+ Care Debate- Newcastle event
Not many attended this event,about 18.The day before there had been over 100 though.
Wendy Balmain – Deputy Regional Director of Social Care
David Behan – Director General, Social Care, Local Government & Care Partnerships
DWP rep
We watched a short film 1st, Wendy spoke a few minutes,then handed over to David Behan.
Listening and taking notes is hard but here are a few bits from his presentation.
[i]Increased life expectancy is longer- now 11 years longet than 1948
more over 65’s than 18
disabled live longer
more people with care needs in the future
4 working people now for each over 65 person – that will change to 2-1 ratio
expectations of care have increased [/i]
[i]Those with Downs mentioned along with early onset dementia for them
Their vision is for a system that is fair, simple and affordable.
Green paper is about older adults not those with learning disabilities
AA is being discussed but not DLA.He mentioned the B &W campaign
People expect 6 elements [/i]
[i]Dept of Health and DWP to work together[/i]
Next was a brief discussion about the topics on the hexagon in the image above.
These comments from the people attending….
Advocacy missing
One assessment not explained properly
Older people isolated and unaware of what is happening
Several disabled at the event want to keep their Independent Living fund assessment and not be one assessment in the future by soc services.
Get rid of means testing – too restrictive
More debate needed as to who does assessments
[b]Joined up working [/b]
Comments from table that discussed this…..
[i]Information and advice needs more attention
Local political control can influence services
Signposting services in same way a GP makes a referral for NHS services
Educate professionals etc
In some circumstances supplying a care package and letting people stay at home ,encourages soc services to believe needs are being met when they might not be.
Information to be more readily available and more accessible.[/i]
[i]Reablement – not just for those leaving hospital but to include those with new diagnosis too[/i]
[b]Wider range of care and support services [/b]
[b]Comments ….[/b]
[i]joined up services would give better choice, better standards
greater choice of providers
standards need increase
CRB checks a must
Can LA’s be reformed
LA’s running this would be a disaster
Local charities would lose out to bigger providers as cant compete
Third sector should become more involved as more aware of local services available.
Would this see charities becoming businesses if not adequate funding given
Soc workers attitudes have to change
Listen to disabled and their carers more as services users and their carers are not listened to enough
Local voice of disabled needs to be listened to more
increase quality of LA services[/i]
[b]Information and Advice [/b]
[i]the word Carer one letter short of Career
Capture people who fall outside the care support and are not eligible but may need just a little support
Joining services does not address the issue of actually getting them, of qualifying
Not enough pilots done before changes
Total lack of awareness among the public but also among the very people these changes will affect
Want treated as individuals and needs catered for ahead of soc services targets
LA’s very parochial
Providers already determine the costs- how long before they had total control[/i]
[b]Funding issues [/b]
[b]At this point Behan spoke again……..[/b]
[i]2 in 3 women need high care
1 in 3 men
average cost for 65 yr old is £30,000 in retirement
1 in 5 will need costing less than £1000 but..
1 in 5 will need care costing more than £50,000[/i]
Of the 5 original options ,those of Pay for Yourself and Taxation were ruled out.Tax option would place an enormous burden on those of working age.
However, it has been brought up at [b]every[/b] event so govt want more people to send their views in.
He explained the 3 remaining options
[b]Partnership[/b]
a Partnership approach which shares costs between the individual and the state
[b]Insurance[/b]
an Insurance approach which would enable people to choose to take out protection against the risk of having high care and support costs, or
[b]Comprehensive [/b]
a Comprehensive approach in which everyone who could afford to would be required to pay in and would get free care and support in return. There would be a range of different ways in which people could pay their contributions in the Insurance and Comprehensive options.
[b]So what is covered…[/b]
[b]Where will states contribution come from [/b]
[i]Care only would be covered
People pay for own food and accommodation
Use Disability benefits
AA only was modelled in not AA
Transition of DLA/AA will be an issue that needs covered[/i]
[b]Back to tables for discussions. David Behan at ours.[/b]
Comments from table….
the proposals put forward are a back door taxation scheme
Taxation should never have been excluded by the govt but left on the table from the start
If people lose AA, what about carers.Would that mean they move to JSA and all that comes with it unless they were caring 24/7
want a health system that is fair
against partnership
[b]Replies[/b]
AA is definitely in the model and not be split.
[i]It was said that this would actually lessen a persons choice of how to spend their AA,many dont want contact with soc services.[/i]
[b]National Assessments[/b]
[b]Advantages[/b]
[i]everyone who needs care would get it regardless of where they live
a national and portable assessment
a set level of funding for LA’s to deliver services
stops postcode lottery
a contractual obligation[/i]
[b]Disadvantages..[/b]
[i]one size does not fit all
what happens if a bad assessment in one area and a person moves.That bad assessment stays with them
insurance premiums for social care…….premiums go up…..no guarantee of payout
north east coming across in the events as not in favour of personal budgets.
takes no account of transport
access to services differ – services needed may not be available[/i]
Near end of the event we were giving several forms to fill in.One of them was the 3 funding options with a box to explain why you picked the one you did.
I never picked any and instead wrote in the box that taxation should have been left in.
I have no idea if this would have received as wide a support as there seems to be,but most people I spoke to yesterday seemed to be of the same opinion.However, they did choose and the few I spoke to had picked no 3…Comprehensive.
One of the things that stood out yesterday was the lack of awareness among some of the people there about other stuff going on by the govt.Thank God we have the internet.
Although David Behan said it was AA being considered and not DLA, I am sorry to say I was not convinced.It may not be about to happen soon but after yesterday,I feel even more strongly that the disabled/elderly/carers all need raise their voices about these issues.
After all of the above I have to say Bevan came across very well, was very approachable and even when the lady who was trying to keep the event running on time,tried step in once to hurry things along,he stopped her so more people could ask questions.
These changes are going to affect us all in the future.So as tired as some of you are, as peed off as you are about the many battles on so many different fronts, try raise your voice.
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