Care
Is this any way to treat our nation of carers?
Michael and Henrietta Spink are two of Britain's six million carers. Their lives have been dictated by their son's disabilities for the last 20 years. Like many other carers, they face financial ruin, stress and exhaustion as they battle to cope with the demands of 24-hour care and a bureaucratic system that makes their lives a misery. By Tracy McVeigh, chief reporter
Tracy McVeigh, Sunday September 14 2008, The Observer.
Right care, Right deal coalition lays out green paper priorities
Corin Williams, Friday 12 September 2008, communitycare.co.uk.
Our care homes need workers from outside the EU
The restrictions announced by the Migration Advisory Committee will hit care homes and home care
Peter Cullimore, Thursday September 11 2008, 'Joe Public' - Guardian Blogs.
Work after retirement, says Blunkett
Government should not assume prime responsibility for care, says former cabinet minister
Clare Horton, Thursday September 4 2008, guardian.co.uk.
Social care staff at bottom of pay pile
David Brindle, Wednesday September 3 2008, The Guardian.
Carers 'need more financial help'
Friday, 29 August 2008, BBC News.
Anger over 'pittance' for carers
Andy McFarlane, Friday, 29 August 2008, BBC News.
Barbara Young: 'Talking softly and carrying a big stick'
John Carvel, social affairs editor, Tuesday August 12 2008, Society Guardian.'John Carvel questions the new Care Quality Commission chairwoman about the future regulation of health and social care in England and whether her affiliation to Labour will inhibit her independence'
James Purnell: Ministers will not prescribe personal budget streams
Maria Ahmed, Friday 25 July 2008, communitycare.co.uk.
Social care users and staff back taxes to fill adult care funding gap
Mithran Samuel, Friday 25 July 2008, communitycare.co.uk.
Pilot lights
A report drawing on the views of service users and practitioners illuminates the debate about person-centred care budgets
Peter Beresford, Wednesday July 23, 2008, The Guardian. ★★★★★
Councils: UK's ageing population needs things to do, commission warns
Steven Morris, Thursday July 17, 2008, The Guardian.
Assets that can't be bought
The consumer model of care turns every service into a transaction. Providers should recognise a valuable resource - their own clients
David Boyle, Wednesday July 16, 2008, The Guardian.
Community Care conference: Backing for Wanless funding model
Paul Stephenson, 10 July 2008, communitycare.co.uk.
Carers 'need help to get to work'
Laura Kuenssberg, Political correspondent, Wednesday, 9 July 2008, BBC News.
What works for us works for people with dementia, too
Christopher Manthorp, Wednesday July 9, 2008, The Guardian.
Individual taste
Alison Benjamin asks if there should be limits on how we spend social care budgets
July 2, 2008, 'Joe Public', guardian.co.uk.
Registering disapproval
For people requiring care, personal assistants are a lifeline. But new research on the views of the employed and employers reveals that the two sides could be heading for conflict over regulation.
David Brindle, Wednesday July 2, 2008, The Guardian.
Nursing homes: Southern Cross in emergency talks over £46m loan deadline
Simon Bowers, Tuesday July 1, 2008, The Guardian.
User friendly
Two cheers for the Care Quality Commission, says Don Redding
Wednesday June 11 2008, The Guardian. ★★★★★
Unpaid carers save public services £87bn, study finds
Sara Gaines and agencies, Monday June 9 2008, Society Guardian.
Time to put our Poor Law to rest
Rights-based, non-cash limited payments for social care would allow us to finally consign ananchronistic care to history, says Ray Jones
May 14, 2008, Guardian Blogs. ★★★★★
Ministers look at social care insurance as costs rise
John Carvel, social affairs editor, Tuesday May 13 2008, The Guardian.
Brown pledges shake-up of social care
Press Association, Monday, 12 May 2008, The Independent.
Johnson admits £6bn black hole in funding of care for older people
John Carvel, social affairs editor, Monday May 12 2008, The Guardian.
More light needed on night-time care
Alexandra Topping, Wednesday April 30 2008, The Guardian.
Woman barricaded herself in hotel room to escape colleague
Sally Gillen, 30 April 2008, communitycare.co.uk.
Sutherland review backs policy
Lord Sutherland's review of the free personal and nursing care policy in Scotland says that the scheme is important, workable but chronically underfunded
Emma Parsons, 30 April 2008, communitycare.co.uk.
Older people care system needs complete not partial overhaul
Paul Stephenson, 29 April 2008, communitycare.co.uk.
Freedom to Live report says lack of specialist places hinders progress
Louise Hunt, 28 April 2008, communitycare.co.uk.
Special guardianship allowance - new court ruling
Allan Norman, 25 April 2008, communitycare.co.uk.
People with dementia wrongly given drugs, say MPs
Louise Hunt, 25 April 2008, communitycare.co.uk.
Behan asks directors to ethuse staff over personalisation agenda
Daniel Lombard, 25 April 2008, communitycare.co.uk.
Concerns over support for carers
Tuesday, 22 April 2008, BBC News.
Learning Disability Coalition finds care sqeeze is cross-party
Paul Stephenson, 4 April 2008, communitycare.co.uk.
Law changed to protect elderly people paying for own care
Human Rights Act to be extended to combat abuse - Residents will have right to appeal to adjudicator
John Carvel, social affairs editor, Thursday March 27 2008, The Guardian.
Carers accused of faking log of home visits to woman, 83
Steven Morris and David Brindle, Wednesday March 12 2008, The Guardian.
Coded message
Ambitious plans to transform social care will come to nothing unless people are told how to negotiate the maze of care on offer
Stephen Burke and Cathie Williams, Wednesday March 5 2008, The Guardian. ★★★★★
The Jake Pierce case: will past abuse ruling lead to claims against councils?
Graham Hopkins, 13 February 2008, communitycare.co.uk.
Checking the Facs
The government's current system of delivering social care will seriously limit the potential benefits of personalised budgets
Melanie Henwood and Bob Hudson, Wednesday February 13 2008, The Guardian. ★★★★★
Children's services outstripping adult care in funding growth
Mithran Samuel, 7 February 2008, communitycare.co.uk.
Human Rights Act: MPs plan changes to fill private care home gap
Mithran Samuel, 7 February 2008, communitycare.co.uk.
EU judge backs flexible working claim mother
Roxanne Escobales and agencies, guardian.co.uk, Thursday January 31 2008.
Care services failing to help older people cope, says report
John Carvel, social affairs editor, The Guardian, Wednesday January 30 2008.281,000 in need get no aid in life-sustaining tasks - Another 450,000 receive insufficient assistance
Health chief attacks £140m NHS 'tinkering'
John Carvel, social affairs editor, Wednesday January 9 2008, The Guardian. ★★★★★
2007
Disabled [sic.] to get cash to choose care options
David Brindle, The Guardian, Monday December 10, 2007.
Watchdog urges holistic approach to elderly care
Alexandra Topping, Society Guardian, Wednesday December 5 2007.
Minister promises elderly care review
Alexandra Topping, Society Guardian, Tuesday December 4 2007.
Government adviser calls for care reforms
Alexandra Topping, Society Guardian, Tuesday December 4 2007.
Get tough drive to improve care homes for elderly that fail to offer quality service
John Carvel, Social affairs editor, The Guardian, Tuesday December 4 2007.
Mother's little helper: To grow up caring for a disabled parent can be a joy
Peter Stanford, Sunday, 2 December 2007, The Independent.
Adult care services may still be rated after scrapping of stars
Mithran Samuel, 30 November 2007, communitycare.co.uk
We have not turned our backs on care for older people
Don't blame social services departments for the shortfall in funding. We're doing our best, says Anne Williams
28 November, 2007 The Guardian.
Long-term care: Report puts spotlight on homes' failings in caring for people with dementia
People with dementia in care homes typically spend just two minutes in every six hours talking to others, says report highlighting widespread failings in care
Lucy Ward, social affairs correspondent, 27 November 2007, The Guardian.
Councils turn backs on care for older people
John Carvel, social affairs editor, Thursday November 22 2007, The Guardian.
Leading questions - Richard Kramer, director, Turning Point centre of excellence in connected care
Interview by Alexandra Topping, The Guardian, Wednesday November 7 2007.
Adult social care regulator to get enhanced powers
Maria Ahmed, 25 October 2007, communitycare.co.uk.
Legal update: courts confirm councils' power to protect vulnerable adults
Ed Mitchell, 24 October 2007, communitycare.co.uk.
A revolution in social care
"Proposed changes in means testing offer hope for millions of elderly and disabled people"
Niall Dickson, Thursday October 11, 2007, The Guardian.
Darling pours cold water on means testing claim
Hélène Mulholland and agencies, Wednesday October 10, 2007, Guardian Unlimited.
Taking the strain
A service for older people in Scotland has expanded its remit to provide practical help around the home
Mark Gould, Wednesday August 22 2007, The Guardian.
Visa rule changes put care homes on alert
Philippine embassy says policy will hit its citizens - MP warns of mass exodus of overseas workers
Tania Branigan, political correspondent, Monday August 20 2007, The Guardian.
Will elderly people be able to choose when they go to bed?
The process of commissioning should give more of a say to the customers of social care. But there are hurdles to clear
Blair McPherson, Thursday August 16 2007, Society Guardian.
'Profit motive' blamed for elderly care failings
Hélène Mulholland, Wednesday August 15 2007, Society Guardian.
Care home owner guilty of stealing from residents
Roger Bushby, 5 July 2007, communitycare.co.uk.
Care services minister gets responsibility for mental health
Simeon Brody, 5 July 2007, communitycare.co.uk.
Inspection overhaul spells the end for star ratings and council targets
2 November 2006, communitycare.co.uk.
Note: ★★★★★ = highly recommended