Some Barnet Eye readers may have got the impression from the previous post, that I'd like to see Brian Coleman killed by a speeding truck. The Barnet Eye wishes to make clear that this is not the case. In fact we hope Brian Coleman lives to a ripe old age. We hope that he manages to spend a good few years of his dotage in full possession of his faculties, enjoying the best quality care the privatised social care system, courtesy of Barnet Council, can provide, enjoying the fruits of his career. Nothing makes me smile more than the thought of our Brian saying to one of the lovely staff on minimum wages "I used to be the Mayor of Barnet, you know" as they reply "Yes dear, now eat up your boiled egg and cabbage".
Showing posts with label Social care in Barnet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Social care in Barnet. Show all posts
Saturday, 14 May 2011
Thursday, 17 March 2011
Barnet Council - legionella outbreak in Catalyst run care homes
There has been an outbreak of Legionalla in Barnet Council care homes run by Catalyst. This dangerous disease threatens the health of some of Barnets most vulnerable people. Reports reach the Barnet Eye that Barnet Council has issued an "Improvement notice" to Catalyst. This blog believes that the elderly and the infirm should be cared for with dignity and compassion. They should not be left to rot in homes where their are clear and present risks to their health. I have these questions for Barnet Council
1. Has the Nick Walkley, CEO of Barnet who gets paid £250,000 of taxpayers money to stop this sort of cock up occurring visited the homes to see for himself what is going on?
2. Has Leader of the Council, Lynne Hillan Visited the homes to see what is going on?
3. Has the Deputy CEO of the Council, who is a Contractor (on £17,000 a month) , Mr A Travers visited the homes to see what is going on?
4. Have any of the £1,500 a day consultants, who are recommending privatisation for the rest of the council, visited the homes to see what happens when their plans are implemented in the real world?
5. Does Barnet Council include issues like Health & Safety in the contract monitoring process? If not why not? If yes when were these last reviewed?
6. Are risk assessments on health & safety carried out in all of the settings?
7. As part of the contract monitoring by Barnet Council are these risk assessments reviewed? If not why not? If yes when were they last reviewed?
8. As part of good safeguarding practice have other residential care homes provided by Catalyst and Fremantle been informed about the outbreak and if so have the checks been carried out in those settings?
9. What was the cause of this outbreak and what controls have been put in place to secure the safety of the residents, staff and visitors?
10. Was a risk assessment carried out after the Legionella bacteria was discovered? If yes, what did it say and what control measures were put in place? If not why not?
And lastly, one final question. Does the fact that the most vulnerable people in Barnet are being put at risk, whilst the pockets of shareholders of private companies are being lined make me feel utterly sick (CAtalyst have just settled for an extra £10 million in fees from Barnet in a case brought because their profits were too low)? I can answer this question - Yes
1. Has the Nick Walkley, CEO of Barnet who gets paid £250,000 of taxpayers money to stop this sort of cock up occurring visited the homes to see for himself what is going on?
2. Has Leader of the Council, Lynne Hillan Visited the homes to see what is going on?
3. Has the Deputy CEO of the Council, who is a Contractor (on £17,000 a month) , Mr A Travers visited the homes to see what is going on?
4. Have any of the £1,500 a day consultants, who are recommending privatisation for the rest of the council, visited the homes to see what happens when their plans are implemented in the real world?
5. Does Barnet Council include issues like Health & Safety in the contract monitoring process? If not why not? If yes when were these last reviewed?
6. Are risk assessments on health & safety carried out in all of the settings?
7. As part of the contract monitoring by Barnet Council are these risk assessments reviewed? If not why not? If yes when were they last reviewed?
8. As part of good safeguarding practice have other residential care homes provided by Catalyst and Fremantle been informed about the outbreak and if so have the checks been carried out in those settings?
9. What was the cause of this outbreak and what controls have been put in place to secure the safety of the residents, staff and visitors?
10. Was a risk assessment carried out after the Legionella bacteria was discovered? If yes, what did it say and what control measures were put in place? If not why not?
And lastly, one final question. Does the fact that the most vulnerable people in Barnet are being put at risk, whilst the pockets of shareholders of private companies are being lined make me feel utterly sick (CAtalyst have just settled for an extra £10 million in fees from Barnet in a case brought because their profits were too low)? I can answer this question - Yes
Thursday, 5 August 2010
Allowancegate : Barnet is Cutting Social Care to pay for Hillans pay rise
Late last night I received an email from a staunch Barnet Tory. This was from someone who's family have been involved with the Tory party in Barnet for years, hosted fundraising events, helping out at elections, the sort of stuff which makes the party work.
My correspondent was livid. They have a friend who is a social worker.The friend was telling them that they had received instructions from Barnet Council, their employer. The jist of these is that Barnet Council are now going to only fund backup services where it is critical. They are looking to reduce contact hours with clients, to the bare minimum legally permitted.
I have a few names to remind Barnet Council of Baby P, Victoria Columbie ..... All of these children died as a result of failures of social services. Whenever cost cutting collides with social care, the result is that people die. Vulnerable people. Children. The elderly. The sick. The infirm. Care packages are put together by medical professionals. When these are cut by officials with titles such as "reviewing officers" it is patently clear that the actual needs of vulnerable people are being neglected.
If a home visit is deemed necessary three times a day, if a reviewing officer cuts this and then the well being of the person is effected in a detrimental manner, Barnet Council is guilty of negligence. I urge the friends, relatives, neighbours of anyone who is receives social care from Barnet Council to ask for a written justification for any changes to the social welfare package. Agree to nothing until this has happened, threaten legal action if need be. If the changes result in accident, injury, stress related illness or death, then sue Barnet Council for negligence. I would also urge anyone who has a relative who is affected by cuts to contact BARNET UNISON. They will be most happy to help as well.
You know what makes me sick about this. Lynne Hillan used to be in charge of the Social Services portfolio at Barnet Council. She was there when they outsourced the Meals on Wheels contract to Sodexho, resulting in many elderly people, including my own mum, not getting their meals. She knows first hand what the effects of these changes are. She doesn't care at all.
What does she care about at Barnet Council. Well she cares quite a lot about increasing her allowances. She used the party whip to ensure that, not only were these protected, but they were massively increased. She's happy to vote herself a massive pay rise, whilst cutting care to the most desperately needy in Barnet.
I've been fighting these cuts as best I can from my blog. We've done well to make this a big issue locally. I can't do this on my own. I'm imploring all of you to really start fighting back. Keep sending the letters to the local paper, contact your councillors. If you work for Barnet join a Union. If you get your care cut, threaten legal action. If you are a blogger, write a blog today saying it's unacceptable. If you are a retired blogger, like Status Quo have one more reunion tour. I am imploring any workers of Barnet Council who have received letters telling them to cut services to the people of Barnet. If they contain no personal detail , then Scan them. Email them to me. I won't put any details that can identify you, but I will fight your corner. I've already seen a couple and they make me sick - CLICK HERE TO EMAIL ME. Please do not send any that contain specific information about individuals, only ones which detail non specific changes to the system. If the letters contain specific details, which are private and you want me to know, just send me a potted summary in an email. Together we can make a change.
My correspondent was livid. They have a friend who is a social worker.The friend was telling them that they had received instructions from Barnet Council, their employer. The jist of these is that Barnet Council are now going to only fund backup services where it is critical. They are looking to reduce contact hours with clients, to the bare minimum legally permitted.
I have a few names to remind Barnet Council of Baby P, Victoria Columbie ..... All of these children died as a result of failures of social services. Whenever cost cutting collides with social care, the result is that people die. Vulnerable people. Children. The elderly. The sick. The infirm. Care packages are put together by medical professionals. When these are cut by officials with titles such as "reviewing officers" it is patently clear that the actual needs of vulnerable people are being neglected.
If a home visit is deemed necessary three times a day, if a reviewing officer cuts this and then the well being of the person is effected in a detrimental manner, Barnet Council is guilty of negligence. I urge the friends, relatives, neighbours of anyone who is receives social care from Barnet Council to ask for a written justification for any changes to the social welfare package. Agree to nothing until this has happened, threaten legal action if need be. If the changes result in accident, injury, stress related illness or death, then sue Barnet Council for negligence. I would also urge anyone who has a relative who is affected by cuts to contact BARNET UNISON. They will be most happy to help as well.
You know what makes me sick about this. Lynne Hillan used to be in charge of the Social Services portfolio at Barnet Council. She was there when they outsourced the Meals on Wheels contract to Sodexho, resulting in many elderly people, including my own mum, not getting their meals. She knows first hand what the effects of these changes are. She doesn't care at all.
What does she care about at Barnet Council. Well she cares quite a lot about increasing her allowances. She used the party whip to ensure that, not only were these protected, but they were massively increased. She's happy to vote herself a massive pay rise, whilst cutting care to the most desperately needy in Barnet.
I've been fighting these cuts as best I can from my blog. We've done well to make this a big issue locally. I can't do this on my own. I'm imploring all of you to really start fighting back. Keep sending the letters to the local paper, contact your councillors. If you work for Barnet join a Union. If you get your care cut, threaten legal action. If you are a blogger, write a blog today saying it's unacceptable. If you are a retired blogger, like Status Quo have one more reunion tour. I am imploring any workers of Barnet Council who have received letters telling them to cut services to the people of Barnet. If they contain no personal detail , then Scan them. Email them to me. I won't put any details that can identify you, but I will fight your corner. I've already seen a couple and they make me sick - CLICK HERE TO EMAIL ME. Please do not send any that contain specific information about individuals, only ones which detail non specific changes to the system. If the letters contain specific details, which are private and you want me to know, just send me a potted summary in an email. Together we can make a change.
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