News

“My Support Choices”, the new portal for information and advice about adult social care and community services in Southwark was launched on 10 December at the John Harvard Library in Borough. The launch was attended by a group of service users, voluntary sector representatives, Susanna White, Sarah McClinton and Councillor Dora Dixon-Fyle. Those attending had the opportunity to see a demonstration  of the system and then use it for themselves, and “My Support Choices” was very well received.

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Councils responsible for social care inEnglandwill have £1.5bn taken out of their budgets next year, the government has said.

The cut - detailed in the draft local government funding settlement – represent a 3.3% reduction in councils’ “spending power”, a figure calculated by the government, which takes into account total funding fromWhitehall and local sources such as council tax.

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Nearly half of cancers diagnosed in the UK each year – over 130,000 in total – are caused by avoidable life choices including smoking, drinking and eating the wrong things, a review reveals.

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I’m am pleased to let you know that at separate meetings last week, both the Crossroads Care and The Princess Royal Trust for Carers boards voted in favour of continuing to work together in order to progress with the merger.

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One year after the government committed millions of extra funding for England’s five million unpaid carers, new research shows that spending on carers by Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) has fallen by £2.4m this year.

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Report for Mind charity calls for ‘culture of service and hospitality’ in place of dirty wards and lack of respect for patients

Patients using acute mental health services are often treated inhumanely by staff, and have to endure dirty wards, undue use of force, and a “lack of respect bordering on rudeness”, according to a report by an inquiry for Mind.

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Only a quarter of Brits would reach out to friends when in serious need

Just over a quarter of the public (26%) would be likely to ask for help from friends if they needed assistance washing and eating, according to a YouGov survey on the limits of friendship, commissioned by The Princess Royal Trust for Carers (The Trust) to launch a new Facebook app, Who Cares?

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Hi I am June, I am the Chair of Southwark Carers and have been in post since December 2010, when David Le Bon stepped down due to ill health. I am a carer for a friend and in the past was for many years a carer for my husband. I have been a member of the management committee since 2005. I am passionate about Carers and their rights and am always willing to listen to your concerns and issues, I can be contacted on june.hollands@southwarkcarers.org.uk

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Many of you will know that there have been proposals for real change in social care. Our social care system is struggling to cope with demand, resulting in ever narrowing criteria, leaving many people unsupported.

The Dilnot Commission has suggested changes which would be positive. However, it is far from clear whether the Government will step up and push these through.

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South London and Maudsley NHS Trust are hosting an event to illustrate what mental health services are available to you.