Mental Health Bill [HL]

Debate between Baroness Keeley and Baroness Merron

Committee stage
Wednesday 22nd January 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

The noble Baroness is right to raise that point. This is the difference between legislation and practice, and we have to bridge that gap. We are very alive to the point she makes, but the important point about this amendment is that we are trying to include all those whom the patient wants to be involved, not just restricting it to parents. I take the point she has made and will, of course, ensure that we attend to that. I would say that that is, as I say, more a case of how things are implemented.

On Amendment 62, in the name of the noble Baroness, Lady Tyler, and the noble Lord, Lord Scriven, it is important that the transition of a young person to adult services is planned and managed with the utmost care by the clinical team. This is reflected in existing care standards and guidelines, which set out what should be met, what relevant teams should meet and how to provide specific support where a young person’s care is being transferred to adult services. This should take place six months prior to the patient turning 18 years of age. On reviewing the patient’s statutory care and treatment plan when they reach adulthood, in Clause 20, subsection (5)(d) of new Section 130ZA already sets out that that plan must be reviewed following any change in circumstances or conditions. We think that turning 18 and transitioning from children and young people’s services to adult is a significant change and absolutely requires review of the plan. We will make this explicit in the code of practice.

Finally, I turn to Amendment 64. I thank my noble friend Lady Keeley for sharing the reality of how this manifests itself by sharing with us individual circumstances. I also thank the noble Lord, Lord Young, whose work on young carers is well known and respected. We support the intention to ensure that children are properly safeguarded. If a person is known to services, immediate safeguarding needs to form part of the planning by approved mental health professionals on behalf of the local authority and others involved in the Mental Health Act assessment before bringing a person into hospital. If a person is not known to known to services, the professionals should work with the relevant agencies to make sure the necessary steps are taken. The statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children sets out how all practitioners working with children and families need to understand their role in this regard.

[Baroness Keeley (Lab)]

I just want to reflect that the noble Lord, Lord Young, said in his speech that young carers services almost never receive any referrals from adult mental health services, despite the provision that already exists and has done for a number of years in codes of practice. This is a difficult thing—I tried to bring in legislation for that in the other place on a number of occasions. I just thought that was worth pointing out.

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for pointing that out. On the points raised about protections for young carers, the code highlights that children who are caring for parents with severe mental illness are entitled to request a young carer’s needs assessment under the Children Act. It goes on to cover the information that young carers should be offered to help navigate such a challenging time.

Returning to the guidance about which I was speaking, as has been identified, it already outlines the responsibility of multiagency safeguarding partners. Protecting children at risk of abuse and stopping vulnerable children falling through the cracks is very much at the heart of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which was introduced to Parliament last month.

Carers and Poverty: Carers UK Report

Debate between Baroness Keeley and Baroness Merron

Thursday 21st November 2024 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

One of the key things in all this is the identification of carers. As has been discussed in your Lordships’ House on a number of occasions, a lot of people do not identify as carers. Therefore, we are encouraging GPs and, in the case of young carers, schools, to identify carers, so that they can get the support they deserve. The noble Lord, Lord Darzi, identified that making sure that unpaid carers receive recognition and support is key, and it will be in the 10-year plan as we go forward.

[Baroness Keeley (Lab)]

My Lords, I want to raise the issue of the 21-hour study rule whereby an unpaid carer is not allowed to claim carer’s allowance and be in full-time education of more than 21 hours a week. I cannot see a good reason for that rule. It would be very welcome if the Labour Government changed the rule to allow unpaid carers to study without losing their carer’s allowance.

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend for that and can assure her that I will be discussing that very point with ministerial colleagues and am happy to return to her on it.

National Carers Strategy

Debate between Baroness Keeley and Baroness Merron

Tuesday 19th November 2024 Lords Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care (Baroness Merron) (Lab)]

My Lords, we are committed to supporting unpaid carers through our renewed vision for adult social care and the 10-year plan for the National Health Service. We have already taken action to increase the carer’s allowance earning limit, meaning that carers can earn around £2,000 a year more without affecting their entitlement. We have heard the calls for a national carers strategy and will continue to work collaboratively across government to ensure that unpaid carers are visible, valued and supported.

[Baroness Keeley (Lab)]

I thank my noble friend the Minister for that reply, particularly on cross-governmental working, because I think that is one of the most important aspects. The Labour Government’s first national carers strategy was launched in 1999 by the Prime Minister, Tony Blair. The second strategy in 2008 had the support of Gordon Brown and seven Secretaries of State, because evidence from unpaid carers had shown that support for carers could not be solved by one government department but needed work across several. Sadly, Conservative Governments after 2015 did not continue with the national strategy, preferring a much less effective carers action plan. Carers are partners in care, so will my noble friend the Minister consider the strength of feeling among carers and their support organisations that they need and deserve a high-level strategy across government departments to support them?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I certainly agree with the emphasis that my noble friend is putting on the need for cross-government working. I know she has been a champion of that for many years in the other place and that she will continue in your Lordships’ House to ensure that unpaid carers are properly supported and recognised. I can tell my noble friend that Minister Kinnock, as the lead Minister for unpaid carers, regularly engages with those with lived experience, the organisations that represent them and—importantly to the point my noble friend is making—with Ministers from other government departments, most recently the Department for Work and Pensions. We will be formalising our cross-government working with relevant departments and NHS England.