SOCIAL CARE FUNDING
SOCIAL care cannot be undervalued and underfunded any longer.
Here in Anchor care homes, we have been highlighting a social care crisis for years, and we now face a dangerous shortfall in the number of carers to support our ageing population and vulnerable adults.
Today, we unite to urge the Government to value social care and the indispensable contribution the workforce makes to society.
The social care sector faces a potential shortfall of up to 1.1 million carers by 2037. Anchor’s new research shows 78% of British adults say they are unlikely to begin a career in the sector. More than a fifth (22%) say the work is not valued by the Government. The Government must take responsibility. We have been waiting for the social care Green Paper this summer, in the hope it contains answers to the impending crisis.
We are therefore concerned to hear that this Green Paper has been delayed until the autumn.
Technology offers only a partial solution – no amount of technical advancement replaces the need for human compassion.
Only by the Government demonstrating it values social care and its workforce will we have a chance to recruit and retain the hardworking and committed staff our ageing population and vulnerable adults need and deserve. We need a public awareness campaign to raise the profile of care, sustainable funding, and recognition of the hard work that so many people working in social care do. in the region. Wildlife trusts in the North West have formed partnerships with United Utilities to jointly manage nature reserves.
Lancashire Wildlife Trust manages land owned by United Utilities at Dean Wood, Haskayne Cutting, Summerseat Island and Upper Coldwell Reservoir, and Cheshire Wildlife Trust works with the company to manage land at Trentabank reservoir.
This ensures that wildlife is kept in mind while fulfilling people’s water needs. Cheshire Wildlife Trust is also working in partnership with United Utilities on a couple of landscape projects.
One of these is aimed at reducing water pollution and involves monitoring key pollutants, investigating incidents of pollution above critical limits, and advising farmers on ways to reduce risks of pollution.
A small grants scheme has helped farmers implement capital projects to help reduce pollution.
United Utilities is a partner alongside Cheshire Wildlife Trust in a five year natural flood management project in the Peak District to reduce the impact of flooding in Cheshire.
It is also involved in working with householders and businesses on the Wirral to promote pollution prevention, as part of the Tidal Dee Catchment Partnership, which Cheshire Wildlife Trust hosts and in which United Utilities is a partner.
The North West Wildlife Trusts have put forward a number of recom- mendations which would improve the proposed strategy for protecting and restoring habitat for wildlife, increase investment in natural flood management, improve water quality and reduce coastal pollution.
Some of the areas where the trusts have highlighted recommendations have included ways to secure sustainable fish populations, engage communities with coastal water quality, increase regulation around agricultural pollution, introduce of sustainable drainage systems, improve how natural resources are valued, and for water companies to demonstrate a net gain for the environment in capital projects.
The trusts would also welcome investment in reducing water demand through reducing leakage and changing behaviours through better home design, metering and water efficiency measures.
They are particularly concerned in over-abstraction of watercourses during dry conditions and recommend that the abstraction regulatory framework needs reforming.
We believe that North West Wildlife Trusts are a natural partner for water companies to work with in the future.
Our customers are United Utilities’ customers, our geographical reach fits their geography and we have demonstrated effective partnership in present and past projects. We hope we continue to be a key part in their 2020 strategy and that the Water Resource Management Plan takes on board our recommendations.