Neglected Blog Bites Back

I know, I know, I've been neglecting my blog type duties and must mend my desultory ways. Still very busy of course, but that's no excuse. Most focus this week has been on the tragic death of John (Ian) Gibson, a pensioner who was in receipt of a Council care package, being delivered by a private company under contract. The circumstances are such that an investigation is appropriate and underway. Further actions may follow. The Deputy First Minister also got involved by answering questions at FMQ on Thursday in response to the incident. I don't know what type of life Mr Gibson had in the last few years but it would have been nice if his life could have been referred to in the Scottish Parliament because of the excellent services he was receiving rather than his name now being associated with doubts about the quality of care received by him and his sister.

The Integration evolution continues with a good debate at the NHS Lothian Board meeting on Wednesday and a report going the Council's Policy and Strategy Committee next Tuesday which outlines the governance proposals for the shadow Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership. You can read the report on this link. 

Talking of P&S there's also an interesting report on the Welfare Reform changes that are currently being implemented by the Government at Westminster. The report is on this link. In a wonderful piece of "Yes Minister" Local Government speak understatement the author of the report tells us that "The scale of the proposals is significant and there is a substantial risk that the impact on clients and the Council will be adverse in many cases." You can say that again, £2.5bn will be taken out of the Scottish Economy as a result with the majority of the burden being borne by the poorest in society.

Still, at least we're all in this together, eh ?....