Madam,

So Bodlondeb has closed, but where does that leave social care for older people in north Ceredigion?

The new legislation, which the council insisted on citing at every opportunity, demands that any changes the council makes to social care must lead to improvements, be sustainable and be a product of closer working between social services, health and the ‘third sector’.

The ‘third sector’ refers to voluntary, charitable and other kinds of non-profit organisations.

It is not at all clear how well the joint working is coming along.

There are lots of statements about this committee and that committee being formed to meet the challenges of the new care environment. Lots of problems and potential problems are identified by these committees, but we appear to be desperately short of answers.

It is no good compiling a list of problems and then just asserting that they will be addressed.

As I stated above, and as we have seen in the Cambrian News in past weeks, Bodlondeb has closed and terminally ill people within the community are having care packages withdrawn.

So, as they chain and padlock Bodlondeb, we are in a situation where the council is obliged to make further cuts this financial year, Hywel Dda is supposedly £60m in debt and the country is in the grip of a flu epidemic and the worst hospital bed-blocking crisis in memory.

As it is also a victim of council funding cutbacks, it is unclear as to how robust the third sector in Ceredigion is and whether it is able to meet the demands which inevitably will be placed upon the various charities and organisations.

The public needs reassurance about how the council is going to meet its duty of care towards older people in need of support.

Real propositions and plans are needed, not just vague acknowledgments of concern.

Yours etc, George Holloway, Rhoshendre, Waunfawr, Aberystwyth.

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