More MS news articles for June 2003

Report Highlights Disabled Care Shortcomings

http://www.mssociety.org.uk/news_events/news/daily/care_shortcoming.html

Jun 5, 2003
Multiple Sclerosis Society

Many disabled people have problems securing services when they need them and the care they are offered often limits their opportunities for personal development and social integration. These are among the headline findings of a two-year inquiry by the charity, John Grooms, into the future of young disabled people.

The inquiry found:

nearly 80% of local authorities limit the cost of community care packages and 75% of them use the cost of alternative residential care as the ceiling.

there are wide discrepancies between outcomes for disabled people with similarly high needs, depending on where they live and when their support packages were first set up.

there is a shortage of services that provide emotional support, mentoring and advocacy. Young people are often not involved in planning for their future, particularly if they have communication and/or cognitive difficulties.

needs assessments often focus on the services available rather than individual support requirements, choices and aspirations.

services are poorly co-ordinated and inflexible. Rules governing assessment, provision, costs, and equipment supply and maintenance differ between departments and for age groups and this makes it difficult to obtain the right services at the right time or to secure continuity of care as needs change.

John Groom says these problems are because:

the grave shortage of information about the numbers and characteristics of disabled people and the impact of medical and technological advances on survival, prognoses, symptoms and needs.

individual needs assessments carried out by local authorities vary in depth, scope and frequency. Disabled people are not always adequately consulted and they have no right to appeal.

there are no routine procedures in place for measuring the efficacy or suitability of given services for individuals or disabled populations that could be used to inform the supply of services now and in the future.

there are significant resource shortages, particularly of residential places for young disabled people and of wheelchair accessible homes.

more care workers, nurses and therapists are desperately needed.

restricted budgets are leading to tighter needs criteria and the imposition of cheaper but less appropriate forms of care.

Around 50 service providers, voluntary and disability organisations were consulted by John Grooms. The full report and a summary of, 'Where do you think you're going?', can be accessed at http://www.johngrooms.org.uk