Latest news
News archive: April 2009 - June 2009
29th June 2009 - Coalition quoted in Parliamentary debate
The Learning Disability Coalition's survey 'Tell it like it is' has been used as evidence in a debate in the House of Lords on the National Dementia Strategy.
Read a transcription of the debate
24th June 2009 - Spend on care not prison, say Prison Reform Trust
The Prison Reform Trust has called on the Government to stop building prisons and to invest in effective health and social care, as well as treatment for addicts. Up to 7% of the prison population may have learning disabilities.
24th June 2009 - Coalition welcomes Employment Strategy but warns on funding
Community Care magazine has covered our response to the Government's Employment Strategy - read the article here
24th June 2009 - Call for overhaul of care eligibility system
Ahead of the forthcoming Green Paper, the Local Government Association has called for an overhaul in the system of determining eligibility for care. The LGA has called for the fair access to care services guidance on eligibility to be replaced with a two-tier system, which would open up the public care system to more people. They also suggest that single, portable assessments are adopted.
5th June 2009 - Public anger at planned Cornwall day care centre closure.
Plans to close the valued Murdock and Trevithick day care centre in Redruth have sparked outrage among the local community. A public meeting has been called to fight the closure.
22nd May 2009 - Report from LSE puts cost of Autism services at £25bn
A report from the London School of Economics has revealed that care and support with adults with autism costs the country £25 billion per annum.
14th May 2009 - Coalition makes case in letter to the Times
Dame Jo Williams, the Co-Chair of the Coalition, has written to the Times pointing out the chronic under-funding of services for people with learning disabilities.
29th April 2009 - New figures show that now only 27% of councils offer support to people with moderate needs
A survey by the Local Government Association and the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services has shown that fewer councils than last year - just 27% - now offer services to people whose needs are assessed as anything less than 'substantial'.
27th April 2009 - Green Paper due in June
The Government has announced in its Budget Paper that the Green Paper on the future funding of adult social care will be published in June.
2009 Budget Paper (see page 101)
24th April 2009 - Institute for Fiscal Studies warns of 'Deepest budget cuts since the 70s'
The Institute for Fiscal Studies has warned that users of public services are likely to suffer as the Government cuts expenditure in light of the recession.
17th April 2009 - NHS Confederation warns Councils over forthcoming funding transfer
Yvonne Cox, of the NHS Confederation, has said that the NHS will be unable to transfer enough money to councils to fund the Government's Valuing People agenda, claiming that the NHS faces 'similar problems to councils' in funding learning disability services.
8th April 2009 - Nick Hornby hits out at postcode lottery
Author Nick Hornby, whose son has autism, has spoken out against the postcode lottery in services for people with learning disabilities, saying it is tantamount to a 'national scandal'.
6th April 2009 - Coalition calls for extra investment of £200m a year
The Learning Disability Coalition has submitted a document to the Treasury calling for funding for learning disability services to be increased by at least £200m a year.
02 April 2009 - Valuing People Now: Making it Happen
Community Care's conference Valuing People Now: Making it Happen will take place on Monday 18th May. Speakers include Anne Williams, the National Co-Director for Learning Disability, and Mark Goldring, Chief Executive of Mencap. Topics that will be discussed include Personalisation, the Valuing People Now funding transfer and Mencap's Death by Indifference campaign.
View a brochure for the conference
View an Easy Read version of the brochure
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