Coronavirus Act been activated in parts of England

[Melly1]

I received this in an email today:

Potential changes to social care packages: Yesterday the National Care Forum confirmed that six local authorities in England have already applied the so called ‘easement’ power to social care. This means that local authorities could reduce or even stop providing care to some people if the local situation becomes critical. The areas which have currently switched on the easement power are; Sunderland City Council, Middlesbrough, Warwickshire, Staffordshire County Council, Birmingham City Council and Solihull Council. ”

Dreading them trying to cut S's package, I'm already on my knees from having him home 24/7 for 4 weeks of lockdown.

Melly1

[Maine]

Typical of Birmingham city council to already be monopolizing on it. They have always been rotten to the core, even before the coronavirus Act.

[Londonbound]

The care is already bad, reducing care what's that mean, the disabled not being washed and fed?

Surely you can solve this without reducing care, network of local volunteers.

Save the carers for the very badly disabled and use volunteers if they just need a meal cooked.

Some calls are purely check calls, knock on the door, hello are you alright yes, that could be done by local volunteers.

Or make sure they take their meds again does it need a carer? if the mads are in them pop out packs.

There used to be wardens and support workers who can be called upon to help.

All these have gone now, the councils have brought this on themselves by cutting support networks.

[AJ_1907]

Melly? Can I ask who sent you that email? I for one would like to be informed about things like this if there's a mailing list to join or some such? Thanks.

[Honey Badger]

Bit too busy to go into details but I can tell you there is no way councils are being forthcoming based on the list you provided, I'll drop you a message when things calm down to illuminate

[Cloudygal]

Surely once the pandemic is over the LA's won't be able to use the Covid powers anymore.

Surely care packages will have to remain or be re instated if they had to halt temporarily.

Or am I missing something?

I have already told the social services that my younger son will be needing supported living once pandemic well and truly over.

Just can't do this forever.

Four weeks in and exhaustion for me. My hubby faring worse than me. I am worried about him.

[Honey Badger]

Thats the problem, sidestepping the white elephant in the room, which is the assumption of any political entity (particularly the one we're stuck with, who only care about lifting lockdown, so they can go back to buffing their own bank accounts) that they would actually be willing to hand back powers they have essentially granted themselves.

The act has 2 years to run, with options on both consequential modification and prolonging in the fine print.

I changed my mind and decided to just post this here,

The council owned company that oversees the majority of adult-SEN community services (supporting complex needs, developmental and learning disabilities and so on.. you will know these individuals often require complete support) closed down most of those services before the act even got the chance to pass through parliament. The work force, comprimised of key workers with combined 100's of years experience between them in this field were re-tasked to elder care.

Same council went out of its way to force shut services it did not control to the same end, to take on elder care.
They are also pressuring agencies not already doing it, for example specialised (hard to find as few exist) organizations supporting specific demographics to take it on as well.

And you have to consider this impacts not just those supported by SS, but self-funders and CHC, because these services are so hard to come by there is usually a mixture of all on them... so it impacts everyone.

They basically threw the adult SEN community and their families under a bus.

And all bearing in mind the ink wasn't even dry on that new legislation

[Maine]

I am furious, that early March the 'team' which included the said LA, held a 117 meeting. My son's new rude and obnoxious allocation decided to demand a reassessment of my son's package at this meeting. She demanded a separate meeting with her. Then she decided later that this meeting she had arranged to reassess would be cancelled the week before lockdown, for some petty reason. She then informed me, it was a review she was going to do (after taking issue and blame mongering regarding reassessment, at the original 117 meeting). Since her last arrangement to come out and so-called 'review' well that went down the drain, due to the coronavirus and lockdown. No doubt, she plans 'to pick it all up' as soon as lockdown is over.
However, in view of the coronavirus Act which has occurred since I have decided when she picks up this review of my son's package, I am going to insist a coronavirus test is done on her (and anyone else she wants to bring with her), the day before she arranges to come out 'visiting'. I feel it's reasonable given both myself and son are in the high-risk group and there's no vaccine developed yet. I imagine (just by the attitude she had at the 117 meeting) that she'll be as awkward as sin about complying with a test. It could, therefore, take many months/years even, for her visit to take place.

[Maine]

Hi Honeybadger, Your absolutely right. Side-stepping the elephant is going to be difficult...however there is a way to clear the entire room of elephants, by setting the mouse free. We have been trapped for some considerable time now...by the same political structure, whether it is in place or not..it always has been an unstable structure, which falls down at random. It is now built on the Coronavirus Act, which is leaning precariously. It's something that can't be ignored either as it is 'the latest weapon' to use against people who need support and it's just as lethal, as the ignoring method, that has always been in place during the Care Act. They slashed my son's care on 117 aftercare to less than half, in 2013...I went to the ombudsman won my case but never won the respite back as it was before.
I know this system well...as a total letdown and disregard of the care needs of many and I will never bow to it nor the paid workers who try to apply it.

[Cloudygal]

Honey Badger

That is shocking.

The council run company whose support workers looked after those with complex learning disabilities. Was that before Covid or in response to Covid?

Either way its totally unacceptable

I can only begin to imagine how the families must feel.

(Before covid, my son had hardly any services anyway).

Re- deployed to look after the elderly...unbelievable.. they should have got those workers from somewhere else . It takes time to build relationships even more so for people with disabilities.


What happened to those with complex disabilities.. are the parents now having to care for them?

This is just so wrong.