Relative care

Thanks to John Mitchell, Moira Ogilvie and her carer Dave for speaking out about the nonsense that's been happening in Dundee. The social work department there seems to have blocked care users from paying relatives as personal assistants out of hand despite the greater flexibility, round the clock care and value for money that option can provide. Why? Relatives might abuse the disabled person and arrangements could become unprofessional and chaotic – that's not the official response because there's been none. Of course relative abuse is possible and does happen . But last week's Panorama showed appalling abuse in formal care settings passed as "excellent" by the Goverment's care regulator too. The Scottish government is passing legislation now to lay down "appropriate" circumstances in which relatives can be paid. That will replace the current law which allows such payments in "exceptional cases" to be determined by councils. The Self Directed Support (Scotland) Bill, backed in principle by Labour, will make it easier for care users to employ relatives from (probably) 2013. So why are SNP-led councils like Dundee still rejecting all bids to have relatives paid as carers when the law's about to change? See more.