NDIS mark-ups for people with a disability as bad as wedding price gouging, insiders say – ABC News

Comment from the article ‘Ms Atmore said there were time consuming, costly and “quite stringent” processes that providers within her organisation went through before they could offer services to NDIS participants.”

Usually involving some kind of registration and appropriate standards before they even consider providing work,” she said.
She also said allied health professionals often had to tailor their services to the needs of NDIS participants, which can also take up more time and resources.’

My comment is, surely any organisation should expect costs for registration and have apprpriate standards for to not do so could well mean there is no governance of the organisation and the services they provide. So my concern is what about the organisations not registered are they just doing what they wish to with no consideration of their customers.

With ‘tailoring services to the needs of patients’, surely this should be done in all cases as if not services could be given that are not appropriate.

Unfortunately I feel the instances of unsatisfactory organisations and inappropriate services is much more prolific than it should be in many countries, even in the US with their for profit health care system.

Every organisation should be providing good, if not excellent service and all services provided should be exactly what is required for each individual patient be it provided through a universal free at the point of delivery service or through profit making insurance provision. None should be over priced for anyone, especially for persons with disabilities., but, unfortunately that is not so for many business do increase their prices when they know they will be accepted this is especially so for areas through insurance and when dealing with large national medical organisations.

Many large national organisations may have a stringent process to initially include suppliers onto their list of recommended suppliers, but is this list frequently inspected, if ever to see if ‘value for money’ is still being provided and services just as good and maybe better could be obtained for other and maybe new suppliers.

I don’t know, but I do wish the national medical organisations do so, for all concerned.

 

Source: NDIS mark-ups for people with a disability as bad as wedding price gouging, insiders say – ABC News

TV Presenter Sophie Morgan In ‘Rage At The Injustice’ Of Blue Badge Theft

So sorry to hear of all that has happened to you and breaking into any vehicle is bad enough, but to then steal a Blue Badge is so very despicable and do hope you get your replacement very soon.

A digitable Blue Badge would be so convenient for some, but only if they are in the vehicle which the badge would be registered to. In this day of digital why couldn’t a facility to digitally transfer the badge to any vehicle the person is in be available, but then this would require investment funding which is not readily available especially from Government At times I honestly believe that the government wishes that all disabled persons would disappear and in much of the context of government this is what they tend to assume has occurred or so wish it as, because disabled persons are not any priority of this government.

Same Difference

TV presenter Sophie Morgan was left “in a rage” at the “injustice” of her Blue Badge being stolen from her car.

The Loose Women star, who uses a wheelchair, said she would have to wait weeks for her car to be fixed and a replacement Blue Badge issued.

“I literally can’t describe how disabling this is,” she said, adding the inconvenience was “beyond measure”.

Blue Badges are issued by your local council and are displayed on the car’s dashboard.

They are proof you are disabled and enable you to get free or longer term parking as well as entitling you to use disabled parking bays which tend to be closer to destinations.

Sophie was away working in America when her car back in London was broken into, earlier this month. The perpetrators “smashed the window on the passenger side,” she told the BBC’s disability podcast, Access All.

“I had…

View original post 448 more words

‘My brother with Down’s Syndrome is slowly spiralling’: The severity of the social care crisis laid bare

Nearly half of social care providers in England have been forced to close part of their organisation or hand back contracts to councils due to cost pressures in the last year, i reveals

============================================

This is the true state of Social Care in the UK and this government is not listening, but then no previous government has listened.

The closed ears of UK governments have lead to this crisis, which if anyone cared to look would have seen it coming well before 2010, but the Tory austerity cuts from then only enhanced the crisis much more and still is to this day, with no seen improvements coming from any future governments.

It is not only with Down’s Syndrome but in every aspect of social care both childrens and adults. It requires an immediate increase, of at least, £12 billion to reverse the decline, but to enable continued sustainability much more in all the coming years. For if it is not done we can say goodbye to social care and following very closely the NHS as well. For without a sustained and credible social care the NHS crisis will continue to get worse no matter how much is given to the NHS.

Social care is the immediate priority and then the NHS. both are in severe deficit of staff, social care more so than the NHS. While NHS staff salaries need to be increased in-line with inflation, all social care not only require an inflation increase in salaries but a massive upgrading from the forthcoming April 2023 £11 per hour to around £13/14 this year and £15 next year. To do nothing more than the increase to £11 of the National Liviving Wage is effectively completely saying social care can end to any degree.

Human rights will be ignored and safeguarding alerts will escalate and everyone will blame social workers when the real culprits will be the government.

 

Source: ‘My brother with Down’s Syndrome is slowly spiralling’: The severity of the social care crisis laid bare

Oklahoma votes down ban of corporal punishment on disabled children – The Washington Post

Arguing against a bill to bar the practice in public schools, Oklahoma Rep. Jim Olsen (R) quoted a Bible verse from Proverbs: “The rod and reproof give wisdom.”

============================================

Whether the Bible does or doesn’t support corporal punishment on disabled children or, in fact any children, is open to question, for it was created very many years ago well before any of the societies of today and has been translated many times.

It is a collection of many texts which include instructions, stories, poetry, and prophecies, among other genres and there is the old and new testiments all of which occurred before the Bible was created even the the intialial old testiment let alone the new testiment.

It is beliefs and opinions of the time they could have occurred and views and opinions have changed through the many passing of years and the knowledge of disabilities has greatly increased.

But Christianity is not the only religion living in views and opinions of yesteryears for this could be put to any religion. Anyone who quotes from any religious book to subvert the Human Rights of others is not understanding any of these changes in Socitey and picks and choses which old practices they wish to abide with and those they don’t.

So, just because it may appear that a religious book states something, which really it may not, only to the person quoting it for their own, maybe, assumed beliefs, does not make it right by any of today’s fought for human rights.

Human rights need to be respected so that civilised living can be maintained.

No one should be forced to conform with any extreme views of others for society is a collection of all our actions, views and opinions and not those of the extreme. For extreme views of anyone will only lead to the abuse of others.

 

Source: Oklahoma votes down ban of corporal punishment on disabled children – The Washington Post

Fewer than five accessible toilets in York – campaigners call for more | York Press

THERE are fewer than five accessible toilets for disabled people to use in York, new figures show.

============================================

This is not only in York, but throughout the UK.

To find Changing Places toilets look on https://www.changing-places.org/.

Many more are required as suitable toilets are very essential facilities.

Perhaps Building regulations should be changed so any new commercial buildings have to include not only male/female and disabled toilets, but at least one Changing places toilet, it will take time, but the numbers of toilets will increase.

But also more needs to be done in existing buildings as everyone has a right to use a toilet.

 

Source: Fewer than five accessible toilets in York – campaigners call for more | York Press

Six myths about learning disabilities and OKUs | Malay Mail

Dr Chua Sook Ning expressed concern about the stigmatisation of mental disorders and blanket statements that people with OKU cards shouldn’t drive. ― Picture courtesy of Dr Chua Sook Ning

========================================

While this is relating to Malaysia its content could relate to anywhere for myths are myths wherever they arise.

In the instances described the myths are mainly derived through ignorance  and in some instances to discriminate and not from known facts.

In days gone by it would have been difficult for information to be found to discount the myths, but in these days with the internet, as long as the information is from a very reliable source they can be discounted and so the discriminations should reduce. But some of these myths are very strongly supported by some, so great care is needed to differentiate what is myth and what is truth.

 

Source: Six myths about learning disabilities and OKUs | Malay Mail

‘Burning shame as Brits from all sections of society were left in Covid’s crosshairs’ – Anna Morell – Mirror Online

All Covid support has gone, but there are still shielders – disabled people who know their underlying conditions put them at too great a risk from Covid to venture out and reclaim a fully lived life now

===========================================

COVID-19 was and perhaps still is viewed as a once in a lifetime situation, but over the years there have been many instances were pandemics could have occurred Bird Flu, to name one and there is influenza, which is a form of COVID, where vaccine is available each year for those who are seen to be at risk and for those in some of the emergency services.

When the COVID-19 vaccine became available, yes, certain groups were deemed to be in need of the vaccine, but not those with Learning Disabilities, (LD), even though many are deemed eligible for the influenza vaccine. Then when they were included for the COVID-19 vaccine, at first it was only those with certain conditions and not all.

You may say that sufficient information was not available, but was it for it is already known that persons with LD, have a life expectancy of on average 20% less to those who don’t have LD, and this is from the LeDeR programme. The resulting reports are sent to the Department of health & Social Security so there is no way that the department can say they were not aware of the information. Perhaps it was decided that persons with LD were not considered to be a sufficient priority as they were deemed to be not important enough, who Knows, perhaps this will come out in Matt Hancock’s WhatsApp messages, but who knows.

This is a disgrace and shows that this Government and perhaps any government don’t really care about anyone, other than themselves and those who they seem to believe to be important.

Source: ‘Burning shame as Brits from all sections of society were left in Covid’s crosshairs’ – Anna Morell – Mirror Online

New Sanction Trap For UC Claimants With £250 Incentive For DWP Staff

The more that Tory governments do with regards to welfare benefits make it clear that welfare is not part of the process and punishment is becoming more and more its objective.

Rather than pay DWP staff incentives to do more, why not increase benefits for claimants, especially those who do get into work for a period of time, while they adjust to manage with work and assess any difficulties they could well experience.

Benefits should be there to help and not punish, the government needs to be educated, perhaps for the first time.

Same Difference

With many thanks to Benefits And Work.

Universal credit (UC) claimants are to be faced with a new sanction trap disguised as help to move into work. The scheme has been condemned by the DWP staff union who say the government is “hellbent on making it more difficult for people to claim benefits”, even though jobcentre workers stand to gain from a £250 ‘incentive’ if their office tops a league table.

UC sanctions are already at a record high. Over 98% of all sanctions are for failure to attend an interview, with over half a million claimants being sanctioned for this reason last year.

Yet, under the new Additional Jobcentre Support scheme claimants are being forced to attend  a jobcentre 10 times over a two week period.  In these obligatory sessions they will have “work search conversations” and “support sessions”. Missing a single session is likely to lead…

View original post 376 more words

Social Care Costs See Thousands Chased For Debt

It doesn’t help those who are contributing to their Social Care, but since 2010 the Tory governments have been subjecting Local Authorities (LAs) to totally unjustified austerity cuts, thereby drastically reducing the income they have to fund services, but all blame for service cuts is placed on LAs and not the Government, which it should be, Governments have to be made accountable. Yes, we have General elections every 4/5 years, but accountability should be immediate not some years hence.

But LAs are not completely blameless, for the Financial Assessments leave a lot to be desired, for some assessors as, I have come across, don’t fully understand the system they are using to do the assessments.

The biggest omission I find is with regards to Disability Related Expenses, (DREs) which is expenditure which persons with disability/health conditions have to make, but these expenses can be offset to the Social Care charge. Of course, proof of these payments are required and this is perhaps another problem for how many of us keep such information.

So, the problem is at least 2 fold, DREs are not always discussed or if they are not in sufficient detail, but then there is the lack of proof people will have retained to prove they made the expenditure.

Another problem is when disability benefits are increased, this increase is included in the social care calculation, so much of the increase will not be available to the person claiming social care has it has been incorporated into the charge they will have to pay for their social care.

But, another problem is the discriminatory nature of what disabilities and conditions are deemed to be social care as opposed to health care. With health care there is no direct charge to the claimant, as there is with social care.

While social care is processed by the local authority social care department, the health portion is processed by the Health Continuing Health Care department, (CHC) and both processes are dealt with separately, sometimes within the same meeting with the claimant, but in other separately.

If it is deemed that there could be a health element to the care required then further investigation could be in the form of 24 hour health grids where each individual action has to be recorded in detail including the time taken to perform the action. The information I have found is from the previous Clinical Commissioning Group, (CCG), but these have been replaced by ICBs from 1 July 2022, but here is the latest information about care I have found.

Then the lengthy process of deciding if there is a health element and if there is the split between health and social care which can be a very lengthy time process. While the implementation of care should not be delayed while this debate is occurring it does in many instances, thereby causing, in some instances, much delay for much need care to be implemented.
All of this takes precious time which should be being spent on receiving the care required, that is if persons to care for the person needing can be found, which is another great problem, as there is a major insufficiency of carers for a number of reasons, mainly down to the lack of funding for social care, which leads to very poor rates of pay for carers, poor working conditions, including lack of suitable holiday pay, travel expenses, sick pay and more, but also due to the UK Immigration Policies which are not great for persons wishing to come to the UK to be carers. Much needs to be done, but it appears very little is being done, currently to remedy any, if at all the problems.
Care is deteriorating in many ways, the availability, the standards and much more, this government and all future governments need to wake up and understand, appreciate and sufficiently fund social care.

Same Difference

More than 60,000 adults with disabilities and long-term illnesses in England were chased for debts by councils last year after failing to pay for their social care support at home.

Claimants told the BBC they can’t afford the charges amid rising food and rent prices, along with the additional costs of living with disabilities.

Councils took legal action against 330 people in 2021-22.

The Local Government Association said such action was a “last option”.

Councils ask social care recipients to contribute towards the home care they receive in nearly all areas of England, but previous BBC research found charges had risen by thousands of pounds a year for some adults.

Some disabled people have now told the BBC they felt they had little choice but to live without home care, while others said they feared bailiffs being called in over unpaid debts.

Campaign group Disabled People Against Cuts said the…

View original post 664 more words

ADHD in Girls: The Symptoms That Are Ignored in Females

While this article is relating to America, it will be so relevant anywhere as many diagnosis are not only being missed, they are not even at the forefront of anyone looking at childhood behaviours and especially so in females.

So many pressures are on children these days, not that there haven’t been pressures well before, but how Society is progressing and especially within the media and other areas, it is so much more important that children are not made to feel being victims and have beliefs they are worthy. There are some fears about ADHD and also Autism, but this is mainly because of ignorance.

Parenting is also far from easy and getting required diagnosis could well help. Education authorities also need to be aware and look out for possible instances where children could well be ADHD or autistic, but care is needed in dealing with these situations, so as not to cause alarm and other feelings.

Done right it will be advantageous to all concerned.

However, financing of health and other areas could be a drawback, especially as these areas are generally well underfunded. But, as demand increases and political notice is taken, one has to hope that the political interventions will be forthcoming along with the much needed finance.

Many great people have been believed to be ADHD, some celebrities with ADHD, but there are many others.

 

Source: ADHD in Girls: The Symptoms That Are Ignored in Females