December 06, 2007
Thursday, 6th December 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
Adult Social Care Services in England are inspected, as are domiciliary care agencies and care homes by The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). They are given annual star ratings as to the standard of care services they are providing to their local people.Many councils have improved ratings but "CSCI will focus particular attention on 12 councils for priority for improvement."
Rochdale Adult Social Care Services, according to the Rochdale News, has had the quality of their Adult Care Services "savaged with the word 'poor' liberally scattered throughout the 35 page report." As a result, the Head of Service has agreed to take early retirement.
Five other authorities fell from three stars to two stars and 10 authorities fell from two stars to one star.
Nine councils moved up to three stars.
For further information go to: http://www.csci.org.uk and to: http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk
The Trades Union Congress is seeking to raise the minimum wage to £6.00 per hour. It is also urging the government that the current hourly rate of £5.52 per hour should be payable from the age of 18 and not from the age of 22 as at present.
Hourly Care Jobs are being advertised in the London area this week at wages starting from £6.00 per hour upwards.
Again in the London area, live-in care posts are being advertised from £430.00 per week upwards.
Meals on Wheels currently cooked “in house” by Lancashire County Council and delivered to approx. 2500 people in the Preston area by the WRVS, will soon have a change of provider as the county council kitchens are closing down.
In future meals will be cooked and delivered by I Care Ltd.
I Care Ltd are based in Lancashire and are providers of retirement housing, residential home care, domiciliary care and meals.
In-House News
Potential client visits have taken place in, Bedfordshire, Somerset, South Wales, Lancashire, Dumfries and Galloway and Herefordshire.A Risk Assessment has taken place in Nottinghamshire.
New client posts have commenced in:
- Suffolk – elderly lady with poor mobility. Salary £571.00pw inc. Care Manager Nick 01603 281915
- Hertfordshire – A lady in her seventies with a terminal illness. Salary £619.00pw inc. Care Manager – Alan 01603 281916
Interesting Information
“Ordinary” flu affects approximately 10% of the UK population annually.Carers Scotland advises that there are over 600,000 carers in Scotland of which 250,000 are holding down a paid job.
Women over the age of 90 years outnumber men by about three to one.
Question asked of Able Community Care in September 2004:
Question : I am 69 years of age and I have been driving for 38 years. I have been told that I have to apply for a new driving licence next year, is this true?
Answer : People aged 70 and over must reapply for a driving licence and complete a questionnaire every three years to make sure they are medically fit to drive. Your licence will be renewed free of charge. Shortly before you are 70, The Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency will send you a renewal form. For further details telephone the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency on 0870 240 0009.
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.
Second Hand Disability Equipment - Buy it and sell it here.
Able Litigation Service is an Expert Witness Service provided to both the insurance industry and personal accident litigation solicitors.