Carers: In Sickness and in Health

Debate between Earl Howe and Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells

Wednesday 11th July 2012 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

Once again, this area is very much centre stage for us. Support for carers is an extremely important matter, and the noble Baroness will see that we are addressing it in the White Paper, about which I will talk shortly.

[The Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells]

My Lords, in recognising the purpose of this report in relation to the health of carers, I ask the Government what action they are going to take, particularly with regard to the welfare and health of young people who may not formally be regarded as carers but who nevertheless undertake a vital role.

[Earl Howe]

The right reverend Prelate refers to an often unseen aspect of caring. My department and the Department for Education are encouraging children’s and adult services to work much more closely together to adopt whole-family approaches to identifying and supporting young carers. We are investing in the identification and sharing of tools, resources and good practice, and we have worked with key stakeholders to develop online training modules on young carers for GPs and school staff in particular.

Health: Pathfinders

Debate between Earl Howe and Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells

Thursday 12th January 2012 Lords Chamber

[Earl Howe]

I do recognise that. It gave rise to the fairly famous quote by Sir David Nicholson, the chief executive of the NHS, who went down to Torbay to see the work being done there. He came away saying:

“I have seen the future and the future is Torbay”.

There was good reason for him to say that because Torbay has established close relationships between social workers, district nurses, therapists and allied health professionals through a single point of contact so that intermediate care services are delivered effectively, thus avoiding the need for patients to be admitted to hospital.

[The Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells]

My Lords—

[Baroness Gardner of Parkes]

Can the Minister tell me—sorry, I would have given way to the right reverend Prelate. I had better press on. Does the Minister believe that the new legislation will change the problem that has always existed—that social care always felt that health should pay and health always felt that social care should pay? There may be good will and a wish to integrate, but can he assure me that the new financial systems in the health service will cover this point and prevent that problem continuing?