Minister for Care Services visits Rochdale

Date published: 26/04/2008

Ivan Lewis MP, the Minister for Care Services, visited Rochdale yesterday (Friday 25 April), at the invitation of Labour parliamentary candidate Simon Danczuk, to meet and speak with social care service users and council care workers.

Before speaking to service users and care workers individually, Mr Lewis spoke of the challenges presented by an ageing population, advances in medical science that enabled people who would previously have died to live longer and the rising expectations people have of a quality, independent and dignified life during old age and infirmity.

Explaining the governments's new 'Putting People First' programme, a commitment to create a new care system, Mr Lewis said that the government is awarding an extra £520 Million of funding to councils, of which Rochdale's share is £4.5 Million, to help them develop systems that will:

• Give the vast majority of people who receive funded care thier own personal budgets so they can choose the support services they want for themselves.
• Ensure that high quality care homes, home care and day care services are rewarded. Poor performers failing to respect people's dignity will no longer be used by councils and the NHS.
• Ensure that initiatives such as first-stop shops are common place so that everyone, including people who don't have support from social services, will have access to advice and advocacy for community services, such as local community equipment providers, fall services or domiciliary support, and transport links.
• Invest in support which keeps older people healthy and tackles the scourge of loneliness and isolation.
• Achieve closer collaboration between local government and the NHS so people receive more co-ordinated and efficient support in the community.

Mr Lewis also said that the government is to conduct a wide ranging review of the social care system, and the review will be carried out by a medical consultant. The current system he explained was designed for the needs of people in 1948 and the present system needs updating to ensure it meets the needs of people in 2008 and beyond.

The review will seek to explore and address difficult questions such as what level of government funding through taxation should be spent on social care services.

Eligibility criteria will be reviewed; Mr Lewis was critical of the way such criteria is often used to deny care rather than to offer care were it is needed, as intended.

The treatment of elderly and disabled people in hospital and care homes will also be under the microscope; Mr Lewis said he is intent on improving the dignity of those being cared for in homes and hospitals.

Mr Lewis also revealed that in June the Prime Minister will announce a new deal for carers, a deal that will look at carers:

• Incomes.
• Give them more access to respite care services.
• Help them access better information and advice.
• Ensure that carers are treated with respect by health professionals.
• Provide help for young carers, whose childhood is often "robbed" as a result of having to care for an adult relative.