Went to a do yesterday that involved Rajan, the Magic Man. He’s a sleight of hand master. Funny old credentials but he was pretty impressive and entertaining. One of only 200 members of the inner magic circle apparently. A group that meet each Monday somewhere in Euston to share stuff they can only talk about with each other. Bit like academics but in bigger numbers.

I was struck by how Rajan’s performance contrasted with how Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) and Southern NHS Health Foundation Trust (Sloven) have behaved over the past two years in relation to what happened to LB. SlovOCC have consistently tried to distract attention from what happened. Using various sneaky practices including non-disclosure of documents. Categorising something as nothing, nothing as something. And smear tactics… Rajan used a combination of skill, experience, humour and charm. And a fair few cheesy jokes to disarm, distract, entertain and puzzle. SlovOCC have no finesse with their ‘trickery’. Instead they seem to draw on a bullying and/or incompetence combo.

This morning another red flagged email arrived at 9am from OCC. My subject access request from May had been, er, ignored due to an “oversight” and the deadline (today) had expired. It will now take another month. Eh? I had to hand in my driving licence and a £10.00 cheque back  in May. The driving licence was sent back to me in the post and start date for the request logged as June 2nd. How the hell could it then go missing?

The Director of Social Care has launched an investigation apparently. Almost hilarious as always, though of course it ain’t. He’s informed us of this investigation. Unlike the original investigation that sparked the subject access request. I’m baffled as to how this latest sight of hand example hasn’t pushed a few warning bells that maybe crapola practices are alive and kicking within SlovOCC. But nothing seems to do that.

“And bung a copy to the commissioners, NHS England, Sloven and the top brass of OCC.. The more the merrier in the circs. Cheers.”