A company trying to evict an 83-year-old Alzheimer’s sufferer from a private care home it runs is facing a legal battle in a historic case that could affect hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people.

{mosimage}The patient, who is female and known as YL, is taking Southern Cross Health Care to the House of Lords today on the grounds that the eviction would breach her human rights. Southern Cross is arguing that it is not undertaking a public function. Doctors say that evicting her would lead to a 25% chance that she may die within 6 to 8 weeks. If she wins, it could provide protection to 300,000 care home residents potentially at the mercy of private firms who run 91% of care homes in England and Wales.

Her action is being backed by Lord Falconer, the secretary for constitutional affairs, and by disability and human rights campaigners. Due to a legal loophole, the Human Rights Act offers no protection to elderly people in private care homes who may be at risk of eviction, abuse or neglect.

Views expressed by eminent social care leader, Dame Denise Platt, in her national review of the Status of Social Care services have been warmly received by Skills for Care, the national workforce development organisation for people working in adult social care.

The creation of the new Vetting and Barring Scheme has taken an important step forward with the appointment of Sir Roger Singleton as chair of the new Independent Barring Board (IBB). He will oversee the development of the scheme in preparation for its launch in 2008.

The proportion of chronically ill young children dying in intensive care after being admitted to other hospital wards has steadily risen year on year since the end of the 1990s, reveals a study in the Journal of Medical Ethics.

Plans to introduce an internet-based information sharing system on children in Berkshire are being discussed. Slough Borough Council is hosting a county-wide conference on Monday to consider plans for ContactPoint.

Staff overseeing the welfare of the youngest person to die in custody in the UK had failed to protect the 14-year-old, even though they knew he was a suicide risk, an inquest will be told this week.

{mosimage}Adam Rickwood, who had emotional problems, hanged himself at the privately run Hassockfield Centre near Consett, Co Durham, while being held on a wounding charge. In a meeting with Adam’s mother, Carol, 20 days before her son died, staff allegedly assured her that he was safe in their care.

‘Adam had told me he was going to hurt himself if he was kept in the centre,’ Carol said. ‘But the staff told me there had never been a suicide at the centre and that he would be constantly monitored.’ Hassockfield is more than 150 miles from Adam’s family home in Lancashire. Guidelines suggest that young offenders should be held no more than 50 miles away from their family. ‘The last time I saw Adam he cried and cried and said he wanted to be nearer to home. He wasn’t an angel, but he was a mummy’s boy. He liked a cuddle,’ said Carol.

Social Care Minister Ivan Lewis today announced a five-point plan to put excellence at the heart of the government’s vision for twenty first century social care. The measures follow a report commissioned by Mr Lewis from Dame Denise Platt on the state of social care.

{mosimage}The centre piece of the package will be a skills academy ‘SocialCare21’ focussed on developing world class leadership and commissioning in the public, private and voluntary sectors. The Minister has also announced that SCIE has been asked to create a new system by the end of the year for identifying and disseminating best practice in the sector.

The Government is to open discussions with publishers to create a high prestige social care journal of a similar nature to the Lancet in health. Academics, practitioners and uniquely people who use services and their families will have a platform to stimulate debate, identifying future challenges and comment on the statue of social care.

A new national social care board is to be established which will seek a greater level of coherence across social care and directly advise ministers.

The Department of Health is to work with existing award schemes to build on their recognition of excellence and innovation on the front line of social care.Ivan Lewis said: “Dame Denise is right to challenge the sector to raise its game and demonstrate a clear and ambitious vision for the future.

The General Social Care Council (GSCC) has welcomed Dame Denise Platt’s report ‘The Status of Social Care – A Review 2007’. Rodney Brooke, GSCC Chair said: “Dame Denise has made a typically acute diagnosis.

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) welcomes the challenges outlined by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Care Services, Ivan Lewis, following publication of the Status of Social Care Services – A Review 2007.

Parents who give alcohol to children aged under 15 should be prosecuted, a charity has said. The call comes in an Alcohol Concern report on the government’s Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy.

{mosimage}The study highlights figures that suggest a large increase in the amount of alcohol drunk by 11 to 13-year-olds. Alcohol Concern also wants a 16% rise in alcohol taxes, a ban on brewers selling to retailers at a loss, and a crackdown on under-age alcohol sales. The charity would include meal times at home in the ban on giving alcohol to young people. Frank Soodeen, a campaigns officer for Alcohol Concern, said: “We are facing a new social reality where children seem to be adopting older behaviour at a younger age.

“One of the things we need to do is get parents on board.” He also suggested there was a need to consider new legislation regarding the issue. The charity would like to see a ban on alcohol advertising before the 9pm television watershed and non-18 certificate films in cinemas.