Anti austerity march...urb meet up?

[Pickman's model]

I can't at the moment, but let's say FOI requests and moves to judicial review on decision making are in hand by some large players in the sector

Once anything is public, I will post it.

Ftr I don't sit on the provider side of the fence [emoji1]

you're leaning against the providee side i see

 

[Citizen66]

Actually that never crossed my mind. Privatise social care and then cut the funding. Whoops!

 

[Dan U]

Where I work they just got rid of 1/3 of the Supported Housing Team , 16 jobs went. That will impact on the support given to vulnerable tenants , and it isn't simply about the job losses , several very experienced people left too and that is a resource impossible to replace immediately.

Meanwhile vulnerable people lose the support maintaining their tenancies, accessing education and jobs and become a bigger cost to the 'state'

It's short termist lunacy. Good people are being pushed in to ridiculous decisions

 

[friendofdorothy]

Same here...went alone and bumped into different people throughout the day, some more than once

Was good to see you too. I was surprised to see anyone I knew in such a big crowd. Nice to see here that so many urbz were in attendance.

Great atmosphere in Parliment sq, only slightly spoiled by the two helicopters overhead drowning out some the speeches.

 

[Pickman's model]

Was good to see you too. I was surprised to see anyone I knew in such a big crowd. Nice to see here that so many urbz were in attendance.

Great atmosphere in Parliment sq, only slightly spoiled by the two helicopters overhead drowning out some the speeches.

believe me the police were doing you a kindness

 

[friendofdorothy]

believe me the police were doing you a kindness

Possibly with Russell Brand - he seemed to be mumbling and rambling and getting the signer to say rude things for 'comedy'. Arse.
But I did hear some good speeches. Charlotte Church was surprisingly good, and Caroline Lucas amongst others

 

[treelover]

I could name you quite a few Tory led authorities where, if some of the background activity being played out by the market and purchasing authorities came to pass, would be in serious trouble which would threaten lots of local political careers.

I think we are entering unintentioned consequences territory in some sectors of social care. The private market is gearing up for a serious fight with its paymasters.

There is a crisis in social care: Some people have lost a third of their care, for many only 20 minutes is allocated for bathing, breakfast and dressing, others are having to pay up to a third towards their care, (something the public is generally unaware of), people have told of difficult and traumatic assessments, while others have been offered 're-ablement' or nothing at all and are frequently trapped in their homes. Short hours has meant difficulties in maintaining staff and recruiting. When people ring the duty social worker they are often kept waiting some time, staff can be rude and unhelpful.

This is the preamble for a meeting here about how the cuts in social care are affecting people, most of the public are just not aware of the crisis.

 

[Pickman's model]

This is the preamble for a meeting here about how the cuts in social care are affecting people, most of the public are just not aware of the crisis.

and you base this on...

it's been on the television. it's been in the media. are you saying that the mainstream media haven't mentioned this?

 

[Dan U]

This is the preamble for a meeting here about how the cuts in social care are affecting people, most of the public are just not aware of the crisis.

20 minutes is 5 more than many have to deal with now as well..

 

[treelover]

Actually that never crossed my mind. Privatise social care and then cut the funding. Whoops!

and no unions to defend disabled people against the cuts.

 

[friendofdorothy]

and you base this on...

it's been on the television. it's been in the media. are you saying that the mainstream media haven't mentioned this?

I think most of the public are indeed clueless. Most don't listen to news or read papers or even worse they read the Daily Mail, so they have no idea. The dominant message of mainstream media is that of 'scroungers', 'broken' benefits britain and that we can't afford 'welfare'.

When I mentioned going to the demo on sat to my co-workers, most said 'what demo'.

 

[J Ed]

and you base this on...

it's been on the television. it's been in the media. are you saying that the mainstream media haven't mentioned this?

treelover is right in my experience, I think that a lot of people are entirely unaware of the treatment of the disabled. When I have told people about a few examples I have gotten shocked reactions.

 

[Dan U]

and you base this on...

it's been on the television. it's been in the media. are you saying that the mainstream media haven't mentioned this?

Have to say I have some sympathy with that point.

Hearing it on the TV is some way away from seeing a family member living the situation.

I think people naturally think 'it will be ok' but increasingly they are learning just what it means to be old and infirm in the UK and it is moving people to speak out, even if it's just individually to social workers or care managers.

 

[Pickman's model]

Have to say I have some sympathy with that point.

Hearing it on the TV is some way away from seeing a family member living the situation.

I think people naturally think 'it will be ok' but increasingly they are learning just what it means to be old and infirm in the UK and it is moving people to speak out, even if it's just individually to social workers or care managers.

this is no country for auld men. or women.

 

[Dan U]

this is no country for auld men. or women.

Unless you have money, I agree, sadly.

If you do and can top up, you can access a whole different world of care (until your top up runs out, which for most it won't as people tend to die before the money runs out) to people who can't.

You simply can't buy good quality care for 350-400 quid a week which is what most older people get (roughly)

I do think that as our population ages, more people will see this for themselves and something will have to give.

It's slightly different for the long term, profoundly disabled.

 

[J Ed]

I think people naturally think 'it will be ok' but increasingly they are learning just what it means to be old and infirm in the UK and it is moving people to speak out, even if it's just individually to social workers or care managers.

I'm starting to think that as much as anything it is a coping mechanism, and it applies to the treatment of the vulnerable throughout society. In the same way that people like to tell each other anecdotes about beggars with iphones and BMWs who go out to nightclubs every night or something equally stupid, blaming or disbelieving the victims of hardship is a means of salving your conscience.

 

[Pickman's model]

treelover is right in my experience, I think that a lot of people are entirely unaware of the treatment of the disabled. When I have told people about a few examples I have gotten shocked reactions.

social care scandal as 900,000 pensioners left to cope alone: express, jan 2015
scandal of neglect in britain's care homes: mail, jan 2013

 

[Dan U]

social care scandal as 900,000 pensioners left to cope alone: express, jan 2015
scandal of neglect in britain's care homes: mail, jan 2013

I would argue their is a massive disconnect between reading that as a layman and reading that as someone whose parent or sibling etc has been left in their own shit for the third time this month.

The amount of the former learning about the latter is increasing. Sadly.

 

[Pickman's model]

I would argue their is a massive disconnect between reading that as a layman and reading that as someone whose parent or sibling etc has been left in their own shit for the third time this month.

The amount of the former learning about the latter is increasing. Sadly.

yes, i'd agree. there's often a difference between experience the news and simply reading it. the problem is that it is probably too late now for an easy fix to this, it's been going on for years now.

 

[Dan U]

yes, i'd agree. there's often a difference between experience the news and simply reading it. the problem is that it is probably too late now for an easy fix to this, it's been going on for years now.

Unless something truly radical happens, I totally agree.

 

[treelover]

Back to the protest, lots of people on the P/A FB page are almost talking about the event, some in even in near spiritual terms and that, yes it will inspire them to do things locally, I hope so.

 

[Dan U]

Russel Brand isn't actually God...

 

[Orang Utan]

Was Brand there? I thought he was retiring from 'politics'?

 

[treelover]

Russel Brand isn't actually God...

Marxism and socialism was almost a religion for many in the past, whatever motivated people, if they start to challenge this dystopia, that's ok by me.

I mean having an epiphany, etc, not about brand.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Unless you have money, I agree, sadly.

If you do and can top up, you can access a whole different world of care (until your top up runs out, which for most it won't as people tend to die before the money runs out) to people who can't.

You simply can't buy good quality care for 350-400 quid a week which is what most older people get (roughly)

I do think that as our population ages, more people will see this for themselves and something will have to give.

It's slightly different for the long term, profoundly disabled.

My family are currently trying to find a way of optimising the budget for a great aunt so that she can retain as much autonomy as possible. Unfortunately her local authority has fastened on the fact that she owns her own home (the place where she wants to stay as long as possible) and is pushing her to engage in some sort of re-mortgage and self-finance her home-care. Is that sort of pressure prevalent?

 

[ViolentPanda]

treelover is right in my experience, I think that a lot of people are entirely unaware of the treatment of the disabled. When I have told people about a few examples I have gotten shocked reactions.

I'd disagree with "entirely unaware". Most people,in individual conversation, acknowledge the foul treatment of disabled people and jobless people. What there is seems to me to be an unwillingness to generally acknowledge the depth and reach of the treatment, because to do so would mean acknowledging (in effect) that they're next on the list.

 

[Dan U]

My family are currently trying to find a way of optimising the budget for a great aunt so that she can retain as much autonomy as possible. Unfortunately her local authority has fastened on the fact that she owns her own home (the place where she wants to stay as long as possible) and is pushing her to engage in some sort of re-mortgage and self-finance her home-care. Is that sort of pressure prevalent?

This applies to older people's care only.

Yeah totally. If you have assessed assets you quite often have to self fund*, and interestingly many private sector providers are gearing towards the self funder market so they can charge a self funder more for the same bed as a council funded person. Sometimes several hundred quid a week - average unit size moving towards 60 beds and well, you can do the maths.

To be brutal, it's a numbers game and overall the evidence shows the self funder dies before the money runs out so they are quids in.

If I had to be balanced, I would say currently the private market is pretty uniquely cross funding the state funded market to a fairly large extent and that is genuinely unsustainable.

The thresholds for charging are changing in April next year and DH is currently consulting on such.

If you send me a pm tomorrow (I am currently in the pub working away [emoji1]) I will dig out the latest on that for you, might help your great aunt.

*this is one area where I think the pushback on this aspect of the cuts os gonna come from btw, people realising their inheritance is getting done on care home fees. Rightly or wrongly.

As for those with none, lump it..

 

[ViolentPanda]

This applies to older people's care only.

Yeah totally. If you have assessed assets you quite often have to self fund*, and interestingly many private sector providers are gearing towards the self funder market so they can charge a self funder more for the same bed as a council funded person. Sometimes several hundred quid a week - average unit size moving towards 60 beds and well, you can do the maths.

To be brutal, it's a numbers game and overall the evidence shows the self funder dies before the money runs out so they are quids in.

If I had to be balanced, I would say currently the private market is pretty uniquely cross funding the state funded market to a fairly large extent and that is genuinely unsustainable.

The thresholds for charging are changing in April next year and DH is currently consulting on such.

If you send me a pm tomorrow (I am currently in the pub working away [emoji1]) I will dig out the latest on that for you, might help your great aunt.

*this is one area where I think the pushback on this aspect of the cuts os gonna come from btw, people realising their inheritance is getting done on care home fees. Rightly or wrongly.

As for those with none, lump it..

I shall try to remember to PM you,in that case. Where we'recurrently trying to steer her (given that she's compos mentis and continent,just mobility-impaired, is perhaps sheltered housing, as increasingly there appear to be developments that cater for occasional non-intensive care needs. This would make her money go further and not leave her at the mercy of either a home-care provider's schedule or the (generally parlous) staffing levels of a private-sector home.

 

[Dan U]

I shall try to remember to PM you,in that case. Where we'recurrently trying to steer her (given that she's compos mentis and continent,just mobility-impaired, is perhaps sheltered housing, as increasingly there appear to be developments that cater for occasional non-intensive care needs. This would make her money go further and not leave her at the mercy of either a home-care provider's schedule or the (generally parlous) staffing levels of a private-sector home.

Yeah do. And have a look at extra care, which is often a kind of sheltered housing plus type provision.

 

[Citizen66]

and no unions to defend disabled people against the cuts.

But funny that greedy privateers might get their fingers burnt.