Home & Neighbourhood

Freedom Passes to be renewed

Residents in Bromley who currently use a Freedom Pass are being reminded that their current pass will be replaced with a new style pass and it must be renewed before 31 March 2010 as the old one cannot be used after this date.

People are being asked to apply on certain dates according to the initial of their surname and are being advised the following:

They can apply at any Post Office in the borough or participating neighbouring boroughs

They need a passport style photo, and proof of identity and residency in Bromley

The new Freedom Pass will incorporate a photograph of the passholder on the card and will be valid for five years instead of the current two. Passholders who do not have a permanent disability may be reassessed in 2012.

The initial application could take up to 2 to 3 weeks to process

The new pass will be sent to them directly, not issued by or collected at the Post Office

Eligible disabled people should contact the council if they have not received an application form or authorisation letter already.

Posters have been displayed across the borough and adverts about the renewal will appear in the local press. London Councils are also running an awareness campaign on buses, tube trains, stations and bus shelters as well as a road show in the Glades.

For further help and advice, people should contact the Council on
020 8461 7792 or visit www.freedompass.org

Job Vacancy

Residential Support Worker
£18,632 pa (37.5 hours a week)

Community Options are currently recruiting people to work within one of their registered care homes within the London Borough of Bromley.

The project provides 24-hour support for older people with mental health needs (not dementia).

They are looking for an experienced person who can provide person-centred support and basic personal care when required.

Closing date for application forms: Wednesday 20th May 2009

Download full job spec here

Bromley keen to develop Safe as Houses scheme

Bromley Council has worked with Age Concern, the London Fire Brigade and Met Police to launch a Safe as Houses information pack designed to help older people feel safer in their own homes.

One of the unique features of the pack is the ‘Nominated Neighbour’ card with instructions on a new scheme that enables older and more vulnerable people to tell unexpected callers to contact a nominated neighbour who lives nearby.
Completed in advance with a trustworthy neighbour, the card can be displayed through a window or letter box, so that the older person need not open the door. If the call is genuine, the nominated neighbour will agree to return with the caller and stay until their business is completed.

Other useful information in the pack covers topics such as advice from Bromley Council on avoiding rogue traders and staying put in your own home, fire prevention pointers from London Fire Brigade and advice on domiciliary care, general maintenance and home repairs from Age Concern.

Safer Bromley Partnership Chairman, Cllr Colin Bloom (right) said: “The Safe as Houses pack demonstrates very well how members of the Safer Bromley Partnership come together to focus on the needs of a specific group of residents in the borough. We want older people to feel safe in their own homes and having a supportive community can often help this to be the case. The new Nominated Neighbour initiative in particular promotes an easy-to-set-up way in which the local community can look out for others in their neighbourhood.”

Over a thousand packs have already been distributed. Residents can order a pack by calling Bromley Council on 020 8461 7777.

Government consults on safeguarding vulnerable adults

Views sought on action needed

Care Services Minister Phil Hope has recently launched a consultation on how to improve safeguarding policy - the protection of vulnerable adults - and address abuse in all its forms in the care system.

The 'No Secrets' guidance for local authorities, the police and the NHS to work together to protect adults is already in place. The Government now wants to make sure it keeps up with changes in the social care system, with the new emphasis on choice and control and changing forms of abuse.

Key issues on which Government is seeking views are:

• Whether there is now a need for legislation
• The feasibility of a national database of recommendations from serious case reviews where abuse has occurred
• What new measures are needed in the face of increased 'personalisation' of care with more people now being in charge of their own care instead of local authorities
• What new measures are needed in the face of changing forms of abuse, such as financial abuse

Phil Hope (right) said: "I am determined to improve safeguarding of vulnerable people. We need a greater focus on prevention, a greater emphasis on safeguarding in commissioning services and support, and greater empowerment of people to determine how they wish to be safeguarded. The No Secrets guidance must be updated to make sure everyone - individuals, police, care agencies, the NHS and local authorities prevent abuse, and also recognise it and stamp it out if it does occur.

"The consultation is particularly relevant as more people gain control of their own care. I want to help people maintain this control and independence, free from fear of abuse. I look forward to hearing people's views and will not hesitate to take tough action to improve safeguarding for those in vulnerable situations."

The consultation on the review of No Secrets will run from 14th October to 31st January 2009.

Visit the Department of Health website for more information

Mottingham Community Forum: Meeting Cancelled

The Mottingham Community Forum meeting scheduled for 1pm on Thursday 2nd October 2008 has been cancelled.

Once a new date has been arranged you will be informed through our events calendar.

Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

The very latest on PSA 16

Mental Health, Learning & Skills and Housing 

The very latest policy on mental health and housing is encapsulated in a Public Service Agreement (PSA).

For further details and resources, please click here

£4.9bn to support independent living

Communities Minister Baroness Andrews announced £4.9bn funding for the Supporting People programme over the next three years today. The funding will help over a million vulnerable people each year, including victims of domestic violence, teenage parents, older people and those with mental health problems - enabling them to live independently in their accommodation.

Supporting People is a major part of the Government's drive to tackle social exclusion, deliver social justice and support the third sector in delivering vital services. It supports over 800,000 older people, 40,000 single homeless people, 36,000 people with mental health problems, and 8,000 women at risk of domestic violence at any one time.

Under a major reform to improve the evidence for distributing the funding to councils, incorporating new up-to-date data and population predictions, the allocations are now based upon need rather than legacy, which is both fairer and a better use of public funds.

This first ever three year settlement for Supporting People, along side a radically slimmed down performance framework, which includes two performance indicators for housing support, will provide councils with a much greater level of certainty of funding, greater flexibility on spending and the ability to plan ahead and use money more effectively by entering longer term contracts to provide housing support services that will save money.

Baroness Andrews said:

"The funding announced today will allow councils to continue helping over a million vulnerable people each year to live independently and break the cycle of deprivation and exclusion.

Improving the distribution based on need and providing greater certainty and flexibility will make this funding more effective.

Success depends upon continued effective delivery by councils and voluntary groups, and I challenge them to do more to improve the quality of services, value for money and unlock efficiency gains to ensure this money really delivers".