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

There is an awful lot of interest on Regulator Watch from hundreds of sources about both the demise of the GSCC and Mrs C – must be all the press releases or otherwise the demonic woman of Leamington Spa is ranting again.

Strangely, a colleague has similar activity on his website. We hope Mrs C is not breaching her bail conditions. He copied me this letter:

“Dear Mr Plod

“Mrs C is at it again – how long did you say she would be locked up for on breach of bail, and does it follow that harassment by others (even unwittingly) can cause their arrest too?

“We have their addresses and personal computer IDs. That is their log on identities. What Silly Billy’s these people are. Should we block them or just let the evidence accumulate?

“Wilt tells me that Mrs C and her toads are on his blog daily, without fail, usually three times a day except Sundays – she seems to be very regular. I will not repeat what Wilt goes on to describe as regular – he is just so rude, albeit correct.

“Do you understand the meaning of ‘Twat’? Personally I prefer a good single malt whisky. I must ask the barman for a ‘Twat.’ Sounds as if it might be interesting. I am game for a new experience.

“Anyway, you are on duty and enough about drinking – any advice please shall be greatly appreciated.”

To set this in context Mrs C was ARRESTED for cyber stalking and harassment on 29^th June 2010 and bailed on conditions for three months not to make contact with (or cause others contact) with certain named individuals, companies and their websites.

Mrs C is a foster parent, so called although you would be hard pressed to find any activity as such as she spends most of her sad life in her former council house scouring the internet for any muck she can use to perpetuate her sad and demonic harassment. Go here to get a good description of Mrs C: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberstalking

Less than a month, as predicted, the mad twat has breached her bail.

Oh dear………. She has no fucking clue.

What next?

Wilt

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

Which is worse, a one year suspension or a 5 year admonishment? Does either fit the circumstances applied in each case?

It is difficult to go behind the GSCC Committee on such matters as they are charged with handing down their disposal – albeit subject to potential appeal. See the Community Care article here: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2010/07/23/114970/social-worker-banned-for-offering-client-weekend-of-ecstasy.htm

The formal notice of the GSCC findings is here: http://www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/4DD0DB39-84FE-48C2-8938-42325E89D56A/0/NOTICEOFDECISIONCARNEY.pdf

And here: http://www.gscc.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/9E64FE17-F80A-4A86-8F24-7536079B13A5/0/CAHILLNoticeofDecision.pdf

Let us start with the latter case, Cahill.

He takes a service user/client down to the pub, touches up her bum and offers to take her away to Paris for a dirty drug filled weekend. What a fucking Dork of the first order. Cahill is suspended for 12 months as it was essentially a one off incident. It was however probably one of the most serious of acts of professional misconduct – a breach of professional boundaries and of trust in his capacity to hold the service users right to self determination and needs as paramount.

Some might think Cahill was quite lucky to get away with just a year suspended.

In contrast, Carney who admitted the offence of harassment and was convicted as such was subsequently admonished for 5 years by the GSCC. Why 5 years for Gawd sake?

There is no doubt it was a serious offence but it was both confined to a particular set of private circumstances (does not reduce its seriousness) and limited to a small number of events. The GSCC acknowledge he was under extreme personal pressure and again emphasise an otherwise long and successful career in social care, plus it did not involve a service user.

The man admitted his offence and regrets his actions. What then, exactly was the purpose of a 5 year admonishment?

His outcome is far worse (Wilt believes) than the year long suspension by Cahill and whose offence (in professional terms at least) is the worse. Yes Carney got it wrong, yes domestic abuse (emotional in this case it seems) is a no go area and highly serious – but 5 year’s admonishment after he admitted his guilt and dealt with by the Courts. Is that proportionate? What exactly was the GSCC thinking it might achieve?

You see Cahill after a year has, as it were, done his time and moves on – there is no mark against his name on the GSCC Register and, we assume, moves on. No one is any the wiser.

Carney however does not serve his term for 5 years – instead he carries the yoke of his GSCC Registration (a public name of shame board) until 2015. We find this very odd.

Most people will experience some crisis in their life, some several and a few many. Social workers, and others, aim to help people out of crisis and hopefully develop the skills to cope with crisis better (crisis intervention theory). Generally speaking, putting a yoke around their neck (labelling – give a dog a bad name) is not the accepted best method to help achieve better outcomes.

Regrettably the GSCC has confused, yet again, ‘outcomes’ with ‘outputs.’

Pick a number, any number between 0 – 5 and you tell me what seems fitting for Carney.

Now tell me what would you hand down to Mrs C for her harassment?  Not for her a one off or limited harassment of one person over a period of eight years, but together with basket case Dune Boy James Plaskitt (ex MP) harassment  IN FACT of numerous persons who by a process of other investigations are proven innocent of any harm to her/him.   Well, we will find out when it gets to Court, with her big black files.

We think Cahill was very fortunate; Carney dealt a very poorly judged disposal and Mrs C/Plaskitt will discover in all good time the meaning of breaking the law.

Wilt

Oh what a surprise, not: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-10702423

Birmingham are failing – what do people expect, for Gawd sake? Now this will be a real test for the new administration under David (call me Dave) Cameron.

The Council via Councillor Len Clark, head of children’s social care:

Mr Clark said: “We know we are not good enough yet, we know more needs to be done and we know what we have to do to improve.

“But there is no quick-fix solution to the problems faced in an authority the size of Birmingham.

“Birmingham has a track record of turning around services and there is determined political will to resolve this issue and achieve our goal – a world-class children’s social care service.”

Last week the council said it estimated it will have to make £230m of savings during the next four years.

In February, it announced up to 2,000 jobs could be axed during the next financial year.

Unions warned that the cuts could place an unprecedented burden on social workers, making it harder for them to visit people at risk.

Cllr Clark, with all due respect you are talking out of your arse – you aint got the first fucking clue, and the answer to the size of the Council is to divide it by half (at least).

Not even Ofsted, those super-human intelligent (sic) quango-crats from hell could misunderstand an utter fucking disaster when it hits you full frontal in the face.

C’mon (call me) “Dave” – sort them out for fuck sake. In 18 months time it will be only yet worse again – believe me.

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

It may, or may not, be a familiar news story that Gordon (Cyclops) Brown has been absent from Parliament since he walked elegantly (very difficult for him) from Downing Street hand in hand with wife and children – it was Wilt admits not a vitriolic sight even though he has dreamt of Gordon “just departing” from politics for many a year.

Wilt never intended however that he should just draw his salary and stay at home – I know it has been difficult Gordon, God don’t I know given the fucking mess you left us all in, but can you justify not representing your constituents at parliament? Why exactly are you absent without leave?

Is it perhaps true as Guido http://order-order.com/ reports that you are locked up in some mental health asylum, or are you just not giving a shit?

What about that career change, in the event you were no longer needed by the British public to serve your country – I submit by now you understand you are no longer required. You do however draw down a large salary, not as much as Wilt I confess, but at least Wilt “works” for his hard earned dosh. What exactly are you doing you stupid one eyed fucking twat?

Wilt suggests a career move for Gordon – how about (on a voluntary basis – no remuneration or expenses) undertaking a 5000 foot engineering survey of a 4999 foot pier over the Grand Canyon in the good old USA. Warning – no parachutes are allowed on this venture. Wilt is aware however of millions of people who would sponsor you on this great service to UK society, indeed world peace.

Keep taking the tablets Gordon – soon you might like to join forces with dune boy Plaskitt and Mrs C. They too have tablets which are mind changing – in fact LSD has that effect. Bloody brilliant stuff if you want to get “off this world” and live in cloud cuckoo land.

Wilt and Salty Dog prefer cider – a far more sophisticated, Wilt argues, of relaxing.

We are not missing you Gordon – not even a little bit but then you have duties to perform. Where are you Mr Cyclops?

Wilt

Baby P is all over the news again, albeit this time to the benefit of social workers: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/10478801.stm

And here: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5ioLJvwhZ9UALJ6D7o_-7Z08lnmyg

And here: http://www.communitycare.co.uk/blogs/childrens-services-blog/2010/07/baby-p-social-worker-wins-libel-case-against-haringey.html

We are pleased that there is justice after all – a bit like with Mrs C who will also soon be all over the pages of the press. Poetic justice, wherefore lacking Dunes Boy Plaskitt, for the moment!

Meanwhile, Doctors get some headlines too – aint it strange all this is so belated? See article here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/10468747.stm

Perhaps the Doctor needs compensation too. The social worker certainly deserved it.

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