Those local authorities using the home care services organisations featured in the Panorama expose last night are clearly in breach of the Disability Discrimination Acts and should be prosecuted. The Disability Rights Commission would have done so. What action will the Equality and Human Right Commission be taking?
This ConDem Coalition is exploiting the apparent helplessness of disabled people by taking essential money away from them and forcing vulnerable people, for example, people with mental health difficulties. I remember, when I was a practising social worker, the horror experienced by service users when they received a letter summoning them to undergo a medical examination (25 miles away in Norwich). Some became absolutely terrified at the prospect and the stress of having to get to and face the appointment led to one or two relapses and hospital admissions. Against local authority policy, I always took them to the appointment, went in with them and supported them through the interview acting as advocate. The doctors at these reviews were employed by the Benefits Agency and usually retired from practice. They were also usually empathic with the service user and mostly helped to reduce the terror of the interview. The new 'Workfare' reviews which every DLA claimant will have to und...
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I have, intermittently, swung with the view that private health care was the way forward. That competition would improve the quality of care provided. All the time being acutely aware that when it comes to private care, it is those with the big bucks that get the big slice of the quality care cake and the poorer end of society are left with the crumbs.
Now, I am categorically against private care....cos when it comes to the public's money being sliced off for private sector care services, the end result is vulnerable people being treated like lumps of sshhhh you know what.
I am glad the programme was shown but I doubt it will make any difference. Nobody tends to give a stuff about how the vulnerable are treated until they become vulnerable themselves.
Cynical view maybe but I think it is a realistic one.