Daily Archives: 5 Oct 2018

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5 Oct 2018

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Accountability, Accountable Care Organisation, Austerity cuts, Health and Social Care (local), Integrated Care Systems, Martin Shaw (Seaton), NHS (local), Privatisation

Community hospitals in Devon lost to nursing homes in privatisation move

“There was a staggering revelation yesterday at Health Scrutiny from Liz Davenport, Chief Executive of South Devon and Torbay NHS Foundation Trust, that they had made ‘block bookings of intermediate care beds in nursing homes’ when they introduced the ‘new model of care’. South Devon has closed community hospitals in Ashburton, Bovey Tracey, Paignton and Dartmouth and is currently consulting on the closure of Teignmouth – where I spoke at a rally last Saturday.

The ‘new model of care’ is supposed to mean more patients treated in their own homes, and there does seem to have been an increase in the numbers of patients sent straight home from the main hospitals.

But the idea that all patients can be transferred directly from acute hospitals to home is untrue. There is still a need for the stepping-down ‘intermediate care’ traditionally provided by community hospitals – the only difference is that now it’s being provided in private nursing homes instead.

It’s likely to be cheaper to use private homes, because staff don’t get NHS conditions, and crucially it frees up space in the hospitals so that the CCGs can declare buildings ‘surplus to requirements’ and claim the Government’s ‘double your money’ bonus for asset sales. It seems NEW Devon CCG has also made extensive use of nursing home beds, but we don’t yet know if there were ‘block bookings’.

However the private nursing home solution may not last – DCC’s chief social care officer, Tim Golby, reported that nursing homes are finding it difficult to keep the registered nurses they need to operate, and some are considering reversion to residential care homes.

This may be where the South Devon trust’s long term solution comes in – it had already been reported that it is looking to partner with a private company in a potential £100m deal which will include creating community hubs that contain inpatient beds.

The new model of care is also about privatisation.”

Shock revelation at Health Scrutiny suggests the ‘new model of care’ is more about switching intermediate care from community hospitals to ‘block bookings’ in private nursing homes – saving costs and freeing up assets. How long will it last?

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5 Oct 2018

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Affordable and Social Housing, Austerity cuts, Housing (local), Inequality

“CIH calls for right to buy to be suspended as discounts climb to ‘£1bn’ “

“Right to buy is costing English councils £1bn – £300m net – a year and cutting the discounts could lead to an extra 12,000 homes being built every year, a trade body has said.

Since 2012, when the discount was increased to £108,000 in London and £80,000 in the rest of the country, 69,467 homes have been sold, the Chartered Institute of Housing revealed in a briefing paper on Tuesday.

But construction has only started on 18,958 to replace those homes sold, the CIH calculated.

The housing body is calling for the policy to be suspended and for the government instead to invest in building more social homes for rent.

Terrie Alafat, CIH chief executive, said: “Not only are we failing to build enough new homes for social rent, we are losing them at a time when we need them more than ever.

“Suspending the scheme means the government could invest the savings in more homes for social rent – which is often the only truly affordable option for people on lower incomes – and also in fairer and more cost-effective ways to help tenants access home ownership.”

CIH research from January found that more than 150,000 social homes for rent in total had been lost between 2012 and 2017 due to right to buy and other factors. It estimated this figure will reach 230,000 by 2020 unless “we take action now”, Alafat said.

Council leaders warned earlier this year that just one third of councils were able to replace homes sold under the scheme in five years’ time.

The Local Government Association called for “fundamental reform” of the scheme and for councils to be allowed to borrow in order to build new homes….”

https://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2018/10/cih-calls-right-buy-be-suspended-discounts-climb-ps1bn

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5 Oct 2018

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Accountability, Cranbrook, EDDC, Police (local)

“Town council requests neighbourhood beat manager to bring an end to anti social behaviour in Cranbrook”

“The authority has been dealing with several issues in Cranbrook, including anti-social driving in the town’s railway station car park and unruly behaviour at night from youths.

Cranbrook is currently under the responsibility of Ottery’s rural policing team.

A spokeswoman for Cranbrook Town Council said: “The existing local policing team do a great job and we work very well together with them. Our request is to enhance that team as Cranbrook grows. This is because, firstly, our current policing team covers a very wide area and, secondly, during the last six years Cranbrook has grown from green fields to a town with a population of over 4,000 residents.

“Like most towns of a similar size a police presence is required to ensure the safety of the residents and to deal with any misbehaviour which occurs.”

The council said a neighbourhood beat manager would ‘quickly understand’ the day-to-day issues facing residents, and have a deterrent effect on those thinking of taking part in anti-social or criminal activities.

They would also reassure the majority of our residents that help is close at hand if and when required. The spokeswoman added: “Although we experience a low level of antisocial behaviour as evidenced in our crime statistics, it is important to remember that victims are at the heart of the response to antisocial behaviour. If left unchecked, antisocial behaviour can have an overwhelming impact on its victims and sometimes the wider community.

“Our main concern is that, as the town continues to grow, the number of incidents of anti-social behaviour is likely to increase too.

“We think that now is the right time to establish measures in order to respond to any undesirable activities in an appropriate and timely manner.”

Council chairman Councillor Kevin Blakey and his deputy, Cllr Bloxham, recently met with Alison Hernandez, Devon and Cornwall Police’s Crime Commissioner.

The council has now written to the chief constable with a request for a permanent neighbourhood beat manager.”

http://www.midweekherald.co.uk/news/town-council-requests-neighbourhood-beat-manager-to-bring-an-end-to-anti-social-behaviour-in-cranbrook-1-5723741

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5 Oct 2018

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Accountability, Accountable Care Organisation, Claire Wright, DCC, East Devon Alliance, Health and Social Care (local), Independent Councillors, Martin Shaw (Seaton), NHS (local)

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Independents knock some sense into DCC Tories about health and NHS

Thank the Lord for independent Councillor Claire Wright and East Devon Alliance Independent Councillor Martin Shaw

Press Release:

“In a hour-long debate in yesterday’s meeting, the Council adopted proposals which Cllr Claire Wright and I, the two Independent members from East Devon, put forward, in place of the original recommendation by the Cabinet. The ruling Conservative group adopted (with a small addition) the wording of my amendment, which Claire seconded, which proposed to work with to influence NHS decisions ‘in the direction of retaining all community hospitals to be used as health and wellbeing centres for their areas’, in place of the original Cabinet recommendation to merely seek ‘decision making appropriate to individual circumstances, including population need and the quality of building.’

This is an important change in direction by the Council, which is now committed for the first time to work to retain ALL hospitals, as Claire (who proposed the original motion) had requested. The Conservative leader, Cllr John Hart, insisted on adding the words ‘where appropriate’ to my proposal, which we opposed because it provides the NHS with additional leeway to close hospitals. Cllr Hart’s addendum was too much for one Conservative Councillor, Jonathan Hawkins (Dartmouth), who voted with the opposition for my amendment without this addition, in the light of his community’s experience of the closure of Dartmouth Hospital.

The Devon Clinical Commissioning Groups could end this controversy with a clear policy statement that all remaining hospitals will stay open and will be supported as health and wellbeing centres for our communities. Until this happens, Claire and I, with the support of tens of thousands of people around Devon who are fighting for their local hospitals, will continue our campaign. On yesterday’s evidence, we are winning.”

Martin Shaw
Independent East Devon Alliance County Councillor for Seaton & Colyton”