HAVE YOUR SAY ON SOCIAL CARE!
As the government has delayed its green paper on adult social care, the Local Government Association (LGA) have published their own, intending a debate across the country about how to fund it – and they want to know what we think.
They undertook some initial consultation last year – something Pat Harris, Healthwatch Torbay’s CEO, had input into – and now they want to hear more.
‘Adult social care and support matters,’ they tell us. ‘It provides personal and practical support to help people live the lives they want to lead. It supports people of all ages who have disabilities, mental health conditions or are generally frail, as well as their carers.It helps bind our communities, it sustains our NHS and it provides essential economic value to our country.’
All of that said, adult social care is facing a crisis. Underfunded for years, it’s facing a funding gap, they say, of £3.56 billion by 2024/25, with the longer-term just as insecure.
‘It is time to come together as a society,’ the LGA are announcing, ‘ and be positive and inspiring, making the case that investment in social care and support for people who need it helps them to reach their, and in turn our country’s, full potential. It is time to articulate the problems honestly, present clear options, and make the necessary decisions required to move the debate along.’
Why are our views important?
We’re all likely to be touched by social care at some point in our lives, for ourselves or our friends and families, so it’s essential that everyone has a say in what the future of social care should look like and how we should pay for it.
The LGA want to start what they call ‘a truly nationwide debate’ about how best to fund the care we want in all our communities for adults of all ages – and how social care, the NHS and other public services can work together to support and improve everybody’s wellbeing.
‘We will reflect on the key messages from our consultation in a further publication later in the autumn,’ they say.‘This is our chance to put social care right at the very heart of the Government’s thinking.’
Getting involved
To find out much more or to take part in the LGA survey of people’s views – and to hear some interesting responses already to the various suggestions being put forward – you can visit their green paper website at http://www.futureofadultsocialcare.co.uk/the-green-paper/
Bob Jope Healthwatch Torbay
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