New National Care Service ‘will end the injustice for pensioners’
IT is “unacceptable” that high-rise buildings are still covered in unsafe cladding three years on from the Grenfell Tower fire, a top Government official said yesterday.
Jeremy Pocklington, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Housing, added that progress in the private sector has been “inadequate”.
He faced questions from MPs on the Public Accounts Committee over Governmentfunded efforts to remove remove aluminium cladding from buildings above 18 metres (60ft).
The west London tower block inferno killed 72 people.
Holiday
Mr Pocklington said: “We’ve not made as much progress as any of us would want.” He added: “At the heart of the problem, too many building owners have not stepped up to their responsibility.”
Ownership structures often involved overseas investors “that don’t really have any interest in the welfare of residents.”
Separately the inquiry into the fire resumed yesterday after being paused by the coronavirus crisis.
Fire safety engineer Clare Barker denied rushing her review of a report on the refurbishment in 2012 because she was going on holiday.
A NATIONAL Care Service is the only way to fix the crisis in our social care system, Britain’s largest pensioner organisation said yesterday.
The National Pensioners Convention said help for older people should be free at the point of use so they do not have to sell their properties to pay care home bills.
New laws and a robust watchdog are also needed to protect the vulnerable from abuse, the NPC said.
The demands are among 15 made by the organisation at the end of a year-long investigation.
Its hard-hitting report, called Goodbye Cinderella, is the first to ask older people what they want to see in a reformed social care system.
The NPC, which has 1.5 million members, has received widespread backing from other social care campaigners.
The demands were made as Prime Minister Boris Johnson accused some care homes of not properly following procedures during the coronavirus crisis.
NPC general secretary Jan Shortt said: “After everything the country has suffered through this horrific virus, the time has come to set aside years of procrastination over the reform of our ‘Cinderella’ care system that has been neglected and starved of resources until it is on its knees.
“This report is the first serious step towards a national debate on genuine
● A National Care Service funded by general taxation, delivering high quality care free at the point of use.
● A National Care Service must be fully-funded with money also coming from the NHS and local government.
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A “joined-up” service with no division between health and social care provision.
reform of our essential care services, which are just as important as our National Health Service, into an offering that is worthy of every one of us.
“The NPC is now inviting the Government to hold urgent crossparty talks, as promised by the Prime Minister in the Queen’s Speech, with the NPC and other stakeholders who support serious reform for the provision of care.”
Ms Shortt also thanked the Daily Express for this newspaper’s input into the launch of a new National Care Service.
She added: “We want to praise the Daily Express for its continuing support
● Carers to be highly-trained and have to be qualified so they are no longer described as “unskilled”.
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All employed care workers to be The NPC report, left, is calling for urgent reform in social care and has already garnered plenty of support. Care staff, right, need new training programme it was said registered by a professional body.
and for campaigning for a new National Care Service.”
Last week it was revealed that nearly 20,000 care home residents – the vast majority of them pensioners – had died during the coronavirus pandemic.
The death toll has sparked ever louder calls for urgent reform of the social care system.
Figures from the Local Government Association show that adult social care services will face a funding gap of almost £4billion by 2025. This is just to cover basic inflationary and demographic pressures, it was said.
Caroline Abrahams, charity director at Age UK, said: “We welcome the report from NCP. There are at least one in seven older people living with some degree of unmet need for care.
“For the last few years these figures have been getting worse as governments dither over how to overhaul a system of care that everyone agrees is
● Recognition of the importance of family/informal carers. Implement the Care Act fully and ensure the longawaited Appeals’ Procedure is in place.
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Parity of illness and impairment, so that those with dementia are treated like cancer patients and are no longer means-tested for care.
● Preventative services such as care, support and advocacy need to be widely available to maintain people’s independence.
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More frequent inspections carried
no longer fit for purpose. Care is a fundamental service on which millions of us depend and it is high time the Government took decisive action to stabilise existing provision and create a much better social care system for the future.
“A generation of politicians has failed to tackle social care so that it was in no position to withstand the coronavirus when it came roaring in.
“What happened in care homes during the pandemic is an absolute tragedy and the lives of thousands of older people and hundreds of valiant care workers might have been saved if any recent government had taken action. But instead one by one they all walked away.
“What better memorial could there be in a year’s time but for the Government to have published proposals for a new, decent system of care by then?”
Among the key proposals outlined
out by highly-trained inspectors who can use enforcement when vulnerable people are shown to be at risk of abuse, neglect or poor standards.
● A robust, independent regulatory body to oversee and ensure people are protected and complaints investigated.
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Investment in well-designed properties for older people.
● Reduce the role of the private sector so residential care and other services can be provided by not-for-profit sector and local authorities.
WHAT’S NEEDED TO COME TO THE RESCUE OF OLDER PEOPLE