Andy Burnham has pledged to reform the adult social care system, having made it one of the top priorities of his premiership.
The prime minister said successive governments have failed at reforming social care for decades, seeing the issue as “too risky, too difficult, and too complicated”.
He has also asked the Conservative and Liberal Democrat leaders to meet with him to discuss the issue.
Good Morning Britain spoke to Jayne Connery, the Director and Founder of Care Campaign for the Vulnerable about her experience with the care system after caring for her mum.
Bit by bit local authorities have closed respite and day centres that were a vital part of caring long term for someone severely disabled. In turn this has meant that people who could have stayed in the community for longer ended up in residential care. However, the real issue is recognising that the care we give is not an easy option and should be recognised as work.
Got turned away from respite from serveral places i cannot belive it. Also, they discriminate because your outside their funding postcode area we cannot help you we only cover xyz postcodes!
@pipsy well let’s see how he’s going to fund it. Apparently it said on the news that there are 3 options up to now. Someone asked him if he is going to tax us all someway , as to which he never replied.
@pipsy you put that you have been turned away for respite several times.that they discriminate because you are outside there funding postcode. Why don’t you try inside your funding postcode if there saying that.
within my postcode they dont provide respite care they refer you to social work everytime same with everyone else social work who dont answer their phones or emails.
for a start all adult carers should have access to an exit plan, these plans should not be in place when a crisis becomes a problem but should be implemented at the start of care work to ensure all carers have a safe exit if needs must.
Secondly, pay us what we are worth, national minimum wage at least, why should we live in dispair and without oppurtunities to progress in life or enjoy holidays. We need new clothes, shoes and technology to keep up with daily tasks.
and if not the most important to me, make child carers illegal, no child should have to care for an ill adult, that should be down to other family members or social care. These kids are at risk of making stable relationships, growing up and staying in education. I should never have lost that so why 20 odds years later are kids still trapped in this horrible cycle.
I know some may disagree with the child carers bit, but please don’t think I am judging the disbaled or ill person, society leaves us all with little choice.
@pipsy oh I’m sorry that they don’t do respite in your area and refer you to social work and they don’t answer there phones or emails. That’s not good is it. I never knew that some areas/places did not have respite care.well I don’t know if these are old options from years ago and they will not bother with them when they get all this big conversation on care that they are doing over the next months. 1.was to have care similar to wales. Another was a tax like inheritance tax that everyone would have to pay at the end of their life ,I don’t know what the third is. But I think these are things they thought about in the past. So after this big conversation where everyone can give there views they will look at what people have to say. But it does need to be fairer.
Just check other countries how they treat carers and the cared for and you will be shocked about how Great Britain is Great! Denmark and Norway are the leading countries when it comes to looking after the ill.
Does your family or extended family all contribute either time or financially for me they all run and because i live with the person its my duty they have more responsibilties apparantly.
There all oversubscribed and the quotas the council and goverment give is minimum so they can show they are doing something to please their bosses to meet complince and get re-elected again.
That is exactly my situation. I have 4 other sisters but to be honest, they left for other reasons and you wouldn’t blame them for it. It annoys me that a lot of focus goes on how a carer should behave but the disabled person is given a pass. My mum called me the B word to a stranger when we were shopping. That ain’t her disability, that is pure disrespect. I have been doig therapy and the worst part of it is that it opens you up to notice these things that you just get on with but deep down it ain’t right. She accused me of being a bully when i stepped in and asked her pharmacist what she could use for her nose drip, but then said she was joking…real funny that is.
if they cant give time they must contribute financially even if its £1. They won’t leave a 1 month old baby alone and to do everything themselves rather they would someone who is ill and got someone dying doing caring for them.
What i have learned is that you need to find someone usually a friend who will be there for you 24/7 when you become ill. Consider your partner or children or sibilings unavaliable they wont be able to look after you 24/7 not even a care home they abuse and assault you. You need to find a samaritan someone who is doing it for other reasons good will, good deeds, something someone wants to be remembered for very rare in this day and age.
Family who refuse to help have no right to any say in what you do (on the odd occasion my brothers saw me they told me what else I should be doing!) . They should not be entitled to equal shares of any inheritance either!
You cant tell anyone thats your a full time unpaid carer its so embarassing only a few people understand those who have done it themselves the others say just get a job (just over broke job paying the taxman)
