Transcript of Dr Stephen Ladyman's Hosted Chat - March 1st

Below is the whole transcript of the chat. It may be a bit hard to follow, but I thought it would be useful for you all to have a look at what was discussed, and Dr Ladyman’s answers.

For those who haven't been in the chatroom before, the names are the people who are talking, the text next to them shows what they are saying.

Because the chat takes place in real time, there are spelling mistakes and typos. I have left them in as I wanted to show the chat as it actually happened.

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lulu hello stephen

Stephen_Ladyman Hello, this is Stephen. Sorry I couldn't chat with you all last week - I was online but the Department of Health Firewall wouldn't let me online. But I'm here now and happy to answer questions.

jeanette hello stephen

Mags welcome stephen

Mags start again jeanette

jeanette can you understand mine? was going to send it when apropriate!

Esther Hi all,

lulu hi esther -

Mags hello esther

jeanette my daughter is 37 with L./D she is now in dementia ,my city has nothing in place for early dementia

jeanette only over 50 yrs old

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jeanette she receives no day care now
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Stephen_Ladyman Jeanette, your city should have services in place for you and your daughter. Have you taked to a local councillor and asked them why not? You need to make a fuss! In the meantime, I assume they have carried out an assessment of both you and your daughter. If not, again you should make a fuss. If you get nowhere make an official complaint to the Chief Executive.

jeanette They are suggesting we send her over a border to a private day centre

jeanette I have spoken to all I could think of ,but no councillor

Stephen_Ladyman How far away is over the border and are they offering to pay her transport and her fees? If so, this might be OK in the short term while they get some facilities of their own set up in the city specifically for early dementia.

jeanette now NICE are suggesting that alzheimer drugs are to be refused new patients who need them ,she is one of them

jeanette it is about five miles away

jeanette has not got far enough to know about funding

Stephen_Ladyman Its always worth raising these problems with local politicians especially your local council. Most carers services are organised by local councils and so if they are not delivering a councillor is often the best person to kick backsides.

jeanette I will go and see our councillor but have spoken to very senior social care and health staff already

jeanette I am so sorry everyone dont want to hog this precious time
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Esther I hope that helped Jeanette. Does anyone else have a question?

Mags I think people on carers allowance she be entitled to free perscriptions/ dental / optical ect as we only receive a tiny amount each week. My hubby works but is only on small wage but not small enough to claim any benefits.

Stephen_Ladyman The NICE advice to doctors that came out today is a consultation only. There will be lots of discussion yet before any firm guidance is issued. Basicly, what they are saying is that the evidence suggests that for moderate alzhiemers these drugs aren't effective enough to justify using them so they are consulting on the suggestion that they should not be given to any new patients that develop dementia. But once again - its only a consultation at this stage.

jeanette pleased to hear that ,thank you.

Mags that should be should and not she sorry

Stephen_Ladyman Mags, I'll mention that idea to my ministerial colleagues. Free prescription charges are always a thorny issue but I'll discuss it with officials - the problem is that people in work usually have to pay.

Mags thanks

lulu i care for my 32 year old son who has had a severe breakdown and suffers from a social phobia . I find the confidentiality problem so difficult and I am not told anything or considered at all. My son sees a cognitive therapist and I now have a carer support worker now which has been a great help to me. But they know nothing about my son so I never know how things are progressing.

Mags but I am not in paid work stephen, and most of my health problems are because of caring, but thanks anyway

lulu sorry mags for butting in

Mags I will let you off lulu :)

lulu ty and sorry stephen

Stephen_Ladyman Lulu, I can see that would hurt. Of course, the law has to look at the issue from your son's position as he is an adult and entitled to confidentiality. If he doesn't want to allow people to give you details that is his right.

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lulu i understand that and thank you but it is difficult as i am on my own-- next person now ty

Stephen_Ladyman Mags, are you sure that you are claiming all the help available to you? It might be worth asking the CAB or similar to check your circumstances. I always advise people don't assume you're not entitled - ask. They can only say no.

Mags Iwe are not entitled to any help stephen

Mags but tahnks

Margaret_F Lulu, at the Trust we have recently produced in partnership with The Royal College of Psychiatrists a leaflet on Confidentiality and soon the Royal College will be introducing mandatory training on carer awareness, so hopefuly some of these issues willl be addressed inthe future.

Stephen_Ladyman Mags, have you checked with the Inland Revenue about tax credits?

lulu thank you Margaret- i do have that leaflet - thank you so much

Mags o stephen

Mags no

Mags I will enquire though

Mags I can't type tonight

Stephen_Ladyman Margaret_F. That's good news. Confidentiality is important and its difficult for people who make laws to take account of all circumstances but I know it hurts when you are worried about a loved one and kept out of the loop.

Margaret_F Lulu really pleased to hear that the leaflet has reached carers in your position..

lulu yes ty from MIND

Lynn Stephen, why is my so called 'independant income - ie carer allowance - taken off my husbands benefits. So I get it in one hand, and they take it off him in the other?

lulu the support worker is also from mind

vinytol hi stephen my sons got sxhizophrenia very much related to his excessive cannnabi use. It goes on and on and he buys it on the street and makes himself very vunerable. I think it should be controlled ie legalised . its really bad at the moment for him and us. sorry i cant work out the turntaking here hope this is ok.

Stephen_Ladyman Lynn, I don't know. Benefits are organised by the Department for Work and Pensions so I'll ask one of the DWP ministers.

Lynn But you are the minister for Carers I thought? Is this something you have not come across before?

Stephen_Ladyman Vinytol, This is a big debate. People have different views as to whether dope should be legalised and controlled or treated in the same way as hard drugs. I personally tend to the view that control is best. The govt recently changed the classification of the drug - its still illegal but the police won't charge for a first offence of possession. This should help them have time to target dealers. If this doesn't help, I've no doubt the issue will be looked at again by future governments but I think public and expert opinion is a long way from deciding legalisation is worth trying as once the genie is out of the bottle it can't be put back in.

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vinytol thnks id really be glad if you could read this - it took me a lot of anx to write http://www.ukcia.org/library/letter_to_sane.htm

Stephen_Ladyman Lynn, I am the minister for carers but carers issues are cross government. I have to work with ministers from DTI (on work regs), from DWP (on benefits) from DFES (on adult ed and training) etc. I can't be expert on everything - especially benefits rules - which make my head hurt

Lynn I do understand that Stephen - but there is only one benefit for us that you have to worry about - never mind - let someone else have a turn.

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Mags I think people on higher rate DLA should get the heating allowance. My daughter can't move herself and so the heating is on all the time and fans in the summer

Stephen_Ladyman vinytol, thanks for the link, we'll have a look at it

Stephen_Ladyman Mags, I assume you mean the winter fuel allowance. This is an idea I've heard before but the view of DWP is that heating costs for younger adults are included in the benefits system. But I'll let them know what you think.

jeanette My gripe is ,as a pensioner ,I cant have carers allowance as it is an overlapping benefit.So receive nothing for my caring roll!

Mags ok stephen, thats all mine answered thanks

Stephen_Ladyman Jeanette, It won't surprise you that I've heard this many times before. My ministerial colleagues are looking at ideas to see how we can help but don't underestimate the difficulty we face. If we scrap the principle of not allowing overlapping benefits it will (a) cost a lot of money and (b) create anomalies that non deserving people could use to claim several benefits that would add together to be very much more than people could earn by working.

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Mags is lee next esther?
<Date> Tue Mar 01 10:30:17 PST 2005
alibali hi cant access screen just ignore me

Esther Okay folks, Stephen Ladyman is here for another tens minutes. Lee your are next. Est

jeanette Not knowing anything about politics ,I would have thought the carers allowance could 'just continue 'after old age arrives!!

Mags steve can go next Lee doesn't have a question

Lee Please move to someone else as my questions have been answered I feel

the_analyst Good evening Minister, I think all the qualifying conditions for Carers all. are too restricting

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Stephen_Ladyman the_analyst, in what way? Do you mean qualifications for carers allowance, or for access to social care?

the_analyst You are doing a full time job for £44 restricted to £79 earning, no full time education. Captital restrictions you may have saved up

alibali I had to give up a good career to look after Paul I my income is more than the maximum allowed to get carers allowance but its still an awful fot less than I would get if I was able to earn my living working full time

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Lynn more than a full time job Steve - but well said

Jennie Good evening everyone xxx

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chinchuck In 3 months time I am ableto claim my State Pension.How ever this is not a full pension, and I am unable to top it up by deferrment dut to my caring resposibities.
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Stephen_Ladyman Alibali, and the_analyst. I see what you mean But we have to have limits. But we do keep them under review and if we can find ways to improve things we will. All I would ask is for a little sympathy - the Government doesn't have endless amounts of money and so we have to target resources on those who need them most. The carers strategy is relatively new and we'll have to keep looking at how things work and improving as we go. We certainly are committed to helping carers who want to work and if the befits rules are a barrier to this they'll be looked at.

Lynn Gordon Brown proudly announced on 3.12.4 that lone parents were worth £12 per hour - his words not mine - interesting that we are thought so little of.

Mags but stephen my daughters nurse carer gets £41 for 5 hours work with us and I get £44 for 24/7

alibali its not the benefit rules its the practicalities, my son needs two carers because of possible aggression you cant get that type of resource for 40 hours a week also my son couldnt handle someone else looking after him that often his is autistic

Esther382 Sorry, connection droppped he will be me now.

alibali anything happened before i came in of interest

clivegsd Too short notice, just seen it now

Mags ok

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chinchuck Why can you not at the very least ,top up a stat pension shortfall with carers allowance, which at present you automatically loose on claiming a state pension above the £44 allowance

Lynn so who will he be now lolol

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Esther382 Stephen speaking. Lynn - both carers and lone parents get more today from this chancellor than they ever have before from any other chancellor. We can always do more but we have to start somewhere.

clivegsd That STILL doesn't take into account what we do and how much we save this government

Stephen_Ladyman Hi I'm back as me now. This technology is not all its cracked up to be :-)

the_analyst What about looking at allowing living relatives to be paid by direct payments. It could easily be policed at the front line??

the_analyst Live in

lulu as long as you remember us stephen and what we have all said tonight

Lee Stephen if one in every 10 people who are carers put there charge into care for the government to deal with could you possibly imagine the cost that would be involved?

Lee The care for each individual in public hospitals etc, being cared for by qualified nursing staff would be a very high rate indeed.

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Stephen_Ladyman clivegsd. Its not a matter of saving money for the government. Its society that pays the bills (you and me) - the government just collects it and hands it out. Of cource, carers save society billions. But we cannot even dream of paying all carers the full cost of what they do - no society could ever afford it. What we have to do is support carers where we can and as I've said we'll keep the rules under review and change them as and when it can be afforded.

Lee So many people get to the point where they can't cope physically and financially and have no other option but to hand there loved ones over.

clivegsd Then why do we pay child allowance?

alibali it would make a big difference to carers and their carees if direct payments could be paid to them for care rather than a stranger

clivegsd government

Lynn I think two of the most despicable words in the english language are 'young carers' I have a choice - kids dont

Stephen_Ladyman Lee, You are right. Thats is why we have to provide more support. But we have as a society to draw lines between what we can and can't afford. Don't forget we are the first government to recognise carers - the carers strategy, the carers grant, two pieces of legislation that allow you your own assessments and information about your rights and soon new opportunities for flexible working. Its only a start but at least it is a start.

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Stephen_Ladyman Lynn, I agree. We need to do a lot better for kids who have a caring role and I know Margaret Hiodge agrees.

Lee I am just glad it is recognised thank you for responding Stephen

Stephen_Ladyman Final word. I have to go now. But I've heard your ideas and I promise I will do my best to keep the carers agenda moving forward.

the_analyst Thank you

alibali thank you

lulu thank you very much for joining us

Mags ok thanks stephen

Lynn cheers Stephen

Margaret_F Goodnight everyone. Take care.