The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)
The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) are part of the Mental Capacity Act 2005. They aim to make sure that people aged 18 and over in care homes, hospitals and supported living are looked after in a way that does not inappropriately restrict their freedom. The safeguards should ensure that a care home, hospital or supported living arrangement only deprives someone of their liberty in a safe and correct way, and that this is only done when it is in the best interests of the person and there is no other way to look after them.
For a factsheet which looks at who is affected by DoLS, explains what the safeguards are, and outlines the process for getting authorisation for a deprivation of liberty and how to get it reviewed go to DoLS Factsheet
An alternative guide to the urgent and emergency care system in England
A&E is often seen as a service in crisis and is the focus of much media and political interest. But A&E is just the tip of the iceberg – the whole urgent and emergency care system is complex, and surrounded by myth and confusion. A brand new animation gives a whistle-stop tour of how the system fits together and busts some myths about what’s really going on – explaining that the underlying causes go much deeper than just A&E and demand a joined-up response across all services - to watch the video look here
Carers Allowance
Carers Allowance is an income replacement benefit. Carer’s Allowance is to help you look after someone with substantial caring needs. You don’t have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for. You must be 16 or over and spend at least 35 hours a week caring for them. Carer’s Allowance is taxable. It can also affect your other benefits.
You can now claim Carers Allowance on line which is faster, uses a shorter form, and does not need a signature. To claim on line click here.
Carers Eligibility Criteria
Carers needs are assessed as Critical, Substantial, Moderate and Low.
This simple one side of A4 document, developed in February 2010, gives examples of what is considered when assessing Carers to determine their level of need. Download here.
Parent Carer Participation
Together for Disabled Children has produced a summary of the benefits Parent Participation has brought across England. Download here.
They also produced a Frequently Asked Question sheet to inform Parents. Download here.
Herefordshire Carers Charter
The Carers’ Charter has been produced by Carers of Herefordshire Carers Support to promote better recognition and support for Carers.
Carers provide invaluable support to some very vulnerable people and this contribution needs to be valued, acknowledged and respected.
The Charter confirms the values, aims and standards that willbe adopted by agencies (which include both Voluntary and Statutory) working in partnership with Carers within Herefordshire. It will also be used to monitor outcomes for Carers.
The Carers’ Charter is based on the key National Standards and includes two further standards that reflect the need to see Carers in their own right and to have effective proceses for assessing their needs. The standards are intended to describe what a good service to Carers should look like and to monitor outcomes for Carers. Provider services who sign up to the Charter will each have a different responsibility to Carers and will produce their own ACTION PLAN which will set out how they will deliver on these Standards. Download here.
CAB advice and information website
If you’re looking for advice on benefits, services, housing, employment, consumer issues, dealing with debt etc. CAB have a website that is accessible to everyone. www.adviceguide.org.uk .
Guide - Providing for Mentally Incapacitated Beneficiaries
A Parent Carer brought this booklet from Onions and Davies Solicitors to our notice. Chris Milne from Onions and Davies very kindly agreed that we could post this informative booklet on our website.
This Guide aims to provide some basic information for those who wish to look at the best ways of arranging their affairs, so that the person that they care for can be properly provided for after their death.
This guide refers to the law of England and Wales only, which from time to time changes. In particular, tax information changes annually. It is not a substitute for professional advice, which is up to date and specific to your needs.
Looking after your back - A Carers Guide to safer moving and handling of people.
This guide has been compiled by the Charity for Healthier Backs and aims to help reduce risk of injury to your back whilst providing moving and handling assistance to the person you care for. Download here.
Parent Carers - Just Can’t Wait - Help is at hand
Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children offers an innovative service, to run parallel and in synergy with its existing Nurse led services. The ‘Just Can’t Wait’ Service aims to address the specific needs of terminally ill children and their families throughout the UK. The service provides fast access to free equipment for children who ‘Just Can’t Wait!’ Download more information here and here.
Dilnot Commission on social care funding: recommendations
The Dilnot Commission is an independent commission, set up by the Government last July to recommend a fairer, more sustainable funding system for adult social care in England.
Main recommendations:
- The lifetime contribution to adult social care costs that any individual needs to make should be a maximum capped at between £25,000 and £100,000; with £35,000 considered an appropriate figure.
- The asset threshold for those in residential care beyond which no means-tested help is given should increase from £23,250 to £100,000
- Anybody developing support needs before the age of 40 should receive non-means tested free support
- There should be national eligibility criteria
- Universal disability benefits for people of all ages should continue as now.
- All carers should have a right to an assessment and local authorities would be required to meet the eligible needs of carers
- Carers should benefit from greater access to information and advice service
The Commission estimates that its proposals - based on a cap of £35,000 - would cost the State around £1.7billion which works out at 0.25 of total government funding.
Herefordshire Carers Support and other members of the Princess Royal Trust for Carers want the Government to implement these findings. If you agree, then now is the time to lobby your local Member of Parliament.
Dilnot Commission on social care funding - full report
The Breaks for Carers of Disabled Children Regulations 2011
An interesting read for Parent Carers which describes the statutory regulations for providing short breaks to Parent Carers and what the local authorities should provide in respect to this.
A PDF of the Regulations can be downloaded here. The original document can be found on the Government’s website: here.
Inclusive Coaching Training
Are you a coach delivering regular coaching sessions?
Are you committed to providing equal opportunities in sports coaching?
There are a number of courses which can help give you the skills and inspiration include disabled people in your coaching sessions. Details for some of these courses can be downloaded here:
Personal Health Budgets Report
This report (PDF available to download here) presents the views of mental health service users and carers about personal health budgets. It is based on research undertaken with 162 service users and carers in six focus groups throughout England, Hereford carers being one of them (FG1).
“Valuing People Now”
“Valuing People Now” is the Government’s Strategy on how to give people with learning disabilities new opportunities in their lives. Valuing People states that people with learning disabilities have the right to be members of the society in which they live. They have the right to choose where they live and what they do, and to be as independent as they wish.
In Herefordshire, the Valuing People Now Strategy was consulted on and the Valuing People Partnership Board (VPPB) came up with six ‘big ideas’, there was a budget per Big Idea.
The LDDF was to kick-start projects which improve the quality of life for people with learning disabilities in Herefordshire and meet the Valuing People priorities. The funding came from the Herefordshire Area Based Grant via the Local Area Agreement.
Groups were able to apply for between £500 and £10,000. For more information please click here.
Princess Royal Trust for Carers Reports
The Princess Royal Trust for Carers has produced a number of reports of varying subjects all of which may be of interest to Carers, details of which can be found below:
- Caring at a Distance: bridging the gap - Employers for Carers, June 2011
- Policy & Parliamentary bulletin - August 2011
- Summary: Carers and Safeguarding Adults - Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, July 2011
- Independent Living Strategy: Support planning and brokerage - Office for Disability Issues, May 2011
Triangle of Care - Carers Included: A guide to best practice in Acute Mental Health Care
The Triangle of Care is a therapeutic alliance between service user, staff member and Carer that promotes safety, supports recovery and sustains well being. The essence of this document is to clearly identify the six elements required to achieve better collaboration and partnership with Carers in the service user and Carer’s journey through a typical acute episode.
Download the Triangle of Care Guide here.
Dilnott Commission Report
Launched on 20 July 2010, the Commission on Funding of Care and Support was an independent body tasked by Government with reviewing the funding system for care and support in England.
The Commission was chaired by Andrew Dilnot with Lord Norman Warner and Dame Jo Williams as fellow Commissioners. It built on the extensive body of work already done in this area and carried out new analysis before providing advice and recommendations on how to reform the system to Government on 4 July 2011.
The report can be downloaded here. For other documents relating to this report please click here.
Young People’s Health Access Report
This report was jointly commissioned by the local LINk and HCS in recognition of the enormous challenges faced by Carers of people with mental health problems and to make sure that the results were shared with the significant decision makers and providers of mental health services. It has recently been approved for distribution by the LINK Board and HCS together with the LINk will endeavour to influence the changes that are made in the recommendations.
