litigation Service is an Expert Witness Service provided to both the insurance industry and personal accident litigation solicitors.