2021-09-07 17:32:07
Responding to the Government’s announcement on social care reform, Kirsty Matthews, CEO of learning disability charity Hft said:
“After numerous broken promises, years of waiting and a global pandemic, we are cautiously optimistic about today’s announcement on social care, which is the first step on a long road to much needed reform.
“The new health and social care levy will provide a healthy sum of £36bn over the next three years. However, as estimated by the Health Foundation, £12bn is required immediately to stabilise social care, and we are concerned the new funding will not sufficiently meet the needs of both the NHS and our sector as well as providing a long-term sustainable solution.
“We are keen to understand how the government plans to place social care on a sustainable footing. A funding solution must ensure providers no longer have to resort to handing back contracts, offering care to fewer people or making staff redundancies to mitigate cost pressures as illustrated by Hft’s Sector Pulse Check report.
“Any plans for social care reform must also address the multitude of other systematic issues in the sector such as high rates of staff attrition and low pay. The upcoming consultation on social care reform will therefore provide a vital opportunity for the needs of those who draw upon, and work within, social care to be expressed and addressed.
“We hope today is just the start of far reaching and ambitious plans for social care, and we will engage fully with the upcoming legislative agenda including the white paper on reform and the Bill to integrate social care with the NHS. Ultimately, this must result in a system which ensures all who need it receive good quality care delivered with independence and choice in mind, rewards those who work in the sector with a professional status and fair pay, and grants long-term financial sustainability to providers.”
Notes to editors
For further information please email media.enquiries@hft.org.uk
About Hft
Proudly established in 1962 by a group of visionary parents, Hft is a charity supporting more than 2,500 learning disabled adults in England and Wales. Together, we are creating a future where learning disabled people and their families can live the best life possible.
Providing personalised support. Creating solutions for living independently. Coming together to campaign for positive change. Fundraising for new opportunities and a bigger impact.
In 2033, we’ll live in a world where learning disabled people have greater choice. About where they live. The support they need and want. And how to spend their time and money.
Learning disability versus difficulty
A learning disability is different from a learning difficulty but the terms are often confused and used inter-changeably. A learning difficulty does not affect general intellect, whereas a learning disability is a life-long condition characterised by a reduced intellectual ability and struggle with everyday activities.
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For more information about Hft please visit www.hft.org.uk
