Scottish Express: State guardian stood by as police called to ME sufferer’s home

[Firestormm]

Scottish Sunday Express
State guardian stood by as police called to ME sufferer’s home
A YOUNG man’s life was almost ruined by school and council snooping as a result of living in the pilot area for the SNP’s state guardian scheme.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Oli Smith's life was almost ruined by his proximity to the SNP's state guardian scheme pilot area​

Oli Smith, now 19, was a high-flying student at his local high school in the Black Isle before he developed ME, or chronic fatigue syndrome, in 2008.

He missed months of schooling and his parents, Bev and Bryan, begged for help. However, despite the named person scheme, the family insist they were treated with contempt.

At one stage, after Oli used a swearword to describe his deputy head teacher in a post on his blog, his state guardian supported a decision that he should be reported to the police.

"The scary thing is to think that if everything put through now had been in place when I was at school, I’ve no idea where I would be – I probably would not have been allowed to stay with my family" Oli Smith

His parents were stunned when two officers arrived to interview Oli at home in Fortrose during his English Standard Grade exam.

The proposal to introduce a named person for every under-18 in the country was introduced as a pilot in the Highlands five years ago and has since been lauded as a “great success”.

However, campaigners say this does not take into account a number of long-running complaints from families who say the policy is intrusive.

His story emerged after the Young ME Sufferers Trust announced on Friday it would be joining a legal bid to halt the Scottish Government’s state guardian plans.

The charity described the policy, now law thanks to the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act, as an “oppressive, unwarranted and illegal intrusion into family life”.

Last night, Oli – now studying for a computer games degree at Abertay University – said: “It is something that is taking the control of their own lives away from young people.

“The named person is supposed to put the child first but my views were never listened to at any stage.”

He added: “Without scaremongering, I’m a science fiction fan and this policy seems like it is turning Scotland into a dystopian vision of the future.

“The scary thing is to think that if everything put through now had been in place when I was at school, I’ve no idea where I would be – I probably would not have been allowed to stay with my family.

“We were labelled all manner of things and I daren’t even think where I might have ended up if my named person had been backed by legal statute as they are now.”

When Oli’s illness began, his parents say that his guidance teacher accused him of “playing up” and threatened to call at their house every morning to get him up and into school....

Read more: http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/48...ood-by-as-police-called-to-ME-sufferer-s-home

 

[Firestormm]

As reported by The ME Association:

Tymes Trust announce they support court action against ‘Named Person’ scheme for Scotland

13 June 2014

The Young ME Sufferers Trust (Tymes Trust) announced today that they will be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with campaigners in a court action aimed at forcing the Scottish Government to scrap plans to appoint a ‘Named Person’ for every child under the age of 18.

The Trust, a partner body to The ME Association, said the plans – contained in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 – would be dictatorial and without precedent.

Jane Colby, their executive director, said:

“This must not go unchallenged. The Named Person will automatically be given details of appointments with the child’s doctor, and countless other personal information. No parent can opt out of this system. If the family misses an appointment, or disagrees with their doctor’s suggested treatment, the Named Person can and will be told.”

Under the legislation, every child in Scotland under 18 – and there are more than a million – will be assigned a ‘named person’ (someone other than their parents) who will have the power to ‘advise’ and ‘inform’ the child or discuss or raise matters about the child with the relevant authorities...

Read more: http://www.meassociation.org.uk/201...amed-person-scheme-for-scotland-13-june-2014/

 

[snowathlete]

This is a very dangerous change in my opinion. Not just for those with ME, but those with any under-recognized illness.
George Orwell would have a fit.

 

[user9876]

“This must not go unchallenged. The Named Person will automatically be given details of appointments with the child’s doctor, and countless other personal information. No parent can opt out of this system. If the family misses an appointment, or disagrees with their doctor’s suggested treatment, the Named Person can and will be told.”

This can be a big issue already and can already lead to child protection action in the UK where a doctor decides a child needs some treatment or objects to them missing an appointment on a bad day.

As a principle people should be allowed to make up there own minds about treatment choices this should not be forced on them by the state. It should be no different for children, particularly teenagers who are capable of making rational decisions. It does mean that doctors need to be much better at discussing the potential benefits and risks associated with any treatment. This is also where allowing researchers to redefine the idea of recovery or the definition of serious adverse events (like with PACE) becomes such an issue because unless the patent, medical staff and the named person are very careful they are likely to be mislead about treatment options.

 

[Sean]

This is truly insane terrifying stuff.

 

[alex3619]

The council spokesperson made a comment that the council takes a firm view on abuse or threats on social media. WE, the public, GLOBALLY, need to take a firm view on abuse from councils and state appointed guardians.

 

[Little Bluestem]

A theocracy is government by religious professionals. What do you call government run by medical professionals? Assholeocracy would not be specific enough.

 

[alex3619]

A theocracy is government by religious professionals. What do you call government run by medical professionals? Assholeocracy would not be specific enough.

One minor quibble, how can we call them professionals given their conduct is unprofessional?

 

[Little Bluestem]

Correction: medical practitioners.