Whilst we wait for the draft mental health bill, I have a suggestion. There are too many people with learning disabilities and/or autism detained in ‘assessment and treatment units’ (mental health hospitals), and they are there for far too long – some people are there for years (or even decades). There is not enough support…
Some days expand your heart, mind and horizons; yesterday was that kind of day. And I want to share what I found out with you, so that your heart, mind and horizons can also grow larger. I was privileged to be invited to a roundtable meeting by the Dementia Pioneers. This is a group of…
In 1942 Sir William Beveridge published his landmark report, laying the groundwork for the post-war welfare state in Britain, aiming to slay the ‘five giants’ of Want, Idleness, Squalor, Disease and Ignorance. Seventy years on, Agenda Publishing have published a series of books revisiting the current state of these five giants, who are regaining their…
As some of you know, I’ve recently written a book, entitled Deprivation of Liberty in the Shadows of the Institution (Bristol University Press, 2022) about the long long history and possible futures of social care detention (regulating community care living arrangements as a ‘deprivation of liberty’). Because the research is funded by Wellcome, you can…
A couple of years ago I tripped over a step and did something horrible to my shoulder. My mate kindly took me to A&E and I was eventually seen, examined, diagnosed, and sent home with a sling, drugs, and a referral for physiotherapy. I don’t think anyone bothered to assess my capacity on that occasion,…
What does liberty mean, and what value do liberty safeguards hold, for people who draw on care services? Can a person who others describe as happy or content be deprived of their liberty? Can a person be said to be deprived of their liberty if their care arrangements are supposed to keep them safe and…
The government is consulting on reforming the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA), creating a so-called ‘British Bill of Rights’, which is code for removing the bits of the HRA that prevent governments and ministers from driving through policies or practices that judges have ruled violate people’s human rights. Conor Gearty has written an excellent post…
The Ministry of Justice are consulting on a Mental Capacity Act: Small Payments Scheme. This is about a simplified process for third parties (like families or carers) to access small amounts of money held by banks for a person who ‘lacks capacity’ to make financial decisions, for example the relatively small savings that might be…
When I had my second child, J, his delivery went pretty badly wrong. I ended up very unwell, staying in hospital longer than I’d hoped and it was a rough time. I was being kept in by doctors because of badly controlled pain, but in a bizarre catch 22 a new midwife came on shift…
I am a neglectful blogger, I know. A friend recently nudged me to say I should write more, and he’s undoubtedly right, but where to find the time amidst exercising continuous supervision and control over a proto-toddler intent on pulling the cat’s tail and eating the contents of the older one’s craft cupboard, whilst doing…
This guest post was written by Lucy Bonnerjea, writing in a personal capacity. Lucy Bonnerjea was a civil servant for 20 years which included being the MCA Policy lead. She now works on MCA implementation. You can contact Lucy at Lucy.Bonnerjea@gmail.com. The government has passed legislation compelling care homes to ensure almost all workers are…
The Small Places 