Social Care
Debate between Baroness Pitkeathley and Baroness Blake of Leeds
Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)
The noble Lord raises such an important point. I am sure he will also be thinking about the vexed issue of hospital discharge and all the issues that are creating such difficulties in the system. I emphasise that adult social care is part of our vision for a neighbourhood health service, shifting care from hospitals to communities, with the NHS working alongside local authorities, social care providers and the voluntary sector. I am sure we are all looking forward to the announcement of the 10-year health plan, looking at how we can move healthcare from hospitals to the community but recognising that all agencies out in the community have a vital part to play to make this story successful.
Baroness Pitkeathley (Lab)
My Lords, the Government have rightly adopted a preventive approach as far as the NHS is concerned. Does my noble friend agree that it would be a good idea to apply this to social care as well? To take, for example, unpaid carers—I can never resist the temptation to remind your Lordships that they save the nation £192 billion a year—if you put in a small amount of support for those unpaid carers at an early point in their caring journey, you can often prevent a crisis arising. It surely makes very sound economic sense to adopt this preventive approach to social care.
Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)
The noble Baroness has made the case for us all. As we know, one of the main pillars of changing the health system we have is to move from sickness to prevention. I believe you can transfer that logic and thinking to this area. We have fantastic examples of different neighbourhoods having stepped up to the plate, working to bridge the gap between the health service and local social care providers and working with carers as well. It is critical that we look at the examples of good practice and work out how we can roll them out so that we can make the shift that needs to be made.
Carer’s Allowance: Repayments
Debate between Baroness Pitkeathley and Baroness Blake of Leeds
Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)
I thank the noble Baroness, Lady Altmann, and also for her numerous contributions on this issue in debates, some of which I have been lucky to take part in over the last few months. Today is an important day, obviously, since Carers UK has published its report this morning, which is what I presume has prompted the Question. I am very pleased to announce to the House that, as we speak, the Minister of State for Social Security and Disability is meeting representatives from Carers UK and other related organisations, as well as—most importantly, given their absolute, central part in this whole situation—meeting with carers themselves. It is important that we wait to hear the outcome as we anticipate the review that the Minister of State is putting into place, so that we can swiftly move on to address the issues that the noble Baroness has brought up.
Baroness Pitkeathley (Lab)
My Lords, it is good news indeed that the Minister of State is meeting with Carers UK. I am sure many of your Lordships will have seen the shocking report that came out this morning about the prosecution—indeed, I might say persecution—which some unpaid carers are suffering. The real problem is the so-called cliff edge: the minute you go one pound or even one penny over the limit, the debts start to mount up. About five years ago, we were assured that this problem was being dealt with, so I am very glad to note that it is being dealt with now. But I hope that we will never lose sight of the fact that carers want to have paid work as well as their unpaid work; it helps them emotionally, it helps them financially and it helps them in the future. We must never lose sight of the fact that we must encourage carers to have paid work as much as we can, without these kinds of barriers which have been put up.
Baroness Blake of Leeds (Lab)
My noble friend Lady Pitkeathley has been working on this issue for many years, and I know we all commend the extraordinary work she has done on this. I know she will be involved in the review that takes place as we go forward. We have to introduce real understanding and compassion and also look at the ways we can improve the circumstances that carers are in today. This is an incredibly complex area, and we need to do everything to make sure the department’s communications are as transparent and clear as possible and to give support to carers so they do not get into difficulties as they go forward.