Tag Archives: care

Deaf people facing barriers accessing health and social care in Sheffield

A report by Healthwatch Sheffield has found that people who are deaf or hard of hearing face multiple barriers leading to discrimination in accessing health or social care services.  The Not Equal report, based on consultations with 75 Deaf, Deafblind and hard of hearing people indicated that many had experienced a poor level of service in places like hospitals and surgeries due to a lack of communications support. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Margaret Kilner, chief officer for Healthwatch Sheffield.

Council signs up to charter for ethical homecare

Sheffield Council have signed up to UNISON’s Ethical Care Charter including commitments to care workers’ rights and an end to zero hours contracts. Under the charter, the local authority will work with Sheffield’s care providers to help them replace zero hours contracts with guaranteed hours and to reflect travel time between home care visits in care workers’ pay. The authority has also pledged to work with care providers to help them move towards paying the Living Wage Foundation’s recommended minimum £8.45 per hour to all of their employees. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!

Sheffield Council defends decision to close dementia care centre

Councillor Cate McDonald has defended Sheffield Council’s decision to close the Hurlfield View dementia respite care facility. A petition to save Hurlfield View has reached over five thousand signatures. Petitioners argue that this is the only day services and respite care facility in Sheffield for severely challenging individuals with dementia, including the most complex cases. The cabinet member for health and social care said the decision was “not a cost cutting exercise”. Sheffield City Council is ending the Sheffield Health and Social Trust’s contract to provide dementia services a year earlier than planned. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!

Safe@Last merge with Depaul to tackle homelessness

South Yorkshire charity Safe@Last have announced they will merge with the UK Depaul charity, part of a charitable group which operates in seven countries. Safe@Last support runaway children, young people and their families from a base in Dinngington. Depaul also tackle homelessness and currently have a strong presence in South Yorkshire with their homelessness hub on Eyre Street. In the UK, an estimated 100,000 children and young people a year run away from home or care. Shamaan Freeman Powell reports for Sheffield Live!