Council fends off High Court challenge over day centre closure – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 14th, 2014 in appeals, care homes, consultations, learning difficulties, local government, news by tracey

‘A High Court judge has rejected a judicial review challenge to a local authority’s decision to close a day centre for adults with a learning disability.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 13th January 2014

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Hillcroft nursing home care workers jailed for abusing elderly residents – The Guardian

‘Three nursing home staff have been jailed and a fourth given a community sentence for tormenting and abusing elderly residents with dementia, actions described by the trial judge as “gratuitous sport at the expense of vulnerable victims”.’

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The Guardian, 10th January 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Parkside Nursing Home deaths: Police to review evidence – BBC News

Posted January 10th, 2014 in care homes, care workers, disciplinary procedures, elderly, evidence, news by tracey

‘Police are to review evidence given at a tribunal after five “severely” neglected patients died in two weeks at a Northampton home.’

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BBC News, 9th January 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Regina (Members of the Committee of Care North East Northumberland) v Northumberland County Council – WLR Daily

Posted November 29th, 2013 in care homes, fees, law reports, local government, social services by sally

Regina (Members of the Committee of Care North East Northumberland) v Northumberland County Council [2013] WLR (D) 460

“The Court of Appeal gave guidance as to how to assess whether a local authority had (i) complied with its statutory duty to provide accommodation and social care services to adults in its area who, by reason of age, illness, disability or any other circumstances, were in need of care and attention which was not otherwise available to them, and (ii) followed guidance contained in a local authority circular, by having ‘due regard’ to the actual costs of providing care and other local factors.”

WLR Daily, 27th November 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

‘Disturbingly poor care is too common in NHS’, says chairman of Mid-Staffs inquiry – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 28th, 2013 in care homes, health, hospitals, inquiries, news, reports by tracey

‘Reports of “disturbing, poor and unsafe care” in the NHS have become too   common, the chairman of the inquiry into Mid-Staffs has said, as he called   on hospitals to learn from the mistakes of previous scandals. Robert Francis QC, newly appointed as president of the Patients Association,   spoke as the charity exposed a catalogue of hospital and care home failings.’

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Daily Telegraph, 28th November 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Anger as Catholic orphanage abuse inquiry ends – BBC News

Posted November 8th, 2013 in care homes, child abuse, inquiries, news, police by tracey

“Former residents of a Catholic orphanage who claim they suffered physical and sexual abuse have expressed anger at a police decision to end an inquiry into the allegations.”

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BBC News, 7th November 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Human rights – coming to a private care home near you? – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 29th, 2013 in bills, care homes, disabled persons, elderly, news by sally

“The amendment, moved by Lord Low of Dalston and supported by Lord Lester of Herne Hill QC and Lord Pannick QC, makes clear that a person who provides regulated ‘social care’ is to be taken for the purposes of subsection 6(3)(b) of the Human Rights Act 1998 to be exercising a function of a public nature.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 28th October 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Vulnerable elderly ‘locked out’ of state-funded care despite reforms, study finds – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 23rd, 2013 in benefits, budgets, care homes, carers, charities, elderly, local government, news by tracey

“Hundreds of thousands of frail elderly and disabled people who need help with basic tasks such as washing and dressing will receive no assistance towards the cost of their care, despite Government reforms, experts have warned.”

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd October 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Orchid View scandal: Whistle-blowing inquiry call – BBC News

“Ministers must launch an inquiry into how whistle-blowers are treated in the wake of the Orchid View care home scandal, MP Charlotte Leslie has said.”

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BBC News, 20th October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Orchid View inquest: Home riddled by ‘institutional abuse’ – BBC News

Posted October 18th, 2013 in care homes, elderly, inquests, news, whistleblowers by tracey

“A care home where 19 residents died was riddled with ‘institutionalised abuse’, a coroner has said.”

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BBC News, 18th October 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Middle classes who pay for care could get more rights – Daily Telegraph

Posted October 17th, 2013 in care homes, elderly, human rights, news by sally

“Hundreds of thousands of middle class elderly people may be protected under human rights laws for the first time after a vote in the House of Lords last night.”

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Daily Telegraph, 17th October 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Birmingham branded ‘national disgrace’ for child protection failures – The Guardian

“Vulnerable children are being let down by councils with ineffective and incompetent leadership, according to the Ofsted chief inspector, who singled out Birmingham as a ‘national disgrace’.”

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The Guardian, 15th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Six years, three judges, £350,000 in costs to the taxpayer… and no change: Judge hits out at ‘astonishing’ cost of Court of Protection case – The Independent

“A High Court Judge has hit out at the ‘astonishing’ cost of a six year legal battle in the Court of Protection which ended today after all parties agreed a woman should stay in care.”

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The Independent, 11th October 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Child care home rules ‘may have helped paedophiles’ – BBC News

Posted September 13th, 2013 in care homes, children, news, regulations, reports, sexual offences by tracey

“”Absurd” secrecy rules applying to children in care homes may have helped paedophiles target them, Education Secretary Michael Gove has said.”

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BBC News, 13th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Council guilty of safety breach after woman falls into drain at care home – Local Government Lawyer

Posted September 11th, 2013 in care homes, costs, elderly, fines, health & safety, news, ombudsmen, personal injuries by tracey

“A council has been fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs after an 82-year-old vulnerable woman was injured in a fall at one of its care homes.”

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Local Government Lawyer, 10th September 2013

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Nursing home inquest: Tea scalding ruled out as causing death of Margaret Young – The Independent

Posted August 30th, 2013 in care homes, duty of care, inquests, medical treatment, news by sally

“Coroner rules that wound was caused by cellulitis infection, not hot drink, and that there was no evidence 73-year-old would have survived if different action was taken.”

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The Independent, 29th August 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Record numbers of care homes warned over illegally poor standards – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 20th, 2013 in care homes, elderly, news, quality assurance by tracey

“More than 900 notices have been issued by the health watchdog in the past
year, indicating that institutions could be closed or prosecuted without
urgent action to improve standards.”

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Daily Telegraph, 19th August 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

 

Regina v Turbill; Regina v Broadway – WLR Daily

Posted July 16th, 2013 in appeals, care homes, jury directions, law reports, negligence, wilful neglect by sally

Regina v Turbill; Regina v Broadway [2013] WLR (D) 279

“Where a defendant who had the care of someone who lacked capacity was charged with an offence of wilful neglect it was necessary for the prosecution to prove that the negligence was wilful in that either the defendant was aware of the consequences of the negligence or could not care less as to the consequences.”

WLR Daily, 12th July 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

‘Gutting’ of Jillings child abuse report angers victims – The Guardian

“A decision to continue to withhold crucial details from a damning report on widespread abuse in children’s homes has been strongly criticised by victims, lawyers and child protection experts.”

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The Guardian, 8th July 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

North Wales care abuse: Jillings report published after 17 years – BBC News

“A report written 17 years ago into claims of abuse at children’s homes in north Wales in the 1970s and 1980s has been published.”

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BBC News, 8th July 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk