Shaping the Future of Care Together
In Control welcomes the publication of Shaping the Future of Care Together and the Government’s plans for everyone in England to have access to a National Care Service that is fair, simple and affordable.
In Control’s mission is to help create a new welfare system in which everyone is in control of their lives as full citizens. The charity is pleased that the latest reform looks at a number of approaches with the aim of creating a sustainable, affordable, accessible and equitable funding system for care. In Control has been liaising with and advising the Government on many aspects of the Green Paper and we are satisfied, so far, with the focus on Self-Directed Support and personal budgets. The paper brings some clarity that self direction is still on the agenda and remains a key priority. However, one of our main concerns is a lack of focus in the Green Paper on young disabled adults.
In Control believes that the new National Care Service should be flexible and non-discriminatory on age grounds, and we look forward to final proposals that make this clear. We believe that the proposals are radical but the Government needs to go further to ensure that the system is not over-complicated. It is very important that this debate addresses all the key resource issues raised by our experience of Self-Directed Support, and is that discussion is not confined to the three ‘funding options’.
Key issues include:
• Simplicity and transparency - entitlement needs to be cash and not simply to services or assessment.
• The need to consider how we might best support people to make the contribution which best suits them - whether that contribution is financial or in terms or their personal skills and time.
We will now be consulting with our members, families, service providers and others during the public consultation process to canvass opinion and bring together our recommendations. We feel that this is the crucial part of the process as it gives everyone a real chance to influence the direction of care in the future.
In Control is part of the stakeholder panel for the Big Care Debate and we are aware that our ongoing input is essential to this process and the successful creation of a national care service.
Prior to the publication of the Care and Support Green Paper, Julie Stansfield, representing In Control, was invited by the Prime Minister for a roundtable discussion. The main focus of this meeting was to discuss the launch of the Paper and its contents and communicate initial thoughts and issues directly to the Prime Minister, Health Secretary, Andrew Burnham and Social Care Minister, Phil Hope.