Bitter disappointment at PM’s announcement

The Residents & Relatives Association is bitterly disappointed by the Prime Minister’s social care reforms announcement.  ‘Fixing social care once and for all” is a slogan that fails to understand the true extent of the crisis the care sector is currently experiencing.

The continued failure to appreciate the vital relationship between the provision of social care and health is a huge disappointment.  Of the additional £36 Billion being raised from new taxes, less than 10 per cent will go towards care services.

The current way in which we pay for care is complex, confusing and pleases nobody, but the current proposals, as they stand, will not deliver the changes so urgently needed in this sector.

Training for care workers

There will be no progress until the care workforce ceases to be the Cinderella of all occupations and the Government puts in place a national system of accredited, transferable and recognised qualifications. We understand the Government has earmarked £500 Million for training but do not believe this is enough to see care workers trained to the same standards of other caring professions. Those receiving care often have multiple needs, it is imperative that staff are fully trained to care for them.

Access to Treatment

We strongly believe reform surrounding access to treatment is fundamental to any social care reform package.  People with dementia and other degenerative and progressive conditions shouldn’t be labelled as needing ‘social’ rather than ‘medical’ care.  All treatment should have equal access to health and care services free at the point of need in the same way as people with acute and other long-term conditions.

Above all

We need a care system which is simple, fair, personal universal and sustainable. Unfortunately the current proposals don’t deliver the changes we so urgently need.