15 replies to this topic

[Abi]

I know this isn't about Turkey but most of us Brits have family in UK and should be aware of things that could effect us and the ones we love.

A secret court is seizing the assets of thousands of elderly and mentally impaired people and turning control of their lives over to the State - against the wishes of their relatives..........


http://www.mailonsun...y-impaired.html

[sunny]

I read that article Abi. It's very worrying. The court has far too much power and is acting as though families don't have the best intrests of their loved ones at heart.

[Abi]

Yes it is a worry and makes you wonder what else is going on that we won't find about about until it is too late.

[Cukurbagli]

That is definitely bad news.

[Fil]

I am sorry, I have to disagree totally. I am not in the least worried by this story.
It strikes me as a typical piece of hysterical Daily Mail paranoia stoking. Secret court indeed. There is no reference whastsoever to this 'terrible' problem in any of the more sensible newspapers (Telegraph, Times, Independent, Guardian).
UK is one of the wealthiest and most successful countries in the world. UK has a strong, rich and enduring culture based on shared moral values and the rule of law. The biggest threat to UK at the moment is people being made to feel they need to abandon those values because they are threatened, victims, under attack. The 'I'm a victim' and 'It's someone else's fault' mentality will not help anyone.
I am confident that problems in UK will be solved in the future as they have always been solved, through the application of common sense in a calm and reasonable atmosphere.

[sunny]

The Guardian and Channel 4 have picked up this article plus other news outlets. Nothing would surprise me with the present government! Mind you 'any government' perhaps may be more suitable as I wouldn't trust politicians as far as I could throw them.


Guardian Article

Channel 4

I 've just found another article about the same lot dated 9th Feb. 2009
Guardian article 2

Here is the full story of one of the people who've had problems
One person's story

[Abi]

Gosh Sunny I found those last two links very disturbing. I do feel the same way about politicans and they have let people down badly.

I hope as Fil says "that problems in the UK will be solved in the future"

[Fil]

This is exactly what I mean. I would hardly imagine the guardian report is about the same subject as the one in the mail. I mean...
'secret court'... 'seizing assets of thousands'... 'control of their lives'... 'grasping State'... 'draconian measures'... 'far-reaching powers'... do me a favour. It's all miserable stuff intended to depress and frustrate people and make them feel powerless. People are not powerless, they are defending themselves using the tools at their disposal, good for them, states need to be watched as they often try to extend their power in their own interests.

[mitchmoud]

Looks straightforward to me. Without all the bells and whistles, the article states the court was established to deal with elder abuse. A living will is not a new device, and as stated in the first post everyone needs one. Most hospitals and clinics where I am from {US} remind you to execute one. Military hospitals almost force one on you. Maybe that is what is needed in the UK. I suspect the complaints are more about money than care . Anyone who has never dealt with it has no clue how hard and expensive full time care is.

[Meral]

Just as an observer, I understand the need for a Public Guardian, but why secret ? Why are close relatives often locked out of the situation ? Wouldn't it be better for them to work together, so they can keep check on each other ?

Too much power plus secrecy leads to a Nazi-type state. Keeping it open to scrutiny would better ensure integrity. The same can be said of politicians !

I too, hope that problems in the UK will be sorted out in the future, but it will require politicians WITH GUTS to do it.

[sunny]

Wishful thinking Meral.

I disagree with you Fil. When you are dealing with these government agencies you are pretty powerless and to try to get any redress or things sorted out can take a lot of time and effort as my brother can tell you just trying to sort out payment for carers for our mother in the last couple of years of her life. He had to get an independent assesor in the end and although he won the case it took an awful lot of time, effort, frustration and stress.

The Guardians article was about the same body as the Mail article.

[Fil]

It's a shame about the frustration and stress, Sunny, I know it's bad, but your brother won, as you say, so good for him, he stood up for his rights and used them, he wasn't powerless.

[Cukurbagli]

Fil I can only assume that you wrote your first post in this thread with your tongue firmly in your cheek. Nothing of importance has ever been changed in UK in a calm and reasonable manner. Change has always been associated with angst, public disorder, jail sentences and often bloodshed.

This particular government agency has been running in a slipshod and unsupervised manner since its inception and deserves to be kicked into touch along with the Child Support Agency which hounds fathers for their last few pennies.

Sunny's brother should not have had to fight for his rights, that he was put in that position is a glaring example that something is wrong.

[sunny]

My brother is an intelligent articulate person who, I would say, is in the top 20% of the population. People who have less intelligence and/or are less articulate and emotionally stressed would fare badly.
It would have been easy for my brother to give up at any stage and pay the inflated bill for care out of our mum's estate in the end(the dispute lasted a couple of years) but they didn't know my brother, when he gets his teeth into something he won't let go but many people faced with the threats of court etc. would have given in and paid just to get it out of the way.

[Abi]

Sorry to hear your brother went through all that Sunny, what a nightmare it must have been for him, but glad to hear that he won in the end.

[sunny]

Thanks Abi. He was really stressed out over it.