The Prime Minister has announced plans to reform Britain’s social care in a three-stage plan for a national care service.

In a podcast, Gordon Brown said the Government will be setting out the route to a national care service that will benefit every family in the country meaning a much better deal for our older people.

• Listen to the podcast

The reforms will be introduced on three stages starting with a “radical overhaul” of care in the home which will help more of our old people cope longer at home.

Secondly, building up the care service, so that people who have been in care homes for more than two years will get their care for free.

And thirdly, paving the way towards the introduction of a comprehensive national care service available to all.

The PM said:

“Our current care and support system is no longer adequate for these challenges we see ahead. It cannot meet all our needs, nor match our aspirations. And if left unchanged, it would not cope with the extra demand in years to come.

Our answer is bold, ambitious reform to create a system firmly rooted in the proudest traditions of our national health service: personal care, there for you when you need it.”

Lambeth and Southwark are joining forces to promote dance through the Lambeth and Southwark dance network. The dance network has been developed to give dance artists, companies and teachers living and working in both boroughs the opportunity to engage with each other, share ideas and develop partnerships. The network enables the exchange of information and offers support to anyone involved or interested in dance.

Big Dance 2010 is a biennial celebration of dance and dancing, with nine days of dance events in unusual places throughout London, such as shops, parks, galleries and museums, showcasing the diversity of dance styles and attractions from 3 to 11 July. The aim of big dance is to encourage people to get into dance, increase fitness levels and generate a legacy of dance for all.

For more info and application forms

The Carers Poverty Alliance has been active for over 2 years and has successfully organised a Carers Poverty Protest in both 2009 and 2010 when many Carer Groups worked together towards a single goal, that of the first ever Carers Poverty Protest in London and Edinburgh, simultaneously.

Starting off a the Carers Poverty Protest group, after the 2009 protest proved to be successful that all concerned wished to continue in bringing Carer issues to the fore and so the Carers Poverty Alliance came into being.

Their aims are to keep up the pressure for Financial and Social freedom from poverty for Carers, the only group of people who have to fight on all fronts every day of their lives for the most basic of necessities.

Carers have almost no chance of improving their circumstances due to the limitations placed on them by the benefits system and by the lack of affordable, reliable and approriate respite.

Carers save the NHS, the Government and the tax payer over £87 billion every year.

For more information about the Carers Poverty Alliance click here

To join the CPA Facebook group click here

NHS Lambeth and NHS Southwark have agreed to integrate with Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust to become part of King’s Health Partners.

The three organisations will now work together to engage with patients, stakeholders and the public before formal integration takes place in April 2011.

Community health involves services such as district nursing, health visiting, reproductive and sexual health, school nursing, specialist child health, elderly care and therapies such as physiotherapy and occupational therapy. These services are provided in GP surgeries, health centres, schools, children’s centres, patient’s homes and residential and nursing homes.

Are you a local parent carer of a child or young person with a learning difficulty, disability or additional need?

Southwark Parent Carers’ Council is a growing group of parents and carers of children with learning difficulties and additional needs. They aim to represent the views of parents and carers in discussions with local authority and, through this, to influence the way local services are delivered to our children.

Their website has lots of information on services and events for disabled children. You can also join the online parent forum where you can find answers to questions, start a topic of discussion or browse for information.

To access the site click this link.

London Councils have advised us that through negotiation with Transport for London and the Association of Train Operating Companies, they have secured an agreement to allow the old style Freedom Passes to work as flash cards for a further two months as they will no longer work on the card readers after the 31^st of March 2010.

Freedom Pass holders who are waiting for their new pass to arrive will therefore still be able to travel. The old style passes will be accepted on all London buses, Tubes, trams and trains when shown to the ticket inspector or driver.

A leaflet giving further information is attached below for your information.

Freedom Passes-leaflet (2)

Although this in effect extends the deadline to the 31^st of May 2010 for renewing Freedom Passes, please encourage all those who have not yet applied to do so immediately, to speed up the processing of their application and to help ensure they get their new pass well before the 31^st of May 2010.

There will be a general election before the end of June this year and Carers UK want to ensure that the new Government makes carers a priority from their very first day in office. Carers UK are therefore encouraging carers to do two things:

• Sign an online letter demanding a better deal for carers that will be delivered to the new Prime Minister after election.
• Join a virtual protest by sending a photo of yourself holding a large piece of paper with a slogan on it on the theme ‘What do Carers Want?’ You can then email the photo to campaigns@carersuk.org or text a phone photo to 07810 192 158.

For more information or to take part in these campaigns click this link.

Have fun, meet new people, gain new skills!

CoolTan Arts will run free arts and multimedia workshops open to all Southwark residents over 19.

Places are allocated on a first-come first-served basis. Workshops start from March and run until July 2010, and Southwark residents can attend one course of 10 hours.

To make a booking, please return the enrolment form to CoolTan Arts, along with a deposit of £10 (unemployed) or £20 (employed). Cheques need to be made payable to CoolTan Arts and will be returned upon completion of the course. Tuition is free but materials re not included.

Workshops include:

Desktop Publishing
Podcasting / Radio Production and Broadcasting
Photoshop for beginners
Basic IT
Local history
Creative writing
Poetry
Portrait drawing
Batik (small charge for materials)
Machine sewing intermediate (small charge for materials)
Screen printing (small charge for materials)

For more information please contact Clara or Kathrin at CoolTan Arts.

clara@cooltanarts.org.uk

kathrin@cooltanarts.org.uk

020 7701 2696

For the first time, it will be possible for an unpaid carer looking after a loved one to build up a full basic State Pension based entirely on National Insurance credits. The Department for Work and Pensions and Carers UK are calling on carers across the country to find out if they could benefit.

April 2010 will see the introduction of the new Carer’s Credit that will count towards their basic and second State Pension. People may not recognise the help they give, unpaid, to a disabled, ill or family member as ‘caring’ but they are being encouraged to come forward if they are looking after someone for at least 20 hours a week, as they could benefit from the new Credit.

Minister of State for Pensions and Ageing Society Angela Eagle said: “We want people to tell us if they, or people they know, are looking after somebody for more than 20 hours a week, so they benefit from this change. The State Pension is everyone’s foundation of financial security in later life and therefore, it’s only right that caring for others should be counted towards it.”

Imelda Redmond, Chief Executive of Carers UK said: “We know saving for your retirement years won’t be your priority when you suddenly find yourself caring for a loved one. But there are simple steps you can take to secure your State Pension that will protect your long-term future as you care for others.”

For more information please contact the advice and support team on 020 7708 4497

Carers Direct is planning a photography project – and they need you to get involved. They’re going to have a top professional photographer taking pictures of carers from across England.

they want to highlight the diversity of carers, who they care for, where they are and what they like to do. They hope to offer a unique and perhaps surprising picture of carers in 2010.

If you’re interested in featuring in this project please get intouch via their helpline, email or enquiry form.

Tel: 0808 802 0202