Social work boss (Director John Alexander) is “uncaring and untrustworthy” Galloway News Feb 25 2010

Read the story.  Click here or use the full link below:  Galloway News article

This complaint was also reported by ITV Border News on Weds 24th 2010 and has been discussed that day with the Care Commission who are now very concerned that the Council have not kept them fully or properly informed.  It appears that the Care Commission has also been mislead by Council officers as to the true and accurate position in order to avoid and postpone enforcement action.  On 23 Feb the Care Commission confirmed: “The Care Commission has identified in successive inspection reports for several years, the unacceptable standard of maintenance of the property from which the service is provided. Quality grades of 2 – ‘weak’ have been awarded for the Quality of Environment in recent inspections.”

In discussion 24/2 a resident’s representative was informed by the Care Commission of a recent ‘unannounced inspection’ of Dunmuir Park Care Home and that a full report of this should be published on the Care Commission www site within the next two weeks.  Until published no details or gradings can be released, but it is reliably expected that the previous findings in successive reports over several years will be repeated.  This position is obviously not acceptable under any circumstances especially as all Officers vehemently deny there is any intention or policy of closure by stealth, that is letting the buildings decay and presumably eventually fall down.

However note the parallel to the ARC buildings where a worryingly similar picture of neglected basic day to day maintenance is becoming apparent in Care Commission reports, which can also be accessed and read elsewhere on this site.

We know the Social Work Director & Ms Proctor want to close the ARC buildings, yet he is now arrogantly refusing to discuss this with the DGPPG as a users and carers group, despite his statutory duty to fully consult.  This is being challenged and will also be the subject of further formal complaints.  These will include reneging on his promises to provide full data to support his claims that the Alexander/Proctor closure strategic plan was “Achievable & Sustainable” and why he stated that the ARCs are “not cost effective”.  The Council has failed to produce this and other documentation under FoI requests.  We have asked senior Elected Members to carry out their duty to ensure accountability and are waiting to see what, if anything, they will do.  It seems there is no real accountability and this situation is the direct result, including the shambles of the Wigtownshire pilot ‘Personalisation test site’, which is costing us £1.2 Million pounds at a time of front line service cut backs.

The Council have failed to produce documents concerning this under FoI and not replied to a request for representatives of the learning disabled to at least observe at the ‘Personalisation Board’ meetings where UCI & Mr J Dowson are allowed to be present and participate.  But they do not actually represent or consult with the learning disabled and UCI are funded by the Council.  How cosy is that self serving arrangement also spending we understand around £50,000 of our Council Tax.  For details see elsewhere on this site.  UCI has failed to reply to our questions, because they are not accountable to anyone, yet consume our cash as a ‘pseudo quango’ with charitable status!

In the interest of local democracy we will continue to post all relevant information on this site.

Full link to Galloway News is: http://icdumfries.icnetwork.co.uk/gallowaynews/news//tm_headline=social-work-boss-is-8220-uncaring-and-untrustworthy-8221%26method=full%26objectid=25907776%26siteid=77296-name_page.html