Prime Minister’s challenge on dementia – improvements to health and care

May 2, 2012 — Wendy
May 2, 2012

In this blog Alistair talks about one strand of the Prime Minister’s challenge on dementia.

 

Key points (more…)

Posted in Carers, dementia. Tags: , , . No Comments »

Family GPs are ordered to cut number of patients referred to hospital to earn extra cash

May 2, 2012 — Wendy
  • Fears patients are having to bear the brunt of NHS ‘efficiency savings’

By Sophie Borland

PUBLISHED: 00:02, 2 May 2012 | UPDATED: 08:31, 2 May 2012

 

Family doctors are being ordered to slash the numbers of patients they send to hospital to earn extra cash.

Six out of ten GPs said they face ‘inappropriate’ pressure to refer fewer patients and potentially deny them the best care.

The controversial scheme can pay out almost £9,000 a year to surgeries.

GPs could get extra cash for not sending patients to hospitals for treatment

It started last May when ministers brought in a series of targets enabling GPs to  be rewarded for cutting the number of patients sent to hospital specialists or A&E departments.

However, a poll of 667 doctors found that 60 per cent were facing ‘inappropriate demands’ from managers. (more…)

Posted in Carers, hospital. Tags: , , . No Comments »

State must pay family carers to look after elderly, say MPs

May 2, 2012 — Maureen

Families should be given state funding to care for their elderly relatives at home, a group of Conservative MPs has said.

Under the Government’s existing policies, councils are responsible for ensuring that local residents who need care are allocated “personal budgets” Photo: ALAMY

By , Political Correspondent

7:00AM BST 02 May 2012

The current system means it is cheaper for families to put relations in the hands of local council-run care services, according to a report from the Free Enterprise Group.

The organisation said the Government could save an estimated £1.14 billion a year by funding families directly. Chris Skidmore, the MP for Kingswood, who wrote the report, said: “Where a local authority might otherwise be paying several hundred pounds a week for residential care, they could instead be offering a fraction of that to a relative to provide care themselves.” (more…)

Posted in Carers, elderly care. Tags: , . 4 Comments »

How can it be right to profit from disability?

May 1, 2012 — Wendy

Disability living allowance is being replaced with personal independence payment assessments, and private companies are queueing up to cash in

Atos has been shortlisted for the PIP contract, despite being criticised for its handling of work capability assessments.

The Department for Work and Pensions has just announced the 10 private companies on the shortlist to deliver the personal independence payment (PIP) assessments, which everyone receiving disability living allowance will have to undergo from next year when DLA is replaced by PIPs. With 3.2 million captive customers, not to mention a monopoly on all new claimants, it’s not hard to see the appeal of the contract for profit-hungry companies untroubled by the ethics of slashing 20% from the money provided to disabled people to help them meet some of the basic expenses that living with a disability inevitably incurs. (more…)

Posted in Carers, disability. Tags: , , , . 1 Comment »

Fears redesign for Norfolk’s services for carers leaves future of small grants scheme in doubt

May 1, 2012 — Maureen
Existing carers’ group have now been told they will only be able to apply for £150

Kim Briscoe Tuesday, May 1, 2012
5.50 PM

Grassroots carers’ groups across Norfolk fear the future of a small grants scheme which is a lifeline for them and the people they look after has been thrown into doubt.

The small grants, of £300 for existing carers’ groups or £500 for new groups, are normally dished out as part of a £30,000 annual pot given by Norfolk County Council to the Norfolk and District Carers’ Forum. (more…)

Posted in Carers, ukcuts. Tags: , . 2 Comments »
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