With the publication of the care and support White Paper, the Government aims to herald the creation of a National Care Service that provides every adult in England with the care and support they need – when, where and how they need it.
If the White Paper is to deliver this, it needs to have the support of the whole care and support sector. We need everybody to agree on the need for reform, on what the care system should look like, and how it should be delivered.
That is why the Care and Support Conference on 19 February was so important – and why it was so encouraging that those present reached broad agreement on a number of the key issues.
Delegates from 36 organisations attended, including members of the Care and Support Alliance and other key stakeholders, to give their views to politicians.
Equally, the conference was an opportunity for Government to hear the view of stakeholders following a letter to the Times by members of the Care and Support Alliance calling for a serious debate.
All delegates agreed to a statement, endorsing the vision of a National Care Service as set out in the Green Paper Shaping the Future of Care Together and setting out areas of further agreement.
There was consensus around the need for a National Care Service where individuals make a contribution in partnership with the state, and where assessments of need are portable across the country, but delivered locally.
People agreed on the need for services to be personalised and fitted around each individual’s needs, and preventative to help prevent, where possible, existing care needs increasing.
There was also recognition that service providers need to work more closely together, with other services (such as housing, leisure and transport), and that people should have clear information and advice when accessing services.
There was concern over the possible reform of disability benefits, with delegates saying that any reform needs to capture the strengths of the current benefits system.
They also identified the need for more emphasis on the vital role of carers, the importance of including adults of working age in the reform, and workforce planning and development.
With regard to funding, the majority view was in support of a comprehensive system which offered people a variety of ways to pay their contribution. There was support for an element of compulsion in this, but also for the need to be sensitive to people’s differing abilities to pay in.
All in all, the event was a tremendous success, with rich, constructive and good-humoured discussion all round. I would like to extend my thanks to everyone who attended – to hear so many of the great and good of the sector agreeing on such crucial issues was hugely encouraging for those of us working on the White Paper.