I’m sure I wasn’t the only Gen Xer who couldn’t help smile as the new PM walked on stage this week to deliver his first party conference speech as Labour party leader to the sounds of The Farm’s 1991 hit ‘All Together Now.’ It was an inspired choice to set the stage for a radical progressive speech dominated by his vision for a National Care Service. If the sector wasn’t clear that Mr Burnham was very serious about sweeping adult social care reform before the speech, they were left in no doubt when he made it a mainstay of his promise to “ build the kind of Britain my dad wanted to see.”
However, when it comes to preferences on what care provision should look like, it appears that providers don’t sit “all together” in Mr Burnham’s vision. Although he has been hugely complimentary of staff at the care home where his father sadly recently died a long illness with Alzheimers, and the people who run the Jewish Care home he chose as the venue to launch his drive to accelerate and expand social care reforms back in the summer, it has now turned out that homes will not be supported as part of plans for National Care Service. In a statement put out by No10 following the speech, officials said state funding would not cover “bed and board”, and that care home places would continue to be funded as they are now. The focus of the reforms will be on funding and expanding personal care delivered in people’s homes.
Speaking to the BBC following the speech, Mr Burnham further underlined his preference, saying that his father had only gone into a home because the home care available was not sufficient to meet his needs.
Responding to the speech, Care England called on ministers to be careful to build reform on what works for people, rather than ideological preferences.
Now it’s time to hear what you think. Through a series of short surveys, we want to ensure the views of care home operators, developers, investors and suppliers are heard as reform proposals are developed. Your responses will help identify the sector's priorities, challenges and recommendations for policymakers, while informing our reporting and analysis throughout the process.
It will only take a few minutes of your time, but could have a big impact, if we come ‘all together’ and speak-up on what people on the frontline of expanding and optimising good quality care environments know is needed. Click here to take part today.
