A raft of recommendations aimed at helping unpaid carers manage on a day to day basis, were approved by Devon County Council’s Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee. The committee, which took place last Thursday (12 March), unanimously approved the measures, which were developed following work over a eight month period, from last summer. The review recommended 12 separate areas for action starting with central government, in a report that will now go before the Cabinet on Wednesday 8 April. I proposed the review almost two years ago when it became obvious from a carers survey[...]
The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care is set to receive a letter from Devon County Council, requesting urgent resources for adult social care services, following my proposal last week. I made the proposal at the Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee meeting, last Thursday (12 March) during an item on the council’s preparedness for Covid-19. Last week, the chancellor outlined £5bn extra funding for the NHS in the Budget, but Devon County Council’s Chief Executive, Phil Norrey, said he was not confident that adult social care would receive much, or any of that [...]
Today's news might be the most alarming of all and there will be many of you who are very worried about how you might cope in isolation for months. I know my parents are extremely anxious about this. I want to reassure people that in the Ottery area (and I know that other places are doing similar things) that I am involved in a town council linked group that has established a community network of support (still evolving) with volunteers providing shopping and telephone befriending services for people in isolation. I don't know what the next few months will bring and to be honest, I am [...]
Devon’s NHS continues to be in a financially precarious position and must make more significant cuts to operations, in order to break even by 2024. Over £400m must be slashed from Devon’s NHS by 2024, from an annual budget of £2.6bn. That’s the main message from a report that will be examined by members of Devon County Council’s Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee, next Thursday (12 March). Devon’s NHS has been in a financial hole for many years, described as being in the top three most financially challenged health areas in the country, for much of the last [...]
After two years work, today a piece of work that has been close to my heart has been published. Devon County Council's Health and Adult Care scrutiny review on unpaid carers, has recommended 12 separate areas for action, starting with central government, in a paper that will go before its committee on Thursday 12 March. I proposed the review almost two years ago when it became obvious from a carers survey I saw, that satisfaction rates are declining and unpaid carers were finding things increasingly tough. It took several committee meetings before I could get agreement for the [...]