Liberal Democrats believe social care will be a Cinderella service if transferred to NHS

The Oldham Liberal Democrats are concerned that social care will become a secondary priority if transferred from local authority control to the National Health Service. 

At present, local authorities, like Oldham Council, take the primary role in providing a care service to elderly, disabled and vulnerable residents living at home, but Conservative ministers are rumoured to be considering transferring this responsibility to the NHS.

Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said:  “I know from recent personal experience that the National Health Service with its excellent medical facilities and dedicated staff do a wonderful job, but, the NHS does so many things and is such a large organisation, that I really fear that social care in its hands would become a Cinderella service, at the bottom of the rung for investment and innovation.”

“Caring for many elderly and vulnerable residents in their own homes is an area of expertise for local authorities.  Councils, like Oldham, can call on incredible carers, who are local people with local knowledge and an understanding of local needs, to provide a responsive, personalised and professional service to those who need them.  We work in partnership with the person being cared for, and with their carers, family, and friends, to ensure they are treated with dignity and encouraged to maintain their independence.”

“It is not perfect and could always be better but transfer to the NHS would be a backward step.  Regrettably the NHS does not have a very good track record of promoting independence, and many NHS services continue to be delivered in institutions rather than out in the community.”

Royton and Crompton family Practice

Local Liberal Democrat Crompton Councillor Louie Hamblett has written to Oldham’s Clinical Commissioning Group in his capacity as Shadow Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care in regards to Royton and Crompton family practice telephone issues.

His letter dated 9th of September asks as to what actions are being taken in regards to Royton and Crompton family practice (based in Royton) being unable to answer their phone lines and their dire ability to correspond with patients, local pharmacies and other health professionals.

Mike Barker Oldham’s Chief Operating Officer for Oldham Clinical Commissioning Group responded to Councillor Hamblett following on from his initial correspondence, in which he asked what actions are being taken to resolve your constituents’ problems contacting their GP by phone following the recent merger of Royton and Crompton Family Practice and The Parks Medical Practice.

Mike Barker said: “I was sorry to learn of this dissatisfaction and I thank you for bringing these concerns to our attention.  Regrettably, following the merger of the two practices on 24 August 2020, there was significant disruption to the telephone lines. This was due to a failure to change and reconfigure the telephone lines which resulted in the number of telephone lines into the merged practice effectively being reduced from six to three.  Clearly this affected the practices ability to answer telephone calls in a timely manner and resulted in many patients and other health professionals finding themselves in a position that they could not be connected.”

Councillor Hamblett is pleased to report: “The reason for the failure to update the lines is being looked into.  However, by 4 September 2020, the total number of telephone lines into the practice was restored to six and the telephone lines are now fully operational.  Hopefully this should help improve the situation.”

“It really is not good enough; people have had the stress of being moved from their practice’s location and then cannot contact or have meaningful communication with the new practice location.  I do hope the situation improves and I will be monitoring it closely.”

Liberal Democrats lambast Tories over three-year Social Care bill delay

The Oldham Liberal Democrats have lambasted the Conservative Government for delaying once again their long-awaited proposals to overhaul the social care system. Details are not expected to now be released until the Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Autumn Statement at the earliest; this is scheduled for late November.

The Conservatives first promised to publish a Green Paper on social care for public consultation in the summer of 2017.  This is now more than three years behind schedule.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said: “This extra delay is yet another example of the prevarication shown by this uncaring Conservative Government in making policy about the future of our under-threat social care system.  Due to consistent underfunding of local government and the National Health Service, the provision of quality care to our elderly is now in jeopardy, and an increasing burden is being placed on unpaid family carers.”

He added: “In 2015, the then-Coalition Government, with the Liberal Democrats as junior partners, agreed in principle to the proposals of the Dilnot Commission which recommended that there be a cap on lifetime social care charges and a more generous means-test.  In July, almost immediately the Conservatives assumed office alone, the new Government postponed the introduction of these sensible measures and decided to adopt a course of prevarication.”

“I would welcome the opportunity to comment on the Government proposals, as I am sure would many others in local government and the caring professions, but these constant delays deny us that opportunity, and suggest increasingly that when it comes to social care this Government just hasn’t a clue.”

“Our older citizens deserve quality, affordable care and we should all be sure as to how we will pay for it – this is not the time for further delay, we just need to get on with it!”

Liberal Democrat Leader says all’s not well with Health and Well-being Board

Oldham Council’s Health and Well-being Board has failed to meet four times in the last twelve months, and Liberal Democrat Group Leader, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, who is a member, is not impressed.

Councillor Sykes has written to Board Chair, Councillor Jean Stretton, to point out this represents a serious democratic deficit especially when the Health and Well-being Board is charged with providing oversight to social care and NHS services. 

Councillor Sykes says that: “At a time when Oldham Borough is in the grip of an unprecedented health crisis, I cannot believe that the Board has no business – pressing or otherwise to consider.” His hope is that the Chair will agree that the Board should: “not be side-lined, meetings should be held, and the issues faced, addressed and debated.”

The email to Councillor Stretton sent today (14 September 2020) reads:

From: Howard Sykes <howard.sykes@oldham.gov.uk>
Sent: 14 September 2020 16:43
To: Cllr J Stretton <jean.stretton@oldham.gov.uk>
Cc: Howard Sykes <howard.sykes@oldham.gov.uk>
Subject: Oldham Health and Well Being Board cancelled again

Councillor Jean Stretton, Chair, Health and Well-being Board, Oldham Council

Dear Jean,

I was disappointed to see that once more the next Health and Well-being Board meeting scheduled for tomorrow (15 September) has been cancelled.

In the last twelve months, four of the five Board meetings (10 December 2019, 17 March 2020, 23 June 2020 and tomorrow) have been cancelled.  Let me be clear there were understandable reasons for a couple of those which I was happy to support at the time.

However, at a time when Oldham Borough is in the grip of an unprecedented health crisis, I cannot believe that the Board has no business – pressing or otherwise to consider. 

Surely there are issues around both the response of the Council and its partners to the Covid-19 emergency and the provision of non-Covid health services to those denied treatment during the Lockdown that should command the attention of the members?

Across all service areas: Acute, Primary, GPs, Nursing and other support service to the elderly and vulnerable (district nurses, chiropody, aid and adaptions – to name just three) have all been functioning at a lower capacity and some services reduced or dropped altogether. 

The health legacy for our citizens will be massive and life reducing.  And that is before we even consider the mental well-being of our citizens due to lock down and continuing restrictions. 

To date a lot of the health service decisions and service reductions or service terminations have had no or little democratic scrutiny or over-sight to date and look like to continue for the foreseeable future.

The Health and Well-being Board has a defined constitutional role within the governance structure, and it is my view that it should not be side-lined, meetings should be held, and the issues faced, addressed and debated.

I look forward to receiving your comments.

Best wishes and stay safe.

Howard

Event up date – the ‘Rule of Six’

Latest information on orginsating events – re posted in full.

Thank you for patiently waiting for an update regarding how the new Covid-19 restrictions and the soon to be implemented ‘Rule of Six’ will be affecting events in Oldham.

I’m pleased to report that all events that we currently have booked in will still be able to operate under the new guidance coming into effect on Monday 14th September.

All current confirmed events are either educational activities or youth group activities and are exempt from the new restrictions, as stated on the .gov website under section 2.10

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do

This is still under the condition that there are less than 30 people present, social distancing can be reasonably implemented and a robust Covid-19 secure risk assessment is in place.

Unfortunately, we are still in a position in which we are unable to accommodate most events. Stricter measures are being implemented to combat the spread of the virus and the situation is changing regularly.

It’s tough to gauge how exactly events will be affected in the coming weeks and months, but I will endeavour to keep you all posted as information becomes available.  

For those wishing to host events in the Borough, I implore you to review the current Government Guidance and check the eligibility of your event in the current climate.

Events have been suspended in Oldham until 31st December 2020. The situation is rapidly changing, so it’s likely that this date could be extended to incorporate subsequent months if required. Any event requests are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and must comply with current Government advice. All events must:

  • Have less than 30 people present
  • Be situated at an outdoor location where social distancing can be reasonably implemented
  • Have a robust Covid-19 secure risk assessment
  • Comply with current Government guidance (including local restrictions)

Although all event submissions are reviewed, many may be denied due to public safety concerns and the risk that Covid-19 presents. Oldham Council reserves the right to cancel any events on public safety grounds should the need arise.

Thank you for the hard work you have all devoted to keeping Oldham residents safe in these past months. I understand times have been tough for many, but I feel an overwhelming sense of pride in the response that allof Oldham has had to the pandemic.

If I can assist in any way, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email or my mobile phone.

Events Coordinator, Sir Robert Peacock House, Vulcan Street, Derker, Oldham OL1 4LA. Tel: 0161 770 1691. Jack.Child@oldham.gov.uk

Oldham Liberal Democrats pour scorn on PM’s Marshal Plan

The Oldham Liberal Democrat Group is sceptical about Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s recent announcement that an ‘army’ of marshals will be deployed to police Covid-19 compliance amongst Britain’s businesses and their customers as the Conservative Government will not back the plan with new cash to local authorities to employ them nor grant the new marshals’ additional powers for enforcement.

Responding to the news, Liberal Democrat Group Leader Councillor Howard Sykes MBE said:  “Regrettably, this posse will be more Deputy Dawg than Wyatt Earp.  For after sounding tough and decisive, the Prime Minister has once again regressed to type by saying that there be no money, no people, no powers and no training for local government to implement the so-called initiative.   Clearly this announcement could be something taken straight out of President Trump’s play book, an attempt to pedal a soundbite without substance, and this makes it no use in my view.”

Councillor Sykes added:  “We have previously seen the national model for Track and Trace scheme fail when imposed upon a local area like Oldham.  If Government really wants to help us tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, they should recognise that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work and leave us free to develop our own solutions, recognising that we have the local knowledge and contacts to make it work.”

“The imposition of a national marshal system will simply undermine what is being done locally using local people from our local communities to support those at risk of infection to successfully embrace behaviour changes to help keep them safe.  Government needs to give us the support, give us the cash, and trust us to get on with it.”