Society daily 29.03.12

Sign up to Society daily email briefing Today's top SocietyGuardian stories • UK health officials probe possible flu jab link to narcolepsy in children • Bird flu: how two mutant strains led to an international controversy • Ab Osterhaus: Why all our bird flu research should be published • Liverpool's independent Liam Fogarty posts a lively Mayoral manifesto • South Leeds plans 'mock Olympics' torch-run to highlight lack of local sports facilities • Zoe Williams: In this leaking frenzy, don't take scandals at face value • Mark Brown: The JetBlue pilot's breakdown is nothing to laugh about • Angus MacCulloch: Would introducing a minimum price for alcohol of 40p per unit breach EU law? All today's SocietyGuardian stories On the Guardian Professional Networks • NHS managers now have the task of implementing Andrew Lansley's reforms , says Judith Smith of the Nuffield Trust • Film can be a powerful tool for charities to mobilise support and change behaviour , argues Kate Stanley • The forthcoming social care white paper offers the best chance in a generation to overhaul our outdated system , says David Rogers • Why some local authorities are convinced strengthening social cohesion holds the key to cutting the chances of civil disorder • New Oracle deal with Cabinet Office will save £75m • The founder of an e-learning social enterprise says the digital economy market is lucrative On my radar ... • Recommended reading from social work blogger Ermintrude on the Not So Big Society blog . Written in response to a Comment is free piece by Liz Kendall on care costs , Ermintrude picks up on Kendall's comment - rehearsed by many others too - that "older people who have worked hard all their lives can end up losing the family home to pay for care". She writes: I'm often in my work asked precisely this question directly. 'What should I pay for care when I've worked hard all my life and paid into the system and bought a nice house when Mr Smith across the road in the council estate has done nothing and gets everything free?'. I have a generic response about not trying to make comparisons but inside I'm thinking that you do have your nice house and you have the benefit of having lived in a great area with wonderful family around you and have an affluent lifestyle. Mr Smith across the road does work but you don't see it. He works part-time in a supermarket and cares for his elderly mother etc etc. You get the idea. I'm not saying this situation is right where people have to sell homes to pay for care but buying into the agenda of making divisions between those 'hard working people' who have 'earned' their money just creates more stigma on those who have not had lives as fortunate to be able to accumulate the same levels of wealth. It's politics all over and makes me despair of a time when politicians will want to act and speak for quality and standards for all people whether they have 'worked hard all their lives' or 'paid into systems' or not. Is she really saying that earning well = working hard? I've been a care worker for a number of years and could barely pay my rent let alone consider the thought of owning a family home to lose in care costs. Does that mean I've worked less and contributed less than the banker or the teacher or the accountant who have been able to live in a home of their own? • Question of the day: What can elected mayors do for our cities, as posed by the Institute for Government's latest publication . The collection of essays assesses the merits and limitations of directly elected mayors and looks at the record of the present crop of mayors. • A fascinating post on "gamification" and healthcare on the CareCloud blog . Gamification is the application of computer games techniques and mechanics in other areas and blogger Amori writes: Why wouldn't we use gaming to help make treatments something a patient likes to do, without feeling like it's something a doctor casually suggested? Imagine its influence on obesity rates, smoking cessation and entertainment for cancer patients. Consider mobile apps like Nike Plus for iPhone and Massive Health's The Eatery. Both promote fitness and health to users via engaging, purpose-driven activities. They share results with users in their social networks and earn scores based on their performance. However, some feel their true objectives – improved health, avoiding obesity and healthcare cost reduction – are trivialized by gimmicky incentives. The post also mentions how engineering students at a Texas university have developed a videogame system using Wii balance boards to help provide physical therapy and diagnostic testing for children with cerebral palsy and spina bifida. (thanks to CreativeCrip for sharing the link) • The newly announced shortlist for this year's Charity Champion Awards. The awards recognise MPs' and peers' contributions to promoting charity causes and campaigns and nominations are made by voluntary organisations. Parliamentarians will be able to cast their votes from next month and the winners will be announced in June. (thanks to Mencap for the link) • Adoption . Westminster council is hosting a debate on how to speed up proceedings and "slash bureaucracy" this evening. Among the speakers is the government's adoption tsar, Martin Narey, and representatives from charities Adoption UK and Action for Children. Westminster is part of a tri-borough adoption and fostering service, working alongside neighbouring authorities Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington and Chelsea. The three councils are also involved in a pilot project that aims to speed up care proceedings. • An interesting fundraising project from charity the Food Chain . The charity, which works with people in the capital living with HIV, is asking workers in London to take part in the Spring Office Picnic tomorrow (a shame it doesn't look like the weather will oblige with picnic-friendly conditions). Colleagues are being invited to share homemade dishes and each donate £3.60 - the cost of a single meal for a HIV patient in London. The Food Chain , which delivers meals, groceries and nutritional support HIV patients, says nearly 40,000 people with the virus live in London. Other news • BBC: Charities leaving Work Programme claim payments too low • Children & Young People Now: Lords vote against plans to restrict legal aid for children • Community Care: Fear over plans to "slaughter" child protection guidance • Independent: Further industrial action predicted as thousands of teachers strike over pensions • Inside Housing: Lords defeated over amendments to squatting ban • Public Finance: Gardner set to become auditor general for Scotland • Telegraph: Discrimination 'denying care home residents hospital access' • Third Sector: Former volunteer criticises confidentiality clause in Citizens Advice investigation Events and seminars Digital communications and campaigning for charities Thursday 19 April, Kings Cross, London This half-day seminar will enable you plan, implement and manage your online campaign to maximum effect. It will give you practical advise on how to get the most out of popular social media websites as well as help you define your target audience. This event is a must for anyone needing to plan a campaign to create relationships with supporters to champion your long-term aims. Successful bid writing Friday 18 May, Kings Cross, London Bid writing is an essential skill in voluntary sector organisations. This interactive seminar will help you create applications and bids that demonstrate your organisation's strengths and priorities, how you differ from other projects, what the benefits are for your clients and the community and how you'll be able to measure them. Managing volunteers Tuesday 15 May, Kings Cross, London Engaging with volunteers is an increasingly challenging task. This half-day seminar will help you explore what 21st century volunteers want and what you need to do to involve them effectively. Delivered by leading expert Rob Jackson, this session is a must for anyone building a long-term volunteer engagement strategy. SocietyGuardian blogs Patrick Butler's cuts blog Sarah Boseley's global health blog SocietyGuardian on social media Follow SocietyGuardian on Twitter Follow Patrick Butler on Twitter Follow Clare Horton on Twitter Follow Alison Benjamin on Twitter SocietyGuardian's Facebook page SocietyGuardian links SocietyGuardian.co.uk Guardian cutswatch - tell us about the cuts in your area Public Leaders - the Guardian's website for senior managers of public services The Guardian's public and voluntary sector careers page Hundreds of public and voluntary sector jobs SocietyGuardian editor: Alison Benjamin Email the SocietyGuardian editor: [email protected]