no.293 • £4.75 incorporating
June 2021
Plans are ‘baby steps’ towards care reform
we be able to move towards integration and at that point we need to see a single body delivering both NHS healthcare and social care and not the central and local authority split we have at the moment. “At the moment we are talking about redecorating the house whilst the roof is still leaking. “Reports like this, whilst correct and important, also act as a smokescreen and stop us from seeing that real reform is just not happening. “I am also concerned that this is also yet more costly bureaucratic change. “In the past few years alone, we have had primary care groups, primary care trusts, clinical commissioning groups and now integrated care systems. “The time and resources used on creating ever-more complex bureaucracy could have been far better spent on front line services or on proper social care reform for the future.” The ICG recently wrote to the Prime Minister urging him to make social care reform a priority. In the ICG’s letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Padgham says 1.5m people are now living without the care they need after £8bn was cut from social care budgets since 2010-11. There are more than 100,000 staff vacancies in the sector.
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A GOVERNMENT committee’s new care integration plans are just ‘baby steps’ towards proper reform of the way we care for older and vulnerable adults, campaigners said today. The Independent Care Group says the Government must first better fund and reform social care to help the 1.5m who can’t get the care they need and pave the way for integration. Their words came as a report from the Health and Social Care Committee backed plans for the creation of Integrated Care Systems, bringing health and social care together to improve care. It includes a call for a 10-year plan for social care. The ICG has welcomed the report’s proposals as a move in the right direction but warned that proper reform of social care must happen first otherwise the new systems will be meaningless. Chair Mike Padgham said: “The report is right, in that we do need to integrate health and social care, but in reality, these are just baby steps when we need a giant leap forward. “We need to see urgent, root and branch reform of social care with an injection of funding to create a fit for purpose, sustainable social care sector that has parity with NHS healthcare in terms of status and standing. “Only when that happens will
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Tree planted as memorial at care home
Residents from two Braintree care homes took part in an eight-hour relay with children and churchgoers from the local community to raise more than £1,000 for India as the country grapples with the Covid-19 outbreak. Residents from St Mary’s Court and The New Deanery, along with children from Scallywags Day Nursery and parishioners of St Mary’s church in Bocking, each took turns covering part of the care homes’ six-acre gardens, handing sanitised batons to each other. Jo Whitehouse, activities manager for Sonnet Care Homes, said: “I’m overwhelmed by the number of people who wanted to take part and raise funds for India as it struggles with Covid-19, from a one-year-old child to a 106-year-old lady.”
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OAKE Meadows care home in Taunton has planted a memorial tree in the garden to symbolise regrowth after the pandemic. The home was gifted a willow tree by local businessman Matt Foster and it has been positioned in the centre courtyard where it can be seen by residents and staff. Oake Meadows’ activities coordinator Jean Coleman, planned a memorial event which involved planting the willow tree and participating in a minute’s silence to pay respects to show support and admiration to the local community for its efforts throughout the pandemic. She said: “It was lovely to see so many residents join us for this special occasion and acknowledge the variety of emotions the past year has brought to everyone. “The tree is such a beautiful way of marking this. “We have strategically positioned the willow tree, which is planted in a beautiful pot, in the centre courtyard so it can be viewed by most rooms, so we can admire the tree. “Taking a moment to reflect on the pandemic is very important, as it helps to bring closure and is a lovely way to remember those who have sadly lost their lives across the world.” Resident Margaret Hill added: “I think our willow tree is brilliant – I love seeing things grow in our garden. “I do feel sad about all the people that have passed away during the pandemic, so it feels nice to have the tree as a tribute to them.”
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DOC 12.85012B.12