Harrogate Care Company Agrees Care System for Older People Needs Reform

Published 16 May 2012.

A coalition of 78 charities and campaign groups wrote to the Prime Minister on 04 May 2012 warning that unless actions are taken “too many older people and disabled people will be left in desperate circumstances: struggling on alone, living in misery and fear”.

In particular, the letter highlighted that resources are increasingly focused on only those with the highest needs, leaving many older or disabled people to manage alone and often ending up in hospital or crisis care. Reforms to the funding and legal structure of the care system are also called for so as to establish a more fair and sustainable system, and avoid people being left helpless in the face of large losses as a result of care costs.

A week after the open letter was sent to the Prime Minister, a ‘Care Can’t Wait’ petition was delivered to No. 10 Downing Street which also calls for the crisis in care for older people to be ended. The petition included more than 130,000 signatures and was delivered by Tom Wright, Chief Executive of Age UK, Simon Gillespie, Chair of the Care & Support Alliance, a social care service user and 3 Age UK charity shop representatives.

The petition precedes the government’s pending release of a Social Care White Paper in which Age UK is calling for various key reforms to the system including:

• A cap on the cost of care (£35,000) and a higher means-testing threshold (£100,000) as recommended by the Dilnot Commission
• A national eligibility threshold for care and support
• Reforms to the legal framework of social care
• Retention of an emphasis on upholding the rights of people who need care and support, especially those who lack capacity
• Implementation of effective safeguarding legislation
• Better integration of the health and social care systems and a statutory duty on local authorities to inform people of their right to assistance with arranging care

About Carefound:

Carefound is a provider of specialist home care and dementia care services to elderly people in North Yorkshire, enabling clients to continue to live independently in the comfort of their own home whilst maintaining the highest quality of life achievable. Services provided include basic help in the home,companionship, personal care, medication help, post-operative rehabilitation, respite care and specialist help such as dementia care and palliative care. The flexible service ranges from 1 hour to 24 hours per day, 7 days a week, including bank holidays, and can also encompass 24-hour live-in care services. For more information please telephone 01423 774070 or visit www.carefound.co.uk.

Source: Age UK, Carefound.