November 02, 2006
Thursday, 2nd November 2006
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
In 2005 family carers were included in the group of people who were entitled to a flu jab.
In the Government’s guidance to GP’s for 2006/2007, a shortage of vaccine means that family carers are being given a lower priority. The choice as to whether to offer a family carer the flu vaccine will be down to the GP’s discretion.
If a Social Care Worker is suspected of, for example, abusing an older person in any way, then they are suspended from work and can be placed on the POVA provisional list, banned from further work until a hearing takes place. This can take many weeks and according to the Royal College of Nursing, up to nine months. At nine months, if the hearing has not taken place, the carer can appeal to the Care Standards Tribunal.
Meanwhile, the person, who may be innocent, has to pay their mortgage, rent, etc. but cannot follow their main occupation of being a carer.
When a hearing takes place, the carer is either then removed from the provisional list or place on the POVA list.
The Royal College of Nurses is seeking a judicial review of the procedure.
Able Community Care has had two carers who have been suspended from caring because of an allegation of abuse. One, after several weeks, had to take a job in a factory to pay the bills and then was not placed on the POVA list. The other case is currently pending, and again, the carer is unable to pursue their occupation.
In-House News
Hourly care jobs being offered by companies other than Able Community Care:- Surrey/London/South East £7.50 per hour weekdays, £9.00 per hour weekends - transport essential.
- Private Live-in care job being offered by a family in Cambridge for a relative with challenging behaviour. Pay is £395.00 per week.
A respite post has been taken on in South Wales. Male, age 62. Sal £632.00 inc.
Office Manager, Judith Tye has attended an Employment Law Meeting re recent developments in employment legislation.
Interesting Information
Last winter between eight and nine older people in Britain died every hour. More than 150,000 over 65’s have died during the winters of the past six years. (Source Age Concern)Press Release from Counsel and Care 31st October 2006 - The whole text can be read by going to...
http://www.counselandcare.org.uk/influence/news/pressreleases06/
The theme of the press release is that urgent action is needed to deliver older people’s care and that the growing discontent amongst older people, their families and carers about 'patchy, inequitable' and costly care cannot be ignored.
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.
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