Issue 125 26.10.22
The weekly online newsletter for the care sector
New chancellor urged to invest extra £7billion CAMPAIGNERS says plans to delay vital reform of the social care sector are a betrayal of the country’s oldest and most vulnerable people. It has been reported that changes aimed at helping older and vulnerable adults meet the cost of their care are to be put back by at least a year. The Independent Care Group described the news as “a kick in the teeth” for the sector. Chair Mike Padgham said: “This is an unfair, cruel and brutal betrayal of social care, which is always a soft target when cuts and delays are around. “It is morally wrong that in a civilised country we cannot find a way to look after our most vulnerable without them having to sell the family home to have some dignity and care.” The changes, including a more generous means-test and a lifetime cap on care costs of £86,000, were due to come into effect in October next year but there are reports that they are to be delayed a further year because councils do not have the resources to implement them. The ICG has written to the new Chancellor urging him to intervene and protect social care by spending the extra £7bn a year he has previously said the sector needs. Care providers are worried that promised extra funding is to be taken away at a time when the sector is in crisis and 1.6m
people can’t get care. Mike added: “We already feared that the promised £13bn, to be funded from the now scrapped National Insurance increase, will be kicked into the long grass and the sector left wanting at a time when it needs reform and more funding, rather than less.” The ICG has written to Jeremy Hunt calling on him to at least reinstate the promised £13bn and to honour his own call for an extra £7bn a year to be invested in the sector. “We know that the country is in financial difficulty, but we are appealing for the Chancellor to help and not harm social care,” Mike added.” In the letter to Mr Hunt, Mike says: “As a country we have failed to invest in social care when the economy was in better shape. Instead, social care services have been cut to the bone and there is no more fat to trim. “The country’s failure to make hay while the sun shines should not be punished with cuts to care now. “I appeal for social care to be spared further cuts and instead for it to receive the reform and investment it needs to flourish.” The ICG says more than 30 years of neglect and underfunding has left social care in crisis, with Covid-19, chronic staff shortages and the cost-ofliving crisis turning the situation critical.
A Poole care home arranged for one of its residents – a former blacksmith – to be visited by a pony. Colten Care’s dedicated dementia home The Aldbury organised for Sammy the miniature Shetland Palomino therapy pony to visit resident Dennis Edwards. Colten companion Cara Duroe said: “Dennis used to work with horses and draws pictures of them all day, every day. He loves all animals, but especially horses, and gets emotional remembering how he used to talk to them to calm them down before he would shoe them. We wanted to give Dennis the chance to be up close to a pony again so, we contacted Pony N Paws, a local company run by Fiona Guile. Fiona, along with her pony Sammy and Scamp, her therapy dog, visit care homes, schools and events. When she brought in Sammy to the lounge Dennis’ whole face lit up. He was over the moon and very emotional and the entire room was deeply moved by what we saw.”
CUK Awards’ tickets in demand TICKETS are selling fast for the industry’s biggest end-of-year party, with plans in place to make this year’s Caring UK Awards the best one yet. Organised by Script Media in partnership with Caring UK and headline sponsor Virgin Money, this annual celebration of success will culminate in a glittering ceremony – taking place at the Athena in Leicester on Thursday December 1 – where host Dean Andrews from Emmerdale and Life on Mars will reveal the lucky winners who will take home an award. We received a record number of entries from all over the UK with so many stories of the wonderful work that was done particularly during the pandemic and we want to thank everyone who sent in
nominations. Shortlisted entries from far and wide have made the finals, now progressing to the next stage of the judging process. Event organiser Dominic Musgrave added: “We have been amazed by the incredible work that has taken and is continuing to take place in homes nationwide, and the last two-and-a-half years has only confirmed to us just how wonderful care staff truly are. “Once again we were overwhelmed with the standard of entries we received from homes up and down the country. We can’t wait to celebrate with everyone at the awards on December 1.” Tickets to the care industry’s party of the year are available at https://scriptevents.co.uk/cuk-awards-tickets/
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