Monday, June 6th, 2011

What's in the news 06.06.11

Reforms to be speeded up after care scandal

Planned improvements in the protection of adults in care are to be speeded up after the abuse scandal at a hospital in Bristol.  Details of ‘safeguarding’ boards, similar to those for vulnerable children, will be published within a fortnight.

The Times, 06.06.11, p.4

New safeguards to protect adults in care

Legal protection for adults in care is to be speeded up in the wake of the abuse scandal at a residential hospital in Bristol, the Government has indicated.  Details of a system of “safeguarding” boards, similar to those in place for vulnerable children, are to be published within a fortnight.

The Independent, 06.06.11, p.19

Care is personal (letter)

David Praill, Chief Executive, Help the Hospices, writes in response to the Panorama programme and argues that “good quality care can be defined, inspected and measured, but it only exists when there is an organisation-wide culture where the needs of the individual are placed first – however demanding or difficult they might be.”

The Times, 06.06.11, p.23

Care homes fees for elderly should be capped, says adviser

The fees that elderly people must spend on care should be capped, the head of a Government review has suggested.  Andrew Dilnot, whose commission will deliver a report on the matter next month, has given his strongest hint yet that he believes that an upper limit should be placed on the amount paid for care.

The Daily Telegraph, 06.06.11, p.10

Europe shames Britain on care for the elderly

Successive governments have betrayed Britain’s pensioners by spending less on social care for the elderly than almost any other country in Europe.  Research which campaigners say ‘should shame us as a nation’ has found that Italy and France spend twice as much on their pensioners as we do in the UK.

Daily Mail, 06.06.11, p.20

Southern Cross may be forced to offload 180 homes

Struggling care home operator Southern Cross is in talks that could see if offload 180 of its homes as the company looks for ways to avoid bankruptcy.

The Daily Telegraph, 06.06.11, p. B1

Handful of big landlords likely to decide fate of Southern Cross

Some of Britain’s richest property barons, including Ian and Richard Livingstone, Nick Leslau, Nigel Wray and Tom Hunter, will decide the fate of more than one in seven Southern Cross care homes as the crisis-stricken company goes cap in hand to landlord groups asking for rent reductions.

The Guardian, 06.06.11, p.20

Southern Cross to sell off 200 care home businesses

Southern Cross is planning to offload 200 care home businesses and seek a £100 million cash injection as it fights for survival.

Daily Mail, 06.06.11, p.20

Abolish care quango (letter)

A letter to The Daily Telegraph suggests that “if Mr Lansley wishes to cut out the dead wood in the NHS, he could do no better than starting with the CQC, one of the many quangos imposed on the NHS by Alan Milburn in the last government.”

The Times, 06.06.11, p.19

Shudder-making (letter)

A writer to the Daily Mail expresses her fears for the future care of her son who has learning disabilities.  She says she is “sure the majority of care homes are run with care in mind but I’ll live with my nightmare until the Government introduces 24-hour Skype access for relatives.”

Daily Mail, 06.06.11, p.51

Topics: General