All the health and care services in Greater Manchester inspected by watchdogs - and their results

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/health-care-services-greater-manchester-32935513

#BorisJohnson #Numpty #BorisWave #MigrationCrisis #CareIndustry #SocialCare #Immigration #EconomicMigrants

Government responds to calls to introduce free bus travel for one group across England

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/government-responds-calls-introduce-free-32903982

Podcast: The UK Social Domestic Care Industry: Faults and Failings

My recent blog post titled “The UK Social Domestic Care Industry: Faults and Failings” is now available to listen to as a podcast on my Spotify channel and on all other podcasting channels where it is available, you can also listen to it below. I hope you enjoy it.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/63nltj9v7AgbrsiM96JMD4

Original Blog Post

https://courtg9000.wordpress.com/2025/10/27/the-uk-social-domestic-care-industry-faults-and-failings/?wref=tp

#corruption #domesticCare #malpractice #socialCare #theft #violence

Melania Trump launches new initiative to help children raised in foster system https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/13/melania-trump-initiative-children-foster-system #Trumpadministration #MelaniaTrump #DonaldTrump #Socialcare #Fostering #Children #Society #USnews

Swansea grandfather who turned redundancy into opportunity is toasting national awards glory

Leslie Whelan, 68, from Morriston, was left devastated when he lost his factory job in his early 50s. With a mortgage to pay and two teenage daughters at home, he faced an uncertain future. But what began as a leap of faith into a new career has now seen him crowned with a coveted Gold award at the Wales Care Awards 2025.

“It was an amazing night, one that I will never, ever forget,” said Leslie. “I didn’t even realise I’d won gold, I thought they were going in reverse order, so I thought I’d won the bronze until I got back to my table! I’ve been doing this job for years, never expecting any awards. The rewards are the people you support, that’s the ultimate for me, but I’m over the moon.”

From redundancy to resilience

Leslie had spent most of his adult life working in cosmetics factories before redundancy forced him to rethink his future.

“It was a very daunting experience,” he recalled. “We all went into the warehouse, and that’s when they told us. There was stunned silence all round when we all walked into the locker room to get our things. A lot of people had been there since their early teens. My own daughters were in their teens at the time. I had a mortgage, and everything runs through your mind at about 100 miles per hour, but you get through it. It wasn’t a nice time.”

After taking a year out, Leslie spotted a job advert in the local paper for Swansea‑based M&D Care. He applied, was offered a role, and quickly realised he had found his true calling.

“I was quite nervous about going into care work initially but once I started, I quickly realised the foundations were already there. I’d been doing it my whole life from a very early age. I’m the eldest of seven children and when my parents separated, I was dressing them, giving them breakfast and getting them to school before I even got ready myself. Without realising it, I was already doing care work.”

A new purpose

Now a senior support worker at a Supported Living Service in Crown Street, Morriston, Leslie helps adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs to regain independence and return to community living.

“It’s not a physical job but mentally it can be challenging,” he said. “As long as I still have my own health, I can see myself still doing it. You become part of their family and try to give them the best advice and support as I would my own children. It’s very rewarding, you get to support someone for many years and then see them move on to independent living and that’s the greatest reward you could get.”

His colleagues praise his calmness and resilience in difficult situations, saying he has an ability to de‑escalate challenges and provide comfort.

Recognition for social care

Leslie was nominated for the Care Practitioner in Small Group or Supported Living award, sponsored by Cartref Ni, and received his Gold award at a glittering ceremony at Holland House Hotel in Cardiff.

Sian Henley‑Davies, Marketing Coordinator at M&D Care, said:

“We are incredibly proud that three of our outstanding colleagues – Deborah Deru, Rob Hayward, and Les Whelan – have been named as finalists in this year’s Wales Care Awards. Their passion, dedication, and unwavering commitment to the people we support make a real difference every single day.”

Mario Kreft MBE, Chair of Care Forum Wales, added:

“The Wales Care Awards underlines the importance of the sector – it’s the glue that binds our communities together, both socially and economically. Our mission has always been to be the voice of social care in Wales to stand up for the workforce and ensure their dedication is properly recognised.”

For Leslie, the award is a reminder of how far he has come since that difficult day nearly two decades ago.

“I think the social care sector is very underrated and the people within it don’t get enough credit. It can be just as skilled, demanding and intense as any other profession – if not more – and it’s a real shame the many good people out there are not always recognised. Each and every person in that room – even those who weren’t nominated – we’re all winners.”

#care #carePractitionerInSmallGroupOrSupportedLivingAward #mdCare #morriston #redundancy #socialCare #supportedLiving #swansea #walesCareAwards

Contextualizing Age-Friendly #Care Within Social Drivers of Health

#Geriatrics #Environment #SocialCare #SocialSciences #MedMastodon #Medicine #Aging #Ageing

https://agsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jgs.70197?af=R

New analysis by Reclaiming Our Regional Economies warned that public money is being rapidly funnelled out of the care system into the hands of private companies, rather than reinvested to improve services.

Colour me surprised..

#SocialCare #Privatisation #UKPolitjics

Private care providers in three English regions make £250m in three years | Social care | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/nov/12/private-care-providers-in-three-english-regions-make-250m-in-three-years

This was a sad read. People tried to help, but it was piecemeal and there was no family to support Craig in those desperate moments in life. It really makes a difference sadly. 😔

https://www.theguardian.com/news/2025/nov/11/when-i-met-craig-he-was-13-and-homeless-i-still-thought-his-life-might-turn-around-i-was-tragically-wrong

#Homelessness #SocialCare #Family

The boy with nothing but mouldy bread in his lunchbox

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/boy-nothing-mouldy-bread-lunchbox-32832111

What’s the story with care / home robots and hygiene: Is there a robot that can wash its own hands, for example?

(I meant autonomous ones, not the ones controlled by people with VR headsets)

https://richard.dallaway.com/id-be-impressed-by-a-robot-that-can-clean-its-own-hands

#robotics
#humanoid
#Socialcare

Two sisters, one painful, heartbreaking story

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/two-sisters-one-painful-heartbreaking-32817006

“Lancashire’s Reform-run council plans to close care homes and day centres. Questions about potential conflict of interest as council’s Reform cabinet member for social care owns private care company.” Privatisation of health and social care will make a lot of people a lot of money. And as #MiniTrump #Farage said yesterday he loves the rich. Shame about the rest of us. #Reform #SocialCare #NHS

Age UK have (again) stressed the problem of 'corridor care' for elderly patients & the lack of attention by NHS staff that such care often encompasses.

A key problem is the continuing difficulty of discharging elderly patients into social care (or with viable 'care packages') & so moving older patients out of A&E into wards is often difficult.

As so often this stresses the complexity of the multi-faceted criss engulfing our health care system!

#health #SocialCare
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gwkjzx088o

Greater Manchester hospice chief issues funding warning as report reveals 'lack of clarity'

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/greater-manchester-hospice-chief-issues-32764933

As an unpaid carer I endorse Dan Taylor's argument that there are two things our political class get wrong about unpaid care:

1. Care has an under-acknowledged impact on the carer, their wellbeing & financial health;

2. however, carers choose to help their loved ones & therefore do not deserve pity but rather need support.

We need a much better culture of public support & respect for unpaid carers; few of us will in the end not be touched by these issues.

#SocialCare
https://www.transformingsociety.co.uk/2025/10/28/what-we-get-wrong-about-unpaid-carers/

UK health jobs increase by +45K - while hospitality bleeds -59K year to Aug!
-> Care heroes hold the line, as pubs & plates pay the price?
#UKEconomy #JobCrisis #NHSWins #SocialCare

"‘Frightened to get out of their cars’: Britain’s toxic race debates threaten overseas care workers" - https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/oct/14/britain-toxic-race-debate-threaten-overseas-care-workers 😡
#socialcare #migration #racism #ukpolitics

#NothingToSeeHere .... Basically, #UKLabour's plan to address to the #MigrationCrisis are .... reportedly ... set to FK-up the #NHS and #SocialCare services! :)

#PhantastikPrompts 2.10.25
Welchen Beruf hat dein/e Protagonist/in? In welcher Beziehung stehst du zu dem Beruf?
In meiner aktuellen Arbeit ist meine Protagonistin Sozialarbeiterin wie ich selbst. Ich kenne also die Materie in dieser Beziehung aus erster Hand und kann einige Erfahrungen mit einbauen. In der Literatur und auch in Filmen oder Serien ist der Beruf der Sozialarbeiter ziemlich unterrepresäntiert, meist nur Nebenrollen.
Wir haben eine Hauptrolle verdient
#sozialarbeiter #socialCare