downsmail.co.uk
Ambulances under strain
AMBULANCE services are under strain, receiving almost 150 more calls per day than last year. Figures show South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) took 565,609 calls from January to August – significantly up on the 530,985 received in 2013. SECAmb is now calling on the
public to consider their require- ments before dialling 999. SECAmb paramedic and senior operations manager James Pavey said: “In a real emergencywe don’t want people to hesitate in dialling 999, but where someone isn’t in a serious or life-threatening condi- tion we would expect the caller to consider the other options avail- able to them.” SECAmb operates a 111 tele-
phone service to provide health advice for non-emergency calls. Mr Pavey said: “We can provide
clinical advice over the phone – in fact, more than 10% of our calls are handled this way – advise some- one to make their ownway toA&E or perhaps direct a caller to a more appropriate service.” He added: “We can help every-
one who dials 999 and serious and life-threatening calls will always be assigned an immediate ambulance response but people should be aware that not all the calls we re- ceive will result in us sending an ambulance crew to the scene.”
Choral union marks war
A FITTING finale to the cente- nary of the start of World War One is being staged by members of the Maidstone Choral Union. The choir will present itsWorld
War One Commemorative Con- cert at All Saints Church, Maid- stone, on Saturday November 15 at 7.30 pm, with proceeds being donated to the soldiers’ charity Help for Heroes. As well as the usual outstand-
ing vocal work, there will be po- etry readings to commemorate those who suffered and fell in the GreatWar. Specially selected music by Elgar, Gounod, Finzi and
Mendelssohn is to be featured, along with songs by various soloists. Boys from Maidstone Gram-
mar School Cadet Corps will read poetry by Edward Thomas and Wilfred Owen and organ solos will be played by Carl Jackson, music director of the Chapel Royal, Hampton Court. Tickets are £10 on the door, but
can be obtained in advance from ticket secretary Freda Crispin on 01622 726193 or email
freda@me169lb.fsnet.co.uk or, from four weeks before the con- cert, from Maidstone Museum Visitors’ Centre.
Cadets seek Medway base
MAIDSTONE Sea Cadets has ap- plied to construct a 20m floating pontoon in central Maidstone on the east bank of the River Medway next to the amphitheatre. The cadets would use the pon-
toon between March and October to moor their boats 60m from unit headquarters at the Masters Tower, College Road, where equip- ment for the boats is stored. Currently the unit’s boats are
Tree problems
THREE cherry trees could be remo- ved at Mill House, Upper Street,
Hollingbourne.Aconservation area application, Maidstone Council will determine, also requests removal of a tree “in danger of causing damage to thedamholding back thewater”.
moored temporarily in Allington. A supporting statement said: “Greater use of the footpaths adja- cent to the amphitheatre will re- duce the incidences of vandalism in the area. “Without the need for the sea
cadets having to travel to Allington they will be able to spend more time on the river developing their skills.” Maidstone Council will de- termine the planning application.
Park jumble sale
GRAB a bargain at Maidstone Mencap’s grand jumble sale on Saturday, October 18, at Cobtree Hall, Mote Park (School Lane en- trance offWillington Street), Maid- stone. Doors open at 3pm. Contact Lesley on 07726 334213 for details.
News
CARE VISITS AT HOME Good Old Fashioned Service
ASK DEBBIE........ for help, advice and assistance
Dear Debbie,
My mother has a live-in Care Worker who stays with her permanently. The live- in Care Worker is self-employed but I met someone the other day who told me that my mother should be deducting PAYE from her wages. Do you know if this is correct or do I need to talk to an accountant?
Yours sincerely Sheila R
Dear Sheila,
The information you were given is almost certainly correct. Being employed or self-employed is not a matter of choice for the individual. Employment status flows from the nature of the work involved. Take a look at the Taxman’s guidance at
www.hmrc.gov.uk/calcs/esi-01.htm and decide for yourself. I think the guidance makes it pretty clear that live-in care is an employed position and our conversations with HMRC in the past have confirmed employment status in two particular live-in care situations.
The employer has responsibilities to pay National Insurance, to deduct and account for PAYE and possibly to pay compensation in the event that the employee is injured at work. The employer is the person to whom the care is being provided or a care agency if one is involved.
The obligations of being an employer are not insignificant and might include for example being held accountable for any unpaid PAYE by the live-in Care Worker should their tax affairs not be maintained in good order. If your mother’s live-in Care Worker has told her that her self- employed status is fine, I would ask her for justification in the light of the Taxman’s guidance and be cautious if you’re not satisfied with the response. Best wishes
Debbie Moulton, Care Manager Bluebird Care
• Help with getting up or going to bed
• Personal Hygiene • Cleaning the home • Preparing Meals • Assist with medication • Overnight Care
• Washing or Ironing • Shopping
• Sightseeing or leisure activities • 24hr Live-in-care
• Trips to see friends or relatives
MAIDSTONE • 01622 809530
maidstone@bluebirdcare.co.uk
www.bluebirdcare.co.uk/maidstone Maidstone East October 2014
15
If you have a question that you would like to ask Debbie then please email her at
debbie@bluebirdcare.co.uk
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