Wilt has had a fairly major office server maintenance MOT, this combined with an unrelated ISP* mixture of an entire loss of service or restricted service – what should be a 20 megabits services is running at 0.5 to 1.5 megabits per second. That is not good and very sloooooooom! In fact it is crap. It reminds Wilt of dial up via AOL in the early 90’s – very quirky, very slow and frequently just simply not available. In short, total shit. However Wilt has got a major part of his bill for services repaid – he can now afford a few extra ciders at the pub! Mmmmm.

In summary, one day when the whole office network was just not accessible as the techies did their work and then combined with the Internet Service Provider* having a bad hair day, or in fact several bad hair days limited Wilt in his duties – it is predicted it will not be fixed until  3^rd August at the earliest, and Wilt aint convinced that will happen, so please understand limited productivity.

His access to the web is therefore rather limited, frustratingly slow and a pain in the proverbial. He cannot be bothered any more to try to upload  article items or  snippets and will instead do some work – damn!

And it is a Friday for Gawd sake! Work! Shit! I will however clock out at 16:00 hrs and share a few news stories, politics and critical analysis of certain beers on offer at the local watering hole with friends – then walk home leaving the car. If anyone wants to join me, I will see you at the Ferkin Gawd Help Us Pub on the High Street.  Just put your drink bill on my tab!!

See you anon once the ISP* gets its firkin act together and put me back up to 20mbits (perhaps Monday, perhaps not) at some stage – either way the dorks at the ISP* aint getting paid! To be fair the ISP is usually fairly reliable and unlike most they do actually provides a near 20mbits connection speed.

Time for lunch – I think Pasta! Mmmmmm.

Wilt

Well, it seems Wilt has gone international with friends from north America, Eire, Denmark and numerous locations in England and Wales – no one in Scotland yet. Ah well.

The GSCC have accessed the site a huge amount of times, until they realised (too late) that their every mouseclick was being monitored by Wilt’s server. They are silly billies!

Welcome also the NSPCC – we note your attendance and if you wish a certificate of  learning please submit your CV and indicate what exactly you did learn, which is essentially what you should know already, which is that you are vampires blood-sucking morons who with your gut wrenching advertising (Full Stop!) promotes the image that the NSPCC actually make a difference – you know as you did with Victoria Climbe! Remember, that case in which you falsified your records to indicate you had no responsibility.  How did you find Regulator Watch – did the GSCC direct you? Your training is good, some of your local ‘projects’ are reasonable but please, please, please, do not imply that you actually do protection work (as in investigations and take Court proceedings). The NSPCC should be admonished for false advertising and fraud. Dorks!

Welcome also Ofsted and various other Government agencies. Please do join in the debate. Oh, and a belated welcome to various (unamed) MP’s – take note of the comments on Regulator Watch, and do something (but of course only after claiming your Allowances).

In recent weeks, Regulator Watch has had an increase in traffic of over 250%. In google search it has gone from a zero rating to a 2 rating. Not bad huh!? Excellent. Perhaps now social care will get another voice as increasing numbers of broadsheet and other national newspapers are accessing the Blog.

Good progress so far, we think.

Wilt

It would not be for Wilt to challenge the Court of Appeal – no! I mean, how dare he do so. The fact that we are losing pubs every day, in part due to the smoking ban, is possibly irrelevant. Well, perhaps not. At least those who still visit pubs can go outside to smoke, not infrequently in a covered (albeit ‘open’ and not ‘enclosed’) and heated area at the back or side of the watering hole. Regretably, those at Rampton cannot smoke as they lost their appeal court pleading. See article here on the BBC:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/nottinghamshire/8167921.stm

Wilt does a lot of travelling on business – if he were to smoke he could book a smoking room in a hotel, and whilst abroad on business and pleasure he could smoke wherever he wanted, if he smoked. In France, for example, on a booz trip (collecting as many bottles as possible) Wilt with his mate visited several pubs – can we smoke here said Fred (not his real name). No says the barman who then handed over a ashtray!

These poor folk in hospital – it is their home of no chossing in many cases are banned from smoking indoors (OK that is fair to non smokers) but are then also prevented from smoking anywhere on the grounds. Why? Of course if you commit a crime and get sent to Prison tou can smoke. Indeed if you are in Parliament you can smoke – the lawless corridors of MPs who make laws for others and do what the hell they like in their palace, and any palace or second home (at our expense) they otherwise occupy.

For Gawd sake, let these people smoke. Would it harm anyone other than the smoker? Its enough to cause one to take up smoking.

Wilt (cough)

No sueprise but confirmation that the voting public want labour gone.

Good on the people of Norwich North – the power of the pen wins the day. Wilt emulates that tactic. Excellent.

Wilt

For some time Wilt has had correspondence, discussions and meetings with a Registrant of the GSCC – his story, anonymous to you readers, is very scary – it implicates the GSCC (and many others) in pure incompetence which as the story emerges even the GSCC and other bodies (in an unofficial and sometimes official capacity) accept as unacceptable. You will not have heard of this story previously, except that others have shamelessly promoted the case from a perverse or ignorant perspective. The precise details of the main participants are illustrated only in part in the first of several articles – the full facts will emerge, including the identities of the main players in due course. This first article, set out below is only introductory.

Much, much more will follow.

Be scared registered social workers.

Wilt

Wilt, on a limited basis and subject to conditions, is willing to offer free advice and assistance to any person under investigation by or subject to proceedings by the GSCC. It will not, I repeat NOT, replace appropriate legal representation or assistance.

However, a team of experts in the field of social care can assist with analysis and determining defence, where such defence exists, and especially in the identitity of GSCC shortfalls. If you are in need of assistance, advice or just to talk over the issues, contact Wilt at wilt@regulatorwatch.co.uk.

Pleae be advised that our services are limited by our time availability and do not aim to replace any formal representation or advice services.

Well, what is new? Those in the know (such as Wilt) have been fully aware of the shortfalls in the GSCC competence for some time – and it is not because as some GSCC lovers at Community Care ASSERT due to resourcing problems or as implied by the GSCC itself that the increase in awareness of social care issues has resulted in the increase in complaints.
If it were that simple, Mike Wardle would still be in post and not suspended. Having had some dealings with the conduct service, including its head honcho and its former director Heather (the Dork) Wing it is quite evident that it all starts at the top – the incompetence I mean. Never in my professional life have I had dealings with such a bunch of fools, led by fools and without sufficient brain power between them to recognise malpractice, let alone risk assess it and certainly not investigate. The lot are complete idiots, obviously led by one.
Another nail in the coffin of the GSCC, me thinks. May its death be short, not sweet and as painful as possible so that those incompetents suffer in the way they caused suffering to an honourable profession.
Wilt is away to the pub to celebrate with a large cider, perhaps several (hic).

Wilt is inviting ideas for an alternative display for the traditional Guy Fawkes celebrations. In tradition the November event (apart from scaring my dog to near death) recognises the superiority of democracy above despots – Wilt signs up to that idea, even he prefers Gordon Brown over Adolph Hitler. However, what exactly (in relative terms) is the difference between MPs in general and representing the people, and more to the point doing it without ripping off the public in tax and expenses scams. Indeed the Labour government approach to the economy is the biggest Ponzy scheme in history.

The traditional burning of Guy Fawkes seems to have less not greater relevance now given the exposure of MPs and their greed. Albeit Guy had a different agenda, his desire to clean up politics seemed noble to him and whearas he is history, the need to gain greater transparency is ever present with those less than Honourable members. What better way to change culture, bring about a new dawn in political life and to sweep out the old hypocrites than reframing, realigning and re-dedicating the 5th November to reaffirming  ACTUAL democracy, transparency and simple TRUTH.  As it were, politicans say it as it is, do the business, get paid a reasonable wage, no expenses above that essential and are ACCOUNTABLE, in every sense.

So, lets have some ideas – perhaps we could burn an effigy of Ed Balls? Mmmmm now that my dog would really enjoy, and me

Size does matter …………….

Big is not good, believe me. And, I am not referring to male or, for full qualification, the female appendage(s). On those matters I am too old to worry and besides which I am British.

Public –v- Private

There is in all public/private services debates a failure to recognise that large is bad, whether it is public servants or the private sector that delivers our services. There are of course crap and sometimes dishonest ‘rogue traders’ who run small business concerns, but generally it is the large corporations (UK and international) and government (local and national) agencies who f**k up and eventually become entirely dysfunctional, serving not the customer or constituent but themselves.

Large business and government agencies are on the whole self-serving and it is the smaller private sector business’s that drives the economy and actually keeps the country functioning. The Government and local authorities should be restricted to commissioning services and not delivering services directly.

Your honest to goodness sole trader (the self employed) or small business is the backbone to the UK economy – it might be that plumber or electrician that you call on to do you a piece of work, does the business, charges you a good rate and then goes away, hopefully having solved your problem or delivering the service you specified. If he/she did the business you will call on them again – simple. It might be the guy that devised and manufactured with absolute expertise this very website, at very reasonable cost it must be said, on which you read these ramblings. By the way, he cannot be held responsible for the content of the same – that comes down to yours truly, regarded by many as a few pence short of a pound. Anyway, back to the basic message………

Oh, and I have forgotten the Voluntary sector, a private business by any other name. They milk the public purse with huge tax concessions beyond belief. They are worthy of an article in their own right.

Employee –v-Contractor

Here I am running a small business – even if I had enough business to need it I would never employ anyone. If I cannot do the work offered I pass it on to a select group of other consultants I trust. Employing people is a nightmare.

As a business person Wilt gets paid by the hour or contract. If he does not get work or is off sick or on holiday, Wilt does not get paid – simple. Wilt pays for his own office and all its contents, heating/cooling, community/business rates, lighting, telephones/internet and all the other stuff needed to run a business is also paid for by Wilt – these are offset against tax.

Wilt also needs to pay for his personal pension plan, and supply his own car to go about his business.

Compare the above to your average employee who only has the cost of turning up for work. If you work in local government you get:

• Six months sick leave at full pay
• Six months sick leave at half pay
• Up to six weeks holiday
• Various other additional bank holidays
• A gold plated pension
• Paid maternity/paternity leave
• etc., etc., etc.

Those are but the basic examples. Those in the larger corporations of private business envy their public servant peers but are not entirely without facilities such as sick leave payment.

Oh Wilt, what on earth were you doing in giving up all those benefits? Did you take early retirement Wilt?

No!

Did, as some others did/do take your quota of sick leave?

No!

On the Employee –v-Contractor debate it is clear that private is far more cost effective except that benefit is lost when business becomes large corporations.

Of course another aspect is that in the public sector when you have a service user knocking on the door it is difficult to turn them away – in private business, and like Wilt, it is possible (indeed necessary) to say ‘thank you but my diary is full’

So imagine if local authorities commissioned work only, they would have to find a contractor who would (if he is wise) be very clear how much he could do – after that the local authority would have to find someone else. Instead what happens is that they juggle priorities on a daily basis and allocated their resources almost by the hour in some busy children and family’s teams. Wilt knows, he managed in children’s services for the majority of his career, and has since done so in interim management roles in some fairly hair raising inner city environments, and elsewhere equally challenging. However, do not under estimate more rural working environments – they can be equally challenging, believe me.

Wilt never had a sickness record of any note as an employee but as a businessman it focuses the mind on maintaining an income, and because of working independently there is huge flexibility that on the whole better serves service users, contractors and indeed the contractor as he/she can juggle various items of work with other personal commitments.

However, before rushing off to become independent, be reminded seriously that on top of doing the professional work you also have to run a business – and that means everything, including all the finances (e.g. invoicing, paying bills and making sure you have your office stocked with everything you need). However, you eventually take it in your stride and everyone I know who works independently have said, ‘I wish I did it years ago.’ However it does not suite all, but there are small businesses or consortia of independent workers who will manage the business side, or you could work for an agency – and there are some excellent agency workers and a few good agencies, but beware some of the crap ones. Seek wilt’s advice on these if you want.

Work Ethic-v-Benefit Dependency

Wilt learned at an early age that you worked for your bread. Wilt discovered equally early that you could milk the ‘system’ if you were so inclined.

Who is it that has the highest sickness rate – those nice people in the public sector, particularly social care workers. Is it because of stress- sometimes without any doubt. Is it because of culture – you bet it is. Of course the majority are reasonable people who try to do an honest day’s work, whilst others take the proverbial. It is true that some people think in terms of using up their sick leave, although a small minority.

Nevertheless sickness absence is considerably higher in the public sector, and it is too simplistic to base it on stress. In the public sector there is also too much tolerance and after all if it were their money they were having to manage most people would take a very different and more grounded attitude to sickness absence.

The welfare state is a wonderful thing that had its roots following two world wars and at a time when there was real poverty, real avoidable ill health, poor housing and the concept of the deserving and undeserving poor. It was a product, necessary and ground breaking, of its time. That time has passed and it is important to move on. Not least as a country we cannot afford it and a bit like local government and public service conditions do encourage rogues to exploit relentlessly as much as possible with the smallest of effort (perhaps a bit like MPs) and generally take the piss. Now, I do not mean the severely disabled or ill but you know that person or persons we all know who need some incentive to work – it seems to run in some families, as it is core to their culture e.g. the state owes them a living. Well, excuse me but it does not, and I am fed up of you taking the piss.

Save rambling on, the basic message is that well intentioned (and at one time necessary) welfare services and indeed exceptional public service conditions of service need to be seriously reformed. What was a ‘safety net’ and what compensated hitherto poorly paid public servants needs very serious reform, and it needs it now. The safety net has for some become a welfare ticket offering no incentive to work and for public servants (now exceptionally well paid) an equal incentive for a minority to do as little as possible within a culture where the public serve them and not the other way around. Besides which we cannot afford it. I fall short however of reintroducing the workhouse!!

Public-v-Voluntary Sector

The UK has a proud history of philanthropy and voluntary work, and it has its place still. The State cannot manage or provide for everything – indeed its capacity to maintain its current commitments is well past its sell by date. In the field of social care there are numerous charitable institutions and individuals of merit – in itself it deserves its own article here on Regulator Watch and it is on Wilt’s to do list.

Among those that come to mind are Barnardo’s who remain an excellent agency despite its long history and at times pretentions of Thatcherism business plans. On the other hand you have firkin dorks like the NSPCC. In my long years of professional work I have never known of a time when the NSPCC were respected by anyone other than the twin set and pearls set in suburbia who cleared their conscience by doing a little fund raising and attending a committee or three.

Reference to Thatcherism is no idle comment. During the 80’s and 90’s most voluntary agencies took on with relish the ‘outsourcing‘ and the compulsory competitive tendering that Margaret introduced to try to break up the monopolies of local government. Although painful at the time (even to Wilt), it was, remember, embraced fully by the majority of the voting British Public.

In effect, this emancipation of the voluntaries (among others) and the eventual growth in the private social care sector resulted in voluntary agencies selling their services to the public sector. Then Wilt felt aggrieved at their presumptive and blatantly commercial approach and recalls that they (the voluntaries) were less philanthropic (and partners) and more like going commercial concerns with potential share options!

On reflection Wilt accepts that commercial issues are in reality a fact in social care, even though the GSCC has a blind spot on that issue – they appear to think everyone is philanthropic (or should be) and not profit from social care work, even they do daily at a very inerasable price. Well, we know the GSCC aint got a clue, so what do we care – that is another story (on the list to do).

However, what does piss off Wilt is that these (so called) voluntaries and I do admire some of their current and certainly historical interventions, is that they attempt to straddle both the voluntary and business status consecutively, thus profiting in selling their services (to the public sector at exorbitant rates) and claiming poverty in needing public donations and then further, taking the piss completely, in reclaiming tax breaks at the public expense. Well, either you are a voluntary service (free of charge to all) or you are a business and pay all business expenses/rates! Which are you, exactly – either way is fine by me? You cannot be both, and especially the NSPCC who when their Full Stop! advert comes on the TV I need to vomit – what exactly did the NSPCC do for Victoria Climbe, apart from attempt to falsify records to cover up their total failure to add a Full Stop! to child abuse? They were proven then to be complete liars and remain very much the same today.

It must be acknowledged that there remain very honourable (usually very small) voluntary agencies and a host of voluntary workers who just get on with the business. And, historically, some voluntary/philanthropic organisations who have thrust forward personal social services to the great advantage of the most needy in our society, and I tip my hat to them and pay homage to their resilience and often challenging (very often against majority public opinion) work to represent the enduring quality of compassion – good on you, and (whoever is your) God bless you – however, can I please have some of my tax ££££ returned, please – I am a needy case, honest Guv!

In Conclusion

Size does matter – the TRUE philanthropist, the ENABLED individual, the WISE small business , the EFFECTIVE  contractor (all need to live, pay the mortgage and eat) will take less sick, holiday or other leave and be focused on delivery of service – otherwise they do not eat and become homeless – a good incentive for those, who by need of circumstance, can and should embrace the work ethic and  CONTRIBUTE to society.

Wilt

The Independent Safegaurding (ISA) authority has been established and will operate from Darlington. Yet another quango that it is reported will be staffed by 250. Well, at least it is not in London. The ISA has been established as a result of the Bichard Inquiry (2004) which looked into the circumstances concerning Ian Huntly employed as a school caretaker in Soham and where he murdered Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in 2002.

They have taken over the running of the List 99 (education) which lists teachers barred from practice, the PoVA and PoCA list which lists those unsuitable to work with vulnerable adults and children respectively. Those three lists become two lists concerning children and adults and will be managed by one service. That is a good move.

They have an advice line service – see their website. They become live in October 2009 and they will begin to register everyone concerned in work or voluntary work plus their dogs and cats) with children or vulnerable adults. Registrants have to pay for their registration. I bet teachers and others employed in the public sector will have their fees for registration paid! Unlike Wilt who will have to pay his own fee.

There is some controversy around this agency and whether it is going to be effective, indeed cost effective especially if local authorities and other public bodies pay for their staff to be registered.  Voluntary agencies such as the NSPCC (who are very wealthy) will no doubt increase their vommit inducing TV advertising Full Stop! to cover the additional cost, but smaller voluntary groups might well suffer hugely – individual volunteers are exempt (in terms of cost) as in the case of the CRB, but small and large voluntary agencies alike who employ staff are not exempt. There is also a query whether, for example in the case of RELATE, who fee pay their councellors for work done (hence neither volunteer or employee but effectively self employed) will need to foot the bill. Wilt suspects those ’self employed’ will be required to pay their own one off registration fee, cos RELATE cannot afford it.

So social care workers will in many cases not only have to register with the GSCC (£30+ every three years) and also certainly have a CRB check (£30+ per check) and register with the ISA (£60+ one off payment, as yet!) – at this rate Wilt will have to take out a new mortgage. I would not mind so much but I am not conviced that the ISA (like the GSCC) will have any impact, or little impact. Let us not forget there was already police intelligence on Ian Huntley in Soham but the police failed to disclose the details to the school, citing Data Protection legislation – utter dorks! As yet the GSCC are to discipline a registrant who has not already been disciplined/sacked by an employer or convicted of an offence, and even then (as in Lisa Arthurworrey) they sometimes make a ball-up. The nearest the GSCC got to a success was in preventing the registration of a student social worker on the grounds that he had failed to disclose his HIV status – they were fined for that by the Employment Tribunal. Oh, and several other landmark findings by the Care Standards Tribunal, showing them (the GSCC) as total fools.

On the issue of cost, it is Wilt’s opinion that each individualshould have their registration costs met out of their own pocket – otherwise it is another stealth tax on the unsuspecting tax/community charge (poll tax) payer. Well, I suppose either way it is a stealth tax but at least I do not have to pay for others to be registered on top of my own costs. Wilt is going to have a word (or several) in the shell like ear of his mate the local Cllr XXXX XXXXX to ensure that in my local authority area that its staff pay for all three registrations (CRB/ISA/GSCC) out of their pocket, and not mine. At least that will be a start and my Council Tax bill might be reduced by a few £pounds.

The issue of effectiveness of yet another costly quango remains an open question – presently Wilt is dubious – actually more than dubious but in the interests of safegaurding (a matter close to his heart) he will await and see how matters progress.

Wilt