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Financial hardship is most likely to make carers lonely

Posted on 11/08/2017 - Filed under: Carers News,News

In the Personal Social Services Survey of Adult Carers in England 2016-17 NHS Digital questioned nearly 56,000 carers registered with local authorities in England.

Almost 40% of carers who reported the most serious financial difficulties admitted they felt socially isolated, compared with only 10% of those who reported no money worries.

The Carers Allowance benefit amounts to £62.70 per week, while data from the charity Carers UK claims about two million people give up work at some point in their lives to care for loved ones with disabilities or illnesses.

The charity’s director of policy and public affairs Emily Holzhausen said: ‘Often, those looking after loved ones have no choice but to give up activities that would make caring less lonely when it becomes hard to make ends meet.

‘Our own research shows that 42% carers who were struggling financially had to make up for the shortfall by cutting back on seeing friends and family.’

Disturbed sleep

The NHS Digital report’s authors claimed financial difficulties caused by caring responsibilities are the only aspect of a carer’s life shown to have a statistically significant effect on every question asked.

As well as social isolation, 76% admitted their role left them ‘feeling tired’ while 64% said it had caused them to experience ‘disturbed sleep’ patterns.

Additional statistics show:

  • 21% have been providing unpaid care for over 20 years.
  • 71% were ‘extremely’, ‘very’ or ‘quite’ satisfied with the support or services they received, compared with 13% who were dissatisfied.
  • 90% of carers aged 85 and over (22,100) have caring responsibility for someone aged 75 or over.

Responding to the results, chair of the Local Government Association’s Community Wellbeing Board Izzi Seccombe said: ‘Unpaid carers play an invaluable role in looking after those with care and support needs, and are estimated to save the economy £132 billion a year.

‘Without the incredible work of carers, social care and the NHS would collapse.’

She claimed underfunding of adult social care had limited councils’ ability to provide support to carers, and added she hoped the link between financial problems and social isolation would be addressed in the government’s upcoming Carers Strategy.

reproduced courtesy of RCNI - https://rcni.com/primary-health-care/newsroom/news/financial-hardship-most-likely-to-make-carers-lonely-93176

BBC Proms in the (Car) Park

Posted on 10/08/2017 - Filed under: Events & Forums

Classical music fans will have the chance to watch the famous BBC Proms at some unlikely locations  this summer, as the concert series is leaving  the Royal Albert Hall to be held in venues in London Bridge, Peckham and Bankside, Emma Snaith writes…

From orchestral and chamber music at the multi-storey car park in Peckham, choral music at Southwark Cathedral, and experimental music at the Tate Modern, the concerts will bring classical music to the locations.

The ‘Proms at…’ series will also travel to other London locations in Whitechapel and Sloane Square as well as Hull. The series was launched last year to help further the mission of the founder-conductor of the Proms, Henry Wood, to bring outstanding classical music to the widest possible audience.

Founded in 1895 and run by the BBC since 1927, the BBC Proms is the world’s largest classical musical festival. The 2017 season will host over eight weeks of events and more than 90 concerts as part of the festival.

The ‘Proms at…’ series will take place at:

  • Southwark Cathedral on August 12
  • Bold Tendencies Multi-Storey Car Park, Peckham, on August 26
  • The Tanks at Tate Modern, Bankside, on September 6

Tickets will be available for £6 on the day of each concert from the respective venues’ box offices.

Patients waiting for planned NHS hospital care top 4m for first time in a decade

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The breaching of the 4 million barrier for the first time since the waiting time target was introduced in August 2007 will raise fresh questions about the government’s stewardship of the health service. Critics will seize on it as evidence that Theresa May is giving the NHS too little money to help it cope with an unprecedented rise in demand for healthcare.

NHS England said on Thursday that 3.83 million people were on the waiting list for non-urgent hospital care in July, a slight increase on 3.81 million in June. However, it admitted that once estimates were factored in for how many patients were waiting at six hospital trusts that did not submit data for the referral to treatment (RTT) scheme, the total had gone over 4 million.

In a statement it said: “Factoring in estimates based on the latest data submitted for each missing trust suggests the total number of RTT patients waiting to start treatment at the end of June 2017 may have been just over 4.0 million patients.”

Under RTT patients should wait no longer than 18 weeks after being referred for planned care in hospital, usually an operation, often non-urgent such as a hernia repair or hip or knee replacement.

The six trusts that submitted either no data or only partial data to NHS England statisticians were Barts in London, the NHS’s biggest trust, which has five hospitals; Gloucestershire hospitals trust; Northern Devon; the Royal Orthopaedic hospital in north-west London; St George’s trust in south London; and Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS foundation trust.

Opposition parties and health trade unions are likely to claim that the breaching of the 4 million barrier is an embarrassment for the government and proof that it is doing too little to help hospitals, many of which have been struggling for several years.

Labour introduced the 18-week waiting time target in a bid to stop patients waiting unduly long for surgery. In the first month figures for it were produced, in August 2007, the total number was 4.187 million. It went down rapidly to over 3 million, then fell to over 2 million. However, it hit 3 million again in April 2014 and began creeping up towards 4 million from mid-2016. It was 3.67 million in January, 3.78 million in April and 3.81 million a month later.

Although the total of just over 4 million is not unprecedented, it is a moment that ministers have been quietly dreading, and NHS bosses have been expecting, for some months.

It follows the controversial decision of the NHS England chief executive, Simon Stevens, in March to relax the requirement for hospitals to treat at least 92% of patients on the RTT waiting list within 18 weeks, which the Royal College of Surgeons and other medical groups said would leave patients waiting longer in pain and anxiety for their procedure.

NHS experts said the waiting list rising above 4 million illustrated the depth of the crisis facing hospitals and that the service can no longer meet many of its own key waiting times.

“This shocking figure is another damning indictment of the crisis we are experiencing in the NHS and is another example of how every unresolved problem impacts on another area,” said Dr Mark Holland, the president of the Society for Acute Medicine.

“It is a fact that the NHS has less beds than other health economies and it is a fact that we have a workforce crisis. We need these problems to be addressed and to do this we need a proper strategic plan. I anticipate that today we will hear the usual defence rhetoric when the truth is that one of the richest nations on the planet is consistently failing to deliver care in line with its own standard,” he added.

NHS experts said the waiting list rising above 4 million illustrated the depth of the crisis facing hospitals and that the service can no longer meet many of its own key waiting times.

“This shocking figure is another damning indictment of the crisis we are experiencing in the NHS and is another example of how every unresolved problem impacts on another area,” said Dr Mark Holland, the president of the Society for Acute Medicine.

“It is a fact that the NHS has less beds than other health economies and it is a fact that we have a workforce crisis. We need these problems to be addressed and to do this we need a proper strategic plan. I anticipate that today we will hear the usual defence rhetoric when the truth is that one of the richest nations on the planet is consistently failing to deliver care in line with its own standard,” he added.

Mind survey finds men more likely to experience work-related mental health problems

Posted on - Filed under: Carers News,News

One in three men (32 per cent) attribute poor mental health to their job, compared to one in seven men (14 per cent) who say it’s problems outside of work. Women, on the other hand, say that their job and problems outside of work are equal contributing factors; one in five women say that their job is the reason for their poor mental health, the same as those who say problems outside of work is to blame (19 per cent).*

The research, which comes from a survey of 15,000 employees across 30 organisations, is released as Mind urges employers to sign up to the Workplace Wellbeing Index 2017/18. The Index is a benchmark of best policy and practice when it comes to staff mental health, designed to celebrate the good work employers are doing to promote and support positive mental health, and to provide key recommendations on the specific areas where there is room to improve.

The data also shows that men are less prepared to seek help and take time off than women. While two in five women (38 per cent) feel the culture in their organisation makes it possible to speak openly about their mental health problems, only one in three men (31 per cent) say the same. Two in five women (43 per cent) have taken time off for poor mental health at some point in their career, but this is true for just one in three men (29 per cent).

This suggests that although men are more likely to have mental health problems because of their job, women are more likely to open up and seek support from their line manager or employer. Previous Mind research suggests that men often try to find ways of dealing with their problems independently rather than reaching out and sharing their problems. Instead of talking about their problems, men prefer to watch TV, exercise or self-medicate, such as drink alcohol. Mind urges men to open up and ask for help earlier on, so they can receive the support they need, before they reach crisis point.**

The findings show a difference in how men and women feel they’re being supported in the workplace. While three in five women (58 per cent) feel their manager regularly checks in on how they are feeling, only half of men (49 per cent) feel the same.

However, the results show that line managers feel confident in supporting employees with mental health problems. Three in four line managers (74 per cent) feel confident in supporting a team member with mental health problems. Although the results show a discrepancy between how male and female line managers feel they promote workplace wellbeing. Only three in five male line managers (60 per cent) feel they have a good understanding of how to promote the mental wellbeing of staff, compared to three in four female line managers (74 per cent).***

Emma Mamo, Head of Workplace Wellbeing at Mind, said:

“Our research shows that work is the main factor causing men poor mental health, above problems outside work. Many men work in industries where a macho culture prevails or where a competitive environment may exist which prevents them from feeling able to be open. It is concerning that so many men find themselves unable to speak to their bosses about the impact that work is having on their wellbeing and even more worrying that they are then not asking to take time off when they need it. Our research shows that the majority of managers feel confident in supporting employees with mental health problems, but they can only offer extra support if they’re aware there is a problem.

“In the last few years, we’ve seen employers come on leaps and bounds when it comes to tackling stress and supporting the mental wellbeing of their staff, including those with a diagnosed mental health problem. However, there is more to do and employers do need to recognise the different approaches they may need to adopt in how they address mental health in the workplace.

“Mind’s Workplace Wellbeing Index is a great opportunity for companies to examine their management practices, policies and assess how effective their mental health support and initiatives are. It also gives us an insight into key trends happening within the workplace and address these on a larger scale. We’re delighted to have worked with many forward-thinking employers in our first year who are doing ground-breaking work to make mental health a priority. We hope that many other organisations will follow in their footsteps by taking part in our Workplace Wellbeing Index in 2017/18.”

Thirty organisations took part in the first ever Index earlier this year including Lendlease, Dr Challoner’s Grammar School, the Environment Agency, Jaguar Land Rover, PepsiCo, Deloitte and Barnardo’s. Mind is now calling on forward thinking employers from across all industries to sign up to the Index in 2017/18.

The findings show that employers are prioritising mental health and taking proactive steps to support their staff, including:

  • Almost two in three employees (63 per cent) feel that their workload is manageable
  • Half of employees (50 per cent) feel their organisation supports their mental health compared to one in three (33 per cent) who don’t
  • Over half of respondents (55 per cent) feel their line manager supports their mental health, compared to under one in three (30 per cent) who don’t

Employers can sign up to the Workplace Wellbeing Index 2017/18 by 18 September 2017.

* Mind surveyed 15,000 employees, of which 1,763 are currently experiencing poor mental health

** Data taken from Mind’s It’s OK To Cry research, September 2015

*** Mind surveyed 15,000 employees, of which 3,003 were male line managers and 2,204 were female line managers

London tower blocks residents ordered out over gas safety fears

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In a development with potentially major implications for blocks elsewhere, residents of the Ledbury estate said they were shocked and alarmed to learn that the four 13-storey blocks were at risk of collapse in the event of a gas explosion in one of the flats.

Southwark council, which owns the blocks in Peckham, south-east London, has sent a letter to residents of the 242 flats saying they will have to “temporarily decant the blocks over the coming weeks and months” for emergency works.

The council has immediately ordered the gas supplies to be cut off, leaving most residents without cooking facilities, hot water and heating. The letter said officials would distribute electric hotplates and that residents could take showers at a local leisure centre.

The discovery that the blocks are structurally unsafe heralds a potential new series of safety worries about high-rise flats, which since the Grenfell Tower blaze have mainly been focused on fire safety, notably flammable cladding.

Arnold Tarling, a surveyor and fire safety expert who first spotted the problem at the Ledbury estate, said it was likely there would be many other blocks around the country with similar problems.

The Ledbury blocks were constructed between 1968 and 1970 using a method called large panel system, in which giant concrete sections were bolted together on site. The same technique was used at Ronan Point, a tower block in east London which partly collapsed in 1968 following a gas explosion. Four people died and 17 were injured when a blast from a gas stove in an 18th-storey flat caused a series of floors to collapse on to each other, one of the most notorious public disasters of the era.

An investigation said buildings built using the same method must be reinforced, or else have no gas supply. Southwark council, which took over the Ledbury blocks from the former Greater London Council, said it believed they had been strengthened.

After the Grenfell Tower blaze, which killed at least 80 people, worried residents urged action over big cracks in walls between flats on the estate, which they feared could allow a fire to spread through a block. They asked Tarling to check the cracks, but while on the estate he raised parallel concerns about the gas supply, identifying the structure as potentially unsafe.

Southwark had already employed engineers Arup to examine the blocks, and on Thursday the council wrote to residents saying its belief that the buildings had been reinforced “may not be correct”. The gas supply was being turned off and locals would be moved out, the letter said.

A council spokeswoman said it was not yet known how long residents would need to leave for, as this depended on further surveys.

One resident, who asked to not be named, said she was appalled to learn she had been “living for years in a death trap”. “I cannot describe my level of anger at Southwark council,” she said. “Not only is the gas supply illegal, but the structure of the building is potentially unsafe. It’s a miracle no one was killed over this time.”

The resident said it was an insult to ask people to shower at leisure centres, saying they should be moved to hotels. “We’ve got people in their 80s, who are blind, who are being asked to traipse along with their towels and a change of clothes.”

Tarling said he was aghast at the safety lapse. “As soon as I walked in and saw the gas supply, I knew it was all wrong,” he said. “Southwark council did not listen to me, and you really have to question their competence.”

In a statement, Southwark’s deputy leader and cabinet member for housing, Stephanie Cryan, said: “We didn’t own the blocks when they were constructed at the end of the 1960s, but all the reports we found suggested the blocks were strengthened following the Ronan Point incident in 1968 to make them safe to include a gas supply.

“Arup’s structural investigations suggest this strengthening may not have occurred, and we have therefore turned off the gas until further investigations can be done.”

The council had written to the Department of Communities and Local Government about the issue, she added, “as it may well have implications for other blocks around the country that were constructed in this way”.

Universal Credit rollout could leave claimants penniless over Christmas, MPs warn

Posted on 07/08/2017 - Filed under: Carers News,News

In a letter to the Guardian, they said: “There is a real worry that the introduction of Universal Credit, at this time, will cause extreme hardship for many people in vulnerable situations, exacerbated by the financial burdens of the festive period.”

They added: “We understand that the proposed changes were designed to make the social security system simpler, more reactive to an individual’s issues and more efficient.

“However, evidence from other parts of the country where UC has been introduced already shows that it is far from the efficient system trailed…

“The current timetable will cause our residents severe hardship over the months which are most financially difficult.

“We urge that you do not roll this system out in November and December, but look to a date later in 2018.”

The signatories include Shadow Cabinet minister Kate Osamor, as well as prominent backbenchers Stella Creasy, Alison McGovern, John Mann and Jon Cruddas.

A recent Citizens Advice survey of 800 claimants in trial areas found 39% were waiting six weeks for the first payment and 57% were forced to borrow cash.

A DWP spokesman said: “We are rolling out universal credit in a gradual, safe and secure way and the majority of people are managing their budgets well.

“The best way to help people improve their lives is to help them into work, and under universal credit people are moving into work faster and staying in work longer than under the old system.”

Mental health crisis services in England ‘under pressure’

Posted on 04/08/2017 - Filed under: Carers News,News

Out of 39 mental health trusts that provided figures for their crisis teams, 27 had seen their workload increase – 70%.

And some had seen referrals rise by as much as 60% – but without a comparable rise in funding.

NHS England said an extra £400m would be spent on crisis resolution teams.

BBC Radio 5 live contacted all 54 mental health trusts who run crisis teams in England.

One of them, East London NHS Foundation Trust, revealed its crisis team had seen referrals increase from 7,057 to 11,368 last year, a 60% rise in demand.

‘She died in the road’

Camillo Parra-Braun’s wife, Mariana, died by suicide at the age of 32 in October last year.

Mr Parra-Braun had contacted the City and Hackney mental health home-visit team twice that day because of concerns about his wife’s deteriorating mental health.

He was told they were unlikely to be able to see them before 17:00 and more likely nearer 19:00.

If he had urgent concerns, they said, he should contact the police.

But help came too late for Mariana.

Mr Parra-Braun said: “And after I learned of her death, my phone rang, and it was the crisis team, and they told me they would be arriving around 19:00.”

A statement from East London NHS Foundation Trust said: “We would like to extend our condolences to the family and friends of Mariana Pinto and everyone who has been affected by this tragic event.

“Following the incident, the trust subsequently carried out a thorough review into the care and treatment of Mariana Pinto which involved meeting with family to discuss the case and establish their concerns.

“The patient’s family were also given the opportunity to contribute to the report.”

‘Not enough money’

In 2014, a report for NHS England acknowledged the system was “stacked against” mental health.

And last year a further report for NHS England said the majority of crisis teams “are not currently sufficiently resourced to operate 24/7, with caseloads above levels that allow teams to fulfil their core functions”.

Staff working within teams were too scared to speak publicly, but one person told BBC News anonymously: “Our referrals are increasing all the time.

“And no, we do not have enough money to deal with [the] increase in referrals.

“The CCG [Clinical Commissioning Group, which allocates NHS funding locally] simply does not have any money.”

An NHS England representative said: “NHS investment in mental health services is rising faster than for other services and this includes an additional £400m invested in crisis-resolution home-treatment teams from this year so that all areas are able to offer 24/7 emergency care to those who need it.”

In January, the government published its response to a taskforce report into the state of mental health services.

It said that it would accept the recommendations in full and would deliver “additional investment of £1bn a year by 2020-21 to improve mental health services”.

“As the prime minister has said, it is this government’s ambition to tackle the burning injustices that persist in our society, including the inequalities caused by poor mental health and the continued inability of many people to get the mental health treatment they need,” it said.

Voluntary opportunity – Patient and Public Voice South East London Cancer Alliance

Posted on 31/07/2017 - Filed under: Carers News,News

This group is called the South East London Cancer Alliance and brings together clinicians, commissioners, providers and leading cancer charities to look at how we can work together to make cancer care better. This group meets regularly at central London venues and usually during daytime working hours.

You will join many other volunteer patient and public voices who are part of our working groups for children and young people, community based care, digital, maternity, mental health, planned care and urgent and emergency care.

They are particularly keen to hear from people who have had lived experience of cancer or caring for someone who has or had cancer.

If you are interested in applying or knowing more about the role, please contact Fiona Gaylor by email: [email protected] or by calling: 02075252216 or 07500 835266.

The deadline for returning completed applications, to Fiona, is 5pm on Thursday, 24thof August 2017.

Southwark Carers Roof Garden in Bloom (July)

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Whole Family Support Summer Outing

Posted on 28/07/2017 - Filed under: Carers News,Events & Forums
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