Reply from Stephen Ladyman

Jude

Registered User
Dec 11, 2003
2,287
0
70
Tully, Qld, Australia
Dear Brenda,

Luggage labels for Stevie baby was my immediate reaction after reading your post too. I think I'll send him a Garuda label and advise him that I've left town and to expect two elderly parents to arrive by DHL.

By the way, I didn't know that Neighbourhood Watch extended itself to impromtu care of dementia sufferers. Did you?

Jude
 

Iainwh

Registered User
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/essex/4005867.stm

Is is just me or does Stephen Ladyman say one thing to us and another to the media/public?

Didnt Yasser Arafat used to do that?

'We recognise that dementia is a distressing condition for families as well as for those directly affected.

However, rather than making personal care free, we believe it is fairer to spend what it would cost to fund free personal care on improving services for all older people and their carers. The result of our decision is now becoming clear with the publication of this year's performance indicators. In England, 81,500 people are now able to receive extensive home care to maintain their independence. The proporition of people being supported in their own home has risen from 7.9 per 1000 households aged over 65 in 1998/99 to 10.5 per 1000 last year. Most older people tell us that what they want is to stay longer in their own home and this is being made possible because the money that would otherwise be spent on free personal care is being used to support home care for all older people.

and then he says

Health minister Stephen Ladyman has voiced his concern about the case.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme he preferred to believe those involved were desperate rather than cruel.

"They should have gone to the local council or their GP and asked for support, and that support should have been there for them," he said.

"And I am sorry if any family has got to the position where they have taken that sort of step, and have not been able to access care and support."

The minister said the government was working hard to provide local authorities with the funds needed to support carers.
 

Jude

Registered User
Dec 11, 2003
2,287
0
70
Tully, Qld, Australia
Dear Iain,

The first rule of journalism - 'never let the truth get in the way of a good story' really holds true for our Stevie doesn't it? I really dislike the man so much because he is so smug and vacuous and plays to whichever audience happens to be in front of him at the time.

A few years' ago there was a similar minded Minister in Australia who really irritated everyone so much that he was finally challenged to live on unemployment benefit for a month so that he could experience the hardships involved. At the end of the appointed time, he was forced to eat his words, which was just about all he had to eat for 30 days because he couldn't handle the deprivation to his affluent lifestyle.

It would be wonderful to offer Stephen Ladyman a similar chance at being a 24/7 carer for a month. Unfortunately, I doubt there would be many takers, since not many of us have quite that MUCH patience...

Jude
 
C

Chesca

Guest
Had a word with Dad's neighbours following Ladyman's suggestion of community help.

- His nearest, said you would love to oblige just as soon as she had recovered from the recent death of her husband who she had nursed at home following his unacceptable treatment in hospital.

- Moved on to the next who said would be more than happy to help just as soon as she had brought up her two babies to the stage where she could farm them out just to step in - a bit selfish if you ask Ladyman but what can you do when you've a mortgage to pay and family to raise.

- Mr and Mrs T a little further on said by all means just as soon as he had found the carer support for his own wife with AD, and in the meantime maybe we would work out some kind of rota just as soon as he had recovered from his impending breakdown!

- The others, retired and off to Australia for six months to see family said, of course they would put off the break in order to fulfill their community obligations on behalf of the Government. When could they start?

- And finally, must be the most selfish of them all, the young couple starting out married life with a huge mortgage to pay for which they are busting themselves working every hour of each day to meet their financial commitments.

Neighbours, eh! Better get those luggage tags finished.

Chesca
 

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