April 1st, 2012 at 1:50PM

DASS - Key Priorities

You can have a look at the usual depressing blather about “The Vision” for the Department of Adult Social Services (DASS) for the next 24 months. HERE

After #DELAYGATE point 6.1 -  Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework is perhaps not the most sensitively worded goal.

“Delay and reduce the need for care and support.”

#Wirral Borough Council#wirral leaks#Social Services#Delaygate
March 22nd, 2012 at 2:36PM

“Is There Anybody There ?”

#wirral council#delaygate#whistleblowing#wirral globe#Hotline#delaygate#4 week delay
March 22nd, 2012 at 2:34PM

Wirrals Not So Hot Line

Why not publicly an announce setting up a hot line (see HERE)  and then not answer it ?  In most places this would be madness, but in Wirral Council, it’s the norm.

#Wirral Borough Council#Hot line#Councillor Jeff Green#Delaygate#4 week delay#social services
March 21st, 2012 at 9:45AM

Wirral in Private Eye Rotten Boroughs Yet Again.

It would appear Wirral Council are trying to break some sort of a record for appearances in Private Eye’s Rotten Boroughs section. Lord and Lady Wirral-Leaks are huge fans of the Eye, and admire they way it cuts through the spin and bluster to tell it exactly like it is. This week it mentions the 4 week delay aka DELAYGATE, plus some disturbing tales of care providers without contracts on the Wirral run by ex-CID officers. We are of course sure that such a link would never compromise the integrity or veracity of any potential Police investigation. The Eye also quotes the suspected amount of money paid to two employees, lets call them Nora Doone and Pike Growler, totals which FOI requests have thus far failed to reveal  (see HERE)

There is also a brief mention in Social Work bible “Community Care” with regard to “#DELAYGATE”  HERE

Mind you rumour has it that Community Care is on board with Wirral’s Department Of Adult Social Services (DASS) to assist in improving it’s public image, although the feeling is that even Harry Potter’s magical powers would be put to the test in trying to spin DASS in positive light.

This may explain Community Care’s recent “soft focus” interview with new Director Graham Hodkinson, whose grip on the situation could be summed up when he incongruously stated that [within the Department] “morale is good.“  Sorry, but saying it doesn’t make it so Graham old fruit.

We suggest he reads the comments on the Wirral Globe website for a truer picture of what’s really going on in DASS. There he will discover horrific tales of institutionalised bullying were former staff talk of pressure, intimidation and being forbidden to mention the 4 week delay and ultimately being forced out of their jobs. Or perhaps he might like to peruse the emails we have received - which are numerous and shocking - Here is a quote from just one of those emails.

“To be honest I don’t think I have ever worked in a more bullying environment.  I have met bullies in work in other places, but never a culture of nastiness and threat from management at every turn.

I can only presume they must be desperately worried and are doing everything they can to shift the blame for a failing organisation onto newly recruited, overworked and inadequately trained staff - I truly find it depressing that human beings can act like this - remember they are planning all their actions, these are not impulsive actions!”

#Wirral council#Wirral council#delaygate#whistleblowing#martin morton#Anna Klonowski
March 19th, 2012 at 4:59PM

Wirral Set Up Delaygate Hotline.

So the 4 week care delay that didn’t actually happen, did happen!

Wirral Council have set up a “hotline” in response to DELAYGATE which opened today and will be available until Friday, April 13.

The number to call is 0151 606 2641.

Complaints can also be registered by emailing leader@wirral.gov.uk or in writing to the Customer Resolution and Information Team, Hamilton Building, Conway Street, Birkenhead, CH41 4FD.

Other questions people may like to ask is,

Why was there a delay especially when the Fair Access to care legislation states “Councils should provide services promptly once they have agreed to do so.”

Who decided on this policy, Elected members ? Or Senior Officers ? 

Why are these people still in post and why was this unofficial policy covered up for so long? 

Who are the specialist team of officers independent of Wirral Council.?

#Wirral Borough Council#DELAYGATE#4 week delay#Whistleblowing#Jeff Green
March 17th, 2012 at 9:50PM

Unofficial Media Statement - Wirral Explain “Delaygate” ?

D.A.S.S Spokesman Richard Dasstardly briefed media today : 
“Well the thing is right , when we said “4 week delay in commissioning care”  what we really meant was that this was to assist service users time to reflect on their needs and er, ensure that the package was bespoke and very good and stuff.
 
It is a gross misrepresentation to call it a delay .The secretary taking the minutes of the Budget Meeting meant to write  “4 week prioritisation process” in the minutes.As a result of her sheer incompetence she’s now been chosen to be the fall person for this “misunderstanding” because she can’t possibly understand how clever,caring and cuddly we really,really are deep,deep down inside…………..
 
Please note: the fact that “prioritisation” does not feature among any of the documentation relating to this case should not lead you to the conclusion that we are making it up as we go along.
Prioritisation is such a long and very important word it should be all we need to convince Councillors that what we were doing was in the best interests of all concerned ( OK not the people of Wirral - but hey they don’t count do they ?- they’re just there to fund my lavish lifestyle in the Cheshire stockbroker belt).   
 
However we must explain that if there was a delay, we have decided it was the service users fault for not agreeing to a piss-poor service, sorry we mean personalised service within a 4 week period of reflection followed by a period of prioritisation by very,very clever Senior managers .
 
Some social workers may have thought there a 4 week delay but that’s because they’re not as clever as us and they get a little confused sometimes but that’s their fault because they just don’t listen sometimes and its nothing to do with our lack of communication skills.
I will not waiver on this point.
 
The commissioning care aspect is again a misnomer as clearly we don’t care.Er, please don’t misinterpret what we’re saying here.We mean we support people to be independent rather than care, as we believe in choice and er,empowerment and other words we can regurgitate on cue but don’t really mean.
 
Finally when we refer to the independent sector we mean a small group of “support” providers who are so independent and free of scrutiny we have absolutely no control over them.
 
I hope this explanation proves that making out we are all DASS-tardly is just not very nice and a little bit upsetting.
 
 
As you know DASS senior managers are held in such high esteem for their honesty and integrity by the people of Wirral and to see their reputations trashed by someone who probably has never had to do something really tricky with an Excel spreadsheet makes us all nostalgic for the days when we could rely on the Cabinet lead for Social Care to get us out of any old shit we landed ourselves in.
 
Therefore  we can only conclude that this is clearly the work of a trouble maker who is probably a bit mad - just like the other one!”

#Wirral Borough Council#whisteblowers#4 week delay#DELAYGATE