Anna B Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 This is a follow on from another thread that got me thinking. Back in the eighties (I think) they closed all the mental institutions down, like Middlewood Hospital, and moved people into 'Care in the Community.' Many suspected at the time that this was a cost cutting exercise, but we were told it was a humanitarian move. I know it was preferable for some people, (usually the worst afflicted,) but at the same time there were a lot of people's relatives complaining that they were not getting the help they needed, and generally, care in the community was seen as something of a (very unfunny) joke. I wonder what the situation is now, especially with further cuts to social services, housing etc? I meet people in dire distress every day who plainly aren't fit enough to be out on their own. Are these people being harrassed by ATOS to 'get a job' and who is helping them cope these days in our 'caring community?' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister M Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Care in the Community is still policy today. Undoubtedly it has allowed some to live more fulfilled lives, however many have slipped through the net. A colleague of mine worked at Middlewood in the early 1970s and what she described was horrific. I won't describe it on here as it's very upsetting. However many people were left in psychiatric hospitalsfor long periods of time and became institutionalised. Care varied, some people's experiences were good, others not so. Since the early 1990s many of these hospitals were closed down and the care of those with chronic conditions was the responsibility of community teams and psychiatrists as well as social workers. Nowadays there is a chronic shortage of beds. Only those at serious and immediate risk to themselves or others are inpatients, usually for short periods of time where their medication can administered, and they can be monitored. Community services are pretty threadbare to be honest, but there are pockets of excellence. Some of the smaller charitable organisations do some fantastic innovative work. Waiting lists for therapy in the statutory sector are very long, and often social workers are quick to discharge those with informal sources of support who do not meet statutory requirements. Some live in supported housing, others with relatives, others on their own. Once again, the picture is mixed. Remploy factories have gone too. In the past they would've absorbed many of those who would like to work but couldn't cope with mainstream employment. Many community college courses have gone too, due to changes of emphasis and funding cuts. Many community centres have also gone. I think most would agree that there needs to be more funding, and that psychiatric services are often the 'cinderella' in the wider health service; but how many years have we been hearing that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maz3 Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 By the end of next year, Sheffield Council will have been forced to cut it's budget by 50%, from when austerity measures began. That is massive. In terms of adult social care, it means they can only really help people in crisis, and people with no informal (eg friends or family) sources of support. It is already having to cut back day services and respite care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Clowning Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 It will soon be leave them out in the community to die because they won't have the money to help anyone. Care in the community was introduced I believe because it was a more humane way to care for people, but they may be better off in the asylums ect, if they just get left to fend for themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Macbeth Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 As with many issues the idea to close down the big hospitals had some legitimacy. People were sometimes locked up for most of their lives for very little reason. Sadly the pendulum swung too far and has resulted in not nearly enough professional care in the community. Mister M's post is spot on. I used to work for Remploy in the 60s and many employees would have struggled to find other work. Some will have probably had no option other than a life on benefits once the factories were closed down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Clowning Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I agree, we seem to be heading back into a Victorian lifestyle where it will be more humane to hospitalize people if we are not careful. If ordinary folk are now having to turn to food banks how are the most vulnerable going to fare ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maz3 Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I agree, we seem to be heading back into a Victorian lifestyle where it will be more humane to hospitalize people if we are not careful. If ordinary folk are now having to turn to food banks how are the most vulnerable going to fare ? It's a very worrying question. There are much fewer resources to help such people. Even if it was considered a good idea, we couldn't reopen asylums, as they go against so much legislation of recent years. Mental Capacity Act, Community Care Act, Disability Discrimination Act .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Clowning Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 I think people will have to test these laws and take the local authorities and the Government to court eventually, if they cut funding that much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plain Talker Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 By the end of next year, Sheffield Council will have been forced to cut it's budget by 50%, from when austerity measures began. That is massive. In terms of adult social care, it means they can only really help people in crisis, and people with no informal (eg friends or family) sources of support. It is already having to cut back day services and respite care. The austerity measures are already coming in, and the poor, the elderly, children, and the disabled are already bearing the brunt of these cuts, both in everyday life, and in respect of the services obtainable from the council. My own contribution that I have to pay for the home help I get has literally doubled from Jan 1st. No, not gone up by a few pounds, or a few percent. I now pay twice what I paid prior to 1st Jan. The Surestart service which is a fantastic facility which supports disadvantaged families with kiddies under five has had swingeing cuts. The nursery service they provide has been stopped off in my local Surestart, and the family support workers have had their workload increased massively by now being responsible not just for the under-fives, but for those up to the age of 18/19... Libraries are suffering massive cuts, as are services for the elderly and vulnerable. It's appalling. ---------- Post added 10-01-2014 at 22:41 ---------- I agree, we seem to be heading back into a Victorian lifestyle where it will be more humane to hospitalize people if we are not careful. If ordinary folk are now having to turn to food banks how are the most vulnerable going to fare ? With the way things have been going, these last few years, I am on record as saying "The workhouse will be the next step, the way this government's regime are going!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgksheff Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 ... My own contribution that I have to pay for the home help I get has literally doubled from Jan 1st. No, not gone up by a few pounds, or a few percent. I now pay twice what I paid prior to 1st Jan. ... So you have funds to pay for what you need? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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