Since the last I pad update when the opening page says slide to open the whole page slides from left to right and wont open then shuts down any suggestions as to what I can do?
If you stay on the lock screen for a period of time without unlocking, it will eventually go back to sleep. I assume that's what you mean by it shutting down.
You're quite right the whole page is now the slider and it slides from left to right. It sounds like you're not quite sliding it far enough though.