SHARP DIVIDE BETWEEN PEOPLE WHO DO AND DO NOT QUALIFY FOR SOCIAL CARE
PEOPLE NOT receiving support from councils are struggling with a poor quality of life, says the third report on the state of social care in England by the social care watchdog, CSCI. The report for the first time explores the experiences of people not deemed eligible for state-supported social care.

CARER SUCCESS AT THE ECJ
A carer has won the initial stages of a case at the European Court of Justice that could give new rights to millions of carers. The Advocate-General agreed that Sharon Coleman, suffered “discrimination by association”. She had claimed that she was discriminated against and harassed because she had a disabled son.

SHROUD OF SECRECY LIFTED FROM ROYAL WILLS
Amidst the furore caused by MPs reluctant to disclose relatives on their payrolls, another door was being opened in the name of transparency. And this one was royal.

UNIFIED COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE ANNOUNCED
The department of health is to introduce a new unified complaints system for health and social care, to make it easier for people to complain when things go wrong. This will address the current situation under which there are separate complaints procedures for health & adult social care, making it particularly difficult for people who use a combination of services to make a complaint.