Anti-cuts activists are to hire a mobile video screen that will give disabled people the chance to tell members of the Conservative party attending their annual conference what they think of the government’s “appalling” breaches of their rights. Guest article from Disability News Service.
Burnham slams ‘political cowardice’ behind social care plan
Successive governments have failed to solve the crisis of social care, says Burnham, who thinks the government’s election promise breaking announcement today to raise taxes to pay for care are ‘a flawed, unfair policy’ that will not ‘stand the test of time’ and will prevent integration of health and social care under the NHS.
Food bank users challenge negative stereotypes peddled by politicians
Can You Hear Me Now? Project aims to dismiss damaging stereotypes around food bank use, by giving voice to the users, and promote an ongoing discussion about how to tackle poverty across Greater Manchester.
Children’s asylum delays in the North West continue to torment them
Social workers are reporting that asylum seeking children are emotionally and physically falling apart due to delays in the asylum system.
Report by GM Immigration Aid Unit documents migrant children suffering under a dysfunctional asylum system.
How inequality explains the high impact of Covid-19 in Greater Manchester
An epidemiologist’s report reveals some startling figures linking the high levels of Covid-19 mortality in Greater Manchester to areas experiencing the most inequality and deprivation within the city region. Guest article from The Conversation.
Wigan care home records most Covid-19 deaths in England
A care home in Wigan has recorded the most deaths due to Covid-19, over a year, of any care home in England, according to data released by the Care Quality Commission. Care homes recording the highest number of Covid deaths in each Greater Manchester borough are presented.
City of Trees: tackling climate change and promoting sanity
With Covid and the climate crisis exacerbating mental health issues across society, City of Trees is tackling the problem by aiming to plant three million trees – just over one for every person in Greater Manchester.
Migrants refused registration at Manchester GP surgeries, preventing vaccination, in contravention of NHS guidlines
An investigation into GP registration and access to Covid-19 vaccinations found that undocumented migrants are being refused registration despite being eligible.
Manchester authorities and national healthcare experts share their concerns on the barriers raised preventing effective vaccination of a vulnerable minority.
Social home care workers being underpaid, despite councils’ promises to pay living wage
Investigation into social home care pay rates across the UK shows that jobs are being advertised below the real living wage (RLW) despite councils signing up to UNISON’S ethical charter committing them to paying at least that rate.
Trafford council and Manchester council respond to accusations that home care workers are being underpaid in their jurisdictions.
Reshaping ownership within adult social care
Adult social care is broken. After years of marketisation and outsourcing we are left with a service where large market players dominate. Taxpayers’ money, and the savings of older people, are being extracted out of the system for shareholder gain.
The Centre for Local Economic Strategies have published a report on the issues involved.
The report’s author, Tom Lloyd Goodwin, reflects on how ownership models must be shifted to fix that broken system.