The GSCC continue to operate as ‘normal’ pending the transfer in March 2012 to the to be renamed Health Professionals Council http://www.hpc-uk.org/ – or one should say the proposed move in 2012. Many in the Community Care Blog Care Space http://www.communitycare.co.uk/carespace/forums/gscc-to-be-scrapped-health-professionals-8085.aspx#32964 have mixed feelings about it.

The GSCC gives advice on the implications of the recent announcement of their demise here: http://www.gscc.org.uk/Home/ and click on big red “i” icon. In short business as usual – mmmmm.

Meanwhile the GSCC has published a number of recent outcomes from their Conduct Committee. This is a very odd one: http://www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/435BAC0D-2BA8-493F-B815-9DD47CB9FFBC/0/NOTICEOFDECISIONHIBBERTS.pdf

Essentially the GSCC dropped the case after it was unable to convince a local authority manager to give evidence and to proceed without it would amount to hearsay. Now you would think the GSCC would have realised this before taking it to Committee.

The GSCC are in a difficult position because they cannot force either a registrant or witness to attend – they have no teeth in effect. Not helpful. And of course they have no powers over employers and the code of conduct relating to them is not worth the paper they are written on – it’s just a wish list in effect.

Whoever drew up this legislation and the employers codes needs a jolly good lesson in ‘how not to make a balls-up.’

Other recent concluded hearings include this one: http://www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/AA176AF6-7A81-4CB7-8BD5-12FE7E710EA0/0/NOTICEOFDECISIONSIMPSON.pdf

Note the offending behaviour relates to 2008 – either this was part of the backlog or the GSCC were not previously aware of it. The naughty boy was looking at pornography on his employer’s computer.

He was suspended for two years.

Another: http://www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/30BF47BA-8D5E-4B6B-8329-DCE583C46253/0/NOTICEOFDECISIONMAHABIR.pdf resulted in a one year suspension. This did go back to issues between 2004 – 2008 and the GSCC were made aware of his drink-drive conviction of December 2004 (after he was first registered by the GSCC) in, and I find it odd how they term it, “around 19^th November 2008;” either it was or it was not the 19^th November 2008 – what’s with this “around” business?

So exactly what were the GSCC doing between (“around)” the 19^th November 2008 and 21st July 2010?  Not a lot it would seem. The registrant had asked that his GSCC hearing be postponed as he claimed it would prejudice his Employment Tribunal, which it appears is still pending.

And the disposal by way of a one year suspension, is that proportionate especially as he did eventually cough up the details to the GSCC, albeit four years later? Wilt thinks no – far more appropriate would have been an admonishment.

However, the registrant only has himself to blame as he was not in attendance to defend himself or give evidence. With the GSCC that, as a friend would say, is like a turkey voting for an early Christmas.

Each case is worth a read – click on the links above.

The GSCC have published their latest up-coming hearings here: http://www.gscc.org.uk/Conduct/Conduct_hearings/Upcoming_hearings/

Among some interesting ones are:

http://www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/DC31BFE1-A33D-4596-A2C9-F4925B29C6D8/0/SummaryJanjua.pdf

AND:

http://www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/134F01BD-EEF2-4797-92BD-3F07B424BDA3/0/SummaryNia.pdf

AND

http://www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/F6D734C8-77A7-4D4D-B828-54CA474507A7/0/SummaryHenderson.pdf

Why does the GSCC need to get involved in this matter http://www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/B002178D-48C2-4B2F-ADF0-D1309F474498/0/SummaryNyabunze.pdf one is left to wonder?

Wilt

Wilt has had the following Email:

Dear Wilt,

Having been outside of the country for some time I thought I wanted to drop a line about one of my favourite case, Jacinta Hofstetter vs GSCC. I am not sure how close you are from the CST but it seems that you have a very positive view of their work. On my side I spent, for professional reasons, a fair amount of time looking at the Jacinta Hofstetter case. I must say that when I saw the CST judgment I could not believe they produced such poor piece of work, the lack of intellectual rigour is astonishing. The person claimed that she was bullied, harassed and victim of racial insult from a manger at Brent. She moreover accused this manager of having made significant mistakes putting children at risk. Despite evidence this was never investigated either by GSCC and the CST. Not only was it not investigated but the manager was used as a witnessed, produced a statement though did not turn up at the hearing! It was proved that two witnesses lied in their statement, again no mention of this made by GSCC or the CST, only that the witnesses were credible, to lie is credible? One witnessed who conducted the investigation against Jacinta Hofstetter recognised that she had not experience in conducting disciplinary hearing, was out of her depth and was asked to build a case against the defendant instead of investigating impartially. It is in the recording of the hearing but nowhere in the GSCC final statement of the CST. Nobody complained against Jacinta Hofstetter whilst working in Brent. It is only after her suspension that people were asked to complain about her. Evidence though presented were not considered as even not quoted or disproved. Start seeing a pattern? Who would honestly believe that someone with a 15 years of career, became, in the middle of it, for around 12 month, totally and utterly incompetent, and this by coincidence just after reporting her manager for…incompetence! Despite all the GSCC efforts it was still recognised that no children were harmed or put at risk. But who cares, the point is that Jacinta Hofstetter did not go on her knees in front of the GSCC or the CST and fought for what she thought was right. Good for her, I like this! GSCC spent ~£0.5m on to make up a case against her. She obviously did not have this kind of money to spend. I could spend the night going through the details of how wrong this case was and I have no doubt in my mind it was a miscarriage of justice. However I am sure you have better things to do and even if it is not always obvious we are in a democracy and everybody can have his/her point of view.

Best regards,

Justicewillbedone.

Wilt predicted precisely this 12 months ago: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/07/26/114986/sector-leaders-shocked-and-surprised-by-abolition-of-gscc.htm

According to Community Care sector leaders are shocked – well they should have been reading Regulator Watch. So, no surprise to Wilt and he will not be on his own in feeling pleased. The GSCC, with its stupid logo, has been a nightmare from day one. No doubt staff will be leaving to find new, proper, jobs with far less perks and salary – good.

The GSCC was after all one of the primary reasons for Regulator Watch being set up – to publicise those aspects of their work which they preferred not to have published.  You know like the major cock ups they frequently made and continue to make. What will Regulator Watch do without them and after the demise of Plaskitt (ex) MP and his demonic constituent?

Of course there is no word about the sister agencies in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales – and the functions of the GSCC will be transferred and subsumed by the Health Professions Council. Let’s see how well they do. For sure they cannot do any worse.

I like the title of the Government Report found here: http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_117832.pdf

“Liberating the NHS” has a certain, very satisfying ring to it! The title of Chapter 5 will be particularly poignant to some people in Oxfordshire and Salop.

Pages 21 – 23 deal with the proposed abolition of the GSCC and transfer of its functions. Interestingly, there is a hint that social work students will not be required to register and, unlike at present, the new registration will require no government subsidy i.e. total self funding.

Legislation will be introduced in November 2010 to make all the various changes and implementing the transfer of functions by the GSCC will be effective from April 2012 – these are indicative as distinct from absolute. If all goes to plan, by the end of March 2012 the GSCC will no longer exist – the end of an era error!

So who next? The ISA is already under notice and has delayed starting registration – they are as good as toast and Wilt predicts they will be gone before the end of the year.

Ofsted, Cafcass and Scie? The latter, to my surprise is not a public body although one suspects it gets some funding – it is widely predicted it will not survive. Wilt predicts Ofsted will get broken up and demolished and Cafcass will simply disappear.

The General Teaching Council is already toast. You never know, it might yet come about that regulation of social care might just go the same way. If not, expect to pay more for your registration or start calling yourself something other the protected title of “social worker.”

When the term ‘bonfire of the quangos’ was termed – they really meant it!

Good.

Wilt

Now is this proportionate in terms of a disposal: http://www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/5ACC11F0-B8F9-4647-A690-9C85F7DF986C/0/NOTICEOFDECISIONMainsahKiven.pdf

A five year admonishment – why? Are the GSCC effectively deciding to stop the woman working? We think so.

The Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) will have a record and her CRB check will show the convictions. What exactly are the GSCC achieving by adding a 5 year admonishment? They just love to pile on the shit whenever given the opportunity.

This disposal is so disproportionate – indeed it is outrageous.

Wilt

The GSCC http://www.gscc.org.uk/Home/ have listed their latest upcoming hearings here:

http://www.gscc.org.uk/Conduct/Conduct_hearings/Upcoming_hearings/

Four cases are listed, all rather interesting in their different ways, and all to heard at the GSCC HQ, as follows:

http://www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/76CB674E-1AD4-4753-ABD2-03FC00FC8E30/0/SummaryCarmody.pdf

And:

http://www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/15F1C782-0D25-49E1-AA3F-D1D64A190807/0/SummaryHavell.pdf

And:

http://www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/34519A4A-AC66-4420-A48B-697E034FE17D/0/SummaryArnhem.pdf

And:

http://www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/C966ECAD-D938-446B-AD39-04746ED008E1/0/SummaryTrounce.pdf

Each is listed for a single day hearing, except for one which is two days (Trounce) which involves, it is alleged, blackmail. Oooooeeeeerrrr!!!!

Wilt

Now we all know that Wilt is something of a simple minded chap – at his age keeping things simple is necessary. The previous Gordon Brown led Government complicated (and generally fucked up) almost everything. The only uncomplicated thing Brown can be thanked for, to wilt’s mind, is the “flat rate” VAT scheme – it’s too complicated to explain! However Wilt’s bookkeeper and accountant sort all that out.

You see, if Wilt’s services were no longer required, or if he were short of work (which he aint), he would just move on to other new work. No severance pay (except for breach of contract) and no pension either – not until it matures after years of contributions by the said Wilt, and no one else. The only exception is his current pension (taken in a lump sum – thank you) and his pending local government pension to kick in soon – and very good it is too. He was very lucky that the LA pension is so generous, and “locked” until he shortly falls off his desk chair and hangs up his Court/business suit.

To Wilt, simple minded as he is, he made good provision for the future, and indeed for the future of his offspring, friends and family – together with Mrs Wilt probably a combined portfolio in excess of £Xm. Not a lot we admit, but enough for the prudent and well in excess of that which most can hope to bestow upon their journey to their maker (or the devil).

However, what about our current civil servants and local government officers pensions and severance? Pensions will without doubt require them to contribute more, a considerable amount more, and their severance pay will be reduced, Wilt is in no doubt, the up to “6 years” redundancy payments will not now happen further – what fucking idiot ever agreed that? Probably Gordon Brown advised by Ed “Ferkin” Balls, the smarmy bastard.

The Telegraph has about the best article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/7871570/Ministers-to-slash-pay-offs-for-civil-servants.html

And others include: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10504840.stm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/jul/05/government-war-unions-strike-redundancy

What rather confuses Wilt is the threat of strike action – “OK comrades we will go on strike cos we are to be sacked………And sacked without severance pay of six years” The “comrade” union official on a £250,000 salary thinks and then adds “Comrades you deserve better, you have served (sic) your country and the public well – what reward are you given? A few weeks’ severance pay and a p45 with the option to actually work (I mean do a real days work) for a living in the private sector, no expenses, no huge paid holiday and sick leave entitlements.”

The man dressed in a very expensive suit continues with a lump in his throat: “Comrades, I need you, my children in public school need you, my wife (who shags many of my colleagues) needs you (although I hope not all of you 600,000) and I have a standard of living to expect from your union contributions – how else am I expected to live? I would have to go out to work, for Gawd sake – is that reasonable?

A lone, very shaky voice peeps up – “ahem, so I go on strike, lose my job anyway and I have less money than I would have had if I had not gone on strike, and yet you still get my contribution to your trade union that pays you 70 times more than me to achieve what exactly?”

The “comrade” replies – “It’s your duty to serve your comrades and the union.”

Union member: “Can I get a rebate on my union contributions?”

Wilt kind of thinks most civil servants and local government officers realised, albeit too late and regretfully, that at some point they were to join the real world – the real world beyond state benefits and state salaries.

You see there is not a lot of difference between a state benefit and a state salary – both waste space and both drain money from those who actually do a day’s work!

Wilt

ps: There are more recent articles since the above was drafted. See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/politics/10519726.stm

And: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/7874285/Civil-servants-redundancy-pay-to-be-capped-as-soon-as-possible.html

The gloves are off – a big scrap in Whitehall is pending.

Next: the quango, local authorities and, possibly, MPs!

Perhaps the nice civil servants can develop an Iphone application for calculating the difference between what they could have expected to get and what they will get in redundancy payouts. See http://regulatorwatch.co.uk/2010/07/iphone/

Oooooops, the GSCC have again made another cock up, as determined by the Care Standards Tribunal. The adjudication can be found here: http://www.carestandardstribunal.gov.uk/Public/View.aspx?ID=1088 It involves:

• Evidence of delay by the GSCC
• Simple lack of investigation (not even an incompetent one)
• No proper weighing of the “public safety” test (at all it seems) against the “interests of the registrant”
• No proper consideration of proportionality of their decision

Unfortunately the GSCC get a slapped wrist and told to “do better next time.” Ah but will they? We will see.

There is, it seems to Wilt, a long history of the GSCC showing “previous form” e.g. they are recidivists. They have this terrible habit of forgetting that it is for them the burden to prove guilt – they simply find it easier to take the approach of “guilty until proven innocent.” It’s a lot simpler for them – never mind the poor registrant.

That is particularly true in another recent Care Standards Tribunal finding, below.

In a separate Case http://www.carestandardstribunal.gov.uk/Public/View.aspx?ID=1086 yet again the GSCC get a “clip around the ear. In one sense one could understand the GSCC exercising caution but the case illustrates three things:

• Delay (again)
• Lack of investigation/analysis skills, AND
• Prejudice

This judgement, carefully weighed up as usual by the Care Standards Tribunal, is well worth a read.

Now these cases do stem back to the time when the GSCC were experiencing, it is reported, exceptional difficulties. It was, more to the point under the old management of the disgraced Mike Wardle, albeit the concerns outlined in these two recent case examples can be found in other cases from well before he was there – he was just a useful scapegoat.

Wilt has observed hitherto he is hopeful for the new management at the GSCC (if they survive at all) – I hope this is not the start of another long list of GSCC failures.

Wilt

“Watchful” has a particular grasp of the issues going on at the Northern Ireland Social Care Council – here is their special page, made “sticky” to the front of Regulator Watch.

Blast away Watchful………..

Wilt

The Wilt is back in the UK for several weeks albeit with intermittent short trips to more sunny climes on business. Time now to catch up with paperwork (writing up notes/reports) attending to the demands of auntie bookkeeper (she is brilliant) and speaking to the accountants on complex issues of VAT. We have a few more UK based contracts to perform and several others lined up, on top of the overseas stuff.

It was good to be at home for a couple of days before coming up to the very sunny north Wales with Salty dog – Mrs and Ms Wilt are in the interim in London (at some rock concert) and seeing the sights. Next weekend the Wilt’s are off to Cardiff to see the ubiquitous Paul McCartney at the Millennium Stadium – cost a fucking fortune!

Business times are good, for some – the Wilt’s are not exactly suffering yet, albeit things could change as the new Government are, quite rightly, cutting and slashing central and local government budgets – not least Quangoes. Just brilliant!

In my absence “Watchful” has been keeping up the contributions to Regulator Watch and will now be rewarded with his own fixed page – not that s/he will be restricted to that page – most (although not exclusively) of his comments are here: http://regulatorwatch.co.uk/2010/03/an-irish-perspective/

“Watchful” will keep the NISCC (Northern Ireland Social Care Council) http://www.niscc.info/ under review.

Also, whilst away, Wilt has been noting a whole host of other developments and not least since the mad (or evil) woman (Mrs C) was blocked from access – see article here: http://regulatorwatch.co.uk/2010/06/sports-car/

We predicted that she might overcome the block by visiting her local library in Royal Leamington Spa or use the foster kids’ computers/connections – it seems not. Instead she is using a new toy, a mobile phone with internet access on the T-Mobile network. She is as ever “driven” and versatile, or otherwise fucking mad and determined.

The woman appears not to sleep – she is accessing Regulator Watch more than ever and at all kind of weird hours, like just after 01:00 am or 05:49 am, indeed any fucking hour you care to think of. Accessing anything on a screen that small must be painful, driven by desperation. We just love it!

Mrs Complaint has a limited network of friends, rarely leaves her (ex-Council) house or the computers(s) therein. She claims to be a foster parent of asylum seekers but does fuck all – it is Mr C (who looks like he was formerly homeless, we are advised) does that work, and does what he is told.

What would happen if she had to go out to work – you know like real work? It is very probable that she will have to do so, possibly sooner rather than later if the stem on asylum seekers continues and no or very limited State benefits. No doubt Mr C will be sent out to work to keep her in the squalor she is used to.

Meanwhile, others are living off Government compensation because of her antics. Brilliant!

She needs to get a life.

Wilt

ps: our friends from Salop have noticed this activity on their website from Ms C @ 06:14 am! The woman is fucking bonkers. Not so mch as needing to get a life, the Salopians say, she needs o get a job!

Wilt @ 1850 hrs

You see, Gove has not forgotten us – not just yet anyway: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/06/03/114637/gove-promises-support-for-taskforce-recommendations.htm

I aint too sure however that Community Care can be so assertive as they are in this advice: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/06/03/114638/q-and-a-what-does-the-national-college-mean-for-social-workers.htm that the Social Work College could not become the Regulator to replace the GSCC (http://www.gscc.org.uk/Home/).

The article was written before the abolition of the General Teaching Council for England (http://www.gtce.org.uk/ ) by Mr Gove and as set out by the GTCE in their press release: http://www.gtce.org.uk/media_parliament/news_comment/gtcabolition0610/

The Regulation and Registration function of the GTCE will be assumed by some other body, so the General Social Care Council is not yet in the clear. If the teaching council can be abolished, so can the social work equivalent.

It is not true that all professions have a separate “college” or membership group from the regulatory and disciplinary functions. What exactly is the conflict in one single organisation promoting and supporting professionals whilst also investigating serious complaints? In my mind the two fit together snugly.

The options are however wide open – albeit to be fair the GSCC of late (under new leadership) appears to be getting its act together a bit more. However the trail of absolute disasters it has left behind through utter incompetence (and having been placed under special measures) has left few if any believing that the organisation is anything other an embarrassment.

My prediction – they will go too and their function of Registration will go somewhere else. There are too many of these Regulators and there is both an economy of scale and similar role and function argument in favour of mergers.

Time will tell……………

Wilt

ps: The same arguments and observations go for the SSSC, CCW and NISCC – however they are outside of the English jurisdiction and will determine their own futures.