Dereliction of Duty and Why Jeremy Corbyn is our last chance for Democracy.

Our government was in dereliction of its duty to its electorate to call a referendum on the terms it did.

They, and successive governments had for years, encouraged the media to manipulate the public to believe the UK’s problems were largely because of Europe,and not government policies, and then risked Brexit without  an exit strategy.

Gove/Boris than hoodwinked the public,never thinking, with the Scottish and Northern Irish vote, that they would achieve BREXIT.

So along with Cameron, they to were in dereliction of their duty to the electorate, and  Country , and worse, did not even have a basic plan in place, for the country’s exit.

Jeremy Corbyn has always personally, been against membership of the EU, but was forced by his ‘leadership’ role, and his own belief in the democracy of his MPs, to hold a Remain campaign .

As it appears now, going against the majority of his Labour supporters .

His reward – his own MPs used his support of them, against him.

Ironically, doing what they wanted, which appears to be how they interpret  ‘Leadership’, is now the Labour MPs’ excuse, his ineffectual leadership shown by Brexit vote, to declare no confidence in his leadership.

Most would call this objectively, hypocritical  bullying.

And  in dereliction of these MPs’ duty to their Country and Constituents.

And, doubly unfair on Mr Corbyn, as he was forced to campaign Remain, as the Leader of the Opposition, that Opposition knowing  that this was largely against the members of its own party, who had elected  Corbyn to represent them only 9 months earlier, and, Mr Corbyn’s own personal beliefs.

It is the Labour MPs, who do not truly represent their constituents, not Jeremy Corbyn, he would have been a Brexit supporter had he been allowed to be, and has the public vote..

So the government, opposition, and the very Brexits themselves, had no plan in place, even in respect to when the exit should be triggered, let alone the unravelling of all the EU laws, and counteracting the affect on employment and our economy.

And thus, they made the UK ,the laughing stock of the world..

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/brexit-eu-referendum-campaigners-there-is-no-plan-next-pm-tory-leadership-contest-a7104711.html

And the UK and public now, and for a long time to come must pay the price for their manipulation and reckless disregard.

But our ruling elite are unaccountable, no matter how deceitful, or incompetent.

As we have seen from our ‘no weapons of mass destruction Blair’, and our ‘ending boom and bust Chancellor’.

The referendum stands for the public’s dissatisfaction with the way our country is being run, this must be resolved, if we are to regain our country, and its democracy.

It cannot, and will not be resolved, by merely leaving the EU, as the polices that the Referendum vote was against, are those of Gove/Boris and the Tory government.

So a new Brexit PM such as Gove/ Boris will achieve nothing.

We need a Prime Minister that represents the majority of the Brexit electorate’s policies in England and Wales.

And not the interests of the establishment and our non representative MPs.

That Prime Minster can only be Jeremy Corbyn, as he is the only person elected by the majority of the people , not MPs and the establishment.

And the only person that can unite the country and restore democracy.

Legislative and Political Gerrymandering?

As I wake today we have a zombie, resigned, but not gone Prime Minster, a vote of no confidence in the opposition leader and half the Shadow Cabinet resigning.

Why ?

Because a resounding England and Wales voted to leave the EU.

Against the direction of both their Parliamentary representatives.

With a graphic illustration that our United Kingdom is anything but.

So what does this tell us about our political representatives?

They do not represent the people. And proves what we have known for years ,we have no democracy.

But why were the people given the power to expose this fundamental defect in our constitution ?

Why was a referendum really called ?

Gerrymandering.

And Parliament has now been hoisted by its own petard.

At great expense to our reputation, financial markets and political governance.

We were lead to believe the referendum was needed to quell the Tory rebels and hear the people’s voice.

It would not have been called, if the establishment had known the people’s voice would be so loud and be its own.

The government was manipulating, as it did with the Scottish Independence Referendum, that almost shouted loud enough, but luckily did what the government wanted, and secured a Tory majority.

This time the bet did not pay off.

Boris and Nigel were supposed to almost lead the country to victory, leaving Cameron mortally wounded, the EU scared and ripe for fresh negotiations ,and glory for Gove, Nigel and Boris, put in prime, popular position for a further 5 year Tory majority government.

As with the Mental Capacity Act and Carers Act, not only does our legislative not do what it says on the tin, neither do our politicians.

But this time their manipulation went too far, and the referendum has revealed, as we all know, our government does not care about us or our country.

Both are pawns in their games.

Safeguarding Taskforce and Rip off Agency Social Workers

A huge recruitment drive is underway to man the Task Force of intervention of the newly formed ‘adult focused safeguarding service’.

5 temporary social worker vacancies appeared in just 2 weeks in the Simply Hired site.

The Indeed website shows 1876 new jobs in Adult Safeguarding, and 879 in Adult Social Worker, more in Reed Health and Social Care and other agencies, and 3 month contracts for  Adult Social Worker Assistant specialised in writing assessments and reports.

http://www.simplyhired.co.uk/job/qualified-social-worker-adult-south-tyneside-job/swiis-health-social-care/i6whgq7cqp?cid=dhlqprlruhnwakaevyeidaihxuvrjsgu

Why are cash strapped LAs using recruitment agencies allowed to take huge cuts, to simply recruit itinerant staff ?.

http://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/social-work-assistant/29881576?utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=Social_Carees,

And often advertise on behalf of yet another agency,, like Capita Social Care Resources etc who get another cut.

http://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/adult-safeguarding/29891113?utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=Social_Care

Worse still these agencies, Reed , Capita are actually employing temporary social workers and claiming more then half the social workers rate for doing so.

http://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/social-worker-mash/29814032?utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=Social_Care

Social services is now increasingly expensively outsourced, with less legal accountability and continuity of service.

Reed agency Care Workers are paid £8.50 per hour ,yet Reed are paid £24 per hour by the Local Authority for their services, almost 3 times what the worker is paid.

For what?

Recruiting, a days induction and the administration of providing the service.

A similar arrangement,, will be applicable to the outsourced social workers .

At £25 per hour that could mean £100 per hour for agency social workers.

Such is the rip off vulturistic privatisation of our social services, and betrayal of those most in need.

and on back of austerity

Qualified Social Workers are required by law for court assessments and s48 MCA applications .

The big recruitment is of temporary ,  3 month contracts, full time social workers ,’supporting established teams’, within an ‘adult focused safeguarding service’

These ad hoc, disposable Social Workers can have no professional autonomy.

Their work, is controlled and prescribed, and if they are to maintain employment they must produce ‘the required outcomes’.

Which, if the outcome is preventative safeguarding, can only be, a successful court application for eventual removal of the person in need of safeguarding.

The job description eludes to this , by the  word ‘effective’
‘effective review and monitoring of services and support’.

As little support is provided to family carers ,this is reviewing mainly family support and the affect of non existent services .

This will be within the adults family,home,

not within supported/independent living.

As Adult Services Managers, not Social Workers review residential placements.

And,as the LA commissioned these placements, these Managers risk unemployment for an unfavourable review..

So no effective regulation of residential placements by the LA exists.

As for the CQC.

Kingdom House where Thomas Rawnsley was abused and died in February 2015, is still half empty with 4 residents.

Its first ever CQC inspection was an announced one, after concerns were raised by Thomas Rawnsley’s mother just before his death, and was rated Good in all areas.

In November 2015, a second announced inspection took place and again it was rated ‘good’,10 months after a quarter of its residents ,Thomas, died in their care at a cost of over £8,500 a week.. http://www.cqc.org.uk/sites/default/files/new_reports/AAAD6725.pdf

One wonders what would be needed to force an unannounced inspection. Let alone closure/end of  commissioned  service provision.

Family assessment workers for the under 5s

http://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/family-support-assessment-worker/29814882?utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=Social_Care

http://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/family-support-assessment-worker/29814882?utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=Social_Care

http://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/adult-safeguarding/29891113?utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=Social_Care

Read the detailed, jargonised, complicated, mysterious job specification for an Adult Support Worker

http://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/adult-social-care-support-worker/29838681?utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=Social_Care

Childhood Support Services team, which are responsible for the countywide strategic, policy, commissioning and service development for universal and preventative services for children and their families.

All is now a ‘preventative service’ to remove to state care if any risk can be foreseen.

So social work, as a vocation/profession that supports those in need to remain living with families in their community no longer exists.

Social Workers are forced by funding, and government control to assessment and ‘prevent’ risk of abuse by removal to residential care,..

The government set up a Social Work Task Force and Reform Board in 2012, creating a new social work degree and required continuing education , overseen by a new education body, the College of Social Work.

‘As The ( Social Work ) Task force noted social work calls for a particular mix of analytic skills, insight, common sense, confidence, resilience, empathy and use of authority.’

The government have criticised and taken control of social work education and training.

http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2013/11/12/gove-slams-social-work-education/

Social Work Academies were set up in 2014, for newly qualified social workers which provide a year training and support and state their priority to be safeguarding children and supporting vulnerable adults.

http://www3.northamptonshire.gov.uk/councilservices/jobs/working-in-childrens-social-care/Pages/newly-qualified-social-workers.aspx

It would appear, Social Workers have lost their professional independence by employment structure, training, government policy, and funding constraints.

Hunt for Carers ?

The implementation of the Mental Capacity Act in 2007 coincided with the government’s concern for the UK’s army of unpaid carers.

Could this be, because carers care for the potential customers, that would feed the future private residential care industry, and, could now be processed through the newly created Court of Protection ?

In 2008, ‘Carers at the heart of21st Century families and community strategic vision’, was launched .

This vision was that,
‘Carers be respected as expert care partners and have access to the integrated and personalised services they need to support them in their caring role.’

Parents, sons/daughters, husbands/ wives are now ‘care partners’ with the state.

The love and care of a family member, the same as a stranger care worker only unpaid, and surveys show they do not like their new title.

Click to access Strategie_pecovatele_britanie_2014.pdf

This strategic vision was continued though two successive governments, up to the Carers Strategy Second National Action Plan 2014-2016.

And money has been fed into carer and community charities to seek out, and ‘support’ these carers.

These charities research, support via volunteers, and create ‘Care Friendly Communities’ with the help of businesses. NHS and Local Authority.

Carers UK 2014, received £181,000 from the Department of Health, for Carers Strategy, and paid £164,000 for Carers Ambassador GP Training.

GPs play a pivotal role in safeguarding adults, as they are best placed to check on carers health, including mental health, to ensure they are fit to care, as if they are not, the cared for will be at risk of abuse and/or neglect.

Carers will think their desperate chats to their GP, are confidential, and be unaware that they are being monitored ,and their GP is under a duty to spot those at risk of abuse or neglect.

Back in 2010, charity surveys already revealed 45% of carers were depressed about their finances, and 15% had turned to drink and drugs. http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2010/09/20/carers-heading-towards-crisis-point/

Six years later with benefits cut, and even less support, the position of carers can only be much much worse.

During Carers Week on June 10th, community events were held in major cities, backed by NHS/LA mayors, businesses and charities, and ,a carers action day is set for 29th November 2016.

http://www.carersweek.org/about-us

Already a 2011 census shows 5.4 million unpaid carers exist in England.

And Carers UK estimate 6,000 people a day are becoming carers.

There are 166,000 young carers between 5-17 and they have their own support charity.

Next week has been declared Learning Disability Week by Mencap  when we make a friend of the 1 .3 million ‘learning disabled’ who are another huge potential  goldmine.

https://www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/learning-disability-week-highlights-isolation-faced-by-young-people-with-learning-disabilities.aspx?utm_source=http%3a%2f%2fnews.pavpub.com%2folmgroup_prolz%2f&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=LDT+ebull+220616&utm_term=The+latest+news+from+Learning+Disability+Today&utm_content=333236&gator_td=BS8N2bdm13Hz6fy9Az3tfOM0QwdpOfFSfzpEheJfuKurR5UbscOwq9mlNWvBkdZLvW3CiybOnONhdN7j%2f69nEuUhwyxzmOLwDmQAOfTAPdrsHu5A7bUz9D77ihE6smNlaRY3nYM9RPK27PtqMT%2flHC7xcg50VCUfanicA7Kh8Q9bzAQn7Qhza3K4vk3oYVZI

Cameron sought a Private Ministers Challenge to help an estimated 670,000 dementia carers, estimated to double in the next 30 years.

Public Health life size models of dementia suffers were placed in halls of libraries and public buildings.

Those these carers care for, represent a huge source of continuing profit for the residential care industry.

And carers support, and rights have only worsened in the last 8 years.

Financially their benefits have been cut by 20%, Carers Allowance, is now down to £60.15 for 24/7 care for a week.

The only right Carers are given under the Carers Act is to a Carers Assessment, which rarely, if ever, results in any funded support for a carer.

And even when support is funded, the maximum sealing was £500 per year in 2013, before more LA budget costs .
http://php.york.ac.uk/inst/spru/pubs/2620/

The Carers Act provides, that any support for the MCA ‘incapable’, must be approved/provided by Adult Services,  allowing  safeguarding hit squads, trained for removal on safeguarding issues, to be used as the only ‘support’, as described in the next post.

Cuts have also resulted in the closing of most day centres, Respite facilities, and other lifelines for carers.

So what is the real reason for governments’ concern and the money spent assessing, soliciting and monitoring carers, particularly, as their policies have continued to remove support, finance and facilities ?

It would appear, the real agenda of ‘Care Friendly Communities’, is the same as the government that finances them.

To spy, solicit and harvest, those that need protection, and protect them, within the for profit residential care industry.

 

 

The Care Act creates an Adult Protection Service.All seeing,knowing,and powerful with total unaccountable power.

The Care Act 2014 puts a statutory duty on Local Authorities to protect adults merely at risk of abuse or neglect.

Section 42 contains a new duty to make inquiries if an adult with care and support needs is experiencing or is at risk of experiencing, abuse or neglect and is unable to protect himself.

So this duty to make inquiries is in respect to anyone, thought to be at risk, if thy are thought to be in need of care and support.

The Act, therefore  applies to people receiving support, and also those the state deem need support .

So applies to all old, disabled, mentally disordered, even just poor.

And the fact that it  applies even if not receiving support, is important because now due to budget cuts, LAs provide very little if any support in the family home.

The Act  provides guidance on how to spot those being abused, in Chapter 14:36 Headed:

Spotting signs of abuse and neglect.

And warns,
‘Workers must be vigilant across a wide range of services… ….GPs in particular are often well-placed to notice changes in an adult that may indicate they are being abused or neglected’.

Gone is GP/patient confidentiality

GPs  now businesses, paid by the state on their interventions.

No examples of these ‘signs’ are given, other than a Case Study of a man living alone with mental health problems , whose neighbour notified the police about domestic disturbances .

The Guidance states:

‘ a neighbour does in fact have an important role to play in identifying when an adult is at risk’.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/care-and-support-statutory-guidance/safeguarding

These vague, unknown ‘signs’, will  be assiduously sought and acted upon, safeguarding is  the only Adult Service, even if no abuse is occurring.

But not in state residential care where it is systemically well hidden.

And the Act creates a safeguarding feeding frenzy , financed by the government to the tune of £433 million, so outcomes will be expected..

http://www.scie.org.uk/care-act-2014/safeguarding-adults/adult-safeguarding-practice-questions/

Adult Social Services has been converted into a statutory Adult Protection Service similar to Child Protection .

The types of abuse and neglect are similar, left to LA discretion, as not specifically defined in the Act.

The Guide in Chapter 14 contains non-exhaustive lists of the many types of abuse and neglect in section 42 (3) (a) to (d).

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/care-and-support-statutory-guidance/safeguarding http://socialsolihull.org.uk/ssab/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Care-Act-Chapter-14-Safeguarding.pdf

And, states even a single incident of abuse, or neglect can be sufficient.

This draconian power  gives Local Authorities, is in breach of the rule of law, as the executive, too much discretion.

And allows dangerous, unpoliced interventions into every individual’s autonomy and private life.

Not only can the state decide who needs protection, BUT  how it protects them by-encagement in for profit ‘care’ for life.

And the Act provides, all officers must be up to date with their legal powers and duties, in relation to the MCA and MHA- removal to state care.

The Act also forces collaboration upon  services , even members of the public in this joint safeguarding mission.

As under the Act, Local authorities have a duty to lead a multi agency local adult safeguarding team.

This should include inter alia NHS providers, GPs, police, social services, voluntary groups, care providers, who are charged to develop, share and implement a joint safeguarding strategy.

This makes individual, or organisational independence/ autonomy impossible, and, as bodies are  lead by adult social services, safeguarding will be the priority..

A  similar cabal, already exists in the non statutory form in MASH- Multi Agency Safeguarding Hubs.

All and any information, must be shared between all agencies.

As the Act provides any relevant person, or organisation,  likely to have information , relevant to the Safeguarding team’s function must provide it as requested.

There is no definition of the type of this information, other than as ‘relevant to their function’.

And, the Act provides agencies, should have drawn up a common agreement relating to confidentiality, and the sharing of information between themselves, based on the well-being of the adult at risk of abuse or neglect.

Again no autonomy, or independence.

And this agreement should also set out in what circumstances, information will be shared without agreement .

Therefore making it impossible for a person or organisation not to disclose  information.

The Act ignores legitimate excuses for non disclosure, such as confidentiality or non-disclosure

And rides rough shod illegally, through professional confidentiality, privilege, the Data Protection Act, and Human Rights Act right to privacy.

In its explanatory notes to the Care Bill, the government said this might include a GP, who provided medical advice to an adult in respect of a safeguarding matter; a person carrying out voluntary work that brought him into contact with such an adult, or a minister of a church attended by a family member or carer of the adult.

Effectively, the government intends this duty to provide information to extend to anyone even a trusted friend, or member of the public stranger.

So gone is organisational, professional autonomy, or privilege, as is a person’s right to privacy and confidence in any, even the most personal dealings.

You cannot even hide  secret conversations from the state.

Big Brother can force their disclosure, and use them to ‘protect’ you, your relative, or friend as they feel fit.

Similar Government Guidance on Adult Safeguarding was in fact titled, ‘No Secrets ‘and the Care Act makes this guidance law.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/no-secrets-guidance-on-protecting-vulnerable-adults-in-care

The Act provides Local Authorities must arrange for a deemed ’ independent’ advocate to represent and support a person,  subject to a safeguarding inquiry or review if required.

Advocacy under the Care Act has a focus on supporting the person to be involved in the care and support ‘process’.

It is the same non existent, tick box advocacy, as by IMCAs under the Mental Capacity Act.

‘Supporting a person to understand information, express their needs and wishes, secure their rights, represent their interests, and obtain the care and support they need, regardless of the setting.’

What chance has a person deemed ‘unable to protect  himself’ against this state cabal ?

And he has no rights to advocate, either under Carers Act, or Mental Capacity Act.

The Act does not mention family members, except as potential abusers.

And warns to look out for signs, that a person suspected of being abused might be acting under duress or undue influence.

Scotland has a similar sharing scheme under the Named Person system which has recently been held illegal under the HRA by the Supreme Court.

This is terrifying stuff, a secret all knowing legalised state cabal, that can control any adult’s life, if they deem he is in need and can’t do it himself.

And who can indirectly profit from state private care over which neither the adult or his family have any control.

With no rights given to an individual or his family to oppose the LA cabal and whatever protection they decide is appropriate.

‘Safeguarding’- The Ultimate Weapon of Mass Encagement

In a series of posts, I aim to explore, what is being done with the £433 million, the government has allotted to Local Authorities to implement the Carers Act 2014.

Already, in the 6 months of the Act’s implementation, there have been a huge increase in safeguarding enquiries reported

http://www.communitycare.co.uk/2016/03/16/care-act-triggers-surge-safeguarding-caseloads/

An invincible army, is being unleashed upon, and within communities, to ‘safeguard’ anyone thought to be at risk .

But not, those at risk, in the residential homes, they are removed to.

Winterbourne View, and Thomas Rawnsley Lifeways’ abuse, will continue to worsen and, be ignored.

As the policy, is to remove to such provision for more and more profit from public funds and services.

Care home, independent and supported living residents, cannot be at risk.

As those enforcing, managing , commissioning,  training, serving, this multibillion pound residential empire are part of the ‘safeguarding’ army.

Residential care, is the means by which they ‘safeguard’.

Reed/Capita are outsourced by LAs to provide the itinerant ‘safeguarding hit squad’.

See here

http://www.reed.co.uk/jobs/adult-safeguarding/29891113?utm_source=criteo&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=Social_Care

Job advert for a safeguarding 3 month contract social worker states as follows;

To work with and assess those people with the most complex social care needs, ( autistic/LD as most profitable) enabling them to maintain or retain the highest level of independence, ( how with such needs ?) avoiding or minimising their need for intensive services or interventions. ( Residential/institutions, where there can be no interventions)

-You will undertake specific work to safeguard individuals who are identified to be at potential  ( so actual risk is not required, automatic by virtue of disability)or actual risk of harm.

-You will be responsible for ensuring that all County Adult Protection Policies are adhered to and concerns are raised in accordance with these policies

(Any ‘concerns’ to ensure the only policy is complied with- removal to residential private for profit state enforced no choice care for life ).

No one can escape, the Big Brother eyes, all the caring community charities and volunteers, data bases, MASH, GPs, and, no one will even be aware their desperate confidences are being shared with all.

http://www.scie.org.uk/care-act-2014/safeguarding-adults/sharing-information/barriersandsolutions.asp

The Carers Act 2014, is the tool,

The Social Care institute for Excellence, the engine house

The Local Authority, the enforcer,

The court, the rubber stamper..
http://www.scie.org.uk/care-act-2014/index

The Age of the Scavanger,is furiously upon us, https://finolamoss.wordpress.com/2015/02/13/the-age-of-the-scavenger/

And, ‘safeguarding’ is the invincible weapon .

It encompasses, all possible ‘risk’, emotional, sexual, neglect, environmental ie housing, maintenance, cleaning safety risks- with no support, and no funds for household equipment..

How could anyone in need not be at risk, particularly, if, their Local Authority, is not funding support at home ?

The old, disabled, disordered, even the neglected lonely can be taken.

For their own protection, to a place, where no one can hear, see or protect them

The Real Reason Why Kids are in Crisis- Its all about the money.

Josh Wills and Mathew Garnett have recently moved out of NHS assessment units.

They appear to be the only 2 so 2,998  remain now for years illegally under the MHA as this de facto cannot be ‘treatment’ particularly for life long conditions like ASD/LD which were not until MHA 09 within the MHA.

Statistics and blog on LD in ATU here

http://chrishatton.blogspot.co.uk/2016/04/state-of-independents.html

Other than in distance, are the two teenagers any closer to going home ?

Josh’s Dad, hopefully proclaimed,

‘Let him be a beacon for all other families in the same situation’.

But is he a beacon of hope?

It is three long years since Winterbourne View, countless meetings, numerous petitions, Mencap, Challanging Behaviour , Justice for LB , Hear my Voice, campaigns, a white paper, weeks of national news coverage, and documentaries.

All costing a huge amount of public money, but, did any of this, result in a single autistic/learning disabled/challanging behavioured person being any nearer to being free to live where he, and/or his family want?
No.

Did it result in the disabled, or, their family being given any rights?
No.

’Autistic boy Josh Wills goes home ‘ lead our March BBC News.

But where did he go, and, will he ever live at home again.

Josh is now 15.

When he was 12, he was removed from his parents in Cornwall, to an NHS hospital Unit in Birmingham, for a six week assessment.

This appears now  the norm, when an autistic/LD/ challanging behaviour person starts causing problems.

And, ever earlier intervention is being recommended.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/10865366/Winterbourne-View-One-autistic-boys-tragic-tale.html

As behavioural problems, are the nature of the beast, and occur in ‘ normal’ teenagers, one wonders what purpose such ‘assessments’ can serve.

Other than, an excuse, to pay the assessors, on average, £4,000 per week.

The assessment unit did not improve Josh’s behaviour.

How could it improve anyone’s behaviour, let alone, a highly stressed/frustrated/bewildered autistic adolescent’s, removed suddenly, without knowing why, from all he knew, and loved, to the strange, hostile environment of a secure hospital with strangers.

Josh continued to bang his head, and rain his fists down on his body.

This was the only way he could express, and vent his frustration, at the world he found himself in, his surging hormones, and now, encagement.

His father said,
‘ I long to see his free spirit running along the beaches and moorlands again’

So, what must a helmet, straitjacketed wrap , isolation, drugs, strangers, and a secure unit regime for 3 years, have done to this free spirited child.

Josh’s cries for help, and signs of the deepest distress, were used to severely restrict his movements, and, label him a dangerous self- harmer, and a ‘severe’ autistic .

Such done for his own protection

Such labels would also increase his funding.

Might not his ‘treatment’, and over safeguarding, have contributed to his continued, and increasing self harm ?

Was his behaviour part of an autistic phase, or hormonal so he would or could be helped to grow out of ?

Josh is now 250 miles closer to home, but no closer to apparently running helmet free on the beach and moorlands or living with his family.

How is the ‘support’ of Spectrum, different from his hospital, except for a more homely environment, location, access family, and outings ?

And why could this not have been provided instead of an ‘assessment’ Unit?

And, what purpose did this Unit serve, other than to earn at least £600,000.?

Spectrum, is a registered charity, and from its filed accounts, received £11,081,815 for 28 care contracts in 2015, commissioned jointly by NHS, LA and education.

One employee is paid between £160,000-170,000 a year.

Click to access 0001026475_AC_20150331_E_C.pdf

On this basis Spectrum are likely to be paid £392,000 per annum, tax free for Josh’s care.

With tax concessions, that is nearing half a million.

In 2015 Managers were paid £781,612, workers £66,761

Would it not have been better to extend Josh’s real home and provide support within it, three years earlier, or even now ?

In less, than 3 years  Josh will be 18.

Again he will be ‘assessed’ this time as likely to be ‘incapable’ of making any decision, under the MCA ,and his parents will lose all rights over him.

Unless the government decide to make him a real beacon of hope Josh will never go home.

Why have only Josh, and Mathew Garnett,apparently been allowed out of NHS assessment units ?

Could it be, because they are under 18  and cannot be made subject to MCA proceedings, and their parents can still act on their behalf ?

As they did when they petitioned, which would not be possible under an MCA gag.

And, also because indefinite ‘treatment’ is illegal under MHA, particularly, if not working .

At 15, Mathew Garnett went for the usual 6 week assessment ,and never came home.
He again was a troubled adolescent.

He again was autistic, and, had been given more labels- ADHD, anxiety disorder ( both presentations of autism). http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/mar/17/secure-mental-health-unit-matthew-garnett-autism

After 7 months of assessment, petition and press cover, Mathew has been given a new ‘home’, in St Andrews Hospital in Northampton.

How will Mathew’s ‘treatment’ in St Andrews, differ from, that in his NHS hospital, other than, it is a private charity, whose managers, earn nearly a million in recycled profits, paid for by the NHS

.https://finolamoss.wordpress.com/2015/08/01/st-andrews-healthcares-recycled-income/

See the Dispatches Channel 4 ‘Under Lock and Key’ for the treatment of Mathew costing at least £8,000 per week.

And why cannot this ‘treatment’ be provided at home ?

It is hard not to come to the sad conclusion, that, Josh and Mathews’ moves were a PR exercise to make it appear, that something was being done for  the many ‘kids in crisis’, and, an excuse to transfer public money into private recycled profit making corporations, known as charities.

Josh and Mathew and thousands more, will never return home.

Here is why, they are worth too much, as this exert, not behind a pay wall, of an article in For Healthcare Leaders HSJ shows;

Private sector gets boost from mental health commissioning freeze (HSJ: 17 February 2016)

NHS England’s moratorium on commissioning new specialised mental health services helped deliver new demand and a return to real terms growth for independent providers, according to new research.

Market analysts LaingBuisson’s report, shared exclusively with HSJ, also says moving away from block contracts could help open up the mental health sector to more independent providers.

The analysis says independent providers of mental health beds are “enjoying robust demand” with growth back up to an average of 4 per cent a year in the last three years, although profitability has been affected by austerity measures since 2008.

NHS demand for private sector beds, which LaingBuisson estimates accounts for 87 per cent of independent mental health care providers’ revenue, is subject to “ebb and flow” as NHS commissioners turn to private sector beds to meet capacity shortfalls.
The report says:

“The demand ‘tide’ has been flowing in favour of independent mental health hospitals in the last few years essentially because of constraints on NHS in-house capacity as a result of an NHS England moratorium on commissioning of new capacity (for centrally commissioned specialised services).” .

Not on their effectiveness or wishes of the patients or their family.

 

Thomas Rawnsley’s Death – The Final Inhumanity

Paula Rawnsley, posted a description of the night Thomas died, in the IamThomas Facebook site.

That was 16 long months ago, and Paula is still no nearer to finding out, what happened to her 20 year old fit son, and, why, or how he died, in his enforced, private venture capital backed supported living .

It is residential provision, like Thomas’, that is now,  heralded by all, as the answer, to both the Winterbourne View abuse, and the thousands living in Adult Treatment Units.

Paula’s words speak for themselves.

And, speak volumes, of what our society has become, and how it treats its people, particularly, pure souls like Thomas, even in death.

‘A lady, who appeared to be lovely, came to talk to us about organ donation, which we agreed to as a family very quickly, after all, anyone who got Thomas’ heart would be extremely blessed!!!!

The lovely lady, said she would pull the curtains around his bed, because there were three other patients, all conscious, on the ward. She said she would move Thomas’ bed against the wall, so one of us could lay with him, if we so wished, and she, personally, would come and take some hand prints from Thomas.

After she left ,to give our family some time to think, and decide what time we wanted to say our goodbyes, we started talking about how we had no idea what had happened to Thomas, and, of course, we couldn’t donate his organs, because there would have to be a post mortem.

I told the, seemingly, nice lady this, and she just left, never to be seen again!!!

Another lady turned up wearing her coat, and hurriedly took some hand prints quite roughly, and pressing Thomas’ hand, so hard to the extent my eldest daughter Becky suggested she be more gentle with her brother only to be met with the response

“you do know he’s already dead?”

And then she too left. The prints were later posted to my address, but they were addressed to someone I’ve never heard of. Luckily they were Thomas’ prints, I’d know his cute and chubby little fingers anywhere.

Nothing else was done as promised!!

We chose straight after visiting hours, so apart from the other patients, nobody else could intrude on our grief ,but one family stayed, arguing amongst themselves very loudly and aggressively around the bed opposite Thomas’ and adding greatly to our stress.

I was assuming Thomas’ nurse would ask them to leave and maybe explain why, but no. He was too busy complaining about how sore his feet were because he’d worn shoes that were too tight, so after the family finally had enough of screaming at each other and left, we just told the nurse it was time.

We sat and watched my beautiful, amazing, and misunderstood boy’s heart stop beating, his shoulders shudder for a few seconds, and his healthy pink colour quickly disappear to be replaced by a mottled blue.

We all kissed him, and then looked at each other not knowing what to do, so we just left to travel back to Bradford in silence, then all went our separate ways.

Nobody spoke to us, nobody suggested what to expect next, there were no words of comfort!!’