Futures Forum: The future of Devon's care services: "We want to see comparative clinical evidence that demonstrates that the proposals for treatment at home are indeed both as effective as hospital treatment and as safe."
Futures Forum: The future of Sidmouth's hospital and care services >>> "looking at the statistics for over-85-year-olds, Sidmouth needs to retain its hospital beds"
And how are we going to pay for them?
Futures Forum: Councils are planning tax rises to cover the mushrooming cost of social care
The national press is addressing these issues:
Councils may cut social care provision due to underfunding, LGA says - Guardian
Parents responsible for care of their elderly mothers and fathers as much as their own children, minister says - Telegraph
As is the regional press:
Councils stare into budget abyss: How will your services suffer?
| Posted: January 30, 2017
Councils across England have issued a plea for extra funds, warning that town halls face a £5.8 billion black hole by 2020. With councils across the region due to approve their 2017/18 budgets early next month, the Local Government Association (LGA) said two-thirds of councils will be forced to find greater savings than expected to plug funding gaps next year.
In December Sajid Javid, the Communities Secretary, allowed authorities to increase council tax by up to an extra 3% to fund social care.He also announced a £240 million “adult social care support grant", which will be created out of an existing scheme designed to encourage councils to build extra properties, known as the new homes bonus.
The County Council is considering how to pay for these services:
Fewer Devon people to receive social care as £23m is set to be slashed from budgets
Tuesday, 31 January 2017 0 Comments by Claire
Fewer people are set to be eligible to receive social care in Devon in the coming year, following the latest required budget cuts, due to government austerity measures.
At the same time Devon County’s council tax is set to rise by three per cent from April, to try and cope with the latest massive loss in income.
The campaigning organisaion 38 Degrees has a petition out:
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| When you're old and frail, you should be able to
get the care you need to live out your days with dignity. You've worked hard and
paid your taxes - now it's your turn to be looked after. But the government is
starving the care system of cash. Right now too many elderly people aren't
getting the help they need to get dressed, wash, or eat their lunch. [1]
The government’s trying to wash their hands of the problem: the minister in charge just said it’s up to families to look after elderly parents. [2] But that's rarely the whole solution, and in some cases that’s simply not possible. A huge petition demanding better care for older people is a first step to show the government they can't shirk their responsibility. We expect them to fix this crisis - and fast. Of course, lots of us want to help care for our parents in their old age. But as 38 Degrees member Mary put it: “What happens if you don't have children? Or if your children are working full time, have a young family to care for, and no spare room for an elderly parent?” The reality is most families are already trying their best. And if an elderly relative lives hundreds of miles away, it’s nearly impossible for their family to take care of them on their own. The solution is clear: more funding is desperately needed to make sure there are enough carers to look after everyone properly. P.S. As well as older people being left lonely and vulnerable, this crisis makes our hospitals less safe too. Older people are forced to stay in hospital beds for longer because there's no one else to look after them - putting even more pressure on the NHS. When the government refuses to give social care the money it needs, we all lose out in more ways than one. Please sign the petition now: http://link.38degrees.org.uk/social-care-funding NOTES: [1] The Guardian: Councils may cut social care provision due to underfunding, LGA says [2] The Telegraph: Parents responsible for care of their elderly mothers and fathers as much as their own children, minister says |
Home - 38 Degrees
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