Labour conference leaves care in the cold

The Independent Care Group says the Labour government’s conference has so far left the care of older and vulnerable adults out in the cold.

They are disappointed at a lack of any promises of social care reform from the Prime Minister and other senior ministers in Liverpool.

“There is no light at the end of the tunnel for adult social care,” said ICG chair Mike Padgham.

“We have heard promise after promise on many, many different topics, but nothing, once again for social care.

“We have had a promise to cut NHS waiting lists but without reforming and improving social care, that is just a pipe dream.”

Mr Starmer told the conference that his sister is a care worker and that he wants to build a Britain where carers, who do important and “life-affirming” work are afforded the same respect as the Prime Minister.

But Mr Padgham added: “This is very welcome from the Prime Minister, but his rhetoric does not translate into reforming social care, providing more carers to look after our older, vulnerable and disabled people and reforming a sector where there are 131,000 care worker vacancies and where 1.6m people cannot get the care they need.”

At a fringe meeting, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said social care reform was necessary to address the crisis across healthcare. But he warned that reform was more likely to come in the second term of a Labour government.

Mr Padgham added: “How many more times will we be told that social care reform will have to wait? Until the number of people unable to get care has gone from 1.6m to 2m or 3m? Until the number of people unable to leave hospital through a lack of care has hit 15,000 or 20,000?

“And who is to say that Labour will get a second term?

“Promising to reform the NHS and cut waiting lists without tackling the crisis in adult social care is totally pointless – one cannot happen without the other and it needs to happen now, not five or 10 years down the road. You cannot get people out of hospital if there is no care available in the community to look after them. Once again, this conference is leaving social care out in the cold.

“We keep hearing short-term pain for long-term gain – all I can see is longer and longer-term pain, for no gain whatsoever. This might be a shared struggle, but social care is bearing more than its fair share and it is time that stopped.

“It is still early days for the Government, and we have to give them the benefit of the doubt. But we will continue to campaign for social care to get the reform it needs to support older, disabled and vulnerable people and support the NHS.”

Backing for Lib Dem pledge on social care

The Independent Care Group has backed a Liberal Democrat pledge to ensure social care does not get forgotten again.

ICG Chair Mike Padgham said: “It is vital that we avoid what happened under the last Conservative government, when the care of older, vulnerable and disabled adults was forgotten as politicians concentrate on more headline-grabbing issues.

“We welcome the pledge by the Liberal Democrat leader that he will join us in holding the Government to account on social care.

“If the Government is serious about saving and reforming the NHS, as we trust they are, they cannot do so without saving and reforming social care.”

The words come after Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey told his party conference today that “care and carers must not be forgotten and ignored any longer”.

He attacked both the Conservatives and the new Labour administration for failing to make social care a priority at the General Election. And he urged the Government not to make the same mistakes the Conservatives had and to act faster and be bolder, especially to avoid future winter crises.

Mr Padgham added: “When it comes to social care that has to be sound advice. The Conservatives did nothing for social care and the crisis in the sector and the problems in the NHS deepened. We cannot let the new Government do the same – we have to make sure they act faster and are bold in their reform.

“Mr Davey is right in his rejection of short-term measures. We need to invest in the long-term future of social care and the NHS. Money invested in social care supports the NHS by keeping people out of hospital. Invest now, save social care and save the NHS.”

ICG welcomes new study into people's experience of residential care

The Independent Care Group has backed a major new study which revealed that thousands of people thrive in care and nursing homes.

And it has called on the Government to make sure more people can enjoy the benefits residential care can bring.

My Home Life England carried out a major study of older people’s experiences of living in residential care.

Whilst it identified some challenges, it found many more benefits of living in a care home.

The Independent Care Group (ICG) has welcomed the report’s findings.

ICG Chair, Mike Padgham said: “We 100% support this report and welcome all efforts to get the message across that, for many, many thousands of people each year a move into a care or nursing home is not only the right thing to do, but is also the start of a new and exciting chapter in their lives.

“For all the reasons My Home Life England discovered, and many more, such residential care brings huge benefits in terms of happiness, security, physical and emotional wellbeing and the retention of mobility, independence and dignity.

“Of course there are challenges – any change of lifestyle brings challenges, but good care and nursing homes are well versed and experienced in helping residents and their families to overcome them.

“As a care provider organisation, we want people to know that there are many different care options available – from home care in a person’s own home, to assisted living in extra-care housing to care and nursing homes and many combinations and variations in between. All are aimed at keeping people well, safe, independent and content.

“The challenge for us as a country is to create an environment where people can access that care. We know there are, for example, 1.6m people who cannot get the care they need and we are campaigning to get that addressed by the Government.

“Our hope is that this report and many others like it will show the benefit of supporting and investing in adult social care in the future so that more people can enjoy the improved quality of life it can bring to older, vulnerable and disabled adults.”

The study found that, if conditions were right, people thrived in care homes in six ways: Relationally, by forming new friendships, and being part of a community; Securely, by feeling safe in their home; Healthily, by getting the right medical care and eating better; Actively, by getting the support to do the things they enjoy and stay active; With dignity, by getting help with personal care and Inclusively, by living in an environment where diversity is valued and respected.